Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Must be Thai

    4.0 (2.5k reviews)
    ModerateThai, Seafood, Noodles
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Waitlist - Must be Thai

    Live Current wait: under 5 minutes

    Order Must be Thai Takeout or Delivery

    Must be Thai Photos

    Business Info

    MUST BE THAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy
    Moderate noise

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Must be Thai

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Thai for dinner hee
    Kay O.

    The first time we came here, we didn't know you could set up a reservation via I! Definitely a game changer! Lol we waited about 30 minutes to eat, but it was packed and everyone's food smelled delicious so we figured it was worth the wait! I love being a foodie, but I have food at allergies too monosodium glutamate/MSG. It's lovely because that's my own cultures food since I'm part Japanese! Lol. I was surprised to see that they actually added MSG to a lot of the sauces here. There was no way to not have the sauce prepared without MSG because the sauces were made ahead of time. So that made me a little sad. Yet the dishes we ordered did not have any added MSG so we got * spicy calamari *Summer roll *Tom Yum soup *Pad Thai with chicken and shrimp Fried Tom, Yum rice All the dishes were delicious and had a really good spice! So spicy I actually had to order a glass of white wine with The southern pad Thai version with a smoked spice. It was too much for me, but my boyfriend could handle it. Lol. Once I ordered the white wine, I didn't realize it would take so long. It was Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc, so a great bottle, but I should've just ordered a Thai beer since that was on tap. The server came back and apologized and said she was having trouble getting the cork off. Lol. I love the murals and the environment here it really reminds me of pictures that I've seen of Thailand! My friends have traveled there, and I love their food and the fact that it's Asian without MSG. There's a beautiful mural along the backside of the wall and a really cute mirror in the bathroom as well. I would love to come back here and eat more dishes!! But next time I will definitely order a Thai beer!! Hee.

    Inside of the restaurant
    Joy M.

    Went here for happy hour. The HH is every day from 3pm-6pm every day. The food selection is pretty good. We ordered the Pad Thai which was very tasty and authentic. The Hat Yai Fried Chicken was really good especially with the sweet chili sauce. The cucumber slices and spring mix was a good garnish. Unfortunately we didn't really like the Crispy Mala Chicken. The spicy taste left out palattes tasting different. Needed lots of water to get the taste out. Audrey our waitress was very friendly and gave us great options of food for when we come back. We really enjoyed her service. We had the pleasure of sitting in the patio on a nice weekday. The inside decor had a nice modern ambiance. Definitely will be coming back to try Audrey's suggestions.

    Ivy C.

    The food always flavorful, although it's also too salty for my liking. But they have some great dishes that not every Thai place has, and the staff is super nice. Some portions are teeny tiny, some are okay. Their Tom Kha soup and Penang curry are sooo good! And try the tom yum fried rice. All the salads are delish, too. Definitely salty, but good. Spicy is like a medium at an authentic Thai place, so if you like heat, you can totally choose the Spicy level. For an Asian place, they have decent wine. Put your name down on Yelp waitlist ahead of time, especially if you're dining around 6 or 7. It can get busy!

    Panang Curry with shrimp
    Betsy L.

    This is a fantastic spot for Thai that serves both well-known dishes and an exciting array of dishes that were new to me! The menu is laid out by geographic regions, which I thought was a really neat way to showcase the many different cuisines. We started with summer rolls and calamari, both of which were excellent. The summer rolls were fresh and bright, with a delicious peanut sauce that was among the best my sister (a self-described "Peanut Sauce Snob") and I had ever had. The large pieces of calamari were expertly cooked, still very tender even after frying. There was a hint of spice in the calamari dipping sauce that I quite enjoyed. For entrees, we got Pad Thai, Pad See You, and Panang Curry -- all favorites we've had many places (despite the many alluring new-to-me options, I admit we all defaulted to known quantities) -- and we were impressed across the board. Everything was flavorful, had just the right amount of spice, and came out steaming hot. We really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere of this restaurant, which felt lively and friendly. It was very busy, with a line out the door by the time we left, so reservations are a good idea!

    Seyi A.

    This place is delicious! Came here for a late Fathers Day lunch and everything was delicious. The wings were so good, we ended up ordering 2. We got the Tom Kha soup, Pad see Yew, a peanut chick dish and basil chicken. SOOOOO GOOD!!! We will be back

    Summer Roll (tofu)
    Tahir N.

    This place popped up in my search on Yelp and its interior looked interesting so I resolved to try it A good decision. They have a variety of dishes from different parts of the nation. So I'd rather than have pad Thai I decided to have their southern version of pad Thai. Honestly, it did not seem much different from the usual version in terms of ingredients. Shrimp and scrambled egg. They told me it would be spicy, but it wasn't too spicy . In fact, those of you who read my reviews will know that I always ask if they have the "four condiments" as I like to call them. And they do! So I added a little helping of Thai chilies and fish sauce to my meal. Yum! I also got an order of tofu summer rolls to go. I'll be having those tomorrow!

    panang curry
    Ashlee L.

    Solid Thai food tbh but everything was pretty salty I appreciate that they had papaya salad because I don't find it in many Thai places. I liked the flavor, but again very salty The pad see ew was solid but nothing super special. I liked the veggies that it came with. The panang curry was my favorite but I wish it was less salty so i could eat more Came at an off time (2:30pm) so there wasn't any wait :)

    Convenient location
    Ketsanee P.

    MUST BE THAI is a fantastic spot for authentic Thai street food. The menu has a great variety of interesting dishes, the service was fast and friendly, and the location is convenient with plenty of free parking. It was the perfect place to relax and recharge after a long flight. I only got to visit during a short vacation in California, but I wish I lived nearby so I could come back often. If I'm ever in California again, MUST BE THAI will definitely be on my must-visit list!

    Epic sauce served with the pixel wings
    Pranathi B.

    Came back with my extended family this time around. My key takeaways this time- *Prices are high especially given that it's a small strip mall restaurant without much of an ambiance. *Portion sizes are tiny given the entrees are ~$25. *Shrimp was over cooked across the dishes we ordered especially in the soup and spring roll. *One of the dishes came with rice and the blob of hot rice came wrapped in plastic. I think it's a common practice in Thailand to use so much plastic for food but I think it's high time people start becoming cognizant to the ill effects of plastic and micro plastic leeching especially when used with hot food.

    Ethan T.

    While I do think quality has gone down a bit recently it is still enjoyable. Their thai menu offers dishes from all regions of Thailand. Most dishes I have had did not disappoint and the staff always makes sure to bring the dishes out quick for everything to be eaten together. Sad to see quality has gone down a bit.

    Tom Kha
    Emily L.

    One of my friends recommended this place for thai food and it was very funny considering I bumped into a different friend here. We ordered three dishes and it was more than enough for me. We got the pixel wings, tom kha, and the pad see you. The wings were pretty good and I don't love wings. I wish the tom kha was a bit tangier, it fell flat for me. And the pad see you was also pretty standard. I didn't completely understand the rave for this place. I thought it was good, but not great. Everything was super affordable though, which was a plus.

    Brandon L.

    One of my new favorite Thai spots in the South Bay. What sets it apart is the regional variety, east, central, south, you can actually explore beyond the standard menu most places stop at. I couldn't find a single miss. I'd push anyone who comes here to order outside their comfort zone and skip the usual pad thai, pad see ew, yellow curry rotation. That said I couldn't help myself and got the pad thai anyway. Cooked perfectly and had sooo much depth to it. Dishes are on the pricier side but the ambiance and service back it up. I'll def be back.

    Spicy Thai basil fried rice
    Shalini K.

    Had the Thai iced tea, spicy pad kee mow and basil fried rice. Though the basil fried rice was not on the menu they accommodated our request. The food and service were exceptional. The drink was a little too sweet for me personally. As for the ambiance, it could have been better, the metal seat that I had was broken and rusted.

    Panaeng Curry

    See all

    6 hours ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    7 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 days ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    12 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ivy C.
    476
    482
    5104

    22 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    21 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Erika C.
    299
    1159
    3917

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Diana P.
    21
    95
    97

    2 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 3
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Liana R.
    13
    79
    40

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 63

    Must be Thai Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Must be Thai

    What time is Happy Hour during weekdays?

    Happy hour usually are only on Thursday and Friday from 4 PM to 7 PM Other places is just fair most of the time they don't have it Monday through Wednesday… 

    Do they have salads? Didn't see any on the website.

    They have papaya salad for sure.

