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Amarin of Thailand
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
Wellesley Center27 Grove St
Wellesley, MA 02482
(781) 239-1350
- Nearest Transit:
-
Wellesley Square (Framingham/Worcester Line)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
43 reviews for Amarin of Thailand
Review Highlights
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"Best pad thai I have ever had." In 16 reviews -
"Mmmmm peanut sauce pool." In 2 reviews -
"...appetizers, I have always tried the chicken and beef satay." In 4 reviews
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43 reviews in English
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Review from UnLearn Y.
Lancaster, MA
4/6/2012
Just had the Hangley Curry dish with chicken and 'brown rice'...excellent! When I opened the to-go container I was pleased to see half the dish was a bright and deep purple rice, which was a beautiful contrast to the yellow tamarind curry. The red peppers, and green beans, and orange carrots added another splash of color to the plate, and they were cooked perfectly...slight firmness, yet cooked through. The chicken was moist and delicious, and there was just the right amount of spice and curry sauce in the dish. The portion was great. I'm full, and still have enough left for dinner.
You know you got good food when you repeat "wow, that was great" several times over after eating it. Highly recommended based on this dish, and I will be back to explore the rest of the menue and will also recommend them for this alone. The best curry dish I've had from any restaurant in recent memory.
I would have given them 5 stars had I not been a bit let down by the Pad Thai the first two times I ate there (obviously it was still good enough to come back though). The flavor of the Pad Thai was pretty good, and the shrimp they put in it was noticebly fresh (not frozen). My complaint though is that the noodles were overcooked and a bit stuck together, which took away from the texture and presentation. And I like bold flavors, and theirs is a bit mild. That said, based on this Hangley Curry they have completely restored my confidence and have gotten me excited to go back and try more items on the menu. If the rest of it is as good as this curry I will update my review and give them that last elusive star. -
Review from PJ S.
New York, NY
1/22/2012
Hey. You are in Wellesley. You will likely struggle finding a moderately priced restaurant with better food. Now, as for service, well, the other reviewers do make some good points.
One suggestion: the place is never more than 1/2 full at dinner time, even late in the week. Is Wellesley more of a lunch town? I don't know. I do know that more of us need to get to Amarin of Thailand for dinner or they will not be able to pay the rent.
Come on now, off the couch and into the Volvo. It's time to do your share of dining. -
Review from Erika K.
Boston, MA
12/28/2011
3 1/2 stars, if I could. I have been here a few times and have never had a bad meal. I usually get the red curry, which is fantastic and their black pepper chicken curry is delicious, but not for those who can't take the heat...very spicy!! Service is generally great as well.
The last time I was in there, we were plagued by a nearby party of 6...two adults, four children. Unfortunately, the children were incredibly loud, messy, and climbing all over the furniture and window ledge. It was bad enough that the adults didn't redirect their children, but even worse when the manager/owner came over to them and took pictures, told them they could sit on the window ledge and joked around with them. Clearly, the issue here is more than a yelp review can offer, but the fact that the behavior was enabled and accepted by the manager was pretty should I say shocking?
So, if you see a pack of misbehaved kids and are not wanting to dine amongst the chaos, ask to sit in a different section and then you should have a great dining experience. -
Review from Alan W.
Natick, MA
5/18/2012
Just tried to eat the Pad Thai. one star was me being nice as it was the worst I've ever had. Three minute shrimp and a pile of noodles and if there was any fresh veggies in there I couldn't find them. Also had a chicken dumpling appetizer that was thrown out as it was over cooked and bland. If you want good tasting fresh food try somewhere else as this stuff is worse than Cup-O-Noodles.
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Review from Jasmine L.
Needham, MA
2/17/2012
The menu is huge, and has a nice curry selection. The food is reasonably priced for the ritzy town of Wellesley, and the owner is very welcoming and remembers repeat customers. There is no cell phone service in the basement, there is free parking across the street after 6 pm.
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Review from Clarissa K.
Framingham, MA
3/28/2012
love this place!! always consistent!!!
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Review from Abha G.
Lexington, MA
1/15/2012
This restaurant has excellent food, but the worst customer service I have ever experienced at a restaurant.
