I love finding more authentic type restaurants. Came here for the first time for the khao soi (I'm forever on the hunt for the best noodle dishes ever) and tried a few of the skewers and something our server recommended called "Kua Gling" which worked well since I was eyeing it before she even suggested it hehe. Khao soi- was great! Creamy and thick curry. Good protein serving but not enough fresh noodles in my opinion. I can't quite put my finger on it but it was extremely strong in one particular spice... Turmeric maybe? Not sure but it wasn't as smooth as a flavor as pestle rock -ekkkk! But still really good! Skewers- tried the chicken with peanut sauce, prawn with this chili lime sauce, and pork with this sweet sour fishy sauce! My favorite was the prawn! Love that it's peeled for you and the sauce was just awesome! Nice and sweet and tangy! Kua Gling- marinated beef in galanga, lemongrass, with chili and shallots! This had surprisingly good flavors! And the beef was nice and tender! Think lemongrass chicken.. but beef, and better lol Service was really sweet and quick too! read more

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Yay! I am so happy to have found this place!! Now I am a fan of Phad Thai, Pad see ew, panang curry, and all the other commonly found Thai dishes here in the US, but after visits to Thailand, I've realized how hard it is to find Thai places that haven't over-americanized (or ketchuped) their food choices / palate... but this place is LEGIT. Khao Soi: My first exposure to this dish was in the food court of a Thai mall or street vendors at various hill tribe marketplaces.. I've been known to go back for seconds and lets just say, I've been hooked ever since. Sometimes the craving is fierce, so I've found a good recipe to make it at home, but when I'm too tired/ lazy to cook - this place hits the spot! Just one other place in Seattle has Khao Soi that rivals Mai Thaiku's... the only thing I'd like more is if they used chicken drummets vs. chicken breast meat, but it is still so very good. I'd also recommend: save this sauce and put it on anything... well, almost anything. CRYING TIGER: Good portion size and the meat is so tender and flavorful - you don't even need the spicy dipping sauce it came with. SOM THAM: Green Papaya salad was really fresh, crisp and right on point for flavor. PAHD KRAPLAU KAI DOW: So simple: basil, rice, ground pork and chili with fried egg... but this is a Thai dish that I have rarely found on menus, nor replicated well in the states.. but Thaiku pulls it off perfect... and what doesn't taste even more awesome with fried egg on top? Not much I think. Phad see ew: ok I finally tried this and let's just say it kicked off a craving for more for days. Yum. GAENG HUNG LEI: This pork belly doe... dripping with fat, in a rich, savory curry sauce. I'm not sure how we managed to have left overs after our meal... but I couldn't bear to let this sauce go to waste either... so we kept it... and it even tastes awesome cold.. mmm... I want some now!! read more

