We were honestly really surprised with how good this food was. It looks like just another unassuming restaurant on walnut without the instagramable ceiling like Miss Saigon. Inside is simple and slightly tight with tables. We had a 7 pm reservation, and there were a lot of tables available still. However, when I turned around at 745, every single one was filled. Servers take your order on a tablet thing and show you the order to make sure it's right. The food comes very quickly, and we were super happy with the fried apps we got (tofu, puffs, and chives). We got 2 curries with different proteins, a beef special and the pad see ew, which was everyone's favorite dish; it was so much more flavorful than other Thai restaurants we have had and a bit sweeter (maybe more oyster sauce or something). We were too full for dessert, but the best part of it was that the total bill for 4 people was $180. Really affordable and BYOB. I wouldn't try walking in during prime dinner time, even on a Tuesday when we went! We will definitely be back. read more

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. read more

Dara - L to R: Tom Yum soup, Chicken Puff, Pad Kee Mao, Ribeye Pad Cha - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Words cannot express the disappointment regarding my abysmal adventure at this restaurant. We made reservations ahead of time and arrived and were taken to a table not fully cleaned. We agreed on appetizers which were brought to the table fairly quickly with our drinks. This is when tbe adventure began. The waitress took our order repeated it and the wait was on. The first dish to one of our friends was brought to the table after a 15 minutes however it took another 20 minutes for the next 2 more dishes to arrive. then for the 4th friend another 10 minutes wait then finally my dish arrived after over 50 minutes. The tofu dish my wife got was inedible greasy, spongy blobs. I ordered the pineapple rice at a medium spice level , it had no spice. The other guest ordered a vegetable dish vegetables looked as if the "chef" was too busy to chop the vegetables so full size vegetables were delivered in the dish. They did not provide knifes to cut the vegetables so it made for a lot of fun eating them. On another note the table was not cleaned well and a dish was dirty. Finally after waiting for the food the waitress came to bus the table while one of our party was still eating. To add insult to injury a 20% tip was added to my bill for a total charge of $185. Who ever owns this establishment really needs to take a hard look at how they are running this business and how they treat customers. It is an abomination. Continue this way and you will soon be out of business. Regarding the food 2 guest said their dish was adequate. The others not good. Do not spend your money here you will certainly be disappointed. We were. read more

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. read more

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Basil fried rice is super spicy and fragrant. There is a good amount of basil which u appreciate. Might be my favorite Thai fried rice that I have ever had. Theres peppers and onions and chicken in it. The chicken is a little dry. Biggest complaint is that I cannot eat it in public or a lot at once because it's spicy. read more

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. read more

Dara - Oysters - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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. read more

Dara - Pad See Ew, Khao Moo Dang Moo Krob - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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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. read more

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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. read more

Dara - Khao Soi - Crispy Chicken Leg, Crab Fried Rice, Somtum TH (GF) - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The service here was horrific. They refused to seat us with 3/4 present, and told us it was their policy. We went to a neighboring restaurant and had an incredible meal. Dara, please do better for your customers... read more

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. read more

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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. :) read more

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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. read more

Dara - Pad Thai Boran (GF) and Hor Mok - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Was told this place has some seriously spicy food but was disappointed after requesting a 4/5 spice on my pad kee mao and green curry - the food was flavorful but i kept thinking about how much better it'd be if they turned the heat up. Maybe i went on an off day? The hoy jor dumpling appetizer was a bit too heavy and dense for my liking. Didnt order any other apps because everything was a whopping $14 - whatever happened to cheap thai food?! Would come back to try more menu items in a few months but ultimately, my socks werent knocked off (the real goal) read more

Service was quick and our waitress was really friendly The duck green curry and oysters were the highlights but we were happy with everything we tried Really nice spot to grab dinner read more

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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 read more

Dara - Beef Panang Curry - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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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! :) read more

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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! read more

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I was in Center City, Philly for lunch at this really cool, authentic, Thai spot named Dara. I made a reservation, but I could have walked in. The decor was a very cool, midnight blue with what seemed like shimmering stars on the walls and ceiling. I opted for 2 items. I got the Pad Thai Chicken and the Pad Thai Shrimp with 2 spring rolls and a Chive pancake. The Chive pancake was 5/5. I didn't need the Soy sauce, but why not dip it anyway, right? Spring rolls were just OK. 3/5 Pad Thai Shrimp and Pad Thai Chicken I'm just going to score them together. BOTH were 5/5. Flavor was on point, the noodles were covered in sauce from the beginning of the meal until the end. My only complaint about the shrimp was that I had to pull the tails off. I just wished they had been off already because that takes away from my ability to really dig in to my food. But it was still good y'all!!! The lunch menu is served Mon thru Fri, 11:30 am until 3:30 pm. Service was quick and easy. The prices are very reasonable, and the food is good. What more can you ask for? Make your way to Dara-Philly, and don't forget to let me know your thoughts. Til we eat again... read more

