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    Smiling Banana Leaf

    4.1 (625 reviews)
    ModerateThai
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    Order Smiling Banana Leaf Takeout or Delivery

    Smiling Banana Leaf Photos

    Business Info

    SMILING BANANA LEAF ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Smiling Banana Leaf

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    Half an order of pad see ew

    I've been coming here for six years and was loyal as I thought it had the best Thai food. I ordered the same thing that I always get. I get home and the container is half empty. I called them to ask what happened and they tell me they started using larger containers..... I've been getting Thai food for a very long time and specifically from this restaurant for six years. It is the same exact container that they've always used and that most Thai restaurants use to which they said we have new owners...cheating Someone out of what they paid for is absolutely unacceptable.

    Mango Talapia
    Carlie H.

    Smiling Banana Leaf is a solid gem in the Highland Park area and easily in my top five local Thai spots! I've ordered from here multiple times, both for pickup and delivery via UberEats, and it consistently delivers on flavor and quality. While I live about 30 minutes away, I don't mind the wait--though delivery typically takes about an hour. That said, the food always arrives warm and well-packed, which I appreciate. My usual go-to dishes are the Pad Thai with chicken (zero spice level) and the Mango Tilapia dish served on a bed of mango and veggie slices. Both are delicious and hit the spot every time. The Pad Thai has a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, while the tilapia dish is a standout with its crispy texture and fresh, tangy mango complement.

    Alexa C.

    My friend and I stopped in for an early Sunday dinner after a long walk around Highland Park and enjoyed pork shumai, chicken pad thai, and tofu pad see ew. The portions were beyond generous, and there were so many options to choose from across the menu. The indoor seating area is much smaller than I remember, with maybe 3 total tables currently available. They seem to do a high volume of take out orders, however this did not impact the quality of our service and/or food. I'll be back!

    Pad See Ew
    Michael S.

    So upset that when I had it at the time it was takeout only. When trying new places I make sure to have it fresh. Well it was snowing and I made sure I was having it fresh. Ate it outside at the table and was beyond worth it. And no I wasn't going to my car. I WANT TO FULL EXPERIENCE AND SO SHOULD YOU. Phenomenal flavor, low cost, ready super fast and the man who checked us out was very polite Top 3 Thai spots in the city by far. Defo recommend it Get the Tom Kha. I can drink it by the gallon

    Fried Dumplings
    Steven H.

    This was one of only a few restaurants open when I was looking for some takeout on Labor Day. While it is a bit out of the way for me to be a regular here, I was impressed by the quality of the food. I ordered the see ew chicken which was delicious, just the right amount of spice for me at a 4/10. I also ordered the fried dumplings appetizer which were great dipped in the included sauce. My wife ordered the mango tilapia and enjoyed it as well. We ordered to go, and it seemed like the inside seating was shut down anyway. They were very busy, probably because they were one of only a few places open on Labor Day. Despite being so busy, they gave us an accurate timeline for our food (45-50 minutes) and it was ready and fresh when I arrived to pick it up. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for takeout from a reliable neighborhood Thai restaurant.

    Panang Curry
    Samantha R.

    I have never had food from here but today I ordered takeout and it was DELICIOUS! I got the pineapple fried rice and panang curry with both a level 4 spice. The fried rice was sweet and had dynamic flavor with fresh veggies and tasty rice. The panang was the perfect balance of spice and coconut cream. The peas were a nice change of pace which I'm not used to in my curry. Overall, I can't wait to go back and try more food from here.

    Spicy Green Beans
    Marla C.

    It was good but I've had better. The pad Thai was kind of dry. Compared to others I have tried. The fried rice was good. I also got the spicy green beans and that was good as well. They only have take out. They do have tables outside if you want to eat there.

    Crispy Pork Spring Roll
    Xin F.

    Finally checking this place out. My friends have been raving about it. After trying their food, I find them underwhelming. Tried their spice level 8 out of 10. They do live up to their spice level. Ordered: 1) Pork Spring roll- Crispy skin and good flavor 2) Green curry with tofu - decent 3) Pineapple Fried rice - didn't taste much flavor except chili 4) Sago with black beans and coconut cream - expensive for a small portion For now, they do takeouts only but the do have some outdoor seating.

    Thai Iced Tea
    Ulyana K.

    Excellent Thai food in the Highland Park area. I've heard great things about this spot and it definitely lived up to the hype! I ordered the Pad Thai with chicken, pork spring rolls, Thai custard with sticky rice, and Thai iced tea. Everything was (mostly) excellent. Oddly, the Pad Thai itself was not the greatest. I'd give it a 3.3-3.7/5. The portion was excellent. Bowl itself isn't big put they pack the noodles in there. A few vegetables, like green onions, are in there too. Fair amount of nuttiness and peanuts. My main issue? It is too dry. I like Pad Thai that is saucy and has an excellent quality sauce. Here, the noodles themselves are good, but the dish is still somewhat bland without the sauce. There's a fair amount of chicken and it was cooked well. Other than that, this place is basically flawless. Thai iced tea is sweet and a bit creamy, too. You can taste the original blend of tea as well as the condensed milk. The price of $3 is very fair. Pork spring rolls are insanely good! They taste a bit like pork dumplings/pelemeni stuffed inside a spring roll wrapper. Crunchy, meaty, and great sauce. Dessert was excellent, although a bit on the expensive side ($7). I even forgot to take a photo; thats how quickly I ate this custard. I like that they are somewhat liberal with the coconutty sweet liquid on top. Overall, a great spot and fair prices with great portions. The Pad Thai was the only slight disappointment, since it didn't have much sauce.

    Som Tom salad

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    7 months ago

    My favorite are the dumplings! The noodle soups are a great option on a cold day or when feeling under the weather.

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    2 years ago

    I normally love their food. Ordered Pineapple fried rice with shrimp and got a surprise inside, piece of hard plastic.

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    They have the best glass noodles here that you can get in the city, seriously! The ingredients always taste fresh.

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    Page 1 of 16

    Ask the Community - Smiling Banana Leaf

    Open for dine in?

    This restaurant does not do indoor dining. There are a few tables outside, on the sidewalk. It the weather is inclement as it was when I went, your only choice is Take Out.… Read more

    Their website recommends reservations. Are they really that busy? Is it possible just to walk-in for lunch?

    I think for lunch you would be fine to walk in. Unless you have a larger party the waits are not too long for dinner either since they move fast!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    One of the best meals I've had this year!!…read more Our first time at Pusadee's and definitely won't be the last. We started with drinks, something cozy and new person, same old mistakes. Both delicious. The 17 ingredient salad is highly recommended and we could tell why. So refreshing and flavorful. It was fun finding all of the 17 ingredients. For our entrees I got the crispy shrimp and my boyfriend got the khao soi. Both left us craving more the whole drive home. Staff were so pleasant and happy to answer any questions. Beautiful restaurant, indoor and outdoor. I think next time we visit, we will have a later reservation outside to enjoy the greenery. Make a reservation at least a month in advance!! If not, there are some bar seats available but make sure to get there early.

    I have been getting my hair done next to this restaurant for four years now and I have been meaning…read moreto get a reservation, but it takes so long and I just never stuck with it. Finally, I was determined and I booked out probably 2 1/2 months in advance.... And ended up going in the dead of winter. I know that I would've enjoyed my experience much more if we could've sat in the garden, that's probably an excellent vibe. I'm a spicy marg lover so I tried-new person same old mistakes-it didn't really strike me as spicy but more so smoky and I wanted spicy. We did the khao yum-it was unique, I think I would really have loved this. If it was hot out it seems like it would be very refreshing and light and more ideal for the spring and summer and like I said we went in the dead of winter. I did the beef tenderloin as my main and it was good, it wasn't too spicy, had a nice flavor, but I don't know that I would order it again. If it wasn't so hard to get a reservation, I would definitely come here more. I really liked the vibe and the aesthetic.

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    4.0(527 reviews)
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    I have been wanting to go here for a while and finally made it! This place is super cute, we sat…read moreinside but will have to come back for the outside vibes once it's nicer out! The service was really good as well. For an appetizer we got the crab rangoon and omg they were amazing. They're small and light and crispy, perfect for sharing! My friend got the Pad See Ew and I got one of the chefs specials which was a pumpkin yellow curry with chicken and grilled shrimp. Both were amazing and had a kick but not too spicy! Very generous portions too we both had leftovers. Can't wait to come back when it's nice out to enjoy their patio!

    Very popular Thai spot in Pittsburgh. They have multiple locations as well, including one in…read moredowntown but I went to try this spot in the North Side. It is really good but quite expensive. I got to try their chicken satay, Tom kha soup, pad see ew with tofu, and Thai custard. Now, the Tom kha soup I didn't have very much of, but it was decent. Lots of coconut milk to balance the spice (not too spicy at all), but I'm just not really used to this flavor. The chicken satay, though, was really good. Very lean chicken grilled perfectly with a nice sauce. Definitely recommend. As for the mains, the pad see ew was also very tasty. Quite noodle heavy here, which I don't mind. The vegetables are fresh, and the tofu was nicely cooked. Definitely recommend as well. Finally, the Thai custard. It was also excellent. Interestingly, there's a hint of chocolate as well or something of the sort besides just coconut milk. But still, very good, very creamy, and just a nice dessert. All in all, I really like this spot. They have awesome outdoor seating if you are able to catch it (indoors is great too with all the nice paintings and such but more crowded). Portions are big, but the prices are pretty high as well. Still, I'd recommend.

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    Smiling Banana Leaf - thai - Updated May 2026

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