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It was about 4 years ago when I visited Urban Thai, not once but twice! Continuing alphabet series representing 2022, U is for Urban Thai. I first visited on Friday, February 25, 2022. The prior Friday I was at a Meetup in Arlington, she was cool, and got her phone # after the event. She lived in Crystal City walking distance to 23rd St restaurants. She suggested her favorite restaurant, Urban Thai, which I was game. Service was excellent as was my Pad Thai, one of the best Thai places I've had before. So, my date's opinion of the place held water for me. She really wanted to split this mango dessert, which was great too. During our date, she revealed how she doesn't like to drive on highways, which was a bit of a red flag for me. As to get from Arlington to Anne Arundel County (where I live), you have to get on the highway at some point. I had my reservations, but I liked her and wanted to see what would happen. That following weekend I had a lot going on. So, it was 15 days later on Saturday, March 12, 2022 we had our 2nd date. That evening I drove all the way from my home in AA County through DC to pick her up in Crystal City, Arlington. We were going to wing it in terms of what to eat. It was extremely windy & cold that night and walked up to 23rd St. We were thinking of going to a diner, but she had an upset stomach and was concerned about the diner food. She was considering Freddy's, which is a gay bar, which although certainly isn't my scene, I was open to it. I looked in there, and I said it's noisy and didn't seem great. I suggested driving to Alexandria, but she was like it's so cold, and I don't want to walk back to your car. While in the vestibule of the diner to stay out of the cold, we discussed possibilities. She said, "I know this is boring and you can say no, but we can go to Urban Thai again, and I know my stomach can handle that right now." I was like ugh, although that place was great, I've never gone to the exact same place for a 1st & 2nd date. Ultimately, considering other options looking at my phone on what was close, I conceded, and we ate at Urban Thai for our 2nd date too! Although once again, I enjoyed the food & service, I was annoyed. In conclusion, we went our separate ways. I half-heartedly pursued a 3rd date, but she was weird, she lived kind of far & wouldn't drive. I saw her one time in April 2022 for a dance event she organized in Arlington, but barely talked to her as she was working the event. Sadly, a little over a year later in summer 2023, she passed away from something rare that had gotten weeks earlier. Now, in 2026 I should take my girlfriend of 2 years here if we're ever down this way; just so rare we make it into NoVA these days. In general, Thai is superior in northern VA than any place I've had in MD.
Some reviews pose a more difficult evaluation than others. Urban Thai certainly falls in this category. They're located in the heart of Crystal City, Va. Parking wasn't as difficult as you may imagine, and the restaurant presents quite well from the aesthetics, the well laid-out seating, and the traditional decor. As a Thai food lover, I was pleased with the various menu options and their respective price points. Our waiter was kind and attentive. He offered various cocktail options that we should consider. It was at this point when the fate of diminishing STARS was sealed. The drinks were appealing to the eye and quite tasty. However, they also revealed a likely otherwise hidden issue... BUGS!!!!! And not just one... these drinks attracted multiple bugs. Yuck!!! The bugs were indeed a letdown. Given that our food had been ordered, we thought it was too late to abruptly back away. So we forged on. Here's why this review is tricky: the food was "thankfully" bug-free, and the taste was quite good, fresh, and worthy of 4.5 stars. But how can I responsibly give a place that houses bugs on the hidden menu 4.5 stars??? I don't see how. I would prefer to score this establishment with 2.5 stars, but since YELP doesn't do half stars, I chose to round up to 3 stars, given the traditional decor and the great taste. But c'mon owners, managers... bugs!!! Really :( I digress... My recommendation level is unfortunately low. I can recommend mediocre food. I can recommend mediocre service. But I cannot recommend bugs!! Go to the pictures and judge for yourself. Happy Yelping :)
My food arrived via DoorDash is still pretty hot. The Paddy was OK, it's not the best I've had. The noodles seemed a little overcooked and fell apart as I used my fork. The spiciness was nice, it started off as a warm heat and then increased a bit more. I requested the mild level of spicy. I ordered tofu pad, Thai, bananas, and roti with a caramel sauce, spring rolls, a Thai tea, and Coca-Cola. The spring rolls were long and slender, super crispy and worked well with the sauce given. The Thai tea was strong as I expected and wanted. No complaints there.
Nice place. Very cozy. It is a bit on the small side, but there is enclosed outside seating for the colder days. The staff is friendly and the food is tasty. My son ordered spring rolls with tofu basil fried rice and I had karee curry with tofu. For drinks, i had the hibiscus martini and my son had a lychee gumi bear mocktail. Very yum.
I'll start with what tasted good. Nam Tok beef and pork neck tasted good. Crispy pork with Chinese broccoli was good too. Papaya salad wasn't bad but not good either. It's just hot and a bit bland. Tom Zabb soup tasted like spicy water. We were a group of eight and 20% gratuity was applied. One thing I didn't like was having need to ask for utensils and napkins. By the time the dishes were ready, we got no utensils to eat with and had to ask for it. It wasn't even busy at the time we were there. Place was nice and clean tho.
I was going to go to Enjera down the street but after three "Table for Two?"s with no actual table appearing, I gave up and went to the next place I could find. Okay, Urban Thai sounds Americanized, but (hint: it's not) So this restaurant had no issue seating us, dropping menus on our table, and then surprisingly a menu written in English but with all Thai headers. I took that as a sign and made sure to order from that (Som Tum Pu Pla ra), assured it was authentic. And when it says picked blue crab, that is RAW crab fermented and served on the bed of papaya. I got it Thai spicy, convincing them I enjoy that level of heat, while my friend got chicken and vegetable pot stickers. I tried one of those and agree with him, we like the flavor but it's a little doughy in texture. But that's not why you're here. You're wondering about the crab. Well, I've never had raw crab before and it was most interesting in texture. There wasn't much and I had to get it out of the shell, for which they brought me a hammer to draw it out one blow at a time. Fun! The dish really was the exact level of spice I want (hint: don't order Thai spicy unless you are a seasoned ghost pepper expert). A ton of jicama, but I had over-carbed for the day so was looking for veg/meat and that's what I indeed had. Not a lot of meat to be picked out in the crab parts, but I suppose that's what I expected based on the price point and uniqueness of the dish. The verdict: Think I found an actual fun restaurant in Crystal City! Enjoy!
Food was ok not the best. I would have given 3 stars for this restaurant if not for their sneaky billing practice. The waiter fumbled a few times. Brought food ordered by the table next to us, brought the wrong entree and promised to replace if we didn't like. We tried the dish but it was too sweet for our liking. She took it away and brought the correct spicy one we ordered. Made another mistake when she billed us by billing for both entree's. When we pointed out, she said gave us a refund. Next day I checked the credit card, the pending transaction showed the correct amount. Couple of days later, final amount posted on the account and it was $15 higher than what we signed for. Disputed with the CC which refunded us the extra charge. I do not recommend this restaurant.
A great small place to get Thai in Crystal City. It's been many years since I visited, but just as good as I remember. I tried the shrimp, mango, avocado appetizer to start. The shrimp were lightly breaded and hot and paired well with the mango and avocado. For my entree I chose the red curry duck. Perfectly tender with flavorful curry sauce. The waitstaff were hopping with so many people wanting a table. Another great visit.
Don't let the name fool you (I almost was)! It is delicious, authentic Thai food! So yummy. I even special requested Lad Na, which isn't on the menu but the chef was able to make it still! I also got a refill on their Thai tea bc I finished the first one so quickly. I made sure to confirm it is actually brewed. It really hit the spot!
Had the urban fried rice and unfortunately I was not a fan. The rice lacked seasoning and the soy sauce assisted a little but not much. The chicken was dry and had no flavor as well. The portion size and presentation are the only positives.
