My friend randomly found this place we went to universal studios. At first, I thought it was a mediocre Thai restaurant with subpar food. Boy, the food proofed me wrong. First of all, the interior of the restaurant looked a bit run down. It's simple. Plus it's CASH only. If these factors haven't driven you away, you're in luck cuz you're about to have the best Thai meal that you haven't had for a long while. We friends ordered the morning glory with fried pork, crab fried rice, soup. Everything was seasoned to perfection. Nothing was overcooked or overly salted. I remembered just have bowl after bowl of rice cause that's how good it was. I'm surprised it wasn't any busier. If I'm ever in the area, I would love to come back again read more

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Very good Thai! One of my friends had never eaten in Thai Town so I brought them here. I had also never been - so it was a gamble. The gamble paid off!! Very good food! I got the vermicelli boat noodles with pork cracklings and blood and meat. Super delicious brown sauce at the bottom. I opted for dry style noodles since it was hot out (and remember - dry will still come very well seasoned! Just not in broth!) I also got the papaya salad. Absolutely delicious. Sweet, crisp, and refreshing. The environment was good. Quaint indoor seating but good size tables. Older place but it added to the charm. Real deal Thai wait staff but that's probably why this place had real deal Thai flavor! I would honestly go back for those noodles! Insanely good! read more

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Just reiterating that this place is still great. The rad na is still perfect, noodles are charred, broth is flavorful, meat and veggies are properly stewed. read more

This is my problem, I am constantly comparing different Thai Restaurant's to Top Thai and I should not be doing that. The reason why I tried Yai's is that the week before I went to the Thai New Year Festival in Hollywood and most of the food vendors had "Boat Noodles". The lines were too long and it was too hot for me to stick around to get this noodle soup dish. I looked up this dish and it has beef stock, five spice, cinnamon, star anise and blood. Yes Blood. with sliced meet and different veggies. I decided that if I'm going to try this dish, I need to try it at Thai Town in Hollywood. I did a quick search of Boat Noodles on Yelp and Yai's came up. I tried it and not a big fan of it. I can't describe it but I just did not like it. With the star anise, it should remind me of Pho (which I love) but still did not like. I also tried a pork sausage fried rice (tasty) and fried pork with Chinese broccoli. I'm glad I ordered these two other dishes. I would be so disappointed if I only ended up with The Boat Noodles. I barely touched the noodle soup and when the waiter asked if I wanted a container I said no. I will end up throwing it away. read more

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"Fantastic Thai restaurant! The food was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced every dish tasted authentic. The service was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was cozy and welcoming. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to. Highly recommend!" read more

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I love their Chinese Broccoli & Crispy Pork over rice and Spicy Beef Noodle. I've tried other dishes, but this combination always hits the spot for me. The Thai basil in the noodles takes it to another level of Thai tastiness! When I order takeout, they always remind you over phone, this is cash only -next to 7-11 okay? Not the Yai on Vermont (which takes credit cards) I know, I know....that's why I only order at this one, okay? Vermont Yai always strips the greens off the Chinese broccoli and only give you stems. I know, right? WTF is up with that BS? read more

First time at Yai Restaurant and I'm already planning my next visit. The food was so flavorful and satisfying. We started with the crab rolls, which were perfectly crispy and a great way to kick things off. I had the pad prik king and red curry along with two other great dishes, both were packed with bold, authentic Thai flavors and just the right amount of heat. Everything tasted super fresh and well-balanced. The vibe is casual and no-frills, but the food speaks for itself. Great service, solid portions, and super affordable. Easily one of the best Thai meals I've had in LA! read more

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My exploration of los angeles continued with a visit to here. This place was highly recommended. Since I stopped by with a regular of this place, the lady workers were extra nice! I enjoyed everything I tried, but the fried catfish salad was the first of its kind that I've tried at any thai restaurant. Before leaving, even our thai tea was refilled in the togo cups. I couldn't ask for better food or more home-y service. I would come back if I was in the area. read more

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Food is great as always BUT PRICES just overkilled- Mint Leaves over Rice $18.75 + Fried Egg $3 + Tax = $25 RIDICULOUS. I hope they calm down- cuz they might be running themselves to the ground due to pricing. At this point I prefer Steakhouse must more worthy. read more

