Amazing. Simply fantastic. They're incredibly busy almost every day, & for good reason- the wait is more than worth it!! You truly can't miss w/ the padthai: classic, perfectly balanced, & sooo satisfying. The papaya salad w/ shrimp was my personal fav; one bite had me craving more. I'm honestly drooling just thinking about it while writing this. The restaurant is on the smaller side & fills up rather quickly, often reaching a full house, so going earlier in the day is the best way to fully enjoy both the food & the experience. The servers are efficient, attentive, & keep everything moving seamlessly. If you love thai cuisine, this spot is a must visit. I highly recommend! read more

It was a cold rainy day. Not many people when we arrived, and with all of the doors open to the patio, it was COLD. even in the back near the kitchen. Pretty good vegetarian. Good portions. Pricey because of the location. PARKING There's a lot just up the street and plenty of street parking around. FOOD (lunch) Vegetarian options include fried tofu. Excellent. Portions are generous, but not "shareable" big for lunch. Great curry flavors. Not too spicy tho. It's a little in the expensive side - but that's the tax for being so conveniently close to everything. TOFU PANANG - Good. Not spicy at all. More rice would've been nice. CHICKEN PUMPKIN CURRY - Very Good. Tender pumpkin/squash pieces. SERVICE There were many to go and delivery orders today. We were given menus and the server (only one today) had to disappear to prep all of the dine out orders. We ordered, then they were gone again until drinks and food came together. INTERIORS I couldn't help notice all of the greasy cobwebs on the high ceilings and on some of the art. It's been here for a while - people like it, but you notice. (I think it's hard to reach & clean those areas) The chairs aren't very comfortable, but maybe that's just because it was so cold in here today. BATHROOM Serviceable. read more

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This was recommended to me and I'm so grateful. I was welcomed in with a cheery greeting and escorted to a table. The menu had many great items with some pictures too. Great prices! Good portion sizes. Open, airy atmosphere. I had the egg rolls with a sweet/sour sauce (10/10) and the Pad Thai with beef (10/10). The siracha chili sauce gave an added punch. read more

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Yes, I'm Asian and I love all Asian food. I have always wanted to try this restaurant, but I'm not sure why; I haven't had the chance to try it before. However, I finally got the opportunity to try it here today. My Vietnamese friends took me to this restaurant for lunch, and we love Asian food; I loved their food! We ordered my friend's favorite. Soup, Pad Thai, and salad. (see my photos) Everything was delicious. Of course, it was too much for two people to finish, so we took the rest home; however, it was still delicious even when cold. The service was excellent. If you live near Ventura and are a foodie, you've probably already tried this restaurant, and I highly recommend it. There are plenty of tables, making it an excellent place for families and groups. It's in a great location in downtown Ventura. Whenever I eat downtown, I park in a nearby public parking lot and walk. read more

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So good. Hadn't been in awhile and it still is amazing! The Khao soi may be my favorite in town. I tried the tom yum rice (never had it as a rice) and was 10/10. Rice by mama is definitely being re-added into my Thai routine. Service was a little slow because only 2 people working but didn't affect our experience so still 5 stars read more

Rice By Mama - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

As a visitor of Ventura, all of my co-workers tell me Rice By Mama when I ask for recommendations. The verdict? Yes, highly recommend. As someone who has lived in an Asian community his whole life, the price is very pricey for what it is but for something you can find in Ventura, it is worth it. I ordered the Tom Yum Soup cup with Shrimp and the Khan Soi with Beef. I've hard Tom Yum before and I would say it's not very good. The shrimp was overcooked and there's only 3 pieces if you go with the cup. A good Tom Yum will have the perfect sweet and sour which gives you a refreshing taste and makes you want more. Rice By Mama's did not unfortunately. However, the Khan Soi made up for it and then some. It was my first time trying Khan Soi and the whole entree blew my mind. The Thai Egg noodle is stir fried and then dipped into the coconut soup and there is a good portion that is still dry that creates a yummy contrast when you dip the whole thing into the broth. The soup is very creamy and coconuty with umami flavor and a hint of spicy. Something very unique that I haven't tried before. Combined with the beef and noodle made a very delicious completed taste. They give you a good portion of beef to the point where I actually needed more of the noodles for a better balance. Overall, I enjoyed the new experience and would be interested in trying something else in the future. I'll try to crying tiger with sticky rice. read more

