Kao Thai has quickly become one of my favorite spots in Silver Spring. The moment you walk in, you're greeted with warm lighting, inviting aromas, and a calm, cozy atmosphere that sets the tone for a great meal. The food is incredible. Every dish feels fresh, vibrant, and thoughtfully prepared. The curries are rich and aromatic without being overwhelming, the noodles are perfectly cooked and full of flavor, and the balance of herbs, spice, and sweetness is spot-on. It's the kind of place where you find yourself taking slower bites just to savor everything. And I have to mention the lychee martini--easily one of the best I've had. Light, refreshing, and just the right amount of sweetness, it pairs perfectly with the bold flavors of the dishes. It's the kind of drink you order "just to try" and then end up thinking about days later. Whether you're grabbing a casual dinner or celebrating something special, Kao Thai delivers consistently delicious food, great drinks, and a relaxed vibe. Highly recommend! read more

Kao Thai - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Not the best and not the worst, this place isn't a first or last pick. All the ingredients are correct, but some dishes are bland seasoning wise unfortunately (drunken noodles are my favorite but it's like they make the noodles and just throw the meat on, no seasoning or sauce.) . They allow you to pick a spice level but if you look like you'll write a bad review they're likely to lessen the heat. Prices are mid-high but leaning towards high, ie 12.99 for mango sticky rice read more

Khao Thai is the kind of place that haunts your dreams--in the best way possible. I'm still thinking about their mango sticky rice, which is so good it should probably come with a warning: May cause lifelong cravings. The extra coconut sauce? Absolute perfection. If I could get it in a gallon jug, I would. The panang curry is another star--it's creamy, rich, and Thai spicy. And by "Thai spicy," I mean it doesn't mess around. This isn't "mild with a kick." This is "call the fire department, but also keep eating because it's amazing." The roti canai is flaky, buttery, and comes with a dipping sauce that makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about bread. And then there's the "Bikini" appetizer--yes, the name is fun, but the shrimp in it is even better. Juicy, flavorful, and basically impossible to share. I'd absolutely go back to Khao Thai in a heartbeat--partly to work my way through the rest of the menu, and partly because I think my subconscious is already planning another mango sticky rice dream sequence. read more

Came here after work on a Wednesday evening with 1 colleague. We were promptly seated. This is a casual dining environment. I asked our server recommendations for flavorful veggie dishes and went with the Pad Kaprow (spicy chili basil dish) with veggies. It tasted like a traditional light oyster sauce, was decent. read more

Not impressed. The rice is kind of soggy and I'm not use to carrots and peas in this fried rice. I don't think it was executed well. I ordered to go and it only took 15 minutes so the wait wasn't too bad. read more

Kao Thai - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Love Kao Thai! We're vegetarian and highly recommend the vegetarian Pad Kaprow with fried tofu (less onions, extra basil) and vegetarian Tom Yum soup with soft tofu - Addictively TASTY! All special requests/dietary need are graciously followed. We like to order more than one dish, so portion sizes are perfect. Our new favorite Thai restaurant! Many kind thanks Mr. D and Chef P! read more

I ordered rice noodles with vegetables and chicken, took a few bites, then put it aside. Something didn't quite taste right. Then I felt sick to my stomach and began vomiting. The most basic thing for any restaurant is food safety. This was food poisoning. read more

So it's Tuesday of the snowstorm and I decided to splurge on some takeout/ubereats. I ordered tofu pad Thai with extra vegetables (medium) and a chicken pad Thai for my boys to split (mild). Thai tea was amazing. Both pad Thais were very dry and just not good. Maybe we are snobs but my boys pad Thai with chicken "had no flavor" and mine was just hot. And I love spicy which is why I got medium but besides the heat, it was also flavorless. I even wondered if my boys was bland bc I got them mild spice (teenagers), but no. It just wasn't good. I had high hopes after reading some of their reviews! I think it's a snowstorm and this pad Thai is likely from yesterday... that's all I can think. I would give this place another shot for dine in, but not order. Three stars are for the Thai tea which was a tad too sweet but also delicious. The pad Thai didn't match the tea. read more

The food was super tasty and came out really quick! The service was great and attentive. Me and my mom always sit at the booth near the window and the big mirror. Love it here! read more

