Came here for a late night dinner and I would say this place is so good! Got their traditional papaya salad and it was so fresh and came in this cute clay pot. We got their panang curry and it came with rice and I wanted to say it was delicious so much flavors. Their mango sticky rice is really good as well. Will definitely be back again. The ambiance inside is nice and so welcoming. read more

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Had dinner at Muan Jai Thai Kitchen. It's a cute, small little restaurant with a cozy feel. We ordered the basil fried rice, Panang curry, and Mango sticky rice. The flavors of the main dishes were very good, but we unfortunately did not like the mango sticky rice. One thing to keep in mind is their spice scale. We asked for "medium spicy," but it turned out to be quite spicy. If you can't handle a lot of heat, I definitely recommend asking for "mild" instead. To help tone down the heat, we ordered some peanut sauce on the side. The sauce was served warm, which was a great touch and made it feel like it was made fresh. Overall, it's a good spot for flavorful entrees, just watch out for the spice! read more

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Came to Muan Jai Thai for lunch on the weekend and was happy with my visit - the decor is really nice, lots of greenery and plants, st patties themed - overhead lamps add a nice touch and everything is pretty clean, bathrooms included. There are window views from the restaurant, making for good people watching. Mainly metered parking available Medium to large sized place with dedicated sections for thai food (about 8 tables and 2 rows of bar style seats) vs for sushi and ramen but all under the same place/owner, can order from any menu - the decor on that side is super cute, fish cutouts, anime/manga decorated walls, decked out bars Got the scuba diving chicken from the chefs faves and must say it was pretty good - a bit on the greasier side but the aroma of the herbs and the spices from the curry really pull through, chicken is cooked very well, super tender and juicy. I got the "No turning back" spice level and theres a hefty kick - halfway into the dish my mouth def feels it but nothing too extreme (FYI theres a slight mala-like numbingness to it) The traditional papaya salad was crunchy and refreshing, sauce is tangy but not too overwhelming. The peanuts add a nice nutty element to it. There were hardly any dried shrimp, so wouldve like to see a bit more of that. Be sure to give it a good mix as the sauce and topping fall to bottom of the bowl To top it off, the service was great. Albert was really attentive and helpful - would come back if im in the gold coast area again to try the other menu offerings read more

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It's nice to see more Thai options in this part of town. I was craving Thai so went in for dinner, I ordered the crab curry.the ambience is colorful and a very 90s moderne aesthetic. Service is quick and polite. I was disappointed by my meal. The dish was way too sweet and more dry than the curry it was listed as. read more

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Wow I have walked past here so many times wondering if I should try their Thai food. I'm so glad that I gave it a shot! Everything was excellent from presentation to service and portion size! I have been to their other restaurants which are also great. What stood out the most to me was the Pad Thai, the hot sauces and the Tom Yum soup! It's clean, has a funky vibe, great decor, a visual menu and even the bathroom is nice! I cannot wait to come back here. Do yourself a favor and please stop walking by this place with curiosity as you won't be disappointed. Thank you Trisha for making our experience extra special Extra Special! read more

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Wow! The food was fantastic. We had gone to Bangkok last year and when we came back to Chicago all our favorite Thai restaurants just did not hold up to the food we ate in Bangkok. The food here is authentic and delicious! read more

Muan Jai is awesome! Thai is our go-to cuisine, so we have high standards when it comes to good Thai food, and Muan Jai hit all the right spots. The warm greeting and quick seating were a great start. We began with the yakitori, which was very tender and perfectly flavored. For the mains, we ordered the glass noodles (yum woonsen or mama), and they were incredibly flavorful. The best part was that the dish didn't come with a broth, yet the noodles had absorbed so much flavor from the dressing/sauce - it was fantastic. The pad ka pow was equally good, served on a hot plate and sizzling with flavor. We wrapped it all up with a portion of mango sticky rice, which is a must-have to close out the meal. Highly recommended! read more

