5 stars for Ambiance, Service, Cleanliness, Food and Affordability. I desired to try an authentic Thai restaurant while in the area. I looked online for locations near 7th Ave & Indian School and found this hidden gem. GREETING/AMBIANCE: Upon walking in, customers greetings are very warm and palpable. It took less than 2 minutes to be seated. As I entered I felt a very warm and inviting atmosphere. Lots of beautiful vibrant colors like reds, blues, oranges, yellows played throughout the restaurant. The ceilings are darkened and laced with sparkling lights and soft music playing in the background created a very serene emotion. I noticed the cleanliness from top to bottom and from the decor I felt as if I was in the heart of Thailand. SERVICE: While seated in a soft red booth a beautiful woman approached my table. She seemed very genuine and offered me an insightful summary of the menu. I ordered several plated items and within minutes my food was hot and ready; just the smell alone was mouth watering. FOOD: You choose your base & a topped protein/vegetable of your choice. Then you add your level of spice. To help you navigate here's how the levels work... Thai E-San Food Heat Levels: 1-5 1= not hot 2= very mild heat 3= a little tingly on the tongue (for some, this may make your nose runny) 4= very spicy (What I'll try next time) 5= you may leave crying because you couldn't take the heat OR you could but you feel some pain This visit, I ate stir-fried fresh ginger w/pork (level 2), fried rice w/vegetables (level 1), spicy green beans w/chicken (level 3), drunken noodles with basil and chicken (level 3) and for dessert tried the sweet rice w/mango as well as the Coconut Ice-cream with Freshly Chopped Peanuts. Overall, EVERY dish exceeded my expectations! The food was temp hot, beautiful spiced and that #3 level was perfect! Literally this place has the best food ever... all individually extremely tasty but married beautifully together in my mouth. I am literally still thinking about this food!!!The Coconut icecream topped with peanuts is a symphony on the pallet.. cold, smooth & crunchy with a balance of sweet & salty.. simply DELICIOUS and a must try for everyone without peanut allergies. DRINKS/BAR: Offers various drinks of your choice including non-alcoholic beverages. Tea, Coffee, Lemonade, Coke Products: Soda, Dr.Pep, Sprite etc... plus Alcoholic drinks may be ordered. The bar contains Rum, Bourbon, Gin, Beer, Wine, Tequila, Sake along with many others. GOOD THINGS TO KNOW: The owner Pui is extremely kind and appreciates every customer. Thai E-San is a local favorite and has made The New York Best food within the years. The Largest party: max 35ppl Reservations: Yes, 6 ppl and up. Deposit necessary & requests 24hr reservation to provide the best service possible. May accept reservations same day if applicable. Owner ask that customers kindly cancel within a timely manner as to provide service to other patrons. KIDS: Thai E-San offers child high chairs as well as booster seating for kids. RESTROOMS: Are separated into both male/female & female bathroom includes 2 stalls and hand washing station. ONLINE ORDERING: Order online at ThaiESanPhx.com Open Mon-Friday 11am-9:30pm Sunday 12pm-9:30pm Closed on Sat Lunch Specials from 11am-3pm Monday - Friday. And remember if you ever read my restaurant Yelp reviews, I always state: Cash tips are always welcome folks! Thanks for reading. Now tell your friends and family and let's go eat some yummy Thai food here! ***PATRON NOTICE: Thai E-San will be closed March 3, 2023 for maintenance and will re-open during normal business hours on March 5, 2023. read more

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Don't let the exterior of Thai e San fool you; inside, it's a small, intimate setting perfect for a comfort meal. We came in on friday night, I didn't expect the place to be so busy but the staff's friendliness and fun vibe made the experience. We tried the lemongrass seafood soup - (tom yum) was incredibly flavorful and the seafood was fresh without any fishiness. I also enjoyed the red curry with a combination of meats and shrimp, where spice level 3 hit the sweet spot for me - just enough kick with excellent taste. Portions were generous, perfect for sharing. Thai e San has become my new favorite Thai spot in Arizona. read more

