I would highly recommend the crispy fried duck curry here. It is just mouth watering good food. The shrimp purse was good and the stuffed wings were very unique. The stuffed chicken wings had ground pork inside it, and I never had something like that before. The second time we were here, we tried out some vegetarian yellow and green curry, and weren't as impressed. I would suggest first time goers to definitely stick with adventurous options, as all the dishes we found interesting were delicious. read more

This place is the only place where I can get massaman curry, and it is incredible! Spicy as I get it at a 4* level but it is served typically mild, savory, and a bit sweet, it hits every craving that I have for thai food. They have so many other curries, as well as the staples like Pad Thai or Tom Yum soup. Their spring and summer rolls, as well as the shrimp purses, are a treat, and alone might even be worth the trip out! This is hands down my favorite Thai restaurant in Madison. Check it out! read more

A couple words for my experience here: "FLY ATTACK!" More importantly, the sanitary standards must be raised here! Been on a Sabbitcal from Yelp! but it's experiences at places like this that drove me back to writing this. We were driving around Madison trying to decide what and where to eat. Couldn't initially decide but eventually found this place near UW on University Ave. From the outside the place looks innocent enough as one business along a row of others in a tiny plaza. Walking in the front door, this restaurant has different awards from local magazines lining the walls of the vestibule (which we found a huge disconnect between our experience and what has been written about it in the area; may I also add that it appears that the awards appeared to be granted in the 2000-2002 time frame and probably *before* the change of management since). The other facts are that the place has been decently interior decorated in a Thai accent. Pricing for Thai food here is about $10 per plate, give or take, which is about what we'd expect for 'market price,' not incredibly cheap nor expense for a Thai restaurant. Accordingly, we were looking for food quality prepared similarly for this price. Food here I must say tastes "good" to "okay" but not excellent (I don't mean to sound like a "Thai snob") and may be hit or miss but certainly this first experience for us here will also be our last. My observations on the management and staff: At least for our one visit here, the place seemed to be managed by one mid-aged lady that seemed a little stressed and under-staffed. We were there just before dinner and eventually a handful of college-aged staff arrived for dinner service (but the attentiveness to our table did not improve). The lady that waited at our table did give us the courtesy of informing us that she will now be leaving to 'open up' the other Sa-Bai Thong location in Madison when help at our location had arrived. Our possible first omen was when we were taken to our tables, we found the tables filthy. This tells us that they do not get wiped down often enough (found part of a noodle on one of our seats). We soon thereafter learned that my five year old godson started to have a reaction of puffiness and redness under one of his eyes! We believe that he was rubbing his eyes with his hands after sitting at the table for no more than ten minutes and must be from the traces of peanuts (which he has an allergic reaction to) on the table. They kept "pushing" the "#32 Pad Thai" when we were deciding what to order. We decided to try an order of this and found it a bit on the "saucy" side and were disappointed. Every Thai restaurant we've been too makes it w/less sauce. We found this saucy dish and the "#30 Bamee Chao Nue" or Chicken lomein noodle stir fried (with bean sprouts, green onion, celery, garlic, black soy sauce) to be on the salty side and heavy on the MSG. My "#44C Kanom Jean Gaeng Kiew Wan" or Green Thai curry w/vermicilli noodles was a bit on the watery side for me. Taste was actually good and liked the red peppers, bamboo shoots, basil w/eggplant. Another problem w/this was that there was no vermicilli noodles! They realized this and made a conscious effort to correct this. I requested to have rice with this instead. Another person in our party found a long-white strand of hair in his "#38 Pad Ka-Ree" noodles, yeeellch!!! Presumably from the cook. They were apologetic and offered to redo the order. Some in our party said that they would have left the restaurant if that would have happened to them but we stayed instead. All this mind you, the whole time during our meal experience we were swatting away 4-5 annoying flies at our table that decided to keep us company. You swat one away, the other two comes in. You swat the other two away, they circle around to surprise you on the other end. Fair to say that this definitely became an issue during our dining experience because my two godsons hysterically made it a game laughing through out our meal by trying to swat away the fly attacks: "Hey look! There is another one! Here it comes again!" ... Jeezz! read more

