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Good quality Thai food at reasonable prices. The dishes were rich in layer and satisfying. Corn Fritter: An equisute and interesting appetizer. Corn coated in a thin layer of tempura batter, fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, showcasing its natural sweetness and slightly chewy texture. It was somewhat like a Chinese yumi-lao玉米烙 but more moist. The most surprising thing was that despite being entirely vegetarian food, it has the sweetness and meaty texture of fried shrimp paste. The sweet and sour sauce is similar to the Thai sweet chili sauce commonly found in China, but thinner. Served in a small cup, it looked like a cup of black tea, making it more refreshing. Grilled Pork Neck: Very different from pork neck in Chinese Thai cuisine; it's more like Cantonese char-siu叉燒. The pork neck was very well marinated and grilled to a very tender perfection, with a rich and smooth honey aroma, and a subtle wine aftertaste, but it was slightly too sweet for me. Nam Jin Jaew was primarily composed of the tangy kick of lime and the savory saltiness of fish sauce, complemented by the mild spiciness of bird's eye chili, the special fragrance of cilantro, and the sweetness of palm sugar, with a subtle hint of smokiness. It was refreshing on the whole, and incredibly layered - I fell in love with it instantly. Tom Saab Soup: It looked light, but it was surprisingly spicy and sour! The ribs were very fresh, all marbled with fat and lean meat, stewed until incredibly tender, allowing you to taste the natural aroma of the meat. The sourness was subtle, clear, and mild, with a base of lemongrass fragrance that added even more depth. My friend thoughtfully ordered it mildly spicy, but in the end, it just felt like it lacked a kick. Mango Sticky Rice: The best mango sticky rice I've ever had! The sticky rice was cooked to perfect texture and warmth, absorbing the coconut milk flawlessly - neither too watery nor too dry. The first taste was the fragrance of glutinous rice, followed by the sweetness of coconut milk, and a refreshing, slightly tart mango to cut through the richness. Thai Iced Tea: Too much condensed milk, excessively sweet. My friend said it was much sweeter than the last time she had it. Was this a change in the recipe, or did the quality control need improvement? Donsak is a district in Surat Thani, Thailand, and also the hometown of the restaurant's co-owner and manager, Boom, where she was born and raised. The restaurant's introduction states: "When she left for the US, Boom didn't know she wouldn't get to see her home again for many years - and she still hasn't. Donsak is a way around that." No wonder what truly touches the heart, is indeed the taste of love and home.
Donsak is a solid Thai spot located amidst this bustling Connecticut Ave block! Came by close to opening on a Friday and was seated immediately. I got the: - Thai Iced Tea: Did you even go to a Thai restaurant if you didn't get Thai tea? This was classic: strong tea essence, not too sweet. It was overflowing, which while appreciated did get a little messy haha. - Pad Eggplant with Tofu and Vegetables: Overall, a tasty dish, but I wish the portion size was a bit bigger to match the price. I didn't realize getting tofu and vegetables counted as a combo so I was surprised by the extra charge. Ambiance is cozy (if you have a large group, I'd recommend making a res) and elegant, service is fast. It's right off the Woodley Park/AdMo metro stop so very accessible. 8/10 would recommend!
Fast service, and quick seating even on a busy weekend. This spot is always humming even in the quieter Woodley Park neighborhood. Food was delicious, staff was efficient. Great local place to pop in for a quick bite if you're in the area
Dined in at Georgetown Location As someone in hospitality, I rarely write negative reviews, but our experience at Donsak Thai went beyond a busy shift. Our table of three was ignored for over 20 minutes while surrounding guests were promptly attended to. To make matters worse, we were charged an automatic 20% "large party fee"--despite their physical menu explicitly stating this applies only to groups of 6+. When questioned, the manager dismissively claimed, "In DC, even one person gets a large party charge," and acted as though removing the incorrect charge was doing us a favor. I have photos of the menu policy as proof. UPDATE: The owner, Boom, reached out directly to apologize, take accountability, and process a full refund. Having handled guest complaints myself in the industry, I appreciate management's swift action to make things right. However, given how uncomfortable the initial experience was, I will not be returning. I hope this serves as a teaching moment so future guests are treated with equal respect.
Got takeout from this place! Got the drunken noodle and mango sticky rice. Food was great, tasted fresh and was ready in a decent time! The portion looked small but was actually quite filling. The mango sticky rice could have been slightly bigger but it was delicious!
This is really good Thai and wonderful service. I loved everything we got, from the drinks (Thai iced tea and Thai iced coffee), to the appetizer (spring rolls), and the entrees (fried rice and pad Thai). I'd definitely go here again!
Ohhhh this place is GOOD! First of all, it's very charming inside - simple, clean aesthetic, very classy. And very close to the metro! And the food? 10/10. At our waiter's recommendation, my friend and I tried the corn fritters which were excellent! Not too much batter and fried to perfection. Speaking of which the som tam tad was amazing, may just be my new fave Thai dish. The fried papaya salad paired so well with the sweet heat of the chilis and the saltiness of the peanuts - best combo ever! It's on the menu as medium heat and it does pack a punch but I don't think it'd be as good if it wasn't spicy. I just ordered some rice as a side to balance it out. I wanted to try their Thai tea and mango sticky rice but I was FULL! Which means I'll be back ;)
Food was great and service was average don't get me wrong but the portions were so skimpy compared to the price, I'd come back if I was desperate. Was clean though and quick service. I legit was in Boston last week and paid five dollars less and got double the portion
We came here for a light dinner as the place we'd originally planned on going for happy hour turned out not to be open. Haven't been here for a while and good to see it's still there when many other places in the neighborhood have come and gone. It's a relatively small place and has a couple of tables in front by the picture window and a small bar in the back, and in between two tops that can be put together for larger parties. We had a few appetizers - spring rolls, gyoza, shrimp rolls, pad Thai and grilled pork neck from the Essan specialties. All quite good although the apps are quite small portions And the pad Thai could be a little less soggy and sweet. The one thing I wished they had was fried shrimp or fish cakes which is one of my favorites and always thought was a staple in any Thai restaurant but for some reason seems hard to find now. Overall a popular and decent neighborhood place - probably the busiest restaurant in the neighborhood even on a Sunday evening. Also accessible by metro x just a few steps from the Woodley Park metro station.
This restaurant is so wonderful! I was in the area for a conference and unexpectedly popped in for a lunch to-go order - then was pleasantly surprised. I got the chicken pad thai (my staple thai order), which was delicious, made well, had balanced ingredients, and seemed fresh. Would absolutely order again! Service was super friendly & fast, while I waited for my order they sat me at the bar and gave me water. Ambiance was very cute and clean with both indoor & outdoor seating. If I lived in the area, I would frequent this place & will absolutely return when I'm nearby!
Felt and urge for some Thi food the other and we were taken to Donsak. The restaurant is small and quaint with a big TV for viewing while you dine. The service was really quick(restaurant wasn't busy). We had the Shrimp rolls(4 per order) and spring rolls(3 per order). Both were restaurant uniform quality, nothing special. The three dishes we got were, Thm Kha soup with was really good and flavorful, Pad See EW which also got a thumbs up for flavor and serving size, Druken Noodles which I had it was very flavorful, not to sweet or spicy and it was out of the Wok hot, along with being just the right amount. I recommend Donsak to scratch that Thi itch if you are ever in the area.
2 months ago
1 month ago
I ordered on Uber Eats: the Crispy chicken was not crispy, and whatever sauce it was supposed to have was absorbed by the batter, the chicken itself was plain and lacking flavor of the fried basil and Thai chilis. The pad Thai was a miss, the lime was old(i could tell from the outer skin) the noodles were not the typically flat noodles but the regular rice noodles for pho and the taste was too fermented. I also ordered chicken wings spicy but they were not spicy. Unfortunately a miss in my books. read more
Good quality Thai food at reasonable prices. The dishes were rich in layer and satisfying. Corn Fritter: An equisute and interesting appetizer. Corn coated in a thin layer of tempura batter, fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, showcasing its natural sweetness and slightly chewy texture. It was somewhat like a Chinese yumi-lao玉米烙 but more moist. The most surprising thing was that despite being entirely vegetarian food, it has the sweetness and meaty texture of fried shrimp paste. The sweet and sour sauce is similar to the Thai sweet chili sauce commonly found in China, but thinner. Served in a small cup, it looked like a cup of black tea, making it more refreshing. Grilled Pork Neck: Very different from pork neck in Chinese Thai cuisine; it's more like Cantonese char-siu叉燒. The pork neck was very well marinated and grilled to a very tender perfection, with a rich and smooth honey aroma, and a subtle wine aftertaste, but it was slightly too sweet for me. Nam Jin Jaew was primarily composed of the tangy kick of lime and the savory saltiness of fish sauce, complemented by the mild spiciness of bird's eye chili, the special fragrance of cilantro, and the sweetness of palm sugar, with a subtle hint of smokiness. It was refreshing on the whole, and incredibly layered - I fell in love with it instantly. Tom Saab Soup: It looked light, but it was surprisingly spicy and sour! The ribs were very fresh, all marbled with fat and lean meat, stewed until incredibly tender, allowing you to taste the natural aroma of the meat. The sourness was subtle, clear, and mild, with a base of lemongrass fragrance that added even more depth. My friend thoughtfully ordered it mildly spicy, but in the end, it just felt like it lacked a kick. Mango Sticky Rice: The best mango sticky rice I've ever had! The sticky rice was cooked to perfect texture and warmth, absorbing the coconut milk flawlessly - neither too watery nor too dry. The first taste was the fragrance of glutinous rice, followed by the sweetness of coconut milk, and a refreshing, slightly tart mango to cut through the richness. Thai Iced Tea: Too much condensed milk, excessively sweet. My friend said it was much sweeter than the last time she had it. Was this a change in the recipe, or did the quality control need improvement? Donsak is a district in Surat Thani, Thailand, and also the hometown of the restaurant's co-owner and manager, Boom, where she was born and raised. The restaurant's introduction states: "When she left for the US, Boom didn't know she wouldn't get to see her home again for many years - and she still hasn't. Donsak is a way around that." No wonder what truly touches the heart, is indeed the taste of love and home. read more
Donsak is a solid Thai spot located amidst this bustling Connecticut Ave block! Came by close to opening on a Friday and was seated immediately. I got the: - Thai Iced Tea: Did you even go to a Thai restaurant if you didn't get Thai tea? This was classic: strong tea essence, not too sweet. It was overflowing, which while appreciated did get a little messy haha. - Pad Eggplant with Tofu and Vegetables: Overall, a tasty dish, but I wish the portion size was a bit bigger to match the price. I didn't realize getting tofu and vegetables counted as a combo so I was surprised by the extra charge. Ambiance is cozy (if you have a large group, I'd recommend making a res) and elegant, service is fast. It's right off the Woodley Park/AdMo metro stop so very accessible. 8/10 would recommend! read more
Fast service, and quick seating even on a busy weekend. This spot is always humming even in the quieter Woodley Park neighborhood. Food was delicious, staff was efficient. Great local place to pop in for a quick bite if you're in the area read more
1 day ago
1 month ago
Dined in at Georgetown Location As someone in hospitality, I rarely write negative reviews, but our experience at Donsak Thai went beyond a busy shift. Our table of three was ignored for over 20 minutes while surrounding guests were promptly attended to. To make matters worse, we were charged an automatic 20% "large party fee"--despite their physical menu explicitly stating this applies only to groups of 6+. When questioned, the manager dismissively claimed, "In DC, even one person gets a large party charge," and acted as though removing the incorrect charge was doing us a favor. I have photos of the menu policy as proof. UPDATE: The owner, Boom, reached out directly to apologize, take accountability, and process a full refund. Having handled guest complaints myself in the industry, I appreciate management's swift action to make things right. However, given how uncomfortable the initial experience was, I will not be returning. I hope this serves as a teaching moment so future guests are treated with equal respect. read more
7 months ago
Got takeout from this place! Got the drunken noodle and mango sticky rice. Food was great, tasted fresh and was ready in a decent time! The portion looked small but was actually quite filling. The mango sticky rice could have been slightly bigger but it was delicious! read more
This is really good Thai and wonderful service. I loved everything we got, from the drinks (Thai iced tea and Thai iced coffee), to the appetizer (spring rolls), and the entrees (fried rice and pad Thai). I'd definitely go here again! read more
Ohhhh this place is GOOD! First of all, it's very charming inside - simple, clean aesthetic, very classy. And very close to the metro! And the food? 10/10. At our waiter's recommendation, my friend and I tried the corn fritters which were excellent! Not too much batter and fried to perfection. Speaking of which the som tam tad was amazing, may just be my new fave Thai dish. The fried papaya salad paired so well with the sweet heat of the chilis and the saltiness of the peanuts - best combo ever! It's on the menu as medium heat and it does pack a punch but I don't think it'd be as good if it wasn't spicy. I just ordered some rice as a side to balance it out. I wanted to try their Thai tea and mango sticky rice but I was FULL! Which means I'll be back ;) read more
1 year ago
Food was great and service was average don't get me wrong but the portions were so skimpy compared to the price, I'd come back if I was desperate. Was clean though and quick service. I legit was in Boston last week and paid five dollars less and got double the portion read more
We came here for a light dinner as the place we'd originally planned on going for happy hour turned out not to be open. Haven't been here for a while and good to see it's still there when many other places in the neighborhood have come and gone. It's a relatively small place and has a couple of tables in front by the picture window and a small bar in the back, and in between two tops that can be put together for larger parties. We had a few appetizers - spring rolls, gyoza, shrimp rolls, pad Thai and grilled pork neck from the Essan specialties. All quite good although the apps are quite small portions And the pad Thai could be a little less soggy and sweet. The one thing I wished they had was fried shrimp or fish cakes which is one of my favorites and always thought was a staple in any Thai restaurant but for some reason seems hard to find now. Overall a popular and decent neighborhood place - probably the busiest restaurant in the neighborhood even on a Sunday evening. Also accessible by metro x just a few steps from the Woodley Park metro station. read more
This restaurant is so wonderful! I was in the area for a conference and unexpectedly popped in for a lunch to-go order - then was pleasantly surprised. I got the chicken pad thai (my staple thai order), which was delicious, made well, had balanced ingredients, and seemed fresh. Would absolutely order again! Service was super friendly & fast, while I waited for my order they sat me at the bar and gave me water. Ambiance was very cute and clean with both indoor & outdoor seating. If I lived in the area, I would frequent this place & will absolutely return when I'm nearby! read more
1 year ago
Felt and urge for some Thi food the other and we were taken to Donsak. The restaurant is small and quaint with a big TV for viewing while you dine. The service was really quick(restaurant wasn't busy). We had the Shrimp rolls(4 per order) and spring rolls(3 per order). Both were restaurant uniform quality, nothing special. The three dishes we got were, Thm Kha soup with was really good and flavorful, Pad See EW which also got a thumbs up for flavor and serving size, Druken Noodles which I had it was very flavorful, not to sweet or spicy and it was out of the Wok hot, along with being just the right amount. I recommend Donsak to scratch that Thi itch if you are ever in the area. read more
4 months ago
1 month ago
2 years ago
This restaurant is in a perfect location if you are going to the zoo or embassies. They have so many Thai food options. My friend ordered Som Tam Todd (Fried Papaya Salad) and it was so so good. I got Kanaa Moo Grob (Chinese Broccoli with Crispy Pork Belly) and I have to say that it was good but the nature of Chinese Broccoli is bitter and I did not like it that much. The next day I went again and I got Pad See Ew with Beef and it blew my mind. It made me feel at home. They use fresh noodle and the most important thing is you can get that wok smell that is hard to do. I love it. The service is great and the ambiance is casual but nice inside. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Service is excellent. Food is top notch. E -San food is True- Thai and authentic. Feel like home. Will I come back? Definitely Yes! read more
Fast, good service, really yummy Thai food. Stopped here on a whim after visiting the zoo in DC. I normally have to dress up my pad Thai with soy and spices but this one was good as is. Red curry was also tasty! Very clean inside and staff were friendly. read more
2 years ago
The thai food here is great! The service was quick and the food came out pretty fast. The restaurant was busy but we made a reservation for 9 people. They were able to accommodate us! I had the panang curry which was slightly spicy but I would have liked some more. Would come here again! read more
1 year ago
The restaurant had regular Thai dishes but also had a section of Essan Northern Thai food! Please try!! The standout was the Nam Khao Tod- it was tangy, spicy, crunchy, sweet, all the perfect combos! Service was excellent. The people are so kind! The place was packed, and decor so homey and cute. The prices were low as well (compared to NYC). read more
2 months ago
After some errands, I ended up searching for food close to 9pm when most other restaurants closed. Donsak was still open and took advantage of the vacant parking spots post-snowstorm late at night in a typically busy intersection. If parking wasn't so difficult here on a usual day, this place could potentially be my go-to Thai restaurant. The food is delicious and the service is great, very friendly people. read more
2 years ago
Very awesome authentic Thai restaurant especially local dishes in DC area. I can say it is not easy to find Thai food that has very original taste like this. I had Som Tam Pu Palar or Papaya salad with fermented crab and Thai anchovy. (A popular street food dish in Thailand) That was so so good. For me, everything was perfect - appearance, smell, texture, taste - 100% Thai Style. I really recommend this place if you are Thai or whoever wants to get real Thai flavor. Also the service were nice and friendly. The dining room might be a little tight when is crowded, but they has outdoor seating available. The restaurant is located in Woodley park, near the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adam Morgan Metro station. Very convenient to get there. read more
After just one bite, you can feel the heat in the papaya salad! My dining companion and I got the Som Tam Pu Pular, cooked with blue crab and Thai anchovies. I do want to note that we didn't eat any chunks of crab or anchovy (there were some crab shells), but the flavors were there. The rest of the salad was fresh and crunchy. Just beware the spice. We also got the Gaeng Om with pork, which was not as spicy. The dish was good, but just okay. Both the items were from the Essan section of the menu. Make sure to try something new along with your favorite Pad Thai and curry. Staff was friendly and attentive throughout our meal. Payment is quick with their payment device at the table. I got a reservation just in case. They originally gave us bar seats, but we ended up getting a regular table when we arrived. read more
1 year ago
I went to culinary school. The duck roll. 4/5 It had a wonderful flavor. The wrap was delicious, the duck was well served, I loved the scallion and the sauce was amazing. The presentation was very messy, this was not a "roll" it was more like a loose taco. The pad Thai. 2/5 Very very dry and lacks flavor. This has nothing to do with the pad Thai I had in Thailand. Make a proper tamarind sauce, use medium to wide rice noodles instead of the cheaper thin ones. I ordered it with extra chicken. In total there were 5 slices chicken. I ordered a side of peanut sauce. Much too liquidy. read more
We stopped by this place after visiting at the national zoo. Had heard it talked about in the Washington Post. He was quite busy at lunchtime, so I can only imagine what it would be like at dinner. And I understand why. The food was all quite well done. The spicing was excellent, and the quality the food was good. It's a really fun place to go with good service, and I would recommend it. read more
9 months ago
10 months ago
can't recommend enough for this place, especially thai dumplings, pad thai, & crispy chicken read more
1 year ago
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