Thai E-San - Lemongrass soup - Thai Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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This is my favorite take out Thai spot. It is so amazingly good my favorite dishes are the massaman curry with chicken and the pad see ew with beef. Both are so flavorful and yummy. The spring rolls and pad Thai are very good as well! If anything I will say the difference between spice level 2 and 3 is quite the jump. read more

Thai E-San - Pad Thai shrimp - Thai Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I had their Arizona Fried rice with chicken medium spicy is really really the best I've ever had in my whole life I wish there was one more west of the valley. When I say the best literally. read more

Ordered takeout to take to a friend's house. The food was ready within 20 minutes on a busy night. Service was friendly and the food was good and a nice temperature. We had the classic dishes....pad thai, yellow curry with chicken and summer rolls. It's a perfect neighborhood Thai restaurant and we would use them again in the future. read more

I love Thai E-San. Their food and service are excellent. I usually go in the afternoon on my way home from a doctor appointment near downtown. I arrived about 12:30pm on a Thursday. The place was packed. In spite of this, I was seated immediately, and the waiter came over to take my drink order right away. I started my meal with a half order of their Tom Yum Goong (shrimp) soup. My only complaint about any of their shrimp dishes is that they don't remove the shells from the tails entirely. What's the point of leaving the tail fin shells on anyway? In any event, I had the soup at a spice level 4 out of 5. It did not disappoint. It came out of the kitchen screaming hot temperature-wise and really spicy. Yum. I had their lunch version of the spicy green beans phrik khing curry with shrimp. Since I had ordered the Tom Yum soup, the waiter offered to swap out the soup that comes with the lunch portion for a second spring roll, which I accepted. Lunch also came with jasmine rice and a side of wonton chips. I decided to get the green beans at a spice level of 3, slightly above medium. After getting used to the higher spice level of the soup, the entree felt almost mild by comparison. It was very tasty, however. Aside from checking with me frequently to see if I needed anything or wanted a container for leftovers (there weren't really any), service was unobtrusive. Thai E-San recently posted a sign that they are closed on Saturdays, which is puzzling, given Saturdays are one of the best nights for restaurants in the city. Regardless, they have always been consistent and reliable in terms of service and food quality. I'll happily eat there again and recommend them happily. read more

Thai E-San - Shrimp and tofu Spicy green beans phrik-khing curry. I started eating it because it looked so good, I almost forgot to take a photo, lol. - Thai Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Best authentic Thai food in Phoenix. Had the House Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp- the Panang Curry with Pork, the Angel Wings and the Crab Wontons. All the food was delicious. Large portions for the Pad Thai and Curry. Only thing is I got a level 2 spice/ probably would've done a 3 as I do like spice. I highly recommend- the service was on point- it's very nice inside- and the Thai tea with rum was delicious. Cannot wait to come back read more

I have been coming here for years and love it. The staff is great and the food is consistently good. They also do a great job with take out and it gets to me still warm. read more

I got one of the curries and it was absolutely delicious. The employees were quick get me my order and were also kind. If you're craving Thai food, make sure to give this a try! I ordered online and picked up in store. read more

What happened to this place?! It used to be one of our favorites. We had a recent visit and it was horrible! The drunken noodle dish was inedible. The texture of the noodles were incredibly mushy, gummy, and they lacked flavor. The rice in the Arizona Fried rice was over cooked, and the entire dish was underwhelming. The chicken satay was fatty, chicken thigh meat, and chewy, another dish that was inedible. I no longer would recommend this restaurant. read more

Had the radios special and garlic chicken. The waiter was great he had us make a few modifications to our order that he figured we would like and he was right. We also got the fish cakes which I would pass on normally, but they're different to try. The fresh spring rolls didn't taste too fresh but were still good. Our new favorite Thai place if you like heat! Cute inside with the owner welcoming you. Chill vibe and decent drinks. read more

I went for lunch for the first time with friends that have been going for years. Ask for the special Thai menu. Thai hot means just that. Every dish was fabulous. read more

i recently had.. late lunch..since i read reviews for "authentic thai" cuisine ...honestly..."not" at all to my liking..out dated..atmosphere .. still?? using ...covid -19..plexiglass booth panels.(dirty)....whole place ..needs a cleaning..menu selection..subpar (overpriced)..luke warm /cold entrees..when delivered ...."flat" boxed?? wine ...must have had.. family do.. previous reviews....price/atmosphere/ food ..a hard "pass"..very disappointing ...make your own!!!! read more

I used to work at an authentic Thai restaurant so when I first moved to PHX, my expectations were high. Finding the right restaurant that tasted similar to what I knew was extremely difficult. I LOVEEE Thai E-San, I feel like it is very much looked over, but to me it is by far the most yummy Thai food in the area. The prices are so fair as well! read more

Food was ok, but not typical Thai that we are used to eating. Wanted classic Tom Yum, but they said they're was lemongrass. Really did not taste like classic Tom Yum read more

Thai E-San came recommended by a Thai friend. It did NOT disappoint. My group ordered several dishes. Some things I've never tried or heard of before. I have my Thai food favorites in Phoenix, and this one just bumped up to the top 3! Enjoy! read more

A popular spot due to its proximity to a nearby hospital, but nothing special. I've had take out and eat-in experiences here. Cleanliness: 1 star. See the attached photos of a bug in my food. I proceeded to find more in my soup. Never eating here again. Food: 3 stars for overall taste. A bit salty, but maybe that's to appeal to their audience. Service: 2 stars. Nothing to complain about but nothing to write home about. Ambience: 2 stars. See above. Overall: Good luck if you plan to eat here, but I don't like playing roulette with my food, nor do I like wasting my money. read more

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Gross. I've read the reviews and I have been here before and had decent food. Tonight it was down right disgusting. The Pad Thai was a gelatinous, tasteless mess. We got a a mild version and a spicy version. Both were awful. The satay was not satay. It was a greasy gross fried blackened mess. I've never seen anything like it. The pot stickers were also greasy and gross and cooked in rotten oil. This was not mediocre food, it was down right awful. Plus, we paid $75 for the privilege of this terrible dinner. I would not recommend eating here. Even if it was an off night, no restaurant should have a night this bad. read more

This classic Thai restaurant has a wondeful ambiance, with separate, private booths, and very experienced wait staff. The food comes out quickly and is delicious. They also provide a really nice array of specialty drinks to choose from. read more

Super friendly service and plenty of seating for big and small groups. We loved the pineapple fried rice with shrimp and the ginger sauce with scallops. Had some Thai iced tea which complimented the food really well. We requested a spice level 3 but I felt I could have gone to a 4 comfortably as someone who loves spice. Had a great experience here! read more

[4.3/5.0] Almost forgot to leave a review for this one. Got a variety of goods pictured below. Everything was scrumpdilly for real. The pineapple fried rice got me going crazy. Every grain was indeed alone, thats fried rice done correctly. Yellow curry went hard, i got a spice level 4 on this one. Their chillies are indeed quite quality, it shows in the bathroom. Pad thai is exquisite as well. Sheesh. read more

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Ordered takeout and it was delicious! Service was friendly and helpful since it was our first time here.

I have driven by this place multiple times and finally decided to stop and try. Wow, what a great little place with a comfy vibe, fast service, and the food....hot and absolutely delicious!!! I got a level 3 spice and it was perfect. Definitely one of the better Thai restaurants I've been too in the downtown Phoenix area!! read more

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Yes. Just yes. Service: yes Food: yes. Beware: they don't skimp on spice. If you request hot, own up to it. DRINKS: very, VERY good. Pink Lady and Muoy Thai Tea are my faves. This is me and my family's go to spot in DTPHX for Thai. I find no faults with this establishment. What a GEM, honestly. read more

Best Thai in central Phoenix. Service is always gracious. Super quick to get food once ordered. Doesn't disappoint.

