Thara Thai

Best restaurant I've been to in the area. it's actually peak. try mango sticky rice if you can!read more

I had so much hope for this but the food was very disappointing. Tried the mussaman curry, very mid…read morefood, maybe I should try something else next time but there's many good restaurants nearby to give this another go. The service was very quick and friendly, three stars purely for the service.

Laab Chicken ($16.95) - not good; chicken was quite dry. Requested mild but it seemed to have zero spice. Main flavor was lime juice.

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Pad Se-Ew ($16) - it wasn't not good. Quite sweet. Noodles were soggy.

Bangkok Thai and Pho 911

4.1(234 reviews)

2.2 mi

Hidden gem on Green street. The store front is not facing Green street but in a corridor. I drove…read moreup and down Green and I had to go and walk to find this place. There are a handful of tables inside to enjoy. Menu is on the board and a small sign for heat (1-5 spicy. I recommend 2). I love the pad thai and pad sew ew here with heat level 2. I tried spicy level 3 and it was too spicy for me. Large portions for $13 and thai Ice tea with less cream was perfect. Highly recommend and these trained chefs was very quick to prepare the dishes and delicious.

The very best Thai food in this universe! & university…read more It's always busy and there's a wait but the wait is worth it. Customer service is fast and most of it is do it yourself. They give you to go containers for everything. It's only when you order soup they give you a bowl but everything is container. The place could use a facelift but then again I guess the look makes one feel like you're in Bangkok. The ambience is chill and fast and busy but bc it's all students. The students are all to themselves and were nice.

Pad sew $13. Spicy level 3 out of 6

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Eat Fine Design By Khun Kung

5.0(9 reviews)

1.6 mi

Delicious food! So thrilled for this new addition!!…read more We tried the crispy pad thai and tom yum noodle soup (note that mild was still a bit spicy for us). Fresh ingredients. Extensive menu. Meticulous packaging. Kind and prompt delivery. Highly recommend! We can't wait to try more items!

They were super friendly and accommodating and answered all my questions. The delivery driver…read morearrived early and gave me both tofu and soy meat in my meal which was super sweet of them. You cannot pick up, they only do delivery but they are fast reliable. They even take Venmo!Please do give them a chance!

Brussel Sprouts

Curry Puff

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Crispy Fish Wonton

Siam Terrace

4.0(288 reviews)

3.1 mi

Absolutely delicious and authentic Thai food. This place satisfies all cravings. Service is always…read moresolid. To be clear, the ambiance is extremely underwhelming. It's certainly in need of a makeover. But the quality of the FOOD is what really makes this place stand out. Recommendations: Chicken Satay, Crab Rangoons, Red Curry Fried Rice, Thai Iced Tea, and Mango Sticky Rice

Thai Tea - 5 stars! Best Thai tea in CU! It's actually tea and you swirl it together to get the…read moreclassical light orange color! Firecracker Chicken - 3 stars, it was little dry but the flavor was good Duck Noodle Soup - 4 stars, not as flavorful but still yummy and comforting We didn't get this, but the pad thai is HUGE portions. Next time we will get the heaven duck curry, that looked and tasted delicious! I usually get take out here and I think the portions are smaller for take out

Duck curry

Fish Cake appetizer

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Steamed dumplings

Basil Thai Kitchen

4.4(11 reviews)

1.1 mi

Got food delivered from here recently. When I was going to UofI, this place was my go to for Pad…read morekra pow, so that's the first in my order for nostalgia and then also got some lemon cream chicken and larb salad. Honestly all three were such a let down in terms of portions and taste. Lemon cream chicken had more breaded pieces than actual chicken. Will definitely not be ordering from this place again. Portion sizes were a huge let down, especially for the delivery charges paid.

I've tried 2 different meals and it is to die for. Great smiling service as well. Other meal I…read moretried was Thai mango chicken. Also the bomb

Thai chili chicken

Food offerings.

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Restaurant front.

Sushi Siam

4.5(67 reviews)

2.6 mi

Came here around 6pm with a party of 6 and got seated right away. We were able to call ahead and…read morecheck how busy it was. Staff were very friendly and food came super quick. The chef even surprised our daughter with a slice of cheesecake. Spicy salmon - surprised it wasn't blended up but it was good with the spicy mayo Salmon California - got this without the cucumber and it was good Aac - all the ingredients seemed fresh Tom yum soup - warm, spicy, and tart. The perfect size

The place looks nice, but the food is bland. The rolls…read moredidn't have much fish and the flavors weren't there. One of our party got duck curry and said it didn't have much g

The servers have no clue what this is...

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Some of their Siam fried dumplings...flavorless meat that was presumably was once chicken served with a couple of table spoons of "sauce."

Thai Fusion

3.9(8 reviews)

2.3 mi

I was at the mini version underneath the Illini Union. I had the chicken & shrimp teriyaki with…read morefried rice and it was made perfectly. Everything was made fresh and you can see them cooking your food incase you're worried. Props to the chef today he did an amazing job. There are plenty of spaces to sit and study while you enjoy your food.

Solid chain restaurant for thai food. The place felt very corporate walking in, and the food was…read moreok. Ordered the beef pad see ew, and got exactly that. It was pretty sweet but I could see that it was freshly fried and there was someone frying in the back. Overall, would probably choose a different place next time, but if youre craving americanized thai, this is the place to go.

Pad Ped- Chicken

Chicken and Shrimp Teriyaki with fried rice

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Beef Pad Thai

Lanxang Thai-Lao Cuisine

4.3(26 reviews)

2.2 mi

Some of the best Thai food in Thai food in the area. The staff are very nice and I enjoy the…read morebeautiful window paintings which greet me as I walk in.

If we were going for ambiance it wouldn't quit have gotten a 5 star :) but we knew we were not…read moregoing somewhere upscale...but their reviews said the food was upscale at a reasonable price and they didn't disappoint. The servers were very friendly and helpful with food selections, the also attended to the table as needed. The food was phenomenal. We had 3 entrees and the combo appetizer platter and it was $67. That isn't bad. We brought back 4 to go boxes. We ordered medium spice, which was a tad much for me. It wasn't so hot I couldn't eat it but I should have asked for it to be taken down a notch. However sinuses are clear as well, so I'll just count that as a bonus :) Food was wonderful! Portions were huge! Servers were friendly and helpful! The area was clean, but more diner style, but for the price we didn't expect anything except clean. Would def recommend!!

Mee Krob Lard Na

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36. Chicken salad (Larb Kai)

Bangkok Thai & PHO 911

3.7(43 reviews)

3.2 mi

Checked out the quieter Urbana location of this Thai restaurant and it was okay to be honest. It…read morecertainly isn't a fancy looking place inside or outside. Bangkok Thai & Pho 911 has an off the beaten path feel to it. Has lots of auto garages and a creepy motel. The prices are kind of high for portions and quality. Basic looking inside but they have a bar. It's not much of one as it's still more of a restaurant. The menu has lots of the classics and is a pretty great variety. Get noodles, pho, or rice among the main choices. It's about $15 for an entree. The noodle items is what we got and there was the classic ones. I got the Pad Kee Mao. This has basil, carrots, eggs which I left off, onions, peppers, and choice of a protein, and I got it with tofu. She got the Pad Woon Sen. This is glass noodles and vegetables with choice of protein, and tofu was the choice too. Basic tasting to be honest. There was also the level of spiciness and it was hot but still wasn't a lot popping as far as the flavor it seems. For certain it's not fancy. It's got another location on campus while this one is on Cunningham without much going on around it. They're closed Tuesdays.

I'm not sure if they are the same owners of the Bangkok Thai on campus but I had really high hopes…read morebecause they had the same name. Unfortunately, I was kind of disappointed by their take out. Portion size was okay for Thai food take out but the pad see ew was very bland and underwhelming.

38. Mussamun Curry 38. Mussamun Curry

Pad Kee Mao

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Seafood pho with chicken

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16 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Jack P.

14 years ago

I'm in town for business about once a month but every time I come to Champaign and want to grab a bite I think "Thara Thai" its my first stop when I arrive into town the location is very random but that gives it personality. Everyone has different tastes and they can tailor your order to your liking. I usually go for the good ol' pad thai chicken and their shumai is by far the best I've ever had and believe me I've been to my fair share of dimsum joints. If you actually get to know them for who they are and realize that this isn't some cookie cutter chain made for the masses you'll understand what it means to stop and smell the roses. It's almost like your part of a secret club and this place gives that allure. You'll notice how the waiter usually the son of the owners greets almost everyone by name most of them don't even need menus he just knows =] in my book that counts for something. It's mom and pop cookin you can't beat that! If you ever get the chance to give this place a go GO FOR IT! I run a corporation and I appreciate the heart and soul they give this place with out them it would be a sad empty shell. I'm always on the go traveling from city to city and even out of the country but when I'm in town this is still my first stop. I hope they make that place shine for years to come and wish them good fortune. To all those who shoot this place down keep in mind it won't phase them because they will keep doing what they do best. Best wishes to them! and their ill grandmothers. The thought of having a Buddhist monk cook my food is something right out of a movie yes I said a Buddhist monk thats something you would only know if you were apart of the (TTC) Thara Thai Club ;) funny thing is the club is for everyone all walks of life and you can see that when you pay them a visit. So give them a shot if you are ever in town you won't regret it! Cheers. Best Regards, Anonymous CEO read more

Paul L.

6 years ago

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Russ W.

12 years ago

Great family-owned place for Thai food. Our favorite in the area. Good vegetarian choices with options for tofu instead of meat on many dishes. They will do some customization for spiciness and make recommendations if you're not sure what to eat. Very convenient parking. read more

Juliana C.

128

11 years ago

Mild is crazy spicy! And they never came to check on me after they dropped the food off...so I'm suffering. But the food and good quality. I'm losing 5 lbs in sweat though.... read more

Ulrich Von L.

12 years ago

This place is fire, but in all honesty it is wonderful. The portions are very generous and everything tasted great.

Angela C.

10 years ago

I have never had a bad meal from here. The food is always fresh and hot! They have great prices and friendly staff.

Samantha L.

Elite 24

182

149

11 years ago

Their yellow curry is on point. They're on the expensive side but it's well worth it.

Wonkyo J.

129

12 years ago

Favorite Thai place to eat Pho!!! There Pho is the best Pho I ever had..

Chao Y.

118

13 years ago

This place is just ok. I have tried better Thai food in other cities.

Jake R.

10 years ago

Amazing food! Great service and friendly staff. tad expensive though.

Jamison R.

Elite 12

104

14 years ago

I LOVE the green curry here! Even the mild is really spicy!

Joey K.

171

14 years ago

I really like the Thai food here and want to help them.

Chris H.

11 years ago

Family run restaurant with a great staff and good food.

tina p.

15 years ago

i like to come here .i love Thai foots.

Francesca F.

3 years ago

Really great - glad we checked it out!

Rui W.

212

13 years ago

Good

Thara Thai - thai - Updated October 2026

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I Wok

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Great food, solid service, great prices, just the right amount of local ambiance…read more They always get my phone order, dash order and in person order right. The pork fried rice is a must, skip the soda for the egg roll!!!

NEBS REVIEW: Ordered…read morecarry-out. First timers. Was expected much better. Overall, every was dry and almost tasteless. Husband ordered SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN. No pineapples, green peppers to be found. I ordered Broccoli& Shrimp. Broccoli was to hard to chew. Pork Egg Foo Yung left much to be desired. Very, very dry and came with very thin sauce, nit pork gravy as we are used to receiving else. Shrimp Egg Rolls had only one tiny piece of shrimp, and mostly cabbage, I think. Only thing good was Pork Fried Rice. When we unpacked orders at home, NO packets of Soy sauce or mustard, and not even one Fortune cookie!!! Will NOT be going back again!

First Wok

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Really good food! Kind of a small place, but excellent for phone-ahead carry-outs. It may not…read morelook like it, but the chef here is an old-style chef, and sees to all the food preparation details himself. The kitchen area is visible to visitors, so you can see what great care and quality is involved in the preparation of your meal if you like. I recommend calling ahead, because this restaurant is very popular for carry-outs in the neighborhood, and on busy nights, a short backlog can grow. But my experience has been if I phone-in my order even 5 minutes ahead, it is already waiting for me when I get there. I can't say enough about how good the menu is. They have a wide selection, and it is genuine Chinese cuisine. E.g. the hot-and-sour soup is excellent, and it is really as hot and as sour as I have often eaten in Taiwan. Usually I have to add at least vinegar and hot chili oil at home to make other restaurants' soup legitimately as sour and hot as if I bought it in China. This place does not "dumb-down" their cuisine for round-eye bai gwei Americans. In general, the cuisine tastes to this ben dan most like Haka food. I think. I can't say enough about the rest of the menu. But perhaps I have.

It shows a different pricing on here the menus you get in restaurant are alot more than the app…read moreprices for there lunch prices on here are around 5 dollars on this app it cost me almost50 dollars 2 lunch special crab ragoons and small order pork lo mien

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Nice family style restaurant and plenty of seating and tables big enough to fit 8 people! I've been…read morehere a couple of times with friends and the food is generally ok and leans more towards American and Korean style Chinese food. I think some dishes were too saucy (especially the veggies dishes) and salty My favorites are the three cup chicken (crispy!), Zhajiangmian (not pictured and more Korean style), the appreciating fish, a different spicy fish dish I forgot the name to.

What an amazing find! My husband and I had been running errands around Champaign and were getting…read morehungry for dinner. We drove past this place and that, and eventually decided "Rainbow Garden" sounded worth doubling back for. And oh my goodness! First off: the service was PHENOMENAL! We were never rushed but never felt unattended. Our drinks were repeatedly refilled before they were empty. Our food came so much faster than we anticipated! Even paying was quick and easy. Second: the food was honestly some of the best we've ever had. the Pekin duck was nearly perfect (the skin could have been crispier) and the beef fried rice was possibly the best fried rice we've ever had. So flavorful, so full of meat, and the meat was tender and tasty! Third: the whole restaurant was very clean. The bathroom was a little dark, and there's an obstacle in the hallway that makes it not wheelchair accessible, but overall an excellent job. We will be back!

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