A very solid place to eat at. It's clean, the staff are nice, food is great and very affordable. I ordered the Somlor Machu Kroeung and Nam Khao. What I liked about the Somlor Machu Kroeung is that it tasted very similar to other Asian sour soups like Canh Chua or sinigang but is still uniquely theirs. It serves as great comfort food and it makes you feel like you're enjoying a nice home cooked meal. The Nam Khao is a great fried rice style dish executed very well. Nice and crispy, lots of flavor. I appreciate that they had the peanuts in a container so we can control how much we wanted to eat and the mint takes the flavor to another level. They're very generous with their portion sizes too, each dish is about $16 (as of this review) and it easily can feed you twice. It's served in to go boxes already. Parking can be tough but they do have 2 designated parking spots for customers read more

i liked the food here nam khao- ok. just fine. lao papaya salad- good papaya salad, but not outstanding beef steak - tough meat. skip. khao poon- the soup was great. really pleasant flavor read more

Thum SD - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

Found this new spot and been waiting to try it. Wasn't a total disappointment but was definitely lacking some flavor. The nam khao was okay, the beef larb was definitely lacking flavor and spiciness even though I order a 7. The Cambodian dish that came with the fresh veggie was lacking that Umami flavor. Service was a little bit on the slow side even though we were the only customers they're waiting. The inside was nicely decorated and very cute and presentable for a small spot. They only have a couple parking spots right on the side so definitely hard to find parking. read more

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we tried the nam khao & rly loved the complex flavor! it was like a crispy, red fried rice w cilantro, lime, onion, ginger, tangy cured pork (like viet nem chua) & pork skin. eating it as a lettuce wrap w mint & crushed peanuts added even more levels. (it's also served w dried chilis, if you want extra spice.) my only complaint was that the rice texture was a bit more hard than crispy we also tried the somlor machu kroeung - it's v similar to filipino sinigang since it's a tamarind soup w eggplant, water spinach, & green chili. the difference was in the cut of meat (thin slices of beef), the type of eggplant (thai - small, round, green & a bit crunchy), & the addition of lemongrass. we appreciated the convenience (there are a couple parking spaces right outside, you order at the counter, & the food already comes in to-go containers) mixed w ambiance (the place was clean, comfy w quality electric fans, & cute w lots of plants, rattan decor, & cambodian music playing). service was nice too - the server gave us extra steamed rice, just bc he rec'd it w the soup over the sticky rice we ordered we'd def come back to try more dishes! read more

Thum SD - Somlor Machu Kroeung - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

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This was my last meal while visiting San Diego and it was such a great way to end my trip. I haven't had lort cha in such a long time and was so excited. This meal was phenomenal - the sausage was delicious and love having it with sticky rice. The lort cha was fresh and nicely seasoned. The chicken glass noodle salad was nice and refreshing after eating such hefty meals throughout the day. I recommend stopping by!! read more

Thum SD - Lao Sausage - 2 Pieces, Chicken Glass Noodle Salad, Lort Cha - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here for a family lunch cause we saw it was new and nearby. Although it's unassuming from the outside you can see that they did take the time to decorate the interior. Compared to other southeast Asian restaurants the menu isn't super extensive which I usually see as a plus cause it helps prevent me from being overwhelmed by options. We ended up going with the laos papaya salad and the beef steak with jel som sauce. The papaya salad was delicious and did have a good balance between all the ingredients. We ended up getting a spicy and for me personally it was a little too hot so just a warning. For the beef steak tasted they did ask how we would like it prepared so we went medium rare. Flavor wise it was good; texture wise a little chewy but manageable. The sauce it came with was spectacular though I just ended up drowning every beef piece in that. Service wise no complaints, they constantly checked up on us all the time and asked if we needed anything. I didn't ask them but it does appear it's family owned and I always appreciate a good local business. Overall, worth a visit if you're looking for some solid Cambodian/laos food! read more

Thum SD - Beef Steak with Jel Som sauce - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I am not a fan of restaurants who serves plastic utensils. That's my first time to be exact. The soup came in a plastic bowl, the spoons and fork was plastic . As a restaurant owner: I would recommend using silverware rather than plastic . And ceramic or glass bowls . Even the plastic cup for water is wild work to me. Food was 6/10. I'm Laos mind you. It was sweet. read more

The last time I drove past this City Heights address, a Subway sandwich shop occupied the corner suite. Thum SD is a locally owned Cambodian/Laotian eatery with a few dedicated parking spots to the west of the building. The inside had a fair amount of Asian decor reflective of the culture and cuisine. About half a dozen tables were available for seating. I arrived during their final hour of business. It appeared they were getting ready to close early as no other customers were present and clean up was taking place. Four menu screens hung behind the service counter. The far left panel showed the drinks and shaved ice offerings. The middle two screens displayed food items that were available until sold out. These ranged from salads to spring rolls to sausage. Two soup specials made up the far right screen. Luckily everything was still available despite being at the end of the day. I chose the Lao Sausage and the Chicken Glass Noodle Salad for my order. I actually wanted to dine in, but the cashier never asked so the kitchen prepared the food in takeout containers. Two non-spicy sausages stuffed with minced pork and aromatic ingredients like lemongrass and lime leaf were served with sticky rice (my choices) and a spicy dipping sauce. The sausages were very flavorful so I didn't use much sauce. The ball of sticky rice was a bit on the hard side which made it extra chewy. I did find the price to be high as this item cost more than the salad. Shredded chicken, glass noodles, cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, and herbs were the components of my salad. A sweet fish sauce was provided as a dressing which I applied to the mixture. I enjoyed the bright acidic flavor of the salad. The white meat was the perfect protein as it kept the texture on the light side. I gave a 3.5 star rating for my experience at Thum SD. read more

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I've got to try thum sd about 3 times now and everything has been sooo good. Loved the fresh spring rolls. Everything is so flavorful, I don't know what the names of the dishes were:) The papaya Salad is super spicy and not for the week. Love the mom and pop feel and love supporting local small business. The catering is on time, large servings and accommodating. Oh ya had the thai tea that stuff was so good too. read more

Wow! I was in SD and stopped by to try this places because I heard they had authentic Laotian food. They had great quick service and amazing food that felt like I just came home and had a meal. If you are ever in San Diego and want real Laotian food this is the place to go. Smaller menu and it's a first come first serve base because once something sales out. It's out. Their Khao Poon sold out within one hour of opening today and luckily I got the last bowl. Overall, best Lao food I've had in SoCal. read more

Thum SD - Somlor Machu (almost finished), Khao Poon, Papaya Salad, Nam Khao - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

Friendly staff and homely ambiance. So happy to see a Khmer restaurant serving the same dishes I grew up eating!! 10/10 read more

Thum SD - You have to try the Khmer Papaya Salad and the Prohok Ktiss, sad they're not open today but reminiscing on the weekend - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

I was on my way towards a different restaurant in the area and drove by their sign and remembered it had been recommended by a friend, so we turned around and stopped by for some food, and let me tell you! I do not regret that decision at all!! The food was great and balanced! Very refreshing for these warm San Diego nights. We got the Glass Noodle Chicken salad, Shrimp Salad, and a dish whose name I don't remember... it was number 11 though. I will definitely be coming back to try the rest of their food! read more

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Absolutely amazing! Super Fresh ingredients. Great family run place. Everything we tried was tasty. read more

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Great food, real home style cooking highly recommend! There is some parking on the side and easy to find the shop. Food was definitely made with love. read more

Thum SD - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

Stop by while we were in town and it's such a Good spot for authentic Cambodian/Lao food. All the food we ordered hit the spot! read more

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The food is truly delicious, and the service is excellent. There is a great selection of dishes to choose from. The place is beautiful, with rich culture and art throughout. I highly recommend this place. read more

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I've been praying for a Lao/Cambodian place to open up near my neighborhood so I was ecstatic to see that ThumSD is here now! I dropped by to order their Papaya Salad Lao style and oh my goodness... the best I have ever had!! The perfect amount of savoryness from the fish sauce and super limey which is how I love it, and lots of cherry tomatoes. The people taking my order were super nice and I love all the plants in the restaurant, it's a welcoming vibe. I'm excited to come back and try their other menu items, but I'm definitely hooked on their papaya salad... read more

Thum SD - Lao style papaya salad with sticky rice - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

I really like eating here, the food and service are great. San Diego has been missing Cambodian food for some time as far as I am aware. I have been trying different offerings for the last few weeks and have been very impressed and have the sense that I am eating authentic Cambodian and Lao foods. Every order has been fresh and high quality. read more

The food was so good! I've been here once already and got the beef with sticky rice and Jel Som sauce. So good! This time I got the Nam Khao and it was amazing. The staff was great at letting us know the spice level of certain foods and keeping our waters topped off. Everyone was kind and super happy to have us there! The decorations are nice and I love the wall with all their decor. Those birds eye chili plants are so cute. 10 out of 10 recommend! read more

Highly recommend this place! I tried their Nam Khao, papaya salad, garlic chicken wings and shrimp spring rolls and omg loved it all! The Nam Khao has hints of lemon grass and ginger that really distinguish it from other rice options. Will definitely come back for more! Lin and her family were super friendly and the place was super tidy with a beautiful oriental theme. The overall experience was very good, got my meal pretty fast and had the option to sit to eat it there or take it to go. read more

Thum SD - Nam Khao - Cambodian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Tried a few different items again yesterday. Delicious! I had the sausage and rice with a spicy dipping sauce (not a heavy dish at all as some sausages can be). Very flavorful! I also had the green papaya salad. For that he made the sauce in front of me. Was careful to ask about seafood allergies and was able to omit a few of the ingredients to keep me safe! 10/10 again! read more

The food is great! Service is always good and friendly. The food is very authentic and it taste just like grandmothers cooking.

the beat papaya salad i've had ever in san diego u guys should go and tryit out! really authentic! read more