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I literally just walked out of the building and can't wait for my next trip! To start, the service is spectacular. Our server was attentive and very sweet. She gave us the perfect amount of check ins without being overwhelming, she took our dirty dishes away quickly, and gave us our check promptly. I wish everywhere I went had service this great - thank you! Now, the food. Where do I start? The presentation was beautiful and only rivaled by the fact that the food was some of the best I have had in town! I got the potstickers to start and they were perfectly cooked and savory. For my entree I got the Guey Teuy Tom Ka with shrimp and my boyfriend for the Pad Thai; seriously soo so good! The building itself is quaint, welcoming, and not cramped at all. Overall, very happy with our first experience. read more

Stopped through town and found this as the only option at 8:00 on a Monday. We loved the food. A lot more authentic options than most Thai places like this read more

The green curry pasta is amazing! The squash curry is also delicious, as is the pad Thai. Honestly some of the best Thai food in Madison.

I've been to both the downtown and west side locations. Decent Thai food. I like that Sa-Bai Thong offers more appetizers than most Asian restaurants. I especially enjoyed the Shrimp Purse. Their entree menu was already pretty extensive, but I've only tried the noodle dishes and haven't ventured out further. The staple Thai favorites -- Pad Thai and the Pad-Z You -- were decent. If you're craving Thai food in Madison, you'll have to go to Sa-Bai Thong because it's the only Thai restaurant in the area. But they're not a bad option. Service is a hit or miss. I've had horrendous service here, but I've also had pretty good service here as well. read more

Went here for the first time Sat. Decor was nice. Friendly staff. After traveling to Thailand I was needing my fix and this place delivered. Shrimp purse appetizer was great! Pad Thai was also good. read more

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Padded-in-ketchup Thai Noodles with next to no veg, under-seasoned pork and a steamed, browned lime on top in a too-tight container and high vermicelli, low shrimp, fresh spring rolls. Adventure-level spicy is not too adventurous. Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick with this particular takeaway order or maybe the stick is just claiming to be American-Thai, not Thai-Thai or maybe I expect too much from life. Like more peanuts in Pad Thai, some cilantro, something not so sweet. Next time perhaps ... read more

I don't drink the water without a straw anyway but lipstick stain on glass is careless read more

Sa-Bai Thong - I don't drink the water without a straw anyway but lipstick stain on glass is careless - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Favorite Thai place in Madison. Highly recommend this place for entrees, appetizers and their Thai beer. Took my wife and brother here and everyone loved it. Please try this place, you will not regret it!! read more

Sa-Bai Thong - Best Thai food in town. Love the pot stickers and crab Rangoon. Plus they serve Thai beer!! Tried three different entrees and loved all 3. - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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What you need to know: I really love this place but was very disappointed at one of the dishes I ordered. Ordered the steamed salmon and it came back extremely dry, non seasoned and as well as burnt. It was also the most expensive dish on the menu. Though this was my first time getting it, I'm sure it might be a fluke but I recommend another place that serves it better, better seasoned and quicker, the Lao restaurant. Otherwise this place is amazing for their duck curry hands down. Well crisp duck that is cooked to perfection. read more

Sa-Bai Thong - Salmon - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Picked up large order that was basically inedible. Heat was listed a mild, adventurous, and a couple of levels hotter. We like spicy so mild sounded bland. Chose adventurous. Both dishes were so very hot we had to dump them. Mine was a seafood dish and it was meager with little ingredients. The other dish was vegetarian and was so over spiced it was dumped. Ordered fried rice which was flavorless. No character and no taste. I would like to find one positive but for us there was none. Really really really bad. read more

Decent service, good atmosphere, great food! If you are looking for thai type curries and dishes this is definitely worth the try! I was pleasantly surprised by the Som Tum appetizer which is a salad mixture of shredded green papaya, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, peanuts, and an awesome spicy limy juice type of dressing . It was a refreshing start to my meal! As far as their curries go, my personal favorite is the Veggie Pa-Naeng or the Roast Duck Curry. Game Changer Pro-Tip: Substitute the roast duck for your curry sauce of choice. The duck is really crispy and adds a lot of flavor and texture to your dish! read more

Sa-Bai Thong - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Not the best Thai restaurant in town, but is an option for a simple meal. They have more options in their dinner menu. I like the roasted duck curry a lot, but not so much into the yellow curry. Pad Thai also seems good. Will give it a try next time. read more

We were on the opposite side of town from where we live and hankering for Thai food. Given I used to work at the UW hospital, I was all over the chance to go back here again. Was only somewhat gratified with the experience as it seems to have slid down since I was last here. First, we waited for quite some time to be seated. Not normally a bad thing but there were many empty tables so perhaps they were understaffed for the evening. Once seated, we waited for a while for the server but when she finally got to us she was very friendly and attentive (at first). We ordered satay and summer rolls for apps, then chicken fried rice, then I had the Pad Prix Khing (chicken) and my prettier smarter half had Pad Thai (chicken). The satay was great, the summer rolls were fresh, crisp, and refreshing. The chicken fried rice had almost no chicken in it, and the whole bowl was obnoxiously greasy. My Prad Prix Khing was delicious, and awesomely spicy. But her Pad Thai was awful Was extremely fishy tasting and more of a rotten old fish vice a fresh fish sauce sort of thing. The chicken was dry/falling apart (and not in a good way). When we told the server something was wrong, she said she would talk to the kitchen but nothing else came of it. The service was interesting. An awesome start when we gave our order and she brought our drinks. but then was sporadic at best, and our drinks/waters were often empty despite her walking by frequently. Once when we actually stopped her for refills she actually got frustrated at us. Again this was one moment in time, and some of the dishes were truly delicious, and some a flop. Not sure if they had two different cooks or what. But sadly it will be a while before we go back... read more

I love Thai food. We've been to Sa-Bai Thong on the West side many times and it's always great! So flavorful and delicious. I was looking forward to trying this location. We went for a late lunch on Saturday. There was plenty of parking and plenty of seating. Our waiter ushered us to a table and then brought us water. We ordered the gui chai (chive dumpling), the pork larb, and the pad thai. I've had chive dumplings before, but this preparation was different. There were two steamed rice-flour dough bite-sized dumplings. I was not a fan of the texture. I definitely prefer these fried. The flavor was good. I've also had amazing larb before but this was not it. Two lettuce leaves filled w/ground pork and onions. It was fine, but not particularly flavorful, not at all spicy, not much ground rice and I thought the portions seemed small. I was still quite hungry after we finished. Similar to the larb, the pad thai was fine but far from the best. Very little spice, not a ton of vegetables, it was a decent portion and had some hints of flavor but didn't have the fresh and intense flavors I associate with Thai food. We'll probably just stick with the West side location. read more

Great flavors, friendly staff, huge menu. Been here several times over the last year and have tried at least 6 different entrees, which were all delicious. The dining room to the left of the cashier area is surprisingly large and they could probably accolade a group of 12 with notice. read more

Have been here a couple of times in the 4.5 years that I have been in Madison. The first time I was here was definitely not planned. My roommate and I were heading to Saigon noodles, but they were super busy one evening (before they renovated and expanded the area), hence we stopped by Sai Bai Thong. I have had the pineapple dried rice, which was a pretty nice and interesting dish. The fried rice was contained in the shell of the pineapple instead of on a plate. The natural pineapple flavors infused into the rice, adding a truly refreshing taste to it. I am not sure if this dish is still being served, that was one of their specials some time back. Today I dined in again and had the duck curry. Serving is decent and our waitress was good. But I find that the curry is a tad too salty for my taste. Given the price range and the type of food this is not one of my regular go-to places, but once in a (long) while, if I am looking and looking for a place different to eat, I would give it a go. read more

