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    Sawasdee

    4.1 (541 reviews)
    ModerateThai
    Open • 11:00 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Sawasdee Takeout or Delivery

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    SAWASDEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Sawasdee

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    Red curry chicken.  Delicious!
    Tim L.

    Amazingly great red curry! We used to go to My Thai Beach in Capitola until they changed ownership and recipes. So, so glad we tried Sawasdee a new, for us, Thai place. No question...this is now our go-to place for Thai. Had the lunch special red curry chicken. Sooooo good! Wifey had chicken gad ka prow. Good but not nearly as great as my curry.

    Chung-Mi J.

    This was a last minute reservation, but they were able to accommodate us. Their Thai food was really good and fresh. They're in large portions so they're meant to be shared. The restaurant is a great spot for family dinners, with friendly staff and enough seating for large gatherings.

    Thai tea Thai, Iced Coffee
    Marijose G.

    The food was so delicious, truly a craving satisfying meal! The small chicken wonton soup in clay pot soup was the perfect warm starter, and the noodles were perfect to share and take home for lunch! The mango sweet rice was conconutty, creamy and refreshing mango topped! The crew were helpful and attentive, making sure our waters were filled. Thank you again! --- La comida estaba tan deliciosa, ¡realmente una comida satisfactoria! La pequeña sopa de wonton de pollo en sopa de olla de barro fue el entrante caliente perfecto, ¡y los fideos eran perfectos para compartir y llevar a casa para el almuerzo! ¡El arroz dulce de mango era conconutty, cremoso y refrescante cubierto con mango! La tripulación fue servicial y atenta, asegurándose de que nuestras aguas estuvieran llenas. ¡Gracias de nuevo!

    Menu
    Stacie N.

    My family of 4 came were in the area after exploring Henry Cowell State Park and per Yelp reviews. It's a cute blue house independent of its own with a very small parking lot. The inside is decorated with alot of Thai culture influence. We arrived at almost 2ish pm and there were already a few tables occupied. We were quickly assisted by Apple and sat in the corner of the restaurant. The menu is large so we pretty much stuck to what we know. We ordered the following: 1. Papaya salad: Very flavorful and refreshing w/ a very tangy dressing. The papaya was fresh as it was very crunchy. 2. Fried Calamari: This dish was good and it cut differently in little squares. The batter gave it a good crisp and the squid seems fresh with a good crunch. It came with 2 sauces, a tartar sauce and a zesty sweet and sour. We prefered the tartar sauce as the other sauce was too sweet. 3. Chicken satay w/ side of rice for my 10 yrs old son. He ate most of the satay on his own. The chicken was very flavorful and moist for it being white meat. It came with a mini pickled salad of chopped cucumbers, onions, etc and a thick peanut sauce with a slight kick of spice to to dip the chicken. 4. Chicken red curry: Very good when you eat it on its own but light in flavorwhen you eat it over rice. There's a good kick to the curry. I also added some chili oil to spice it up a little. 5. Shrimp Pad Thai: This dish came out a little saucey but as the dish cooled down the sauce thickened a bit. A little too sweet for me but adding the chili oil helped bring the sweetness down a bit and add a spicier kick to each bite for me as I enjoy spicy food. The noodles were cooked perfect, chewey and not overcooked. Came with alot of shrimps (9) and a few pieces of tofu. 6. Fried bananas w/ coconut ice cream with peanuts an a mint garnished on top: My 10 years old literally ate this on his own and left us 1 piece of fried banana and some icecream. The fried bananas were small bites and was delish while the coconute icecream was light and tasted like shaved icecream. Yummy dessert! (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture as my son was excires to eat it.) Overall, the food was good and the service was exceptional. Water was refilled without us asking and dirty dishes were taken away as needed. Will definitely return to try other menu items when we are in the area.

    Massaman Curry
    Sage A.

    Absolutely delicious thai food at Sawasdee. The portions are huge and the prices are affordable without sacrificing the quality of ingredients! Now I know why they are award-winning in Santa Cruz county. The service was spectacular and the ambience of the place was very nice. Parking is limited and sometimes hard to find during peak hours, but that no fault to Sawasdee.

