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    Dara

    4.3 (82 reviews)
    Closed • 11:30 am - 4:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:30 PM

    Order Dara Takeout or Delivery

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    DARA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Dara

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    Christine C.

    AMAZING food!! The chicken panang was definitely the best thing on the menu and the dessert to follow but honestly everything was sooo good from the mango salad to the duck curry and so much more. I had a large group and we did family style so I got to try a lot of the options that were there and enjoy every bit of it. Also, the Thai iced tea is delicious. We enjoyed the ambience of the restaurant because the decorations were so nice and our service was pretty fast despite the restaurant being super busy overall a wonderful experience and I'm glad we got to go here.

    Fried Calamari
    Hind A.

    Really good food and incredibly fast service! The workers were all so sweet and welcoming. Really enjoyed this meal- highly recommend checking this spot out! The sauce that came with the fish was incredible. I had to ask if we could buy it and had to take some home.

    Oysters
    Marisa B.

    Delicious food and amazing service!! My colleagues and I went here for a conference - we walked in on accident - and were so pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of the food. I got the Pad Thai with shrimp and it was some of the best I've ever had, and our table got the oysters and they were so fresh tasting and had beautiful accompanying sauces. My colleagues also got the Tom Kah and a fried rice dish, which they also thought were incredible. We all got Thai teas, and they were perfect for our meal. The service was also quick and excellent, especially considering it was 7pm on a Sunday night and very busy. If I'm ever back in Philly, I would make this stop again.

    Khao Soi - Crispy Chicken Leg, Crab Fried Rice, Somtum TH (GF)
    Alissa S.

    My friend and I made a reservation for two on a Saturday at 5:30 PM. We got there earlier around 5 PM and we were able to get seated. I was surprised because the restaurant started filling up and we heard a party at four being told there is an hour wait without a reservation. All the servers were very nice and even noticed we forgot our belongings when we left the restaurant and ran after us. Interior was clean and I liked how it wasn't super dark like some other restaurants so I could actually see what I was eating. We ordered the somtum thai salad, khao soi, and the crab fried rice. The salad was good - I like how you can customize the spice level so we brought it down to mild and it was manageable. The crab fried rice was great. I like adding the fish sauce to the rice and it was very flavorful. I tried some of my friend's khao soi and it was on the spicier side because the spice level couldn't be adjusted. The broth was still very flavorful and rich.

    Pad See Ew, Khao Moo Dang Moo Krob
    Adrian B.

    The Hoyjor (dumpling appetizer) was a must have, some of the best food I've had in a while! We also had the chicken puff (also an appetizer similar to a samosa), khao moo dang moo krob (over rice dish) and the pad see ew (noodles). They were all very good, really enjoyed the bitterness of the Chinese broccoli in the pad see ew and how it balanced with the sauce. Would suggest skipping out on the dessert, we ordered the banoffee and it was served without the ice cream which was just a little dry. The thai iced tea was great, not too sweet. Would suggest just going with a few friends and sharing plates. Would definitely love to try some more dishes, I'd reorder the hoyjor again and again. Our server was very sweet and there's a moody intimate vibe to the place as well.

    L to R: Tom Yum soup, Chicken Puff, Pad Kee Mao, Ribeye Pad Cha
    Sarah A.

    Great service, delicious food, and wonderful spice levels made for a terrific birthday dinner. On a busy section of Walnut Street, the noise of the city fades away once you come in the door. We enjoyed: - Tom Yum soup (river prawn, lemongrass, oyster mushroom, galanga, lime leave and cilantro in Thai flavor creamy broth), which helpfully came in cup-size--great flavors! - Chicken Puff (fried puff pastry filled with minced chicken, potato, and onion served with cucumber and shallot relish), which is similar to a samosa and served piping hot! - Pad Kee Mao (wide rice noodles, bell pepper, carrot, onion, egg, basil, and young peppercorn) at Level 4 (of 5) spice and it was the perfect amount of spicy! - Ribeye Pad Cha (grilled ribeye stir-fried in pad cha sauce, green and red long hot pepper, dried chili, basil, Thai eggplant, young peppercorn, and sliced fingerroot served with jasmine rice on the side) at Level 5 (of 5) spice, which was the perfect amount of spicy and served sizzling hot. - Chocolate lava cake with coconut ice cream and whipped cream--appreciate the offer of music, which we declined. Will definitely return with friends in tow to try more of the menu! P.S. There's a vegan section to the menu, which would likely also work for gluten free/celiac folx.