WOW! (say no more) Great service! Delicious, authentic Thai food. Nice ambience. Great for first dates or groups. Speedy service. Accessible entrance. read more

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My Thai place for 15 years. My go to is the red curry with chicken. I don't really care for crab puffs unless they're from here. They are SO good. I also like the pad see ew with beef. My husband loves their house pad Thai. I do a 3 and sometimes it can be intense. If it is I just add one lime to my dish. If I have a rough day the cure is always an order from Thai e San. read more

I have been here many times and the food is always delicious and the service is outstanding. I always get the papaya salad and my boyfriend gets the drunken noodles. But my all time favorite dish is the phrik khing curry. The fish is cooked to perfection. And the Thai tea is delicious! I will be coming back again. read more

Thai E-San - Mango Sticky Rice with Mango - Thai Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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There are definitely better Thai options in the Valley. I found the duck curry to be bland and a bit too bony for my taste. While the service and atmosphere were fine, nothing really stood out to make it memorable. read more

Lovely place for date night or with family and friends. Plenty of seating, clean tables and friendly staff. I got the chicken massaman curry with white rice-spice level 2. Very flavorful, plenty of chicken, and the curry was perfect. I really enjoyed this dinner. I'd order it again. I was able to try my cousins pad Thai (not pictured)-spice level 3 and I'll have to say it was definitely spicy. If you're sensitive to spice you'll want to stick with 1/2. Level 3 is a level for the spicy lovers. My meal was about $22-a little expensive however I think because it was evening prices. Maybe lunch is a little less? Other than that, the food was delicious! read more

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We came on Christmas Eve and they were quite busy but they were efficient at moving people on and out with a small wait staff. We had the Tom yum soup which was pretty good and we would recommend. read more

My big family dined at the restaurant and we all LOVED IT! They were accommodating to our large party and reserved a table for us. This was on the same day as Father's Day, a Dbacks game and the suns playoff game. The server was super friendly and informative. He helped me pick out the massaman curry with tofu and would have it made vegan. It was so good when it arrived that I ate it before taking a picture! We had a group of omnis and vegans and everyone left with full, happy bellies. This was our first time there and we will be back! read more

Thai E-San - Summer rolls with tofu - Thai Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Amazing food. Expensive but good. Love the lemongrass soup with chicken. Prompt service.

Neighborhood Thai spot that never disappoints! Central Phoenix treasure. Amazing atmosphere inside- feels very intimate. The service is great, the people are friendly and the food is delicious. I'm a creature of habit so I get pad Thai every time but my girlfriend got the Cashew Chicken and was equally pleased. Overall- if you're looking for a low key authentic Thai spot look no further! read more

Thai E-San - House Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Ordered pad see ew, but there were like six noodles. What's wrong over there? Seems pretty weak for over $20!

This is a gem! The food, service and ambiance were a welcome surprise. We are so happy to have found this excellent restaurant.

There's usually a wait at dinner time because it is SO GOOD. This is a family favorite restaurant. read more

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Wonderful service! Great lunch combos, had basil fried rice and yellow curry. Their coconut soup that came with the lunch and vegetable spring roll were delicious! read more

Had the mixed vegetables with chicken and brown sauce. Also had basil fried rice and an egg roll. The food was ok but not good enough to return. Lunch specials are $14. read more

My wife makes it a point to eat at a Thai establishment when we're in a new city, as she's from Thailand. As soon as we walked in, it felt like we were instantly transported back to the Land of Smiles! The ambiance of the place is incredible! We live in the Isaan region of Thailand and this hit the spot! The food has the real authentic taste of Thailand and is highly recommended. We had a chance to speak with the owner, who has a great personality, and you can tell how passionate she is about the restaurant and her outstanding staff! If you want a lil' bit of Thailand, in the Phoenix area, Thai E-San is a MUST! Arroy mak mak! read more