Crispy Gai
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We stopped here on a Friday night and it was busy. However, we only had to wait ~5 minutes for a table. Our server was friendly and offered input on the house favorites. I ordered the Thai iced tea and a cartoons and cereal shot! Both were delicious! For our meal, we ordered the four piece Hat Yai fried chicken with the ranch and ginger/soy sauces. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the skin was very crunchy. The two sauces we got, added the perfect amount of flavor to eat bite. We also ordered the Rangoon spring rolls and chive cakes. The spring rolls were delicious and were quite loaded. The chive cakes were also yummy and reminded me of Brussels sprouts! Everything we had here was amazing and there's a reason it's highly recommended!
The food was amazing!! "A hole in the wall" place that is a must try. They have some outdoor seating. We had a cabbage salad. That was the best cabbage salad I've ever had. There's plenty of food. They had a great variety of vegetarian gluten-free and regular food. They were very attentive. The service was great. It was a cool place with cool ambience was done, but had great lighting. You could say it was romantic in a way. We will definitely be back.
Last time I was in Portland I didn't get to come here. I made sure it was the first dinner spot I had this time around - What fantastic fried chicken and the chewy chive triangles (basically scallion pancake in a triangle form). Lets start with the Chive cakes. Unassuming at first, I got them and said "how good could these be?" - one bite put that thought to rest. There is some kind of seasoning they dust these with that makes them pop - its salty, a little bright, makes your mouth water. Pair it with the dipping sauce and that whole experience gets jacked up a couple notches. Scallion pancake type dishes don't excite me much, but this one was my favorite to date. Just know going in - a scallion pancake (or chive in this case) is still just that - its not going to knock you onto the floor, they are just very good. Now the chicken, how the heck did they get the skin so crisp and feel so light? I preferred the leg over the thigh, it stayed a little more moist. The thigh wasn't dry by any means, but it didn't stay as juicy as I expected. That said the dipping sauce I got, Nam Jim Jaew helped pull it all together. It was salty, full of umami, had good acidity, nice freshness from the aromatics mixed in - all in all, this was a great meal and I'd definitely recommend making it a stop. Food came out quick, and if you're solo like I was, there is single-seating along the wall which really maximizes the space in here.
Crispy Gai is a cool Thai restaurant in downtown Portland. The menu isn't huge, but the items they prepare are outstanding. I had the fried rice with Chinese sausage. It was so flavorful, and some of the best fried rice I've had in a long time! All of the staff is super nice and worked quickly and efficiently serving and cleaning up. There isn't a huge amount of searing, but that just adds to the cozy feeling of the restaurant. Definitely recommend.
Stopped by Crispy Gai to try their fried chicken as we saw it was highly rated. We arrived just before noon on a Saturday so the place was fairly empty. It's not very big and they don't take reservations so I can see how it could get really busy later in the day. We took two seats at the bar. It has a hipster tropical vibe inside. We got an order of the Hat Yai wings with the NJS ranch sauce on the side. The wings were a good size and cooked perfectly. The ranch sauce was the perfect dipping companion. I also enjoyed a tropical mimosa for $5 since it felt like a bargain. We had already planned on going next door to Highroller for lunch so we didn't order anything else. I'd love to visit here again though and try the hot honey chicken sandwich. Fun little spot.
Delicious on all levels. It's a dark and moody spot with pops of color and whimsy. Service was friendly and prompt. Cocktails were unique and so tasty! But the WINGS. I'm a wing snob. I want crispy, juicy and flavorful wings that pack real heat and that fall off the bone. I want an assortment of homemade dipping sauces so every bite is different. Crispy Gai delivered. The crispy mushroom salad was a wonderful palette cleanser - fresh herbs and spice with wonderful textures.
The best place to get fried chicken in Maine hands down. You have to get the sauce plate with your wings! I also got a Thai tea and it was the perfect amount of sweetness. Highly highly recommend this place to everyone!
Yum! We knew we were at the right place when we walked in. Everyone at our table was blown away at every bite. Recommend getting the sauce party to try everything. Chicken was out of this world(especially the red curry wings). We will be back!
My friend and I were looking for a lunch to refuel us on a Friday and we found crispy gai. The staff immediately welcomed us and had us seated (we were at the very start of the lunch rush). Our server helped give us some recommendations and was really personable. We decided to get the waterfall salad with mushrooms and the fish sauce wings and both were delightful! The waterfall salad is a herbal salad and the flavors melded together perfectly with the fried mushroom. The chicken wings were crunchy, moist, and flavorful! We were extremely satisfied with our lunch and back out into the world we went! I'd definitely come back here again in the future for some delicious flavorful Thai food!
oh YUM!!! Crispy Gai serves spins on classic thai street bites that do not disappoint. Its a smaller space but very cute and moody ambiance. Known for their fried chicken, we started with that. We had one that came in a red curry rub and dipped in the most buttery creamy ranch sauce - a heavenly combo. We also had the crab ragoon spring rolls - so creamy and crabby i just wish there was more it was that good. For a vegetable we ordered the crispy waterfell salad - I do not usually like cilantro but the way this dish was prepared was SO good. The cilantro was almost sweet and perfectly paired with the crisp marinated chicken bites. Our other main was the crying tiger, it was also delicious but a bit tough. Service was very nice!
Three of us went to Crispy Gai Friday Night. Two of us have been many times and we brought a newbie along. As two of us have written glowing raves about Crispy Gai food, atmosphere and staff, the newbie was blown away from the first food selection to the final selection which you can see the Co Owner Sasha had brought out to us! Newbie already has plans to bring his family to explore the experience! Something not to miss out on. To Sasha and Maeve, thank you for your outstanding conversations, food recommendations and to the Bar Staff, best from scratch drinks. Everything pairs perfectly! See you soon! And may the summer time crowd try Crispy Gai more than once while in town. Remember the wings!
Changed my life. Period. I am absolutely devastated that I do not live right next to Crispy Gai (or perhaps I and my wallet should be grateful). The wings. THE WINGS! were so perfectly crispy. I highly recommend the Gaeng Pèt Wings (if you like red curry flavor profile). I don't know what they put in the seasoning, but it encompassed red curry really well. I ascended. That first bite made me religious. We also got the Hat Yai wings which were great as well! Very simple flavor but seasoned and cooked so perfectly. We didn't get any of their sauces but I would probably recommend one for the Hat Yai Wings. However, if you don't want a sauce, it's great on its own! We also got the Crispy Waterfall Salad, which was also Very delicious and much needed after having lots of fried chicken (the salad also had fried chicken in it though LOL). It was herby and had this delicious dressing that was sweet and sour. Service was fine! It was quite busy when we went. We had to wait about 45 minutes to get seated. It's a bit loud in there and with majority bar seating-esque tables that can be a bit difficult with bigger groups.
Very filling large chicken sandwiches. Great crunch. Super friendly service. Fries are well seasoned and they have some fun ice cream sandwiches! Cocktails were fun too! The staff there were super gracious and helpful in choosing which dishes to order.
Slight downgrade but no cause for alarm-- more of a caution. They've been one of my favorite restaurants from my first meal here, and they still are, but they've slipped a bit. The chicken is often spectacular but just as often only good, sometimes coming out dry, sloppy, or much saltier (as with some other dishes) than the time before. The service, which was once a hallmark, has tailed off as well. Slightly less experienced, slightly less friendly, and sometimes oblivious or rude. Nothing close to a dealbreaker, but noticeable. -- Wings: They now have four varieties, and I've tried all four. The newest concoction, Makham Glazed Wings (tamarind fish sauce caramel with fried garlic), has great crunch and dazzling, complex flavor. All four are worth trying, so I rotate with each visit. The sauces are top notch. -- Chicken Sandwich: At its best, absolutely elite, from the soft bun to the crunchy shell to the juicy meat to the spicy and velvety additions. But once a little undercooked and once a little dry-- still good; just not great on those occasions. A lunchtime must. -- Cabbage Salad: Still delicious, but hoo boy, salty. -- Crispy Mushroom Waterfall: My wife enjoys it but has noticed significant shrinkage. -- Brussels Sprouts: Lots of flavor here and good crunch. -- Moo Ping (pork skewers): Still delicious, but down from 4 skewers to 3, smaller, and less glaze and spice. Had I not had their off-the-charts-spectacular earlier servings, I might think the same now. Still good, just not as good. Crispy Gai comes through often enough and I'm still coming back. They're still sometimes spectacular. It's just that it's not dependably so and they might have already peaked. read more
We stopped here on a Friday night and it was busy. However, we only had to wait ~5 minutes for a table. Our server was friendly and offered input on the house favorites. I ordered the Thai iced tea and a cartoons and cereal shot! Both were delicious! For our meal, we ordered the four piece Hat Yai fried chicken with the ranch and ginger/soy sauces. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the skin was very crunchy. The two sauces we got, added the perfect amount of flavor to eat bite. We also ordered the Rangoon spring rolls and chive cakes. The spring rolls were delicious and were quite loaded. The chive cakes were also yummy and reminded me of Brussels sprouts! Everything we had here was amazing and there's a reason it's highly recommended! read more
2 months ago
The food was amazing!! "A hole in the wall" place that is a must try. They have some outdoor seating. We had a cabbage salad. That was the best cabbage salad I've ever had. There's plenty of food. They had a great variety of vegetarian gluten-free and regular food. They were very attentive. The service was great. It was a cool place with cool ambience was done, but had great lighting. You could say it was romantic in a way. We will definitely be back. read more
5 months ago
Last time I was in Portland I didn't get to come here. I made sure it was the first dinner spot I had this time around - What fantastic fried chicken and the chewy chive triangles (basically scallion pancake in a triangle form). Lets start with the Chive cakes. Unassuming at first, I got them and said "how good could these be?" - one bite put that thought to rest. There is some kind of seasoning they dust these with that makes them pop - its salty, a little bright, makes your mouth water. Pair it with the dipping sauce and that whole experience gets jacked up a couple notches. Scallion pancake type dishes don't excite me much, but this one was my favorite to date. Just know going in - a scallion pancake (or chive in this case) is still just that - its not going to knock you onto the floor, they are just very good. Now the chicken, how the heck did they get the skin so crisp and feel so light? I preferred the leg over the thigh, it stayed a little more moist. The thigh wasn't dry by any means, but it didn't stay as juicy as I expected. That said the dipping sauce I got, Nam Jim Jaew helped pull it all together. It was salty, full of umami, had good acidity, nice freshness from the aromatics mixed in - all in all, this was a great meal and I'd definitely recommend making it a stop. Food came out quick, and if you're solo like I was, there is single-seating along the wall which really maximizes the space in here. read more
Crispy Gai is a cool Thai restaurant in downtown Portland. The menu isn't huge, but the items they prepare are outstanding. I had the fried rice with Chinese sausage. It was so flavorful, and some of the best fried rice I've had in a long time! All of the staff is super nice and worked quickly and efficiently serving and cleaning up. There isn't a huge amount of searing, but that just adds to the cozy feeling of the restaurant. Definitely recommend. read more
3 months ago
Stopped by Crispy Gai to try their fried chicken as we saw it was highly rated. We arrived just before noon on a Saturday so the place was fairly empty. It's not very big and they don't take reservations so I can see how it could get really busy later in the day. We took two seats at the bar. It has a hipster tropical vibe inside. We got an order of the Hat Yai wings with the NJS ranch sauce on the side. The wings were a good size and cooked perfectly. The ranch sauce was the perfect dipping companion. I also enjoyed a tropical mimosa for $5 since it felt like a bargain. We had already planned on going next door to Highroller for lunch so we didn't order anything else. I'd love to visit here again though and try the hot honey chicken sandwich. Fun little spot. read more
Delicious on all levels. It's a dark and moody spot with pops of color and whimsy. Service was friendly and prompt. Cocktails were unique and so tasty! But the WINGS. I'm a wing snob. I want crispy, juicy and flavorful wings that pack real heat and that fall off the bone. I want an assortment of homemade dipping sauces so every bite is different. Crispy Gai delivered. The crispy mushroom salad was a wonderful palette cleanser - fresh herbs and spice with wonderful textures. read more
Yum! We knew we were at the right place when we walked in. Everyone at our table was blown away at every bite. Recommend getting the sauce party to try everything. Chicken was out of this world(especially the red curry wings). We will be back! read more
My friend and I were looking for a lunch to refuel us on a Friday and we found crispy gai. The staff immediately welcomed us and had us seated (we were at the very start of the lunch rush). Our server helped give us some recommendations and was really personable. We decided to get the waterfall salad with mushrooms and the fish sauce wings and both were delightful! The waterfall salad is a herbal salad and the flavors melded together perfectly with the fried mushroom. The chicken wings were crunchy, moist, and flavorful! We were extremely satisfied with our lunch and back out into the world we went! I'd definitely come back here again in the future for some delicious flavorful Thai food! read more