How I heard of this place: Two of our good friends have made this their go-to restaurant of the year. A short distance from their home, they have sampled nearly everything on its menu and kept detailed notes of each dish. They talk about it every time we see them, so this was our way of getting them off our backs to try the place out. But now we know why they kept pestering us about it. Type of cuisine: "Our new menu emphasizes traditional food found every day in street markets across Thailand. But, not to worry. We have kept many of your favorites dishes. And if you don't see your particular, old favorite on the new menu, just ask, and we will accommodate." Ambiance: Tucked away, nestled among the courtyard trees, Thaiku's lit sign welcomes patrons through its hidden doorway. Inside, the mini bar to our right is decked out in Halloween ware, but we are rushed past by our hostess, and escorted to our seats in the middle of the L-shaped restaurant dining space. Tastefully decorated with old apple crates filled with ornamental decor, a mini gas fireplace, and mostly barren walls, the tile-front kitchen is open to view and interaction with the evening's cooking staff. Dim-lit, calming, yet bustling with the sounds of happy diners, Thaiku is a true Thai oasis in Phinney Ridge. What I ordered: The five of us dining at Thaiku this evening were not spared from any of our friends favorite dishes! To start, the Gai Satay ($2/skewer): yellow curry and coconut milk marinated chicken with peanut sauce and cucumber salad, Sua Rong Hai/"Crying Tiger" ($8): grilled marinated flank steak with spicy dipping sauce, Nohm Dok Neua ($11): grilled flank steak, shallots, mint, green onion, cilantro, roasted rice powder, chili flake, lime dressing, and Mieng Kahm ($10): fresh ginger, lime, chili, red onion, peanuts and toasted coconut to wrap in bai cha plu leaves; and one Palm ($3.50) beverage, with its sweet and refreshing tambre. We were given the option of choosing our own meals, with eager persuasion, which included the Kua Gling ($12): beef in a sauce of galangal, lemongrass, chili and shallot, with fresh cucumber, green beans, jasmine rice, and Khao Soi ($12): fresh and crispy fried egg noodles in yellow curry, coconut milk with chicken, pickled mustard greens. For them, Pahd See Iew ($11): fresh wide rice noodles wok fried in sweet soy with gai lan and sliced pork, and Pahd Thai ($12): rice noodles wok fried in tamarind sauce, with prawns, bean sprouts, garlic chive, peanuts, tofu. For dessert, while one enjoyed every last bite and we were granted mere samples of each flavor, we were not given a choice in ordering the trio of house-made coconut ice creams: spicy ginger, thai tea, and coconut. What I loved: Of the appetizers, though granted only one taste, it was the Sua Rong Hai/"Crying Tiger" that best captured texture, flavor and intrigue. Of the main entrees, I would regularly order the Kua Gling, followed by the Pahd See Iew for the sweeter-tastebud callings and the Pahd Thai for an all-around tasty and filling dish. Between the three ice creams, the thai tea was the lightest in flavor, including the usual sweetness found in the beverage form, the coconut my favorite, and the spicy ginger an exciting jolt right at the end of a bite. Why I loved it: Reminiscent of a quick and easy dining establishment one might only find in a Thailand market, the space is clean, welcoming, and quirky in all the right ways. Cost: Low to average ($9 - $14 per entree) read more

I am a huge fan of Thai food and this place right here is on point!! One thing that I always look for and try out is the Som Tam aka. papaya salad! I usually judge a restaurant off that dish alone...hahaha...any ways...I was pleased to see that they had 5 different variations including my favorite - lao style (very fishy). That shit was BOMB! Another dish I enjoyed was the Larb Gai (ground meat + lime, fish sauce, roasted rice powder, onions primarily). A simple dish with very few ingredients, but so bomb. The Crying Tiger was marinated well, flavorful and cooked perfectly. Perfect with the Som Tam & sticky rice. The restaurant reminded me a lot of Pok Pok in Portland (+NYC) which is probably the most famous thai restaurant in the country (ironically owned and ran by a white man lol). With that being said, I deem this place the best Thai restaurant in Seattle! Come see for yourself, my G! read more

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Picked up the pad Thai with chicken and a side of the peanut sauce (absolutely necessary). Was delicious, definitely will be back!

Meh Meh Meh......yea!! This really isn't that bad. But it isn't good either. My friends loveeee this place and kept telling me to go because they know my love for northern thai cuisine. So I went. Dish 1: Yum woosen aka Yum Talay Its my absolute fav thai dish ever. I've had it so many times on the streets of Bangkok on my frequent travels there. I've also tried recreating at home many times. So when I got here, I had pretty high hope. It was just FLATTTTT!! I asked for 5 star thai spicy and literally got a one star American spiced dish. It was flat, tasteless and just Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Dish 2: Grilled baby squid with chilli garlic sauce. Not bad. The sauce was quite strong but you really need it to avoid the aweful fishy taste of the squid. Don't get me wrong. I love squid but they need to spice them better. Dish 3: Pad thai : this was a hit! But I hate pad thai. But I like this version. Hmmmmmm Dish 4: Basil stir-fry with chicken and fried egg. It was a ok once again. I had high hope!! Really high but the hope plane never reached that 35,000 mile. Ya know what I mean?? Speaking of best yum woosen- aka yum talay salad? The best one I had so far was this little tiny boat like place in Alki. Had it last year after one of those summer Alki bonfire parties....Can't remmeber the darn name but If I can remember the name: I'd go back tomorrow! read more

