There are very few Thai restaurants in Colorado that can compete with Thai Avenue. Of the few dozen Thai restaurants that I have tried in Colorado, the only one that is even comparable to Thai Avenue is Farmhouse Thai in Lakewood. The flavors here are rich, but they aren't overwhelming. The dishes are also not greasy (an issue you can run into with some Thai restaurants). You can also expect very fast service. If you are in Boulder then this is a must! read more

Ordered the chicken pad thai, as I always did at this place. Flavor was just okay because it was unbalanced in being too sweet. The dish was also too wet. The chicken was probably cooked enough, but barely and to the point where it gave me slight pause. I got spicy level 4, and it had a pretty good amount of heat that met my expectations of a 4 out of 5 heat level. The ratio of noodle to chicken to garnishes is good. The food court that it's in doesn't feel clean, but I don't think that's the fault of Thai Avenue. I used to come here 2-3 times a week for a couple years over 10 years ago when I was a college student, and back then it was easily 5 stars. I heard a lot of people say that the place changed and it's not what it used to be, so I went out of my way to go back and try them again. Sadly it's true that they arent what they used to be. Seems to be different cooks. I wonder where the original cooks went because I want to eat at wherever that is. read more

We visited in late May, as things were just starting to re-open post-COVID. Parking was on-street in the surrounding neighborhoods. Their may have been pay-parking also? We just walked the ~ 2 blocks to the restaurant. You enter a food-court / food-hall configuration from the main street, and descend some stairs to where the restaurants are located. It appeared that they normally did some level of dine-in (collectively), but that appeared closed now (I don't know what they would have done if we just sat down and started eating...?). There were around 5 - 6 counter-service restaurants down in this area, and 2 - 3 of them were closed at the time. Thai Avenue was staffed by one (brave) lady who cooked, answered the phone, took walk-up orders, etc. She seemed to be keeping pace with things, though the cooking process took a bit of time. I'd guess it is quicker under 'normal' circumstances, though. We placed our order and waited. Eventually, everything was cooked and ready. I tried to leave a generous tip based on her obvious workload. We thought we might have to walk quite a ways to a local park to eat, but the cook-lady noted that they had a patio-thing as you entered (I didn't notice it at first). It was basically a separated area with 3 picnic tables. Plus around noontime, it was in the shade! we gladly just ate there. The only downside to the patio was some local hustler who chatted up some frat boys who'd taken over the adjoining table. He spent most of his efforts on them while we ate, but eventually asked us how things were going (just as we finished). I don't know if he frequents the area, but if you eat there be prepared to fend him off or buy his exotic beers or whatever... In all, I liked this place and would return for the food, though I'd prefer to eat in the food hall, if possible. read more

Excellent fast food near campus I always go for one of the stir fried noodle dishes and it's highly satisfying. Also, I can usually make two meals out one order. read more

There was a piece of hair in my food the first time and the second time, there was a legit piece of metal in my curry. If cleanliness is important to you I wouldn't recommend it. read more

Delicious, fast, interesting and family run. I usually get a noodle dish, but everything is good that I have tried

First off, this place is is much cheaper than most other thai places you'll find in Boulder, it's probably due to it's location in a food court close to the CU campus. I always get the same thing, as I do most thai places - pad thai with chicken, with a variety of different spice levels (it all depends on how relatively hot their "hot" is). For this place, I get the thai hot - their spice level is very reasonable and a little under for my palette. I can't speak to eating at this location, I always order ahead and pick it up. The pad thai is not completely traditional, it's much more in the vein of americanized pad thai, where all the ingredients are cooked together. The flavor is great, good amount of fish sauce along with other dark sauces that almost hit the right balance of flavors of Pad Thai, but is probably missing 1-2 essential ingredients in traditional pad thai. It's has a great deep flavor and I'm definitely a fan. Along with the pad thai, I also typically get a side of fried wontons. They're pretty well priced and crispy. The proportion of cheese to wonton is perfect! Sometimes, you get too much cheese and not enough crispy bits. It comes along with a sweet and sour dipping sauce which makes it a perfect mixture of flavors and textures. Overall, being from Asia, I think this place falls into the category of very good non-traditional pad thai. It's well priced and a bang for your buck. Considering both the price, the amount of food you get and the wonderful deep flavors, this place is a 5 for me. read more