22 days ago
3 months ago
The chicken drunken noodles were tasty, but I wasn't a fan of the sausage...or the price! It's a small, tastefully decorated spot next to the sex club, with friendly people and good service. Like many restaurants these days, though, the prices feel a bit high for what you get. At $18 before tip, it's hard to justify. I'd probably come back if I were in the neighborhood and craving Thai food, but overall it's pretty generic and nothing particularly memorable. read more
I am still on the quest to find the best Thai food in the DMV.... I will say Urban Thai is probably better than most Thai places I've been, but that's not saying much. Its price point is also not that different from other places. I got the order to go as I did not want to sit down, so the food came out pretty fast (~10 min). Indoors though, it seemed like a great place to sit down with friends. Overall, I'm not rushing to come back, but completely not out of the running for the best Thai spot in the area. read more
It was about 4 years ago when I visited Urban Thai, not once but twice! Continuing alphabet series representing 2022, U is for Urban Thai. I first visited on Friday, February 25, 2022. The prior Friday I was at a Meetup in Arlington, she was cool, and got her phone # after the event. She lived in Crystal City walking distance to 23rd St restaurants. She suggested her favorite restaurant, Urban Thai, which I was game. Service was excellent as was my Pad Thai, one of the best Thai places I've had before. So, my date's opinion of the place held water for me. She really wanted to split this mango dessert, which was great too. During our date, she revealed how she doesn't like to drive on highways, which was a bit of a red flag for me. As to get from Arlington to Anne Arundel County (where I live), you have to get on the highway at some point. I had my reservations, but I liked her and wanted to see what would happen. That following weekend I had a lot going on. So, it was 15 days later on Saturday, March 12, 2022 we had our 2nd date. That evening I drove all the way from my home in AA County through DC to pick her up in Crystal City, Arlington. We were going to wing it in terms of what to eat. It was extremely windy & cold that night and walked up to 23rd St. We were thinking of going to a diner, but she had an upset stomach and was concerned about the diner food. She was considering Freddy's, which is a gay bar, which although certainly isn't my scene, I was open to it. I looked in there, and I said it's noisy and didn't seem great. I suggested driving to Alexandria, but she was like it's so cold, and I don't want to walk back to your car. While in the vestibule of the diner to stay out of the cold, we discussed possibilities. She said, "I know this is boring and you can say no, but we can go to Urban Thai again, and I know my stomach can handle that right now." I was like ugh, although that place was great, I've never gone to the exact same place for a 1st & 2nd date. Ultimately, considering other options looking at my phone on what was close, I conceded, and we ate at Urban Thai for our 2nd date too! Although once again, I enjoyed the food & service, I was annoyed. In conclusion, we went our separate ways. I half-heartedly pursued a 3rd date, but she was weird, she lived kind of far & wouldn't drive. I saw her one time in April 2022 for a dance event she organized in Arlington, but barely talked to her as she was working the event. Sadly, a little over a year later in summer 2023, she passed away from something rare that had gotten weeks earlier. Now, in 2026 I should take my girlfriend of 2 years here if we're ever down this way; just so rare we make it into NoVA these days. In general, Thai is superior in northern VA than any place I've had in MD. read more
2 months ago
Out of town'ers that wish we could move this place close to home. If I lived in the DMV I would make this a regular spot. Outstanding service, food and atmosphere. Don't hesitate making a good memory of this place. read more
Some reviews pose a more difficult evaluation than others. Urban Thai certainly falls in this category. They're located in the heart of Crystal City, Va. Parking wasn't as difficult as you may imagine, and the restaurant presents quite well from the aesthetics, the well laid-out seating, and the traditional decor. As a Thai food lover, I was pleased with the various menu options and their respective price points. Our waiter was kind and attentive. He offered various cocktail options that we should consider. It was at this point when the fate of diminishing STARS was sealed. The drinks were appealing to the eye and quite tasty. However, they also revealed a likely otherwise hidden issue... BUGS!!!!! And not just one... these drinks attracted multiple bugs. Yuck!!! The bugs were indeed a letdown. Given that our food had been ordered, we thought it was too late to abruptly back away. So we forged on. Here's why this review is tricky: the food was "thankfully" bug-free, and the taste was quite good, fresh, and worthy of 4.5 stars. But how can I responsibly give a place that houses bugs on the hidden menu 4.5 stars??? I don't see how. I would prefer to score this establishment with 2.5 stars, but since YELP doesn't do half stars, I chose to round up to 3 stars, given the traditional decor and the great taste. But c'mon owners, managers... bugs!!! Really :( I digress... My recommendation level is unfortunately low. I can recommend mediocre food. I can recommend mediocre service. But I cannot recommend bugs!! Go to the pictures and judge for yourself. Happy Yelping :) read more
