The restaurant is very cute and offers some great traditional Thai dishes. It was cold & overcast today and I was craving hot soup. I got the Tom Kha Coconut Soup which was actually delicious.....but over half the bowl was the aromatics and spices that they added, which are not edible after cooking. I literally had to discard half the bowl. The lemongrass, lime leaves and galanga root need to be REMOVED before serving to your guests! This is said with complete respect as I greatly appreciate the great care you take in making your soups to order, but I shouldn't have to pick that out of my bowl! I would have appreciated more mushrooms green onions & cilantro The server was lovely and attentive. read more

I love this spot in Goleta. When we went last Friday night, it was busy but has a lot of indoor seating still. We asked for hot water with lemon and honey but they only had limes. I think there was only one server for the entire floor so he was pretty occupied. I am obsessed with their Thai coffee but shouldn't drink any for dinner. Sad mango sticky rice was out of season. Our dishes came out hot and spicy. I got spiced out from the tom yum soup, but it tasted a bit different from the ones I had before. Not as orange. Just mushrooms and tofu, wish there were more diversity of veggies in it. I come here a lot and I would highly recommend. read more

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I've had Thai food at many restaurants and numerous countries and I'm sorry to say that this was arguably the worst I've had. I ordered summer rolls for a starter. These were an absolute joke. There are 4 rolls and a side of peanut dipping sauce nicely presented. However, appearances are deceiving as they had each roll with the shrimp inside facing upwards. Once I bit into one I realized the shrimp was so finely sliced you couldn't even taste it. And the rest of the filling was just butter lettuce, nothing else. No vermicelli, cucumber, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro or basil. Incredibly bland, though thankfully the peanut sauce was good which made them edible. Next I ordered larb with chicken. I took one bite and my mouth exploded with red chili seeds. It was so hot I couldn't even talk. I can do spicy but this was ridiculous. The waiter took it back and came back with a less spicy version ie zero chili or flavor apart from an over abundance of fish sauce. Again no mint or basil. I ate about 2 bites and left it. The only redeeming part of the meal was the server. He was very nice, and apologized several times for the spice. For the record I am pretty easy going and respectful and I rarely ever send food back. This place was a big miss. read more

These were 14 dollars each and the mangos were very bruised...the rice was extremely hard and also crunchy? This was so disappointing and inedible read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - Mango Side Sticky Rice - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

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Review for Tap Thai Cuisine - Hollister Ave, Goleta, CA I had a very upsetting and disappointing experience at this restaurant today, and I feel it's important to share. I came in really hungry before heading to a doctor's appointment. After placing my order, I received an important call from my doctor. Because the restaurant was noisy, I had trouble hearing, so I sat quietly in the corner at the small bar area. There were several empty seats around me, no one sitting nearby, and I put my phone on speaker so I could actually hear my doctor. Out of nowhere, the cashier came over and very rudely told me to take the call off speaker. I explained to her that it wasn't loud, nobody was sitting near me, and no one had complained. I even asked her directly if anyone had complained or if anyone was seated close by, and she admitted the answer was no. Still, she insisted at first, and only when I pressed her did she backtrack and say "oh, I'm sorry, it's fine." At that point, I was already frustrated by how unnecessarily rude the interaction was, and I asked for a refund instead of keeping my order. I then asked to speak with the manager. The cashier told me no manager was available. After pushing, she finally let me speak to the manager on the phone, but the manager rushed me, said she was with her lawyer, and hung up on me -- promising to call me back. Meanwhile, my food was already ready in the kitchen. They never offered it to me as a courtesy, even though I had been patient and respectful. Instead, I left with just my money back, still hungry, upset, and late for my appointment. This was one of the worst customer service experiences I've had. Both the cashier and the manager showed no professionalism, no care for the customer, and no effort to resolve the situation in a kind way. I left feeling angry, sad, and very disappointed. I do not recommend this restaurant at all. Please do not go to this place. read more

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Yum! From the moment I walked in everything was enjoyable! The server took my order right away and I got to enjoy my food with no rush. It was hot, delicious, and made to perfection! Every bite made me smile! Clean, calm space with pleasant service from Miguel. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - So delicious! This is the Yellow Curry Lunch Special! Highly recommend! - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

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Food was terrible. Far too salty, not flavorful. Limp vegetables. Overcooked chicken and shrimp. I could go on about the food. This is our third try. (The location is very convenient.). Never again. It's too bad; we really need a good Thai restaurant out here. read more