Kao Thai - 29. Pad Kaprow Dinner - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I stopped by Kao Thai for lunch, and I thought the food was pretty decent. I have to admit that I stopped by the restaurant because it was right across the street from the bus stop. It was not the best Thai food, but it wasn't the worst. For my lunch, I went with the Crispy Crab Roll and Drunken Noodles with beef. The portion sizes of the dishes were great, and I thought the pricing was in line with other restaurants in the area. My food arrived to the table very hot, which is an A+ in my book. Overall, I thought my dishes were tasty; however, the beef (IMO) was a bit tougher than what I have experienced in other Thai restaurants. While my service was pretty efficient, I found my waitress/server to be a bit cold (bordering on rude). Who knows, maybe it's just her personality. First, I felt like I was being rushed to order. Ok, I could (somewhat) understand this IF the restaurant was busy/crowded, but there were only two other customers in the restaurant. *Perhaps, the restaurant was overwhelmed with a lot of take out/delivery orders.* Second, the restaurant uses handheld payment terminals, which is not a problem. However, the waitress seemed hesitant in letting me hold the device to ensure that I was being charged the correct amount. Since the food was not terrible, I'm more than willing to give Kao another shot. Perhaps, the waitress was having a bad day. read more

Kao Thai - Crab rolls. - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Amazing food reasonable price best restaurant in silver spring. Amazing service and great sit down experience. just came here with 5 friends and we all agreed it was the best spot in silver spring. One from Germany said it was "the best food he had in america" read more

I have picked up from Sweeteria next door that my wife and I loved which some of the Kao Thai staff started, so we have been intending to try this place. I am so glad that my wife and I finally came here a couple of weeks ago before a comedy performance across the street at the Black Box Theater. To eat we started off with the Roti Kanai with Yellow Curry Chicken. We then had Mango Curry Beef and Ginger Duck for our main course. We then we're still hungry despite the big portions so we ordered Drunken Noodles with Beef. The drink selection was good but they were out of some stuff such as Singha so we had a Plumtini, Kirin Ichiban, and Sapporo. We were still hungry for dessert so we ordered the Fried Banana with Ice Cream. The atmosphere and service were great as well. It is one the couple top Thai restaurants in a neighborhood of several of them including Amina a couple doors down, Thai at Silver Spring a block east upstairs in the mall as well as Charm, Lamoon, and Kook Kai's Thai Noodles (which changed their name a couple times) closer to our apartment south of the mall. We look forward to returning and trying out new dishes as well as our favorites we ordered. read more

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*Updated Review* Still a solid thai choice in Silver Spring! Did dine in a few days ago before a concert at the Fillmore. Was my first time. I'm so used to take-out. Sitting down in the restaurant was a welcomed change! Got my usual drunken noodles with chicken extra spicy. Also did a glass of wine. Service was great! read more

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This is one of my new favorite Thai places in Silver Spring. I have a sensitive gut and onion and garlic can be a problem for me. So it was great to see that this restaurant has options to make many of their dishes in the jae style (which avoids these vegetables). Not to mention that their Panang curry was out of this world! So glad to find a place that I can eat at without worry that is also delicious. I want to go back a few more times before I commit to giving this place five stars, but I might be able to get there! read more

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Honestly, really wanna do this review to hopefully bring the average back up. It's a shame the couple of bad reviews brought this place down (regardless if it was from take-out or dine in orders) because that's gonna make people hesitant. Here's the thing, those reviews are valid. That said, if you want good, flavorful Thai food--be it before a show at the Fillmore or honestly if you're in the area--check out Kao. Alright, so food wise we ordered the Curry Puffs chicken, Crispy Crab Rolls, Dragon Noodles (with chicken) and Panang Curry (Jae style). First off, my partner has some sensitivities to garlic and onion, so the Jae style, which was completely new to us, was great to see and really didn't take anything away from her Panang Curry. Getting the currys Jae style does mean you'll get tofu though, as a heads up. We loved her curry, both agreeing the base was some of the best we've had and was so flavorful. The Dragon Noodles, an in house riff on Drunken Noodles, were super good too and not too spicy. They say on the menu they serve all their dishes medium spicy. I'm a bit of a baby with spice and the level they serve it at was perfect for me and consistent throughout. But if you're sensitive to that, there is a "mild" and a "no spice" option. You can also order things spicier, so i'm not sure why people had issues with the spice level. The curry puffs were also great and we enjoyed the Crispy Crab Rolls effectively being spring rolls. Everything was flavorful and delicious. Very good portion sizes too. We ended our meal with the lovely and indulgent Roti Sai Kai. Highly recommend it. Service was prompt, kind and nice. Vibes were warm and nice. My only real nitpick is that we were put at a table between a group of 5 and a group of 4 so that made things a bit loud during our dinner. As we left, i noticed the other two parties of two who'd come in after us were at the front of the same room or in the much quieter front room, which was mostly empty. Just a bit odd, that's all. I could still hear my partner well, but it seemed like the noise level by us made it hard for the male server we had to hear us. *shrugs* We'll be back for sure. read more

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Very disappointed with the quality of the food. I ordered beef with rice and it had four strips of beef and the rest was mixed vegetables you could buy out of your local grocery store. Very bland. read more

This spot may not look super extravagant, but don't let that fool you. Flavors are still delicious. My friend and I enjoyed the chicken satay with some sauce on it beside the peanut sauce on the side and these cute lil mini crab egg rolls in a basket! I loved my steamed tofu and veggie panang curry dish. This has a lighter taste not heavy. Sauce is wonderful. If I weren't going on a bunch of other errands, I would have kept the sauce to use at home! Also, the Thai iced tea is delightful. :) This is a great spot that is right next to the Fillmore so you can enjoy your show right after you eat well!! It's also a quick walk from the metro! read more

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Stumbled upon this place after a movie screening preview was overbooked! I am honestly glad that I was able to find this restaurant. I had ordered mango curry, and it was one of the best curries I have ever had! I was stunned to see that combination of something that I'd think would be more of a savory dish mixed with a fruit. This combination is something that I'd definitely love to learn how to cook myself. When I took my first bite, there was a burst of mango flavor that quickly went away and just became a regular sweeter curry. That burst of mango flavor was my highlight of the meal. There were bell peppers, chicken, coconut milk, and a bowl of rice (on the side) as part of the dish. It was flavorful. Not spicy but was satisfying. It wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing food visually since it was all a mainly yellow-brown-orange color; however, the taste is 5/5. My +1 had their Pad Kaprow -- spiciest level. It wasn't that spicy and the flavors were a little lacking. It needed more salt or something that could provide that boost in flavor. The vegetables in the dish were crunchy but very bland. Probably would not order this again. Overall, I highly recommend ordering the mango curry. read more

Kao Thai - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Super sweet local owner. Food is the best in town I've ever had here. Nice 'n clean restaurant. We'll be back for sure read more

Kao Thai - Gang Pa Curry - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Seafood pad Thai fried rice tastes delicious!! You must try this out! The spring rolls are also delicious! read more

Kao Thai - Seafood fried rice - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

We stopped in on a Saturday evening before a show at the Fillmore next door. Was greeted and seated promptly. Ordered the Drunken Noodles and Spicy Tilapia. All were great! read more

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Recently grabbed takeout from Kao Thai - which I hadn't been to since before the pandemic. They still got it! My favorite item I ordered was the won ton soup - which they put their own spin on and make it something you've never tasted before - but need to. It's perfectly spicy. (and I typically hate spicy). The cabbage in it is perfect, and it had visible chunks of garlic. Best soup I can remember eating....seriously. I also loved the spring rolls and pad sew eaw. The sauce on the pad sew eau is better than any sauce I've had at a Thai restaurant. One star lost because there were two dishes I didn't care for. The yum woon sen, which is typically my fave at Thai restaurants was super gritty and unpleasant. The shrimp were also not deveined - which I can't handle. The poopy shrimp also made an appearance in the summer rolls I ordered - which were bland with too much carrot. Lastly, I ordered a canned soda - which they didn't include with my order. Other than these few missteps - a great meal. I'd go back just for the soup. read more

Kao Thai - The INCREDIBLE wonton soup! - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Very Poor quality food. Watery gravy. Food had no taste. Paid extra for shrimp and they gave 3 shrimp with tofu mixed in. Probably worst Thai food I've had. They really need to improve the quality as the prices are not cheap. read more

OKAY THICKIES..... @kaothaisilverspring is on the chopping block..... straight to it. They passed with flying colors lol One thing about this crew, we GONE eat Thai. NO MATTER where we go. Thai is GONE get GOT. Apps: 1.) Crispy spring roll - can't go wrong here, simply on POINT 2.) Curry puff chicken - this was our first time having this. II wasn't a fan fav ONLY because it was on the sweeter side. I'm assuming this is the traditional taste palette for this appetizer, so if a smidge sweet is what you're looking for, this dish does pack a lot of flavor. *DISCLAIMER: We didn't order the crispy chicken kaprow, and we should have because EVERYONE and they mama ordered it. That dish looked and smelled divine. This just means we're going back soon. Entrees: 1.) Thai spicy bamboo- GET into IT. Spiced to perfection and that bamboo is going to hit every time. 2.) Dragon noodles - the restaurants play on drunken noodles but with lomein. Slap somebody's mama OKAY. They do have the traditional dish as well. We wanted to spice it up even more. We were very pleased. So basically y'all need to run and "Go get you One-ah Deez, CUZ ITS A CHICKEN SALAD" ‍ #NATT rates this spot #seasoned Now, go tell them we sent you because #Weknowgoodfood IG: @nikki_Thickies read more

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The food was the best part of this place. Talk about Thai in Silver Spring and everyone says "go to Kao Thai". Parking isn't easy on the street and not much of it. Side streets just a bit easier. Restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside. I had the green curry spaghetti and the curry was excellent. Came with eggplant quarters and lots of spaghetti. Unique way of serving the curry, but spaghetti doesn't soak up the sauce like rice does Didn't try appetizers or dessert. Wasn't asked, they just brought out the check. Seats weren't that comfortable. Very busy takeout business which is likely how I'll do it here next time. read more

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The restaurant, servers, and service are great, but wasn't too impressed with some of the dishes. We got the Crab Rolls, Pad Kaprow with chicken, and Pad Thai. The Pad Kaprow was delicious, but the Crab Rolls didn't have much cream cheese in them and the Pad Thai was nothing special. I'd maybe try something different next time! read more

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Fast service and good food but not amazing. Drunken noodles were pretty good but a bit salty. I wish it had been more spicy than salty. Pad see eaw was very saucy when normally it's pretty dry. Overall it's good but would not come again. read more

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Kao Thai is my favorite thai restaurant in the area. I've tried many of their curries and dishes and enjoyed all of them. Kao thai is one restaurant where I don't mind going out of my comfort zone to try something other than my usual green curry favorite. I think it may be spicier than intended for some people based on experience from bringing my friends here but everyone still enjoys their food. They also have decent beer and wine options although in this case it may be a bit cheaper to get wine by the glass than buy a bottle. I've dined in and ordered take out and was never disappointed because service is nice and quick and food is awesome. I think they accommodate different diets well and have many jay options and other seasonal specials for the adventurer. I usually order the green curry, but I've also had panang curry and mango curry. The mango curry was awesome; it offered the perfect marriage between sweet and spicy that I was not expecting. Spring rolls are great but I think it's very hard to mess up. My friends ordered pad see eaw and pad krapow and thought it was a bit spicy, although they eventually finished their meals or took it to go. We got the roti kai sai dessert which is a thai crepe and I thought it was okay. It was eggy and rich with condensed milk. One bite was more than enough for me, but it was a nice sweet treat that the rest of my friends enjoyed. I don't see it on the menu at other restaurants so it must be a delicacy. Overall, it's a great spot and I look forward to continuing to order take out or dine in at kao thai. read more

