Decided to try this gem of a place for take out for a group of friends and we were all utterly mind blown with how amazingly delicious it was. We ordered an assortment of different appetizers and mains and everything we had was beyond fantastic. The one thing I would say is that the photos on the online menu appeared MUCH smaller than the actual portions. My friends and I were all truly shocked with how much food we received (in a good way). But that concern somewhat went to the wayside when we first tasted everything, as we "ate the whole thing." We will definitely be ordering from here again! read more

This place is insanely good. I didn't plan on writing a yelp review so I didn't take any photos before I started eating unfortunately. I had the Purple Fries, Fried Chicken, Chili Shrimp with Watermelon, and the Drunken Noodles. I was blown away by the Purple Fries. They are french fries but with eggplant instead of potatoes. Whoever thought of that is a genius. You gotta try it. The chili shrimp with watermelon was unique and delicious. Both that and the purple fries surprised me, which is rare. The staff were extremely nice as well. Great service. All the food and drinks were top tier. read more

Sawaan Thai kitchen - Sorry for the empty plates. I wasn't planning on doing a Yelp review when I started eating, but was blown away so I changed my mind midway. - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for dinner with a friend and overall enjoyed my meal! The restaurant is cute and has plenty of seating. The menu is enormous and filled with things that all sounded amazing. I ended up getting the plant based lemongrass chicken, as I came here on meatless Monday. I definitely need to come back on a non-Monday to try some of the meat dishes, but my meal was still pretty good! Definitely a unique twist on Thai food, and I will definitely be back! read more

Sawaan Thai kitchen - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Some of my favorite Thai food in the city! Loved trying new dishes or spins on the classics I've loved. I went with a party of 6 - we got seated at their few large tables in the back (parties of 2-4 more ideal), but it wasn't too crowded on a week day. We ordered the Tofu Cloud, the Purple Fries (eggplant), the Drunken Heaven (drunken noodle flavors with instant thin noodles), the Dark Soy Dream (rice noodles), the Massaman Curry, and the Wok Greens. The appetizers were amazing - the Tofu Cloud had incredible texture - crunchy exterior with the softest tofu inside. I've never had anything like the eggplant fries - the eggplant was melt in your mouth and the crispy batter was deliciously sweet and salty. All the dishes had great flavor - the Drunken Heaven was packed with flavor and spice. The service was prompt and friendly. I'll warn that we asked for everything medium, and both the Drunken Heaven and Wok Greens were SPICY (due to some red chilies) while others were mild/medium. Delicious, but some roulette with how spicy the dishes turn out. The drink menu is very fun, with extensive loose leaf tea served in a cute mug / coaster. Excited to support this restaurant, the diverse menu, and its creativity! read more

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SERVICE 5/5!! They're so attentive and friendly!! They're also very accommodating to allergies. They gave desserts like a pandan bread and a cheesecake! Highly recommend for service and affordability! I made reservations for 13 people for 6:30PM on a Sunday for my birthday dinner. We were actually kinda late but I called ahead and they were super chill with pushing it back 30 minutes. We did family style and shared: - Purple Eggplant fries - (4/5 - $15) unique and perfectly salted/peppered but wished it was fried longer - Crab on rice - (4/5 - $25) full of crab and yummy - Green curry w/ pork + Massaman curry w/ chicken + Panang curry w/ beef (3.5/5) - Chicken was super well cooked but pork and beef were kinda rough to eat - Pad See Ew + Pad Thai - (3/5) noodles were too al dente and not enough flavors coming through (soy sauce/fish sauce) Overall, I would come back and try their other things! Their meat quality and noodles was kinda meh BUT everything else was yummy. For 13 people, it was $30ish per person which is amazing for a birthday dinner where everyone was full! read more