Thai Avenue - a bowl of noodles and chopsticks - Thai Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

This is a must when ever I visit Boulder. This is inside the food court. The pad se ew and drunken noodles were cooked perfectly ( not saucy, on the dried side). Large portion and very reasonably priced. All made to order in the open kitchen in less than 10 minutes. read more

I got tofu pad Thai and was pretty disappointed. Especially for the same price I'd pay anywhere else in town. Not good food, won't be going back. Two stars because the order was ready early read more

Hmm. In response to the reviews complaining about the high ratings for this place and suggesting that all the high ratings are from sheltered college kiddos who don't know what good Asian food is supposed to taste like... I mean I agree that this is not the most amazing 5-star Thai food you will ever have, but it is also definitely not the worst. It's a solid 3.5 stars at least I'd say! FOOD: + Pad thai (with tofu): Pad Thai is one of those staple dishes that I use to judge most Thai restaurants that I go to, and for a Thai place located in a random food court in Boulder, I was pleasantly surprised. I did not have very high expectations, but I was impressed. The portion was large and the flavors were good. Have I had better pad thai? Yes. But have I had worse pad thai? Don't even get me started. I would get this pad thai again! + Tom yum soup: Also a staple and also good! Flavors were authentic and appropriately spicy. SERVICE: It's hard to comment on service when the place is located in a food court, but I just wanted to point out that this place is clearly family owned. I was just sitting there minding my own business, enjoying my pad thai, when I see a few of the Thai Avenue staff members walk by carrying a birthday cake and singing happy birthday to one of their older looking chefs. It was adorable! tl;dr: Not a place for a fancy sit-down meal, but definitely not a bad choice for a quick meal on the go. I would come again! read more

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I wish they had more locations. My absolute favorite Thai place in Boulder. Their food is delicious, consistent and always hot! The staff is so kind and always takes good care of me. I would eat their Thai peanut curry everyday, for the rest of my life if my wallet would allow it. It's always a treat to have this for lunch! read more

I've ate here for 5 years now and since the first day I fell in love with the pad thai there. I still try to make the trek up to Boulder every so often just to eat there then drive back to Denver. Prices are so cheap for the lunch combo and they give you a very hefty portion also. You will not be disappointed. read more

My favorite Thai restaurant in Boulder! I love the people there and the food is simply amazing! Delicious, the taste is really good and everything is cooked perfect! read more

Thai Avenue - Thai Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Kim is one cool dude and his secret menu food is to die for. I don't know where else to get my favorite dish ever, EGG BOMB!!!! But if you ever want to order off the secret menu, you'll have to go in at a time when he's not as busy if not they'll say no, i.e. not lunch time! Other items are RadNa and Chicken Avenue. TIP: YOU CAN CALL AHEAD A PLACE A TO GO ORDER IF YOU ARE IN A RUSH!!!!! This is hands down one of the main things I miss about Boulder and it's nicely tucked under in a little food court. I've seen so many restaurants come in and out of there but Thai Ave is still standing strong and their lines are still just as long. There's been times when I've had a meal here every day of the week. Kim even knows me by name! Some Thai places make their food too sweet so Thai Ave suits my palette more in the sense that he has a good balance and you can tell from his pad thai! Suggestions: -Beef Noodle Soup in the winter time. OMG. -Beef Eggplant, I've seriously haven't had a better one that Kim's family recipe! -Chicken Pad Thai, honestly a signature dish. -Street Noodles-Can't go wrong with that -Tom Yum Soup-Don't get this more than at a medium hot because the heat mixed with the spiciness is killer. -EGG BOMB-hands down my favorite ever and I don't know where else to get it! It's a chicken based dish with mushrooms, baby corn, basil and you guessed it, an EGG BOMB! ahaha You can get 5 levels of spiciness: -Mild -Medium -Hot -Thai Hot -Double Thai Hot (I can't believe I used to eat at this level ahaha) Depending on who is cooking, there will be a difference in spiciness. Kim's wife makes things a little more mild so if you want it medium, i'd order hot and it would be about right. Kim tends to get more carried away with the chili but that's how I like it! read more

Thai Avenue - Hello egg bomb, it's been a while :) - Thai Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Delicious yellow curry! One of the few places you can get STEAMED tofu! The service was so nice too.

Kim, you're the man. Great tasting food for a great price. Yes, Thai food in the college district of Boulder, Colorado! It's located in a pretty nasty downstairs food court giving it a fast food feel, however, a great quick lunch spot for phenominal prices. Oh yeah, we shared this meal. $3.50 for soup and $7.59 for Pad Sei Yew...both had the perfect spice. too good...THANKS KIM for the chat and for serving great food. read more

The ownership changed earlier this year, and the food isn't as good. It is still quite good, and some of the dishes are almost the same (street noodle, pepper garlic, mixed vegetable), while others are noticeably less flavorful (pad thai, drunken noodle). Overall still flavorful thai food at a good price, esp. for Boulder. read more

Best thai in Boulder, the food is like twice as good as the rest of the thai in town. You have to eat in a food court that is often packed with little seating, so you also get to chat up random college girls you're sitting near. This may be a good or bad thing if you are or are not a college girl. read more

The Good: - Thai Avenue has a pretty square idea of how spicy a medium level of spice is (a mix between sriracha and cholula -- Thai style). - Thai Avenue serves a fairly generous amount of food for what you pay (~$7). The Not-So Good: - The Pad Thai is lacking that "oomph", that zing, that out-of-this-world experience that Pad Thais should induce. - The noodle dishes are terribly oily! I could only take a few bites before I felt the imminent face-wide breakout and a massive tummy ache. The latter actually did happen. SIDE NOTE: I couldn't eat the Pad Thai with chopsticks because the noodles were itty-bitty (about .5"-1" in length). Use a fork, or a spoon, or both! read more

Thai Avenue - Tofu Pad Thai. - Thai Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

This little gem is hiding in the food court downstairs on the hill. It is one of my favorite Thai food places in the greater boulder area. I can vouch for the springs rolls, pad Thai and Panang curry. Also the tofu is pretty bomb; crispy but not mushy. Thai Avenue has weird hours so check to make sure you don't miss the opportunity to eat some good Thai in Boulder! read more

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This place has been around for a really long time and there's good reason for this. This place has great authentic Thai food. My friend hasn't been here in over 10 years and was hoping it would be as good as he remembered. I ordered a curry dish and he ordered the pad Thai. He requested a 5 for spiciness and he could barely finish it, it was that spicy! Mine was a 3 and just the right amount. My only complaint is that I wish they gave me more curry and not so much rice! Overall delicious and a great value for the quality of the food! read more

Bad food. Sorry. The flavour is specially tailored for Americans, and it does not taste good. There are many other Thai food choices here; please do not choose this one. read more

I go to CU Boulder, so this restaurant is really easy to reach for lunch between classes. I like coming here for their authentic Thai food that always tastes great, my favorite dish being the Pad Thai-- probably the best Pad Thai I've ever had. It's definitely affordable for me too, which is nice. read more

I love Thai food. I have been to Thailand several times and this is the closest to authentic I have had since being there. This is how the Thai people eat. This is not like your americanized thai restaurant that has an army of waiters and servers and chefs. It's clearly a family bringing their flavors from Thailand. If you have been to Bangkok and eaten from the street vendors, this is what you are getting. Simple and flavorful and inexpensive. I like to cook thai food on my own and have struggled to get the recipes right so when I tasted their Tom Yum Goong (which was the best I have had in the US), I had to ask to speak to the chef. He gave me excellent advice on what I was doing wrong. White boys beware, when you say hot, it's hot ha ha. that Tom Yum soup left my gums blazing for an hour after I ate and I LOVE spicy food. I also had the pad kee mao (drunken noodle) and it was flavorful and a massive portion. My belly gave it a standing ovation! I gave it 4 stars as it was a long wait, maybe 20-25 minutes. But in my book, when you are watching them cook your meal fresh right there, it's worth it...good things come to those who wait. If you want fast, go eat at Panda Express. This was Thai food that took me back to the hustle and bustle and the beautiful chaos of the streets of Bangkok. read more

Just wanted to briefly reiterate the perfection that is Thai Avenue. As I may have mentioned before, I go there every week before class, without fail. And without fail, they consistently prepare heaping, delicious plates of spicy, wholesome food that I never, ever get tired of eating. I could probably come here 3 times a week, no problem. Yesterday I couldn't decide between spicy eggplant stir fry and drunken noodles, so I asked if it was possible to put eggplant in my drunken noodles. I didn't really know if they would go well together, but the man who was cooking (I think he's the owner, but I'm not sure) happily stir fried a bunch of eggplant right in with the other vegetables, and it came out damned fantastic. Better, even, than usual. I'm a sucker for a seared, crispy-skinned spicy eggplant with creamy, fall-apart flesh. Mmmmm. And I KNOW I didn't mention this before... one $6 Thai Avenue plate feeds me both dinner and lunch the next day. Unbeatable. Absolutely unbeatable. Thank you, Thai Avenue, for existing. read more

So glad I finally got a chance to try Thai Avenue!! Have heard it was splendid, and many thanks to Hannah E. for recommending it! Met a friend for lunch here today. I wasn't sure what to order...skipped breakfast and was extra hungry but didn't want to overdo it. So I tried the lemongrass soup which was full of beautiful vegetables and chicken. Yum! I also got the red curry, medium spicy. Exquisite... In addition, we shared the won ton crab cream cheese appetizer. So delicate and perfect, with real crab. Best won tons ever. The fragrant rosewater lemonade from the vendor next door went perfectly with this meal. In fact, I recommend it, when & if you go to this food court! Today's meal was one of the dreamiest Thai meals I've ever experienced. Even though I'm fairly certain school is out for CU students, a huge crowd arrived shortly after we sat down, and a line from Thai Avenue at the rear of the food court clear out to the stairway near the entrance formed. It is clearly the most popular vendor in the court of 3. I've tried 'em all now, and they're all very good. read more

I moved out of Boulder almost five years ago. Before then, Thai Avenue was a multiple-times-a-week dining pleasure. I would always order either the Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mow), or (occasionally) Street Noodles (Pad See Ew). In my bolder younger days, I would order "Thai Hot", and through the sweating, cringing, and multiple glasses of water, I would assure my concerned friends that I was actually enjoying it! As I got older, I scaled back to the Medium or Hot depending on how I felt that day. I swore at the time that Thai Avenue was the best Thai noodles on the planet, but I said so having eaten very little other Thai food. After I left Boulder, Thai Avenue gradually faded from my consciousness. I ate lots of good Thai food all over the place (always trying the pad thai so I could compare apples to apples), from New York to LA to Portland to Seattle to Taiwan. I even spent a couple months trying to master cooking pad thai from scratch. The only piece I'm missing is eating pad thai in Thailand... Fast forward five years, and I return to Boulder, with a much less naive approach to Thai food. I decide to hit up Thai Avenue for old times' sake. Maybe now when I try it again, it will seem mediocre in comparison to all the other wonderful Thai food I've eaten. I order the Pad Thai, of course, (Spice level: Hot, Protein: Chicken), and after an excruciating wait, it arrives. I squeeze the fresh lime wedge on top, I take a single bite, and absolutely melt. It is the most perfect thing I have ever put into my mouth. It is challengingly spicy, but the spice enhances the flavor rather than distracting from it. The noodles are fresh and the perfect texture (There's a Taiwanese word "Q" or "Kiu" which describes this texture and is impossible to translate into English. It basically describes the texture of gummy bears, Mochi, or Boba). These noodles are freaking "Q"! The flavor is outstanding. Pad Thai sauces run the flavor gamut from Oyster Sauce-y to Ketchup-y to Sugary, and are nearly never perfect. In making my own Pad Thai, getting the right flavor from the sauce was always the biggest challenge. Somehow, the folks at Thai Avenue have hit upon the perfect sauce. It is the platonic ideal of Pad Thai sauces. It is sweet and savory, zesty and umami. It is heaven. What else do I love about the dish? The big chunky bits of green onion are surprisingly wonderful, the crushed peanuts are perfect. Now that my visit to Boulder is over, and I know that my idealization of Thai Avenue was well-deserved, I will dream about those noodles until my next pilgrimage to the mecca of Pad Thai. read more