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I'm no expert on what Thai food offerings are traditional versus Americanized, but I can tell you that this food is incredible. It's one of my favorite Thai restaurants in all of Seattle, a city blessed with an abundance of delicious Thai establishments. The prices are slightly higher than others, but the quality is worth it. Edit: Apparently I had reviewed this place before and said the same stuff. Well, it's still good over a year later! read more

Do read the low reviews first. They have substances, seem to be more authentic, the 5 stars looked can, fake, not much details behind the reviews, could be paid reviews if you ask me. SERVICE = 1 star, definitely not from Thailand, don't look like Thai. We had a craving for Thai's food and was in the area, tried it, NOT COMING BACK, NO NEED TO TRY THIS ONE. FOOD = 2 stars despite complex spices, stronger flavor than the other Thai restaurants. SOM TAHM BU with pickled fresh water crab, has the actual hard tiny crab legs/claws, careful not to bite into one, will ruin your teeth. The papaya salad was very spicy and no warning of how spicy it is. Though I love spicy food, this was too much to handle. The papaya is too raw/hard. I had to pack it home & let it base in, perhaps add more veggie, rather dumping it. GAENG PAH GAI has very dry chicken breast and bits of spice at the bottom might not go down well in your sips. PAHD SEE IEW has chewy veggie, though not much of it. GREEN BEANS W/GARLIC, not overly sauce is a plus. RICE is as expected. For the PRICE, we thought the portion would be more than the average. NOT! Each dish can be shared as 2 servings at most. read more

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Very cute location with all kinds of Thai cultural decor. It would be great for a meal with friends or family, but was even perfect for a low-key romantic lunch date with my wife. We had... - moo yang (grilled pork skewer) - goong yang (grilled prawn skewer) - pla muk yang (grilled squid skewer) - som tahm thai (classic green papaya salad) - mieng pla (cod and rice noodle lettuce wraps) - jasmine tea - thai iced tea It was all absolutely delicious and there's only one reason I wouldn't get the same thing again... to try everything else! read more

**i only leave leave reviews when food is above and beyond - it's something I rarely do** Thaiku has authentic food that is always fresh and delicious. We've been coming here for quite some time because no other Thai food even comes close to comparing anymore. Our go to dishes are the nahm dok neua , pahd see ew, and khao soi. The service is always great - attentive and helpful when we want to try something new. If you love cheap Thai food and take out- this is not for you. But if you want authentic, fresh Thai food I highly recommend. read more

It was packed when we arrived on a cold evening. There was a 20 minute wait for a table and the restaurant layout does not have adequate space for waiting customers. The menu is large and the food was good with large portions. The service was below average, we needed to initiate getting boxes and the cheque. There is free street parking in the area and I did not have trouble finding a spot only 2 blocks away at prime dinner time on a Friday night. I would come back if I'm in the area for a casual weeknight dinner but would avoid coming on Friday evenings in the future. read more

Probably the best Thai I've had in the states. Not like other Americanized thai spots, this place is authentic and DELISH! My favorite is the pad Thai, and I typically don't even eat pad Thai. Can't wait to go back for more! read more

Thaiku - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The only Thai place to go in Seattle! Such great authentic food and entire menu is great.

Ordered yum pla fu (fried fish) and khow yum (rice salad). I like the rice salad better. Mixed fried fish with rice salad and it is nice. read more

Thaiku - Know yum - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I seriously don't understand how anyone who has eaten here could give it less than 4 stars. This place is phenomenal authentic Thai Food. Everyone I have taken here who has traveled through SE Asia can vouch for this. I loved this place even more when they didn't serve Pahd Thai. Not that Pahd Thai can't be good but it's the f*ck*ng Chicken Tikka Masala of Thai food. Yes it's good but TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE. Even just try Pahd See Iew. It is so good! Rant Over. I love this place. Ever since the first time I came here I was hooked. The decor cannot get any more spot on. It is absolutely perfect. Totally "traditional" meaning this seems like a restaurant straight out of Chaing Mai. They also have fun things like fried crickets and other interesting tastes at the bar. Here is all I have to say about their service. Taken right from the website: "We have kept many of your favorites dishes. And if you don't see your particular, old favorite on the new menu, just ask, and we will accommodate." Yellow curry is my favorite of the thai curries. That being said Thaiku doesn't serve the curry dishes you are used to. So go for the Khao Soi. It is so damn transcendent. Fresh yellow curry, noodles two ways, pickled veggies, and chicken. Traditionally the chicken is on the bone but I'll let it slide.(PS they wont ask "How many stars" because they know how hot it should be, and you don't) The crying tiger is a very flavorful and spicy appetizer when you need to up your daily protein content. The cocktails are very inventive and tasty. But the quality of preparation varies between the bartenders. They use some really cool house made tinctures (One comes with a health warning!) and Mekong Thai "Rum". Get in here. Get out of your comfort zone. Try something new. Thank me later. read more

After many years on hiatus, due to location/circumstance, I found myself back at (Mai) Thaiku. Having known this place in it's former location and having enjoyed many a fine meal there, I was expecting a great performance and I was not disappointed. The pork loin satay (Moo Yaang) was smoky, salty and tender. The spice on it was sublime. Sweet but savory and hints of citrus. The northern-style pork sausage (Sai Oua) appetizer was very refreshing. A hunk of meat that you expect to weigh you down but doesn't. Light and airy with a mix of zesty flavors. Perfect for the season. The Khao Soi is still my favorite of all Thai dishes. Period. And Thaiku was/is the first and best in our fair city. Velvety smooth with more flavor per spoonful than any other noodle soup you can get your hands on. Sour bits of pickled mustard green and what seems to be shaved chicken (thin and light). Crispy egg noodles on top and bits of red onion. I'm drooling as I type. Lastly, there was beef dish (Kua Gling) that wowed my taste buds. Sour, sweet, spicy in the way that means something and so satisfying. The place was packed but the service was wonderful. Never wanted for water and was left to enjoy our meal and company at our own pace. I'm happy to see this place continues to do well after years of slinging the best Thai I've been able to get my hands on without leaving the continent. read more

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Food was tasty and came quickly. There's one lady that runs it so service is on the slower side but not terrible. The portions are pretty small, just ate the entire noodle entree and I'm not full and it was like $17. Definitely authentic Thai but small portions. read more

Mmmm everything is soooo good here! We usually order about 4-6 dishes for 2-3 ppl but we do love food and eat a lot . Pad Thai is very good so as Tum mua, which is somtum (papaya salad) with noodle in it. Kao soi was just okay, a bit too sweet for me. They grill skewers are quite delish, feel like they are from those street vendors in Bangkok! And the sauce was sooo tasteful and no joke about spiciness. So beware if you don't eat too much spicy. Staffs were friendly and can help recommend their favorite dishes if it's your first time here. The only two downsides are parking and portion/price. Parking spaces are just hard to find around here so we bike! And the portions are quite small, just like in Thailand, but with Seattle price. So it's quite spend-y even without alcohol drinks. But overall, I'm a fan! read more

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Quality ingredients, good cook, good recipes. Just delicious. Overall great experience, will come again.

first visit and hopefully not my last. very cute little building but very, very, very loud. we were literally shouting at each other at a table for 7. moi, being a north end burbie was scared at the thought of street parking, but ultimately it was not difficult to find a parking spot. fairly attentive service by a team of young scantily tee-shirt clad waitresses. water glasses were filled consistently. the food delivery was haphazard. appetizers and salads and entrees were delivered all at once, without ryhme or reason making the table overflow with plates. dishes were plopped down without regard to who ordered the plate and the game of musical plates ensued. my table mate received his bowl of stewed chicken after the rest of us received all our appetizers, soups, salalds and entrees. a request for sugar (refined) free was graciously accommodated. moo yang: grilled pork skewer. deliciously tender with a great dark soy sauce-ey/fish sauce-ey sauce. pla muk yaang: grilled squid on skewer. my favorite. tender, tender with a cilantro sauce. gai satay: chicken on skewer. as expected. status quo. som tham thai: green papaya salad. crisp, fresh with little dried shrimpies. gaeng hung lei: stewed pork belly ala isaan style. pla neung manao: steamed fish in a garlic line broth. beautifully presented in a complex broth. automatic gratuity of 18% was added to our party of 7. i love it that most thai restaurants will doggy-bag your left-overs in the kitchen rather than throwing take-out boxes at your table. read more

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Been here a few more times since August 2014, but here's a run down of tonight's dinner. Moo Yaang - shared half a dozen sticks of marinated pork loin with jim jeow. Jim jeow is a tasty amped up dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime, toasted ground rise and chili. Can't resist meat on a stick! Kiddo had Gaeng Hung Lei - Northern Thai style pork belly simmered in five spice curry with ginger, garlic, and roasted peanuts. I enjoyed Yum Tha Fahk Yow with the green beans, ground pork, shallot, coconut milk, peanuts, chili and topped with two sweet prawns. Gobbled it all up with the jasmine rice. I clearly had the biggest appetite! The other dish was Gaeng Kua Sapparod Goong, a herbal red curry with coconut milk, prawns, pineapple and basil. Delicious, but unfortunately I'm paying the price with my growing sensitivity to shrimp, prawns, and fermented shrimp paste. By the time, I got home I had a slight rash going on and very itchy. I'm waiting for the Zyrtec to kick in....so worth it but one day it'll be dining there with a side of epi pen! read more

I really liked the food here. Full disclosure: I don't like Thai food. Even a little. But I thought the food here was delicious. My husband (who is Thai) did not like the food at all. In fact, he hated it. Make of that what you will. The two stars is for service. Thailand is "the land of a thousand smiles." No smiles here. Everyone seemed like they were having a rotten time. It was a Saturday and the place was hoppin', but scowls all around. The service wasn't overtly bad. Just sort of perfunctory and vaguely unfriendly. Were it me alone, I might give three or four stars and go back to try the cocktails. But whatever bad impression they made on my better half was enough to get a thumbs down from us. read more

Favorite Thai restaurant in Seattle. Khao Soi is amazing and the specials are always delicious. Great for groups and anyone wanting to have REAL Thai food read more

The most amazing food and service I've had in a long time!!! The atmosphere was cozy and felt like home. The fireplace was on and in the snowy weather the soup just hit the spot! The flavors popped and was a perfect mixture! read more

Thaiku - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The food here was beyond lovely, I especially loved the care this chef put into playing with tangy and surprising fresh flavors. My recommendation to future diners here is to order a sample from every section of the menu for sharing. Dishes are small so it's a great chance to try a lot without getting too full. Also: extra love for the fantastic family friendly service here! read more

Their food is great! Their menu may by small and options are very limited, but their quality is where it shines. Although I've never been to Thailand nor am I familiar with "traditional" or "authentic" Thai food, but if I were to guess, I'm sure this measures up. All the dishes I ordered were made for single consumption, so if you plan on ordering family style you'll probably need to order an extra entree and rice to accommodate. The actual establishment is very small, but intimate. Although when you first walk in, it does feel like you are eating in someone's house by the ambiance. But I actually liked this detail. The staff were very friendly, and prompt from the minute I walked in (it was around 7pm and the dinner rush, I might add). I definitely would like to try again, take pictures, and update my review for the future. But definitely worth the recommend. read more

This place is so legit. Kraplau Kai Dow all the way. And the Tom Ka with shrimp is the best in town, my girlfriend is a connoisseur ;) Authentic, but trendy, and the spice indicators are for real, so be careful. read more

Thaiku - Main dining room. - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Tiny portions for mega bucks. Cold, pre-formed rice. Two hard, old green beans in a dish advertised as fess featuring green beans. One little sprig of cilantro as garnish. read more

Worst Thai food I have had in a long time. No flavor or spice at all. Do yourself a favor and go to Thai Siam on 15th or any of the other Thai places in the area. read more

- 3 star for atmosphere It's actually a cute place, with a little light in the room~ feels warm & welcoming at night. There's a smell of curry in the room, but there's also outdoor seating. - 3.5 star for food Nahm Dok Neua (grilled flank steak) is very tender! Tastes like gyro meat but yes... wayyyyy tender! Makua Yow ( eggplant ) looks like baked sweet potato, with the food piled up on top of the skin. Unique. Tom Saap (pork in soup), very SOUR, if you like sour taste. Kao Soi is in great consistency after mixing it all up. Creamy, but a little (too ?) sweet. Ba Mee Hang is my favorite so far. It's like stir-fry noodle, but with egg noodles that are more chewy! Crunchy peanuts and healthy Chinese broccolis! - 2 star for service Took me awhile to have the waitress's attention... to order something and to get more water. read more

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Food was good, but came after an hour of waiting. Complained and there was no correction. Maybe take out? Don't bother going.

We asked to be sat outside. Waitress looked annoyed and moved chairs around. But sat us on a bench. Don't know if we had to wait 10 min for that. Food was decent though a bit overpriced. $44 bill split came out to $32 per person. What? We asked for it to be fixed. Waitress yelled out something in her native tongue as we left. Definitely won't be coming back. read more

So happy to have found this place, great attention, delicious food and cozy ambiance. I highly recommend the Pahd kraplau Kai dow, you definitely will love it ! read more

Walk in if you are prepared to be insulted on your face. Zero stars for service. Five stars for food. My wife and I came here for dinner a couple of nights ago. From the previous reviews, I was expecting a crowd and a wait and wasn't very concerned when they took a really long time to get us seated or even give us water. In fact, there actually wasn't a crowd at the time. We ordered a couple of drinks and a couple of appetizers. The server looked confused as to why we haven't ordered main course, we tell her that we will order in a bit. The drinks get served after 10 minutes. Still no sign of water or cutlery, despite asking a few times. Finally they show up and we enjoy the appetizers and the drinks. We are done with the food and are waiting to order for the main course, trying to make eye contact with one of the servers. No one shows up, and we get busy in conversation. Finally, after about 20 minutes, the server shows up, and we ask for a couple of dishes, and she actually says rudely - "Will that be all? There are people waiting for this seat". Never have I felt so unwelcome at any place in Seattle. Firstly, you don't check with the table for 20 minutes, and then you have the courage to insult your patrons. I really wanted to call her and cancel my order, but she was again unreachable for a long time. Thoroughly disappointed. I have been to this place a few times before and have always enjoyed their food, and still do. But I am never coming back. They have lost a regular customer. read more

If it's my son writing this review, Thaiku would be getting 5 stars. And he is a real food snob. I'm not so impressed. I suppose my opinion is not too important because a lot of people want to eat there. Still I have been to many restaurants in my life and I have to put this one somewhere in the middle as far as the experience, cost and flavors. read more

1. Take-out Phad Thai was delicious. I got two stars which was not very spicy, and I'm a pansy when it comes to spiciness. 2. The ambiance was very clean and relaxing. Nice outdoor patio for a sunny day. 3. Downside was that it was a pretty small portion of Phad Thai (compared to other Thai restaurants). And when paying over $10 for it, this fatass would love to have some leftovers! read more

Thaiku - Chicken Phad Thai (to-go) - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Incredible specials, great drinks, new ways of looking at old dishes and entirely new flavors with plates I've never had. I love the atmosphere, and great pricing for high end Thai. read more

I was debating between a 2 or 3 star review and am choosing 3 stars simply because the servers were nice. Sadly, the flavors were just not there in this restaurant. I had a tofu red curry and wouldn't have been able to tell I was eating thai food if not for a slight coconut taste. Really, this just made me want to get thai from another restaurant. My husband had the same issue with his dish in that the taste was just not there. read more

I've definitely found my go-to neighborhood Thai spot! Frank & I stopped in here on a Friday night to grab some dinner post-happy hour. The restaurant is small and intimate, and feels so authentic! We didn't have a reservation but even though there was quite a line we ended up only having to wait 10-15 minutes (it helped that we were a small party - I'd recommend making a reservation for anything over 2 people). I ordered the pad see euw and a glass of wine, both were excellent. Prices are also very good! My only complaint is that it gets quite loud in here during prime dinner hours, but it's a small space and popular (which only attests to the quality of their food!) so it's to be expected. Well worth it! read more

YAS!!!! Incredible Thai food that has a clearly labeled gluten free menu. Perfect option for when you want thai that is fancier than hangover level delivery. Comfy, homey atmosphere and quick service. New favorite spot ! read more