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First time visiting/eating in Philly and was take here. Really loved the place. Service was great. Was a small and dim lighting type of restaurant which was the perfect setting for dinner. I ordered their fried rice with crispy duck (extra cost). The fried rice tasted amazing and had a kick of both sweet and spicy. Crispy duck was good addition. While it was crispy it was also a bit dry. Other than that it tasted good. read more

Dara - Fried Rice with Crispy Duck - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Takeout, definitely worth a try. A bit on the expensive side but did well for a night in. Hoy jor: huge portion, tons of meat. Hor-mok: while it came with a ton of seafood, the taste from the egg was a bit gritty for me, so probably wouldn't order again. Bamee: dry noodle with crispy pork. This was actually a pleasant surprise for me. We ate this after a little while so the noodles I wouldn't expect to be so crispy but they were still pleasant and the beef was nice. read more

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Just okay from Uber Eats VG - prik khing tofu VG hed tofu -- extremely greasy mushrooms, don't get again read more

DARA is the best authentic Thai restaurant in Philadelphia! Excellent Thai dishes. Taste just like you are in Thailand. Excellent service and a very nice ambiance. Highly recommended. read more

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

Went for lunch since I couldn't get in mawn and it's was truly a great surprise how wonderful the food and service was.. read more

Dara - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Service was 10/10 and the food was just as great!!!! Center city was in need of another BYOB and I'm happy it's Dara! read more

Dara - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Authentic and delicious Thai food. Highly recommend the mango sticky rice dessert. Service was amazing and attentive read more

Dara - Mango so fresh , purple warm warm yummy sticky rice , coconut ice cream and sweet milk - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Was super crowded, where I sat I had to keep moving my seat forward to let server get to another table, feel like layout can be improved, it was my second time going. First time it was pretty quiet, but all in solid food I love their pad see ew. Food tends to be a tad bit spicier end read more

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such good service & good food!! Was amazed by the flavors and how well everything was cooked. I definitely want to come back and try other things on the menu!! read more

Dara - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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

You'd think there's a risk Dara's just any old Center City Thai restaurant. By now, there are several similar restaurants in the adea. Yet, In fact, Dara's it's quite unique amongst the competitiors: Grandma's, Xiandu and Chatayee Thai (which is in palpable proximity, down just one storefront). Dara excelled in the domains of customer service and attention to detail. I had the pad Thai merely to judge how they pulled off a staple item -- it was well-presented and deliciously presented with huge shrimp on top. To further sweeten the experience, they decorated for the holidays and were also having a 30% off coupon for recent opening! read more

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I have green curry chicken for lunch, it's very good and not that spicy. The waitress is friendly and the food came out quickly, piping hot! Presentation po food is great. Ambience is nice also. Go for lunch! read more

We ordered takeout for our whole family from Dara. This is definitely the best Thai place we've found so far in Philly. Every dish was flavorful and excellent. read more

Dara - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Very nice and cozy space good for couple or group of friends. The food was pretty good, the highlight of each of the dishes is the sauces or broths prepared. Would recommend as a simple lunch or early dinner option read more

A new Thai restaurant! And Ofcourse I had to visit. We visited for dinner and it was so delicious, authentic and the service is amazing. The pineapple seafood friedrice was amazing and I usually stick to the basics but thankfully they made us try so many classics! The khaki soi is delicious, could have used some more soup. But desserts were top tier! Ambience is inviting and full of stars. Don't wait too long to check out Dara read more

Dara - New restaurant in Philly is a STAR! - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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So delicious! And intimate! We ended up here on the weekend of Memorial Day (my kid and I). She ordered Thai beef fried rice and I ordered pork with sticky rice. Outstanding! The food was so good! (The starter of calamari was delicious. Fried so lightly, no grease in sight!). The golden sticky mango rice was truly next level. Fresh mango, vanilla ice cream and delicious rice with cream. There are many Thai restaurants in the city. Let me tell you. This restaurant shines. And if you have Tan F. as your server you might have just won the jackpot. Go here. It's delicious! (byob! And according to previous reviews there were complaints of a corking fee. I don't know if it was a fluke but a corking fee did not show up on our check!) read more

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Decent Thai spot that opened recently. We tried the pad kee mao and pad see ew which were both good and flavorful. We ordered take out and the food was prepared quickly so it was ready for pick up ahead of the stated time. Will be back again to try some other dishes! read more

Dara - Pad kee mao - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Great service and excellent Thai dishes! Our multiple time visits here and so far everything was delicious. read more

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The pineapple was unexpected, it was a nice touch. I asked for medium spicy and it was all perfect. Portion size wasn't overbearing and it was filling. The service was great, super nice staff. Only gripe was the sound issues in the place but it was mostly the annoyingly loud patrons in the back of the restaurant read more

Dara - Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I saw this place on IG this morning and this afternoon I placed a pickup order for the crab fried rice and chai tea. The 20 minute walk was worth it. The rice was good and there was a good amount of crab in the plate. The chai tea was sweetened perfectly and the servers were very pleasant and quick. I would like to come back to sit down and try the pineapple bowl. The front desk area is a little cramped with the sit down couch too close to the desk. Hopefully they can rearrange that part. read more

Dara - Crab Fried Rice - Thai Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania