I'm pretty stoked I've finally gone in here!!! I've read the yelp reviews and had this place on my radar for MONTHS. Finally tonight, after a night out in chinatown, we saw 1 open parking stall on the street and decided that was a sign to go in. It has all the eye candy you could ever want. See picture of wood carving!! And the regulars are as much of a feast as the food. Prime people watching bonus points. The bartender was very friendly, and there was no awkward vibes of "why are 2 drunk girls in my drinky bar"... There's 1 pool table, a pay for jukebox and 2 dartboards. The food. So, I was very torn between giving this place a 3 vs. 4 star review, based solely on the fact that the food was not edible. Not because it was bad, it was delicious... But it was blisteringly Thai f-*#ing hot. As in, pain, sweat and tears, and not getting passed a tiny few bites. We had the spice discussion with the woman who took our order. We said, we like spicy, but not Thai spicy. Let's go with medium, but if it's super spicy, on the mellow side of medium. It came out Thai hot hot hot. Even picking the pepper chunks out it was unbearable. I had an entire plate of leftover longrice salad that was too hot to eat, and after I took it home, I added an entire block of tofu, 1 big head of broccoli, 2 eggplants and a pound of mild chicken sausage to cut the heat, and it was still spicy!! But it became edible. The papaya salad was similar- too hot to eat. Fresh and delicious (it doesn't come with any protein or shrimp). The portion seemed small for what we got, but it was good. Overall, it was a fun adventure. My friend described it as "terrible yet awesome". I will go back, but order everything mild. Extra points (aka the reason for 4 stars) for the glorious dive atmosphere and friendly staff and late night food serving hours. read more

Sala Thai - Flying monkey penis sculpture above the bar - Thai Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Food is good! Not spicy very flavorful. Will be back again. Open late nights friendly staff read more

The best Thai food I like in downtown. Red Chicken Curry with summer rolls taste amazing. Fresh and authentic for just the right price. Hidden gem by Kuhio plaza. read more

Sala Thai - Summer rolls - Thai Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Small portions & expensive. Tasty but what a rip off. No parking. Kinda reminded me of a hostess bar maybe that's why the food was so expensive & place isn't really clean. Pushy bartender all she wanted was tips but no service. read more

Good food and fun place. Highly recommended food very delicious, taste is thai authentic

Update because they deserve it. We've dined in here twice already and did take out a couple times. It's a bar/ restaurant looked a little out dated to me but don't let that fool you. The food is so good! First time trying the jungle curry and of course I went for thai hottt! so hot but the flavors are there ! Only down side for me was ordering take out one night, it was so busy with bite squad we were told they ran out that night. I still came back the next day got my fix! And so far we've scored parking right in the front meter parking. read more

Sala Thai - Spring rolls - Thai Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Best green curry with chicken, EVER!! We like it medium spice. If you order spicy hot, trust me you will get spicy HOT! Its so delicious. Also the Nam Kaw is really good. If you cant remember "nam kaw" just say you want the crunchy rice served in luttuce wraps. Everything here is excellent. Haven't had a bad or mediocre dish at this place. I've never been to Thailand but have friends who's been there and they say Sala Thai's food is the closest to authenticity in Honolulu. Highly recommend this hidden gem! read more

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I made the mistake of never coming to Sala Thai in all the years I had an office just a few blocks away. Friends who lived and worked downtown all told me how great the food was, but every time I thought of walking into Sala Thai I chickened out. "Great Food! Best Thai Food in Hawaii!" was usually followed by something about Thai Hostess girls sitting next to you trying to get you to buy them drinks when you eat there. No. Thank you for the gesture. But really. Um. No. Please. Please...? I just want to eat... I always imagined, in my weird INFP vignette world, that the day I finally decided to walk in there, I'd open the door to find colorful disco lights spinning around in a dark room with stages and poles, a half-dozen scantily dressed Thai girls all looking up at the door at the same time, tossing their hair or dragging their finger across their red lips provocatively at the new fresh meat that just entered shark infested waters (that would be me). Something like Andrea True Connection's "More more more" would be playing suggestively, and the place would smell like a mix of really great Thai food and that weird sour smell you smell when you walk into the back of a strip club. When I **actually** walked into Sala Thai (yes, in real life), it was NOTHING like what I imagined at all. Instead, while it still looked like a bar, it looked like pretty much any other dive bar I've ever been to. Dart boards. Booths. Bar with stools. TV. Kind of dim. Quiet, except for some Thai music playing softly in the background. A distinct lack of Thai Hostesses. Sunlight streaming in through the window shades. And two booths, side-by-side, with Russ M., Jon A., Lori I. and family, and Dale looking up and waving at me, welcoming me to come eat with them. Some of the best Spring Rolls I've ever had were already on the table, and after one bite of those I forgot completely that I was inside a place that until just 5 minutes earlier, I had been terrified of. *********** Here's what you need to know about Sala Thai: FOOD: Amazing. I have several benchmark dishes, among which I tried two here. The Green Curry and Pad Thai were probably the best I've had outside of Thailand, period. The Evil Jungle was delicious too, for the first 2 seconds after putting into my mouth, but before my head exploded from the spice. I think Russ was trying to kill us. Word of warning here: I like spicy. But "spicy" here does not mean what most people think it means. Spicy here should have a skull and crossbones on it. But like many things that can kill you, sometimes you just can't stop. If you understand the harmony of pleasure and pain, you will probably like this kind of spicy deliciousness, at least until you fall over dead... but happy. Spoon food into mouth. Have mind blowing multiple food orgasms. Wait two seconds. Go into convulsions from the Thai Chili you just swallowed. Drink a full cup of water. Wipe sweat with napkins. Sit back and mouth "Oh dear God, no more..." Then repeat all over again. Also, rice comes with the meal, unlike many other places. I like this. PARKING: Minimal. A few stalls in back of the building you can check, but otherwise good luck parking on the street. Metered street parking immediately outside. You can usually slide up easily to pick up take-out. Avoid the prostitutes if possible. ORDERING/ SEATING: Full Service. 8 booths seating 4, bar seating for about another 8. Lead time about 15 minutes. SERVICE: Surprisingly (yet not surprisingly) excellent. Hostess-related establishments need at least one of two components: 1) Attractive girls 2) Great service. While I haven't seen the girls at Sala Thai, our service was top-notch. Water constantly full, mostly because I was choking/ gasping/ turning red from the spiciness. Napkins brought to the table in stacks, mostly again because aforementioned water was turning into instant sweat. Table cleared and cleaned quickly the whole time. Service speaks English fine, very friendly, attentive and quick. Does not ask you to buy drinkie (at lunchtime at least). ATMOSPHERE: See above. Also, if you're going to take photos, the light is very low. Meters at about 1/20 at f/4 at ISO6400. Bring the 1.8 or an IS/ VR lens. Also, the colored lights put weird colored highlights on the food. Try to shoot near the window where there's more natural light (I couldn't). COST/ VALUE: Incredible. Our literal feast cost us only $12 each after tax and tip. This is probably not only the tastiest Thai Food I've had in Hawaii, but also one of the cheapest as well. VERDICT: 5/5 -- I've found my new #1 Thai restaurant in Hawaii. Delicious, cheap, conveniently located. I think I'll still take-out though, unless someone wants to UYE here again. read more

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If you want legit Thai food served fresh from the kitchen, eat at Sala Thai. Don't mind the buy-me-drinky girls or the hordes of old creepy men at the bar. The food is great. BEWARE: if you ask for spicy, Mama-san will make your food SPICY. So ask for mild or you can say what my co-worker did ("please don't kill me with your spiciness") and your food will come out delicious even without heat. I highly recommend these dishes (get 'em SPICY!): Pad Ki Mao Green Curry Pad Thai The Spring Rolls aren't that awesome because the meat inside is a bit too vinegary and the sauce is more sweet than savory. This is one of the few places that includes PORK as a protein option alongside chicken and beef for your dishes, so that's pretty cool. I've been on the hunt for great Thai food in Oahu for a while and I've finally found it here in this gem right off Nuuanu Ave. This place isn't for the faint of heart: it's dark and damp inside, but the food will warm you right up and you may just make the acquaintance of a pretty Thai girl ready to make all your dreams come true. $$ - dishes range between 9-15 bucks parking - metered street parking; the back parking lot is reserved for the adjacent apartments and businesses TAKE OUT is a great option if you don't want Mama-san and her girls all over your grill. read more

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Love the owner Pu, she and her staff are like family to us! Always happy to see us, best Thai food on island! Never a bad time and always leaving wasted cause we just have a blast!!! Love them read more

Have been here a few times with a friend to enjoy the large-sized bottles of Beer Chang. This place is a bizzare mix of sports/hostess bar/restaurant. Place was semi crowded with older guys in their 50's on up drinking Budweiser or Miller Light at the bar, throwing darts or charming the cute staff: 'No, I no have boyfriend', I kept overhearing. Thai girl to guy ratio was about 1:1 We were here for the beer and food. We ordered two rounds of Beer Chang (nice and frosty) and Pad Thai with beef and Green Curry with chicken. Both dishes were totally 'ono! The Pad Thai is among the best I have ever eaten (and just getting back from Thailand, that's big respect). The green curry had perfect heat, not too watery, not too creamy. The most unlikely of places you'll find amazing and reasonably priced Thai food. Yes, I think I'll love you long time Sala Thai. read more

There's a stigma with Sala Thai, and if you've read any one of the other reviews, you know what it is already. The food is, by any measure, spectacular. I would have to say that Sala Thai is perhaps my favorite Thai food on the island, and yet...it's hard to get others to come along. Because there are hostesses accepting hyper-priced drinks from patrons, a la most bars with "Satellite TV and Karaoke" in the Ke'eaumoku and Kalihi neighborhoods Shake it off. Pretend it's just a normal bar or restaurant and step inside. Sit in a high-backed booth with your friends and keep your eyes on the prize: the menu. As you pore over the myriad options, ignore the scantily-dressed Thai women playing darts and laughing loudly with deep-pocketed men of questionable motives. Soon, when you get a single taste of your order, you won't even care what's happening around you. Order it "Thai spicy" and you won't even be able to see past your plate. I've had two painfully spicy dishes here, and have had to reconsider my limits. The first time, I ordered the green papaya salad at the highest spiciness, and I couldn't finish it. No number of beers could quell the heat, and no number of napkins could absorb the sweat on my face and neck. I ended up taking it home, and ate it for a painful lunch the following day. The second time, I had been drinking a little beforehand, and felt brave. I ordered the tom yum soup (always a winner), and hesitated for a moment before I asked them to make it Thai spicy. When it came to the table, it was a bowl of tart, spicy heaven. Tamarind bits, herbs and additives I couldn't identify, and rich pieces of shrimp and lime leaves floated about in that red murk. Somehow, I managed to polish off the whole bowl. It was painful, and I would do it again without blinking. I've had a taste of a few of the curry options, and they've all been delicious. The pad thai is something else, and I can't say I've had it better anywhere else. The evil jungle prince or whatever was also especially good. Maybe try something less spicy, if you're wary. I'll definitely continue to eat here. Fortunately, the working girls know not to bug a group of people face-deep in spicy food. read more

Sala Thai - "SPICY" Tom Yum Soup - Thai Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

************************** 617 ************************** Sala Thai is a bar, rather than a Thai restaurant, located in down town Waikiki. This hole on the wall place got only 4 booths, and a few seats at the bar. When I first walked in, I was skeptical because there was no light, so dark, and runs down. My bestfriend lives here told me this is the place for real authentic Thai food, after all, she's Thai. My crazy BFF is living bi-coastal, also love it here. So I trust them both, oh my world, they took me here 4 times in 2 weeks! - Som Tum - papaya salad, the best I've ever tried (beside Ruen Pair in Hollywood). - Tom Yum soup with plenty of bamboo shoot, delish. - Basil chicken, cashew chicken, Pad Thai, Mushoom Beef, Chicken Curry, Egg Rolls, everything was delicious, tasty, spicy to my surprise! I love it here and all the waitresses are beautiful too! CHEAP EATS! Don't get intimidate by all the local retirees, they are quite nice people actually! read more

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Best Thai on Oahu!!! This is the hole in the wall place you must visit. Great food and service!!!

Looking to break out of my recent addiction to the gourmet plate lunches at Kahai St. Kitchen, I decided to venture out of my normal lunch vicinity and headed over to Nuuanu for some Thai food. I like surprises and always love trying new places, so I was game to visit Sala Thai to change up my normal lunch routine. Located across the street from Hosoi Mortuary, Sala Thai sits alongside a row of small shops & eateries. Like everyone has said, ST is a unique mix of hostess bar/restaurant. Upon entering the place, I did not see any of the "talent" working and was greeted by an older gentlemen who I assume was a customer. Being a bar, I had no intention of eating in and decided that take out was my best option. After a few minutes, a lady named "Pooh" came out to take my order. I did not see any menus, but my mind was set on only one thing, Pad Thai with Chicken. Slightly pricey at $9, the Pad Thai with Chicken was just phenomenal and was the best that I have had so far in Hawaii. Sorry Bangkok Chef, you may have better prices, but I think I just found better Pad Thai at a bar of all places! If the Pad Thai is any indication of how the rest of their other Thai dishes taste, I cannot wait to come here with some friends. read more

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This is the Best Thai Food on the Island. The atmosphere is weak but the Food Rocks. We tried several dishes and all were really good. Highly recommended. read more

Yes Bangkok Chef, you saucy vixen, I cheated on you....... and you know what ???? I liked it, I'm sorry but it was like you used to be before your expansion and inflation, it was like the old you. OK back to reality, We tried Sala Thai today, take out of course, basically because the location was sort of sketchy. Although the people inside the place were really pleasant, and the hostess was great even though I had zero intention of buying any drinks, just the food please We ordered what we usually have at Bangkok Chef, because one should compare apples to apples right? Green Thai curry ( medium ) and Pad Thai. It's fair to say that NOT all Thai food is the same. The Pad Thai was fantastic, tons of flavor. The noodles were a tad bit smaller, yet the chicken was perfect, and when you add the bean sprouts, scallions, and whatever spices they use, it equals a great dish. The Green Curry was excellent, different that what we've become accustomed to, but excellent neither the less. The curry sauce was much more fluid than the BC version, I prefer the thicker sauce, but I felt that it had much more flavor, it came with sticky rice, which made the dish complete. We did find the prices were a little higher, and portion sizes about the same, so all in all it's an equal, if not slightly better alternative. read more

Where to even begin! This hole in the wall was so incredibly fun. The Thai food is incredible. I've been looking for the fried rice nem salad since getting to the island and this place is so good!!! The rice is crispy and the salad that came with it was crisp! The drinks were flowing and karaoke was being sang. So fun! read more

Small bar on the edge of Chinatown. Thought the food was good. Ordered takeout and it was prepared quickly.

If you are into the dive bar feeling (like I am) and you need some spice in your food (like I do), you have to hit this place. The service was awesome , regulars were friendly, food was soooooo yummy! One of the best meals I had in a week of Oahu. read more

It was my first night in Hawaii. I went into a bar near this place. I ordered a rum punch and was told "We don't serve food here." Dumbfounded, I left. Rum punch is the signature cocktail of Hawaii. Apparently someone there didn't get the memo. So I went to Sala. (I didn't want to wander so far on my first night.) The bartender said she didn't have all the ingredients for a rum punch but she tried. She took all fruit juices available to her and mixed them with rum. It wasn't bad. For a meal, I wanted seafood, so I chose the garlic shrimp. When she asked how hot, I asked for the hottest, which I do at all Thai restaurants on the mainland. But this was not like any other Thai restaurant I've been too. This really burned. But it was delightful and finished the whole thing off. The cook bragged to other customers, "I gave him the hottest I've got." And she wasn't kidding. I had another punch to cool off my mouth. The close relationships among the regulars and the staff give this whole place a peaceful family atmosphere. read more

I met some friends here for drinks at night and it's a cute little place. Darts, pool table, a bar, tables, music, and good food. The staff is friendly and did I mention the food was good? Be sure to specify if you want American medium or Thai medium because as with any good Thai place, there is a difference! Good, chill place to hang out and get some good food later than most restaurants. Small, old school bar feel, nice and casual... read more

Here's an update to my previous review several years ago. Obviously I'm still coming here! LOL! Sala Thai is now open for lunch from 11am. Previously I has commented that you needed to call before coming for lunch to make sure they were open. Pou assures me that she'll be there promptly at 11am. Good news for me since I'm walking distance from Sala Thai now! read more

Good music. Sexy ladies making drinks and food! Mmmm very nice Thai Food. Spicy! Curry! And Corona . Small place but good. read more

I was cruising by this place when I was craving some bit of Thai and I thought of trying something new, rather than the ol Bangkok Chef every time. Bangkok Chef is great, but sometimes, having a different slice of Thai can be a good thing, so here I go at Sala Thai. This Thai restaurant doubles up as a bar on most nights, which is an interesting combination to say the least. The food was decent, although I had the green curry and I tried to tell them spicy! What came out was just average curry that can be categorized as blah or whatevas. While it is tasty, it can be vastly improved. Also bought the pad thai and some sticky rice. The service was nice and everything, but I guess I just love curry too much to say that. I took take out, so the taste was after I got home. The take out containers smaller than I imagine it out to be. This place is on Nuuanu Avenue. I'm sure the bar scene is pretty good here, but I rather just get stupid drunk at home - cheaper anyways.I thought this place was kind of a hole in the wall, if you are not really familar with the area. Doesn't seem like it was a real Thai restaurant, but to each their own. I can recommend this place, but it wasn't stellar as some yelpers have claimed it out to be. Sorry though. I'm sure it's awesome, but I didn't feel like it was all that. Parking can be a challenge, but there's always street parking and take out options if you are pressed for time. read more

I've gotten takeout from here a couple of times now and the food is solid. Pad Thai had a good level of moisture, not too wet, but not dry. I really like the chicken that they use, it's tastes fresher and less dry than most other places. I also had the evil curry, and the pork was delicious. The curry was well flavored but a little thin for my liking, closer to soup. Very tasty nonetheless. I have not eaten inside, as the establishment is not very clean, and stale (perhaps the stalest I've ever experienced). It's not the best Thai food, not even within the vicinity. But it's a great quick and dirty (very dirty) go-to, particularly if you live nearby. read more

Best Thai Food on the island! Pou is the owner and she is a great hostess that always makes my family feel welcome and is so hospitable! All our out of town guests love the food and company at Sala Thai! Making me hungry for some of their food now! read more

I went there after a hike for some food and drinks. There was ample street parking in the front, but the meter wasn't working properly causing a bit of worry. When we went inside, it was filled with friendly people, pretty bartender, pool table, dart games, booths and a bar. We could only order spring rolls and fried chicken because the cook wasn't in. The food was very tasty. It's a hole in the wall and had a dive bar feel to it. Prices were reasonable and overall it was a good experience. read more

This is one of the best Thai places in OKC!! I order the pumpkin chicken red curry and it is so fragrant!! Their gyoza are also very good!!

I'm not an expert, but I know what I like, and Sala Thai has excellent Thai food! They are very welcoming if you eat there and I hear that do a lot of take out orders. I plan to go back and enjoy more delicious Tai cuisine! read more

One of my favorite places to get Thai food! They're open really late too, as it's also a bar. Haven't been able to experience the bar yet, but maybe in the future! read more

Very delicious, affordable, friendly, down to earth and comfortable! The staff are extremely friendly and full of aloha and their Thai good is very authentic to the Thai food I eat when visiting Thailand! read more

DILEMMA: It's Saturday night and a street festival has just finished on Nu'uanu Avenue. You are sober and starving in Chinatown, what do you do next? You try to head to numerous spots but are met with closed kitchens and ridiculous crowds. Your stomach is screaming at you for some attention and the last thing you want to do is go to Zippy's. Not that there's anything wrong with a Zip Pack. But you did that last night! SOLUTION: Sala Thai. That's right, it's the ace up your sleeve that few know about and a surprise to your friends in tow. Not only is this hole in the wall neighborhood bar open til 2am, but at 11 pm the kitchen is still open! The Gods are surely on your side tonight! PARKING: Metered street parking or if driving Mauka up Nu'uanu Avenue, turn into the driveway of the building that houses Sala Thai. There are numerous stalls you can park in for free and be sure to double check to make sure you're in the right ones. There's nothing worse than getting your car towed at 1am. ORDER: Anything and everything your Thai eating heart desires, it's ALL good! My favorites are the pad thai (BEST EVER), green curry and this fried rice they make (it might be called fried rice but I can't remember.) If you're not into spicy food then make sure to let them know when you place your order because if not, that curry is going to burn a hole in your bottom the next morning. Our bill for three dishes came out to about $36 with tax and it was enough to serve four hungry Yelpers. There were enough leftovers to feed me and my husband for another meal so the portions are big! DIVEY: Yes, this place is kind of divey but the patrons are harmless older dudes and the women who run Sala Thai are seriously amazing! They're so sweet and really on it when it comes to getting your food and filling up your drinks. I've been here during lunch and worried about coming in at night but I can now happily say that I'll definitely be back again! read more

Is the Thai food at Sala Thai worth all the stares from or getting hit on by middle-aged odd-looking men? Is the Thai food here worth the possible encounter by a scruffy long-haired drunk? Is the food here worth getting mistaken for a buy-me drinky girl? YES! It's truly that good. I must be out of my mind or just craving superior Thai food. The pad thai and pad ki mao with medium spice level gives just the right kick of heat to get my nostrils stimulated. It's great with an ice cold beer. The spring rolls are served crispy and packed with flavor. The curry dishes are one of the best on the island. On top of all this talk about great food, the prices are equally good news. Around $8 an appetizer and about $12 for entree dishes. I try to head over during the day for happy hour and when the service is fastest. You only need $20 to make me a happy girl at a divy bar. read more

The Pad Thai here is REALLY REALLY good, so good in fact that I would come here again dispite the fact that its a drinky bar... I came here because of the positive reviews from Yelp and Im sure I looked like I was lost when I walked in. I quickly told them I was here for takeout and Emi the bartender handed me a menu. I ordered the chicken pad thai and green chicken curry mild not spicy. As I was waiting for my food, the girls began to make small talk with me along with the intermittent Thai speak and giggle to each other all were all very pleasant though, asking me where I was from and so forth, typical bar convo I assume. The pad thai was very spicy for "mild" which made me sweat profusely, my friend kept looking at me to see If I was ok as the heat of the dish didn't seem to affect her as much, but whatevers. Pad Thai was so good, the green chicken curry was delicious as well, lots of chicken, eggplant and bamboo shoots and yes very spicy. Im not a Pad Thai expert so I kept looking for confirmation from my friend that the Pad Thai was indeed as good I thought it was, and yes she confirmed. I would most definitely come here again, the food is really good and the girls are all very nice, it's a hole in the wall joint that will be getting my patronage in the future for sure. On my way out one of the girls told me that they open at 11am and that I should play darts with them next time..Im not sure what that meant but I will be back for the food! read more

Dear Sala Thai, My friend and I were going to eat at your establishment, but upon reading the reviews decided it was not the place for two tiny Asian girls to eat alone. Fast forward to a few evenings ago, I sent my husband over for some take out and he agreed that my previous decision was a wise one. Apparently there was an out of hand drunkard and some police action? Not what I look for in dinner with a friend. Your food, though, is incredible! Vegetable green curry, holy cows, our new favorite green curry. We've been searching for a green curry for 8 years now ever since our favorite suddenly closed up shop and disappeared without a trace. Sadly, we have been disappointed for eight years. Until you! With your green curry at our side we have renewed hope in existence. Thank you. Vegetable Pad Thai was also mouth waveringly delicious. We look forward to taking advantage of your take-out option and enjoying many more items in the comfort and safety of our home. We will be back soon. Or my husband will. Sincerely, Angela read more

Every so often, Russ M. rounds up his loyal comrades for a UYE lunch date that will baffle you, and then amaze you! He is responsible for introducing us to the diviest, most unsuspecting, and incredible Thai food "restaurant" I've ever seen in my life! (I use the word "restaurant" verrryyy losely here.) I can almost guarantee that you wouldn't pop into Sala Thai on a whim, which is why I'm writing this review! When you're walking down Nu'uanu mauka of Kukui Street, you'll pass a series of grungy little shops. Sala Thai is right in the middle of this block. I actually passed it the first time I tried to find it. At Russ' UYE's, we aaaaaaalways get my absolute favorite thing, the crunchy rice! It's like fried rice, but it's crunchy, kind of like bibimbop after it sits in the bowl for a bit. I love it! They also have amazing pad thai and curry! The Thai Green Curry is my favorite, and I get it medium spicy which is perfect for me! (*Note: I have a fairly high tolerance for spicy food, and the medium spicy is pretty hot.) I've been to Sala Thai with Russ M. twice so far, and that is the best way to go! Russ will also get mad at you if you venture to Sala Thai by yourself...so Russ, cover your ears (or eyes). --- I have actually braved Sala Thai on my own a couple of times. If you're going to do that, this is the advice I have for you: (1) Just wait for Russ' next UYE. It really is best with him. (2) The portions are big and share-able! (3) Even though Sala Thai supposedly opens around noon, if you go at lunch time, it will probably be closed...chains on the door and all. You can try to call a day or so ahead to request that the restaurant is open for lunch, or try to go later in the afternoon. You can safely go around 4pm and it should be open. (4) I'm not going to classify this establishment one way or another, but Sala Thai's regulars seem to be a little rough around the edges. Aside from the women who work there or if we're there for a UYE, I've always been the only female in the place, and the youngest by about 20 years. Most of the other patrons were knocking back a cold one and playing pool, darts, or those bar-top computer games. Last time I was there, a small heated argument broke out and HPD graced us with their presence throughout my entire meal. So you might want to mentally prepare for this experience beforehand, just in case there's a little extra excitement. (5) *See my Note above: they do not take spice lightly. Medium spicy had my nose running & my eyes watering. Add spice with caution! (6) 2 Words: CHEAP. BEER. (7) I haven't been here any later than 5pm, and I don't think I would want to be here after the sun goes down. OTHERWISE, the food is phenomenal, the service is great & you will love bragging about this secret hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant to all of your friends! read more

Awesome Thai food in one of the last places I expected. Step aside Bangkok Chef; you've been pwned. Sala Thai won the first round of the Thai Food Challenge of Nu'uanu Avenue[1]. Pad Thai was very tasty, Spring Rolls were delicious (it's all about the sauce), and the Green Curry[2] with Chicken was fantastic--a must try. There was something odd about the Green Papaya Salad, though. I suspect one or two ingredients were inadvertently left out. As far as ambience... Bar...check Pool table...check Soft tip dart boards...check Hostesses? check, please. I recommend phoning in a take-out order if you're not into dive-ish bars. I actually hesitated for a few seconds after opening the front door[3]. I walked in and was treated to some of the best Thai food I've ever eaten. [1] This is an unofficial event that I just made up. [2] No panang or yellow curry. [3] Animals run away when they sense something is amiss; people, on the other hand, analyze the situation and proceed with reckless abandon. read more

I've definitely expanded my horizon when it comes to eating Thai food since I moved to Hawaii. It's a prevalent Asian cuisine on this island so I've had the opportunity to try dishes that I never ate back home. Sala Thai is a hidden gem. You could walk by it over and over again and never think to walk in. Its not a restaurant persay, rather a bar hence why you might miss it during the day time. I've been a few times and have only tried about 4-5 dishes. 3 are the same every time but they are so damn good that its a shame not to order them. 1. Spring rolls - by far the best I've had on the island. Not the least bit oily and great filling. 2. Pad thai - unlike many places it's not at all sweet so you might be thrown off but it has a bold flavor that is unique - and I'm guessing more authentic? 3. Crunch rice - OMG. this dish is amazing. The times I've had it, I couldn't stop serving my plate it was that good. Clumps of rice are deep fried (I think) to make it really crunchy - and then mixed with a variety of things from ginger, meat, and scallions to name a few. It's served cold so its a bit of a surprise at first but man it is a killer dish. I could just eat this for a couple meals. The prices are very reasonable for their generous portions. Order family style! read more

I will not lie. I love hostess bars. I think they are the best place for a single woman, like myself. Why, you ask. Simply because there are woman there who are working. I walk in and the women give me a crazy look. The men sitting there give me a look, wondering if I work there. I sit down and I don't get a hostess to ask me to buy her a drink. But the hostess will ask what do I want and they do it quickly. Simply because they want me out of there are quick as possible. The longer I occupy a table, the less time their hostesses get to make money. But the secret that these hostess bars have, especially the ones that sell food, is that they have the best food. They have to have good food, because everyone knows that the way to a man's heart is though his stomach. So even if you have the most beautiful hostesses but have crappy food, you won't last in business too long. But if you have really good food, you are sure to do well. Which is the case of Sala Thai. They have the best Thai food on this island. But don't go when the cook is too drunk because she won't cook when drunk. Then you're out of luck. You may as well as book a flight to Thailand to get some Thai food. Seriously, it's that good. And please buy the hostesses a drink when you're there. You're occupying precious space and they need to make money. Buy her drinkee!!! read more