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. read more

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First time trying this place! The food was good - we had the pad thai, tom yum fried rice, and a side of roti. I really liked the pad thai and tom yum fried rice, but the roti was a bit too oily for my liking. The staff was very attentive and friendly and the ambiance of the restaurant was very well decorated. Definitely recommend trying this place for a date night! read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Yellow Curry - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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Generally speaking, you expect that Thai restaurants in the US have a certain minimum quality and class of services. Let's talk about our experience today. First the menu. We ordered Tom Yum Gai, beef Penang, Drunken noodles, extra rice and spring rolls. First the service is so slow. You would not expect it that way at lunch time on Saturday. That aside, having been to thousands of Thai restaurants in the US and traveled to Thailand every other month, I think we have a good sense of what the flavor should be. I. find it really strange why both the beef Penang and the drunken noodles taste exactly the same - sweet and mildly spicy. This is not even the Americanized Thai flavor, let alone a Thai flavor profile. When we ordered beef Penang, she asked us whether it should be medium rare or what. We were a little confused by the question as we never order a steak with a Penang but said medium. I normally don't order steak on the side of what gets mashed up on a curry any way. A cheap cut of beef is usually fine. We then discover that when we got the bill, we were not charged $22 as written on the menu but $42 as they looped on a healthy mark up for the steak. And as we surveyed the bill they also levy, a mandatory 4% fee. What is going on? Small portions, monotonous flavor, slow service, a feee that we did not ask for and a hot environment is what we paid for. It turned out double what any other Thai restaurant would charge. NEVER GO THERE. Go someplace else. read more

Love the food! We got the green curry, namtok filet mignon, and Thai fried rice. Green curry was our favorite. Didn't have to wait for long for table read more

Not going to lie, I feel a bit conflicted about how to rate Nara Thai Kitchen. We came in around 5pm and got seated by a female worker. It didn't take long for me to realize that she was the only one working on the floor. It was pretty empty but got pretty busy around 6pm so I highly recommend getting a reservation if you want to dine at a regular table. We didn't receive any explanations of the menu, no greetings, no offers to refill our waters or extra pleasantries. That's fine and all, but for the steep prices, you have to offer amazing service to go along with that. 17 dollars for 2 standard spring rolls. I was a bit shocked to be honest. We spent over 150 dollars for 2 entrees, 2 drinks, and one appetizer. That's fine, but I left feeling empty. We were ignored the entire service and it was honestly giving me anxiety seeing all the food piled up ready to be taken to the tables. The food was sitting there for at least 15 min before the worker went to bring them to the customers. As a result, our food was not hot. The food tasted average to be honest and the OC has an abundance of amazing Thai food with better service and quality. The reason why I am giving it 3 stars instead of 1 is because I feel bad for how understaffed they are. The workers deserve better than this. read more

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 read more

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We decided to try this spot for a little date night where we went restaurant hopping. We stopped here first. Firstly, it is so beautiful inside. We loved the decor and the ambiance. We ordered the filet panang curry and I believe the drink I got was the lotus flower. It was all so delicious! We definitely want to go back and try other items. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came here for some Thai tea. The presentation was great and tasted amazing. The vibes are pretty nice inside, and the staff are super friendly. Service is great and always swing by when I'm in the area. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

We had a wonderful time! The service was great, and the food was amazing. Definitely will come back. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Pad Thai, Tom Yum Fried Rice, Fried Chicken Wings - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

I was really excited to try this place since I drove over an hour after hearing such great things, but unfortunately, the service completely ruined the experience. The woman who took my order was extremely rushed and came off as rude. When I asked about popular dishes, she didn't seem interested in helping and made me feel like I was inconveniencing her. I spent over $100, and I expected at least a basic level of patience and customer service, but that wasn't the case. Her attitude felt very dismissive and almost fake nice at times, which made the interaction uncomfortable. It also seemed like she prioritized helping other customers over me, which didn't sit right. Overall, the food may be good, but the service was disappointing enough that I won't be returning. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - The restaurant - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

Again, I am posting. I am still feeling there has to be done something when we don't get service we deserve and we pay for. Where should we report? Nara Thai zero customer service. No accountability. I still give 5 stars to Chefs in the kitchen. Not attitude Owner has and the servers. Ofcourse servers follow owner. read more

Had such a great experience here! The ambiance is lovely, the services are excellent, and the all staffs that day (Cara, Kaitlyn and Tara) are incredibly polite, helpful and friendly. On top of that, the food is as authentic as it gets and beautifully presented. Highly recommend! read more

Take out review. Nara is by far the best Thai food that I've had in Irvine. I've eaten in restaurant but mostly takeout. The food is incredible, super high quality and always delicious. They are also pretty consistent in how long it takes to get food regardless of how busy it is. The restaurant has an upscale, clean vibe that's enjoyable. I could definitely tell they were lean on wait staff today compared to the number of people eating there. The website could also use a little work as there are a couple dead links and if you want to order online you need to find the DoorDash link because the direct order page doesn't load. Would highly recommend their drunken noodle and Som Tum spicy. read more

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Beautiful ambiance! Friendly and attentive service. Food is flavorful and authentic. Beautiful presentation!!! read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

A bit pricey but some of the best food in irvine hands down. Would strongly recommend to anyone (especially if you have Amex for the resy credit) read more

The atmosphere very chill. The decoration is cute. There a live music for you to chill with some cocktail We order 4 dishes in total. The star today is Papaya salad, very fresh, well seasoned. The drunken noodle and Tomyum is just okay for us, not too special The worst dish I had tonight is the pineapple fried rice, you cant taste any flavor except the raisin inside the fried rice, even you eat a whole piece of pineapple, there no taste The worst thing make me unhappy tonight is the service. If they assign you a server, the rest will ignore you like you nothing. My server name is Sophia, she super nice but the rest make me never want to step a food back in here. I have to wait for 15 minutes to order my food. Another 5 to ask for a pair of chopsticks. There absolutely no teamwork or whatsoever in here. read more

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The mango sticky rice, papaya salad, and pineapple fried rice were amazing!! The service was great as well. Sophia was super sweet and very attentive. My family and I will 100% be back! read more

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I made a reservation through Resy and had such a great experience here! The vibes were super cute, perfect for a date night but also totally comfortable if you're dining solo like I was. I ordered the tiger prawn, crab fried rice, tom yum soup, and a Thai iced tea. Everything was delicious, especially the prawns and fried rice...definitely recommend those! The only dish that fell a little short for me was the tom yum, which I found to be a bit lacking in flavor compared to the rest. The servers were incredibly sweet and attentive, and even though the place was packed, the wait time for food wasn't long at all, really impressive. It's definitely on the pricey side, but hey, it's Irvine...and this feels like a refreshing take on Thai fine dining. I'll happily give it 5 stars and would absolutely come back again! read more

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This is mostly a review on taste and quality vs value. This is a "good" Thai spot. The food is good, but does not stand out and there are definitely many better Thai spots in OC, imo. What was most frustrating was leaving feeling like I way OVER SPENT for what I got. Common dishes like Drunken Noodles can run you $42.00. They price the noodles with no protein at about $23 then to add steak it's +$19 as an add on. Most excellent Thai places in OC this wish is $20-$25 with steak. And the Menu generally is like that all around. If you choose chicken for your protein you'll be at about fair market value for most dishes, but anything other than that or tofu be ready to pay a premium. I would not go back with so many great choices. Go to Hanuman in Newport Beach or Thai Lanta in Orange, to name a few and pay half the price for tastier food. Sorry, I wanted to like it. Don't like leaving these reviews, but just being honest. Maybe they see this as feedback and change things a bit. read more

Food and the ambience was superb! We went on sun eve and they had the live music playing. Loved the entire exp. Will def recommend it if you are looking to try good thai places. Seating is limited so make a reservation before you goz. read more

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Lita was an amazing waitress and the food was awesome! Especially the crying tiger. The ambiance transported me back to Bangkok. I've never been but that's how I imagine it'd be. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

Great atmosphere and delicious foods. They definitely have very courteous and friendly servers. read more

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Happy new year Yelp! Nara Thai Kitchen leans more upscale than your usual mom-and-pop Thai spot. The vibe is a bit fancier, but it still delivers on flavor. We ordered the Tom Yum Fried Rice, Beef Short Rib Massaman Curry, and a Thai Tea. Let's start with the highlight: the curry. It was incredible. The short rib was fall-off-the-bone tender, and the curry itself had this rich, slightly sweet flavor that felt layered and complex. We were told they only make ten of these a day because of the long cooking process, so we were lucky to snag one. Worth it. The Tom Yum Fried Rice? It was... fine. If you've had fried rice before, it's basically that with tom yum seasoning mixed in. It wasn't bad at all--just nothing that stood out. A solid dish, but not something I'd go out of my way to reorder. Now, the Thai Tea surprised us. The tea notes were bold and forward, not drowned out by milk or sweeteners like you find at some places. It was refreshing and felt like it was made with care. Service was great--attentive but not overbearing. Our server answered all our questions and even gave us some solid recommendations, which we appreciated. The only downside? The surcharge. There's a 3% fee for "rising costs of doing business in California". I get it, but I'd rather they fold these into menu prices. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's something to keep in mind. Yelp Adventures 2025 - 1 of ?? P.S. Their restrooms are really vibey, 10/10 place to #2 and think about life read more

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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. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Papaya Salad (Som Tum Thai) - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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To start off this place has has a great interior design! It is really nice and there is lots of seating, I still made a reservation just to be sure we got a table. There is also a lot of parking outside the restaurant as it is located in a pretty big plaza. We ordered the chicken egg rolls, Tom yum soup with chicken (it cost additional to add the chicken), the pepper steak filet mignon, and the mango sticky rice for dessert. The chicken egg rolls were really savory and delicious and my favorite with the tom yum soup. We added chicken as we wanted some meat in there but there was an additional charge for that. The soup does come with mushroom and there was a lot more mushroom than there was chicken. However, the soup itself is flavored nicely and has a bit of spice that balances out the slight sourness in the soup. The pepper steak filet mignon (kind of like a salad) was recommended to us but it wasn't as good as expected. Although the sauce on it was good the meat was way too dry. It comes with jasmine rice or sticky rice; the sticky rice we got was really really hard and we ended up soaking it in the tom yum soup to eat. We wished that the rice itself was a bit softer. The sticky rice in the mango sticky rice we got on the other hand was a lot better. The rice wasn't as hard and it was softer to eat still having that "sticky" feeling. The mango was also really sweet which went well with the sauce and the sticky rice. I will also point out that this restaurant is more on the expensive end. We ordered an appetizer, soup, one main dish, and dessert, which came out to about 107 and after tips was about 130. I would say it's a nice place for a date but not really for casual dining. read more

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Food, service and ambiance was great! Despite a busy crowd and being short staffed, our waitress Angelita did an amazing job tending to my family's many needs. For dessert, I recommend trying the mango sticky rice or coconut ice cream with sticky rice. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Mango & Sticky Rice - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

This is my second time here and the waitress remembered us! She is absolutely the sweetest and genuine. I absolutely adore her and she is a big reason why I return, the other half is because the food itself is amazing. The moo ping was so juicy and paired with the sauce, I highly recommend. The crispy tofu was perfect with sauce. If you love a good crunch with a soft middle, it's an absolute must!! read more

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this place is super nice! the service was quick and had us seated right away. Ambiance is very nice and sets the mood for a candlelit dinner. Food was very delicious! literally loved all the dishes we had gotten and had put us in a food coma right after. (LOL) I would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a place with ambiance and a craving for thai food. read more

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Great Thai option for date night! I feel like there's not many good Thai places in Irvine but this place is solid and pretty upscale. The interior is gorgeous and you can tell they pay a lot of attention to ambiance and details here-- even the bathroom is stunning! The drunken noodles were pretty spicy and I loved the fried rice! read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - thai fried rice and drunken noodles - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

First, they advertise gluten free without understanding what gluten is and it turns out that all the dishes have soy sauce. Second, they have a voicemail saying that kids under 6 are not recommended to come on certain days and that they don't do takeout over the phone. Third, the food is mid at best. Certainly not worth the price. In response to owner: You made an assumption about this review. We were physically there and asked multiple times. you can talk to your staff. Party of 6 arrived at your restaurant at 5pm on 12/27/25. We ordered and then my husband went to clarify with waitstaff that there was no soy sauce used for the dishes we ordered clearly marked gluten free. The response we got was well, that dish has sweet soy sauce. Let me ask the kitchen. The kitchen (a white guy) then told her that everything had soy sauce. We said even the curry?, the waitress said yes, even the curry, which is surprising because you can make it with salt. So either you don't accommodate or you hated us because we had 2 kids under 6 in your empty restaurant at 5pm. My child has celiac so we left that day. It's a pity because we come to this plaza all the time since we live nearby. You seem to forget that children grow up. Regulars visit often. I came back yesterday to do take out. Because surely, even if they can't accommodate her allergy, maybe we can still enjoy Thai food at home and get her something else. That's when I heard the voicemail. Do not claim to be safe and accommodating when we were told, sorry we are unable to accommodate you tonight in an empty restaurant. Celiacs, avoid this restaurant. It's not safe! By the way, we drive to signature Thai in Anaheim at least once a month. The cost is the same. The service is attentive and the food is actually good! read more

All I gotta say is $42 pad see yew with filet mignon is ridiculous. Even if it's a filet the price is unreasonable. Might as well put some caviar on it and charge double. Also, sounds like "Michael" the manager doesn't care what anyone else thinks about the food and service (weird 4% surcharge for no reason) and neither do. Overpriced and rude service. Only thing nice about the place is decor. For a Thai place read more

Nara Thai Kitchen is another great Thai spot. The food is consistently solid, full of flavor, and clearly made with care. Everything comes out fresh, well-balanced, and satisfying without feeling overdone. The vibe is relaxed and comfortable, perfect for an easy meal, and the staff really makes the experience better. Huge shoutout to Sophia, she's awesome, super friendly, and genuinely attentive, which goes a long way. Good food, good service, and an easy place to keep coming back to. read more

Besides the fact we found a hair in our pad Thai, the food was also lacking in flavor. Pad Thai was bland and no hint of flavor other than the lemon juice we squeezed. Server was nice enough to make us a new dish after discovering the hair, but it still lacked flavor. Cool interior design and fancy bowls/lights. Price was definitely high than other Thai restaurants. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - 3% surcharge - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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Very chic local Thai restaurant with quality food. Was a cold night and both of us were feeling under the weather so this place was the perfect spot. Here's what we tried 1. Tom kha with tofu: ordered the large which gives you about two bowls of soup. Served with burning heat to keep the soup warm throughout dinner. Good and recommend. 2. Panang Curry: pretty good curry and up to par with other Thai curries tried elsewhere in town. 3. Mango and sticky rice: was hoping to try their jackfruit version but was off season. So instead ordered the mango sticky rice which I never disappoints 4. Of course had coconut straight from the source. Asked the shell to be opened and scraped the coconut meat all out. Yum Overall would recommend if you're looking for good Thai food. read more

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Been here a few times now and I can't help but rave about it--and honestly wonder why there are any negative reviews. Every visit has been consistently excellent! Service is exceptional. Our waitress has been genuinely friendly, attentive, and on top of every detail without hovering. You feel taken care of start to finish, and this type of service makes the experience phenomenal! The food is top tier. You can taste the quality in the ingredients and the care in preparation. I have to say I've discovered some favorite dishes here like Moo Ping, and their filet mignon. The ambiance is really neat, well decorated, and creates a warm, polished atmosphere that's perfect for date night, dinner with friends, or a special occasion. Some reviews call it overpriced--I disagree. You're paying for quality across the board, and in my experience, it's absolutely worth it. Highly recommend. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

My friends and I went to Nara Thai Kitchen for a drink after having dinner at Zovs. It was such an impressive vibe as we walked in and were seated at the bar. They have a live musician on Sundays. I have only ordered food to go and it was much better than some of other Thai restaurants in the area. read more

This place is a bit shady. We asked to see the breakdown of our bill and waiter said we will see it after we sign and receipt is printed. Nobody explained what this 4% charge was and they were too busy to come explain to us. On top of that the food is mediocre at best, certainly not worth what they're charging. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

We went for dinner on midweek night. It had two tables occupied but the table sitting person told us they did not have seats for us. When I told, so many empty seats are there, she made us seat in front, near the bar, where more traffic. I asked for the table at the end, she said it was reserved. No one showed up there and three tables were empty. No water served. Food: We ordered spring rolls- was fresh and not store bought. So it was good but not delicious. Lettuce wrap was average (I made at home yesterday which was better). Cashew/tofu dish smelled fishy and I am vegetarian. So, Iwe did not enjoy. When I asked the waitress, if it had fish sauce, she said it had no fish sauce. Panang curry was way extra sweet, like I was eating a sugar syrup. Green Thai tea was delicious. I don't think we will go there again. Ambiance was very good and food presentation was superb. Restrooms very clean and for the cleanliness overall, was best. read more