This review is for the delivery. Ordered from this restaurant in our everlasting quest to find good Thai food in Chicago. Pad Thai is your quintessential Thai dish so I traditionally order it as my barometer for Thai food. The pad thai here has decent flavor but it was super dry - the noodles stuck together as one big noodle conglomerate. Also tried the pad see ew which had way too much soy sauce - far too salty. The shrimp in a blanket appetizer was fine. Nice and crispy. Will continue searching... read more

These people are rockstars. I order from them at least twice every three weeks. Love their food. I've never been in person but they have been my go-to since I have been in Chicago for the past three years. Pad Thai, yes. Crab Rangoon, yes. Dumplings yes. And for my very hard to find duck curry: It is so hard to find a good duck curry in this city. So I never risk it, and I always go to Paula's. Thanks! read more

This lived up to the hype on Tik Tok! EVERYTHING was a hit! Maybe our favorite spot while we were in chicago! Make sure to get a hotpot for the table! That was our best choice! I ordered Thai fried rice and spicy basil and they were amazing! The Thai tea was amazing and the outdoor patio was super cute! Great job Paula's Thai kitchen!! read more

Paula's Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I see other reviews that love the lunch special. And maybe if I hadn't missed the time window, and my $20 was only $9, I'd add a star. Maybe not. This little spot is nothing fancy. The portions are average, leaning small. As if it's higher end than it is. My noodle dish was listed as a salad, perhaps to set lower expectations. The staff wasn't particularly helpful or friendly, and I couldn't use the Wi-Fi, it's not for guests. The restroom is through the kitchen, which you really don't need to see. But I came here for the food when I needed a bite. It is fine. Not great. Just fine. $20 meh. read more

Omg y'all. Paula's Thai Kitchen is so TASTY! We were lucky enough that the weather was nice on my partner and my anniversary that we were able to enjoy a spot on their socially-distanced patio. The staff even lit up a fire for us to stay warm as it started to cool off. We chose to go to Paula's for their clearly marked, vegan-friendly options. The prices and portions were fantastic and the food we both got was SO DELICIOUS. We started with fried tofu and veggie pot sticker appetizers. They should bottle the sweet sauce that comes with both appetizers. For mains, my partner got Pad Cashew and I got the Mixed Vegetables entree--both with tofu. They were also BYOB so we carried in a 4-pack of beer to enjoy with our meals. We walked by Paula's a bunch of times but never stopped in. It's been on our list for a while and now we're so sad we waited so long to try it. 13/10 would recommend! read more

Paula's Thai Kitchen - Mixed Vegetables and Pad Cashew - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had ordered delivery from this spot previously wnd really loved everything I got and had a positive delivery experience. Unfortunately this second time ordering was absolutely not the case, especially given the cost of the bill. I ordered directly from their website but did not receive my order until over 2 hours later. The initial timeframe said it would only take about 45 minutes. Later on in the evening I googled the distance and discovered it was only an 8 minute drive. Wondering if maybe they were just slammed I tried to give them a pass but when I had called the restaurant to ask about the order at around the 1 hour 15 min mark, they gave no timeline and seemed to be generally unconcerned. It was only the second time I called that they decided to call the driver. When I finally did get the order, it was completely cold and had spilled a bit inside the bag. The actual food itself wasn't very impressive and not near as tasty as last time. The curry was especially no frills and the veggie potstickers were soggy inside their package. I will say the drunken noodle was actually very good, hence the 2 stars instead of 1. Overall I'm wondering if maybe their delivery service was just really busy but I do think that if the food had been more flavorful and the customer service would've been a bit more direct with recovery, my experience could've been bettered. read more

