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    Royal Thai Restaurant

    4.2 (327 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Salad, Soup
    Open 12:00 pm - 9:30 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    ROYAL THAI RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Royal Thai Restaurant

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    John S.

    My dad and I had a few hours to kill before our return flights, so we spent a lot of time doing random things on the North Side, including eating an early dinner at Royal Thai. We both had pad see ew; he had chicken, I had tofu. The noodles and sauce were delicious, and my dad said that the chicken was tender and fresh, some of the best chicken he's had in pad see ew--and he should know, since the only thing he and my mom ever order at Thai restaurants is pad see ew with chicken, pork, or both. So the food is four or four-point-five stars. It's delicious. The service? Not so much. As I said, we were early, so we were the only ones in the (tiny) restaurant. The person who seated us also served us, and while he definitely went through the motions and didn't leave us stranded or looking for him at any point, his eagerness was somewhere between court-ordered roadside garbage cleanup and waiting in line at the DMV. He didn't smile and didn't say much. When he thanked us as we left, it was in such a monotone voice that he could have been reading off license-plate numbers or a three-month-old shopping list. The space itself is cute, although the tables are arranged in a clunky way. I can't tell whether they make it look smaller or larger. Like the server's attempt at human warmth, they've put exactly zero effort into their menus. They literally printed their menus off their website on an inkjet printer that was running out of colored ink. And because it's printed from a website, it's something like twenty pages long when it could be three or four. And did I mention that the printout is tattered? Have some self-respect, Royal Thai! You have a tiny restaurant; pay a professional printer for twenty menus. You don't need more than that. The restaurant is located right across the street from a cute park in Lincoln Square. We weren't in the picnicking mood, but if you happen to be, your best bet might be a to-go order and a picnic at Welles Park. Parking was a cinch right across the street. I would attribute it to my dad's otherworldly parking karma, but there were plenty of spots in front of us as well, so parking isn't bad, at least for a very early Monday dinner.

    Fish curry, 67. Thai Fried Rice, 88. Pad Eggplant with Basil
    Latiful A.

    Came by for lunch. Service was acceptable, ambiance relaxed/casual and food was great. Highlight was the basil eggplant, curry was pleasant not overly sweet and the fried rice was delicious. Certainly a repeat type of establishment. FYI you are in a rush use an alternative.

    63. Panang Noodle 6. Crab Rangoon 47. Pad Thai Plate 81. Rama Chicken with Wide Noodle
    Tracy L.

    I like it! We've ordered different items from here in the past, and we always liked what we've gotten. I always order Pad Kee Mao, Pad See Ew, or Kow Soy Noodle Soup, but this time, I tried the Panang Noodle- flavorful curry dish with crispy wide noodles. We really like the Crab Rangoon from here (better than most!)

    65. Duck Curry
    Meryl F.

    I've been coming to Royal Thai for several years and they have always been consistent with their dishes. Even when I lived a bit further away, whenever I had a craving for Thai food, I would make the drive to Royal Thai. All the dishes I've ordered here are always packed with flavor and very authentic. Some of my highlights and favorite dishes include the fresh spring rolls (the tamarind sauce did it for me), Duck & Masumun Curry, Crispy Pad Thai, Pad Woon Sen, and the Royal Catfish. You can always find something solid on their menu. The service is also fast and they get a lot of takeout orders. The staff is always nice and accommodating. Another plus, they are BYOB!

    The storefront.
    Kathy W.

    I've been going to this restaurant for about 20 years off and on and the food is the tops but I am crushed by the treatment I got last night from the person (not sure if he is owner but I think so). I ordered my dish to go which was garlic chicken and when I tasted it found that it lacked the savory garlic favor that it usually has. I hesitated to take it back because since the pandemic the man I have dealt with seems unapproachable and almost angry at times. I went back anyway because this dish is usually so good. When I told the owner he replied that is just how we make it. I said I've been coming for years and it tastes different. He says they took over business 10 years ago and that's how they make it. He said something barely audible under his breath and when I asked him what he said he replied 'I know you. You always complain. You said the food was too expensive. I had made a comment once when the prices went up as they did all over but that was just it. I have never returned my food or complained in any way to him which I told him. He made some other nasty comment and walked away. Wow! I have never been treated this way. This man has no business being in the food industry acting this way. Unbelievable!