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Don't understand the high ratings for this place. Food was way too greasy and they were really skimpy on the ingredients like vegetables, tofu, and meat. I counted at most 7 pieces of broccoli. There was no wok hei in my pad-see-ew and the noodles were overcooked and dripping with oil. I love Thai food and if it's good, usually I'll just keep eating til the dish is done even if I'm getting full -- but here I started to feel gross after a few bites from the greasiness. My friend didn't bother finishing her dish or bringing the leftovers home either. Service was okay; we got seated pretty quickly so that's a plus. However, we asked for the heater to be turned on and they never did for the whole meal. We were just passing through the area but I feel like there are better options around than this place if you're looking for Thai food. read more

Rice By Mama - Pad see ew - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

First time visiting Ventura and found this spot while walking along Main Street. My partner and I visited on a Sunday afternoon. It wasn't packed, but there were a decent number of guests. We were seated immediately inside the restaurant but there is a covered outside area as well. Service was good. We ordered the Thai Iced Tea and Beef Pad See Ew to share. The food came out very quickly. Both were absolutely delicious and exactly what we were craving. The portion size was decent. Since we shared, we weren't stuffed but were satisfied. Wish we tried an appetizer as well. I highly recommend this restaurant and would definitely visit again if I'm near the area. Parking: Main Street roads were closed upon my visit but there was free parking near the museum which was a short walk! read more

Rice By Mama - Thai Iced Tea - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

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Is okay place to come with the family the food is good, and services is okay as well .

Great food, they tend to give large portions which is a plus. The thai tea was really delicious, I highly recommend!

I've been coming here for years and it never disappoints. It's one of my family's favorite place to go. I've had their tom yum, pad see ew, pad Thai, crying tiger, garlic & beef dish, chicken skewers, mango & sticky rice, curries... everything is delicious here. read more

A friend suggested this place and so a group of us went late on a Saturday night. It wasn't but a 5 minute wait and they got us seated. Cute restaurant with the best smells! And our food was SPECTACULAR! By far the best pad thai I have ever had, and I love thai food. This is on MUST COME BACK list when I'm back in Ventura. read more

Rice By Mama - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

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I wish I could give Rice by Mama 50 stars. I love them so much. The BEST Thai food. I literally dream of the crying tiger steak. I've had everything from the noodles to the fried rice to the curry & everything in between. Every dish is a home run. Every time. I know everyone goes for the Pad Thai (as you should) but I highly recommend the Pad Z-Ew noodles. The pineapple curry is one of my faves. But I'll say it again, get the crying tiger. A chef special. & special it is indeed. The service is always top notch. Be a little prepared for a busy atmosphere. Rice by Mama is so loved, I've never seen it NOT busy. Worth the price, worth the short wait. Worth everything. One of my top 3 favorite restaurants in Ventura County. read more

Rice By Mama - Tom Kha | Crying Tiger - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

Came tonight with family. We got the Walnut Cashew beef. Very flavorful and veggies were fresh. I got the spicy fried rice and it was delicious. Always my go to. read more

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This is hands down one of the best Thai restaurants anywhere. They have very prompt service, food comes out quick and hot, and it is always clean. I especially like the sign out front that if you aren't there when they call your name, too bad, they move on to whoever is next. I recommend the pad Thai, pineapple fried rice, Pad Prik King, and the Avocado curry! Everything they do is great so you can't go wrong with any menu item. This is authentic Thai food and they use fish sauce liberally so be forewarned if you like more Americanized Thai food. For me, it isn't real Thai food without some fish sauce in it. You can't also bring your dog if you sit in the front patio tables. read more