Paula here has definitely been hiding some secrets from the rest of us on the South side. In looking for the best Thai food in Chicago, I gotta say that her kitchen holds up strong in the competition. Did I mention that it's BYOB too? Bring a bottle of wine or two and really enjoy the food and libations with friends. Unlike many other Thai restaurants I've been to, Paula's menu is much more vast and built around non fast-food items like pad thai or pineapple fried rice. The variety of sharable, family-style dishes is insane and can be overwhelming for people that have yet to try more Southeast Asian cuisine. But fear not for these were some of ours: - Squid Steam Spicy Lime Sauce, a fragrant soup with a healthy portion of squid and napa cabbage stewing in a fish shaped pot. This soup was simply, spicy, and delicious. Sad that the amount of squid doesn't quite mirror what they used to serve, but I'll still take it! - Pork Shoulder Fried Rice, a new type of fried rice offered that blends in amazing Thai flavors with chunks of fat and meat. Their fried rice here is one of the best I've had and a real winner in my book. - Pork Larb, a great, chilled appetizer to start. The hint of lime juice that permeates through the dish is what makes it so great. Comes with small lettuce shards for you to create a semi wrap. The food here is fantastic and is really reminiscent of Thai home cooking. While the food did take a while to come out (they warned us about 30 minutes), it becomes a testament to them not serving cheap fast food Thai. Be patient and you shall be rewarded. Cash Only! Make sure that you have enough monies before ordering all the tasty dishes they make here. read more

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Really good food! Looks small when you first enter but there's a really cute backyard patio. We loved the crispy pork belly papaya salad and the pork neck the most! Tom yum soup was also very flavorful and appetizing read more

Paula's Thai Kitchen - Backyard area - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I come here a couple times a month, food is really good, I advice you to dine in!!! They also have a outside patio read more

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In a town full of pretty good Thai, Paula's stands out as one of the best. But don't take my word for it. Go to Paula's Thai Kitchen, order the Tiger Cry beef and tell me it's not one of the best things you've ever eaten. And that goes for everything else on the menu. Great food, BYO, covered outdoor patio and perfect location. What's not to like? read more

Every dish I have tried here has been amazing. The cashew noodle has a special place in my heart. Food is always quick. The ambience outside is better than inside read more

The service was good. The food was fair. I've had much better Thai food. I wanted to give this place a try and I really wanted to like it. Unfortunately I did not, and would not be returning. read more

I came here with my fiancé on Friday night. The service was a bit slow, only one person working. We ordered the "Paula's platter" appetizer which honestly I probably could have better frozen crab rangoon from Trader Joe's that tasted better. For the main dish we ordered red curry with shrimp and chicken pad Thai. The red curry was delish, flavors on point however the chicken pad Thai was just awful. It had a sticky/ gooey consistency. When I tried to get a spoonful the whole thing just stuck together and wouldn't come apart and the flavors were just all of. We added some red curry sauce to it and that somehow added more flavor to it and was more edible. Overall, not coming back here which is a shame because it's very close to where I live so would have been a great quick go to Thai place. read more

Storefront may be misleading but the dishes were very authentic and flavorful. The menu selection was incredible, lots of items you don't typically see. The short rib massaman curry was incredible. Great service as well. read more

We walked by it before and thought we would try it out. I didn't realize it's kinda a dive inside. Nothing fancy at all especially for the prices they charge. My date described the pad Thai as rancid. I had a few bites and thought it was kinda gross. I ordered the Tiger Cry since I read a review on here that said it was good. It came out kinda rare and I sent it back. While it looked good and I wanted to really like it, it just wasn't that great. Once big piece was all fat. Flavor nothing great. The chicken egg roll came out in a cool little fryer. When I bit into it was slightly cold inside. We ordered the curry puffs. We got 3 for 10 bucks and nothing great. My cousin married a Thai gal and she made amazing curry puffs. We will not be back. It cost almost $70 bucks and we didn't even order drinks. For another $30-$40 dollars we could have eaten at top tier restaurant. read more

Great Thai food loved the pork pad Thai and the sausage which is hard to find at Thai restaurants in Chicago. Try Paula's you won't be disappointed. read more

Incredible meal. The pork was crispy and fatty and had an amazing flavor to it. The fried noodles were such a fun touch to the pad Thai. The sauce was INCREDIBLE. THE TOFU WAS SO CORRECT! The dessert....? This is the sweetest and juiciest mango I've ever had in my life. This rice was to die for. Cannot wait to be back read more

Paula's Thai Kitchen - Crunchy Crispy Pad Thai Noodles Spicy Pad Basil with Crispy Pork - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Visiting from L.A. and attending a show nearby so stopped here before the show. Tried the chicken curry puffs, tiger cry steak, duck curry and the garlic pork belly. All were delicious. I thought they were fairly priced. No, the place is not fancy. But I would not call it a dive as one reviewer did. It's just small as many ethnic places that mainly do take out are. I would come here often if I lived here. I would however ask for basil on the river cry dish instead of cilantro as I do not like cilantro. read more

