Sabai Thai had been highly recommended to me by some Richmond natives. Although it's a good option, it did not live up to the hype. We tried the drunken noodles, panang curry, and Thai iced tea. The sauce that the noodles should have been immersed in was essentially missing. There wasn't much sweet or savory flavor that came with the noodles outside of the vegetables. The panang curry was better but still okay in that coconut milk flavor was extremely muted. Finally the Thai iced tea had more ice and cream than tea (I would definitely ask for light ice and cream moving forwards). I love spice and often order Thai hot for myself. However when I went in with a group of friends, they made ALL our food Thai hot, not just mine. Although I was able to take on the spice, the food became virtually inedible for some of my friends! Make sure to clarify the spice levels, especially when dining late. Sabai is also on the pricier side of Thai restaurants, however the portions do reflect the price making it worth it! read more

Sabai - Panang Curry - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

My wife and I ate here after a concert at the Broadberry (right next door), and it was great. Even though it was busy, the service was quick and just the right amount of attention. We would recommend the Pad Se Ew, it was very tasty. We also had the fried rice and the texture was great. Overall a very nice experience. read more

Cute place, fun vibe, personable bar staff. Drink & service We sat at the bar, they were out of half the cocktail menu, but it happens. Let the bartender make up her own creations based on what we would ordered. Orders slow to come out getting apps after entrees. Their blended drinks were well balanced, far better than say Little Nickle. Food Portions are ridiculous, of course, mostly the carb portions. Food was okay. Missing the pizas of authentic Thai. Not bad, just not bursting with flavor or color. Overall decent experience. We'd give it another go. read more

A Beautiful outdoor ambiance to match the deliciously plated food. I ordered gang Panang curry with salmon and brown rice. The salmon was cooked perfectly with a slight crisp and the curry had a hint of spice....could've gone a little spicier, but let it be. Also could've used more sauce and veggies, perhaps that was my greediness kicking in, but the beautiful display of food in a deep dish was so cute it had me scraping the bowl. We also ordered the crispy spring rolls for an appetizer, which were cool and the warm mango sticky rice which was delish! While I didn't order any drinks, everyone else's drinks looked so tasty. The service was ok, she was attentive, but there were gaps in service and we kept looking for her a few times. Nevertheless, I would come back the next I'm in Richmond. read more

Sabai - Mango sticky rice - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Came here on a date night prior to going to a Flying Squirrels game. First time here and boy will I be back in a hurry. I dont normally get Thai food however my wife gets Thai at least once a week. SOO I know it is good if she cannot stop talking about it. Super cute venue for date night. Indoor seating, outdoor seating, covered outdoor seating, and like a hybrid you are outside but yet inside seating as well. The entrance, waiting for a hostess and bathroom situation was a little confusing however it was fine. Apps: MOO SU WON- fried sweet and spicy pork marinated in spices and honey - amazing flavor and the perfect texture PIK GAI TOD- Naked fried chicken wings tossed in a Thai spices hot sauce - a little spicy hot however would go great with some ranch to mellow it out Entree: PAD SE EW- Flat rice noodles stir-fried with egg, black bean sauce and Chinese broccoli. - some of the best noodles I have ever had; amazing flavor and was very addicting; huge portions GANG PANANG- Panang curry with bell pepper, kaffir lime leaves and roasted peanuts **peanuts can not be removed from this dish** - absolutely huge; so filling; you feel like you ate so much but the liquid doesn't even move Everything came out super quick and super hot. Server was amazing and nice. Water was never empty. Followed great COVID precautions and had touchless menus. 10/10 would go back. read more

See all

Got the Pad Thai thought I couldn't go wrong there. It was takeout mind you I guess they thought they'd get away with it. Got home Satay app was like chicken lollipops. Awesome flavor but ridiculous portion for the money. They give you four. Which might be two tenders flattened out to oblivion & cut in half! The pad Thai rice noodle to egg, veg & chicken ration was unbelievable. It was all rice noodles. I had to add my own flavorings it was so much. Hoisin sauce, seaweed n sesame seed n millet plus soy sauce. Very unhappy for my money I wasted. So thanks. read more

