Shhh, don't tell anyone! But also tell everyone you know! Let it Be is a chic, cozy little hole in the wall spot on Dixwell which although you can easily miss, you won't want to because it's a legend of a Thai restaurant. AMBIANCE - 8/10 When you walk inside, you're greeted by a familiar friendly smile (? one of the owners) before being seated amongst brightly colorful interior decor. They play relaxing Thai classics and sometimes switch it up with familiar and vibey pop songs. It's a small space, but is never overcrowded, and there's conveniently plenty of parking in the back. FOOD - 9/10 The food here is incredible. I've tried multiple Thai places in and around the New Haven/Hamden area and Let it Be has got them all beat. Not only are the flavors authentic and high quality, but prices are fair and the dishes are well-portioned. Best of all, they're made with so much heart. Every bite has felt like a journey back home to South East Asia. SERVICE - 9/10 The service here has been phenomenal. Our friendly server is welcoming, prompt, and responsive to our needs. When a dish we asked for wasn't available, he took the time to find similar dishes for us. He also takes the time to make friendly conversation and share with us the history of some of the special dishes. Visits here always just feel like a pitstop at a friendly neighbor's. The only thing is that it can take a bit of time for the food to come out, which is natural as the dishes are likely made to order. OVERALL - 9/10 From the Thai staples (pad thai, red and green curries) to the more avant garde (larb kai but in a bánh mì / hoagie style sandwich?! woah!), this place does it all the right way. If you couldn't tell by now, this is my absolute favorite Thai place and I could not recommend it enough. Ally's Recs: Pad Thai (8/10) - cannot go wrong with a classic Pad See Ewe (9/10) - another classic! tastes great with a squeeze of lime Let it Be Thai Curry (9/10) - delicious house curry; they combo the curries well to create a creamy sweet and savory mixture that always leaves you wanting more Thai Tea (8/10) - if you're down for a treat, the condensed milk hits every time! Longan Juice / Tea (7/10) - refreshing and comes with a bunch of juicy longans on top. such a unique offering! read more

See all

I used to come here when it was The Terrace. It's completely different. The nicest owners are in the shop taking care of everything, especially the authentic Thai cooking! Hopefully they're doing a big takeout business because we were the only ones inside for dinner. Granted it was 8:30pm, but they are open until midnight. They were accommodating by turning the heat up on this chilly night. They also put on current Thai music for us after we asked about the American music being played. They offered my wife a syrupy lychee drink on the house to take care of the extra heat that she wasn't expecting. They put a bit of a different spin on their version of some popular dishes so don't be mad if it's not what you get at other Thai restaurants. Check out our pics. It was all excellent! read more

See all

My ideal: a small, family operated, quiet Thai restaurant with excellent food and friendly staff. We came with my toddler and he had the run of the dining room. The pad Thai was too quality - not too sweet, not too sour, sauce nice and thick. We also had Panang curry which was excellent. The rice seemed like it was packaged and microwaved (that distinct chewy texture of microwaved rice) but honestly it was all still so delicious. We will be back. read more

Let It Be Thai Cafe - Pad thai (it was so good I forgot to snap a photo before eating half) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Food was terrific! We went here for dinner after visiting family and lived that we did do! server/chef was very friendly and great in explaining some of the dishes as well as the specials. We had savory tangy tom ka gai soup, delicious, not-too-spicy Pad Thai, Pad Mama (ramen noodles w/hot & sour sauce & basil) and the sticky rice special. All was flavorful and satisfying--we cleaned our plates. We chose chicken for all the dishes and it was juicy & perfectly cooked. Very nice staff. Simple decor--it was not crowded all. I hope they do well. read more

Made fresh - best Thai food we've ever eaten!!! Staff were amazingly helpful. Everything they suggested was delicious: Let it Be Thai is now a planned stop off Route 15/Merritt Parkway anytime we are in the area (and we live in MD). Stopped twice this week and love, love, loved the Tom Kha Soup, Let it be Thai Curry with Chicken, Pad See Ew with crispy pork belly (we also had it with beef and it also was really good). We also really liked the Stir Fried Rice with shrimp, the Boat Noodle soup with chicken (a slight kick, with excellent flavor), and the Spring Rolls (fried). If you like spice, the Panang Curry with chicken was also excellent. The star of both meals, however, was the dessert: Pandan custard buns! If I didn't live 10 hours away, I'd be here every week! read more

See all

Great food and wonderful experience at Let It be Thai Cafe. Stopped on a long car ride w 2 kids & 1 adult. The space is comfortable and casual. Owner attended us, chatted w the kids and me, offered advice about ordering and wanted to tailor spiciness level to each of us. Food was fresh and delicious. Be warned: medium spicy was at the top of my tolerable range. One kid got "No spice" and the owner asked if a little white pepper was ok, the kid said "No" and his Pad See Ew was flavorful and not spicy and got devoured. I and the older kid asked for medium and turned red and sweated through the meal, but loved it all. Next time I"ll get 'Mild plus', at the owner's recommendation. we will definitely be stopping here again. I never, ever write reviews on yelp, but this place, these people and the food quality inspired me. stop and eat here - -if you like spicy, you'll love it. if you don't, tell him, and they'll make it savory & delish without the kick. read more

It was very mid. I am not sure I would return. But to be honest the New Haven area really doesn't have great Thai restaurants.

Let it Be is a hidden gem. The owners are so friendly and offer one of the most authentic and quality Thai food experiences that I have ever had. The best Pad Thai that I have ever had! It feels like being invited in for a home cooked meal. This is my undisputed go to spot when craving some delicious Thai food. read more

Let It Be Thai Cafe - Pad Thai Boran - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

The best pad Thai I've had in quite awhile! Good curry and very nice owners of a quaint spot! Will be back!

My wife and I have already been to this new Thai restaurant several times. We've especially loved the Shumai dumplings, the Tom Kha soup, the two noodle dishes -- Pad Thai and Pad See Ew -- the Thai Iced Tea, and the desserts (they were the chef's focus in Thailand and a special surprise for a cuisine whose desserts usually don't make it onto the menu). The chef is very sweet, and the waiter is excellent. Highly recommended! read more

Amazing experience. The food was outstanding, so many delicious flavors to explore and taste. The service was great, our waitress took our order and made sure we understood what we were ordering and continuously checked up on us throughout our stay. The ambiance is great, peaceful and allows you to enjoy your food. If you wanna enjoy real Thai food and have a great experience then you should definitely go here and support this small business! read more

See all

Three of us visited the new Thai place in the former location of The Terrace. The interior is more causal and comfortable than the Terrace, and the menu a bit simpler. Service was prompt and friendly, and she took care to be sure we understood the level of spiciness in our dishes. We had different meals and found them all to be wonderful. Pad Thai, drunken noodles, I can't remember the third. Glad to have these folks in the neighborhood. read more

We just ate here again tonight and both our teens said "This is the BEST food we've ever had!" Couldn't agree more! The menu options are great and the flavors are incredible. We had curry, pineapple fried rice, pad thai, another noodle dish and two different soups. We shared a fabulous dessert that was sweet but not too sweet, and so pretty. The service is so fast and super personal. We even got to meet the chef who came out to see how we liked our meal! Finally, one of my favorite things about this restaurant is the beautiful dishes and flatware. The serving platters and soup bowls and plates are all beautiful. The flatware is unique. This attention to detail makes the meal visually appealing and you feel like you're really treating yourself to a fancy dinner... except everything is reasonably priced. read more

Stopped in after a football game & had the best dinner. We started with soups, I had the Tom Kha (best I've ever had) & my friend had the Tom Yum. For dinner I had the Nam Prik Ong signature dish. It was so fresh & flavorful. The portion was perfect & the presentation was beautiful. My friend had a shrimp special that smelled & looked so good. The service was fast & we had great conversation with the owner who told us the stories behind their dishes. I wish this restaurant was closer to where I live, I would go weekly if it were. read more

Every dish was excellent and the owners are very sweet and welcoming! I would recommend this place to anyone! -Telula read more

Hear me out on this one: this is the best Thai i have had in a very, very long time. There is nothing fancy here. It is good street-style food, prepared quickly and meticulously and (!) balanced as though it was done in a fully staffed kitchen with more zeros than you would be paying for here. So yes, i am a fan of this place. In addition: just about every dish can be made vegan and GF choices are galore. In terms of the level of spiciness (or anything else really): we discussed my preferences only once. The chef has never been off again. So, what's not to like? read more

"The Terrace"is CLOSED. "Let It Be" Thai Cafe is now in The Terrace's former location. They have a simpler menu including Thai classics like Pad Thai, curries, and offer "street foods." We had Spring Rolls, Pad Thai, Let It Be Curry with Shrimp! All was very fresh & tasty! read more