I normally hate Thai food, but this place change my taste! The best I ever had!! The raw blue crab salad is my all Time favorite and the crabmeat fried rice is to die for!! read more

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The food was good but the prices are absolutely not justified compared to the same or equal quality at any number of Thai places in the area. The soup is literally double the cost of other places in the area for the same portions and the entrees are at least 50% more expensive(same quantity/equivalent quality/taste) I had not tried Thai here so decided to give it a shot--again.....food good, delivery quick but I could have gotten the same at any number of Thai joints in the area for half the cost---which is what I will do in the future. I won't be repeat ordering here--the premium menu prices just cannot be justified. read more

Welcome to my favorite Thai restaurant in Chicago. I have been here numerous times, have tried many of their dishes and am still in love with the place. It is a nice and cozy little spot that has a real family feel to it. The decor is pretty nice and they have adapted their covid measures particularly well where they setup a beautiful outdoor seating area in the parking lot next to the building. One note, this place was probably converted from an apartment so if you have to use the restroom to wash your hands, you have to go through the kitchen to the back. Not really an issue but I've heard many people are confused and say that it's weird. Now on to the food! My favorite aspects of any Thai food revolve around 3 dishes: Papaya Salad, Tom Yum Soup, and Green Curry. These are my tests for any Thai restaurant and Paula's blows it out of the park. Their Papaya Salad is so light, refreshing, and SPICY! The way it should be. Or at least the way I enjoy ordering it which is Thai Spicy. I love soup season so their Tom Yum Soup definitely hits the spot when it's just a little chilly outside. I love the flavor profile of a little sweet and sour with vegetables and some meat. Delicious. Lastly, I look for their curry. I really enjoy Spicy Green Curry so mine doesn't actually come out green anymore but it is still delicious. I love bamboo shoots in my curry and it's just that right consistency to coat the spoon and flavor the rice oh so deliciously! After continued visits I continually come across more of their amazing dishes and have found many favorites. There are a couple that didn't quite hit the spot for me. I believe the dishes may have been done well but maybe they just don't fit my flavor profiles. I'll list them below. Drunken Noodle - One of their favorites and one of mine too! That spicy brown sauce is no joke! This dish is great for someone like me that enjoys spice but if you can't handle it, be careful ordering this dish because it comes out naturally spicy! The vegetables and wide noodles that go with this compliment it very well! Bamee BBQ Pork - Definitely a crowd favorite and really delicious. So much flavor with a boatload of vegetables. I really enjoy this dish. Tiger Cry Salad - They say it's a salad but it's really like 3/4 lb of delicious steak. Honestly better than a steakhouse if I was going to go to one. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Not to mention it's plated so well that the image has been etched in my memory! read more

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This is my absolute favorite neighborhood Thai place. Their food is incredible and consistent. We order on a regular basis. Our favorites: Green curry with chicken Papaya salad with crispy pork belly Basil rice with grilled pork shoulder Tiger cry Seafood soup read more

Ordered takeout from Paula's this weekend - definitely one of my new Thai favorites! One of the better pad thais I've had in and around Lakeview, but the menu is so extensive that I'm excited to try something new next time. read more

Paula's Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Quick to put the order together and have very tasty crab rangoons! I got shrimp and chicken pad thai and both of them were delicious!

Waitress is very kind and food tastes amazingggg. They're always welcoming everytime I come. As a SE Asian avid food eater, this place is authentic and delicious! read more

This place is awesome and they are really nice. Their red curry is great and their fried rice has everything you could want. If you want a filling soup get the Boat Noodles!!! They once forgot one of our small sides and when we picked it up later they had put a free Mango drink in the bag, they are sweethearts. read more

Really delicious duck curry, beef salad, and Tom yum. Will definitely come back for more

If you're going to critique a restaurant, go there a dine-in and have the food come straight from the kitchen! I've been here several times and their noodle & curry dishes were super flavorful and try their curry puffs-Excellent! I come from having worked in family restaurants and their food is worth the trip! Their prices is reasonable! read more

