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    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: 5 - 15 mins

    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

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    Recommended Reviews - Must be Thai

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    Reviews With Photos

    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.

    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.

    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!

    Rice Noodles - Pad Thai
    Ter L.

    My family and I loved Must Be Thai so much we came right back for a 2nd visit within a matter of days. Unfortunately, this most recent visit left a bad taste in our mouths- literally & figuratively!! Our party of 3 came here during the lunch rush and lucked out with being seated pretty quickly. Menus were provided but weren't needed because we essentially ordered the same exact dishes we did from our first visit. I kid you not, we were legitimately hooked! Order: Prawn Pad Thai x2 Green Curry [medium spice] w/ Chicken Thai Iced Tea Anchan Lemonade (Butterfly Pea Flower) The young gentleman took our order and repeated everything back. My sister requested to have our drinks brought out in take out cups as opposed to the glasses & our server said he could make it happen. We wait and wait and wait and wait. Food took a bit of time to come out but because our visit was in the peak of lunch rush, we expected that. What we didn't anticipate was such a long wait for our drinks. We wait and wait some more before speaking to 3 separate staff members confirming that our drinks were put in. Each and every time, the staff confirms the drinks were ordered and we were told they would be coming soon. Fast forward: Our food comes out and still no drinks. Mind you there aren't any alcoholic beverages or anything that should take too long to concoct. Again, we ask our initial server about the drinks @ this point, the young man remembers and immediately gets to working on the drinks. Drinks finally come out [not in take out cups] and while the Thai tea tasted good, my lemonade was far from that. This young man seemed new and I was trying really hard to be patient. I told him the drink was not right and he immediately takes the cup back to add some lemon. The drink now comes back with a lighter hue on top and yet it still tasted like trash. The server offered to remake it and while I thanked him, I requested that he just remove the drink completely from our tab. It was 100% clear that he didn't know how to make the infamous lemonade. Things continued to go downhill when we had to repeatedly request for the chili assortment. It took one too many pleas for that to even happen. The lady at the neighboring table got the sudden urge/craving for Thai tea once she noticed our cup. She places an order with the Asian lady with long hair and the lady happens to bring the drink to our table. We politely explain that the drink was not ours and she immediately gets defensive telling us that we had just placed the order with her. Her tone and all of the many hiccups that had already been going on set my sister off who responded firmly. She immediately corrected her [noting the drink was ordered through the adjacent table, not us]. I'm so sad this 2nd visit was so disastrous. I never would have imagined a 5 star review would drop within a matter of days! For a restaurant who regularly deals with long lines of patrons, the establishment seemed to resemble a chicken with its head cut off. The only person so did their job to a T was the chef's in the kitchen.

    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!

    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 :)

    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.

    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.

    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

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    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

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    Cap't Loui

    4.5
    (1.3k reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$$
    Free parking
    Large group friendly

    Service is 4/5 ...food is ok but the sweetness that's in the sauce throws me off I was looking for…read morethe Cajun flavor but I got more of sweetness in there food but the Food quality is 5/5

    This restaurant is one of the last seafood boil restaurants in the South Bay that we have not tried…read moreyet. We decided to finally check them out. We arrived on a Saturday evening for dinner. The restaurant is located in a nice newer plaza area in Cupertino off the Vallco Parkway close to where Vallco Shopping Mall once stood. Parking is available in the parking garage in the plaza. The restaurant is medium size but maximizes the space efficiently with plenty of booths and tables for dine in. The modern decor is nice and sleek. Whereas the vibe is bustling and welcoming. We ordered the combo of 2 pounds of shrimp with heads on, garlic noodles, and 2 steamed rice. The seafood boil came out in a large silver bowl instead of the usual large clear bag. I found this to be much better in presentation. Everything was so delicious. The captain Loui sauce was so flavorful and sweet. The shrimp were plump and juicy. Garlic noodles were tasty. A couple of saucy yummy corn and potato were found in the bowl which was a good surprise. Overall we enjoyed our experience at Cap't Loui. The staff were friendly and accommodating. The combo options were a great deal. Free Ice cream popsicles for dessert were a nice surprise at the end. We will definitely be back as their seafood boil is one of the better options in the South Bay.

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    Cap't Loui
    Cap't Loui
    Cap't Loui

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    Master Oh's

    Master Oh's

    4.3
    (186 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    Free parking
    Free WiFi

    Came here two times in a roll. First time we shared the platter with the kids. It wasn't what I had…read morein mind, raw all the way . I ended up fine. Second time we ordered the steamed seafood basked in spicy soy. Shared a seafood noodle dish. It was a huge portion. It gets so busy there that they are well organized, gets you in and out. After entering the restaurant, the right side of you is more like a booth type of seating. How much I adore their decor. First impressions when you walk into an establishment says a lot about the owners. As customers it feels inviting and cozy.

    Food 4/5 We ordered the gamjatang and clam kalguksoo. For…read morethe price of $22, the gamjatang is a steal! It came with four pieces of pork and a lot of cabbage. They also put a generous amount of perilla seeds which makes the soup flavorful. It came with a bowl of white rice and a bowl of barley rice. The clam kalguksoo broth was light, but the gamjatang was so overpowering that I could barely taste the clam soup after. The kalguksoo noodle wasn't bouncy and chewy so I would not re-order. Service 3.5/5 Came on a Saturday around 3pm so it wasn't very busy, yet it was hard to flag down anyone to refill our banchan. Standards service here with the initial water and taking your orders. Ambiance 4/5 It is quite spacious but the lighting was quite dark in some areas. A typical standard Korean restaurant with no aesthetic decors. If you're there, you're there for the food.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Gamjatang: Pork Bone Soup ($22)
    Gamjatang: Pork Bone Soup ($22)
    Delicious roe from the Gejang, raw crab!

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    Delicious roe from the Gejang, raw crab!
    Claw Shack

    Claw Shack

    4.3
    (1.6k reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$

    Plaza parking available, but it fills up quickly…read more Restaurant isn't super huge so try to get there right when it opens, even on weekday for dinner, was filling up when close to closing! Garlic noodles are delicious, must order whenever I'm here Got their Combo Deal and was plentiful for 2 persons Can't wait to be back!

    This was my go-to seafood boil spot for the past five years. I'd always recommend this place to…read morefriends because it was consistently one of the better seafood boil spots in SJ. After today's visit, though... I finally understand why the second location closed. Ordered: Shackie's Sauce (Hot) Shrimp & Mussels Combo Snow Crab Clusters Garlic Noodles Garlic Fries The seafood boil was nowhere near the quality it used to be. The corn tasted old, the shrimp and snow crab didn't taste fresh, and the snow crab clusters had barely any meat. By the time I cracked everything open, it felt like there was more shell than seafood. The mussel shells even had barnacles on them, which I've never seen here before. It made the seafood feel like it hadn't been cleaned as well as it should have. The garlic fries were crispy, but that's it. It was weird--I could see the garlic and was literally eating it, yet there was no garlic flavor. The garlic noodles used to be one of my favorite items because they were bold and packed with garlic. Now they've definitely toned the flavor down, and they're just not the same anymore. It's honestly disappointing because this place used to be one of my favorite seafood spots. The food quality has clearly declined while the prices have continued to go up. I hope they can get back to what made this place so good, but based on today's experience, I can't recommend it anymore.

    Photos
    7-28-24. Interior seating
    7-28-24. Interior seating
    Seafood Sampler
    Seafood Sampler
    Wings Sampler

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    Wings Sampler

    Must be Thai - thai - Updated August 2026

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