    Angeline D.

    If you're looking for Thai food in center city, you could easily find several Thai restaurants on Walnut Street. Dining at Dara was a pleasure because 1) being seated right away and good service 2) finding street parking was fairly easy and 3) the food was flavorful and delicious. Thai tea - typical and classic. Can't go wrong. Lychee Thai tea - different, refreshing in a way where it was a fruity Thai tea. Hoy jor- appetizer that I didn't really care much for. It's deep fried lump crab meat, shrimp, pork dumplings. The plum sauce is what made it better for me, but wouldn't particularly order again. Khao soi with crispy chicken - recommend. it's level 3 spicy (medium) and you can't lower the spice level for any of their curries. (You can make spicier if you want.) it was honestly the right amount of spice, where it was enjoyable. Their crispy chicken was, in fact, crispy. Complemented with the curry and it was just a delicious combination. I honestly wished they gave more of the soup and noodles with that price point ($25). But maybe that's just me being spoiled with lower prices back home in Houston. My one friend ordered pineapple fried rice with pork belly served in a pineapple. They seriously did not skimp out on the pork belly! Flavorful with a slight crunch. My other friend had the crab fried rice with level 3 spice. Was told it was good. Dined on a Saturday mid-afternoon so it wasn't busy, but I could anticipate it getting busy. (The city was quite empty for being after Christmas.) ambiance was chill, playing music that I typically like listening to (American and Asian pop/r&b). Service was fast and friendly. They honestly answered all questions we had and made customizations to food if asked. Would come back again to try their other items if I'm in the city. Was super surprised that they have banoffee on their dessert menu. Thanks for a good meal, Dara. :)

    Pad Thai Boran (GF) and Hor Mok
    Kenneth M.

    Food there was solid. Both mains we got were tasty with decent portions. The presentation was also good I wish the Hor Mok dish was more spicy. Interior was clean but the heating was low as they set the temperature to 60F. The staff were polite. Overall, the food makes us want to return but only when the weather is warmer.

    Crab curry
    Khang H.

    Great Thai spot in Philly. We loved all the dishes, but my personal favorite was the crab curry. Overall, the food and service were excellent. The table was a bit small for all the dishes, but other than that, I highly recommend this place.

    Beef Panang Curry
    Miles A.

    Nice Thai restaurant with a cozy interior and friendly staff. They have a drink menu with many cocktails and such, and lots of classic Thai dishes for food options. Decor also adds to the coziness. Went and tried the Pad Kee Mao, beef Penang curry, and chicken fried rice. Drunken noodle pad kee mao was large flat noodle with a sweeter sauce and not spicy. The beef Penang curry was also more sweet curry flavor and not much spice (menu had 2 out of 3 pepper symbols so was surprised). Very creamy with good slices of beef. Fried rice was good, large sized portion. Overall tasty meal, thanks

    Somtum - yum

    Each time I eat at a Thai restaurant feels like rolling the dice: Will it be authentic Thai cuisine or non-Thai chefs cooking up Thai dishes? So I went into Dara not expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. Three dishes, all excellent: 1. Crab Fried Rice [Khao pad poo]: Large chunks of crab meat stir fried with the rice and egg, perfectly spiced. Sometimes the crab meat is cooked separately and then dumped on top almost as a garnish; not here. It is a large portion, and we devoured every last morsel, delicious, aroy mak! 2. Somtum Thai - Papaya salad: A favorite Thai dish that often disappoints because the papaya is not tenderized enough, need to pound it with mortar and pestle, tenderize with lime, add lots of peanuts, fresh tomatoes, and spice it up. Ordered with khao niao - glutinous rice - Somtum and khao niao are eaten together - comes wrapped, firm, and in bamboo serving container, felt like Bangkok. So glad Dara had it! 3. Yum Woon Sen: Noodles were still firm, spiced perfectly, served in a traditional bowl, again, it felt like being in Thailand. The owner and servers are attentive and typical Thai friendly, and they customized the dishes in terms of spice level and other requests. Looking forward to returning to taste pad Thai and the curries, which all looked great, as well as Somtum Pu Pla Ra, Gang Pu, and more.

    Lemon Thai Tea and Chive Pancake (GF,VG)
    Rosa Z.

    I was walking by and I decided to eat at Dara for lunch. During the weekday, if you eat lunch during the hours of 11am-1pm, they'll give you a free spring roll or free chive pancake, which was nice. I ordered the Sai Oua (Thai sausage), the Gai Yang Somtum (grilled marinated chicken in Thai herbs and sticky rice), and lemon Thai tea. The Thai sausage was very meaty and earthy and the veggies balanced out the meatiness. The grilled marinated chicken was delicious with the sticky rice. However, I was not a fan of the sauce on the side (too sour). Just so you know, they wrap the sticky rice in plastic wrap so make sure you unwrap the rice before you eat it. The lemon Thai tea was refreshing and because it was mixed with Thai tea, it was sweeter than regular lemonade. The wait staff was attentive and friendly, and I would come here again! :)

    Christina V.

    Have been looking forward to trying this new Thai restaurant in center city. Opened since November 2024. Took a couple friends and they all loved it! Easy to get a reservation, restaurant was beautifully decorated with the stars as other reviews have mentioned, and the service was great. Remains a BYOB with no corkage fee. Our waitress gave us great recommendations - we wanted to order half the menu! I love Thai food, and have been everywhere in the city and even lotus of Siam in Vegas The pad kee mao is one of the BEST drunken noodles I have tried. Their Tom yum soup was also the BEST I have tried. The crab curry was fantastic and so pretty with the butterfly flower colored vermicelli. Pro tip, try the vermicelli with the Tom yum and a little rice with the curry! And I still dream about the Thai mango dessert. Fragrant, creamy with amazing touches with the coconut ice cream (definitely ask for a second scoop when you order, you will want it and they don't know how to charge for an extra scoop) and the crunchy mung beans. This is now my favorite Thai place in Philly!

    Goong kra beung.  Shrimp pancakes

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    3 months ago

    Got take out Pad Thai and curry puffs here. Was really good with decent portions. The dipping sauce for curry puffs are so good.

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    Convenient location. Easy to place order to go. Good ready when quoted. Plentiful portions and tasty food. Recommend!

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    Grandmas Philly - Pad Kee Mao "Drunken Noodles"

    Grandmas Philly

    4.2(604 reviews)
    0.1 mi•Avenue of the Arts South
    •$$

    I personally always enjoy coming to Grandma's. The food has always been delicious and I'm…read morepersonally a fan of dishes coming out as soon as they're done. I do recommend making a reservation as they can be pretty slammed on Fridays/weekends. The Srirachi wings had a nice crunch to them while still keeping the chicken juicy inside. It would've been nice to have an even amount of wings to drumsticks though, as I like flats more, but thats just a personal preference. The crabmeat fried rice was amazing, a really good portion of chunks of crabmeat mixed in so each spoonful had some. The duck curry was a "Grandma's special" so a much bigger portion and cost - but reasonable. The duck wasnt dry and had a good flavor throughout, not relying on the curry to give taste. The curry also had a hint of sweetness to it which complements the greasiness of the duck. The papaya salad felt very refreshing - we got it at level one as to not overpower our taste buds with all the other food. I did get some chili pepper on the side to add in later. My one recommendation is having Thai peppers as an option instead of dried chili flakes. I much prefer the taste of fresh Thai pepper to add the extra heat. The mango sticky rice is always a favorite. The mango is soft and ripe, the right amount of sweetness. They also mix pandan in with the sticky rice for a more impactful umami (Im also a big advocate for pandan in desserts).

    My daughter and I tried Grandma's Philly and ordered quite a few things to share. We started with…read morethe curry puffs, which were pleasantly delicious and filling. They were stuffed with curry chicken and potato and had great flavor. The Tom Kha soup was another standout for me. The coconut milk and lemongrass broth was flavorful, with plenty of vegetables and chicken. I also tried the salmon in a basket, which was definitely something different. I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't spicy, but that's just my personal preference. My daughter ordered the curry shrimp skewers, crab fried rice, and crispy whole fried fish. The crispy fish was good, and we both enjoyed the crab fried rice. It had good flavor, but at $37, I personally didn't think it was $37 good. That was probably the biggest disappointment for us in terms of value. Overall, the service was good and the ambiance was dimly lit with beautiful decor throughout, we enjoyed trying different dishes and the food had some really good flavors. I'd come back to try some of the other things on the menu.

    Photos
    Grandmas Philly - Walking in!

    Walking in!

    Grandmas Philly - Crab flutes

    Crab flutes

    Grandmas Philly - Thai Sausage

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    Thai Sausage

    Kalaya - kanom jeeb nok (bird-shaped dumplings)

    Kalaya

    4.4(657 reviews)
    2.4 mi•Fishtown

    Hype is warranted. I booked ahead for to celebrate my birthday on a Saturday night, and opted for…read morethe bar because I wanted to do à la carte (tasting menu is required at the tables on weekends). I tried: + Thai iced tea + kanom jeeb nok - bird dumplings + yum nam khao tod - crispy rice salad + kalum tod nam pla - cabbage side + lohn tai pla - coconut milk and ground pork gravy with fresh turmeric root, galangal, and lime leaf, served with nam pla kai tom, crudité and jasmine rice + pla nung manao - steamed whole branzino + Passionfruit coconut shaved ice Wow, pretty much all bangers. Top highlights were the yum nam khao tod, lohn tai pla, pla nung manao and shaved ice. So good!!

    The menu offers a wide variety of unique, Thai-inspired dishes, with portions that are generously…read moreAmerican sized. Unfortunately, my experience with the service was mixed, and at times the staff came across as patronizing and difficult to work with. As a walkin, I was able to get a table without a reservation. I asked the waiter to tell me more about the restaurant and the menu, but rather than offering any additional explanation or recommendations, he essentially read the menu flyer to me. I found this unhelpful and somewhat dismissive. After my meal, I completed the receipt and was preparing to leave. Before I had gotten up from the table, the bartender approached to collect the receipt and asked me to physically move so they could retrieve it. I found the interaction unnecessarily aggressive and uncomfortable. After taking the receipt, they did not speak to me or clear the table while I was still there. Despite the experience, I left a 20% tip. The host, however, was warm and welcoming when I left, so my impression is that the quality of service may vary depending on who you interact with. More generally, I would expect staff to allow guests to finish their visit before insisting on collecting a completed bill and receipt. As a person of color, the interactions I experienced also left me questioning whether I would feel comfortable returning on my own. I would hope the restaurant takes feedback like this seriously, because the food and menu concept are interesting, but the service experience could be improved.

    Photos
    Kalaya - Bar Area

    Bar Area

    Kalaya - Gong Ob Woonsen (Shrimp & Glass Noodles w/Bacon & Chinese Celery)

    Gong Ob Woonsen (Shrimp & Glass Noodles w/Bacon & Chinese Celery)

    Kalaya - Goong Ob Woonsen (Shrimp & Glass Noodles w/Bacon & Chinese Celery)

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    Goong Ob Woonsen (Shrimp & Glass Noodles w/Bacon & Chinese Celery)

    JJ Thai Cuisine - Soft shell crab (garlic)

    JJ Thai Cuisine

    4.5(507 reviews)
    0.7 mi•Rittenhouse Square, Penn Center
    •$$

    They had a table without a reservation on a Saturday night, which was nice. I'm a big fan of duck…read moreand rarely have it, so I was excited for the Crispy Duck with Tamarind Sauce (crispy half duck, fried sweet potatoes and Chinese eggplant, kiwi, glazed tamarind sauce). The duck itself was fine. The problem is that everything on the plate is sweet. The tamarind sauce is sweet, and the sweet potatoes and eggplant are buried under the duck in the same sauce, so the whole thing lands one note. Midway through I'm like, wait, where are the sweet potatoes and eggplant? Then, oh. They're under the duck, same color, same consistency, because of the sauce. The rice was perfect and cut some of the sweetness. The kiwis were thankfully sour, so they cut it too, though I forgot they were there until the end. Service is good. The duck was very mid.

    finally checked out my neighborhood thai spot!…read more somehow, after 4 years of living less than a 5 minute walk away, i finally swung by with my friend for lunch. there are a handful of thai places in the area, so i guess i found one i liked and never felt the need to go to JJ. it was surprisingly busy for lunch on a wednesday, but my friend and i were quickly seated with no wait. she got the drunken noodles, and i got the red curry with duck. i was surprised that they didn't give me an option to adjust spice, but the red curry was not spicy at all. there wasn't a whole lot of duck in the curry (as you can see, it's a little bit of a sad looking bowl), but i still left full and satisfied. the lunch also came with a side of either salad or soup, which was a nice appetizer. i got the soup, which seemed to be a carrot soup... i wonder if the soup rotates? overall, this was a decent spot for a quick lunch, but nothing special. i probably wouldn't come back because i prefer the options at another thai place nearby (just personal taste, i like noodle soup which they didn't have here), but not a bad spot for a simple meal.

    Photos
    JJ Thai Cuisine - Lovely welcoming table

    Lovely welcoming table

    JJ Thai Cuisine - Red Curry

    Red Curry

    JJ Thai Cuisine - Interior

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    Interior

    Xiandu Thai

    Xiandu Thai

    4.2(722 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    •$$

    We went visited Xiandu Thai a year ago and the food was delicious minus one thing we didn't really…read morecare for. However overall it was some of the best Thai food we had in Philly and we used to live in the area years ago. We decided we had to come back and see if the food was still just as good and the results are in...IT WAS! First the customer service is still really good and the server was beyond friendly and attentive. The restaurant itself is still super quant and perfect for a girls dinner or a date night! Now onto the food! We ordered the Sexy Shrimp appetizer, Pad Thai, Dan Dan Noodles! The Sexy Shrimp appetizer was good but we weren't really a fan of the dipping sauce that came with it. It was like a chipotle dipping sauce but I think the a traditional Thai Sweet Chili would have been better. But my, my, my the Pad Thai and Dan Dan Noodles were Phenomenal! Portion size was HUGE, flavor and spice was spot on and honestly, I wish I could pick up this restaurant and move it to DC where we are located! Still phenomenal and we will continue to return everytime we come back to visit Philly!

    Phenomenal place! I love Xiandu Thai and they offer a good deal Happy Hour and their menu overall…read morehas some great options. Drinks are made well and reasonably priced. I love good Hendricks martini But I also do stray away from some of their original cocktails. The Chicken Pad Thai is my absolute favorite here. I always ask for spice and extra peanuts! Never disappointed. The Drunken Noodles are also a go-to favorite. Their starter options are sized appropriately so you'll have room for dinner. Bonnie & Peter are remarkable and they have an amazing staff. Xiandu is such a kind and friendly atmosphere with a beautiful ambiance both indoor and outdoor. Located right on Walnut Street you'll see beautiful views from their full bar (with two TVs) and they also have a beautiful patio with spacious seating. I would recommend Xiandu for a cute lunch, beautiful romantic dinner and a place to really come have some amazing Thai cuisine!

    Photos
    Xiandu Thai
    Xiandu Thai - Angry Beef

    Angry Beef

    Xiandu Thai

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    Mawn - Crab fried rice

    Mawn

    4.7(270 reviews)
    0.7 mi•Bella Vista, Italian Market

    Was finally able to grab ANOTHER coveted Mawn reservation after a year of trying for 4:30pm (right…read moreas they opened) on a Thursday night! This time having had one visit under my belt, we decided against the chef's tasting (no hard feelings, just didn't want to end up with another whole fish) and not a single thing disappointed. We started off with the head on soft shell shrimp, mahope samut seared scallops, and burmese ginger & melon salad which were all so fresh. I think of the group my favorite was still the tasty head on soft shell shrimp. For our mains to share we tackled the all star seafood fried rice that was prepared with uni, lump crab, bay scallops, shrimp, crab fat butter, trout roe and then also had the delectable yellow curry noodle soup that featured blended coconut curry, shaved cabbage, long beans, herbs, peanuts, and we chose chicken as our protein. For two people it was MORE than enough to share and we even ended up taking home a portion of the fried rice. For desert we had the jasmine rice pudding which was to DIE FOR and really icing on the cake to a perfect meal. The service was prompt, pleasant, and the staff very frequently changed our plates and silverware which I'm coming to expect in "hard to get" restaurant experiences. The venue itself is small and intimate, but you don't feel squished in the slightest. Cannot wait to be back in another year!

    After TWO years of waiting and almost two hours in line, I finally, finally tried this highly…read moreanticipated restaurant. And honestly? I'm really glad I did. Overall, I had a great experience. Is it the best restaurant in Philly? Personally, no. But is it a very good restaurant and worth trying? Absolutely. Is it worth standing in line for almost two hours? As someone who absolutely does NOT enjoy waiting in line... personally, no . But thankfully, the food and experience made up for it. My favorites of the night: Grilled satay + beef skewers with lemongrass ...delicious. The beef was so flavorful, and paired with the papaya salad? Perfect. Papaya salad : 10/10. Probably my favorite thing I ate all night. Fresh, flavorful, and something I could easily order again. Crispy prawns : 10/10. Crispy, flavorful, and just really well done. Seafood fried rice : 8/10. Very good and full of flavor. Definitely something I'd order again. I also tried the oxtail stew, which was probably my least favorite, about a 5/10 for me. And the fried chicken was cooked and fried perfectly, but I thought it was a little underseasoned. Solid 6/10. The drinks weren't really my favorite either, but honestly, there were still so many other things on the menu I wanted to try. I definitely feel like I need another visit to explore more of it. And I have to give a HUGE shoutout to the service. Our waiters were exceptional. Probably some of the best service I've had in a restaurant in Philly. They made us feel so welcome and comfortable, and there was something really warm and familiar about the whole experience. It genuinely felt like I was eating at my family's restaurant back home and that feeling meant a lot to me. The restaurant itself is also super cute and cozy. Very intimate, warm, and personal. Overall: 7/10 for me. Worth trying? Yes. Would I wait two hours in line again? Nah Would I come back? Yes, especially because there are still so many things I want to try.

    Photos
    Mawn - Inside

    Inside

    Mawn - Banh chow salad (served with shrimp and chicken however, we 86ed the shrimp)

    Banh chow salad (served with shrimp and chicken however, we 86ed the shrimp)

    Mawn - Fried chicken

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    Fried chicken

    Dara - thai - Updated October 2026

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