The food was good! I'm not Thai but it tasted authentic. The service was nice! The ladies that work here were very welcoming and made sure if we needed anything as we ate. It was empty when we came in but it was clean and not noisy. The ladies would talk amongst themselves but it wasn't distracting. I would come here again! read more

Yai Restaurant - Red Curry with a side of rice - Thai Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Yai is my next door go-to when I need some comfort Thai food. The ladies who run the restaraunt are super nice. I like to get the crab rice and my husband gets the duck or Thai bbq chicken, but there's something for everyone. They are cash only (not a bad thing!) so make sure to withdraw cash before ordering. I also love that they do their Thai iced tea with the tiny crushed ice. read more

Super scrummy. In a 7-11 mini mall in Hollywood, Yai's food has not changed. It's a small mom-pop restaurant so if you're expecting very nice and trendy Hollywood I would not come here. Been coming here since college and I love it every time I visit. Same owners, same quality of food, same genius authenticity and home style flavors. Most Thai restaurants in Los Angeles load up with the sugar, chili and oil. Not here. Pi Yai's dishes are on point, savory, only a hint of sugar if the dish calls for it and definitely not oily. I've tried over 100 Thai restaurants in our city and Pi Yai and another restaurant in Northridge gives me soul food, like eating in Bangkok soul food ..... and you're in Hollywood, Cali!! End of Yelp Tip: Cash only. Their branch on Vermont takes cards. read more

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Of course the food was delicious and oh so satisfying! The parking is limited but thankfully we got a spot without waiting too long. Dined here with mom on our way home and bought to-go for the rest of the family. We ordered: 2x pad kee mao, lard nah, beef tendon soup, pad thai khon kan, nuah namtok, beef saded, thai (esarn) sausage, and bamboo shoot salad. Service was friendly and decor is simple. Come for the food. read more

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Omg, this Thai place is the best ever!!! Highly recommend whether you are seeking traditional Thai food or just hangry and looking for some good food. Our first time here was a pit stop on a road trip a couple years ago. It was a dark and rainy evening and we were so annoyed with each other, let me tell you we were in a mood. But once the steaming hot soup and delicious dinner came out, our mood totally changed! It was a miracle dinner, one that we never forgot. So much so that when we moved to LA, we get Thai food from here as much as possible. Their Yai special is amazingly delicious and their fried rice that comes with it is so delightfully umami. Seriously, every dish here is just a sensory delight. Enough said, I am just salivating while typing now. Come and support your local mom and pop and treat yourself to some traditional Thai food today! read more

Oh wow this place is exactly the same as I remembered it in my youth! Like a time capsule. I actually teared up remembering that this was my late father's favorite Thai restaurant, well at least one of them that he would frequently visit. The restaurant now is second generation ran by uncle Yai's daughter and family. Nice people. A second location is on Vermont but the OG location here on Hollywood Blvd is better by a mile! Yai restaurant is old school establishment and has some of the best Thai food in Thai town specializing in central Thai food. You know the food is good when other Thai restaurant owners gather here and meet up with friends for food!! Yai is known for : Anything Crispy Pork Belly (a must order), Raad Na Noodles, Spicy Chili Paste Catfish, Yentafo Noodles, Seafood Curry... Really everything is GOOD here. If you been to Thailand's Yaowarat district in Bangkok, the food here mimics that and comes close. Yaowarat is like the Chinatown of Bangkok. Well known for Chinese Thai fusion. The only downside of the restaurant which they have no control over is the area strip mall is sketchy and parking sux! Definitely a dive! The decor of the restaurant is typical hole-in-the-wall. You order, eat, and pay then GTFO ASAP! CASH ONLY, CASH ONLY, CASH ONLY! read more

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I have gone back a couple of times recently. I think the original chef is not there anymore. The taste was similar but the small details on each menu are gone. The softness and the crispy of the pork. The smell of the metal pan. The way to pull the fish bones, etc. no more soul of the great chef. RIP, my best crispy pork in the world and the great fried fish menu. read more