Thai Avenue has been one of my favorite restaurants in Boulder since my freshman year of college! The food is delicious and one of the only places you can find really really good traditional Thai food in Boulder. Very fair priced and have good lunch and dinner deals, and everyone who works there is very friendly and gets to know the customers by name! One of the best places to go on the hill for a quick bite to eat. read more

Bang for the buck, this place is great. Don't expect white tableclothes, waiters, anything like that. It's not a place to bring a date. It's part of a food court, though it's the only restaurant that gets any real business. For lunch, I paid 6.75, had the Thai street noodles (can't remember the Thai name, sorry) at about a medium heat, my friends had Pad Thai at medium and Thai hot. All were excellent, but I preferred mine the most. I great mix of veggies, the chicken was tender, the noodles well cooked but not falling apart. The whole dish had a little bit of that burnt/charred taste, which I love. Also, we shared spring rolls that were some fo the best I've ever had. Service wise, they are very fast, considering the quantity of people eating there. Even at the peak of lunch rush, we ordered, scavenged for a table for 2-3 minutes, waited another 5, and our food was ready. read more

My last meal would probably be here. Located in a little downstairs area on the Hill at Boulder, Thai Ave. is the ultimate hidden treasure. The best thai food you will ever have. Plate-full portions, perfect price, made to order and the mom&pop place. Mr. Kim & A are friendly & they will certainly take care of you. I've been coming here often for over 4 years now. Any excuse to eat here, I will take it! I've tried almost everything & i have never been disappointed. If you've never had thai food, this is the place that'll make you fall in love. They adjust their spiciness to your liking. Not Spicy - medium - hot - & Thai hot. If you have no idea, just ask & Mr. Kim will point you in the right direction. There's something for everyone here & you can even watch them cook with their woks. My Fav.s breakdown by Category: Noodles - Pad thai. Rice - Siriacha Fried Rice. Stir Fried - Spicy Eggplant. Curry - Massamum or Red. Specials - If i told you, i'd have to kill you.. Hope this helps but either way, you can't go wrong here (: Take note: -Lunch special: Your choice of entree, springrolls or crab cheese wontons, & a drink for $7.50! read more

Ok, so this is a time when I wish Yelp had half stars. I would give this 3 1/2. We had to stop here after reading the great reviews. This is in a little food court thing so there really isn't any atmosphere to speak of. It is however clean and cool on a hot day. I had the drunken noodles and it was not anything to write home about. It didn't suck, but was just ok. My biggest problem was that there was no spice to it. None. I at first said I wanted it hot, but then chickened out. Thai hot hot would take my head off, so I said, "no, medium to hot" And this was cooler than mild. Zero heat, and to me that is just not Thai food. It was however PACKED so this is a place to be. I actually felt bad for the other vendor in the food court because he had no business and everyone was queuing up in front of his stall. I would try this place again, but I would order something else and I would ask for it flaming hot. Also, it was very reasonably priced which was nice, but cash only so be prepared for that. read more

If I had to eat at one restaurant in Boulder for the rest of my life it would be Thai Avenue. I love just about everything on the menu, but especially the Supreme Fried Rice, Spicy Pad Thai, and the Spring Rolls. I've had just about all the Thai food in town and to me, nothing else holds a candle to Thai Avenue. They are one of the only places around that actually makes spicy Pad Thai (as opposed to the gloppy sweet stuff on most of the other menus) and if you ask for hot, they'll give it to you. The owners, Kim and A, are really sweet people and they really care about making delicious food. At the end of the night, right around closing time, they eat with their family in the food court. Even if you come up to the window while they're eating, someone will always come back to take your order. Prices are awesome (even for the Hill), and the lunch combo is a fantastic deal. Portions are huge and I always have leftovers for the next day. If only they delivered, I would be in true Thai heaven. read more

