Everything was delicious! Cant believe Chattanooga has this little hole in the wall authentic Thai/lao restaurant! When I looked at the menu of all the various Thai restaurant to chose from, one item stuck out and its papaya salad offered between two different sauces. I knew then they were authentic! The lao sausage came with a spicy sauce and it was just amazing. It was fresh and homemade scent of lemongrass. We thoroughly enjoyed it and so did the kids! Service was very homey and kind! read more

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The food is excellent and the service friendly and helpful. You can dine in for a basic diner experience or take out and enjoy one of the neighborhood parks in the area read more

Great food and good hearty portions. Would definitely recommend. No issues from several times of ordering from here with door dash. read more

I took a chance tonight and it PAID off!! This is the best Wonton soup I've ever eaten!! Chicken broth wontons stuffed with pork and shrimp, cooked with assorted vegetables - the broth was so garlicky and delicious. The Thai Salad looks so beautiful even as an Uber eats order! They actually care about their food and how it's presented. This will be on regular rotation when in Chattanooga or East Ridge!! read more

Thai Esan - Thai Salad - so fresh - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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I used to love this place, but I went on a Friday at eight, and they were stacking chairs and clearly in a rush to get home: the crab rangoon was frozen in the middle, and the curry was watery and bland. I'm not sure I'll be back. read more

My girlfriend ordered some wet noodles with level 3 spiciness. It was $16 and some change. In my eyes that's too much $$ for some noodles, but my girlfriend loves your place. When we got home they were just noodles in flavorless broth with unseasoned chicken. I called and asked what was up with the food. The guy said he didn't know and that he was sorry. I asked for a manager and he said there wasn't one. I said I want to talk to the cook. He said he doesn't speak english. I said you need to fix this for me. We go there frequently and I like the place, but I don't like the price and this situation is unacceptable. He said he didn't know what to do for me. I cussed at him and hung up. Sorry kid. I know it wasn't your fault. Thai Esan owners, it is your fault. Get your crap together. Your prices are too high and your food isn't that good. If you mess up, make it right. I'm not going back. There are too many good restaurants near you for me and my girlfriend to have to risk another bad experience. read more

Cold food when I got it after an hour from to-go. Poor lady out front nice but needed help!

Excellent across the board Ginger chicken had tons of ginger in it Spicy stir fry was not spicy so make sure to tell them if you actually want it spicy All the food was very good Small place very homey read more

We are enjoying the Thai cuisine a lot lately. The stop at Thai Esan provided us with a convenient location, fresh veggies and hot rice. We entered a storefront buzzing with activity. After ordering we waited for our meal while listening to a Thai symphony of voices slightly muffled behind the wall in the adjacent kitchen--the rhythmic chopping of the tofu, veggies and laughter. This is always a good sign of a great meal on the way. Our food arrived quickly even though the store was busy. It was hot and delicious. The service was efficient and warmed as the staff caught up to the orders. Keep in mind that they break between the lunch and supper hours by closing the store. So stop in and, well...Thai one on! read more

Thai Esan - Mixed Vegetables - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Cancelled my order 30 minutes before closing and didn't give my money back to me, tried to call them and they send me to voicemail highly unprofessional! Will not be ordering from here again! read more

Easily the best Thai food in Chattanooga. Easily. I've tried Thai food in so many cities: Atlanta, San Francisco, Tahoe, Austin, Seattle, LA, NY...and Thai esan is definitely in my top 5 spots for yummy Thai cuisine. We were also greeted with kindest which was a plus plus in my book. The pad Thai was so flavorful and beyond delicious! The noodles were fresh and didn't turn gummy like most pad dishes do after 10 min. The spring rolls were crispy, hot, and hugged with a lil peppery spice!! The food smelled so good, hubby and I ate the takeout in the car lol My only complaint is how expensive the spring rolls were: $7.50 for 4 egg rolls, which is kinda crazy! That's my only complaint though. If they lower the price to $4 or $5, I guarantee more people will try them and even by more than 1 order. read more

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Very authentic food and friendly environment. Food come out quick and they have amazing staff and service.

Located along Ringgold Blvd. in a strip mall, you need to know where you are going to not drive by. There is a marque at the street, but it is easy to lose in the background. The sign over the storefront is much larger, so once you turn into the parking lot, you can easily find the restaurant. Parking is adjacent to the building or across a traffic lane. The traffic lane is fairly wide, so crossing should not be an issue. I didn't specifically notice a handicapped space, but there are no steps so proximity to the door is the main advantage here. Walking in, there is a counter directly across from the door, with seating to either side. Seating is both tables and booths, for maybe 25 people. Everything is bright and clean with minimal decorations, but certainly not Spartan. The waitress came to our booth after a few minutes with menus, and took our drink order. There was only one person working the front, but I never felt we waited too long for anything, even when it got a little busy. Our food took maybe 15 minutes to come out. It arrived in three deliveries a couple minutes apart, I assume as soon as each one came off the stove, so they were as fresh and hot as possible. The spring rolls were hot and crispy. The veggies inside were crisp and the dipping sauce had a slight heat, but was only noticeable, not distracting. My red curry was excellent. All ingredients were fresh, including the basil leaves which added a very nice flavor. The snow peas stir fry was also very good, with fresh veggies in a light oyster sauce. The Pad Kee Mao was also very good, again with fresh vegetables and excellent flavors. Take note of the heat ratings on the menu. I like some spice so I ordered the medium, and it was on the upper side of what I like. Certainly within my range but it may trend higher than other places. My dining partner likes hotter than I do and ordered the hot, which was also at the upper end of their range. We also had some order no spice, and they were very happy with their dishes. I am curious just how spicy the "make me cry" heat rating is, but I won't be the one to order it. Thai Esan is certainly a gem within an unassuming strip mall. Their menu is broad enough to provide ample choices for multiple trips, and the spice level can please any palate. read more

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Best Thai food in Chattanooga, hands down. Always get a curry, they are all amazing. Nice people, clean and efficient.

The food was great, loved the Pad See Ew and the Thai tea. Definitely worth stopping by and getting some take out. I also had the dumplings and they were really good too! read more

Good food friendly staff.. clean, however a little cooler then I like but I will go again read more

Friendly Service, Good Food... Pad Thai is good here, so far that's all I have tried I think. The service is very polite here, I think it's a family owned spot. All in all a good place to feed your inner animal before it starts biting people.... read more

Thai Esan - the interior of a restaurant - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Wow!! Some random lady at McKay's suggested Thai Esan to me a while back. We live about 1.5 hours away, but visit the area often, and finally tried Thai Esan yesterday. wow!! We will definitely be back! We had fresh rolls & Thai dumplings for appetizers, red curry, pad Thai & the kids had some fried rice. Everything was delicious, fresh, and came out steaming hot! I would gather by the traffic it is a well loved local place. We walked in at nearly 1pm and shortly thereafter the place was packed & a constant stream of carry out! The staff were really sweet. read more

Thai Esan - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Since moving here two years ago we discovered this place some time ago. We eat there every Sunday as a family. Because our Granddaughter loves their Pho and my husband loves their Bento box so it's apparent at least for them that consistency is possible. I've ordered at least 3 different items on the menu so far, each time in hopes that something different will be good. This time broke me. I ordered Lad Nar and asked for thin noodles, vs. medium ones. I ordered #2 for spice level. It came with thick noodles and it was hot enough that my gums hurt. I should have sent it back like I should have sent back all the others that weren't right but I took it home almost uneaten. I HATE paying for food that's not right! The two times that were the worst I looked at the receipt. The first time I had asked for 3 for the spice level. At almost any Thai place this is an acceptable level for me. It was unbearable. When we got outside I looked at the receipt and it said HOT beside my order. Today the same happened but this time I thought I had learned my lesson and ordered 2 for spice level. On the receipt was Medium! Train your staff!!! A 2 is not medium, a 3 is. A 3 is not hot it is medium. I told them we are going to have to take a break from this place because this is ridiculous. We'll be back eventually because they love it but I guess if I order anything at all I will order with NO spice and eat a bland meal because the waitstaff cannot seem to comprehend what the numbers for spice are supposed to mean. Why not just write on the order the spice # I asked for instead of interpreting as you see fit? Unfortunately for me I'll be back but I won't be happy about it and likely the person that waits on us won't be either because if it's not right next time it's going back. read more

Friendly, good prices. Fine Thai food but not great. Not much atmosphere for the dine-in option. Very good portions. For the entrees selected, flavor was fairly one dimensional...needs more depth. Chicken was overcooked. Better Thai food options in the Chattanooga area. read more

Yes! Yes! Yes! The answer is yes, this is what you want for diver tonight! Started out with the dumplings and they tasted so fresh and delicious. Their special house sauce was the Cherry on top. My husband got the drunken noodles (pad kee mao) and they were packed with flavor. I had the chicken satay with a side of egg fried rice. Absolutely amazing and filling. I have enough for lunch tomorrow and can't wait! Excellent service to boot!!! read more

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This place is my kind of place! Hole in the wall and super authentic! Some of the best Thai food I have ever had! Started with the Papaya salad. Absolutely incredible!! Also tried the Fresh Rolls which didn't last long enough for photos. It had a nice peanut sauce and their house sauce. My entree was the Pad Ke Mao with shrimp. They give you the choice of the level of heat 1-5. I had everything at a level 4. Wow! Was it spicy!! Especially the Papaya Salad. Really cleared my nasal passages!! This place got super busy during lunch and they do offer take out. The service was very warm, but not very fast for lunch. Totally worth it!! We weren't in a hurry! Just FYI in case you are in a hurry. GET HERE for the papaya salad! Must have!!! read more

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Small Thai restaurant with great food and service. We had the chicken satay (amazing peanut sauce), pad woo sen (light and citrusy), Lao papaya salad, pad seew. Really great, just be careful with the spicy levels- medium was hot! read more

Came by for a quick Thursday night dinner here and to unbutton my pants on the ride home lol! Started with some summer rolls, pretty tasty and fresh. They were sadly all out of wings so we didn't get to try those. When the giant heaping plates of our entrees came out though I was happy we didn't get any. I had the pad kee mao spicy and wished I had gotten just one level hotter (I love some good spice). I ate THE WHOLE THING cause it was yummy and I couldn't stop myself. My husband had the pad Thai, his was spicy and his glasses fogged up as he ate (I was jealous). The chicken in both our dishes tasted previously cooked perhaps, kind of dry. I would definitely come back though, a solid local place with friendly staff. read more

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Website is impossible to order delivery from keeps cycling me to Yelp which is the worst

They have some of the best, most flavorful pho I have ever had. I will definitely be back next time I'm passing through Chattanooga.

I think that this one of the more authentic Thai food I've had. They allow you to choose the spice level you want from 1-5 level with 5 being native Thai hot. I ordered the Masaman beef curry with a level 5 spice. I wasn't used to the more liquid version of the curry nor was I used to the sliced beef rather than the fattier chuck that I'm used to. With that being said, it was a welcome change and was still just as delicious! The curry comes out piping hot and fresh with a side of rice. It was a huge portion for its price and you'll definitely bring some back home if you get any of the curries. The staff was nice and quick with their service as well! If I'm ever in the area, I'll definitely be paying a visit. read more

Thai Esan - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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One of my favorite places to eat. Probably ordered a dozen times within the first few weeks of learning this place was 2 minutes away. Friendly staff but they aren't the most reliable to answer their phone. read more

Hi, hello, this is the most authentic and delicious Thai restaurant in this city. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. But no, seriously, Thai Esan is amazing. We moved back to Chattanooga almost 3 years ago after 12 years in Nashville, and we've tried many of the Thai restaurants in the city (we live near Lee Highway, so yeah) trying to fill the Thai restaurant void left by our favorite in Nashville. We finally got around to trying Thai Esan today and it is by FAR the winner. The ladies working there were SO sweet, too! Really great service and food was amazing. Best massaman curry I've had in a long time, maybe ever. Their Tom Yum soup is SO good, as well. Great portion sizes, plenty for leftovers, and super reasonable prices. This will be our new go-to spot! read more

Thai Esan - Massaman curry with chicken, spring rolls - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Thai Esan is our favorite Chattanooga takeout option. It is also our favorite pho in the area! We have had it two to three times a month since October, each time being a good experience. Three cheers for consistency! My personal favorites: beef brisket pho, spring rolls, mango sticky rice. read more

