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Esaan Thai

3.8 (130 reviews)
ModerateThai

Esaan Thai Photos

ESAAN THAI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups

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Reviews With Photos

a menu and wine glasses on a table
Sean B.

I wanted to like this place; I really did. My family (local) goes here regularly, and they all love it to death. I was skeptical... you see... I live a few miles outside of Thai Town in Los Angeles, a city with a population of about 80,000 Thai Americans.I'm a total foodie. And I'm dating a Thai dancer who is, among other things, an amazing chef. To say that the bar was raised high is quite the understatement. But I went in with an open mind. Sometimes uncompromising chefs end up in unlikely locations and choose to maintain the integrity of their art despite limitations of local produce, ingredients, and tastes. First impression was positive. It's a nice location, it's a reasonably decent aesthetic. The menu was fairly diverse and the vibe was mellow. Second impression; not so much. I overheard a server telling a group of customers that he'd "never had Thai food before starting to work here recently", which I'm sure is true... but for me, I like to think that my server is a bit of an expert (even if that's an illusion), and he lost credibility with me be essentially admitting a lack of knowledge on the only subject I really need him to be conversant in. Third impression; we ordered and waited so long that another table entered, was seated, ordered, received their food, ate their food, and had their leftovers packed up to leave before we received our entrees. A thirty minute lag between our completion of the appetizer course and the arrival of our main dishes, without explanation or apology, was not good form. A member of our party with a small child gave up and left, realizing that his patience would not outlast the length of the meal. The food was not very good. The summer rolls were decent, as were the spring rolls, and the chicken satay was serviceable. My sisters and mother enjoyed their drunken noodles, and I tasted them, they were tasty. My papaya salad was a mess though. It was very obvious that it was prepared in advance, and not fresh. My favorite thing about the dish is that it's (when done correctly) cold, fresh, crunchy, spicy and sour, with a variety of strong, distinct flavors. This version was room temperature, soggy, bland, and the flavors all ran together. Then my panang curry came. It was mostly bamboo shoots and sauce, very little texture and also flavorless compared to literally a dozen other varieties I've had at other Thai restaurants. Bottom line: I can't help but suspect that the chef is forced to pander to local tastes, which are less traditional. That's disappointing, but at the same time, I get it. However... the server who was discussing his lack of familiarity with Thai cuisine, the slow service, the lack of freshness in some dishes and the lack of flavor in others... just not okay. It's a cute little place and the people working there were perfectly pleasant... but they have to get their act together. At the very least, inquire of your guests if they want milder or spicier flavors. I've had plain yogurt with more kick than my dinner tonight.

Leanne S.

Oh my, spicy fried brussels sprouts. I would have eaten a giant plate of these as my entree. We visited during Restaurant Week, and these were part of a $10 lunch deal. They are vegan, btw, if you are avoiding the egg and fish sauce in so many Thai dishes. The server was well-versed in what else was and steered me toward the Pad Panang, a coconut-milk stir-fry with great flavor and the right amount of spice. There are creative drinks to which you can add your own alcohol, although we did not. We did not realize the gelato is vegan too. None of the curries are, nor are the empanadas. I was so jealous and hope they might add vegan empanadas to their menu. Downtown York has more going on than I expected. Nicely done. You can walk around the downtown for shopping and dining, which isn't possible in many smaller cities which are fading.

Green Curry with Jasmine Rice. Yum.
James L.

If you're looking for some quality Thai food in York, this is the place to be. Essan is right in the heart of the city, and they have a solid selection of traditional Thai dishes that are absolutely delicious. Typically I order the Pad See-Yew or the Pad Panang, however I tried the Green Curry for the first time on my last visit and it was excellent. The pricing is fair, and the portion sizes are surprisingly large. It's a smaller location, so reservations are a must, especially on the weekends. It's an awesome spot if you're looking to have a quiet meal, or to take someone on a date. They have a small outdoor seating area for the nicer days, and it's BYOB so feel free to bring your favorite bottle of wine. For dessert, you have to try some of the gelato. It is phenomenal -- creamy and flavorful. The owner of the restaurant makes it himself, and takes pride in his work (he's typically there and loves to talk about it and give samples of whichever flavor you like). My only complaint is that on a few of my visits, the service was a little slower. There is typically only one or two servers on the floor and at the register, which I can only assume can be hectic at times. If you're in a hurry, I highly recommend placing a takeout order rather than dining in.

Thai Tapas
Brittany S.

So upset to have to write such a negative review. After reviewing the menu I had high hopes. I loved the fact that they had tapas. I love trying a little bit of everything. Service was great and the food was a complete disappointment. Nothing at all tasted fresh. We started with the tapas- pot stickers which were VERY hard as if they were reheated, steamed dumplings which didn't have much flavor and crispy spring roll which was good. We also go Tom Yum and Tom Kha both were good. The fried rice didn't taste fresh and very little flavor ( pictures in the back), chicken satay were almost inedible, it had nice grill marks but tasted burnt, never tasted something so charred tasting before. The grilled chicken with sticky rice had the same burnt taste, just a very unappetizing taste. Maybe we came on an off day or didn't order what they're known for but I can't say I would be willing to give them a second try.

store front, taken on the sly (and the side) just to get a general idea
GingerSnap G.

I cant help but like this place. It's a nice clean establishment. A nice basic menu. And how can you not love a place that serves gelato, and exotic flavors at that?! On the down side, I thought the food service was a little slower than it should've been. But when i went, there was a person at the front counter waiting to greet customers and take orders. When I first walked in, I felt like I had walked into a mini gelato store, because the dining area is separated by a wall and doorway. but all the windows make it feel nice an roomy enough. The food... I'll have to go back to sample more dishes. The pad siew (broad flat rice noodles sauted in a sweet sauce with a meat & veggies) was a little lacking in flavor. More than anything, it tasted like the veggies in the dish, fresh with sweet flavors, and a hint of the rice noodle taste. Normally, pad siew would have a bit more sauce and you would taste the sauce more than the noodles themselves or the veggies. But I really liked the fried rice! It had a sweet flavor too, and had a bit of a thai taste too it! And the tofu was nice and chunky!! And a bit of egg... and the white onion pieces were big enough to remove (and not too plentiful) for people who have an aversion to such things. The gentleman was really nice and apologized for any delays. I'll definitely have to go back again, try a few more exotic dishes and the gelato. and i would make a point to go when i have a bit of time to spend and sit and relax. They're also part of Carryout Courier too!! :o)

Cookies 'n Cream Gelato
Ahmed I.

Being an avid Thai food lover myself, I've been to many Thai restaurants. Esaan Thai has an awesome menu. The ambience of the restaurant would make any couple want to dine there. We tried their Red Curry with Chicken & steamed rice and an order of Drunken Noodles. They were both good. Although I'm forced to mention here that I've tasted these same dishes that were better cooked at other Thai restaurants (in other states). On the other hand however - Sam, the owner, was a very jolly down-to-earth elderly gentleman. He walked over to our table & introduced himself. He took his time & we talked to him quite a bit. He told us some things about the restaurant which makes us want to come back - Everyone in the kitchen staff is from Thailand. They source all of their vegetables locally from the Farmers Market and he does most of the shopping himself! All the ingredients are fresh & their gelato is freshly made in-house. The service from the wait staff was immaculate. For desert we tried the Chocolate Hazelnut & Cookies 'n Cream gelato. I must admit here that I've never tried gelato anywhere else where it was this fresh or where it tasted this GOOD! I'm sure we're coming back!

Waiting to order after waiting minutes to be acknowledged then minutes to be seated for lunch Insufficient staff for #RW ?

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2 years ago

Not a drop in and have a meal. Limited hours. Reservations only 5 course menu. Extremely disappointed to not eat!!!

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

Incredible Thai Iced Tea - get it with coconut milk! Also, extremely friendly staff. Support this great local business!

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5 years ago

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5 years ago

This place has the most amazing pad panang! Whenever I come back to york I always stop here!

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6 years ago

I love picking up Thai food from here. Always friendly service. Their panang curry is the best I've had in a long time, highly recommend!

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

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8 years ago

Really good chicken coconut soup, best chicken satay, hearty bowls are awesome. You can't go wrong here everything is delicious!

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Ask the Community - Esaan Thai

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Dinning area

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Assortment of drinks for the guest experience

World Grills - Garden Shrimp Fresh Garden Roll

Garden Shrimp Fresh Garden Roll

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Ginger Cooler

Esaan Thai - thai - Updated May 2026

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