HUGE portions, but the taste was very disappointing. It lacked the typical Thai food seasonings. I swear that the pineapple fried rice was like a whole cup of rice. Also, super slow service. read more

See all

Well slap me and silly and call me Susan -- I'll be darned if thi s ain't the best Thai spot in the metropolitan area mmmhhmmmm yummy drink yummy foods yummy times my tum full of good eats yup okay have a good one now read more

See all

I was craving Thai, but instead of just ordering in, my boyfriend and I decided to go out for a date night. We wanted to find a restaurant that had good food, a solid drink selection, and that had a relaxed vibe - Sabai was a great choice. The restaurant was pretty crowded for a Sunday night, but we didn't have to wait too long. We ended up grabbing a drink at the bar while we waited for our table. The restaurant did seem a little understaffed and the servers seemed to be in the weeds for a bit, but I appreciated their effort. We ordered calamari for the appetizer, and were a little bummed that it was cold. I usually don't complain if something is a little cold, but it tasted like it was either not fried long enough or it had been sitting out for a bit. However, it was fixed immediately - we told our server and she went right back to the kitchen and got us a fresh order. I appreciate that she wasn't annoyed and that it was fixed so quickly. So glad we reordered because the calamari was AMAZING. We loved that it was tempura calamari because it was light and the batter was so tasty. I also ended up ordering the pad kee mao (equivalent of drunken noodle) and it was phenomenal. The noodles were cooked perfectly, the spice was on point, and the entree was huge (I was able to take home leftovers - extra bonus). So so so good. Overall, a good experience, and I will be back to try more! read more

Sabai - Calamari - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

My son, his girlfriend and I went here for a lunch on a weekday. There is some free parking on the side of the restaurant, but not much. I would imagine parking would be a challenge if very busy. We were the first ones in there for lunch and I was wondering if we had made a poor choice... but it filled up with lunch folks. We ordered a local beer and some food. I don't recall exactly what I got but it was very good. I don't know much about Thai.. but I had a bowl with beef and vegetables in it with rice on the side. The food was good and some of the seats and tables on hung on chains so you can swing some, which is cool. One negative... the beer took forever to get. THe place was just about empty but it took so long I asked the waiter about the beer a second time, thinking maybe he forgot. I would go back again for sure. read more

Sabai - Outdoor mural - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Giving one star bc the venue is so cute and such a vibe. I remember coming here in college after a concert and having a good time with my friends (2018) So I decided to take my friends (hs friends) there and tell me why we had to BEG for utensils and waited 10 mins for her to bring the them. She went to the back and did other work (?) poor management of the floor! I didn't think much of it. Whatever - it's a summer day! We ordered dessert after dinner - the same thing happened again. The utensils wait game was on again. I was so over it! read more

I love that nerd ass bartender Ryan. He makes such good drinks and gives awesome service

Literally the best bang for you buck for Thai food in Richmond. HUGE portions, delicious entrees, beautiful decor and atmosphere. I personally think they make the best drunken noodles and pad thai in the area. Their curries are made very spicy if you can handle it--unfortunately they can't adjust the spice level but it's enough curry to eat for 3 meals. Overall, this is my go-to recommendation in Richmond. Very affordable dishes that never disappoint! Indoor and outdoor seating available but limited private parking. Wish they took reservations for smaller parties but overall a highly recommended establishment! read more

YUMM!! I think this is the best thai restaurant in RVA. My boyfriend and I ordered 2 of the appetizers (Satay Gai and fried puffs), Gang Panang curry, and Pad Krapow Moo Or Gai. We also got the happy hour deal drinks on the rocks. Appetizers: so not worth it. I took a star off for this. Chicken in Satay Gai was super dry, didn't have enough flavors. The fried puffs were decent. Loved crunchy outside and warm/soft inside. 3/5 Gang Panang curry: WOW. Amazing flavors! I request my tofu to be not fried. The softness of tofu and fresh vegetables met curry and created burst of flavor. It was the best Thai curry I had in a long time. 5++/5 Pad Krapow Moo Or Gai: my boyfriend got pork. It was way too salty for my liking. The egg and eggplant made the dish really complete. 3/5 Loved atmosphere/vibe, service was friendly and fast, food was great (especially curry)! I would loved to come back and try other menu!! read more

See all

I've been here several times. The managers are incredibly nice but the servers are extremely rude. For the price I expect better service.