Looking at reviews, photos, and checking out the menu! This is 100% authentic Thai food! You know the food will be amazing if the papaya salad is on point! We can't wait to go back and try other menu items! Everything was delicious! We had the squid hot and sour soup, pork belly papaya salad Essan style, chicken wings, and the snails!!! The sauces is just flavorful and on point! Who would have thought Chicago would have amazing authentic Thai food! As we were paying we decided to try the green tea Thai tea and that was amazing we never had those flavors! Plus tried the chicken curry puff for a mid day snack! So good!! I can't rave enough how we found a hidden gem! We also have tried tons of Chicago Thai restaurants with popular reviews. Everything was ok. So if you're looking for authentic Thai food? This is the place! read more

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Oh my gosh, my dudes. This place was great! Fantastic Penang curry and cream cheese wontons, good veggie spring rolls, and really friendly and professional service. It's those little things ("would you like a glass of water while you wait?") that make a big difference. read more

Seeing the restaurant empty at first made me nervous but the food here is INCREDIBLE! Ordered the crab Rangoon (which I've had hundreds consumed in my life) this was the best I've ever had. The crab tasted fresh and the wonton was perfectly crispy with sweet sauce on the side. Also ordered the vegetable fried rice which was so good it did not even need soy sauce. Also ordered a type of chicken with peanut sauce which was also good. Overall there were no leftovers and the wait time was reasonable and the prices are great for the quality food you're getting. 10/10 will be back again and again read more

Paula's Thai Kitchen - Vegetable Thai Fried Rice and Thai tea - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I come from South East Asia and I have to say the food served here reminds me of when my parents used to take me to Thailand on vacations. Very authentic. Their yum won zen was tangy and spicy and just the right portion. Thai fish cakes were divine as well. Their boat noodles are good but I would prefer is they went a little easier on the amount of sugar they put in it and that's the same for the Tom yum soup which would have been amazing if it had been less sweet. I know that they are trying to cater to the Western palate but maybe they can ask customers the level of sweetness they prefer! Other than that, this is a gem in the heart of Lincoln Park and a little part of Thailand in the Windy City! read more

Great food and a variety of options on the menu! They have a cute little outdoor patio where we dined. Service was attentive and quick. For a party of 2 on a Friday evening there was no wait! I'll definitely be back. read more

A great little neighborhood restaurant that serves some of my favorite Thai food in Chicago. Very friendly owners and staff, with fair prices and a nice outdoor seating area as well. Highly recommended. read more

My husband and I have been to or ordered from Paula's Thai a few times since moving to the neighborhood during pandemic times. Everything has been super tasty every time! I love the green curry with tofu and EXTRA veggies (a must if you like veggies) and my husband loves the Thai basil chicken. The outdoor patio is so nicely spaced that you will feel comfortable being there if you want to venture out to dine at a restaurant again. Take out has always been easy and efficient, too! read more

I ate here 6 years ago on a work trip and had tagged it in my mind as the best Thai food I'd ever had. Tonight we landed in Chicago and no one knew where to go and I remembered that I had eaten at Paula's once and looked them up wondering if they were even still there and they were! We ordered delivery so we could stay in and watch the Warriors play. Even our host, who's local, was so impressed by the food. We ordered crab Rangoon, veggie pot stickers, pad see ew with tofu, crispy pad Thai with shrimp, cry tiger, green curry with chicken, and mango sticky rice. Everyone was so happy. And the food came much quicker than the app said. I didn't get a pic because we all just dug in and everything is gone. read more

Don't let the location and look fool u their food is bogus this doesn't even taste like pad Thai worst $17 I ever spent ramen noodles in the microwave taste better. read more

Paula's Thai Kitchen - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very mediocre food. The desert was nice but everything else was disappointing, I would not order from here again. Glass noodle soup: simple but nice Veggie curry puff: too much dough, kind of bland, definitely fried but the dough wasn't crispy Green curry: sweet, spicy, hardly any other flavor. Very disappointing Sweet rice with banana: actually pretty tasty. This is the only thing I would get again read more

Great food. Casual storefront. Didn't see the back patio. Would love to go back. Hope to do so on my next trip to Chicago.

I mean its decent food but they need some help. The food was good but mild was so super hot and i got a chipped glass for a water cup. The pickled cucumber wasnt that pickled. Youve got to bring out napkins dont make me ask. The bathroom is through the kitchen that doesnt make sense at all. Not sanitary at all. Keep trying Paula you will get there though. That basil fried rice was good but she said shrimp in it and brought out chicken. read more