oh YUM!!! Crispy Gai serves spins on classic thai street bites that do not disappoint. Its a smaller space but very cute and moody ambiance. Known for their fried chicken, we started with that. We had one that came in a red curry rub and dipped in the most buttery creamy ranch sauce - a heavenly combo. We also had the crab ragoon spring rolls - so creamy and crabby i just wish there was more it was that good. For a vegetable we ordered the crispy waterfell salad - I do not usually like cilantro but the way this dish was prepared was SO good. The cilantro was almost sweet and perfectly paired with the crisp marinated chicken bites. Our other main was the crying tiger, it was also delicious but a bit tough. Service was very nice! read more
4 months ago
Three of us went to Crispy Gai Friday Night. Two of us have been many times and we brought a newbie along. As two of us have written glowing raves about Crispy Gai food, atmosphere and staff, the newbie was blown away from the first food selection to the final selection which you can see the Co Owner Sasha had brought out to us! Newbie already has plans to bring his family to explore the experience! Something not to miss out on. To Sasha and Maeve, thank you for your outstanding conversations, food recommendations and to the Bar Staff, best from scratch drinks. Everything pairs perfectly! See you soon! And may the summer time crowd try Crispy Gai more than once while in town. Remember the wings! read more
Changed my life. Period. I am absolutely devastated that I do not live right next to Crispy Gai (or perhaps I and my wallet should be grateful). The wings. THE WINGS! were so perfectly crispy. I highly recommend the Gaeng Pèt Wings (if you like red curry flavor profile). I don't know what they put in the seasoning, but it encompassed red curry really well. I ascended. That first bite made me religious. We also got the Hat Yai wings which were great as well! Very simple flavor but seasoned and cooked so perfectly. We didn't get any of their sauces but I would probably recommend one for the Hat Yai Wings. However, if you don't want a sauce, it's great on its own! We also got the Crispy Waterfall Salad, which was also Very delicious and much needed after having lots of fried chicken (the salad also had fried chicken in it though LOL). It was herby and had this delicious dressing that was sweet and sour. Service was fine! It was quite busy when we went. We had to wait about 45 minutes to get seated. It's a bit loud in there and with majority bar seating-esque tables that can be a bit difficult with bigger groups. read more
11 months ago
Very filling large chicken sandwiches. Great crunch. Super friendly service. Fries are well seasoned and they have some fun ice cream sandwiches! Cocktails were fun too! The staff there were super gracious and helpful in choosing which dishes to order. read more
1 month ago
Sichuan Wings (7/10): Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. The spice balance was heavy on the numbing side, but not enough on the spicy side. I felt like it also lacked the aromatic dimension of Sichuan spices, and was a bit one-dimensional toward numbing spice. We got Nam Jim Jaew sauce to go with it, but it really wasn't necessary. Also, $2 per sauce doesn't seem worth it. Pad See Ew (9/10): Delicious! Noodles were cooked with a nice amount of wok hei. The pork was delicious. I found the sweetness level to be fine. We waited an hour for dinner on the Sunday before labor day. read more
We came here for brunch and it was absolutely excellent! We started with the crab rangoon dip and the chive cakes. The dip was solid but the chive cakes were delicious. Really crunchy and oily but in a good way! I ordered the pad krapow gai and it was really good. I took half home for later and it was also great cold! My friends ordered the chicken sandwich and the mcmuffin and both really enjoyed. It was pretty sleepy on a Saturday morning and our server Chloe was amazing and very attentive. Would definitely come back here to try more of the dinner options! read more
Another amazing spot in Portland, we came here on a whim for lunch during our trip. My personal favorite was the crab Rangoon dip I was tempted to eat it with a spoon. The wings were also delicious and a must try. The shumai were also good and well executed. Staff were super nice and the interior is small but cute. read more
11 months ago
My friends and I tried Crispy Gai as part of our food crawl through Portland. Crispy Gai was one of the best if not the best restaurants that we tried! From the drinks, to the sauce, to the chicken, all of the food was amazing! We got the red curry chicken and the original crispy chicken with shallots, and I definitely recommend the red curry one! You could eat it without the sauce, and it's still great. Our favorite sauce was definitely the ranch (and usually I don't opt for ranch). A must-try in Portland! read more
11 months ago
First stop in Portland and we hit it off with a BANG! I got the mushroom pad see ew and all my friends got various chicken sandwiches. We shared the fried wings (hat yai wings) and the rangoon dip. Both were delicious! The wings were perfectly crispy with tender meat cooked to perfection. I'm not usually a crab rangoon fan, but this was a pleasant surprise. The star of the meal for me was my pad see ew. The mushrooms were delectable and the overall dish was amazing. Super happy we were able to find great thai food in Portland! read more
We were greeted by a nice young man and seated right away. The drink menu was fun with alcoholic and non alcoholic drink choices. I ordered the herb tonic Thai basil, mint, coriander ginger and tonic, amazing drink, I loved it! For dinner the waiter suggested Khoa Kha Moo, great choice. Perfect portion, our meals came out hot and fresh. Full of flavor nice big chunks of tender meat, noodles cooked perfect. The atmosphere is comfortable and easy. The staff all friendly warm and welcoming. I will definitely be back again to try more food and drinks from this amazing menu. read more