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I only know Thai by Pad Thai so we were interested in trying this new restaurant in our neighborhood. This used to be an Asian restaurant with a conveyor that circulated food for people to pick off. I picked the Pad Thai which was very good and filled the plate. Our son was more familiar and picked the deep fried tofu and a chili sauce. His entree was the scuba diving chicken. My wife had the tempura. What was intriguing was the menu. We played it safe but we need to explore the menu! read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The interview went well 2 years ago thankfully I was not a good fit! The atmosphere is great and laid back although I've never ever had any of there drinks and or food selections. read more

As much as it pains me to leave reviews like this, I have to be honest. First, let me say that our server was phenomenal and took care of us exceptionally. With that being said, at the end of the day, it's all about the food. Unfortunately, it was terrible. We ordered three orders of Crying Tiger, and none of them were good. One wasn't edible at all and was taken off the bill. For all three orders the meat was flavorless, overcooked, tough, tons of gristle, and very fatty. The steamed vegetables had zero flavor whatsoever, and the sticky rice was just that, sticky rice. Not much more to say. As mentioned in the beginning, the service was very great, but the food was awful read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - Crying Tiger. - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Just had the third and last dinner from this place. First time I ate there, a year ago, it was probably 4 stars. Second time, about a month ago, maybe 3 stars. Last night less than 1 star. Terrible. Meat was poorly cooked and almost all fat. Sauce was watery and flavorless, with a strange aftertaste that was not just unpleasant but made me throw the entire dish out. (I live nearby so this was all takeout). Will never return here. read more

Im honestly impressed by the quality of food and the presentation of the food here. It blew my expectations away, especially for a late night spot. This place was a welcome Asian food hit after a full day of hot dogs & pizza. I do recommend coming here for a late night meal, the green curry was delicious. They don't have tables that seat more than 4 people unless you sit at the bar-style seating, so our large group of 9 was split to two tables. read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cozy and the owner has a traditional Thai restaurant right next door. Service was excellent. The protein you choose with the server. Everything else (veggies & noodles) you take off a rotating conveyer belt. We need one in LA (Los Angeles) read more

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My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025! Restaurant: 11/50 Month tried: February Favorite dish: Mussaman Curry We stumbled in here completely at random one day for lunch during restaurant week, and we were blown away! The TW deal was amazing - it was a sampler platter of different dishes, plus a stir fry. I just had Mussaman curry. The curry was like a hug in a bowl, so warm and comforting. Portions were huge! The staff were friendly although food was a bit slow to come out. They had a cocktail menu that I would have tried on another day. I've always loved the hot pot place next door, so I'm not surprised this was great too! read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - Sample platter for restaurant week - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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TLDR: So much yes!! Gah. Great authentic Thai food! Don't chicken out on the spice, it's not like TUK TUK Isan (I love them but IYKYK) We've had takeout from here but glad we dined in! I can't believe it was even better in person. Definitely get the Basil Fried Rice, but get it Medium Spice like god intended and get it with a fried egg on top. Choose whatever protein (I personally like it when it's like Kra Pow - minced chicken) and eat your heart out. The fried chicken is always good, so don't even protest, just do it. The Yum Woonsen (medium heat and +, obviously) is to die for!!! I do like the umami flavors though so if you're not a fan of shrimp paste, don't bother. I WILL BE BACK. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Best.Thai.food.in.the.US. The food was very authentic coming from native Thais. Tasted exactly like how it's made back home. We could eat the whole menu if we had more space and time no doubts that anything on the menu is amazing since I've been to many Thai restaurants around the US. We went after being recommended by the Thai Consulate looking for good Thai food while we were in town for the day. The staff were very friendly and the chef even came and spoke with us a few times! He told us the holy basil was straight from his garden because you can't get them at stores here fresh enough. He even threw in a couple of free Thai teas and matcha Thai tea which was a cherry on top to our experience! Highly, highly recommend and we will be back the next time we're in Chicago! read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - Pad Ka Paow - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We were informed that this restaurant has changed. This side of the restaurant is now more of serving Thai food. They do have a separate bar and sushi restaurant. We were a little bit nervous as we figured the quality has changed. The masamun curry was absolutely tasty. We got it vegan without the fish sauce and was still good tasting. The scallion dumpling was also pretty tasty and fresh. The service was pretty good as the restaurant was not busy. Definitely a place to try. read more

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We swung by this place on a cold evening, because we were craving some Thai food. Place was pretty empty, so we got seated right away. The vibe? Kinda meh, basic, nothing special. The weirdest part? They gave us water in these tiny silver bowls that looked like hand washing bowls; I just avoided drinking water form it the whole meal. We started with veggie dumplings (nothing mind-blowing). I got the Panang chicken curry, which was decent. The service was disappointing. Our server had major attitude, messed up my friend's order and then blamed it on a "communication barrier" when she clearly understood it the first time. Not cool. The food was meh and the vibes and service? Hard pass. Wouldn't go out of my way to go back. read more

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Small space, great food! Came here with two friends for lunch on a Sunday and it was pretty empty. Service was very friendly and quick. They were happy to answer our questions, make small tweaks to the dishes, and very attentive. We ordered 3 things: Crab curry, Tofu Pad thai, and Pad Cha cha cha. The crab curry and pad cha cha cha were a little salty on its own but definitely very flavorful. Both of these dishes were also served with jasmine rice, which was definitely necessary. The pad thai was really good. My friend asked for a few omissions from the original menu item which were gladly made for her. Overall, I would definitely come again to try other dishes, and plan to! read more

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This place to have an all you can eat rotary hotpot. No more. Everything is a la carte. Options are severely limited now as well. $14.99 gets you a soup and vegetables . What I liked about the rotary system they used to have is that while you still had to order your protein through the wait staff, at least you could pick your vegetables and the cheaper protein like tofu. My daughter didn't eat half of the vegetables because she didn't like them and half the reason why we came was because she could pick her vegetables from the rotary. About half the people who walked in asked why they changed. I hope they realize they made a mistake and go back to what they did before . Might not return if they don't. read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - New, very limited menu - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here on a Sunday afternoon and were able to snag a table without a reservation. For drinks I we had the Thai Iced Tea (delicious!) and an old-fashioned. I recommended trying the two compartment broth, I was able to try the chicken broth and the Thai tom yum broth. For protein, all were really good options, I really liked the creamy dory fish and the chicken. I look forward to coming back to try some of the other options. read more

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The food was authentic and delicious, atmosphere is great, service is perfect, 10 out of 10 definitely would recommend, overheard another table, saying how this changes their rating scale for Thai restaurants read more

I had to get up and leave early due to spotting a roach on the wall and all they could offer me was 25% off. I regret not making a scene because when pulling the server aside to point this out their reaction seemed to be as though it was normal. The Thai hot pot and appetizers were 'ok' and after spotting the roach it just me feel everything was dirty. read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What the restaurant lacks in ambiance it makes up in the quality of the dishes. We started with their papaya salad (Som Tam Thai), which had quite a kick to it. Extremely flavorful and delicious but spicy. The Pad See Ew (flat noodles) with beef was also excellent. The noodles were especially delicious. The soft shell crab curry was incredible. Not a lot of curry but deep flavors and the crab was cooked perfectly. The Choo Chee salmon (curry) had a sweet flavor to it and was delicious. I just wish there was more curry. For dessert, we got the mango sticky rice -- yum! The cold mango was on top of the warm sticky rice--an interesting but delicious combination. The service was very friendly and helpful. read more

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Love the lunch special! Great deal for some amazing Tom yum and pad Thai. Only thing I'd change is that the pad Thai was a bit saltier than I like. But I'm very sensitive to salt. Also the music could be quieter or more relaxing. Otherwise a solid choice. read more

This restaurant is merged with another restaurant- sushi I think- so if you go through the wrong door just ask or go down to the next entrance. You are at the right place :) We were craving Thai and found this spot around the corner from the Park Hyatt where we were staying. The Hangover noodles were very good. Larb Moo was so good. Very spicy. Both dishes had great flavor and I'd have no problem coming back and ordering again when I revisit Chicago read more

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The food was excellent. Very flavorful. Service wise was aight. I understood that they only had two servers the time we went but we sat down and didn't get checked on for a good while. But they are very nice. I loved the music. Feel very "anime" read more

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If I could give this place 6 stars, I absolutely would. I was craving papaya salad and I had marked this place to try for a month. Service was great. Very attentive to filling our water and checking in on us. Speaking of water, I need to take a moment to address their water cup. It's this small silver cup that feels like it was dunked in liquid nitrogen or something, and kept the water cold the entire time we were at the restaurant. I've no idea how they do it, but I was fascinated by it. Anyway, the food was nothing like I've ever tried in any other Thai restaurant before. Warning - when they say the food is spicy, the food is very very spicy. Fortunately, my partner, and I love spicy, but even we were sniffling by the end of our meal. What I really liked about this place was that the food did not make us feel heavy and oily afterwards, which tends to happen with American ice Thai food. Everything just tasted a bit more healthy and fresh. This is definitely my absolute favorite Thai restaurant that I've ever been to in any state in the US. For people who can tolerate legit spiciness, you must try this restaurant! read more

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I was wandering around the loop and stumbled upon some great reviews, thanks to Google. It is definitely a hidden gem with multiple fast-food restaurants nearby. I really enjoyed the decor and the customer service handled by Kayleigh. A good selection of Thai cuisine, reasonably priced and portioned. read more

Cool spot with a nice atmosphere and kind service. We arrived and were the only customers, got seated quickly and given waters & shrimp crackers. We ordered the Pad See Ew w/chicken, Pad Ka Paow w/chicken and chicken wings with a side order of white rice for our daughter. The food took some time to arrive, but our server offered us more shrimp crackers while we waited. Once our food was brought out we liked it. The pad see ew had slight smoky flavor (which I appreciated because it gave the dish a flavor I hadn't experienced before). Overall I would definitely recommend stopping by and giving this spot a chance! read more

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Server was great. Food was average. I had the Mussaman. It was good, but I did not love the rice being served in a plastic bag. I also asked to substitute the rice for sticky rice, and I had to pay for an additional side of sticky rice when I just substituted. The restaurant was clean. There is better Thai in the area and for that, I would not visit again. read more

Our first dinner on vacation to Chicago! We only had to walk a few blocks to the restaurant. It wasn't crowded on a weeknight so we got a table. We were sat on a long table. I did found it weird the chair was too high so it would be difficult to eat. We ordered 3 dishes: Kor Moo Yang Basil Fried Rice (mild) Poseidon Dinner (mild) The Kor Moo Yang was delicious. Unfortunately, the other 2 dishes was too spicy for us and ended up with a tummy ache. read more

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This place is really good! We had the green curry with chicken and the ground beef basil! I would have given it 5 stars but the odor cleaning spray they use to clean the tables is toxic and very strong! It messed up my senses in eating! To the owner I highly recommend using a nontoxic cleaning spray to wipe down the tables! read more

This place has been extremely disappointing and I would not recommend it to anyone! When we walked in we knew they had limited vegetarian options, but we weren't expecting the limited option would taste almost the same, would be undercooked or bland. My friends and I ordered Chive dumplings to share for apps. It was served with a sweet soy sauce which wasn't complimenting the dish at all. When asked for hot sauce, the server mentioned that they don't have it and instead offered vinegar with chilly powder. For main course we ordered basil fried rice, regular fried rice and pad see ew with veggies. Everything tasted almost the same and like mentioned earlier, it was served with uncooked veggies and was bland! The server also messed up our order for the main course and instead of apologizing or clarifying blamed it arrogantly on language barrier. Not to forget, the tables are extremely small and they serve water in weird bowls. I have been looking for a good Thai restaurant in downtown neighborhood since forever now, so far have only been disappointed. read more

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Please steer clear of this place if you can! We swung by here since we were very hungry and needed a quick bite to eat. The ambience is basic. The tables are weird. The service? Even weirder. Our server was kinda rude and was talking to us really loudly. When we were trying to order, she affirmed that she understood the order but when the order arrived and we realized it was wrong, she blamed in on the language barrier. The food was mid at best. Chives dumplings are my favorite and the dumplings here were a bit sweet. We ordered the pad see eew with veggies and tofu, basil fried rice and the regular fried rice along with the chicken curry. None of the dishes stood out. Chicago lacks decent Thai restaurants and this restaurant just proved my point. Also, the glassware was almost off putting. Giving this place 2 stars because the food was piping hot, otherwise I would have given it a 1 star. I will never be back. read more

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Great Thai food in town! Visited twice, but the food/flavor varied because it was made by different chief. Crab papaya salad: I don't recommend on ordering this unless you tried and love this. This is my first time trying and the fermentation and sauce was really strong for me. And it was really salty! Tom yum po-taek: had this soup on both of my visit, I definitely enjoyed it more on my second visit. If you can handle spicy, then my suggestion is to go with medium. The amount of seafood is acceptable. It is not overly sour. Tiger cry: the sauce was just ok, not outstanding. The steak was really hard to chew on. Not recommended. Pad Thai: I'm not a noodle person, but I enjoyed this dish. It is well seasoned, not overly oily. The lime juice adds a great hint of sour to it. The skillet keeps it warm, making it enjoyable and warm. Sticky rice: if you like chewy rice then give this a try! It is basically jasmine rice but soaked overnight, so it is chewy (but not super soft or watery) Fried chicken: my friend really enjoyed this with the sauce it came with. It is crispy and tender. Yum: If you love raw meat and sashimi, then you will love this dish! It is fresh and well made. It is spicy, sour and a hind of sweetness. Love it! Pad cha seafood: best pad cha I had so far! Not overly salty and oily. The basil adds a hint of refreshing flavor to the dish. The seafood is fresh. Great spicy dish. Papaya salad: not the best papaya salad I had. It is overly sweet and not sour and spicy enough. The papaya is crunchy and fresh, but the flavor needs to be worked on. The service of this restaurant is great and welcoming. The restaurant has a great environment and very cozy. However, the tastes of the dishes varied depending upon on the chief. It would be great if they can keep the flavor consistent. Also, this place is a bit pricey, the portion is smaller than the paying price. read more

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This is as good of Thai as there is in not only Chicago but also the whole country. I'm an elite from out of town here in Chitown for the weekend and this place was impeccably good. The ambiance is that of a small dope Thai cafe. The service works incredibly hard to meet your needs. We had several Thai iced teas and one matcha tea. We also had the crying tiger, the hangover, the pad Thai and the fried rice. We had them all with chicken and shrimp. The hangover was a show stopper. The texture of the noodle was incredibly smooth and the dish was tbe perfect amount of spice at medium. The pad Thai was delish and so too was the fried rice. The crying tiger was the best we'd ever had. This place is new to Chicago but it is among the very best Thai place I ever ever been and among the best here hands down. Even the serving glasses make you feel like royalty. Thanks for treating us like kings and queens. read more

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I had a rather good meal here. The waitress was kind and helpful. She suggested I try the chive appetizers, which were delicious. I also had pad see ew with tofu that came out on a steaming iron tray. It was also really tasty. The atmosphere was very authentically Thai complete with a loud conversation in Thai between the owner and the staff, strange deco decor, and a few cool Thai decorations around. I was seriously happy with the experience. read more

My wife was born in a small village in Northern Thailand and lived most of her life in Bangkok. She is the pickiest critique of Thai restaurants in the world. She says this place is authentic and good, and so it is. read more

Muan Jai Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service was great - no complaints there. However, the food was disappointing...the pad thai was not good. It was overly sweet, and I have a sweet tooth. It was also mushy and wet, so it was also bad texture-wise. The fried chicken was a bit overcooked and bland. Restaurant had a trendy interior but it was hot - felt like the AC was broken. The only positive was the complimentary shrimp chips accompanied by a delicious dipping sauce that they gave us when we sat down. Overall, I did not enjoy my dinner here and do not recommend Muan Jai. read more

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