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We absolutely love it here! Everything is delicious! The service and atmosphere is incredible! A special thanks to Maya she is so helpful and kind!! read more

Love this little Ventura happening spot! We were on Main Street on a Thursday night and things seemed pretty sleepy until we walked into Rice by Mama. It was full of happy people!Always a good sign. We had the yellow curry with chicken and the crab fried rice! The rice was $25, which seems pricey, but it is well worth it. Fragrant and delicious with real authentic crab. The onions in it are sweet and delicious. I added a little chili paste and a little soy. This may or may not be culturally correct but it certainly made it delicious! There were two of us, and we had plenty of leftovers of both dishes. Wait staff was attentive and friendly. Looking forward to going back! read more

khao soi and pineapple fried rice are fire every time. tom yum soup will heal your soul

This is our go to place if we wanna have a great Thai food meal. To start out with the Thai tea is excellent. This is my favorite pad Thai anywhere and we usually get the chicken or beef. The red curry here is to die for and literally can be on my last meal menu if I ever have one. We also love the pineapple rice and any of the soups that we have ever gotten here have been great. The service here is pretty good and the ambience is just OK. They could use to update this place especially the bathroom. But the food is so delicious that we never really care about that. This place is always Packed and we usually have a wait if we come on the weekends. We live about 60 minutes away, but when we have out of town guests we always come shopping on Main Street and come here for dinner. Our guests usually request to come back. It's that good! read more

Always delicious always fresh and fast service. Some of our favorites are the Khao soi, pumpkin curry, yellow curry, and pad thai. MANGO STICKY RICE!!!!! Everything so far has been amazing, ordering to go is a great move for a night in. We take all of our family and friends here!!! It's worth a try if you love Thai food. read more

Long story short, the Thai food here is not bad, but it's not great either. To add some context, I'm not local to the area but I have had good authentic Thai food in Thailand and in LA (Thai Town)/OC. Since I happen to be in Ventura, I wanted to try this place out based on a friend's recommendation. Even before I ordered, I noticed the service was cold. I get it, it was a weekend night and the place was packed. I ordered my favorite Thai dish, chicken khao soi. The first thing I noticed was that the curry was very sweet, heavy on the coconut milk and practically a yellow coconut curry. This is very different to the khao soi you can find in Thailand, where it's more rich and savory like a laksa. Now, on its own, the dish was not bad. However, the crispy noodles weren't fried all the way through, resulting in noodles that had the texture of limp, undercooked pasta when mixed in with the rest of the dish. This made the dish almost inedible. Would I recommend this place based on the khao soi alone? Probably not. Do I think the flavors are catered to the local taste? Definitely, just look around you. read more

Normally get this place to go but actually sat down today and the food is even better fresh. We ordered what you see. I normally get the pineapple curry and the fam gets the pineapple fried rice. This time, I ordered my usual and my table mates ordered the yellow curry and crying tiger. I ended up switching with my TM because she didn't like the crying tiger and I'm glad we did because it was delicious - I loved the sauces they had. The spicy one had just the right kick and the apple salad was sweet and crunchy! Thai teas , right balance of sweet as well. Only getting three stars because of the customer service - took a while to serve us, give and take the check, and to top it off ... I ordered to go for the fam and instead of bringing it to us - they left it on the counter. We waited like 15 mins thinking they forgot us again but no - they just left it smh . Other than that - I'll continue going :) read more

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The service was great! My 6 year old nephew couldn't stop talking about how flavorful & delicious every dish was. It was amazing dinner. read more

Rice By Mama - Veggie pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

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Had the drunken noodles with chicken. Loved it. The serving size is quite generous so I was able to share some with my boyfriend and then even take some home for leftovers. read more

Rice by mama is a STAPLE in Ventura! The staff is incredibly sweet and try's so hard to accommodate anything! The hardest working people and the food is always fabulous! I'd recommend it to anyone! read more

Rice By Mama - Thai fried rice and mango sticky rice - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

Staff was very nice and professional. The gentlemen that helped us was great, I forgot his name. But he was very professional and checked on us! The food was delicious. My favorite was spicy fried rice: it was sweet which I love. Crying tiger steak was seasoned very well itself and the pepper dip was a cherry on top! Papaya was sweet and sour. Good place to visit if you are in downtown Ventura. read more

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Papaya Salad with Shrimp is amazing! Service is fast! The space is small but the ambience is very authentic Thai. read more

Rice By Mama - Papaya Salad w/ Shrimp and a side Edamame - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

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Everything was delicious! This is my wife's favorite spot, after tonight it's now mine too! we got there right as they opened. The service was quick! The fried rice was flavorful ! The ambiance feels like you're not in Ventura but rather in another country having some amazing food! We will be back again! The wonton soup was perfect size to share for 2 and the noodles are our every time order! read more

Rice By Mama - Pineapple fried rice, chicken pad Thai, wonton soup - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

had a wonderful dinner last night the drunken noodles are so delicious and the rice was the perfect pair! so flavorful the Thai iced tea was the best especially with the coconut milk read more

Rice By Mama - drunken noodles and spicy fried rice - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

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Amazing quality Thai food with quick service. This is our go-to local spot for Thai food! Not too loud and great seating area!

Food here is always so fresh and delicious! This is the first place I tried PAD THAI! And it did not disappoint! So i had to come again! We love the fast service. The waiters are always so tentative. The location is always busy. It can get a little loud but it's not over whelming. The priced are fair! Especially for the portions. read more

Rice By Mama - Outside menu - Thai Near Me - Ventura, California

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We come here quite regularly when we're in the mood for Thai. I usually go with the Pad See Ew w/ chicken and a spice level of medium (they may do 1-5 for spiciness, if so its a 3) the yellow curry with chicken spice level the same. Service is solid, when their busy or in the peak meal times you can expect some delays with minor things like refills but your food doesn't take long to come once ordered and accuracy on orders is really good. The seating layout is cool, they have space both inside and outside with heaters that can be turned on if need be. Overall we really like this spot and definitely keep coming back whenever we crave Thai or happen to be in downtown Ventura. read more

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Great Thai food and fast service. We've tried many a thing, including their tummy soup, which was warming and tasty. Pad Thai and pad, tea or classic and a little extra flavorful and saucy here. Their spicy basil chicken is one of my favorite things on the menu, the restaurant itself is nice because it's sort of indoors but in the front to their patio so you get a little bit of best of both worlds. read more

The mama, the myth, the legend. This spot has a reputation all over Southern California. The food is immaculate, the service is perfect, the vibe is on point read more

Went here after going to the farmers market. It's a cute place with good vibes and lots of indoor/outdoor dining options. Service was excellent, our servers (we had 2) were both very attentive and friendly. The food was DELICIOUS!! I guess we were both craving pumpkin because we both ordered pumpkin dishes. AROI MAAK! SO tasty. Everything was fresh and tasted light and pleasant. We had an Enjoyable daytime date here, highly recommend Rice by Mama if you enjoy Thai food and want a flavorful meal! read more

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Got the shrimp pad Thai. Good but noodles a little over cooked. Kind of mushy. But the mango sticky rice was A+. I'll come back and try the curry. Super nice staff. Nice open floor plan. read more

I went here the other day with my friend and saw my server 3 times in the hour and thirty minutes that we stayed. They took forever to bring the food and the couple seated next to us were talking about how they hadn't seen their server since they got seated (it had passed well over 30 mins). read more

We came in on a Friday evening and were seated promptly. Great selection of food and beverages. We ordered some chicken satay, won ton soup, a yellow curry and some Pad Thai. We will certainly be back. Excellent meal and reasonable prices. read more

This restaurant has the most delicious Thai food ever! The owner is so kind and the flavors of the food are impossible to get out of your head because they are so great! read more

We ordered Crying Tiger beef. I had had it before. This time, was way smaller pieces of meat and overcooked to the point we only ate a small amount and tossed the rest. Needless to say, was disappointed. read more