3 months ago
1 month ago
Really cute place! The decor and ambiance were super cute and the service was quick and friendly. I got the chicken wings and they were crispy (as advertised) but otherwise quite ordinary. I didn't really enjoy the sauce I chose, maybe next time I will try another. The tom yum fries were my favorite part of the meal. I am knocking off a point because of how pricey the food was for what we got. Overall a nice place to grab lunch. I will try again and adjust my review based on what I try next time. read more
Easily one of my favorite Portland establishments! It's a small place so it can be a few minutes to get a table/bar seat sometimes, but it's always worth the wait. Such a convenient location and fast service, which makes this a go-to for me before seeing shows at Merrill. The food is always amazing! The som tum (green papaya salad) is a must for me. So fresh and delicious. I recently tried the chive cakes, which were crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, finished with a sprinkle of flake salt. Tasty and such a fun mix of textures! The chicken is what they're know for (crispy gai=chicken). I get the hat yai, which is crispy on the outside with plenty of little fried onions and juicy on the inside. The sauces they have to pair with the chicken are also great! I especially like the NJS Ranch, but also really enjoy the ginger soy (especially with the fried onions). The amount of sauce for $2 is generous too. Lastly, I also really appreciate their drink options! So many fun nonalcoholic creations, including the Gucci Gai and the Lemongrass Rickey. Both are great! The Thai tea is also nice and has a distinct taste compared to other places I sometimes get it because it's made with condensed milk. read more
3 months ago
7 months ago
I have to say that I have been back to crispy gai a couple times now and while it's good... it's not at the top of my favorite places to go in Portland. This was the second time I've gone in for a chicken sandwich and, again, it's a good sandwich. I do truly appreciate the crunchiness of their breading and the integrity of their buns (both crucial to a good fcs). But I do have to say that their toppings/flvor combinations leave something to be desired in my opinion. read more
I have been wanting to come here for sometime, I heard such good things about the chicken sandwich. It was all true. This was truly an amazing sandwich. It was late the the afternoon right before they closed for lunch so there were not many people there, my order was ready very quickly. We choose take out which may not have been the best plan after realizing just how messy it was to eat, but it was worth every napkin. The cabbage salad was also very good the dressing had a bit more zing than I like on a salad but we used it sparingly so it was really good. We will return to sample the wings and maybe the Brussel sprouts next time. read more
I cannot say enough about this place. My partner and had I dinner here after it being in my list for over a year and it was amazing!! The Brussels sprouts were so flavorful, delicious, and perfectly cooked. The extra crispy wings were so juicy, fresh, and well seasoned. In addition, we got the pad see we with mushrooms with was also very delicious. We were stuffed, as the portions were very generous. We wanted to try such more but simply didn't have room. Next time I'm in Portland I have to return! The only disappointment was the service and the Thai iced tea. The iced tea lacked any real flavor and was very unsweetened. I've had many before and none lacked flavor. Also, the service was very lackluster, no one really checked on us and we didn't have a consistent server. Also when food was delivered it was just left on the counter not even moved to us, we had to reach across and pull it over each time a dish was brought. I think service could be improved by a lot but the food quality definitely makes up for it thankfully. read more
4 months ago
Amazing food (crispiest chicken and amazing sauces!!) and drinks and the friendliest service! Will definitely be back next time we're in Portland! read more
I've been here twice now -- once for lunch, once for dinner -- and have enjoyed it both times, though I think the quality of the dishes is a bit uneven. The interior is trendy and colorful, and we thankfully didn't have to wait either time for a seat (though I here this place is slammed during the summer months). At dinner, I tried the Chinese sausage fried rice with the crab add-on, which was quite good, and the pad see ew, which was well-cooked but way too salty. I'd say the absolute winner here is the chicken: I tried one of my friend's chicken wings, and it was incredibly crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned, and impossibly tender. When I came back for lunch, I went straight for the chicken: I ordered the Crispy Deluxe Sandwich and the Tom Yum Fries. Both were absolutely delicious, flavor-packed and texturally flawless. This has got to be some of the best fried chicken I've had in recent memory. I'll be back soon to try out the happy hour ($1 oysters every day from 11am-3pm!) and for more of that incredible chicken! read more
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