Sawaan Thai kitchen - Cheesecake - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My friends and I loved everything we ate at Sawaan! The well-designed menu features Thai dishes that I haven't seen at other restaurants. recs: avotum, chewy fried rice, sawaan wings price: ~$20-$30/person - Spicy Drunken Noodles: Noodles were a similar texture to Mi Goreng (yum) and topped with a protein of your choice (shrimp for us). At medium spicy, this was really solid, but some friends got hit with an extremely spicy pepper - Avotum: I'm a fan of sweet and savory + textual combos, and this fit the bill. This dish features avocados, nuts, and lychees that you wrap in lettuce and cucumber. Double-dipping in the sauce is a must. - Cloud Ring: Highly instagrammable and delicious, but fine to try just once - Chewy Fried Rice: Everyone loved this (and I liked it even better after adding the crunchy fried bits from the fried chicken dish). We ordered this with veg, but it also comes with your choice of protein. Dishes came out super fast, and service was attentive. We would totally come back to try other dishes here! read more

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Fun place to stop in and try. It wasn't busy when we arrived and got seated right away. Service was friendly and timely. We ordered the shrimp donut ring for an app and then green curry and lemongrass fish for mains. The donuts were filling and great. Nice crisp to the outside, a fun was to present and eat them, and dipping sauces were delish. Had a lil left over and threw it in the air fryer the next day and still delish. The green curry was tasty and love that it came with rice. We chose jasmine rice with one dish and sticky rice with the other. The curry was a bit thin in texture/sauce but still good. The lemongrass fish was flavorful but for some reason didn't think it would be fried. It was still good but probably would've preferred it more fresh or not fried. I'd come back to check out other dishes and a nice addition to the neighborhood! read more

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I got takeout from Sawaan the other day and thought it was worth a review! I got the panang curry and it was pretty solid, especially for eating it 30 minutes after it was made. The tofu wasn't my favorite, but the flavor of the curry was nice. The restaurant itself was lively, would love to come back and eat in house! read more

Food was so flavorful and delicious. The ambience is intimate and cute. Our server, Jamie, was very attentive and appreciate her thoughtful gesture as we were celebrating a birthday. Dessert was yummie too!! Definitely coming back for more! read more

Sawaan Thai kitchen - Crispy Tamarind Shrimp - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

Loved this spot for Thai food in the Mission! We came by for a late lunch and between 2 people shared the: - Cloud Ring: Crispy minced shrimp donuts with a panko coating, this was the dish I was most excited to try and it was so yummy! When I first saw the drawing on the menu, I thought they were onion rings at first but minced shrimp rings sounded so fun and they were very tasty with a nicely fried panko shell and super flavorful with the Thai dipping sauces on the side. - Papaya Salad: Made with shaved papaya, I enjoyed the tangy fermented fish sauce but texture wise I still prefer the traditional shredded green papaya for more of a crunchy texture - Tom Yum Hot Pot: Spicy and tangy tom yum soup with your choice of protein. We got shrimp with ours which was great and the hot pot serving pot kept the broth sizzling. - Crab Fried Rice: Really flavorful fried rice with crab meat, loved how fragrant and garlicy the rice is. I would come back just for this and a soup! I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant as it's fairly small and unassuming but the flavors are bold and I loved browsing the more unique dishes they have - really creative and fun! I'll definitely be back to try the other dishes off the menu and would definitely recommend if you're looking for a new restaurant to try. read more

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Cute Thai restaurant in the Mission district with a more unique menu and gives me NY vibes. It looks a bit small when you first enter, but there's more space in the back area. They gave us a 2-top but because the restaurant was half empty and we ordered way too much food for 2 people, they pushed two tables together in order to give us more space. We ordered the purple fries ($15), bamboo shoot somtum ($20), lemongrass catfish ($23), gravy noodles ($18), and the tom yum hot pot ($25). The purple fries is essentially strips of eggplant that are deep fried and drizzled with a sweet glaze. It's good for the first few bites, but is actually quite a large portion for 2 people and it would not have tasted good as leftovers. I would have preferred a smaller portion at a lower price point. Bamboo shoot somtum was one of my favorite dishes of the night. I don't typically see bamboo salads on the menu, and I only wish it was a bit spicier. Whenever we order "spicy" at a Thai restaurant, it never hits the way it would in Thailand. It also came with some lettuce and cucumber slices, so overall, was a very refreshing and light dish. The lemongrass catfish was another winner. We didn't realize it came with a side of rice, but were glad it did. The lemongrass was very fragrant and the fish was cooked well. The gravy noodles, basically rad na, was a bit too salty for us. We also added plant based beef for $5, but should have just stuck with tofu/veggies. It was not on par with what I expected, and was actually my least favorite rad na I've ever had. Would not get again. The tom yum soup wasn't spicy either even though we requested it to be a medium level. Usually the spice level builds, but we didn't feel the kick. It was also a bit difficult to spoon out given that the container was narrow and the spoon was a bit on the larger side. The soup was also more sweet than salty, which I found odd. It just generally didn't taste like the tom yum I'm familiar with, and again, not my favorite of the night. I also would probably not get again. With the exception of the purple fries, the portions are a bit small. Service was decent, especially since the space is sectioned out into the front half and back half. They have to keep eyes on both sides somehow. I did have to keep flagging them down to refill my water cup initially, but they were more on top of it midway. read more

I visited Sawaan a couple months ago now and I still remember the fondness I felt after leaving the meal. They are a new modern Thai restaurant with a fresh take on a thai cuisine menu and trendy decor. The staff here are so sweet and considerate. We ordered the tofu cloud, spicy drunken heaven, and the lemongrass catfish. The tofu cloud came with this thick and sweet peanut sauce. I enjoyed the aromatics in the drunken noodles. Our favorite was definitely the catfish. Make sure to eat everything while it is hot! You can taste the freshness in the catfish. Food is most important at a restaurant, yet I'd like to highlight how well decorated Sawaan is. They put a lot of effort in the design choices from the ceramics to the light fixtures to the menu. read more

Sawaan Thai kitchen - Decor - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Love the wave of modern Thai places popping up! We tried: - Som tum berry: thought the flavors sounded interesting, but for me it was way too strong of a shrimp/fish flavor unfortunately. It did say that it was bold though! - Tofu cloud: so fluffy and I loved the peanut sauce - Purple fries: yummy option and good seasoning/sauce, but not super crispy/a bit limp - Golden massaman: loved this one - tender chicken in a thick fragrant curry Not sure if this stood out for me among the other similar places in the city, but it was fun to try dishes with some creative twists! read more

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Amazing food, friendly service. The super zaap soup (northeastern tom zaap spicy and sour soup) with tendon was our favorite. Flavorful, spicy, fragrant, the tendon was super yummy, soft and well cooked. Medium spicy is spicy enough for us. Other dishes were great too, very generous serving of crab fried rice, I recommend replacing pad kee mao (drunken noodles) instant noodles with flat rice noodles. It comes with your peppercorn, generous serving of noodles to share. The pandan toast was steamed and it was nice and moist, the pandan sauce (sangkaya) is not too sweet. We got to try their piak poon (testing new menu) and it was amazing! They also have ube cheese cake special. Note that they only have one high chair for the restaurant but they also have a booster seat. The restaurant is small so I recommend making a reservation. Will be back! read more

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My best friends insisted I try this place . Though the name is quick unique it's appropriate. The staff are amazing and super helpful . I ordered the Massaman Chicken Curry . It was a Marcel of taste and balance and freshness . Every bite was exceptional . The red lime soda was super refreshing and lovely as well. The interior is delightful and fun, what's find. I can't wait to go back for more ! read more

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Came here recently because they had such a unique menu option. We tried the claw and chili dish, which reminded me a lot of crack sauce with raw crab. I love raw crab but it didn't hit the spot for me because I feel like it wasn't marinated for long. The raw shrimp shots has the same sauce and was very similar to the raw claw and chili. The heavenly papaya salad really stood out. I've never had papaya shaved this way before, and it had such a clean taste. The tamarind shrimp was hands down my favorite dish of the night. Crispy, sweet, and salty in the best way. Overall a cute spot with some unique flavors. read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for a while because of its selection of dishes that you don't typically see at other Thai restaurants. For a Saturday evening walk-in, we got seated at the counter by the entrance. We ordered the cloud rings, crispy tamarind, and golden massaman. The cloud rings looked intriguing and were plated in a fun, unique way. But honestly, we weren't that impressed by the actual flavors and regret ordering it. The crispy tamarind, similarly, was also very pretty in terms of presentation but wasn't that memorable in terms of taste. I didn't want to go back for more bites of it. Both the cloud rings and crispy tamarind were just average. Now, the star of the show and the one dish that will make us come back for more was the golden massaman. This curry dish was incredibly flavorful, and we were so impressed by how tender the chicken was. The chicken's slow braised, and the meat just simply falls right off the bone. I highly recommend getting the golden massaman here! read more

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Stopped by on a Friday night with an online reservation and we were seated without delay. Restaurant is small and warm. Flavors are bold, shrimp donuts are fun! Very solid Thai food, would certainly come back read more

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Great new Thai spot a few blocks away from Dolores Park. It's small but the food is fantastic and the service is great! They serve modern Thai food but still have all the classic Thai dishes everyone knows and loves. They have tables and counter seating. Great place for solo dining because the counter is quite long. I came for dinner on a Saturday with a party of 3. I made a reservation on Yelp ahead of time but probably would have been seated right away without. We ordered the purple fries (eggplant fries), the cloud rings (shrimp cake donuts), the golden massaman curry, and the tom kha ga. Everything was delicious! The eggplant fries and the shrimp cake donuts were perfectly crispy but not oily at all. They were very light for fried food! They were a great way to start the meal. The shrimp cake donuts were presented on a cuter holder and came with two sauces to dip them in. We also really enjoyed the massaman curry. The chicken was tender and the curry had a great depth of flavor. I would definitely come back to this restaurant and recommend it to friends! The service was also great, they were very attentive. read more

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The food is fire fire fire. Service was friendly and attentive, environment is casual and friendly, but the food is the star for sure. I was expecting to have the same Thai tastes I used to, but everything tasted so interesting. It scratched the Thai itch and also felt like a new experience. Strawberry salad was refreshing and umami at the same time with little fish throughout. The curry and noodles were great too; the proteins in particular stood out. The proteins were lean yet really tender. We were impressed by how expertly cooked everything was. Really yummy! This is a must try spot. Definitely come support this new business! read more

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A new gem just opened in the neighborhood last month and I'm already planning my next visit. This isn't your typical Thai place with the same three curries and pad Thai. The menu feels fresh and exciting, with dishes you don't often see. The star for me was the Claw & Chili, a Thai-style marinated raw crab. It's moderately spicy, so fair warning, but the sauce was so addictive I ended up soaking up every last drop. Tangy, a little fiery, and full of flavor, it kept me going back for "just one more bite" until my mouth was on fire. The purple fries were delicious too. They're actually eggplant fries (hence the name "purple" fries) which were crispy and flavorful, and even my friend who doesn't like fries enjoyed them. The golden massaman curry chicken was rich and comforting with a hint of sweetness and creaminess, and the chicken was so tender it literally fell off the bone. The most unique dish was Som Tum Berry, which was a strawberry salad tossed in dried shrimp, shrimp paste, crispy anchovies. It had a balance of savory, tangy, and sweet flavors which surprisingly tied together well. Service was just as awesome as the food. Everyone was friendly and quick to refill our waters, especially when my friends were dying from spice from the crab. This restaurant works just as well for hanging out with friends as it does for a casual date night. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Sawaan isn't your average fast-casual Thai spot--it goes beyond the usual papaya salad and pad Thai. I tried the Golden Massaman curry and Purple fries, and both dishes delivered a warm, comforting depth of flavor. The eggplant fries had a hint of sweetness that paired beautifully with the rich, gently spicy curry. Thoughtful touches like slow-cooked, tender chicken and the crunch of cashews elevated the experience. For dessert, the Lemon Glow macaron was a standout--it tasted just like a lemon bar wrapped in a delicate macaron shell. Bright, zesty, and the perfect finish to a flavorful meal. Service was fast. read more

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Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines, so when I saw a new restaurant pop up, I knew I had to try it. I made a reservation on Yelp for my party of 4, but it seemed like walk-ins were available for an early Friday evening around 6pm. One person in my party was running late, but we were able to get seated and order first so the food had all arrived by the time she joined us. We ordered a variety of dishes to eat family style: - Tom yum hot pot: This was one of the spiciest tom yum soups I've had, which was so delicious! We added shrimp as our protein, which was cooked to juicy perfection. Definitely recommend, and remember to ask for no cilantro if you're a fellow cilantro hater. - Cloud ring: I've never seen a dish like this, so of course we had to order it! The outside was crispy, while the shrimp filling was pretty light in flavor. It came with two sauces, and the sweet yellow sauce helped bring some flavor back. A fun appetizer to try but wouldn't necessarily order it again. - Hatyai crisp: This chicken was fried well on the outside while remaining tender and juicy inside. Can't go wrong with fried chicken! - Grilled tongue of the gods: Beef tongue is one of my favorite cuts of beef, and I really liked the char on the outside of each cube, though it didn't have a ton of flavor on its own without sauce. Our server recommended it medium well, but it came out more medium rare (which honestly is my preference anyways, but still). I do wish it was a bit more tender - slightly thinner/smaller cubes might help. - Dark soy dream: This was essentially a pad see ew, which was done well and the slices of beef were cooked perfectly tender, but it also didn't stand out from what you can get at other Thai restaurants. Service was attentive without being overly pushy. The restaurant is pretty cozy, but the noise level was good for conversation. Also the seats were really comfortable LOL. I liked how diverse the dishes were on the menu, so while I wasn't blown away by everything we ordered, I'd be willing to come back and try the rest of the menu. Definitely a good spot to try some nontraditional Thai dishes! read more

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It was cool C.lean A.ttentive T.asty S.tylish Will definitely come back. Close to 16th st BART as well. Easy to get to. read more

Sawaan Thai kitchen - Cloud shrimp donuts and tom yum soup. - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

Diner vibes with solid Thai food! The decor was very aesthetic with modern diner vibes. The perfect place for a first date (the table next to us was on a first date haha) or a casual catch up with friends. I highly recommend the tongue! It was so tender and had the best char flavor! The catfish is tasty too! Super juicy and tender on the inside, but saucy and crispy on the outside. Definitely pair it with rice! This is definitely a Thai restaurant you need to check out. read more

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Come again The dinner proration is big and good The pork chop is tender and juicy don't know how chef make it Good services and great portion will come again read more

Came here for dinner on a Sunday with 4 people and the food was amazing! I made a reservation in advance for 6:30 but probably could've been okay without one. It did get busy around 7:30 so just something to be mindful of. We ordered several items to share starting with the grill me softly (grilled beef), claw & chili, golden massaman curry with rice noodles, chewy fried rice with chicken, and the lemongrass fish. The fish was our favorite dish of the night, we got it spicy and it was so flavorful everyone loved it! All the food we ordered was so good and we cleared everything. Ended the meal with their marbled cheesecake which was ube flavored and we enjoyed that too. Overall an amazing Thai restaurant and we live so close it's definitely our new go to now! Definitely give this spot a try if you're craving Thai food. read more

This new spot in the Mission totally blew us away! Hubby and I ordered the purple fries (eggplant fries), Sawaan strings (marinated pork jerky), green curry, and the hot pink pot. I would order every dish again. Eggplant fries - perfectly crispy and paired with a savory sauce. I loved that the sauce wasn't too sweet Marintaed pork jerky - wasn't too chewy (it's jerky) and was perfectly paired with a spicy umami sauce. This was one of my favorite dishes. Green curry w/beef - savory but well balanced with sweetness and a beautiful aroma. It came with bamboo shoots that didn't look like it came from a can. Hot pink pot - tangy broth with flat rice noodles and plenty of seafood. I'm a sucker for noodle soup and this totally hit the spot. Amazing food and great service. We can't wait to come back and try their other dishes. read more

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The new Thai restaurant in Mission area, it is so different than other Thai restaurants I've tried in the city. The food is authentic and flavorful in a modern way. Great interior and the vibes are so cute. They just opened a fee weeks and their foods are bold. Service and atmosphere inside the restaurant is also amazing. Will definitely be back. Small note, love their desserts so much read more