Sa-Bai Thong - stuffed angel wings makes but a good appetizer, kinda pricey for two wings though - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I wish I could give a lower star than one because of how horrible the service was at Sa-Bai Thong. I had ordered food from here via eat street. After waiting two and half hrs my food never showed up. The restaurant was using their own drivers , not eat street. After 90 mins I called the restaurant and got hung up on by someone then called back and got told they are running behind but my food will be there in 20 mins. After 40 mins, I called back, got hung up again, then called back and was told the same thing but still my order never arrived. Eventually I called eat street to cancel the order and a refund because the food never arrived. The worst part is there food is actually good, at least for madison,but their customer service and delivery is horrible. I hope whoever the owner of this establishment does a better job training because was some of worst service I've had in Madison. read more

They are quite quick and very friendly. I love the summer roll. Our entire family loves the summer roll.

Delicious spicy food, convenient parking and friendly service keeps me coming back to this location. This has a nice, subdued atmosphere, and has never been noisy, like some restaurants can be, so it's great for a date, or good conversation. I love the Tom Kha with noodles and the crispy eggrolls. Their peanut sauce isn't the usual thick goopy stuff, it is a little more nuanced and sophisticated. I could just eat that on a bowl of rice and be happy! I've had the Phad Thai a few times and a there have been slight differences but , good enough each time. If you've never had stuffed chicken wings, this is one of the rare Thai restaurants that serves them in Madison. The wings are somehow stuffed with ground pork and thin glass noodles. Like a Thai version of Turducken, it is strange, but, delightful! read more

The whole experience was amazing and beautiful - from the weather on the patio to the personally recommended drink and dish to the charm and energy of the staff. When I travel back to Madison to visit my friends, I will definitely be back. read more

Sa-Bai Thong - Tom Ka with Shrimp, no cilantro. Blue Moon, Mango Wheat - The photo doesn't do the food and whole experience justice. - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

aweful service. I came here by myself for dinner and ordered a pad Thai and Thai tea. Their food is fine, you can find similar quality Thai food in Madison elsewhere. Here is the fun part: Not a single time the server came to my table and asked about the meal. She gave the check to me when I'm not even half way done with my meal. The only time that she asked a question to me is when she returned the credit card slip and "reminded" me, this receipt did not include tip, you need to tip me... read more

We ordered 3 entrees to go. First thing they got my order wrong. Confused pad Thai for pad ped...because they would so similar? I was starving and they were closing in 20 mins so fixing the order was out of the question. that said the pad ped tasted good...just not what I wanted. next up was drunken noodle. this was pretty bland for being what I think is the most flavorful noodle dish in the typical Thai restaurant realm. it wasn't spicy and it wasn't seasoned enough. couldn't even call it buzzed noodle. lastly was pad see ew...or pad z you as they call it here. could've added a couple more Zs to this name because like the drunken noodle it was super bland and we almost fell asleep eating this boring dish. I was recommended this place as being the best Thai place in Madison. I fear I won't have Thai ever again if this is true. maybe I'll try it again and it was an off night hopefully but it won't be anytime soon. read more

The worst. Took forever, food was really, really bad. Pad Thai hard, not good. And expensive. read more

Sa-Bai Thong - Couldn't eat it. - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Good food and great service! The crab rangoons were very good. I got Pad See Ew which wasnt fantastic but all the other food at my table was good which makes me wish i ordered pad thai like one of my friends. One of us ordered Pad Bai Ka Prao and that was very good. The spice levels were also good and the service was fast and friendly. I would come again and lean more towards the entrees on their favorites part of the menu! read more

I have been here twice lately and both times have been impressed. I am always looking for the perfect Pad Thai and this is right up there for the Madison area. Their everyday special is Pad Panang, which is pretty much the same thing and very good. A must try if you like Pad Thai. This was at noon and our waitress was very good and the food came fast. I got the dinner portion for around 12 dollars and it was just right for me. The smaller lunch portion is fairly big but I was hungry this day. They do have beer and wine so you can also relax with that if you want. The parking can be a little sparse here at the wrong time so be prepared for that. It is definitely a restaurant worth checking out. read more

I've been here a few times now and both the service and food are great. The space is a little small but you definitely don't feel cramped at all. It's also nice and clean. The servers are always really nice and attentive, which I appreciate. For appetizers, I have had the Shrimp Purse and the Crab Rangoon. I prefer the Shrimp Purse over the Rangoon - I've had better Rangoon at other restaurants. For main dishes, I have tried both the Pad Thai and the Mus Mun curry. The Pad Thai is always good, definitely a safe bet here. I've only gotten it with Tofu. The Mus Mun curry was my latest adventure - it was very good! The seasoning was perfect and I really appreciated both the sweet and white potato in the curry. It could have used more peanuts but that's just me being picky. Food always comes out within 15 minutes of ordering. We've been in and out in less than an hour. Is it the best Thai food in Madison? No, but it still has a lot to offer! read more

I am in love with pad thai. No, really. And Sa-Bai Thong was the matchmaker. I travel often and when I run into a Thai restaurant, I often order pad thai. And then compare it to Sa-Bai Thong's. None, and I mean, none have matched the perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and sourness of Sa-Bai Thong's pad thai. I've been to Thailand and back and am still thinking about Sa-Bai Thong's. Unfortunately, we are now long-distance lovers. And all the talk about their volcano chicken--oh yeah. Ooooooh yeah. I am salivating just thinking about it, which means you just have to try it yourself to know why. P.S. I remember waiting for my party at the entrance of the restaurant and noticed Sa-Bai Thong had received an award for the TOP 50 Thai restaurants in the USA. Need I say more? read more

Yelp looks like it's just taking off in Madison, so I'll forgive the paucity of 5-star postings about this place. Suffice it to say that Sa-Bai Thong is the reason I learned to love Thai food at a young age, one of two suppliers (the other, the down-the-block Bahn Thai, sadly now closed) of what seems, in retrospect, like my weekly intake of curries, galangal, lemongrass, chilies, and tofu. My mom, sister and I used to know what we wanted by the numbers on the menu only: 44B, red squash curry; 21 (was it?) Tom Yum soup. It's won Best of Madison, like, eight or ten years in a row. And Madison ain't lacking for Thai restaurants. A recent post-tofurkey pilgrimage over Thanksgiving weekend reconfirmed in my mind all that is wonderful and godlike about this place. I ordered my old standby, the squash curry, and was not disappointed. I wished my stomach hadn't been so distended by mashed potatoes and vegan pie so I could eat 3 helpings' worth. Having now been to Thailand and had the Real Stuff (TM), I can say with utmost conviction that this place is totally authentic in every way but one -- to accomodate the Midwestern palate, they've toned down their spicing menu to a four-star system: Tiny (*), Careful (**), Adventure (***) and Fire (****). This time, I asked for Adveture, and was rewarded with a dish that was nice and warm, but nowhere near anything most Thais -- hell, Californians -- would call "hot." Verdict: Will rock your socks off. Just ask for more fire. read more

If I were just reviewing for the food, my review would be much higher.. But, considering this was the absolute slowest service I've had in as long as I can remember, that cannot go forgotten. Our server seated us in a section with only one other group there and first made us wait about 8 minutes before even bringing us water and menus. Of course, we had to wait far longer than necessary before we could order. We decided to each get entrees and then split an appetizer. By this time, the other group in our section had already left (so in other words, this place is not busy, and in fact fairly empty) and we had to wait over 30 or 40 minutes for our *appetizer*. The waiting's not over. Then the waitress brought out my friends' food about 10 full minutes before mine. (By this time, it had already been at least an hour from when I ordered), Q. Did I order something special or difficult? A. No. I ordered soup. By the time it came for paying and getting our check, we thought our server must have gone on break or something. It was beyond ridiculous how inattentive she was. The entire experience took about 2 hours in total in a not-busy restaurant. Good thing the food was fairly tasty, but that wasn't enough to get out the bad taste in my mouth about the service. read more

I don't think I've given a 5 star review for a Thai place yet and I'm happy to have SA-Bai set the standard. Fresh and interesting menu with options of beef, chicken, pork or tofu for most entrees make this somewhere I can bring my veggie friends. The staff was very helpful in selecting items and the menu clearly indicates the different spicy levels. I got a red curry with chicken, squash, and pineapples and it was scrumptious. I'm usually really so so on Thai but if I ate here more often I could become a raving fanatic in no time! The portion was big for me, but was rightly sized in relation to the price. I still had plenty to take home and I had to literally force myself to stop eating so I could be able to move after dinner. It was that good. Right near campus and with plenty of parking, this is a great location for the adventurous student, Eagle Heights residents, or anyone looking to get off the medical campus for a bit. I wish I knew about this place when I was a student! read more

Love this restaurant! I've dined in twice and gotten carry-out twice. I think the portions might be slightly larger for carry-out, but they are really large, either way. They have tons of vegan options if you just tell them you are vegan. I usually get the masaman curry with vegetables and brown rice, and it's delicious. My boyfriend loves the curry fried rice with tofu. I ordered a noodle dish once and was not as impressed with it, but it wasn't bad. I'll always go back to curry, though. All the staff are SO friendly, too! read more

Came back another time. Was seated very quickly and service alternated between slow and excellent. Tried the pa naeng curry and the guey teuy kee mao (a stir fried flat noodle) with beef. The food was delicious this time. The noodles were spot on and the beef was nice and tender. In addition, the curry had a very good flavor and I was impressed with the vegetables they used. There was a huge lull in service and we weren't able to get chopsticks for 10 minutes after our food was dropped off though and it took awhile for us to get our bill (however, our server was very kind and I saw her drop off a birthday dessert for the table next to us so props to them). I would say it's a good place to come back to but the portions are very small for the curries for the price for what it is so its not an every day go to. read more

Best Thai I've had in the Mid-west. It reminded me a lot of the Thai that I have had in San Diego. Very delicious. They never asked me how spicy I wanted the food, but otherwise it was great. The food wasn't too spicy though. When I have Thai, I am always concerned about the heat. The Panang Curry was outstanding. It had just the right amount of peanut sauce to coconut milk. An The restaurant is in a strip mall, but don't let the looks deter you. The food is what you come for. They give you a lot, so make sure that you have a big appitite or take some home. And as always the Thai Iced Tea is delicious. read more

Food n service was great. Nice ambience. We had spring roll , fried rice , and was made amazing , so far best thai restaurant in madison area read more

Sa-Bai Thong - Basil fried rice .. Was yummmmy - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Sa Bai Thong has pretty tasty food, all in all, but I've now been there three times, and each time it took forever for the food to come. The *least* I've waited is 30 mins, which I'd see as too long at L'Etoile, let alone here! On my most recent visit, my watch tells me that I waited 45 mins, though if you told me I was 5 years younger when I entered, I'd believe you. Not only do they take their time, but they don't really seem to care either. The waiter came to apologize after a full 40 mins. 40 mins?! He didn't think I might have been hungry a whole 25 mins ago? And then, as if to rub salt into the wound, he proudly told my wife and I that the extra bowl of rice would be complimentary. I'm surprised he didn't add that the lemon in my glass of tap water was complimentary too! As for the food, it's pretty decent. I say "pretty" to hedge my bets, since I've now tried 6 dishes there in total, and I'd say that 2 were below average, 2 were good, and 2 were excellent. Thus, I'd recommend you go to Lao Laan Xang or Vientiane Palace instead. Even if you don't live near either of those places, the time you'd spend getting there would be wasted waiting for food at Sa Bai Thong anyway. read more

Chosen as it was next to the college campus (a good sign). Great food for the price. Perfectly formed and cooked crab rangoon...entree was just the right size. Give it a shot if you're in town! read more

I simply feel like there are far better Thai food restaurants in Madison. I've tried the pad thai here twice, at both locations and have been disappointed twice. Too much sauce and it was too sweet both times. My significant other loves their pa-naeng and even he admits it is hit or miss. I once tried the Tom Yum Talay Hang and was really impressed. However, one meal out of 10 is not what I'm looking for. I'd rather go somewhere in town where the odds are better. Try Lao Lang Xiang or Sala Thai for great thai food in Madison. read more