    Do they have jain options?

    No they don't have specifically called out Jain options but I think a few items could be made Jain.

    Can I make a reservation?

    yes

    Do you use MSG in your dishes? I was very sleepy & had a headache after eating your delicious food. We ate lunch last Sat & Sun. Thanks for your earliest reply.

    No MSG for any dishes

    Do they sell gift cards?

    Yes they sell gift cards

    Do they still offer weekend brunch menu with shrimp rice soup?

    No, brunch menu with shrimp rice soup

    Are there a lot of vegetarian options?

    I would say there are not a lot but around 6 or so options. Noodle dishes can be made with veggies and tofu and there are a few curry dishes.The green and Panang curries come to mind that can be vegetarian. You can also request no fish sauce to… 

    Is there a Lunch menu?

    Yes there is, there are a few specials too.

    Can they make dishes without shrimp even if its says it have it?

    Yes.

    Is there a kids menu?

    No, there is not.

    Has anyone been here during happy hour?

    Yes I have. They have pad Thai and the papaya salad as part of the menu. Those were excellent and well priced! The fish cakes weren't great though

    View All 16 Questions

    You might also consider

    Leung Noodle

    Leung Noodle

    4.1
    (261 reviews)
    7.7 mi
    $$

    I've had Leung Noodle bookmarked for so long and it did not disappoint. It's pretty popular at all…read morehours (even during the morning when they open) so be prepared for a slight wait at times, but service is quick. I love how customizable the menu is. You can order soup or dry style, then choose between 6 different types of noodles, then finally choose your broth. The possibilities are endless! We went with the classic which was dry, combination noodles (which includes egg noodle and rice noodle), and nam vang (shrimp and pork). This is their most popular order and you can't go wrong! If you order it dry, it comes with a side of soup. My issue with Hu Tieu Nam Vang at other restaurants is that sometimes it's too dry and there's not enough sauce. Not a problem at Leung Noodle! They have a perfect amount of sauce that coat all the noodles really well. Tons of meat too - I'm not even able to finish it! They have sides that you can use like pickled garlic and chili spice. Would recommend getting a side of Chinese donuts too. It pairs really well with the noodles!

    It was decent. I'd rate it a 3.5 stars. I thought the portion looked small but it turned out to be…read morejust the right amount. The wonton is not good. Needed more flavor. The fried shrimp dumpling is not worth it. Legit looked like har gow but they deep fried it. Broth was good tho. The noodles had a nice chew. Although, I couldn't really tell if they used 2 types of noodles: egg noodles and Hu Tieu because of the dark sauce already mixed at the bottom. Service is a bit stand off ish. Funny how I can understand what they are saying. Prompt service tho. I'd come back if I was craving some Hu Tieu Nam Vang.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Leung Noodle
    Leung Noodle

    See all

    Kali Noodles and Tea Bar

    Kali Noodles and Tea Bar

    4.4
    (481 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    Mom and pop known for Hu Tieu Nam Vang, which is a Vietnamese pork and seafood noodle dish. Place…read moreitself is clean, with a little parking lot, and service is nice and fast. Close to SJSU. I got the Hu Tieu Nam Vang dry style with both the hu tieu (rice noodle) and mi (egg noodle). It was very tasty and a texture lovers dream. Bouncy noodles, crisp veggies, succulent pork and shrimp. The broth that comes on the side has a nice sweetness. Overall, great food and highly recommend!

    It's been about a year since my last visit, and I'm so glad I came back. They're well known for…read moretheir Nam Vang noodle soup, and it did not disappoint. The broth is fresh, clean-tasting, and the portions are generous. They also offer a great smaller portion called the Baby Noodles, which was perfect for the kids. The restaurant appears to be family-owned and operated, and everyone there is incredibly kind and welcoming. They regularly checked in on us, kept our water and tea refilled, and made us feel well taken care of throughout our meal. When we packed our leftovers to go, they even offered to refill our soup container for us--now that's exceptional service! It's the little things like that that keep customers coming back. They're currently offering 10% off during the month of July to celebrate their 10-year anniversary, which makes it an even better time to visit. I'll definitely be back and look forward to continuing to support this wonderful local business.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Kali Noodles and Tea Bar
    Condiments

    See all

    Condiments

    Must be Thai - thai - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...