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This place is soooo good! As a Thai person, I'm usually picky with Thai food, but everything here was amazing. We had the crab fried rice--there was so much crab, I could barely see the rice (in the best way ). The Golden Massaman tasted just like the ones back home in Thailand so rich and flavorful. The Shrimpy Hug wasn't oily at all, and my daughter loved it. The Heavenly String Pork was really tasty too - savory, and super satisfying. We ended the meal with the Cloud Jelly which was light, refreshing, and so yummy. What I really appreciated was the little details they even have their logo on the cutlery and plates, which was such a nice touch. You can tell they care about everything they do. Definitely coming back! read more

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HIGHLY recommended! This Thai restaurant takes the place of a former favorite ramen place and wow, does it make me happy. With an expansive variety of creative dishes, I had a very hard time deciding what to pick. Eventually landing on the Watermelon Chili Shrimp, I may have just found my new favorite dish. Delicious and inventive dishes and attentive service, so I look forward to a repeat of this visit. read more

One of my new favorite restaurants in the bay! Everything we had was 10/10. The service was also lovely (attentive but not disruptive). We had the cloud ring, golden massaman chicken curry, and spicy drunken heaven. Ambiance was warm with holiday decorations and they have the comfiest chairs! Can't wait to come back and try more things. read more

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This was such a fun dining experience, it feels like a hidden gem. I felt all the care and attention the owners put into crafting the ambience really shined through. The dishware, the lighting, and even the holiday decorations made the restaurant feel really cozy and festive. And the servers are really attentive, I think the actual owners work inside the restaurant so you get to see them at work. And everyone is really nice The portions are really big so I'd recommend coming with a friend so you guys can share family style. I got the shrimp donut ( I forget what it's called on the menu, something cloud, I think) and that alone could have easily filled me up. The Khao Soi was served in a gigantic bowl and could have fed another person as well. I will say the menu doesn't list a ton of ingredients so if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies I would ask because the food descriptions are pretty minimal. read more

Sawaan Thai kitchen - Front: Khao Soi Back: Shrimp Donut - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

good super zaap soup n papaya salad n green curry. v light meal as takeout. might try again but dine in

just a nice neighborhood find on yelp! great presentation (from the water pitchers to the cups for the Thai tea etc), and the food was flavorful with a little kick to each one! read more

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Came here for lunch because I wanted to test out the new Thai place by my house. I ordered the panang curry with grilled beef. I thought the flavor of the curry was delicious and balanced. I did find the beef to be somewhat forgettable though. It didn't taste grilled at all. I was expecting there to be some char on it, but that was absent. Also the quality of it tasted kind of mids and I didn't find it to be exceptionally well seasoned either. The curry broth did all of the heavy lifting on this dish. Also, they served the rice on a totally separate plate and found it awkward to get the curry onto the rice and vice versa. read more

Can a Thai restaurant be traditional and innovative at the same time? Answer: yes! And it's delicious! read more

Service was friendly and quick, food was delicious and not the usual American-Thai fare, space was perfectly fine, almost too casual for the good quality food coming out of the kitchen. Get the donuts. read more

Delicious and great spot if you love spice. The massaman chicken curry was so good; tender thigh meat and incredible flavor. The dish was covered in fresno chilis. The lemongrass fish was very flavorful, with tons of garlic. The one miss was a special noodle menu item that was made with ramen noodles. Flavors were still good and there were lots of vegetables, but we were a little disappointed by the noodles used in this dish. This spot also has great vibes, great style, and they're clearly making an effort at achieving this good ambiance. The music sounded a bit like Eurohouse, the decor is funky. I can't wait to come back and try more of their dishes! read more

Overpriced but okay. 15 dollars for half a a block of fried tofu is insane. Avoid the cloud tofu All the plant based meat isn't worth the upcharge. 5 dollars for a handful of impossible steak bites is lousy. AND YOUR THAI BEER IS SERVED IN A NOVELTY PARTY CUP. COULDNT HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A 6oz POUR. RIPOFF Not really worth it read more