    Pumpkin Red Thai curry with shrimp and chicken and Garlic Basil Chicken and Shrimp.
    Marla W.

    This is a cute Thai restaurant that played some good old rock 'n' roll music. The food was tasty, hot, and just as spicy as we like it. The Thai iced tea was perfect. Service was very good. I have a few complaints. We were not offered a big bowl of rice at one set price. They kept charging us three dollars per bowl. We ended up needing three bowls. Why not just ask us how much we'll need upfront. They also charge extra for certain things and not tell you you're going to be charged extra. Five dollars for two pieces of shrimp on my spring rolls. Three dollars for about five pieces of mushrooms added to my basil, chicken and shrimp. We really did enjoy our dinner after all.

    Devil Duck
    Qiuyuan Z.

    Papaya salad medium spicy was the perfect cute amount of spice - super refreshing and delicious. Would not recommend the devil duck that the staff recommended - too gamey for my taste and it was hard going down. The Santa Cruz mountains white wine was light and smooth, and the restaurant gave us four spring rolls and peanut sauce for it being our first time eating there!

    Amruta D.

    We came to this place with very hungry appetite, luckily food was very good. Tom Kha soup, Pad kee mau noodles, yellow curry was yummy. Everything was mild spicy , you can adjust spices with extra hot sauces on the side. I want to give one special star for the owner. What a wonderful host ! He made us feel at home and even gave my daughter a cute little xmas gift. A small good deed goes long way. Our best wishes !

    Huge Crab Rolls~Cream Cheese+Real Crab Meat! Terrific! 12.95@Sawasdee Thai! Soquel CA Sat 3/1/25
    Grey R.

    Sawasdee Thai! Soquel CA Sat 3/1/25 Saturday night dinner choice after cocktails at Bittersweet! Santa Cruz Sentinel 2024 Readers Choice! © Voted Best Thai Restaurant! On a late Saturday night ~ late for a small town ~ we scrambled to find an open restaurant for dinner. Thai Cuisine with shared dishes could satisfy our party! From Bangkok streets to coastal shore, Thai food's a love we can't ignore! As you enter a house-like building on Soquel Dr, first thing you might notice is the banner ad! Does it hold value? I believe! Classic Thai decor with a hint of nostalgia! Sony what? A woofer? A DVD player? :-) Thai Coconut Soup Tom Kha Kai comes out with fire! Excellent! Large Fire-Pot serves 4-5 people! That's when I'm not present:-) With me, it's barely enough for two LOLz! Hot and sour Tom Kha coconut milk soup, the most delicious broth with Chicken, onion, mushrooms, celery, lemon grass, kaffir leaves and galanga! Duck Curry is so flavorful your brains would explode! Well, that's my brains & after asking for hot spicy sauce & shocking the owner by adding half a jar to my portion LOLz! I've got to sweat with my food, to make it good! :-) Red curry, rainbow of bell peppers, red, orange & green, pineapple, sautéed onions & carrots, this mix is amazing indeed! Did I say duck? Mouthwatering! Duck Curry ~ Roast duck with red curry, coconut milk, tomato, pineapple, bell pepper & Thai basil! House Dumplings are alike complex dim sum dish, with meat ball centers & surrounded by thin dough, half fried half sautéed? I can't tell! The official version describes them as steamed pork and shrimp wrapped with wonton skins! Drunken Noodles Pad Khee Mao, with added shrimp, drunken with veggie medley of colorful bell peppers, zucchini, green beans, onions, carrots, and juices! Pad Khee Mao (Drunken Noodles) ~ Wide rice noodles with chili, string beans, bell pepper, zucchini, carrot, bean sprouts and basil. Crab Rolls ~ very unique! I'm used to crab Rangoons, small bite-size finger food... these rolls are huge, deep fried thin flakey dough that hosts cream cheese & real crab meat stuffing! Served with homemade sweet & sour sauce! On to the BBQ chicken that I try at all Thai restaurants where it's offered. Rarely do I find this dish made to my specifications, but it's a very personal preference & I'm not going to hold it against Sawasdee. My ideal imaginable Thai BBQ Chicken is a half or two quarters of chicken, marinated and glazed, with skin, BBQ'd to perfection & served with the Tamarind sauce & veggies. This version here is more common, sliced cubed whiter meat grilled pieces. Just not it. I won't lower my rating. It's still tasty! Just different. I will come here again in a heartbeat! *In a bowl of spice and rice, Thai food's a flavor paradise! Curry, hot and oh so sweet, Lemongrass and basil meet! [ Review #832 w 10 pic Mar 18, 2025 ] Huge Crab Rolls~Cream Cheese+Real Crab Meat! Terrific! 12.95 House Dumplings! Pork+shrimp wontons! 12.95 Excellent! Tom Kha Kai~Thai Coconut Soup Chicken~Comes in Large Fire-Pot! 17.95 Pad Khee Mao~Drunken Noodles+Shrimp! 15.95+3 Duck Curry! Amazing! 19.95 BBQ Chicken! Great but not my fave! 16.95 x3 Steamed Rice 9 Thai Iced Tea! 4.95 Decor! Classic Thai decor with a hint of nostalgia! Sony what? A woofer? A DVD player?:) Our server Keasler U! @Sawasdee Thai! Soquel CA Sat 3/1/25

    Andy N.

    I'm surprised it took this long for me to finally try Sawasdee. They are undoubtedly one of the best Thai restaurants in town, with a wonderful indoor dining area and great service. Almost everything on their menu can be made vegan which opens up more options for vegans and vegetarians. My friend and I shared their fresh Spring Rolls, Green Curry Tofu, and Ginger Stir-Fry Tofu. On the side we had two bundles of sticky rice. The spring rolls were amazing! A half order gave us two large pieces and they were filled with veggies including alfalfa sprouts, an ingredient not commonly found usually! The peanut sauce was 10/10. We ordered spicy for both main dishes and boy, these were SPICY. I enjoyed the tongue lashing but be careful if you are sensitive to spice. Both were fantastic and complimented well with the sticky rice. Wish there was more tofu in both dishes but it was still a fabulous selection. I would get all of these options again in the future. Service here was fantastic. Very friendly and made sure that our waters were filled especially after all the spicy food we consumed.

    Dinner time
    Annie T.

    I've passed Sawasdee a hundred times on Soquel, so I was excited to finally try this cute Thai restaurant on the hill. Service: 5 Stars The best part of our visit was the attentive service staff. We got our order quickly, water glasses filled, etc. The staff were friendly and pleasant. Food: 3 Stars Flavors were just mediocre. The pad see ew lacked sauce. It was the first time I had to reach for the hot sauce because I needed more flavor. (I never add hot sauce!) The tofu had a slight citrus taste, which was a little odd. The coconut sticky rice with mango was tasty overall, but there was only coconut milk flavor on one side of the rice mound. The portions were on the small side. Location: 3 1/2 Stars It's a convenient location, but parking is not ideal with only a few slanted tight spots by trash cans next to the restaurant or spotty street parking in a residential area. Cleanliness: 2 Stars Surprisingly, the restaurant didn't feel clean. Even touching the door where dirt stains screamed on the white paint made me make a bee line to the sink to wash my hands. The lack of cleanliness made the dining experience less appetizing. Ambiance: 3 Stars The best looking part of the restaurant is the exterior. There was some Thai decor inside, which I appreciated, but the ambiance felt more like a lobby cafe. Overall we had a nice dinner because of the kind service staff, but the food was just okay and interior was disappointing. I'm hoping management will make a few changes to improve the customer experience because I'd love to see this restaurant stick around.

    Tom Yum Noodle Soup

    I don't understand how this place has tons of good review , DoorDash some medium spicy Tom yum soup and there was no flavor at all !!!! How can you mess up on Tom yum soup. So disappointed

    Tom yum
    Prem D.

    We had ordered vegetarian Tom yum soup, pad ke maw aka drunken noodle and spicy fried rice. Service was ok, ambiance was ok too. But food was not upto the expectations.

    House fried rice

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Ordered the spring rolls, tofu red curry and chicken yellow curry. Great, authentic and spicy! Can't wait to come back and try more.

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    4 years ago

    Literally best Thai food EVER!! I've never had better. It's the cutest restaurant and staff is so nice. I will be coming FOREVER.

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    5 years ago

    This place is pretty good. Arguably a better value than the other good Thai place just up the street. Recommended.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    I ordered food delivered recently. The fried vegetable rice with chicken was greasy and the soup was so so.

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    12 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    5 years ago

    They put things in that's not on the menu. Nastiest crab ragoons I'm not sure why anyone likes this place.

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    16 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Delicious food and outstanding service! Fairly priced too. We absolutely love this place.

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    Page 4 of 14

    Sawasdee Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sawasdee

    You might also consider

    Star of Siam - Eggplant salad

    Star of Siam

    4.1(351 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    •$$

    It's one of the best feelings to visit a place you remember fondly from so many years ago and find…read morethat it's still just as great. My husband and I opted to have Thai food for dinner after arriving in Santa Cruz and dropping off our stuff at the hotel. Having been to Star of Siam many times when I was in college, I suggested we go there. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the interior had been renovated to be more open and modern, but still maintaining the same homey and charming feeling of a locally owned spot. We ordered red curry and drunken noodles with roti and rice on the side. The service was wonderful, with our orders arriving steaming hot out of the kitchen and smelling incredible! I'm happy to report that everything tasted as good as it looked and smelled. We were absolutely stuffed by the end of the meal, but it was so delicious that we just didn't want to stop eating. I'll always recommend Star of Siam to anyone in the Santa Cruz area! It's great for either dining in or ordering to go.

    Star of Siam is a favorite for over 20 years. The recent remodel is great and the food and service…read morehas always been spectacular! The Mango Fish and Chicken Eggplant are my usual go to items. I highly recommend checking out this wonderful restaurant for anyone that have not had an experience. Thanks for the years of birthday celebrations, gatherings with friends and week nights not having to cook at home. Best regards, Darrell T.

    Photos
    Star of Siam - New Interior

    New Interior

    Star of Siam - Soupbowl with heat

    Soupbowl with heat

    Star of Siam - New Interior

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    New Interior

    Thai Basil - Best Thai Spring Roll in town! Deeeelish!!

    Thai Basil

    4.1(361 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    •$$

    This little family-owned and operated restaurant has some of the best Thai food I've ever had (and…read moreI've had a decent amount)! I've been here a couple of times and have always sat in their outside patio because of my dog. The servers (who I believe are the owner's children) are very kind and hardworking. They check on us often throughout our meal and even offer to bring a bowl of water for my dog. One of the times I've been here was with a large group (about 8-10 people) and although I'm sure we overwhelmed the restaurant with our large party size, they were incredibly accommodating! I've been able to try several different dishes, and they've were all absolutely delicious! They offer all the classic dishes (pad Thai, pad see ew, yellow/green/red curries, fried rice) and even some not as well-known dishes that are definitely worth trying (curry noodle aka khao soi, spicy noodles aka pad kee mao/drunken noodles, mussaman curry). All the food is bursting with flavor, reasonably priced, of good quality, and cooked perfectly. They have signage outside addressing complaints over long wait times which is sad to see because 1) I've never had to wait an unreasonable amount of time for my food even when I went with a large group, 2) they very obviously have a small kitchen and only one chef, and 3) everything is fresh and made to order. I'd be more hesitant and skeptical if my food came out within a few minutes. If you're ever in Capitola/Capitola Beach or even in the Santa Cruz area, this place is worth it!

    My cousin and family were visiting from Jalisco Mexico. They never had Thai food, and were nervous…read morewhen I describe the dishes we were going to eat, but once they had the first bite all I hear was mm, mmmm, mm..they also really like the Thai tea. We sat out side cause we had our fur baby Hero in his stroller. It was so hot, but luckily we were able to get roller shades to keep cool. My daughter doesn't eat any meat and this restaurant had veggie dishes. The service was awesome, and the food was 10/10! This restaurant made it possible for my cousins family to now be open to trying new food dishes

    Photos
    Thai Basil - Ambience

    Ambience

    Thai Basil - Pineapple curry. Excellent and a must try!

    Pineapple curry. Excellent and a must try!

    Thai Basil - Crispy Egg Roll and cream cheese wontons.  Win win

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    Crispy Egg Roll and cream cheese wontons. Win win

    My Thai Beach - Crispy Chicken Pad Thai

    My Thai Beach

    3.6(325 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    •$$

    Well. I have to say this is a great spin on Thai food especially with a roasted duck option. The…read moreservice was a bit off but my server powered through enough though it got super busy at the end of my meal. She was really trying and always had a smile on her face. Kudos for customer service. I ordered a Thai Ice tea with no cream. And it was very refreshing. My appetizer was the Fresh Spring rolls with Tofu. Great presentation and delicious to nibble on throughout my meal. My entree was the Peking duck pad Thai and it was a generous portion of duck and pad Thai. I barely finished it. The restaurant is a bit small and a little bit if patience is required. But they are a great addition to the Capitola beach area. I highly recommend recommend it.

    We came to Capitola to celebrate a milestone and randomly chose this place. It was the best…read moredecision we made. The food is DELICIOUS, staff were attentive, and the ambiance is very friendly. We asked for recommendations on food and genuinely everything was as good as it looked. We had the Mango salad, Crispy Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, side of roti, and the Mango Sticky Rice. Everything tasted fresh and that it was made with love. Also they make delicious home made ice cream and it's dairy free! Upon talking with our server about the restaurant, she stated that they had been opened for about a year and that it was a family owned restaurant. With that being said if you like to support local businesses, this is your spot!

    Photos
    My Thai Beach - Beautiful wall sculpture of Capitola Village (still work in progress)

    Beautiful wall sculpture of Capitola Village (still work in progress)

    My Thai Beach - Green Curry Seafood

    Green Curry Seafood

    My Thai Beach - View from the restaurant

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    View from the restaurant

    四姐 Special Noodle

    四姐 Special Noodle

    4.5(1.2k reviews)
    3.8 mi
    •$$
    Women-owned & operated
    Speaks Mandarin

    Had Special Noodle back up in Cupertino, but this one may the best of them all! Whichever sister…read moreruns this one is COOKING for real. Best soup dumplings we've had in YEARS...including DTF. GREAT WOK-hay on their eggplant & green beans. And their Pan Fried Pork Buns (生煎包) remind me of Yang's in Shanghai. Paper thin skin on top, and crispy doughy bottom... absolute MASTERCLASS! Edit: spoke with the manager when paying and found out this was the original HQ! No wonder it's the best haha

    I am writing to share my deep disappointment with my recent experience at Special Noodle despite…read moreits strong reviews. My husband and I stopped by to order food to go. Upon entering, an employee named Jason motioned for us to walk over, handed us an open iPad, and walked away without any explanation. As first-time visitors from out of town, we were unfamiliar with their ordering system. When I asked for assistance finding a specific dish listed on their website, he rudely told us they did not offer it. He then made a comment in Mandarin or Cantonese to a colleague, and both men looked at us. At that point, I returned the iPad and let him know we would not be ordering. As a mixed-race couple, with my husband being permanently disabled, we were left wondering if this unwelcoming behavior was motivated by discrimination or if it reflects the restaurant's typical customer service. Regardless, the interaction was extremely uncomfortable and disrespectful. Fortunately, we went to Yan Flower nearby instead, where we received kind, welcoming, and excellent service. Yes, the food was good too! Sometimes food isn't the most important thing you receive from a restaurant, don't get me wrong it is a strong motivator, but for me, service is everything.

    Photos
    四姐 Special Noodle
    四姐 Special Noodle
    四姐 Special Noodle

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    Sawasdee - thai - Updated September 2026

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