Do not sleep on the coconut ice cream!!! The BEST I've ever had!!! The atmosphere was adorable!! Food was amazing

This Thai place is aboveground in a splendid brick building. I got a seat near the window. The various menus I searched through online were a little unclear, but their current one at the time of my visit offered ample detail on vegetarian/vegan items, of which there were plenty. I sampled a crispy rice salad and some drunken noodles, expecting to eat about half of each. The salad was fantastic, with the light texture of the crispy rice allowing the aroma of lime, chili, and various other flavors to percolate through it. I asked them to hit me with the full spice level for my drunken noodles, and they were venomous, even once I had gotten used to them. The people were preparing some spice trays to be used for ad hoc seasoning, but I had no need of any further chili. A Thai iced tea with lychee I thought was going to be a milk tea, as the term Thai iced tea normally connotes, but it was in fact just tea with fruit. Still good though, and it came with one full lychee. Some of the other people eating around me noted that they planned on leftovers and instead ate everything they got, a comment that the portions aren't huge but also that the flavors are captivating. I finished mine too. read more

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Curry puffs were amazing! Perfectly crispy, flaky, and tasty. 10 out of 5 stars for these puffs for sure! The papaya salad was okay though, not very memorable in terms of flavor or spiciness. The restaurant said the spiciness level for the papaya salad was medium, but my partner (who is sensitive to spicy food) and I thought it wasn't spicy at all... Good service. Space felt a bit cramped, but the ambiance was cute and colorful. read more

You know, I REALLY did NOT want to get dinner at Sampanee. My first - and only other - meal there was underwhelming to say the least (read my other review of this mediocre restaurant). But we didn't want to cook and, to be honest, this place is close enough to walk to that I could not resist. So, I reluctantly agreed to try it again and get an easy fast meal. Plus, we planned to pick up the food and eat it at home so I wouldn't have to put up with the dusty, dated dining room. So, I thought, how bad could it be??? Well, after several days of reflecting on the meal, I can honestly say that Sampanee is simply not a good restaurant. The food just barely hits the "acceptable" level. Don't get me wrong - I ate my food. In fact, I ate all of it. The food did not make me sick, did not make me wretch and I did not find a curly hair in my pad see ew. Those are the good points. The bad points? The food lacked flavor. Everything tasted the same. There was little depth, no complexity, nothing that makes me want it again. As a starter, I had the chicken gyoza. I will eat my hat if there was any chicken in there. It was cabbage, lots of cabbage, all cabbage and seemingly nothing else. The flavor? Cooked cabbage and less cooked cabbage. Nothing else. Thank God there was the sweetened soy sauce because, if not for it, the dumplings would have tasted just like the cooking oil. The pad see ew was likewise flavorless. I could not tell if that was chicken in my mouth or noodles. To be fair, the broccoli was fresh and crispy. But, other than the broccoli, this dish is forgettable. None of the tangy, sweet/savory balance that so many other Thai restaurants churn out every day. Here is what I will NEVER forget again - there is no reason for me to go back to Sampanee, I don't care how close the restaurant is. I don't care how tired I am. I need to remember my reactions to the restaurants I have gone to and - very importantly - I need to remember my reviews of these restaurants before I go back. I did not like Sampanee and, after this 2nd try, I still don't like it. I feel like I wasted calories and that, my friends, is 100% on me because I knew BEFORE I ordered that I did not like this restaurant! Do I need to say that I do NOT recommend Sampanee to anyone? Probably not but I will. I do not recommend this restaurant. I really do not understand how the ratings for this place are as good as they are. Maybe they are from people who, like me, have forgotten how mediocre the food actually was to them. read more

I wasn't sure what to expect from Thai food in DC, but this place pleasantly surprised me. Every dish we ordered was flavorful and satisfying, and everyone at the table left happy. The decor was adorable and created a cozy, inviting atmosphere. My kids especially loved the hanging parasols. read more

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The food was delicious and the service was excellent. It was absolutely worth the visit. % read more

Sampannee Thai - Mixed vegetarian plate. - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I stopped by here with some friends on a rainy Saturday and we loved this place. When you first walk in the floral decor on the walls definitely stand out. The seats were extra comfy with the pillows and I couldn't stop looking at the decorative umbrellas hanging from the ceiling. The food here is authentic and delicious. We ordered everything from tofu Tom yum, Khao Soi beef, red curry, tofu stir fry and pad thai. We loved all of the dishes and how much flavor was in each one. Each of the soups had the right amount of shrimp paste or coconut milk. FYI the hot pot dishes are huge and meant for 2-4 people. The servers here were attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Our appetizers and entrees came out quickly. The menu is extensive and they feature a lot of vegetarian options. Even with a fairly packed restaurant our large party of 6 sat comfortably. Don't forget to use yelp to make resys. I will definitely be back to try some of their other traditional items and the seafood dishes! read more

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Wow!!! Some of the best Thai I've had in a while. Ordered the tonkatsu khao soi and absolutely loved it -- the soup/sauce base was creamy and reminiscent of a nutty coconut curry, pairing well with the noodles and tonkatsu and veggie garnish. Enjoyed nibbling on the fried dough strands as well. The mamuang sip cocktail was refreshing and deceptively strong, with a mild coconut and mango flavor covering up the taste of rum. We had a pretty large group, and the staff were all so accommodating and got all our orders right. A reservation was made ahead of time, and they were able to clear a part in the modest sized space for all of us. Cozy space with indoor seating only. read more

Sampannee Thai - Tonkatsu Khao Soi (bottom), Mamuang Sip (top, drink) - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cute cozy Thai restaurant on P Street with traditional fare. To get there one has to walk to 2 flights of stairs. Staff members are on pointe. Water was refilled often and menu questions were answered professionally. Everything we had was excellent . The vegetable curry puffs were crispy and flaky, stuffed with potatoes and veggies flavored with a yellow curry. The green curry with tofu was also very spicy and flavorful (portion was generous). The Thai fried rice with pineapple was very yummy as well, something I normally don't order. The pineapple chunks stir fried added some sweetness to the rice dish, but it was subtle and balanced. read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai Fried Rice - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

F O O D The food here is remarkable! We each tried something different - Pad Thai, Thai Fried Rice, and Khao Soi Chicken, and our appetizer was Steamed Dumplings! All of it was soooo delicious! Can't say enough about the umami! The Thai Iced Tea was my absolute favorite! Would come back just for that! S E R V I C E Our server was the absolute best! She had us refills before we knew we needed refills... she was so kind, polite, friendly, and her service was phenomenal! A T M O S P H E R E The inside of this Thai shop is soooo cute and well decorated! You feel instantly transported when you step inside! It is not entirely accessible though. To get up in this shop you have to go up two sets of stairs. read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai Fried Rice - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Take the stairs up, and the restaurant will be on your right. Tried the pad thai, drunken noodles, and duck rolls. This was best Thai food I've had in a while. We enjoyed everything we got- flavorful and delicious. read more

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Had dinner with friends on Saturday at Sampannee. Place is cute. It is located in DuPont Circle side of town right on P Street. Ordered Pad Thai with shrimp. The serving size is big and you can share one order with two people. I also ordered the Tom Yum Kha which is coconut based soup slightly spicey. For dessert. I highly recommend the Thai Ice tea and sticky rice with mango as well as the taro custard. Highly recommend! read more

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This is a very cute place in DuPont Circle. We first went there two years ago when it was newly opened. And came here again for lunch today. The service is amazing and the ambiance is very cozy. Here is what I've tried here: - Curry puffs - these are vegetarian and yummy. - Massaman Curry - the curry is absolutely delicious. The tofu was very dry. - Roti - my son got a side of roti and loved it. Can't wait to try the other dishes here. The food quality is very good and I highly recommend it. read more

Sampannee Thai - Veggie Curry Puff - yummy. - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Placed a to go order of Pad Thai, Pad Sew Ew, and Spring Rolls. I thought the price was extremely reasonable. The food was quickly prepared and delivered by a delivery service facilitated by the restaurant. I have to say that this is some of the best Thai I have had in ages. I was able to get two meals out of each order. What a great random find! read more

Food, decor and service were amazing. I'd go to DuPont just for this spot. Prices also reasonable for DC. read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I have nothing bad to say about this place whatsoever! The service was amazing because not only did i get sang happy birthday once, but TWICE! Everyone made it a mission to make me feel insanely special so I'm entirely grateful for the staff (and customers) greeting as well as complimenting me all night. The drinks 10/10: The Empress Lychee- Think of a Lychee Martini with an insanely smooth flavor and notes. read more

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I had an unconventional thanksgiving, and Sampannee helped make this happen! My friend and I had the crispy tom yum wings while I had the pad Thai. It was delicious and filling! I'll definitely be coming back here read more

top notch experience here. it's a cozy spot on p street, off of the circle, and i've really never been disappointed with my food here. from the curries to the stir fry's-- the quality remains consistent and delicious. the service is usually pretty good. they get quite busy but defintely do their best to get around to everyone in a timely manner. this will definitely remain one of my go-to spots! read more

My husband chose Thai for his birthday so we came down with a call ahead reservation at 7 pm on a Thursday night. They were packed and hadn't set the table for 7, but 6 and we had to squeeze in another seat, but it worked. The food was SOOOO GOOD. So good in fact , that the fact that there were only two servers and a bartender working the restaurant -who I had to harass for lack of a better word to expedite service (it was a school night) -did not really register or concern me. We brought our own cake and they kindly added the candles, lit them and brought it over- I'm not even sure there was a cake cutting fee but if there was it was worth it. Everyone had food they really enjoyed and I can just say the one thing I did not try was the pad Thai, so I'll be back to try it! The only downside side is the slow service, which isn't an issue for grown folks or if you're on a date. They did bring our food out one entree at a time, which was also ... odd, but it kind of fit everything else going on. Not fine dining by any stretch, but solid Thai food in a beautifully decorated space with efficient and pleasant, if slow, service. Overall we enjoyed the food, the ambiance was lovely and we still got home before 9 so 8/10! read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai fried rice - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I really enjoyed this place. The kind waitress/manager helped me choose a dish and dessert. I had the pork curry medium spice and for dessert I had the flan. The pork was tender and the flavor of the sauce was tasty. It was spicy but had a little sweetness to it. The flan with cut mangos was delicious, The people working were so nice and I will eat here again before heading back home. read more

Sampannee Thai - Flan - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is my FAVORITE Thai place. I've been looking for the authentic and good Thai place and this is it!! Duck roll was a bit doughy and questionable but it was still ok-good. Mango sticky rice was also more visually pleasing than tasty. Don't get me wrong. It was good. But not as good as other food. But for the other food? I ABSOLUTELY loved it. Place itself is cute and cozy. And service was quite good as well. Honestly food was too good to notice. But if the other part wasn't satisfying, I know I wouldn't enjoy the food as much as I did. And I will come back to this place to try other food. I'm not a fried rice person but I took the other Yelper's recommendation and I really loved it. Writing this review makes me hungry by thinking of their food. Maybe I will go get other food again soon. :P read more

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The curry was ACTUALLY spicy. There was a kick to it which I loved. Thai tea is good as always and the service was great. They were a little backed up in the kitchen that day and I appreciated their quick communication. Enjoyed my visit! read more

Sampannee Thai - Panang Curry - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Good food, our server was a little slow and was not super knowledgeable about portion sizes but besides that - cute space. Parking was a little hard to find around. read more

Delicious flavorful Penang Curry with fried tofu. The lunch special comes with 2 spring rolls or salad with a choice from a dozen entrees for $16 was a steal! It was a bit surprising that I was the only customer for lunch. I enjoyed the Penang Curry with fried tofu along with 2 crispy ceggie spring rolls. The curry was flavorful with a mild spicy kick that wasn't overpowering. I felt like the ratio of tofu/curry was a bit off as there was a lot of tofu, and wish there was more curry! The Empress Lychee Martini was fun to try with purple gin infused pea flowers. There were a couple of alcohols infused with herbs. The cocktail was the same price as the lunch special! The decor is quite kitschy with Chinese umbrellas on the ceiling and the walls adorning fake colorful flowers. The restaurant is up a short flight of stairs in a row home and don't recommend strollers. There are good happy hour specials on apps and cocktails and would come back for them when I'm in the area! read more

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Amazing customer service! Our server was nice, constantly checked in on my party and gave us plenty of water throughout our dinner. The food was excellent, my party got all kinds of dishes and they all loved the food. I got chicken pad Thai which was amazing! Very clean place and the ambiance was incredible! The service, food, and place was a 10/10! read more

Sampannee Thai - Chicken Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Sampanee was one of the best Thai meals that we have been to in a long time! Everything was delicious. The service was good. We were seated pretty quickly. The restaurant decor is colorful and bright. Very lively! The food was incredible. The flavor and spice were on point! We have since told our friends about this great Thai restaurant! A must try in Dupont. read more

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This place is a feast for the eyes and belly! The decor and feel of the restaurant are fun and feels like what Instagram dreams are made of. The staff were super nice, gave plenty of recommendations, and worked with us on some dietary restrictions. We ordered a few of the appetizers (all of which were devoured before I could take pictures of them) and were impressed. The portions for our mains were very good and so were the flavors. read more

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We had a great date night oit at this reataurant a few nights ago. They usually take reaervations, bit onnthis night we were lucky enoughbto get a table at around 7:30pm. We were greeted with a friendly smile and led dorectlybto a table inbabprivate corner of the reataurant. Their menu has a lot and after checking it out I decided on the Roasted Duck Curry and she was more in the mood for Pad Thai. It was relaxing, and we were abke to have a great converationnwithout a lot of noise or interruptions. We appreciated ourbServer's kindness and hospitality. read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Best Thai restaurant in the DMV! We loved everything and will definitely be back. Prompt, friendly service and instagram worthy decor. Hello 911 (cocktail): 10/10. Soooo cute and not spicy at all. Tom Ka Soup: 10/10. The best Tom Ka soup I've ever had! It's savory yet a little sweet and has a ton of flavor. Drunken Noodle: 8/10. The noodles are a little weird but this dish was so tasty! Panang Curry: 9/10. Rich in flavor and goes great over rice. Pad Thai Tom Yum. 7/10. This was my least favorite dish because it tastes like they dumped a seasoning packet on it. I look forward to trying the regular pad Thai next time. Roti: 8/10. Can't go wrong with roti but it would better if it was a little crispier! Mango sticky rice: 10/10. The presentation is lovely and we couldn't get enough of the coconut cream sauce. Coconut ice cream: 10/10. Very refreshing! Mix it with the mango sticky rice for an even better dessert experience! read more

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I met my son and his girlfriend here for dinner since the menu included a range of vegan, vegetarian and most importantly gluten free items. Both my son and I have Celiac disease. We carefully selected items that either were GF or could be made GF, per the menu. We also made it clear to the waitress that the two entrees we chose to be shared by the three of us needed to be gluten free. They were not. My son threw up afterwards and my stomach is also revolting today. The food was tasty, albeit prepared incorrectly, and the atmosphere was nice. Sadly I won't be returning. And if you have food allergies I would recommend eating elsewhere. read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Fine Thai food, but nothing special. Service was great and the inside of the restaurant was cute too! read more

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Great service, amazing atmosphere, awesome service, and more... If you've read any of my previous reviews, I have a unique set of standards I follow, including giving a place three chances before making a review. Well it occurred to me, when traveling, that may not apply the same, as I may only visit a place once. So here's an abbreviated version of my standard reviews. Atmosphere - You walk up a set of stairs, careful if wet, into an apartment like greystone with an annoying beeping noise in the hallway, but don't let that stop you. Once you ever the restaurant the entire atmosphere shifts. You're met with beautiful decor, soft music, nice videos of Thailand, and a pleasant serving staff. The lighting is ideal for this type of establishment. Service - The servers were prompt to seat me, albeit they assumed I was only one, but I guess I'm used to Vermont where it's more rare to dine alone than in the city. The server i had was attentive, refilling my water, taking a drink off the tab that I didn't like, and always offering a smile. A few other servers stopped by a few times to take away straw wrappers and refill my water, which was definitely a nice touch. The Food! - I've dined at Thai places in NYC, Boston, Worcester Area MA, and Vermont, including one in VT that is owned by a guy who used to run a 400 seat place in Thailand. My best way of judging a place is to judge the cook on the meat and the mouth feel, as well as flavors. So I thought I'd challenge things and order pork Pad See Eww and I gotta say I wasn't disappointed! The pork was tender and moist, not chewy, and flavored perfectly. I would have preferred to noodles be a little more al'dente, but overall the flavor was executed perfectly. Overall I gave this place 5 stars for quality of service, amazing flavor and execution of the food, and, while I'd prefer it to be a more restaurantee' location, It didn't fail to impress what they did with an otherwise residential flat. Well done. read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Between work and school, I hardly have the time to dine in. UberEats has been holding me down. Expensive at times but I have to eat? ‍ I will say the Thai beef fried rice here is probably one of the fried rice dishes I've had and in a long time. The beef is tender, and has just enough seasoning. The rice was soft and there were just the right amount of onions. Like I couldn't stop stuffing my face. I also ordered spring rolls (comes with four) and they were really good. I would say one of the only issues is that it's pretty pricey. I think I want to place an order now so ttyl! read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai Fried Rice - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Gorgeous restaurant with beautiful interior decor, also amazing customer service. Everyone was happy, conversational and gave good recommendations. I got the duck curry with steam veggies and it was delicious: well flavored, spice was perfect and duck was cooked to perfection. Would highly recommend. read more

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Cute Thai place with familiarly eclectic decor and homey service. I came here for a spontaneous weeknight dinner to catch up with a friend in Dupont and getting a res was easy. I got my usual drunken noodles and they were fine. Overall, good experience. read more

Sampannee Thai - Drunken Noodle - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Placed a weekday order through DoorDash for Spicy Basil Fried Rice, Chicken Pad See Ew, Spring Rolls, & Spicy Massaman Curry. The food was delivered hot which was a massive plus! The portions were sizable and perfect for sharing. The to-go containers are also high quality without any leakage and the ability to reuse. Pros: Everything was delicious with high quality ingredients, especially the basil fried rice! No dish was too oily and everything was fresh. I had mixed feelings about paying $9 for (1) spring roll order so I was thrilled to see 4 thick, beautifully fried pieces. It's hard to pick a favorite dish but they each were amazing with chicken as my chosen protein. Cons: (1) The spice level was very inconsistent. I ordered the Massaman spicy and it delivered a hefty (but manageable) kick; the noodles and rice were meant to be medium spicy were incredibly mild. (2) The tofu was terrible, the texture was inconsistent bite to bite and was the number one disappointment. I hate bashing tofu because I wish more folks would try and enjoy it, but I would absolutely not recommend this dish with tofu to anyone. Next time I'll try a dish without fried tofu or a dry dish (vs a curry). Truly impressed and can't wait to try Sampannee again! read more

Sampannee Thai - DoorDash Receipt - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We found this place on a whim and tried their special pad thai tom yum, which was spicy! It was really interesting to try this type of pad thai. It is a shame I can't tolerate spicy food because I would have loved to eat this whole plate. We tried their pad see ew, which was standard. Not bad but not the best I have had. The stand out was the mango sticky rice. It was beautifully presented and the sticky rice was on point. read more

Sampannee Thai - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The inside is so well decorated! It was a fun vibe and I loved the decor. I started with a Thai iced tea and we shared an order of the egg rolls which were really good! I loved the sauce it came with as well. I ordered the pad see ew with chicken for my entree. It wasn't bad, but also not the best I've had. The service was great and we had people checking on us regularly. Overall it's a cute spot! read more

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Managed to get online reservations for 8;30pm seating. Arrived at 8:10pm, but had to wait for 15-20 minutes for our table to open up. Finally sat down and had a delicious meal: 1) drunken noodle with pork - noodles were a bit soggy but flavors spot on 2) pad see ew with chicken - toddler loved this dish 3) green curry with shrimp - kid loved this dish 4) red curry with roast duck - tasty especially the pineapple used 5) mango sticky rice for dessert - yum 6) 1 extra bowl of rice Husband raved about this place and would recommend to others! He said it's one of the top Thai restaurants he's been to in the USA! Super crowded inside. read more

Great experience Vegan options Inviting space Spicy choices :) Fast service Plenty of water - they give you a carafe Will come again!! read more

Sampannee Thai - Ginger vegetable stir fry - Thai Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia