Had a really great dinner with my girls at Nara! We wanted to try a restaurant we've never been too and the experience was 10/10! The vibes, the ambiance, the menu, and presentation - so good! The service was great and our server had the best recommendations and steered us in the right direction when we were indecisive. We started with lychee martinis and shared the drunken noodles and Panang curry and finished off with a Thai tea! The spice and flavor were perfect. Already planning our next visit, can't wait to try more items! read more

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We had a lovely experience at Nara. Michael, the manager was very kind to welcome us in and the servers were very attentive throughout the meal. The food was delicious, especially the Pad Thai and the Tom Yum soup. It's a great spot to come for a date night. I loved the warm lighting and wood decor! Def will be back. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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The food was generally on the sweeter side, and the lighting was too dim, which made it uncomfortable for lunch. Also, the prices felt too high compared to how much we actually enjoyed the food. read more

If you're looking for a place with overpriced food, indifferent service, and flavorless dishes wrapped in pretty furniture -- congratulations, you've found it. Nara Thai Kitchen feels less like a restaurant and more like a stage set for people who want to feel cultured without actually tasting anything authentic. The food? Imagine a Thai cookbook reinterpreted by someone who's never been to Thailand but owns a ring light and a TikTok account. The $20+ pad thai was aggressively mediocre, the curry tasted like it was made by someone afraid of spices, and the mango sticky rice was, frankly, offensive. I've had more flavorful meals in airport lounges. Service? Somewhere between "invisible" and "why are you even here?" Our server looked like they were being held hostage by minimal wage and Instagram dreams. This place is a temple to aesthetic minimalism and culinary apathy. If you enjoy paying a premium for bland food and posting about it online to impress people you don't like, this is your mecca. Otherwise, go literally anywhere else. read more

Why was there a service fee charge for 2 people tagged onto my bill? It wasn't alot of money... under $4.00 and I was going to take a picture of my receipt as proof, but thought it wasn't alot of money so I threw away the receipt. The service was friendly and the food was good. There were no substitutions for any ingredients that I ordered for our mango salad, drunken noodles and a penang curry...so not sure why they had this additional service fee. read more

Cons : It gets very warm in here. We were all sweating and with Thai food that's already hot and warming so it was so uncomfortable. The food timing is off so it makes the experience not as nice when everyone gets their meals 10 minutes apart. We ordered 4 dishes and they all came out very far apart. I only saw 1 chef. The restaurant seems understaffed. The female server we had was nice however she was waiting on the entire restaurant, we felt really bad for her. Pros : The interior is nice and food is good (wouldn't say spectacular but good for the area) but if I can't eat with the people I come with without someone's food sitting getting cold waiting for the rest to arrive I'm not sure I'll be back. I wouldn't recommend coming with many people or ordering multiple dishes... I don't think they're equipped for busy hours. read more

Excellent food excellent service . A notch above the rest . I rarely review a place but this one is exceptionally good , the ambiance is relaxing cool looking and inviting , the two plates we ordered were exquisite not to mention the service was professional friendly A must try for most even if you are not into Thai food read more

Service and dining space was impeccable. The pad see iw was actually very good. But the slap to the face was a wet crab fried rice. Grains of rice should be separated and granular for fried rice. Especially when paying almost 30 dollars for a portion. Crab quality was nice no fishy smell but the porridge that was served as fried rice was a huge huge let down. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Fried Chicken (top left) Pad See Ew (left) crab fried rice (middle) Grilled Filet Mignon Nam Tok (right) - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

Nara Thai Kitchen serves up delicious, authentic Thai food--highly recommend the Drunken Noodles and steamed sea bass. Service was great, but the noise level was pretty high, which made it hard to relax. Still worth a visit if you're craving flavorful Thai dishes. read more

Nara, is truly a hidden gem. Let's start with the decorations of the place. Superb, elegant design and great peaceful music playing through the background. The drinks. My wife had Thai ice tea and I had the lemonade with tea. Simply: to die for, the Thai tea was delicious yet it wasn't like the regular creamy Thai teas, and the lemonade was refreshing and the mix was perfect! Not an Arnold Palmer! The food- excellent! Michelin star worth! We had the spring roles, the chicken satay, the pad Thai with crab (my favorite), and the pineapple fried rice. Everything was phenomenal! The sauces, the portions, everything! The service was incredible too, quick and without hesitation. This gem, Michelin star worth food is a hidden gem that you must try! read more

Fried chicken was my favorite dish. The vibes were immaculate. Service was slow but it looked like they only had two people w

Good as always. Pleasure coming back here. However, the Pad See Ew needs work, I ordered this 2 times already in different months and its never good. Highly recommend the braised beef curry! read more

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Food was lightly spiced to suit American palate but still tasty and non-greasy. No overwhelming smell of oils or seafood sauce. Presented nicely. Portion sizes on smaller side compared to traditional Asian restaurants. Beer quantity varies greatly depending on which brand you order even through you order them from the tap. service is courteous but they brought our soup after dinner and as over! They add 4% to your bill and say that is not for gratuity, so no idea what it it for! We missed reading it and have a good tip on top of this - had we known about this wierd charge, would have gone a bit lower. read more

Nara is a great restaurant! It has the ambiance, the style, and most importantly, the flavor! We came here for dessert and got the seasonal mango sticky rice and affogato. This is definitely one of the most decadent mango sticky rice you'll find in OC. We also loved the service. The owner and service were really sweet and welcoming, which is an added plus. Thanks Nara read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Mango Sticky Rice and Affogato Espresso - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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Food is sub par. We spent over $100 on food for two of us and nothing stood out to us. We had Drunken Noodles, Thai Angus Beef Jerky, Pineapple Fried Rice, Tom Yum Soup, Pad Krapao and Chicken Satay. Am I missing something or do all the people giving this place 5 stars never venture out of Irvine. I typically love Thai, Vietnams, Laotian, Cambodian and Malaysian food. I just don't see this place hit the marks on good southeast Asian food. I would rank this near the bottom 10 of Thai restaurants I've tried. I think they are just trying too hard without being able to properly execute it. read more

What a truly wonderful experience! Everything from the atmosphere to the service to the food was fantastic! The owners have really put their heart and soul into this amazing restaurant and it shows. Our server explained all of our dishes as they were brought out and suggested which spices or sauces to use. Their homemade roasted chili powder and chili fish sauce are soooo good. ALL the foods has amazing flavor, unlike any other Thai restaurant I've been to. Just when you think it couldn't get better the next dish comes and is equally delicious. The short rib and crab fried rice were favorites along with 2 beef dishes we tried. The best though may have been the cod. While different, I will say it gives Nobu black miso cod a run for its money. Nara Thai is definitely a not to be missed restaurant and we will absolutely be back! read more

It was my first time here and the food, service and decor were all 5 stars. Sophia was a very sweet and attentive server. Our 3 dishes: chicken egg roll, drunken noodles and Nara's salad were all delicious. The environment is very calming. Highly recommend! read more

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First of all, this is finally the first Thai restaurant in Irvine that offers an adult relaxing vibes. The ambience, decorations and music are all unlike other Thai restaurants that I have been to. The manager told me that they don't use MSG on all their foods which made me really surprised. Strongly recommend this place to my friends and family to come try read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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very beautiful space and delishous food, recommend for friends for a dinner night! not crowded at all

First off let me say this. Leaving bad reviews isn't my MO. I don't believe that i am a particularly picky person so if i do leave some negative stuff its not because i am "overly" sensitive. Got to this restaurant, very nicely decorated inside. Nice wooden tables, wooden chairs as well. Pretty chairs, but they were pretty hard as well. But no biggie. I ordered 1 green curry, Fiancé ordered chicken yellow curry, and we got a chicken fried rice. $76.00 plus tip. Basically 3 dishes cost me $90. Now don't get me wrong the food tasted good but good Lord the prices were crazy. Especially considering the fried rice was slightly larger than my fist. See attached picture. So bottom line food is a 4, and the prices are a 1, I settled on 3 to be somewhat positive. But 30 plus bucks per dish is ridiculously high IMO. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Chicken fried rice. I put my hand in the picture to show the size of it. - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

Delicious dishes and great flavors, but the prices are on the high side. We were also charged an extra 4%, and the explanation was that it's for "the freshest ingredients." The food is good, but the added fees make the experience less appealing. I will make sure to remove 4% from my tip. read more

If you're looking for a great spot for a date or just to hang out with family or friends...this place is great! If you love Thai food like myself then you're gonna love this place! 5 star atmosphere ! Food was great. I especially love the Pad Thai dish! I spoke with the owner and got some inside secrets . They use all the top ingredients & you can even get Kobe beef! Yum! I would highly recommend this place! read more

I chose the take out to go order at Nara. Beautiful location and great decoration here but the Tom yum soup was super Duper sour and they didn't give any utensils or napkins with my Togo order today. Very disappointing indeed since this is my first time here at Nara. They must have forgotten about me because a big table came in tonight. However the fried chicken is excellent hopefully the staff can remember that takeout customers also need utensils and napkins just like guests dining inside tonight. read more

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I came here for my first time for my birthday and was absolutely blown away by the ambiance, food, and service! First off, the ambiance is unlike any Thai resturant I've been too. It was modern, sexy, and cool. I can tell the owners take great attention to detail -- from the flatware and serving dishes to the aesthetic interior. Next, the food. The food was incredible. We tried a couple of different dishes and each one was amazing. I highly recommend the Pad Thai and the Tom Kha soup - both were flavorful and left me wanting more! Despite being so full we also had to try the espresso ice cream (spoiler alert: it was delicious!) Lastly, the staff was very friendly and attentive. We felt well taken care of while dining here and will absolutely be returning again in the near future to bring our families. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Pad Thai + Tom Kha Soup - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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I live nearby and have never tried Nara because it seemed very pricey for Thai food. We finally decided to give it a shot today, but we were turned away because our baby was in a Duna stroller (they are tiny compared to regular strollers). I found this borderline humorous because it was a Saturday at noon and the place was empty. I mean literally empty. Nothing like a nice family friendly environment. read more

Food was fresh and met expectations. I like the fresh green pepper stalk. Yumm. Tasty pad Thai yellow curry perfect spice.

Some of the best thai food in Socal, moo ping was extraordinary highly recommend!! Also loved the thai tea. Such a gorgeous interior with nice mood lighting and excellent service--kind & quick. Loved it, will be visiting again! read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Pad See Ew Pineapple Fried Rice - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

Great Thai food in a trendy and hip setting. Food quality is top notch. We ordered the Papaya Salad, Pad See Ew Beef, and Filet Mignon Pad Krapow. All dishes tasted great and made from quality ingredients. Priced on the high side, but worth it. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Papaya Salad - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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Hidden gem tucked away in orchard hills shopping center. Once you go inside - feels fancy and special like LA. Great for girls night or date night. Food was great, reasonably priced and I was really impressed with the presentation. Got mild- medium spicy and it was plenty! We had a super nice and helpful server Lita! We'll be back! read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Papaya salad. - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

I come here once a month or whenever I'm near in the area. I always order a lot, bottle of wine, and extra foods to take home. I took my friends here and refer this place to my friends. Very disappointed to see the additional 4% tax and the poor waitress could provide me a good explanation. -- Management, if this is how you treat your supporters, we won't come back. All of our friends are disappointed. I don't need all of points, promo b*llshit. Get real. I do not need BS comments from management either. read more

Came here on New Years Eve and was so excited to try it since I had this place bookmarked for a while. We had a reservation at 7 and was a little irritated because a party arrived after us and got seated before us....they also ordered before us/got their food before us which ok fine but I was a little annoyed. It took us a little while for our order to get taken but again that was expected. For drinks I ordered the lychee martini which was really good and my sister ordered a Thai tea. This is where it was weird...I hate to say this but it was the worst thai tea we've ever had lol we asked for more sweetener and they offered agave or condensed milk. We asked for condensed milk but unfortunately, it didn't fix the flavor. It was so bland lol I'm not sure how a Thai place messes up a basic Thai drink? Moving onto the food, we ordered the tom yum with shrimp and the pad Thai. Both were really good. The flavor is there but my only complaint is I kind of feel like they didn't put enough in the soup. It was all broth lol I'm hoping this was just a one off because I do like the vibes of this place and I think it has potential but maybe I just have to come back on a not so busy night. Oh we ended the night with the mango sticky rice which was really good! read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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Overall: 4.8/5 Return visit: Heck yeah! Recommend it: Yup, no doubt! Taste: 5 for bringing simple deliciousness all around to my neighborhood! Quality: 5 for fresh-tasting shrimps, noods/rice and veggies. Plus, cucumber decor for one of our dishes was super refreshing, crisp and juicy! Service: 4 overall for being in "newly-opened only for a few days" phase that turned out pretty great for the most part. I just would have preferred that the management explicitly tell us that with signs, with a note on the menu, or with a verbally delivered script by the staff. So, I could've reset my initial expectations. No harm done though to my overall sentiment of this charming little place. Side note: I would give 5/5 ratings to the servers. They were just wonderful. Value: 5 because with $10 house wines and most dishes in the $20-$25 range for a super nice sit down place in Irvine is hard to find. The portions are not big but it's an excellent tradeoff for the setting and atmosphere. X-factor: 5 for the thoughtful effort put in by the owner. I mean every little detail has been meticulously thought through, including the high-quality paper napkins, muted gold plated silverware, the water & wine glasses. The tight but refined wine list. Even a super nice set of restrooms from what I heard. Also, for bringing easy understandable Thai to Irvine, which I am hoping will ensure longevity to the business, so I can go back regularly! read more

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Finally convinced my husband to try Nara Thai Kitchen and he loved it. I've been coming here with my daughter during the week, which btw they have a 10% off Mon-Thurs. My daughter works in the restaurant industry and is picky about her foods, and Nara's is her favorite Thai restaurant. Even the drinks are great! read more

TL,DR: Nara has offered me a whole new personal level of scamming experience. To plug this wonderful restaurant, anyone who enjoys getting scammed should come try for yourself and make your own judgment! But hey, I'm just another random Yelper, why should you value my words?! So, for those of you who enjoy diving deep on legal matters, read up on CA SB 1524 (spoiler alert: just because "a random fee is printed on the menu" may not be enough of an excuse to shield anyone from legal liability anymore. We all need to comply with the law.) Thanks to the arrogant business owner's responses to all the previous genuine Yelp feedback, I now know it was my fault for wasting my time at this restaurant. Also, it is pathetic to see how the business owner chose to spend time writing up useless replies, instead of taking all the constructive feedback and thinking about how to correct the mistakes. What the business owner does not understand is, this is Irvine. When people dine in Irvine, that means we can afford overpriced food, but just because we have the money to pay a premium does not mean you can scam us any way you want! 4% whatever add-on fee - If you think we (the customers) are so cheap for calling this out, then why the heck do you charge it to begin with? Your action confirmed that you are the person who is cheap here. It is not big money after all, so why don't you increase the actual item price by 4% and just be honest and transparent to your customers?! Tricking customers can never work long term. Don't tell us "it's on the menu" - printing it with a super tiny font at the end of the menu, and with your dining hall barely-lit, nobody can read that fine print. So let's be real and just admit it's a scam! No need to hide the fact that this is a potential violation of CA SB 1524. 20% tips for party of 5 - Yet another "it's on the menu" scam. The business owner obviously is taking advantage of the customers, and telling us that the restaurant can force any OUT OF NORM charges onto us. So next thing you know, watch out for a mandatory 80% tip for a party of 1, because it's "on the menu" and the restaurant thinks it can do whatever it wants!! The fact that the business owner replied to every genuine feedback with "you are cheap and go eat somewhere", is a clear indicator of pure ignorance of the Irvine demographics. Another well-known observation is that the business owner does not disclose all these NON-CONVENTIONAL FEES outside the restaurant (aka no clear sign outside), obviously this is not just negligence, but rather the business owner is intentionally trying to scam the customers! Guess what? The business owner is right for once. I am going to eat elsewhere, and will ask all my Irvine connections to join my party and eat elsewhere with me. I have dined at Manaao Thai, Siam Station, Chiang Rai, Thai Cafe before, all better than this. And even fast food chains like Thai Spice have offered a better dining experience than Nara, according to my personal first hand experience. I don't want to get scammed again. PS. Anyone like me, who has dined at the real Nara in Thailand, may share a similar opinion that a fake one can never be compared to a real one. read more

We didn't make reservation on Sunday night but was sit at the bar right away. Staffs are friendly. Food is good, not too sourly and salty as authentic Thai food read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Lychee and mango soda - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

Not sure why there are negative reviews. My wife and I ate here today and we were both happy with the food, service, and ambiance. We like Thai food and have been to plenty around SoCal but this one would easily be within our top 5. It is a boutique restaurant and is pricey as such but the taste and service is top notch and that was plenty enough to make up for a bad experience we had a day before at another establishment. Give it a shot. You may very well like it. read more

Food is good, atmosphere is good however, food is extremely expensive for the area n environment. We won't be going back coz the food we get, it's not worth the price we pay. read more

Some of the best food I've had in a while. Staff was so pleasant and welcoming. And the atmosphere was really good.

Horrible staff! Rude and inconsiderate! I had my baby sleeping in a stroller and couldn't take him out. The hostess and restaurant manager very rudely said we dont allow strollers. It was 1:30 pm and there were 0 costumers in the restaurant. The fact that it is their restaurant policy thats ok but their attitude was so bad arrogant that I will not go back to this place again. read more

Delicious food! Got the white lotus cocktail which tastes like mango sticky rice in a drink! The yellow curry and pad see iw were fantastic as well. Amazing ambiance and great service, definitely recommend! read more