One of my favorite places to eat is usually and after getting of a late plane and not wanting to cook go and grab some comfort food. However, after arriving on a late flight at 8:32 PM, I was disappointed to find out that the staff told me the kitchen closed at 8:30 PM. It felt like staff had decided to close 30 minutes early and thus, disregarded my order. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - Showing on Google and then yelp the restaurant shows that it's open. - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

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Visiting my son at UCSB and decided to try Tap Thai. Staff were welcoming, server was fabulous. We both ordered the chicken Panang curry, a favorite of ours. Curry came with rice, typically an add on at other restaurants, but price was similar. The curry was too hot temperature-wise, and I like my food on the hot side. It had a lot of bell peppers, a couple of carrots and a small amount of diced chicken. The curry was very watery, not creamy. Spice was minimal, and they provided a spice rack, but my son wasn't able to get the heat he likes as the spice rack items weren't very spicy. The dish felt and tasted like it was not made from scratch in-house, like you would find at an authentic Thai restaurant. read more

First and last time I will go to this establishment. The food was horrible! No flavor, no sauce, minimal chicken that was dried out. I can make better Thai food than this. read more

The food and service is always spot on! My go-to order is either the Panang or Green curry. Both are always piping hot and spiced perfectly. They also serve a Thai lager on draft called "Singha" which pairs nicely with the spicy food. Ask your server for chile condiments and they will bring you a small holder with three types of chile; Sambal Oelek, crushed red chile and fresh Thai chiles in lime and fish sauce. read more

(Overall: 86% | B) - The food at Tap Thai in general is acceptable Americanized version of Thai food with a lot of substitutions. Despite this, I found the service to always be exceptional and the vibes to be very pleasant and praiseworthy. I think with some modifications to the recipes and strictness in the consistency, the food can match the bar of service and be very well rounded as a whole. (Mango Sticky Rice: 97.5% | A) - When this dessert is reheated, it is simply fantastic! The sticky rice is cooked well with a bit of texture and when warm and soft, it pairs well with the fresh and silky smooth mango and the tropical coconut cream! This dish is well priced and very plentiful! (Pad Thai: 67.5% | D) - Upon reinspection of the dish, I think the sauce is a bit too sugar forward and there are a lot of ingredient choices that wouldn't appear in an actual Pad Thai. For example, the garlic chives were replaced with scallions, which does not work because big chunky pieces of scallion has a very strong onion repulsiveness not present in the mild garlic chive which significantly detracts from this dish. The noodles still taste decent though and there is an abundance of shrimp. (Roti: 77.5% | C) - $5 is on the pricey side for a piece of roti in my opinion. I think it would go nicely with a curry, but I decided to try it out with a nice chili jam. (Pad See Ew: 75% | C) - The Pad See Ew here has pleasant notes coming from the texture and flavor of the tofu and broccoli. However, I found the noodles to be a bit undercooked and saline forward. read more

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Excellent lunch option and excellent service. Marissa was polite and helpful and surprising fast food on a Saturday. We will be back. My spicy salmon salad was delicious. read more

I ordered the larb salad (ground chicken). It was ok but too spicey. My friend ordered chicken fried rice lunch plate. It was bland/mediocre. His combo came with fried veggie spring. Veggies weren't fully cooked inside. Expensive $42 lunch before tip. I know authentic Thai. This isn't it. I saw 2 Hispanic guys working in the kitchen. I'm not going back. read more

The menu's is not much to choices plus there very expensive and salty on there soup and there noodles.

Decent Thai spot, but the flavors feel a bit muted -- probably adjusted to fit local tastes. Not bad, just lacking the punch or depth you might expect if you're used to more traditional versions. On the plus side, the place is clean, the decor is nice, and there's a good selection of draft beer, which makes for a pleasant dining atmosphere. read more

Super Thai food and friendly helpful servers at TAP Thai! The inside seating is comfortable and there's an outside patio (shared with another restaurant) as well. I ordered (two different times!) the yellow curry with chicken and pineapple fried rice. They substituted extra veggies for the steamed rice that came with the curry dish since I had other fried rice dish, which was really kind. Had lots of leftovers to take home as well. The food was very flavorful but not too spicy, so I enjoyed every bite. It may be a bit pricey, but the food is so fresh and well cooked, it's worth it. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - Yellow curry, pineapple fried rice, tofu herbal salad, white ale (wheat ale from Japan) - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

I've eaten here 3 times. It's not the best I've had, but it's pretty tasty. First two meals, I ate vegetarian . I enjoyed a Tofu dish. Today, I had the shrimp appetizer. My son had the corn cakes. The basil chicken was a tad too salty, but tasty. Service was great. Super friendly staff. Nice casual vibe. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - Shrimp appetizer - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

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I've had so many thai food spots and I have to say this one is just okay. The pad thai didn't really taste right or authentic I should say. The group I was with said their food was just okay as well. The prices are decent and the ambiance is nice. It wasn't too crazy but that's because we went on a week night. The service was alright, the food came in a somewhat quick manner. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - pad thai - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

Nice fast casual lunch at TAP. Spicy basil with chicken was tasty with brown rice, small egg roll and small salad (lunch special). Enjoyed with a rice lager. Service was very fast. read more

We like it, a lot. Always have wondered why this place does not have a solid 4 average on yelp. ‍ Fresh, tasty Thai! We always get the same things; fresh spring rolls, veggie + chicken Penang curry. read more

I should have believed the other reviewers. I ordered the yellow curry with chicken and the Tap roles. I am not a Thai food snob; I am usually pleased with curry dishes from most restaurants. This curry was very thin in consistency, the coconut milk was not buttery or creamy and the chicken was too firm. There was just very little flavor :(. read more

I went with a few friends from work for lunch. There were a few groups there but we were seated right away. Our iced teas came quickly after we ordered - they are huge! We shared three entrees. The Pad Thai was by far my favorite- I could have devoured the bowl on my own and will definitely be coming back for it. I also enjoyed the curry and veggies. It was my first time here but my friend who has been many times said the veggies seemed was a newer recipe than her previous trips. Overall delicious spot and happy to now know about it! read more

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If I could give zero stars, I would. This place has the *worst* Thai food in town, hands down. The dishes are flavorless and taste like they were made with the cheapest, most tasteless ingredients available. I ordered Pad Thai, and it was a mushy mess with barely any flavor. The curry? Watered down and bland. I've had better Thai food from a frozen meal! To add insult to injury, they have the audacity to overcharge for this subpar food. The prices are outrageous for what you get. I'm all for paying a little extra for quality, but this place is a total rip-off. And don't even think about ordering through DoorDash. They regularly close their DoorDash orders well before their stated closing time, leaving you high and dry when you're counting on them for dinner. It's incredibly frustrating and unprofessional. Save your money and your taste buds. Go somewhere else--anywhere else. This place is a complete disaster. read more

I came here before they were officially open. The inside is beautiful, clean, and modern. I really liked the decor and the outdoor seating is great; right next to the fountain so the atmosphere is fantastic. The green curry tofu was thin but wasn't so sweet that all I could taste was coconut milk. The roti was tasty, a little oily, but great to dip in the curry. I thought it was bland at first but the flavor became tastier and tastier the more I ate it. I thought it was pricy for what it was but I did eat everything! I want to come back to try the Khao Soi, which is my favorite Thai dish. I hope it can compare to the one at Empty Bowl, which is currently my favorite SB restaurant for that particular dish. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - Green curry with roti. Unfortunately they still charged extra for the roti even though it says roti or rice on the menu. - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

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Came here for a quick lunch and everything went super smoothly. Place was super clean and peaceful and it wasn't too busy during lunch hour. Service was friendly and I always like when restaurants give you the water pitcher so that you can help yourself, so bonus points for that. Drunken Noodles with Tofu - 5/5, Delicious. This dish absolutely hit the spot and it was all cohesive. Not too much or too little sauce or saltiness, everything was just perfect. The noodles were the right tenderness too so that they had a bit of pull to them. I'm not usually a fan of the vegetarian option when I can choose meat, but I would definitely come back for the noodles with tofu again. Portion was great too, usually a filling meal like this would give me a food coma in the middle of the day, but this was just right. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - Drunken Noodles with Tofu - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

Summer rolls super disappointing, basically just a salad wrapped in rice paper. Tiny piece of fried tofu and NO NOODLES. Not authentic or worth $9. See picture--can you find the tofu? PCU noodles were good tho 2/10/23 I keep trying to give TAP thai a chance, but this time I got home and my pad Thai noodles had NO SAUCE :(((( completely white. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - Where is the tofu? - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

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Good and service is good everyone is sooo nice but they're always out of the corn cakes!! Soooo good

BEST THAI FOOD IN TOWN. All their food is so clean and delicious. I appreciate that they use gluten free soy sauce, making almost everything on the menu accessible to those with a gluten allergy. I haven't gone into the restaurant itself to eat in a while but when I have in past all the employees were always so kind and the dining area is clean. My favorite items are the chicken fried rice and panang curry. The one note I have is that the pad Thai is always very dry and could use more sauce on the dish or automatically come with a side of sauce. read more

The experience right when I entered I knew it was good vibes. From the lights on the walls to the pictures it was great. And the food was top tier i recommend the chicken fried rice, it is absolutely delicious and a great portion of food so you can take to go if you don't finish! Service is fabulous I highly recommend tap thai cuisine read more

Average at best. Not a lot of flavor and weird vibe inside. Girl working didn't have much of a personality didn't smile once.

Amazing food! The Thai Tea is probably the best I have tried in the area. It was super sweet and refreshing. The pineapple fried rice had a lot of flavor and was great overall. The waitresses were very kind and patient. I also loved how the restaurant was decorated! It had a very modern look to it. read more

TAP Thai Cuisine - thai tea - Thai Near Me - Goleta, California

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I came in last Sunday for the first time and the food was amazing. Marisa was super friendly, she recommend the green curry , it was really good . Definitely coming back , hope she's our server again ! read more

Food was alright! Affordable enough for quality. they have a good amount of options and the portion sizes are also good! Not too salty or oily The vibes there are also nice. It think the low lighting and seating arrangement works well. The service I had was interesting. The one girl who served us was kind of rude. She wasn't willing to own up to the fact that she misheard us and so she got offended. It was really weird. Made returning to this place questionable. read more

It was fine. It was cooked properly? I guess? But pad thai had literally no flavor. It seemed like it had no sauce and was dry? We ordered takeout, and everything was on time. I don't think I will go back, which is disappointing because it's so close to home! read more

Ordered takeout with a group of friends. I ordered papaya salad (requested spicy) and tom kah soup (also requested spicy). The papaya salad was bland- it lacked both flavor and spice. The tom kah was a small portion and also had zero spice, but at least had a little savory flavor. I love Thai food and was really looking forward to dinner, but it was beyond disappointing. Lesson learned- I will not be back. read more

The service was good, and we went on a weekday. We were the only ones in the restaurant, and our food came out very quickly. We ordered several dishes, but none stood out necessarily. The fried rice had, at least, two full chopped bell peppers in it. Personally, this felt like an odd choice as there seemed like there were more peppers than rice. All in all, there was nothing wrong, but nothing spectacular about this place. We are still on the hunt for the best thai spot in Goleta/SB. No reason for me to steer anyone away though - give this place a shot. read more

Ordered Tom Kha soup & got only broth & mushrooms. Lots of inedible lemon grass, ginger root & bay leaves. My partner got 2 pieces of broccoli in her soup, so there's that. Ordered Pad Thai w/tofu. The tofu smelled & tasted as if it had been cooked in very old oil. The entire dish was sticky. Service was fine. read more

Low-star reviews aren't fun. That said, after trying TAP for lunch today I can say that the food was bland and uninspiring for both my friend and I. She ordered the drunken noodles with chicken. The noodles were undercooked, ridiculously long, and unevenly coated with the thick, mostly flavorless brown sauce. Not a trace of wok hei to be tasted (the 'sizzling wok' flavor imbued into properly cooked wok dishes.) There wasn't even a pleasant spiciness to the dish. I had the green papaya salad with coconut rice. Or at least, that's what the menu called it. Really, the rice was more like white rice with some coconut cream on it, and a few black sesame seeds. The green papaya salad was basically just shaved papaya and some julienned carrot. No peanut, hardly any chili, no tomato, and only a couple of long beans in a basic lime dressing. A sad excuse for an $12 meal, which came to $14.73 after tax and tip. Only the dried chili I asked for on the side saved it for me. While the bathrooms are gender neutral (win!), the interior is sleek, and there is a patio space which we took advantage of to catch a few rays of winter sun, none of these made up for the lackluster chow. @Lily Z. mentioned that the branch on Upper State is like "Thai food for people who don't want too much spice and flavors." That's what this location was like for me. Did we order wrong? Maybe. But in my book, every dish should be tasty. read more

The food here tasted okay. The staff were friendly and the restaurant vibe is cute. I appreciated that there was live music outside. The food tasted not authentic at all, however, and everything was a bit too sweet. We were so hungry that we ordered several things: a rice dish (chicken stir fry, forget the exact name), a noodle dish (pad Thai), a calamari appetizer, chicken wings, and even the coconut soup. All were underwhelming and felt like a strange Americanized versions of what they were supposed to be. read more

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