Food here is always solid. Staff is super nice and the service is always quick. Only downside is that it's cash only! read more

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The food is good. I brought my elderly parents here because they're craving Thai food. They liked it. But my parents are sick and incontinent and they only have 2 bathrooms. The men section has been in use for so long and my dad was miserable. It's 2025 guys! Can you make your bathrooms unisex. The guy was so rude to me when he had to use the women's bathroom. It was an emergency! We knocked and checked first. Nobody was there. Do they want him to make a mess on their floor instead? Will they clean it up? Maybe I should have let that happen. They should give consideration to elderly at least. These staff is so rude here, Dear lord! read more

Get the seafood curry it's amazing and full of seafood. Add some fried rice to balance the flavors and you have the perfect meal read more

Overall, 4.5. But I will round up to a 5 on Yelp. Loved everything here except for the Pad Thai. I am always on the hunt for the best Pad Thai. However, the other items made me love this place. Crab fried rice was amazing. Savory and sweet. Very comfortable flavors. Great texture. So good. One of the best I ever had. Amazing panang curry. Super good flavor. Savory. Tender chicken. Chicken Satay was super good. Lighter flavor. The ones I usually eat are way heavier in the seasoning. This place was to my liking. It was also meaty and tender. Not dry at all. Really good Tom Yum soup. Awesome flavors. The roast pork Chinese broccoli was super good. One of my favorite things I ever ate. Super good flavor. Exciting. Crispy skin. Great dish. The Chinese broccoli was salty in a good way. Not a fan of the pad Thai. I was able to eat it. However, it tasted super stenchy and fishy. You ever eat dried dehydrated squid? Smells like that. Very fermented like almost. read more

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The best Thai curry you will ever have in LA. Plus, excellent service and a relaxing vibe despite being in a not great part of town.

Unfortunately I left with a disappointment. I was craving for Pork Nam Tok (grilled pork salad). After spending quite sometime on Yelp looking for the best Thai Restaurant, Yai caught my attention. I went there and ordered Pork Nam Tok ($12.75). The taste is pretty great! However, the meat was extremely dry! I just ate Nam Tok dish last week from a different restaurant, so I got the idea how different and dry the meat was. I was very dissatisfied. I probably come back to try other dishes like the Panang. The service was good, not outstanding but not bad either. There are plenty of parking spaces. The place surrounding is a little bit sketchy, but don't be discouraged. read more

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I had this spot bookmarked for a while, specifically for the BBQ Duck, but when I got it I was pretty underwhelmed The BBQ Duck was hard to eat. It was gamey in the duck way with rough texture. Maybe it was a bad batch, but the sauce that it was submerged in wasn't so great either. The papaya salad was basic The soft Catfish was comforting, but very very salty. If I come back, I definitely should try the crispy version. It was okay, but considering all the other beloved Thai spots, Yai feels a bitch below average in the neighborhood. But I think it's what we ordered. Note to self: Try Crispy Pork Belly,, Raad Na Noodles, Spicy Chili Paste Crispy Catfish, Yentafo Noodles, Seafood Curry. read more

Roach on my food!"There are several bacteria-related illnesses that roaches are linked to. These include: gastroenteritis, food poisoning, enteric fever, typhoid fever, diarrhea, giardia, listeriosis, Cholera, E. coli, and dysentery. "https://www.batzner.com/cockroach-exterminators/food-poisoning-diarrhea-and-staph-oh-my-cockroaches-carry-bacteria-that-can-contaminate-your-food-and-make-you-sick/#:~:text=As%20far%20as%20the%20diseases,health%20threats%20associated%20with%20cockroaches. Not going back! I'm now concerned of their hygiene. read more

I've been coming to Yai for over 25 years and is my favorite Thai restaurant. I had them cater a party I was having. While they don't have a catering menu - you can order off their menu and have them put it in catering tray - 10 orders for a full tray and 5 for half. Always recommend the snow crab fried rice, ground chicken with garlic and holy basil, pad thai and pad se-ew. read more

I love Phi Yai Thai. Amazing food here. If you're craving a good Thai food, highly recommend visiting here.

Long time ago when I moved to LA, I asked the fellow Thai students for which restaurants they recommended. Since then this is the best Thai restaurant and they have never failed me for more than 15 years. My favorite dishes are; fried rice, BBQ beef, and Tom kha gai (Thai coconut soup). I know sounds so original right? Just try them, you know what I mean. Only problem I have is that they don't have Khao Mun Gai (Hainanese Chicken Rice). If they do, I give them 10 stars! read more

The #72 with half chicken half beef wow Been going here for over 15 years!!! My late mother, father, and brother used to frequent Yai all the time. read more

Found it on our way to Canyon Drive. Fresh and Authentic!! Place could use TLC but food pretty good. read more

Yai restaurant is a local authentic Thai food in Thai town. Their roasted pork and Chinese broccoli is so delicious. Highly recommended. We also ordered papaya salad and bbq chicken which is yummy. Cash only. read more

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Despite this location being cash-only, it's still a five out of five for me. I grew up in a Thai restaurant, but despite that my family still loves to come here because this place does Thai food justice. Service has always been good and the place welcomes everyone. Very casual and unassuming Thai restaurant near Thai Town. read more

The food here is too good. So good that the food takes a while to get out because the kitchen is a bit understaffed during Covid times and the delivery orders ring off the hook. My favorites are in the photos. The grilled beef appetizer, chicken with sweet chili and crab fried rice are my go tos. The lowkey favorite is the lad na noodles. read more

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Food was great specially the pork belly, service also went based off what they recommended and it was a hit and the bathroom and eating area was clean. read more

Such an authentic place. The area it's in and parking lot is kind of sketchy but if you have their food you won't be disappointed. read more

Yai Restaurant - Cashew Chicken - Thai Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Yai, the small unassuming little Thai restaurant we always pass coming from dental appointments, or Kaiser in East Hollywood, just before hopping back on the 101 Fwy. Which we only recently even had the urge to stop by some day. And that finally came today after both of our dental cleaning appointments, and hunger pangs setting in. For an early dinner. We were greeted warmly and felt right at home. And immediately given our menus from our server. Then asked our desire for any beverages before ordering. We both requested water and Thai teas. And after some 10 minutes or so, we had made our choices of the following: Mixed Vegetables With Chili & Garlic Cashew Chicken Fried Rice With Chicken Now mind you, our server had asked what level of spicy would we prefer? To which my wife immediately blurted out "medium". I had reservations about that though, knowing her taste sensitivities. But we kept it at that. One thing I've noticed and love about most every Thai place I've frequented over the years, it never takes long before the first plate starts arriving. And up first was our mixed vegetables. Which was soon followed by the cashew chicken, and not long after came the chicken fried rice. And as hungry as we were, we were ready to dig in! In short, the tea was very good, all three dishes were tasty, and the medium spice was kicken'! We'd definitely return but mild spice would be the level of choice next time. Never judge an unassuming restaurant by its cover. And one final note, they are a Cash Only business. read more

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I've been going to Yai for at least 20 years, I always read the menu but end up ordering my favorites, I start with Singha beer with crab rolls or chicken satay, then combination chow mein, #38, flat noodles with ground beef(you can choose whatever meat you like) with chili garlic and basil. My sisters like salted fish fried rice, papaya salad, phad Thai, pad see ew and roasted pork with Chinese broccoli. read more

As always in the past 30 years. Still keep the good menu and taste. Real simple clean but KICK ASS Thai food. No disappoint. Truly Thai in the Hollywood . Do you believe that relative Chef still here after these yearsss? Ok service since all family work here. It is simple daily life ambiance but not the TASTE!!!! read more

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Yummy as always. I really enjoyed the fried shrimp and veggies. It's worth the drive and the traffic lol. The parking is a bit difficult but what else can you expect from Hollywood? read more

This place is great it's 100% traditional Thai cooking and man the food is sooooo good. Also everyone who works there is soooo sweet that they have become friends. It's a cute simple little place for a traditional home cooked style Thai meal. Food is always 10 out of 10. read more

Walked in, went to corner table, saw a dead and a live cockroach behind the table, walked straight out.