    Inside
    Francis R.

    Not bad! I'm a fan. We stopped by Royal Thai for a late lunch this past weekend and I was pleased! Street parking is free in case you make the drive out and luckily we scored a spot just outside the entrance. Once in, I'll say that seating is pretty limited but being late in the lunch hour we were only one of three tables at the time. No issues grabbing a table. For food, we started with the fresh spring rolls. Not bad and reminded me of Filipino fresh lumpia weirdly with the sweet peanut sauce on top. For main entrees, boo boo did the pad kee mao or noodles with basil, bell pepper, bamboo shoots. Pretty delicious and a nice alternative to our usual pad see ew we normally go with. For myself, I did the curry noodles for a change up. I actually really enjoyed it. You don't typically see curry served with noodles but I'll say it was quite nice and warming for the snowy day we had visited. All in all, I'm a fan of this spot. Prices were also quite nice at just under $10 per dish. Also forgot to mention this spot is BYOB, so bring the party. 'Til next time, cheers!

    Crab Rangoon
    Sarah S.

    I ordered from Royal Thai based on all the glowing reviews! It was aiight but I've had much better in the city. Honestly, the flavors were just not on point. I will say though, they had one of the best crab rangoons I've ever had. $4.95 will get you a bag full of the little guys. They were just filled with all the gooey insides, really creamy, amazing flavor. I got to give Royal Thai that. But then...the main dishes. I tried the Crispy Pad Thai with chicken ($9.95) and just found it okay. There wasn't much flavor to it and I don't think I loved the crispness to the dish. I prefer a normal pad thai. I had the Pad See Ew ($8.95) also with chicken. Pad See Ew is one of my favorite dishes and this was sadly not one of the best versions I've had. Again, just not enough flavor. I don't want to go as far as saying it was bland but somewhere between bland and flavorful is where the Pad See Ew laid. The chicken in both dishes was good though - not dry and good amount in each dish. I'm not counting Royal Thai completely out just yet. I'd order from them again to try some different main entrees and those crab rangoons again! But I can't recommend the pad see ew or crispy pad thai. Nu uh. Take a pass on those.

    Crispy pad thai
    Jessica P.

    I've only walked in here once, but have tried their food twice. I fell in love with their Crispy Pad Thai and come here when I have cravings for it. Food Crispy Pad Thai - good portion for the price, and very flavorful. It doesn't really remind me as much of Pad Thai (more of a sweet soy sauce based flavor). I love how they make their wide noodles soo crispy!! YUM Atmosphere The restaurant is small and more like a fast food Thai restaurant. Take the food to go if you're not a fan of heat and sweat a lot (no a/c). Good place to come if you want to be in and out. Parking I'm sure you can find a lot of free parking in the area if you look around. Otherwise, it's walking distance from the Brown/Red Line. :)

    Chicken egg roll appetizer.
    Salena C.

    Royal Thai is my personal favorite Thai in the neighborhood (and the options are plentiful!!). The interior is warm and inviting. It's not over done like a few Thai places I've eaten at, but it's perfectly decorated with a few major pieces of art/sculptures here and there. The food is inexpensive and delicious. We've eaten there many times because it's just down the block, so we've tried a lot of things on the menu. My personal favorite is the chicken pad Thai and my boyfriend loves the curries. We also really enjoy the peanut sauce spring rolls and chicken egg rolls for appetizers! We typically pay about $30 with tax and tip for the two of us so it's place you want to frequent!

    72. Combination Fried Rice 52. Pad Si-ew Plate 62. Panang Curry 31. Kow Soy Noodle Soup 4. Vegetable Egg Roll

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    1 month ago

    I ordered one of their soups. The soup was amazing tasted what I was craving. The pickup timing was on point as well.

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    2 years ago

    Stopped after lunch time. The chef made me awesome curry ! Delish! I'll be back !!! Nice small restaurant and very good!

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    2 years ago

    Great for take out! The pad Thai, Tom yum, and pot stickers were great. And the price was good.

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    JJ Thai Street Food

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    Royal Thai Restaurant - thai - Updated July 2026

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