The Best Thai Restaurants in America

Run by two sisters who arrived from Thailand in 2006, this downtown Denver restaurant uses local meats and vegetables to create authentic Thai dishes presented with modern flair. The Thai-inspired house cocktails are worth a try, and the popular happy hour goes all night if you sit at the bar.

This casual, no-frills eatery in Ravenswood serves up a huge menu of traditional Thai favorites like larb, panang curry, crab fried rice, seafood soup, and pad see ew – stir-fried wide rice noodles with eggs, greens, and a rich, dark sauce.

Owned by James Beard award-winning chef Arun Sampanthavivat, this elegant restaurant is decked out in magnificent Buddhist murals and intimate dining nooks. The creative fare comes à la carte or as a nine-course prix-fixe banquet, where each dish is well-balanced, beautifully presented, and well worth the price.

This Thai-Lao supermarket and restaurant in Greater Heights has a casual family-friendly vibe and serves the most authentic and affordable Thai cuisine in the area. Patrons love the green papaya salad, mango sticky rice, and pad kee mao (also known as drunken noodles, a spicy dish with wide rice noodles, egg, and Thai basil).

With a large menu of traditional Thai food, this family-owned restaurant offers many dishes you may not find elsewhere, like crispy catfish salad with green mango and raw shrimp salad with bitter melon. Customers rave about the soft shell crab with papaya, fried red snapper, and duck in red curry sauce.

A laid-back bar and restaurant, Baan Siam features regional dishes from all over Thailand, prepared authentically with fresh spices. From fried fresh-water prawns to pork curry with sweet potato leaves to lotus root with grilled shrimp, every dish is a masterpiece of flavor and presentation. Reservations are encouraged.

Forging a modern take on Thai cuisine, this intimate Park Slope restaurant serves unique specialties like larb tuna tartare and pineapple lychee crispy duck as well as northern Thai dishes including khao soi chicken (egg noodles in chicken curry broth with pickled mustard greens and eggs) and hung lay (braised pork belly in curry with potatoes, peanuts, and fried shallots).

With a relaxed, elegant atmosphere and warm service, Chao Baan serves delectable regional dishes from northeastern and southern Thailand. Try the gaeng som, a spicy and sour curry soup with fried white fish and papaya in turmeric chili broth, or the sai grog, pork sausages with lemongrass, chiles, and lime leaves.

Friendly, knowledgeable servers and ornate decor enhance the experience at this veteran eatery, while the authentic flavors keep dedicated customers coming back. Daily specials may include temptations like charcoal-grilled pork jowls with sticky rice and roast duck breast with eggplant in coconut curry.

Specializing in regional street food – particularly noodles – Dakzen makes one mean khao soi and their pork belly strikes the perfect balance between tender and crisp. The compact dining area only has a few tables and the line can be long, but service is speedy.

This hip eatery boasts plenty of seating, brunch, cocktails, a happy hour, and delicious vegan options. Serving up the hits of Southeast Asian street food, Doi Moi offers Thai and Vietnamese specialties including bánh bao (filled steamed buns), drunken noodles, fried spring rolls, and their magnum opus, a whole fried rockfish with scallions, peanuts, ginger sauce, and chili lime salt.

With locations in Killingsworth and Belmont, this trendy counter-service spot is known for their perfectly crispy fried chicken and their rich, sweet–spicy curries, especially the brisket curry. Indoor and outdoor seating options abound, and the Thai-inspired cocktails are refreshing and affordable.

This cozy nook on Woodside Avenue in Elmhurst – which has become one of New York City’s Thai food destinations – serves Isan (northeastern Thai) cuisine. A popular menu staple is the larb – ground pork, beef, or chicken with lime and toasted rice and tossed with loads of fresh mint, cilantro, scallions, and shallots. Save room for the coconut pudding dessert.

Jitlada’s southern Thai cuisine is seriously spicy and displays the region’s mastery of seafood. The menu features over 300 dishes, many of which are hard to find at standard Thai restaurants. Try the crispy morning glory salad topped with shrimp, the renowned Crying Tiger (marinated grilled beef or pork with spicy sauce), and the steamed mussels with lemongrass and mango.

Another outstanding Elmhurst eatery, Khao Kang offers a cash-only buffet of unique dishes, allowing customers to mix and match from a rotating array of impeccably flavored homestyle entrées. Be prepared for unbeatable prices, large portions, and incredibly spicy food; and be sure to try the pumpkin filled with custard. It will help cool the burn.

Known for their authentic Isan cuisine, Lan Larb is a popular lunch spot due to their incredibly affordable midday specials. Customers love the nam khao tod, fried rice croquettes with fermented pork dressed with lime and fresh herbs, as well as the specialty larb salads including versions made with salmon, red snapper, and mock duck.

Langbann offers a truly rare dining experience. The intimate dining room seats 25, where an elaborate 12-course tasting menu featuring local ingredients is prepared before guest’s eyes and served with an optional wine pairing. Expect creative dishes and gorgeous plating, and be sure to make a reservation far in advance.

With three locations in San Francisco, Lers Ros is a bustling late night spot with a huge menu that features popular game dishes including venison with eggplant, spicy alligator with fresh peppercorns, garlic fried quail, basil frog legs, and boar in chili paste. Be sure to try the crispy pork belly with basil.

With a dimly lit, intimate dining room and a prix fixe menu of northern Thai specialties, Little Serow is a great date night spot. The menu of intensely spicy chef’s specials rotates weekly, and features dishes like si krong mu (sour pork ribs) with Mekhong whiskey and dill; gai tod (fried chicken) with palm sugar and crispy garlic; and tam khanun (jackfruit salad) with pork and shrimp paste.

A renowned restaurant headed by James Beard award-winning chef Saipin Chutima, Lotus of Siam offers heirloom northern Thai recipes from the chef’s own grandmothers. Featured dishes include crispy duck khao soi, deep-fried prawns in garlic sauce, and nam kao tod (crispy rice salad) with sour pork sausage and fresh herbs. The line can get long, but the food is absolutely worth the wait.

This hip Thai tapas bar serves small (and not-so-small) plates for sharing alongside handcrafted cocktails. Popular items include the crunchy chive cakes, crab curry, shrimp pad thai, and rambutan salad. The house Sazerac comes with Thai tea-infused rye whiskey, absinthe, and house bitters, while the Rambutini features Tito’s vodka, elderflower liqueur, rambutan juice, and lemon.

This popular, cozy hangout specializes in street food and wine. Bar snacks include party wings, grilled pork jowl, and catfish tamales with pork fat in banana leaf. Be sure to try the moo sadoong, a spicy salad of grilled pork, thai basil, lemongrass, chiles, and toasted rice powder.

A bustling casual hangout, sibling to Night + Market Song, that serves street food, beer, and wine, Night + Market WeHo is famous for their fried chicken sandwich with ranch, papaya slaw, jalapeños, and cilantro, as well as their filet mignon satay with coconut curry, peanut sauce, and cucumber salad, and their panang curry short ribs. Whatever you get, order a side of coconut rice to accompany it.

A combination market and eatery, Northern Thai Food Club features homey cafeteria style entrées at affordable prices and super friendly service. Satisfying favorites on the menu include kab moo (crispy pork skins), yum nor nam poo (bamboo shoot salad with crab paste), and deep-fried gourami fish. Customers rave about the Thai iced tea.

This no-frills family-run restaurant is known for its wide array of appetizers, including the customer favorite, deep-fried watercress with shrimp, squid, cilantro, and cashews in lime dressing. The huge portions of noodle dishes, stir fries, spicy seafood, and curries are savory and affordable.

A spacious restaurant with an industrial style interior and outdoor patio seating, Saladang offers classic entrées and exciting twists on Thai appetizers, including boneless chicken wings stuffed with shrimp, peas, mushrooms, and glass noodles, and their signature gold pouches, deep-fried packets of potato and peanuts served with a sweet and sour sauce.

Open late at night, this laid-back veteran eatery offers the best of Thai comfort food. Customers love the boat noodles, a savory rice noodle soup with a rich, dark broth, as well as the fried shrimp cakes, Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce, and roast duck noodle soup.

Featuring Isan cuisine served family style, this festive East Village hotspot is a great place to branch out and try a variety of dishes with friends. The menu features grilled pork and beef skewers, fried chicken, central Thai fried rice and noodle dishes, and a variety of papaya salads (try the version with salted egg).

What started as a small Thai bakery over two decades ago is now a renowned restaurant with one cash-only location in Queens and one in Nassau County. The large menu of over 120 dishes features cuisine from various regions of Thailand. Customers rave about the soft shell crab and the drunken noodles with crispy pork belly.

This northern Thai outpost in Horner Park offers all the usual favorites and some unique specials on their extensive menu. Try the aromatic prik khing moo krob (chili paste with crispy pork, kaffir lime leaves, and green beans), and the customer favorite tom kha (hot and sour coconut soup) with shrimp.

With two L.A. locations, Tuk Tuk Thai offers all the classics as well as vegan dishes, hot pot, and smoky grilled steak, pork, and chicken. Treat yourself to a plate of kanah moo grob (crispy and tender pork belly with Chinese broccoli and oyster sauce) with a fried egg on top, and try the pandan taro pudding with coconut milk.

A hip spot featuring Thai art and music, Tycoon offers Isan cuisine, classic dishes, and fun fusion items with the friendliest service around. The fried chicken wings with spicy lime sauce and roasted rice powder are a must, as is the kao pad kee mao (basil fried rice).

Advertised as “aggressive Thai with spices,” Ugly Baby packs a punch with intensely flavorful curries and noodles. Popular specials include the khoong muk kai kem (fried shrimp and quid in salted egg yolk) and the tom som pla kra pong (red snapper in ginger and tamarind broth).

This cheery little restaurant in Elmhurst has garnered itself a Bib Gourmand listing in the Michelin guide for good reason. Zaab Zaab’s vibrant dishes are a feast for the senses. Whole fried grouper are piled with fresh mint, catfish are stuffed with aromatic pandan leaves, and duck breast larb is served with crispy duck skin and fried lime leaves.

From Michelin-starred chef Tony Rittaprom comes authentic Isan cuisine and the most sought-after ribs on the Upper East Side – gaeng hunglay, a rib stew with ginger, pickled garlic, tamarind, and hunglay curry. Take advantage of the affordable lunch specials and don’t be afraid to try the tom zabb teen gai (spicy chicken feet soup).