1 year ago
My food arrived via DoorDash is still pretty hot. The Paddy was OK, it's not the best I've had. The noodles seemed a little overcooked and fell apart as I used my fork. The spiciness was nice, it started off as a warm heat and then increased a bit more. I requested the mild level of spicy. I ordered tofu pad, Thai, bananas, and roti with a caramel sauce, spring rolls, a Thai tea, and Coca-Cola. The spring rolls were long and slender, super crispy and worked well with the sauce given. The Thai tea was strong as I expected and wanted. No complaints there. read more
Nice place. Very cozy. It is a bit on the small side, but there is enclosed outside seating for the colder days. The staff is friendly and the food is tasty. My son ordered spring rolls with tofu basil fried rice and I had karee curry with tofu. For drinks, i had the hibiscus martini and my son had a lychee gumi bear mocktail. Very yum. read more
1 year ago
2 months ago
I'll start with what tasted good. Nam Tok beef and pork neck tasted good. Crispy pork with Chinese broccoli was good too. Papaya salad wasn't bad but not good either. It's just hot and a bit bland. Tom Zabb soup tasted like spicy water. We were a group of eight and 20% gratuity was applied. One thing I didn't like was having need to ask for utensils and napkins. By the time the dishes were ready, we got no utensils to eat with and had to ask for it. It wasn't even busy at the time we were there. Place was nice and clean tho. read more
I was going to go to Enjera down the street but after three "Table for Two?"s with no actual table appearing, I gave up and went to the next place I could find. Okay, Urban Thai sounds Americanized, but (hint: it's not) So this restaurant had no issue seating us, dropping menus on our table, and then surprisingly a menu written in English but with all Thai headers. I took that as a sign and made sure to order from that (Som Tum Pu Pla ra), assured it was authentic. And when it says picked blue crab, that is RAW crab fermented and served on the bed of papaya. I got it Thai spicy, convincing them I enjoy that level of heat, while my friend got chicken and vegetable pot stickers. I tried one of those and agree with him, we like the flavor but it's a little doughy in texture. But that's not why you're here. You're wondering about the crab. Well, I've never had raw crab before and it was most interesting in texture. There wasn't much and I had to get it out of the shell, for which they brought me a hammer to draw it out one blow at a time. Fun! The dish really was the exact level of spice I want (hint: don't order Thai spicy unless you are a seasoned ghost pepper expert). A ton of jicama, but I had over-carbed for the day so was looking for veg/meat and that's what I indeed had. Not a lot of meat to be picked out in the crab parts, but I suppose that's what I expected based on the price point and uniqueness of the dish. The verdict: Think I found an actual fun restaurant in Crystal City! Enjoy! read more
1 year ago
Food was ok not the best. I would have given 3 stars for this restaurant if not for their sneaky billing practice. The waiter fumbled a few times. Brought food ordered by the table next to us, brought the wrong entree and promised to replace if we didn't like. We tried the dish but it was too sweet for our liking. She took it away and brought the correct spicy one we ordered. Made another mistake when she billed us by billing for both entree's. When we pointed out, she said gave us a refund. Next day I checked the credit card, the pending transaction showed the correct amount. Couple of days later, final amount posted on the account and it was $15 higher than what we signed for. Disputed with the CC which refunded us the extra charge. I do not recommend this restaurant. read more
A great small place to get Thai in Crystal City. It's been many years since I visited, but just as good as I remember. I tried the shrimp, mango, avocado appetizer to start. The shrimp were lightly breaded and hot and paired well with the mango and avocado. For my entree I chose the red curry duck. Perfectly tender with flavorful curry sauce. The waitstaff were hopping with so many people wanting a table. Another great visit. read more
Don't let the name fool you (I almost was)! It is delicious, authentic Thai food! So yummy. I even special requested Lad Na, which isn't on the menu but the chef was able to make it still! I also got a refill on their Thai tea bc I finished the first one so quickly. I made sure to confirm it is actually brewed. It really hit the spot! read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
10 months ago
6 months ago
2 years ago
Had the urban fried rice and unfortunately I was not a fan. The rice lacked seasoning and the soy sauce assisted a little but not much. The chicken was dry and had no flavor as well. The portion size and presentation are the only positives. read more
1 year ago
Good food and service 10/10, nice outdoor seating. I recommend the chicken pad thai that's my favorite here read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Always my favorite Thai restaurant in Arlington! The staff is so nice. #Arlington #ThaiFood #Restaurant #Dinner read more
1 year ago
Found this hidden gem serving absolutely delicious Thai food! The staff was super friendly and helpful with recommendations. We had the Bourbon grilled chicken with papaya salad and sticky rice, plus Tom Yum noodles from the Thai menu - everything was bursting with flavor and tasted so fresh. I especially loved the spicy kick from the Tom Yum noodles (perfect if you like heat!). We also tried the dumpling appetizer, which was tasty too (no pics though). read more
1 year ago
I stopped by for a quick lunch. I ordered the Tom Yum soup with shrimp and the seafood with chili sauce. Neither were as good as many of the other Thai restaurants I've eaten at. I ordered extra Thai hot but the dishes were barely mild. The waitress and service were very good, and the restaurant itself was clean and comfy. read more
1 year ago
Restaurant was very nicely decorated, good for cute pictures for a nice brunch, etc. Service was very prompt and the waitresses were extremely friendly and made us feel very welcome. Food was also very good, just not mind blowing enough that I would give 5 stars; if I could I would give this place 4.5 stars. read more
2 years ago
Great service and food! I had never been to the main strip in Pentagon City before and it's absolutely charming! Started with Thai iced tea which was gingery and delicious. I got the pad woon sen with Thai spice and my friend got drunken noodles with medium spice. Both were amazing. I have been searching for a good pad woon sen ever since I moved to the area six years ago and finally! I've found it! read more
I would give this place a 4/5 but unfortunately halfway through, I found and removed a long curly hair that was cooked into my dish Had I not discovered that, the portion was good and the amount of chicken was plentiful. The flavor was super good, the only thing missing for me was a little heat but maybe I could add that and just didn't realize it with the online order. Overall it was good. I understand hairs happen but cooked into it and wrapped in the food was a little much for me. *side note for Yelp. I ordered via the app and it said "order received" with pickup in 20-40 mins. After 20 mins, it never changed or gave me a specific time. I called the restaurant and my food was just finished. So I caution ordering directly through Yelp. read more
Really enjoyed the food! I ordered the pad thai and got the seafood noodles. The pad thai was good but the noodles were a little mushy and overcooked but taste was good. The seafood noodles were very good! The papaya shrimp salad was a good balance to the noodle dishes. I recommend the lemongrass ginger tea, it is not too sweet and good ginger taste. I definitely say the ambiance is great and the service was attentive. I look forward to coming back! read more
11 months ago
A solid option for lunch or dinner with average prices for the area! I had the pad thai and my boyfriend got the drunken noodles. No complaints about the food, it does the deed when your craving Thai flavors. For spice enjoyers, my boyfriend did say get the "Thai spicy" level because the "hot" level was not hot enough. read more
4 years ago
Walking distance to our Hotel and nice reviews so we did the walk. Special $10 martini was tasty but woefully small for the price. Drunken noodles and vegetable egg-roll were a-ok. Not great but very acceptable. Nice patio and Excellent service. read more
We come here often because it's close, but the quality of the food is quite mediocre. I haven't had anything here that wowed me yet, but it's not bad enough to push me away. Nonetheless, the services are amazing. The waitresses there are always attentive and friendly. So I guess I will keep coming here whenever I am too lazy to get food. But I won't recommend it if you want to look for great Thai food. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
After cocktailing fairly hard at a bar nextdoor, I found urban Thai to be friendly, clean, and not-too-busy for a friday night. I order and thoroughly enjoyed a veggie green curry. When i requested chili sauce I was provided with two different chili options, both with I partook of. VERY tasty and reasonably-priced food. Highly recommended! read more
2 years ago
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More info about Urban Thai Restaurant
561 23rd St S
Arlington, VA 22202
Crystal City
Directions
(703) 979-0777
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https://www.urbanthaiva.com
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