It's a crying shame that so many people keep talking about the "GREAT" Thai food they've found at one of the Chinese restaurants in town (in which case I've found that maybe half of the so-called "Thai" dishes friends order have fish sauce and maybe one in ten or less have tamarind) when Thai Avenue is tastier, less sugary and way cheaper! I know it's Boulder and some might be leery of the "hole in the wall" vibe of the little cafeteria-nook on the Hill, but I've found time and again, the best Asian food tends to come from odd-looking spots! The usual suspects of Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles are fantastic and they don't short-change you on portion sizes either! The Tom Kha Gha (Chicken Coconut Soup) is served under the Curry section of the menu as an entree and their curries tend to have a thinner sauce (think soup-like) than say, Wild Ginger or Swing Thai but are still extremely tasty! As has been mentioned, they will make your dishes hot (and they mean business) so if you are sensitive to spiciness, stick with the mild and then grab some of the chili options from the four little pots they keep on top of the canned drink cooler next to the water cooler! The only thing I would possibly change about this place would be to have them open late-night and all-day everyday (for totally selfish reasons of course!) **You might want to check/call before going during the summer, they sometimes scale back their hours when CU is not fully in session or over holiday breaks** read more

Thai Ave. rocks, although they might want to consider shelling out a few more bucks a month for a better location. The food was incredible. I asked for, "thai hot." Could have been hotter, but I was happy with what I got. Thai Ave. is in a food court setting flanked by other food joints, I don't call it a restaurant. I felt bad not dining at the other places, since the only customers they had were their own employees. The Avenue was the only place with a line. There is a reason why though. One last note, the Thai iced tea is awesome! read more

Thai Avenue - the menu - Thai Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

This is easily hands down the best Thai place in Boulder. I ate here all through out college and I still come down sometimes to get some Thai food. Prices are incredible for the amount of food you get. The staff is always friendly and the owner Kim always has a smile on his face. For you first timers, I know its not the best location but if you come during lunch time, the line to this place will be out the door. Never judge a book by its cover ...just judge the line waiting for the book. Go and enjoy some great Thai food. read more

It's been over two years since I last went to Thai Ave because I no longer live in Boulder but the countless times I've been while at CU have left me with some wonderful memories. This small self-service Thai restaurant produces some of the best Pad Thai and Pad See Ew I have ever had in my life. When you order the noodles, they ask you for a choice of protein and how spicy you want it. "Beef, Medium" I'd say. The noodles are then made to order, cooked to perfection with the perfect balance of flavors. I wish all Thai restaurants tasted like this. Sigh. The entire staff is wonderful. It didn't take long for the owner to start recognizing me, and he would always ask me where I've been if it's been more than a couple of weeks since I've visited. Everyone always had a smile on their face which made for a wonderfully welcoming environment. Even thinking about it now makes me want to go back! The prices were so affordable too! Lunch special came with a soft drink as well as fried wontons which were crispy and on the outside and creamy delicious on the inside. If they opened a Thai Avenue in DC, I would go every single week (like I used to). The restaurant is located in a half basement on The Hill with multiple restaurants neighboring it. I've tried many different dishes off Thai Ave and they've never disappointed so I was never even tempted to try any of the other places... Seriously, just go and experience some delicious, fresh, and authentic Thai food! Tip: For the daring, ask for "Thai spicy". There are also secret off-the-menu items but I don't think I should be giving those away ;) read more

Maybe it's because I'm from Cali.. and we have the best food. Maybe because I'm a thai-addict customer. But this place is not all that great. For the price, it's a bargain. But quality PEOPLE, quality. I ordered the pad thai, mehhh, I took 4-5 bites and togo the rest. But if you are a poor college student and need quick easy thai food, go here (: read more

Great service, amazing food in the best location with the best prices! I look forward to lunch breaks from school so I can eat here. It is hands down the best Thai I've ever had and I eat out a LOT. I've gotten the spicy basil stir fry with chicken, the street noodles with pork, the wontons, and the red curry with chicken. I'm amazed at how well done each dish is. Great food is one thing, but for me consistency wins all, and this place has got it. And for an unbeatable price. read more

An extremely good deal for decent thai food. The flavors are really bold around 5 bucks for almost all the dishes. Be careful here as the spice level can be hard to handle for those who don't eat thai often. This is basically a fast food place that out performs every time! read more

My favorite thai food in boulder. Chicken street noodles, hot. So fast, so yummy. How street noodles shpuld be, like pad se ewe and drunken had a baby. Noodles a little crisp, just perfect read more