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    Nara Thai Kitchen

    3.8 (468 reviews)
    PriceyThai, Wine Bars
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

    Order Nara Thai Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

    Nara Thai Kitchen Photos

    NARA THAI KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Upscale
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Nara Thai Kitchen

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    Ambiance
    Anne M.

    It's hard to find a Thai restaurant that not only taste delicious but also has a great vibe and nice style. Everything from the music, the interior design and quality of the food is by far one of the nicest Thai restaurants I've been to. Perfect for date nights or catching up with friends. Staff is friendly and helpful in choosing what to order. Very chill and relaxing vibe

    Scott J.

    The prices are pretty high and I would not return because of that but the service was amazing and the quality of food was good. The ambience was just as good as the Service. If you're looking for a nice dinner for you and your spouse, this is a great place if you're bringing your family expect a hefty bill.

    Bar Area
    Mindy L.

    First Time Dining Just This Past Saturday. Friendly Hostess While Checking In, Who Was Also The Order Taker & Server!!! Very Quaint Small Restaurant & Pretty Dim Even During The Morning/Day. Probably Had Between 10-12 Tables. The Dishes I Tried Was Good For The Area & For What It Was. Not As Authentic As I've Had, At Other Thai Restaurants.

    Short rib curry
    Jimmy P.

    High end thai resturant, was a given since its in Irvine. For the price of the short rib curry I wish they would at least give you another piece. However I will tell you that is some of the best I've ever had and I would order it again. The yellow curry was also quite delicious. I was surprised at how much I liked the salad to be honest. The only bad thing is when you try to to-go your food since the bowl was porous. Great service with no wait time since we had a reservation. The restaurant was quite packed so I would recommend making a reservation if possible. Saw lots of couples in the resturants and looks like they could do about 3 or 4 families. I would come back

    Jacob B.

    Stopped in for a date night here yesterday, and was pretty blown away. Beautiful restaurant, amazing food, great service left us immediately wanting to make this a frequented spot. Food (5/5) - Large menu with steep prices, but delivers on quality and presentation. We shared orders of: Moo Ping, Giant Prawn Pad Thai, and the ground chicken Pad Kra Pao and everything was delicious. The pork skewers were so rich, complemented with the citrus-y sauce served with them; the pad thai was cooked well and so were the prawns, grilled to perfection and not dry inside; the pad kra pao was a tad salty but the flavors were VERY prominent and great regardless. Service (5/5) - Showed up a bit early to a reservation, and got greeted nicely and sat early at a gorgeous wooden table in the middle of the restaurant. The servers were very on top of refills/pre-bussing plates and checking up on us. Lovely people that work here! Ambiance (6/5) - This might be the first restaurant i've been to where the decor possibly impressed me more than the food. i hope life for whatever interior designer you folks hired is going exceptionally because i was in awe at how detailed, elegant and cultured this place is! While i will say this restaurant is tiny, they made the absolute best use of what they have with the bar, open kitchen being classy while providing atmosphere for the rest of the dining area, packed full of quirky decor and earthy dinnerware/plates we loved. A must recommend spot for a fancy occasion!

    Pad Krapao
    Brittany E.

    Nora Thai Kitchen has a great cozy vibe--modern but still feels like a real Thai spot in terms of ambiance. It's a small place, maybe 10 tables, so it feels pretty intimate. We had the Pad Kra Pao with filet mignon--super tasty, but the filet was an extra $13, which felt a bit much. The Panang curry was just okay; good spices but could've had more flavor and the chicken was a bit on the drier side. Drinks were a mixed bag--the mango soda was $9 and not very fizzy, but the Thai iced tea was solid. Service was great, super friendly, but there was a surprise 4% charge at the end of the bill (not a tip or service charge, just a cost increase due to "rising costs"), which was a little confusing and disappointing to see. Overall, nice spot with great service and decent food, but a bit steep in terms of pricing.

    Grilled salmon green curry ($36)
    Jennifer H.

    Came here to use the Amex $100 Resy credit. Ambiance and dish presentation were nice. Price was high for what you get so we likely won't be back, but we overall did enjoy the food. For the appetizer we got the papaya salad ($18). The salad was surprisingly big and tasted fresh. I'm glad I got the sauce on the side because it was spicy for me. I enjoyed the tomatoes, green beans, and peanuts in the salad. For entrees, we got the grilled salmon green curry ($36) and the pad thai with crab ($39). The salmon was ok. It was small, not super tender, and the curry flavor didn't go that well with the salmon. For $36 for 1 piece of salmon and rice, this dish wasn't worth it. The pad thai was yummy though. The flavor was rich, and I enjoyed the crab pieces. I asked for less sauce/salt, but the crab meat itself was too salty.

    Food was delicious and service was great would def recommend shout out our server Tara

    Janette N.

    I was initially hesitant to dine here after reading some of the reviews, but I'm truly glad I decided to give it a chance. It's clear that the restaurant has taken feedback seriously and made noticeable improvements.To address some of the common criticisms first: many mention the pricing, and while it is higher than typical Thai restaurants, you're paying for the upscale ambiance and overall experience... it's elevated for a reason. Others noted that the food lacked spice or was catered to milder palates, but that was not my experience at all. We're accustomed to Viet chili-level heat, and the medium spice delivered a satisfying kick. As for my dining experience itself, our food arrived quickly, the service was genuinely warm and attentive, and the presentation was beautiful, especially the papaya salad. I particularly enjoyed the tom yum and panang curry. The pad thai, however, was more average: slightly too sweet and not enough protein. Overall, I would return if I wanted a nicer thai dinner. Bonus note: they're on Resy, and this has been my favorite Irvine restaurants to use my Amex dining credit on.

    Jen C.

    Absolutely gorgeous restaurant with breathtaking decor and beautifully presented dishes. However, the service was super slow on a Thursday afternoon and it took us 45 mins to get our entrees. The flavor profile was very similar to other local Thai places that charge a lot less so you're definitely paying for the ambiance. If presentation and ambiance is what you're looking for, Nara is absolutely perfect. If you're looking for an authentic Thai meal, there are a few nearby places that offer the same.

    Papaya Salad (Som Tum Thai)
    Melancholy S.

    Papaya salad is good here but why the heck are we putting it in paper boxes???? Not to mention this type of dish has fish sauce. please find a better storage container this is kinda ridiculous. Also 30 min for some papaya salad is kinda long. Please get a better container something that wont leak through.

    Chicken Cashew 10/10
    Mary S.

    I have seen videos of this restaurant and have wanted to try it since! After having my fair share of dining at Thai Restaurants (and being a Lao person who's very familiar with Thai dishes), this would rank 4th on my list. First, the service was nice and the server was sweet. She was attentive and would check up on us. The ambiance was really chill and lowkey, I can see how the decor draws from natural elements. It is a pretty dim restaurant, so something to keep in mind if you have trouble seeing. The food was good, but not the best that I've had. If I'm ever craving Thai food and the other restaurants that I like aren't open, then I would consider this place. As an appetizer, we ordered the crispy shrimp rolls. They came out hot and fresh. Overall a 7.5/10, I would want to try something else next time. For my drink, I got the White Lotus and it was yummy, came in a pretty lotus holder as well. 8.5/10 And for my entree, I got the cashew chicken that automatically comes with a side of jasmine rice. This dish wasn't spicy at all and the flavor was a nice sweet but savory sauce. I would say this was the highlight of my dining experience, giving it a 10/10! For dessert, you can never go wrong with mango sticky rice. The mangos were soft and yummy, the rice was warm. It was your run of the mill mango sticky rice. Overall, pretty good Thai place, but there's better out there at more affordable prices ‍

    Yellow Curry
    Owen C.

    I had an amazing experience at NARA Thai Kitchen. I ordered the yellow curry with chicken, and it was absolutely delicious, rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, with a generous portion size that was very satisfying. The interior was beautiful, featuring creative tables and a modern, welcoming atmosphere. The staff was amazing as well, friendly, attentive, and made the experience even better. Great food, great service, and a great environment. I will definitely be coming back to try their other food and drinks and highly recommend this place to anyone looking for quality Thai food.

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    I made reservations at Casa Dami to celebrate my daughter's birthday, and overall, it turned into a…read morereally memorable experience. When booking, I had the option of dining , chef's table, or patio seating. I specifically chose the dining since my daughter loves creating content, and the indoor ambiance is absolutely beautiful for photos. The hostess seated us on the patio, and I mentioned that I had selected dining. I was told that seating is based on first availability, which was a little disappointing, especially since the restaurant is right on the water and by 7:30 PM it was getting pretty chilly. While they do have heaters outside, sitting in gusty winds with the smell of gas (especially after a fresh trip to the hairdresser!) just wasn't ideal. My daughter went back to the car to grab a blanket. Thankfully, the hostess noticed my discomfort and came back shortly after saying, "Donna, we have another table further down that's out of the wind and under a heat lamp." That small gesture made a big difference, and honestly, that's when the experience started to turn around. From there, things only got better. When our entrées arrived, our waiter Nick realized we had never received our appetizers. Without hesitation, he assured us he would make it right, and he absolutely did. He brought out a selection of cheeses for us to sample, which led to us ordering a caviar bump paired with champagne (highly recommend!). To top it all off, he surprised my daughter with olive cake and fresh berries to celebrate her birthday. Such a thoughtful touch. If I could give this place 10 stars, I would. Not just because the food was amazing, but because of the attention to detail and how seriously they take the overall dining experience. Parking is available in a nearby garage, and they validate the first 90 minutes, which is a nice bonus.

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    The Lost Vine

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    Cozy Pine - Ruby's First Expedition

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    Nara Thai Kitchen - thai - Updated May 2026

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