Sabai's food made me vomit several times the next day. This was my first time at Sabai, I've heard great things, and was excited to try it. I don't normally write reviews, but I feel as though this needs to be said. Most important bit is at the bottom. -More servers need to be on the floor. Only one server was tending to the 7 tables seated, and though she was doing a great job, things were quite slow to come out. We got our appetizers before our drinks. I ordered a whiskey ginger and when it arrived I was surprised to see a big brown lump at the bottom of the glass. I waited to speak to our server, but as she was busy taking care of other tables I opted to go to the bartender directly. She informed me it was a piece of nutmeg that she had lost. She kindly offered to make me another drink, which turned out fine. -The spring rolls were good, but the fried taro root was hard as a rock, difficult to chew, and rather flavorless. I don't know if thats how that dish normally comes out, but to me it almost seemed like it had died in the window and was reheated before coming to our table -I got the chicken pad see ew with no egg. The only discernible flavor in the dish was pork. Everything tasted like salty pork. It was very, very gross. Pad see ew is one of my favorite meals, I've had it many times over at a lot of different restaurants, none of which have ever tasted the way that Sabai's did. The food did not sit right with me, and the rest of the night I felt like I had rocks in my stomach. ******The worst part, however, was how many times I vomited the next morning. I was in and out of the bathroom with cold sweats for about 5 hours after waking up, and I must have vomited 5 times. I'm not sure what went wrong, but I didn't eat or drink anything except water after getting home, so I'm 100% sure Sabai was the culprit. ****** Truly I would not be leaving this review if the food had not made me legitimately ill. Very unhappy that I paid $110 to be served salty pork flavored noodles that made me that sick the next day. I've worked at many restaurants serving, hosting, and food running, so I know this review will be met with eye rolls and "good riddance," but I will definitely not be back, unless it's for a refund. read more

Sabai - nutmeg chunk in my drink - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

26 hours in Richmond - we went to Sabai for both dinner and lunch the next day! Food - great mix of Northern Thai specialties (chicken larb and Khao Soi) along with everyone's favories (Pad See Ew and multiple curries). Portions are HUGE. We weren't especially full for our dinner stop and just ordered the larb and chicken satay (perfectly seasoned, served with peanut and a cucumber sauce) and it was more than enough food for two. Seeing everyone else's huge plates made us order just a main and appetizer on our lunch visit. The green curry was good, but the curry sauce to chicken/vegtable ratio was very off. We also had to order more rice, and could have done a third order if we had wanted since there was still a lot left (the curry is very filling!). Drink menu is all fun tropicals and Asian beers. I would rate Sabai's Pina Colada as the best I've had with it's balanced flavors. Ambiance - wonderful job of capturing outdoor dining in Thailand. It's hard to find outdoor seating that seems like the inside of a restuarant, but Sabai has done so by filling its space with huge and varied tropical plants, a well thought-out seating spacing (one of the few restaurants I've seen where there is actually six feet seperating tables each side) and colorful murals on the (limited) walls. There are three distinct seating sections in the outdoor patio space, two of which are covered, and additional seating out in front of the building (ambiance here is lacking so avoid if you can). Service - This is where I am knocking one star - while Sabai is following all the safety protocols and should be lauded, they forgot to add any directions in the restaurant that would make it clear to diners how they should be seated. You have to walk up to a (closed) window into the kitchen, wait for someone to answer and check seating, and then eventually a server will direct you to a table. If there was a simple sign saying as much at the entrance or in the patio, problem solved, but as is you walk into the space and are pretty confused for a bit. Sabai has QR code menus and sanitizer out. Long story short, amazingly decorated COVID-safer space with great food and generous portion sizes. Lack of direction in seating should be addressed and then it will be an all star experience. read more

Sabai - The BEST Pina Colada - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Sabai is such a cute authentic Thai restaurant located in downtown Richmond. Great vibes and atmosphere, and their indoor decorations are great too. All employees wore masks the entire time and super friendly. The food was amazing and decent portion. I had the Chicken Satay, perfectly seasoned, but just a little bit burnt. Calamari is a must too! It was my first time trying Thai Green Curry, and I thought it will be too creamy and heavy, but Sabai done it right. It was sweet with a hint of heat, definitely not too thick or creamy, so totally recommend if you want something light for a meal. Definitely would go back to try out something new! read more

Sabai - Satay Gai (front) & Fried Calamari (back) - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

I found out about this restaurant from other members that left a review. My grandson and I visited

Love this cute hole in the wall! Nice ambience and outdoor seating on a summer day. Their pork appetizer (Sam chan) was flavorful and crispy. The pad kee mao was flavorful and chewy. The gang kiew wan was coconutty and a bit spicy. I would have loved more spice but I believe that's personal preference :) Portion sizes are great as well! The servers have been kind and attentive most times but it hasn't been consistent so I would go there in your leisure time. read more

Sabai - Pad Kee Mao and Gang Kiew Wan - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Loved the ambiance, the food was very filling and there was so much left over. Our server provided great service.

The food here is pretty good and the portions are huge! Definitely satisfies a craving for Thai. They have really fun yummy drinks as well. I always like to get pad se ew. I will say that the restaurant is super dark inside especially at the bigger tables by the wall. When I was sat in the little patio room it was extremely hot which didn't pair well with my extra spicy dish. Overall, this place is my second favorite for Thai in the area and would recommend. read more

"It's been quite some time since I've sat at a bar and had a meal," Mr. RVA thought, admiring barkeeps shaking tins overhead, as ice danced with spirits within; his back to the bustling street of West Broad. It's amazing how a chance meeting of an entrepreneurial backpacker and an aspiring chef on the streets of Bangkok, could birth a business venture across the Pacific. Harvest Moon by Poolside played from the speakers above, while patron after patron entered the softly lit, establishment. Conversations and laughter began to swell; permeating the atmosphere. My attention and curiosity were drawn as they kept staring at me with smiles on their faces; the colorful, multifaced Tiki Cups. Panama shirts adorned the staff as each effortlessly attended to their respective guests. Suspended light bulbs accentuated the wooden fixtures thorough, giving a distinctive, earth-like glow throughout. Evergreen hanging plants festooned overhead, enriched the prismatic spectrum emanating from the chandelier above. Outside, patrons gazed upon colorful, beautiful abstract murals in the patio and beer garden. The cuisines found at this Scott's Addition establishment are delicacies from the heart of Thailand and paired with some of the best cocktails in the city. Ladies and Gentlemen of Discovering RVA, pull up a seat & get comfortable, at Sabai. @sabairva. . Appetizer- Nam Tok~ Tender strips of Skirt Steak, cooked to perfection, served over chopped Cabbage, drizzled in an Onion, Lime & Chili Pepper Sauce. . Entree- Khao Pad Pu~ House Made Fried Rice with a kick of spice, infuzed by a melange of Carrots, Peas & Onions, all beneath a silky Scrabbled Egg, topped with Lump Crab Meat & garnished with Cilantro. . Spirit Pairing- Sabai Punch~ Consisting of Reserve Rum, Allspice Dram, Lime & Pineapple Juice, Angostura, & Mango Puree, accented by fresh Mint Leaves, Lime, & a smoking Cinnamon Stick! . Tiffany‐ Your hospitality, service, & rapport were greatly appreciated. Much Obliged Lady. . Please, if you haven't already, follow me on my official Instagram page @Discoveringrva and take a journey with the Gentleman, "Mr. RVA" and uncover the hidden gems of our noteworthy city. . #discoveringrva . #804 #va #virginia #rva #richmond #richmondva #rvadine #rvaeats #Rvafood #food #foodies #foodshare #foodstagram #foodiesofinstagram #yummy #foodblog #foodblogger #foodlover #foodpost #foodography #delicious #delish #foodpic #eating #foodandwine #eeeeeats #foodiegram #igfood #forkyeah #boujeefind read more

See all

First off I just want to say the atmosphere is nice. Now for the real review. This is some of the worst Thai food if not American food I have ever had. We ordered "Thai Tea" but this was pretty much a sugar concentrate and should be called liquid diabetes. Our server didn't get the picture when we kept asking for something to dilute the drink. By the end of the meal the Sugar bomb was still a full cup. The food was very bland and the chicken was very poor quality. A little annoyance also is the fact we had to pay for side of fish sauce which is normally given for free at 99.9 % of Thai restaurants. We walked out of here very disappointed and probably going to consider getting our stomachs pumped with the horrible food. read more

My review pre-pandemic: I love coming to Sabai with my friends. I was recommended this restaurant by my friend who claims Sabai to be the best Thai restaurant in RVA. Sabai is probably the best Thai restaurant in the area. My favorite menu items with pork belly! - drunken noodles - pineapple fried rice with pork belly! - Thai ice tea (it comes with a cute edible flower and a quirky straw) read more

Everything about Sabai is amazing! From the appetizers, small plates and full entrees, the food is always flavorful, well seasoned, and piping hot. My favorite is the pineapple fried rice that comes out in a fresh pineapple half. It's not heavy and greasy as some Asian food can be in this country! This is true Thai street food with a twist. read more

Had Sabai take out, this was my first time trying Thai food. I loved it. We ordered some things I couldnt pronounce, but they were delicious to eat. Mak Muang Hin Maktan - this had a very nice mixture of veggies in it with come cashews and mushrooms. Gang Massaman - This was very tasty, it had a sweet & spicy kick to it and also had veggies in it. It looks alot like soup but its a smidge thicker. Puak Tod - these were like dessert, theyre cut up like a thick french fry, and the sweet sauce that you dip them in takes them over the top. I enjoyed all of these new foods, and will certainly try Thai again soon. read more

See all

I really like Sabai. I've gone more times than I can count. I especially like their pad Thai... but I used to "love" it. Here are some things I feel like have made the experience less than what it once was. They changed up their bar offerings and it's just not as good. My husband no longer likes their beer choices. Their tofu in the pad Thai used to be puffy fried tofu... then they went with a more dense tofu and it took me awhile to get used to it. It also helps that I can get the puffed fried tofu at international market. They used to make their own sambal, or at least that's what we think, and it came in a little baggy. I don't know why but it was better than squeezing on chili sauce. I don't think it takes away from the flavor, but it does take away from the experience. And finally, sometimes the service isn't polite. I think I'm just old school on this last one. I used to wait tables back when you were expected to smile at the customers some. That's just not how the service is these days in most places so perhaps this last comment isn't just specific to Sabai. Overall, I will return but it's getting harder and harder to get my husband to want to return as it is no longer one of our favorite spots. read more

I went last night per a recommendation by some friends, and I was so happy when I left! The environment was super fun and lively and the staff were all really nice and helpful. I my night with a Thai '75, which was super good. I loved the lemon flavor it had. I ordered the Pad Se Ew, and I was warned that the portions were huge, but I didn't anticipate for it to be the size that it was! I was shocked by how big it was, however, I am stoked that I will have leftovers for a few upcoming meals as I loved every bite of it. Definitely want to come back! Next time I might try to make a reservation beforehand, as my party walked in and got a seat on the indoor front patio, which was great, but just a little loud from the road noise. read more

Sabai - Thai '75 - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Top 5 restaurants in the city! Great food and service. Plenty of food for the prices. The plants inside are beautiful, too!

Wow, look no more, fresh flavor, fresh food, the delightful smellaromas when driving up makes you even hungrier lol... mouth watering...

Update: still great! Went for the spicy drunken noodles this time with chicken. Huge portions, and cocktails are still very tasty. read more

See all

Extremely rude entitled staff, very dark room with blasting music and echoes off walls and waited an hour for luke warm food. Disgusting bathrooms. Terrible ambience/ staff! Skip this place and go to Mama Siams! read more

Sabai was a great little place for a chill ladies night or a date night. I am a huge fan of Thai food but the setup and atmosphere of the restaurant is definitely what got them the 5 stars. The main restaurant has a few booths with swings for seats and there is an open garage like front and really neat / earthy decorations throughout. They also have an outside portion with picnic tables as well as a speakeasy bar hidden in the back! To get to the speakeasy you walk through a storage container out back and to the left is a cozy little bar with one-of-a-kind drinks and a super friendly and helpful bar tender. Back to the food - I ordered the KOA SOI GAI which was amazing! It is a curry with regular chicken as well as two bone in chicken wings (could have done without those and just took them out). They give you a side of chili oil too so you can make it spicier if you'd like. My friends got the PAD KEE MAO and the GANG MASSAMAN and I tried both, which were both good options as well. Finally, I got a drink in the speakeasy with (Rye, Cynar 70, allspice, lemon, egg white, and chocolate bitters) which was very good if you like rye! read more

See all

Amazing food!!!! This place is a MUST TRY for food and cocktail drinks! Had the best dinner last night! I had ordered the papaya salad and spring rolls for an appetizer. The papaya salad is super spicy but so delicious!! The spring rolls are good too and it comes with a dipping sauce. For my main entree, I ordered the poached ginger chicken. It came with ginger infused rice, a bowl of chicken broth that was absolutely amazing, a boiled egg and sliced cucumber. This dish is really cool because you can pick and choose how you want to eat each bite of chicken with. For me personally, I loved to put the chicken in the chicken broth. Then some bites I ate the chicken with rice. It was fun! My friend ordered the pineapple fried rice. His portion was huge!! I tried it too and it was so good!! Now for the atmosphere, the ambience is really cool and dark. It's a fairly dark and small restaurant (which I actually hate because you can't see much) but the food was so good, It didn't bother me! Overall, a must try place when you're in Richmond! read more

So good every time! Great service & fun atmosphere. We Love their patio & fun drinks!

Ok, let's start of with the pros! The decor of this establishment is amazing! The design quality is the average interior designers dream. The waiter/waitresses are extremely friendly and easy going. Cons- let's start with the drinks. We ordered the Thai mojito, Thai 75, a drink that had prosecco and gin. I'm not a picky person when it comes to drinks however, each drink beside the tahi 75 lacked flavor and tasted watered down. The Thai mojito tasted like spicy water and a splash of ginger beer. The tahi 45 was pretty good and The gin and prosecco tasted like soda water. For appetizers we ordered the calamari, and by far was the worst calamari I've ever had. It was just over fried and tasteless and the sauce paired with it did not compliment.We ordered the pork belly and that was ok, it tasted more like a pork chop that was cut up in strips over a bed of cabbage. For our entrees we ordered the Pad Se Ew and the drinking noodles and each one was pretty good! The only down fall was that the pad se ew had seafood added, which had that kind of fishy taste to the scallops. The drinking noodles were really tasty. I'd also like to add that when being seated inside we had notice a wet dog smell and proceeded to be set outside as well. Even though I love the decor of the establishment, I probably won't return! read more

See all

The first time I came here was earlier this year (3/22/19) and I wanted to drink fancy tiki cocktails. I ended up having a few of them trying to see what cool glass I was going to get before finding out they can put it in whichever one you prefer LOL. I ordered the PO-PIA THOT (Thai eggrolls) for an appetizer and they hit the spot. The bartender gave me a little history lesson the cocktail menu. Ask them to tell you about it. Cool restaurant with good service. Now they have a new backside called The Jungle Room which is like a bar lounge and you can order food. I came during happy hour and had a lychee daiquiri and another tiki drink. I also ordered some delicious dumplings. They bring in guest DJ's that spin all vinyl jams. Good old school music that makes you want to get on the dance floor. The decor makes you feel like you're somewhere on an island without a care in the world. I love this place! read more

See all

This place has a really good selection of Thai food. The service is quick and the staff is very friendly. Love their beer selection as well. I was looking for something similar to a cerveza and the waiter recommended 2 options that were fabulous. They went a little too hard with the basil in the last fried rice dish I chose but other than that, the food here is delicious. read more

The portions here are HUGE! Great atmosphere and decor, although it can be loud and feel cramped when it's crowded. I've had mixed experiences on the intensity of the flavor of the food, but I always go home with enough for a second meal. read more