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Rai Lay Thai has long been my favorite Thai restaurant in the city, so it is a crime that I am only just now getting around to writing a review. They have long been a mainstay in Southend, with a small intimate dining room located along South Blvd. They offer all of your classic Thai dishes, along with menu items from other Asian cuisines. You can make it as mild or as spicy as you like with a scale from 1-5. Last time I wimped out at 3 and found it to have some kick. 4 probably would have been my limit but if you are brave then go for 5! Most recently when I came in for lunch they even gave me a free egg drop soup which was delicious! They offer lunch deals like this a lot so if you work in the area you should definitely stop in. Great food, nice intimate dining room and bar, combined with great service. This place has been around this long for a reason!
I really love this Thai restaurant!! I used to go frequently for lunch when I worked in the area. Now it's more of a treat. I think the prices are a bit high for Thai food (and don't think they have a lunch special so it's pricey for a lunch), but the quality is amazing and it's one of the few Thai places where I've found khao Soi. I pretty much always get that since it's my favorite dish on the menu, and it's a huge portion, I usually have enough for a second meal later. The Thai iced tea is great too. The service is always quick and friendly.
This is a little hidden place next to Avena Hair School and I must say I ended up here by accident. I needed to have lunch and I miscalculated how far another restaurant was so I ended up returning to the car and finding this. I had been craving PadSee Ew for a while not because I've had it before but due to a video. So I may not be the best judge for this, but as well made as it was I founded to be too sweet. the price was good for the location. Parking is limited close by but there is plenty of public parking around. It's a bit dark to good for a casual simple dinner date. The decor insinuates that there might have music at night... not sure tho. I must say however, the service was friendly, they worked well as a team, and fast. The smell of the curries was amazing and I will return to try it. My guess this is their best seller. Not bad for a random lunch.
I have been craving Thai food forever so I stopped in for lunch. Both the girls serving were very sweet and very attentive. My servers name was Cameron I think and she was very good. My dish came out initially way too spicy for me and Cameron said that she would get me a new one made, and she was very professional and accommodating. I would 100% recommend.
Just ordered from your store near Pineville. Rai lay Thai express. The TOMKHA soup was like white coconut water, none of the flavor, profiles, overly sweet and missing the spices and other things expected. Ordered the broccoli with shrimp, and the broccoli was wilted and old and drowning in sauce, I will never order from there again, since they are owned by your store on South Boulevard, which I think is consistently good I thought you needed to know about this, as I am basically going to not be able to eat the food I paid for, beyond disappointed.
I came here for dinner because it was close to an event I was attending and it was a great choice. We were able to be sat immediately. The team of waiters were very attentive and checked in pretty frequently to make sure we had everything we needed. The restaurant was pretty big and had a great "outdoor" seating area that was well covered. The food was great! I have to admit I only got the love roll because of the shape but it actually tasted pretty good as well. The highlight of my meal was the Moo Ping though. It as very well seasoned and the teriyaki sauce was great. The only complaint was that the sticky rice seemed a little undercooked. It was dry on some parts and difficult to break apart.
I've been here a few times before and have enjoyed it. We walked in for dinner on Friday and we were able to be seated right away. Our server was super friendly and helpful when we placed our orders. We started with the steamed gyoza and Philly steak rolls as our appetizers. Both appetizers were delish. The gyozas came with a nice dipping sauce. For our entrees I split the chicken massaman curry with steamed white rice with my sister. We also ordered the side of steamed vegetables which were actually really good. My boyfriend ordered the lo mein noodles with beef and chicken with a side of fried rice. The peanut sauce on the side was so good too! All of our choices were delish and we will definitely be back soon!
This was the most disappointing Pad See Ew. You could taste a slight hint of the sauce they tossed it in, but there was barely any sauce at all the noodles weren't coated, and there was none left in the bowl. The spring rolls were also disappointing; they tasted frozen, not freshly made.
This was an intimate dining experience located in the Southend. We took advantage of the Thursday $7 cocktail special. I will say I wasn't a fan of the bang bang shrimp. It was a little soggy. However, everything else was delicious. The shrimp curry specifically was very flavorful. Now I know what to order for next time!
A friend and I came on a Sunday night with no reservation and was seated immediately. We ordered the green curry and panang curry. The food came out quick, fresh and delicious! The curry was less thick than I'm used to, but it was still delicious and had all the elements of panang curry that I'm used to. Inside is a little narrow but it is decorated nicely. It will always be a favorite for friends and family to go to!
My favorite Thai food in Charlotte. Love the Pad Thai and spring rolls, super fast service, all the servers are great. Really recommend!
Rai Lay is a casual Thai restaurant located on the south end of Charlotte. It is a casual and inexpensive restaurant. Upon entry, you'll notice that the restaurant is cozy and average. The price of the items on the menu are average as well. The hubby and I opted for the spring rolls. They were delicious. I ordered the drunken noodles bowl and added chicken. My hubby decided on the pineapple chicken fried rice. Both dishes were nothing special or spectacular, but they were decent. The service we received was average as well. My rating - The spring rolls - 4/5 Drunken Noodles - 3.5/5 Hubby's rating - Spring Rolls - 4/5 Pineapple fried rice - 3/5. He said the pineapple sauce it comes with was not good. The service - 3.5/5 We would have given a higher rating on service but near the end, our waitress disappeared and we had to waive her down to provide us with our bill and then she disappeared again. We had to give another waitress our payment. Overall Rai Lay gets a 4. I am not sure that I would return, but I would recommend it for a cheap and casual lunch or dinner.
Wanted to try this place for a while now and what better way to start the new year off with a bowl of Tom Kha. When I got to the restaurant I was sat right away and greeted by my server within seconds. I ordered my Tom Kha and a Thai Coffee. I was served the Thai coffee and it was a show stopper, it looks as good as it tastes! A few minutes later I was served my Tom Kha and was delighted that the spice matched the level I ordered (Thai Hot). It was also accompanied by three spices on the side which complimented the soup! This place was amazing and would definitely be back!
Wow! Such a great experience. The food including appetizers and entrees were out in less than 5 minutes after ordering. The waiter checked in often to ensure we were enjoying everything and had no issues. Although it's a small space, we didn't have to wait when attending on a Saturday evening around 7pm. The crab Rangoon was delicious! I would go back just for that. For my entree, I got the Vietnamese Fried Rice. Every bite was full of flavor. There was enough for leftovers and it tasted just as good the next day. I can't wait to go back to try more of the menu. read more
4 days ago
8 months ago
Sophie for the win! Giving us 5 star service. Loving the lunch menu nice sized portions. Basil chicken with fresh brócoli. If you're looking for lighter options, spice up your life with summer rolls. Ambience is casual perfect for couples, singles and large groups. Call ahead for larger parties. Pro-tips Lunch ends at 3pm and cocktails are $7 on Thursday. Get your parking validated before you leave. read more
Rai Lay Thai has long been my favorite Thai restaurant in the city, so it is a crime that I am only just now getting around to writing a review. They have long been a mainstay in Southend, with a small intimate dining room located along South Blvd. They offer all of your classic Thai dishes, along with menu items from other Asian cuisines. You can make it as mild or as spicy as you like with a scale from 1-5. Last time I wimped out at 3 and found it to have some kick. 4 probably would have been my limit but if you are brave then go for 5! Most recently when I came in for lunch they even gave me a free egg drop soup which was delicious! They offer lunch deals like this a lot so if you work in the area you should definitely stop in. Great food, nice intimate dining room and bar, combined with great service. This place has been around this long for a reason! read more
I really love this Thai restaurant!! I used to go frequently for lunch when I worked in the area. Now it's more of a treat. I think the prices are a bit high for Thai food (and don't think they have a lunch special so it's pricey for a lunch), but the quality is amazing and it's one of the few Thai places where I've found khao Soi. I pretty much always get that since it's my favorite dish on the menu, and it's a huge portion, I usually have enough for a second meal later. The Thai iced tea is great too. The service is always quick and friendly. read more
This is a little hidden place next to Avena Hair School and I must say I ended up here by accident. I needed to have lunch and I miscalculated how far another restaurant was so I ended up returning to the car and finding this. I had been craving PadSee Ew for a while not because I've had it before but due to a video. So I may not be the best judge for this, but as well made as it was I founded to be too sweet. the price was good for the location. Parking is limited close by but there is plenty of public parking around. It's a bit dark to good for a casual simple dinner date. The decor insinuates that there might have music at night... not sure tho. I must say however, the service was friendly, they worked well as a team, and fast. The smell of the curries was amazing and I will return to try it. My guess this is their best seller. Not bad for a random lunch. read more
7 months ago
I have been craving Thai food forever so I stopped in for lunch. Both the girls serving were very sweet and very attentive. My servers name was Cameron I think and she was very good. My dish came out initially way too spicy for me and Cameron said that she would get me a new one made, and she was very professional and accommodating. I would 100% recommend. read more
10 months ago
Just ordered from your store near Pineville. Rai lay Thai express. The TOMKHA soup was like white coconut water, none of the flavor, profiles, overly sweet and missing the spices and other things expected. Ordered the broccoli with shrimp, and the broccoli was wilted and old and drowning in sauce, I will never order from there again, since they are owned by your store on South Boulevard, which I think is consistently good I thought you needed to know about this, as I am basically going to not be able to eat the food I paid for, beyond disappointed. read more
Business owner information
Sophia D.
Hi AJ , we’re pleased to hear this , we’re already looking forward to…
I came here for dinner because it was close to an event I was attending and it was a great choice. We were able to be sat immediately. The team of waiters were very attentive and checked in pretty frequently to make sure we had everything we needed. The restaurant was pretty big and had a great "outdoor" seating area that was well covered. The food was great! I have to admit I only got the love roll because of the shape but it actually tasted pretty good as well. The highlight of my meal was the Moo Ping though. It as very well seasoned and the teriyaki sauce was great. The only complaint was that the sticky rice seemed a little undercooked. It was dry on some parts and difficult to break apart. read more
I've been here a few times before and have enjoyed it. We walked in for dinner on Friday and we were able to be seated right away. Our server was super friendly and helpful when we placed our orders. We started with the steamed gyoza and Philly steak rolls as our appetizers. Both appetizers were delish. The gyozas came with a nice dipping sauce. For our entrees I split the chicken massaman curry with steamed white rice with my sister. We also ordered the side of steamed vegetables which were actually really good. My boyfriend ordered the lo mein noodles with beef and chicken with a side of fried rice. The peanut sauce on the side was so good too! All of our choices were delish and we will definitely be back soon! read more
9 months ago
This was the most disappointing Pad See Ew. You could taste a slight hint of the sauce they tossed it in, but there was barely any sauce at all the noodles weren't coated, and there was none left in the bowl. The spring rolls were also disappointing; they tasted frozen, not freshly made. read more
This was an intimate dining experience located in the Southend. We took advantage of the Thursday $7 cocktail special. I will say I wasn't a fan of the bang bang shrimp. It was a little soggy. However, everything else was delicious. The shrimp curry specifically was very flavorful. Now I know what to order for next time! read more
A friend and I came on a Sunday night with no reservation and was seated immediately. We ordered the green curry and panang curry. The food came out quick, fresh and delicious! The curry was less thick than I'm used to, but it was still delicious and had all the elements of panang curry that I'm used to. Inside is a little narrow but it is decorated nicely. It will always be a favorite for friends and family to go to! read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
My favorite Thai food in Charlotte. Love the Pad Thai and spring rolls, super fast service, all the servers are great. Really recommend! read more
5 months ago
3 years ago
Rai Lay is a casual Thai restaurant located on the south end of Charlotte. It is a casual and inexpensive restaurant. Upon entry, you'll notice that the restaurant is cozy and average. The price of the items on the menu are average as well. The hubby and I opted for the spring rolls. They were delicious. I ordered the drunken noodles bowl and added chicken. My hubby decided on the pineapple chicken fried rice. Both dishes were nothing special or spectacular, but they were decent. The service we received was average as well. My rating - The spring rolls - 4/5 Drunken Noodles - 3.5/5 Hubby's rating - Spring Rolls - 4/5 Pineapple fried rice - 3/5. He said the pineapple sauce it comes with was not good. The service - 3.5/5 We would have given a higher rating on service but near the end, our waitress disappeared and we had to waive her down to provide us with our bill and then she disappeared again. We had to give another waitress our payment. Overall Rai Lay gets a 4. I am not sure that I would return, but I would recommend it for a cheap and casual lunch or dinner. read more
Business owner information
Sophia D.
Thank you for sharing your experience at Rai Lay. We appreciate your…
2 years ago
Wanted to try this place for a while now and what better way to start the new year off with a bowl of Tom Kha. When I got to the restaurant I was sat right away and greeted by my server within seconds. I ordered my Tom Kha and a Thai Coffee. I was served the Thai coffee and it was a show stopper, it looks as good as it tastes! A few minutes later I was served my Tom Kha and was delighted that the spice matched the level I ordered (Thai Hot). It was also accompanied by three spices on the side which complimented the soup! This place was amazing and would definitely be back! read more
10 months ago
I love this place! They have the best food! I won't go to another Thai place. And this Martini is read more
2 years ago
We tried the veggie rolls, the green curry and the drunken noodles. The green curry was by far our favorite! The eggplant was so delicious. We sat outside and there wasn't much of a view (it's on a busy road) but inside looked cute. read more
Rai Lay Thai hit the spot!! I can't believe I just discovered this place in South End! Starting with the drinks, I got the sweet tea mojito and loved the hints of mint and lemon throughout! Then I shared the spring rolls as an appetizer which were perfectly crispy and flavorful. Finally I had the chicken fried rice for dinner and was shocked at how big the portion was AND for a decent price! Everything was delicious and our server could not have been kinder! They even had basketball playing on the big screen and the place became quite lively with the intensity of the game. I can't wait for my next visit! read more
We came to visit friends in Charlotte and had Salty donuts around the corner. My friend suggested Thai and found this place. We were seated immediately upon entering. There were numerous patrons in the restaurant on a Sunday evening. Quite a vast menu and we had shrimp pad thai, shrimp pad kee maw, chicken Penang curry and chicken basil fried rice. Then steamed gyoza and spring rolls as appetizers. Spring rolls had only veggies like iceburg lettuce, carrots and cucumbers, no noodles like the Vietnamese ones. The sauce was a bit too runny but tasted ok. All entries tasted good but on the higher price point. When it comes to stir fried noodles like pad kee maw, the wok must be very hot but I couldn't taste that 'wok hey' from the noodles. Sorry, don't know how to explain it in English.My husband said there's some chili flakes in the curry that stuck to the back of his throat. Overall it was good. Waitress was friendly. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Such a great experience! This curry was one of the best I have ever had. So flavorful and hearty. The service was quick and attentive. Our servers were so kind and made our dining experience all the more enjoyable. Ambiance was great for a Tuesday night, very lowkey and relaxed. read more
1 year ago
It's got a similar flavor to the red curry but it's a soup. The udon noodles that you can't see make this a deliciously filling meal by itself! read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
I took my daughter out for sushi yesterday and my friend recommended this spot. I was skeptical but as soon as we entered the restaurant, my fears were quelled. Food was fantastic; my sushi rice could have been seasoned more but the quality of the food was perfect. Our servers were so sweet and made sure to answer all questions. And the ambiance was low key and exactly what I wanted. I will absolutely come back! read more
4 years ago
So, this is my new favorite Thai restaurant. I could smell the spices as we were walking to the door. I knew at that point it was going to be great. It's a small place, but they have a full bar and a big tv to make up for it. Our food came out quickly and our water stayed full. We ordered spring rolls, pad prik and pad kee mao. Everything was spiced as requested and they even brought a spice tray on request so we could add a few other spice elements. The tofu was marinated and fried to perfection in both dishes. We will find an excuse to come back to Charlotte to eat here. Yum! read more
Absolutely delicious! The food came out HOT, which is absolutely everything when I am at a restaurant. I like to see the steam when I am eating and Rai Lay did not disappoint. I got the Kee Mao and my husband had the red curry with tofu! I could not stop eating my kee mao it was so delicious! The red curry was also so incredibly tasty! The service was fast and they were able to sit us quickly! The vibes were nice. I will definitely be back when I visit Charlotte again! read more
Mmmm a cozy, warming meal (and setting) that goes great with a cold rainy day, but also highly enjoyable in any weather! I've had this dining in, and also to-go, but I recommend making it a "go-to" meal! The menu has so many authentic options with authentic flavors (not that I've ever been to Thailand). The service was extremely attentive and came to the table often to ask how everything was and if I needed anything. It wasn't too busy inside, but the to-go bags were lined up for DoorDash and people coming in and out every few minutes to take it home. Parking is tough but that's South End. Very walkable for many people who live in all the apartment complexes nearby. read more
2 years ago
When I first moved to CLT from NY I was so excited because i thought I had finally found a Thai food spot that seemed amazing but not sure what's changed over the past few months but it's gotten mediocre to put it lightly. The pad Thai honestly tasted like ketchup more than anything else and the pad see "you" had absolutely no flavor. For $70 worth of food I was very disappointed... (included basil fried rice which was the best out of the 3 things we bought) read more
3 years ago
First time coming to a Thai restaurant ever since I moved to Charlotte from LA and I was not disappointed. Found a gem here and I am very happy with the experience. I ordered the tofu green curry and the Rose Spritz. Being vegan is it a bit challenging to find vegan options at a non-vegan food spot but at Tai Lay they have plenty of options. The curry was fragrant, fresh, tasty and spicy- just the way I love it. If you like a fruity and refreshing cocktail with just the right amount of sweetness, I highly recommend the rose spritz. And let's not forget the service; my server was Lyn and she was amazing!! So kind, sweet and attentive. We chatted for a bit and she recommended other places around the city which I greatly appreciate. If you're looking for great Thai food, this is the place. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Good stuff right here! This location is small maybe 10-11 tables with some patio seating too! Try their Peach Tea Martini - Purty good indeed. Me n the hubby like to share orders so we tried the red curry with shrimp and the basil fried rice with chicken n shrimp - both were delish. The curry was rich - lil kick on back end- with nice chunks of fresh veggies n good portion of shrimp - the basil fried rice was full of flavor I found the rice a lil mushy but not offensive and ONE MUST PUT THE CHILI LIME sauce on there - that really kicked it up a notch. We also had their sticky rice with mangoes and ice-cream for zert - and I really like it! The sticky rice is not sweet but it has a sauce that's made of coconut milk and condensed milk topped with fresh mango and vanilla bean ice cream. I like a desert that is not too sweet and this was perfect! Staff is nice and kept our water glasses full. read more
10 months ago
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More info about Rai Lay Thai
1520 South Blvd
Ste 130
Charlotte, NC 28203
South End, Dilworth
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(980) 207-0991
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