Thai Esan - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Wow. An insult to call this Thai food. It's got zero authenticity. Pad Thai has a red sauce. Fried rice entrees aren't even worthy as a side dish. If you have another option, take it. If not, move along. read more

Delicious and authentic! We stopped in on our way back to Birmingham from blue ridge. Great service, too! We got there at 12 when they opened and the place filled up quickly. A must try! read more

Nice hidden gem in a very unassuming building. Pad Thai and fried rice were great. Spices on the table really set off the plates. The ground pepper blend was amazing. read more

MOST AUTHENTIC THAI SPOT IN CHATT! Omgeee! Yes! MY Go-To: Spicy fried rice (hot) with chicken. Tai tea of course... Other must haves: Chicken Pad tai... they're mango sticky rice is ridiculous! If you dine in, they've got the cute little tray full of spices to add and mix up your meal too. You can make it as hot as you like. Fo rme, if my nose isn't running a little, was it even a good meal? AmIRight? I'd like to add that their proportions are really generous too. I always have left overs for snacking later! Go check this gem out! read more

Thai Esan - Spicy fried rice (hot) with chicken! Yumm!! - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

I'm not a Thai native, but I did live in Bangkok. This place is legit. Perfect pad Kee mao with the perfect sauce to noodle ratio and perfect mango sticky rice. Enough said! read more

Thai Esan - Pad Kee Mao and mango sticky rice - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Are you looking for AUTHENTIC Thai food with EXPLOSIVE flavor and TREMENDOUS SERVICE? Look no other than Thai Esan. My family and I ordered takeout tonight and we couldn't have been anymore pleased. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything came out fantastic! Absolutely amazing packed full of flavor in very bite that left us more than satisfied. Even though our Green Cury was missing shrimp, they gave us a complimentary store credit for the dish and she was so nice about it! 10 out 10 recommend Thai Esan. Try the Tom Yum soup or the Green Curry you will not regret it! Their Dumplings are delicious too! (: read more

MUST try the pineapple fried rice Everything I have had here is delicious. The spring rolls and chicken satay are both a little pricey but man are they good. The pad Thai never disappoints. read more

This hole in the wall Thai restaurant is one you don't want to miss out on! When you walk by you might not think too much of it but it's totally worth checking out! It's clean, and the staff is very friendly and prompt. If you don't want something a certain way they're very accommodating. My friend doesn't eat beef but wanted pho. They were more than willing to make her chicken pho and it's not even on the menu! To me, that sets some restaurants apart from others. I also go the Coconut Soup/Tom Kah! It's probably one of the best I've ever had of this soup. Highly recommend! There are also several people who choose to do carry out at this restaurant. read more

Thai Esan - Beef N35. Pho Beef Noodle Soup - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Just stop in for food while going through town. Fast & easy. All the ingredients are fresh and hot give it a try if your in a rush. read more

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Chattanooga has a very nice downtown area on the river with mountain views, and this restaurant is nowhere near it. I was a bit skeptical of driving out to the suburbs through a tunnel (!) to this anonymous location, but this is definitely a place that I was lead to because they're killing it on all the review sites, and I see no reason to dissent. It's a small and fairly spartan interior, which was full when I arrived, perhaps because they were one of seemingly very few local restaurants open on Sunday. The fried chili paste dish-one of my favorites-was available in spice levels 1-5, and 4 was plenty enough to keep my nose running throughout. I imagine their maximum spice level is pretty legit, but I didn't want my intestines declaring war on me during a long road trip. But by no means was it pure chili. The mix of sweet and savory flavors, the tofu fried on the outside and soft on the inside, the crisp, perfectly cooked vegetables made for a perfect exemplar of what I want out of Thai food. Rice was charged separately, but even with brown rice, the total bill was quite reasonable with a good tip. A return visit for takeout yielded a pretty delicious Pad Thai, which even for takeout was nicely presented with a separate container of crushed peanuts and a lime slice. The dish was fish sauce free when I asked, and a recommendation for other vegan options was made. Indeed, while they were busy, service overall was on point. It wasn't clear from the printed menu what's vegetarian or vegan, which if I were them I would advertise more (I only learned the place was good on these issues by reading reviews). To anyone who reads this review, come on down. Regardless of your dietary needs, this place does Thai right. read more

Thai Esan - Pad prik - Thai Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee