I never write reviews but this place is something special. Everything I've tried has been amazing. The food is authentic and full of flavor for reasonable prices. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place should be much busier considering how much better it is than the other restaurants in HMB.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I grew up in a place with lots of high quality Asian food, and this is the only restaurant that can compete. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Only thing to note is that the place is small so you won't be able to bring a huge crowd.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

I have visited numerous times over the last two years, and I am still amazed by the complexity of flavors in every dish. Pad See Ew: Perfectly chewy noodles and tender beef in a sauce that balances sweet, savory, and smoky notes. Spicy Basil Chicken: A delectable chili sauce packed with umami and fragrant Thai basil. Kao Neaw Neaur Kem: Tender, smoky Thai-style beef jerky served over a bed of perfectly sticky rice. Moo Yang Kao Neaw: Marinated grilled pork that is delectably smoky and garlicky with just the right hint of sweetness. Kao Moo Dang: Fragrant jasmine rice topped with BBQ pork, sausage, and a killer house-made sauce. Wham Rolls: They come with a house-made tamarind peanut dipping sauce that is ridiculously good- it's worth getting the rolls just to be blown away by that creative dipping sauce. On my last visit, the cashier recognized me from the countless times I visited Bangkok House and Spice Me.  She shared that the owner--the woman with the glasses who greets everyone with a genuine smile--had been a cook at one of the restaurants for years and had dreamed of having her own restaurant. With the opening of What a Meals, she finally stepped out on her own. Knowing that this food comes from someone following her lifelong dream makes every bite taste even better! While it's long overdue, I love that the gastronomic diversity of the Bay Area is finally expanding to the coast so locals have cuisine options beyond fried seafood/Italian/Mexican. read more

This review is based on takeout. We called in our order. Service was friendly in communication on phone and also in person. We came at a busy time. Our order was not yet ready on arrival so we had to wait a bit. Mostly indoor cafe with a couple tables outside. Pad Thai was delicious. The noodles of the pad see ew was borderline al dente. Both were flavorful but would be better if noodles were completely cooked. read more

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Whoa! Excellent Thai!! So very fresh and nicely spiced. Their lunch menu is a real treat. I had basil tofu and you also get choice of appetizer and soup! read more

What A Meals - Side chili if you want. - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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It was an adventure to just find a parking space in the parking lot. This is an outdoor shopping center with numerous businesses ringing around the center parking lot. Probably on most days, parking wouldn't be as much of a challenge. However, today, and probably over the past few days, repaving, oil sealing and restriping of the parking lot reduced parking by no more than 25% but created havoc on traffic flow by 200%. Once we got parked, we walked to the restaurant. There was no parking in front of the restaurant due to the restriping. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We had to sit outside because we had our dog with us. Fortunately, the area near where we were sitting had already been oil sealed, otherwise we would have left due to the smell.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The hostess was kind enough to bring water to us and our dog. The menu is kind of a mess. We were handed three. Two were the same and the third contained "new items". They need to consolidate the menus in a way that makes sense, so similar dishes won't be found in different places. On one of the menus, I saw Roti with a Chicken and Onion Yellow Curry offered as an Appetizer. That was the only Roti that I saw. What was delivered to the table was Roti with a small saucer of Sweetened Condense Milk. Not even close to what I had been expecting. I didn't complain because the Roti itself was good. We just didn't use the Sweetened Condensed Milk. When I asked about it at the end of our meal, it turns out that they offer three different Roti dishes. The one that I expected, the one that I got and one with Massamun Curry that I could not remember seeing on the menu. The dish that my wife ordered was out of stock so she made an impromptu change at the suggestion of the server to a Egg Noodle in Yellow Curry Dish which I can't seem to find in the online menus on yelp. Service was good in that they checked on us fairly frequently. We know that it's tough running a small business and menu changes help to drive the business volume and can keep customers returning. But, at the same time, the menu has to be intuitive and user friendly. Roti with Sweetened Condensed Milk - 4 - I asked and was told that they do not make the Roti in house. That's too bad because I'm a huge fan of Roti Telur with Egg. What they served filled the bill when I dipped it in my wife's Curry Sauce. The Sweetened Condensed Milk turns Roti into a dessert when what I was looking for was an appetizer. Pad See Ew - 3 - The noodles were fine and I really appreciated the Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) over the more common American Broccoli. The sauce was a bit sweeter than I expected. I was pleasantly surprised to find a total of 7 shrimp in the dish, especially when the dish was $12 + $3 for the shrimp. Egg Noodles in Yellow Curry with Chicken - 3 - The Sauce was very thin, but the flavor was really good and came in handy for dipping the Roti. She said that she wished that there had been more noodles. In general, the pricing seems to be pretty inexpensive. I don't remember seeing that different proteins had different prices and that could cause problems in the future. Many other restaurants will list the price for the basic dish and then show the add-on price for the various proteins. When we got our check, we were given the wrong check and the difference in price was nearly double. I was told that the Point of Sales software will not allow them to put Table Numbers on the checks and that they have to look at each check to ensure each table receives the correct check. It appears that they've been open for just over one year. The people are very nice. The prices are quite reasonable. The flavors could just be a personal thing, but I can only rate based on my experience and preferences just like anyone else. I would consider returning when in the area. Next time, I would pay more exacting attention to the menus to ensure that what I received was what i wanted. read more

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So it was totally serviceable. Only thing is I felt the service was pretty slow despite there being few people in the restaurant, and the portions were a littleeee on the smaller side. The beef was superrr tender I have to shout that out! Also the pad see ew noodles weren't really mixed in the sauce enough for me, lots of clean looking rice noodles in it. read more

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Small local business with great prices, great food, and great service. We ordered 2 appetizers and 3 entrees for $55. Everything was delicious and the staff was very kind and attentive. I love finding places like this and hope they continue to do well!!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I also enjoyed that the place felt very wholesome, welcoming, and quiet.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

What A Meals - Wha-m roll - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Portions are on the smaller side, but prices also reflect this. I personally don't mind the entree sizes because it means no leftovers or I can order more things to share. It's very vegetarian/vegan friendly as well. We got a vegetarian tom yum to start ($12), veggie pad see ew ($12), prik khing ($12), and steamed fish ($18). The tom yum had good flavor but was not spicy. However, we were given an assortment of Thai condiments and were able to dress it up. The pad see ew had good flavor and I was able to request tofu as a protein. The prik khing/green beans came with a side of rice, and the sauce paired excellent with white rice. Fish was cooked well, and by the time it came out, we were already quite stuffed. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There a couple of small tables outside for parties of 2. The interior is also quite small.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We called ahead to see if we could be accommodated prior to driving over. Staff are friendly and service was pretty good. read more

Amazing staff - There wasn't seating at first, but allowed us to stay past closing hours to finish the meal. Food was amazing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Smallish restaurant, but homey vibes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Ordered red Thai curry with shrimp and pad see ew, it was delicious and with lots of fresh veggies.

Came here last night and was extremely disappointed. We ordered the tom yum soup and the Giuy Chaiy onion pancakes. The soup was good. But the Giuy Chaiy usually comes in an order of 3 and is on the menu as it comes with 3 however it came with 2. On top of that it was burnt on the outside and raw on the inside so we could not eat it, Very disappointing because my little one loves it. We have gone here a few times and it seems that something is always off before this last time we ordered the tom yum soup with noodles and chicken and it didn't come with either, I called in to see if we maybe got someone else's order but of course no call back. Not sure if we should give them another chance or just count this as a loss which is pretty unfortunate because they have a little bit of everything. read more

What A Meals - Giuy Chaiy - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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This was a good meal - the portions were smaller than expected but everything tasted really good! [[HIGHLIGHT]]We stopped by for lunch and dined outside. At first, I was a little skeptical given the bare tables outside and because the location was right next to a smoke shop. I would hate smelling any form of smoke while eating. Fortunately, it was not the case.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered three dishes: Basil Fried Rice, Pad Thai and Pad See Ew for a party of three. Everything was really good! The Basil Fried Rice ended up being my favorite, which was unexpected. I really love the basil taste, and the seasoning and flavor was all there. Unfortunately, they ran out of mangoes so we didn't get to try their mango sticky rice this time around. Really wanted to try their Khao Moo Dang too, but it might have just been ambitious for our table to order another dish. Service was also excellent. The waitress came out to check on us a few times, and the food arrived promptly. read more

My family went to Half Moon Bay and was craving Thai food, so I searched on Yelp and decided to try What a Meal. We walked around a few times because it was super windy and the banner had fallen down so we kept missing it But once we found it, the food was so good. The Pad See Ew was delicious, and the Tom Yum and papaya salad were perfect. Definitely worth it. read more

Ordered to go. Staff are so nice and friendly. Har gow was delish. Pad Thai good, I'm sure it wudve been a lot better if I had eaten it right away. I waited a few hours so it was cold. Would definitely come back to try other dishes. read more

What A Meals - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

On my god, I accidentally found the best Thai restaurant in the entire SF area. Everything we ordered was perfect and so yum & fresh. Restaurant staff were very friendly. Being vegetarian, we had ample of options. Must try this restaurant! Highly recommended read more

Only had some noodles with chicken and coconut lemon grass soup also with chicken. Tastes are "proper Thai". I recommend this simple place. read more

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Ordered some take out. Chicken pad se ew and pad Thai which came with tofu, chicken and a couple shrimps. The pad Thai was great. I like my pad se ew a little saucy so their was a little dry imo. But the price and portion was great on top of amazing customer service. Ingredients were fresh and they had condiments to grab with the food. Love that they do this. Will definitely be back. And recommend checking them out. read more

What A Meals - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Food 4.5/5 Really love the boat noodle soup here. Fried tilapia is fried freshly and serve hot. Basil fried rice is very fragrant and they have a variety of spicy condiments for customers to adjust to their own liking. Only downside about this place is that their beef is on the tougher side. Service 5/5 Service here is absolutely . Everyone is super friendly and nice! Ambiance 5/5 The restaurant is quite small and located in a plaza near half moon bay. However, it is usually not packed and good for all ages! read more

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Maybe it was an off-day. This was the driest, toughest chicken ever and the veggies were soggy. Did we get leftovers? read more

What A Meals - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Excellent Thai restaurant! My husband and I dined here while visiting HMB on our last night of our anniversary trip, after reading the stellar reviews. Luckily, we were able to find a table to dine at, since this is a very small establishment with limited tables inside. We were promptly greeted by our nice waiter and the first thing I noticed when we chose from their menu was how affordable their offerings were. We ended up ordering the fried wontons, basil beef, and pineapple fried rice, all of which were very delicious ! The wontons were a huge order and were addicting and the other two dishes were super delishioys! Next time we visit, we are coming back! read more

What A Meals - Meat filled fried wontons and pineapple fried rice! - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Good food! It's my go to for Asian food in the area. Love the crispy pork with broccoli! Yum!

Whats not to like? Especially they've added lots of new hard to find dishes. Lovely staff!

We came a little past the usual lunch hour so we were able to be seated right away. The service here is very friendly and prompt with making sure you have water and your water is filled. The menu is pretty straightforward with small images next to every dish which is pretty helpful. I got the pineapple fried rice and I enjoyed that they didn't give you a little bit of cashews and it was a good amount. The pineapple chunks were plenty and juicy. Something to keep in mind is the portions here aren't too big. read more

What A Meals - Pineapple fried rice - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

What A Meals was my favorite Thai place on the coast. I am not sure if they now have a new chef, but the food has been consistently bad these days. It has been subpar over the past 6-7 months. Their pad thai used to be delish, but it is now bland and flavorless. After the 1st bad experience, I thought perhaps they had an off day. I went back 2 or 3 times after that just to make sure, but it was bad every single time. It pains me to write this review because the staff are so sweet and I used to love this place. Unfortunately, I will not return and can no longer recommend this restaurant. read more

Best Thai food on the coast Shrimp pad Thai was tasty and the ice tea perfect What a great place for food to go Thank you read more

Service was great. Food is mid. I got the shrimp spring rolls (which were stuck together when I got home), mango sticky rice, and the pad Thai. read more

What A Meals - WH-A-M Roll. Very disappointed in the appearance. Rolls were stuck together. - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

What a hidden gem! I spent the morning at Lemos Farm with my daughter and was looking for a spot to grab some Asian lunch. Found "What A Meals" on Yelp, loved the menu, arrived at 1:30pm on a Sunday and was able to get a table right away. They serve both Cantonese dim sum and Thai food. I ordered the bbq pork bun, chive and shrimp dumplings and the Khao Kha Moo (pork leg on rice, which is my FAVORITE dish from Thailand!). Everything turned out very delicious and tasted authentic. The staff were very friendly and the price was very reasonable. I'd def come back for more next time. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Had dinner in this small unassuming restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We actually called to reserve a table as there were 5 of us. Good thing, as there is only seating for about 16 or so people. We had the Beef Pad See Ew, Yellow Curry (Shrimp), asparagus chicken and some dim sum (Har Gow, Sui Mai, Shrimp and Green Onion dumplings). All excellent. Highly recommend. read more

A humble place in our local strip mall with absolutely surprisingly fresh, made to order, and delicious Thai food. Pad Thai noodles are light and fresh, egg rolls are piping hot and deliciously crunchy, spring rolls have an inspired and unusual peanut sauce, and Bau ? Buns are huge, made after you order, and amazing. Best yet-most restaurant food makes me sick and after three times, not sick once. That sounds weird, but I hardly ever eat out without problems, let alone anything not boring. I'm so happy this place is in HMB. Totally worth the wait for greats made to order Thai. read more

A look place carries wonderful food. This restaurant is so good that we came back two days in a row when we visited half moon bay. Big fan of it, and got a reason to love this place. Highly recommended. read more

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This review of WHAT A MEALS (or Whats A Meal as their restaurant front sign shows) is a compilation from multiple visits because I keep going back before I have time to put a review together! Everything about WHAT A MEALS is, in a word, GREAT! [[HIGHLIGHT]]From their extensive menu (including dim sum & some more unique traditional Thai dishes); the excellent preparation of their dishes; the generous portions; and great value--to the consistently friendly & good service; basic but comfortable and clean interior; and the convenient & plentiful free parking--all make WHAT A MEALS worthy of repeat visits.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Everything I've tried (too many to detail) I've thoroughly enjoyed. Worth highlighting are their baked barbecue pork buns (they're HUGE, tasty & amply filled for a mere $3.50 ea); egg tarts (also larger than the average Chinese bakery egg tarts & with a perfectly silky custard filling in a delicate flaky crust); sesame balls (a must try--crispy and chewy on the outside with a not-too-sweet filling); Pad Ke Mao (perfectly seasoned); ugh...so so so many more that I could list. Do your tastebuds & tummy a favor and do like me--go to WHAT A MEALS. Then go back and order something else. Then go again, and again and again... read more

What A Meals - Plump perfectly seasoned shrimp in the Shrimp Rice Rolls ($7); delicious Steamed Chive & Shrimp dumplings ($7) - Thai Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

I can eat here every day the food really good the service the people who work here so kind and friendly absolutely coming back and i highly recommended to everyone read more

Walked in and was welcomed warmly by staff. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a little hole in the wall, clean, and comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The complimentary jasmine tea was warm and soothing. I ordered pad se ew and also apps. Food was delicious and served hot. Loved the customer service and home vibe. Will def be back! read more

I tried Creamy Tom Yum seafood noodle soup. It tastes quite balanced and good. But, the portion was quite small. Their server was nice and [[HIGHLIGHT]]atmosphere was cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Great dishes and amazing flavors! We will be going back again for sure. My husband loved the vibe between the staff too when he picked up the food. :) read more

I love this place! The food is consistently great and the service is outstanding. We order take out and eat in on a regular basis. It's the best Thai food around. read more

I come here regularly for their smaller bites. The satay is very generous and the pork buns are soft and wildly tasty. The ladies who run it are very sweet as well, and I've been happy to spend the short wait on food sipping Thai tea (which is also delicious!) read more

My goto place when visiting half moon bay. Very reasonable price. Owner is super nice

Authentic Thai Cuisine in Half Moon Bay in the Strawflower Shopping Center from the talented Chef formerly of Spice Me. My review is for takeout, the service was friendly and helpful in selecting the level of spice to the Basil Chicken. The Pineapple Fried Rice with Prawns was the perfect accompaniment to the Spicy Basil Chicken. The Shui Mai were served with a delicious dipping sauce, we also enjoyed the Shrimp Rice Noodle Rolls and the Baked Pork Bun. All items were packaged separately with the dipping sauces. There are tables if you choose to dine in. read more

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The food here is amazing "Khao moo daeng" is my favorite,the sauce is savory as I was eating Khao moo daeng in Thailand. Pork Boat Noodle is such a great choice for this kind of weather I can slurping the soup till the last drop and still enjoy every drop of it. Hagow is delicious as well as their homeade Shumai. The hospitality of the staff is Beyond, I definitely gonna be the regular here Good job guys. read more