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I have to say then when I saw the scores on this place I was a little concerned but it was the only Thai place in DTSS that I hadn't tried yet so in I went. I stepped in at 11:30 and was their first customer. Greeting was cordial but not warm (I don't really care on that front as long as they're attentive). I ordered the normal first visit staple of Panang Chicken. I know what makes it good and what makes it bad. It's a great "apples to apples" comparison kinda dish. So it arrives in like 7 minutes - uh oh...I think to myself...it's been sitting in this sauce overcooking for HOURS. Each piece of chicken is thin and shredded - uh oh...I think to myself...getting slivers like this not to be overcooked is virtually impossible. So I serve myself some lovely sticky rice and some chicken and sauce. Wow...I think to myself...this serving is huge...and none of the chicken is overcooked. It's actually very nicely cooked and tender. The sauce was a little spicier than I expected but I prefer it that way so yay for me. The whole dish was lovely - spicy, creamy, peanuty. If you want a very nice Panang Chicken, this place is for you. I'm only giving it four stars for now as I need to check out other components of their menu. I'll be back a few times in the coming months and will update this review as necessary. Enjoy! read more

Kao Thai - Panang Chicken...a winner! - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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This was your average Thai restaurant that you would see in the DMV area. I had the pumpkin curry, but the pumpkin had definitely gone bad so I was not able to finish. The papaya salad was okay but after tasting the sour pumpkin, I couldn't really bring myself to eat anything else here. There is another thai restaurant I believe 2 doors down, I would stick to that one instead! read more

Came for a quick bite before a movie. Service was fast, food was hit and GOOD. I had the drunken noodles, which is not something I've had before but really enjoyed with good vegetables and pork that was nice and lean. My husband got the green curry and it wasn't spicy but had a great flavor. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Had a very disapointing experience ordering from their website this evening. My vegetarian daughter ordered massaman curry with tofu. But when she picked up the order it had been made with chicken. They tried to cover their mistake by telling us massaman curry was only made with chicken. Doubly outrageous since a) you can obviously make massaman curry with any protein and b) the tofu option was right there on their website. I think we're going to order from a different restaurant next week. read more

We love having lunch at Kao Thai. Love trying new dishes there. Drunken noodles are delicious. read more

Kao Thai - 52. Drunken Noodles 36. Thai Spicy Bamboo Lunch Thai 45. Fried Rice Jae Lunch - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

This is only for takeout - never been inside. My pad Thai was ok but flaming hot and I asked for mild. but the massaman curry ($17!) was small portions and just curry water and not curry sauce and has chicken that looks like chunks of chicken sausage. Lots of Thai places to choose from - won't do this again with Kao Thai. read more

Kao Thai - Massaman Curry Chicken $17 takeout - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Great Thai spot in downtown SS. Very convenient. My first time there but my friend who's a a SS lifer swears but this place. We got the mango curry and drunken noodles. The drunken noodles were very average. Just what you would expect from drunken noodles (not sure how they can be made any differently anyways) BUT the mango curry was ridiculously good. Spicy and sweet Thai curry with strong coconut and mango flavors with chunks of mango- it had a great balance. If you want to get a curry, I would definitely opt for this over the Yellow or red curry. I would come back for that dish! read more

Kao Thai - Mango Curry - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Food is awesome The women who worked the counter is nice And the place itself is just very warm read more

I've been coming to Kao for years. Net net = Menu is diverse Everything is yummy. Portions are average. Pricing is competitive. Service is always stellar and efficient for dine in lunch, dinner or take out. I local favorite of mine (and there are many Thai options in one mile radius). All thumbs up. read more

Kao Thai - Outdoor seating - Thai Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

We enjoyed the chicken with vegetables and the sweet and sour chicken. Outdoor seating was shady on a hot afternoon and we appreciated the prompt service. Delicious food! Will be back here. read more

Our favorite Thai food in Silver Spring! Swift delivery and delicious. Never disappoints. Our go-to dishes are green curry with chicken, pad see ew with beef and shrimp kaprow. read more

Silver Spring has a lot of good Thai options but this one is my favorite! The food is always amazing, and you can always be seated; restaurant is a nice, dimly lit space that never seems to be too packed. Drink options aren't too vast, but include a good selection of beer and wine. Must-haves are: shrimp bikini (appetizer), green curry (or pumpkin if you're feeling adventurous), drunken noodles (or if you don't want the noodles, the Pad Kaprow is the rice version of this, equally delicious), pad Thai, and Thai fried rice. Sidenote, is always a good option for dinner or drinks before going to a show at the Fillmore next door! read more

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