I brought my mom here for lunch - when we ordered, my mom asked how long the food would take to arrive, since we had arrived fairly late and we were both hungry. The waiter told us, "you should have thought about that before and arrived before you got hungry, then."
He was continuously rude throughout the meal, so my mom decided to leave him a fairly low tip. When we got up to leave, the hostess at the front had the gall to look at the bill we had left and ask us why we had left such a low tip. When we explained that our waiter had been rude, she told us we were no longer welcome at her restaurant and that we were effectively banned from the place henceforth.
If you want great take-out food, I suggest this place. Otherwise, stay away! -
Review from Ariana Z.
Boston, MA
6/4/2011
I am a fan of the massaman curry and the pad thai. For appetizers, I have always tried the chicken and beef satay. The thai iced tea is WONDERFUL.
Food and service has always been FANTASTIC and I have never had a complaint.
The only thing that lacks in comparison to Lemon Thai (the unofficial rival) is their tamarind tofu. Hands down, I prefer the Lemon Thai version. -
Review from nuala k.
1/31/2011
This place is really good. I have sat in and also ordered takeout. My only gripe about takeout is they don't give you enough rice. I ordered 2 entrees and was given the smallest container of white rice for both.
Service inside is a little slow, but aside from that the food is great, and priced quite good.
Wish they delivered! -
Review from Yaniv K.
Brookline, MA
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
OK place for lunch. Very quite. Pretty good size of serving.. Ask for the 4 sauces - yummy.
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Review from Tammy H.
Somerville, MA
9/24/2007
Just about every Thai restaurant in the US will "take pride" in it's standard "exotic" dish: mango chicken, pineapple fried rice, beef/chicken satay ... and of course, pad thai. I generally ignore these, as one can assume they're targeted toward those who are relatively new to the cuisine.
I believe Amarin does standard curries VERY well as well as any other appetizer or veggie dish they've got going on. I always love the green curry, and the choo chee's slightly sweet as it should be. Both the crazy and drunken noodles make me loooove noodles (though I never cared much for stir fried Asian noodles), and I try not to take too much as it's a friend's favorite dish every time we go. (One of them isn't on the menu, but you can still ask for it.)
It's a good place for groups, though I don't know how many big groups it can hold at a time. I remember a group of about 20 people, and we took up a fair amount of space ... but it's definitely doable.
Of the three Thai places in the Wellesley area (including Coconut Thai), Amarin is definitely my favorite.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Carrie M.
Arlington, MA
4/23/2008
I'm a routine person when it comes to ordering Thai food: yellow curry with tofu. I love it, so I don't like to stray. Last night I made an exception to this rule, and I'm so glad I did.
I ordered for the spinach tofu noodles, hold the egg. Everything was so fresh and delicious. The tofu was fried, but not greasy and the noodles were flavorful without being over the top. The same held true for my friends with their food.
Oh, we also got an appetizer, the vegetarian spring rolls. Usually places will give you two rolls, not here, we got five! The portions on the dinners were great too. Overall the flavor was really fresh with everything and the service was close to excellent. My water was never empty, which is a total plus for me!
Not only was the food great while eaten fresh there, but I got home a couple hours later and the boyfriend had the leftovers. They were gone in minutes and even he commented on how flavorful it was.
I definitely plan to come back here again when in the neighborhood. With school being just down the street from here I may have an excuse to stop by again, especially given the prices. Dinner for three with an appetizer was under $30. That's just amazing!Listed in: I learned it by watching you!
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Review from Jamie S.
Arlington, VA
4/1/2006
What this place has going for it is the decor. Lovely rice papered screen dividers, ceramics and Asian artwork create an intimate and modestly elegant dining room. While they consider themselves a national model as to how pad thai should be prepared, I found Amarin's version of the dish to be too sweet, too fishy and too mushy.
My plate of pad thai arrived in one big lump with too much sauce. The yellow curry was good but I was surprised the dish they take the most pride in was mediocre and disappointing.
I would walk down the street and around the corner to Lemon Thai if food is more important to you than atmosphere.Listed in: From the Well
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Review from Allison R.
Somerville, MA
1/2/2009
I'd definitely give Amarin the award for best Thai I've had.
As for the food, it is equally awesome at both this an the Newton Corner location, which was closer to my old office, but was less friendly and efficient for takeout.
Thai food kinda freaks me out and mystifies me a bit, since I can't stray too far from what I know is good, since I might end up with a plate of confusing weirdness. Case in point: I once tried a duck entree, which was really just duck fat and some veggies in sauce.
But, I love me some shrimp in the blanket and pad thai (veggie, shrimp, and tofu, yes please!) and their peanuts and peanut sauce are, for some inexplicable reason, always the best tasting around.
They also have funny fruit candy things for you on the way out. -
Review from Laura P.
Boston, MA
2/24/2008
Amarin Thai is your usual Thai restaurant. I gave them 5 stars because they do provide good Thai food but also they run the show well. They are very fast, clean, friendly and also do take out!
I have only eaten in the actual restaurant twice but mostly do the take out. When I have eaten there the service and good was great. When doing take out the food is still warm and delicious.
I usually get the usual pad thai no peanuts, white rice and the spring rolls.
The decor however is like your typical asian buffet. Ugly carpet, cushion seats, bad asian wall art haha.
It's all good just go for the good food! -
Review from Eva H.
Natick, MA
9/8/2009
Went for lunch and was not impressed. The food was not great and it was pricier.
Go down the street to Lemon Thai for great cheap eats! -
Review from Emma W.
Boston, MA
1/21/2009
I'm not a huge fan of Thai food, but it is a nice cheap/moderate restaurant in Wellesley. I had a delicious chicken dish (although I asked to have it less spicy, it was pretty hot) and my friends enjoyed their meal as well.
Quick service and pleasant staff. The restaurant is quite larger than Lemon Thai, and I have to say the food and service was a lot better than there as well. I'd definitely return. -
Review from GORMET TEEN R.
Wellesley, MA
6/6/2009
I go with my friend on Wednesdays. we cant rave enough about the...
PAD THAI PAD THAI PAD THAI!!!!!!!! PAD THAI!!!!!
the perfectly cooked noodles with plump juicy shrimp are topped with finely chopped peanuts! WE also always order the shrimp in a blanket appatizer with sweet and sour sauce. Very very very good. For dessert next to it is truly yogurt whare they make a mean espresso "flavor burst" softserve cone. -
Review from Sasha R.
3/13/2007
I totally disagree. I grew up on Amarin's and they are still ( after living in several different states and countries) one of my top ten favorite Thai restaurants.
Their Pad Thai is the perfect mixture of sweet and flavorful, and their chicken satay is seasoned and grilled just right. The last time I was there (1/07) I tried their Masaman Curry and it was amazing. My family also likes their Duck Chu Chi, but that's a bit further than I can go ( duck), so I just have the sauce and it is amazing.
I love Amarin, give it a shot, it's worth it, it's so much more than just the look. -
Review from Stephanie F.
Cambridge, MA
4/22/2008
This is a 4.5 for me as well, 5 stars belong to the Thai place that is Bangkok Garden in Hackensack, NJ.
The prices were affordable for a dinner, couldn't really go wrong on the thai iced tea. I only had one dish - a curry chicken (sorry this review is so general) - but I did not have a bad experience, and thus I will definitely come here again. -
Review from Susan F.
Wayland, MA
4/5/2011
We've been to Amarin in Newton before, so I was comfortable making a reservation for my out of town guests at the Wellesley restaurant. Horrific experience topped off by the waitress giving a guest with shellfish allergies shrimp in her Pad Thai that ended up in a visit to the ER. When placing the order, re-iterated multiple times that she had an allergy, and the waitress assured us there wouldn't be a problem. In addition, the service was HORRIBLE and only 1/2 of the table had food served---no acknowledgement that other dishes might take longer, the remaining diners waiting for everyone to be served while their food got cold and when we called over the manager, he was irritated that we asked for the food to be checked on and basically walked away from the table without following through on our request.
This experience was so bad all around, it prompted me to sign up for YELP. Don't go to this restaurant unless you want overpriced food, bad service, rude management, and poisoned food. -
Review from Ben P.
Needham, MA
9/12/2011
Best Thai in the area.
Pad see ew and pad Thai are incredible. -
Review from Jef S.
12/31/2008
Quality Thai in the heart of Cracker-ville, Amarin brings a little taste of Bangkok to this area.
Parking around here is difficult, but not impossible if you use the nearby lots. Forget about street parking at any time of the day.
The restaurant's decor is really nothing special, but it's down home comfortable with tables and booths. The main dining room is at an odd angle, so people who freak out from MC Escher drawings may be disconcerted. Service here is very good and the folks are generally friendly and accommodating. Prices are surprisingly cheap for some dishes, more expensive for big entrees.
Tasty fresh food! Start out with Satay anything and wish that they could make a pool full of their peanut sauce to swim in. Mmmmm peanut sauce pool. The vegetarian rolls are OK, but lack some character, even with the sauce. Maybe they should add some basil to them. Tom Klang soup is my favorite: a lime-ish coconutty affair with tasty chicken and those Thai flavors I love!
From there, entrees are your choice and everything is darned good. The thing I like about Amarin is that the food isn't GREASY at all. I leave most Thai restaurants stuffed so full of greasy Pad Thai that I need a stomach pump. However, Amarin's dishes feature light flavorful sauces and fresh meat and veggies. Highly recommended are Lover's Scampi (sexy sexy curry), Chicken and Cashews, and anything with duck. Daffy won't thank you, but your tummy will!
Good for groups and grandmas, but maybe not a great place to romance a new lovely in your life. -
Review from Han K.
Woburn, MA
3/3/2008
I'd really like to give it 4.5 star but I'll round up.
It's really great fresh Thai food, it's in my top 3 Thai places to dine in MA. They do the standards like pad thai really well, but they really shine on the lesser known dishes that they create, they let their ingredients do the talking rather than use lots of seasoning or sticky sauces mask the flavors, it all works in harmony like the nicely appointed dining room. I've dined at the Newton one and was less impressed than the Wellesley location. It's not overly priced either. The one downfall is the lack of a delivery option. -
Review from Lee H.
Natick, MA
4/4/2009
My opinion of the Amarin has gotten better and better with time. The food is really, really good. Pad thai almost as good as it gets. Tasty squid and nicely done vegetables.
The decor is boring - try takeout. Prices are reasonable. Parking could be better. -
Review from Kimmie M.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2010
Best pad thai I have ever had...anywhere. Even if aliens with their giant brains snatched the bodies of authentic Thai people and started a Thai restaurant, I'm not sure they could make pad thai as good as Amarin's in Wellesley.
I've only been to the one in Wellesley and back in the day at least, the pad thai gave me the shivers. It still haunts me. One of the managers was, however, once rude to our group and talked to us like children. -
Review from Kristin H.
Spring Mills, PA
3/3/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Overwhelming menu and a bit pricey. The authenticity isn't there, and it feels pretty impersonal. You wont be thrilled but you probably wont be terribly disappointed, either. So, "meh" just about sums it up for me. I'll probably go again, but it isn't a favorite.
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Review from peggy c.
Brookline, MA
6/20/2008
It has been a while since I've been to Amarin, but oh how it does bring back good memories. Being a college student in Wellesley = wow I am poor and I totally am aware of it, every day. Thus, it was nice to go to a well laid out restaurant for some yummy yummy (ok the yumminess may be slightly compounded by my lack of funds but it's at least a yummy) food and walk away having dropped less than 20 bucks. Amarin probably won't impress any potential debutante girlfriends, but it's not a bad place to bring the parents or have a quiet dinner catching up with friends.
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Review from connie m.
Arlington, MA
1/16/2009
i pass Amarin all the time but somehow didn't get around to eating there for 2 years. Wow, was i missing out. Their siam rolls are *perfectly* crispy and full of flavor, the beef red curry was a big favorite, and of course the Yum Yum yummy pad thai should not be missed. Fast, courteous service in a well appointed and charming little restaurant. Very budget friendly, too!
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Review from Ebony B.
Atlanta, GA
8/24/2010
The food is alright, but it's just alright. Lemon Thai is more authentic and tastier and worth the prices that they charge. Amarin's food is sweetened and very greasy. Not impressed at all.
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Review from Claire G.
Boston, MA
9/13/2011
Delicious!!! It is on the pricey side though so I wouldn't go very often
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Review from Anna L.
Wellesley, MA
2/8/2009
The best Thai food around! I only give four stars for two reasons. 1) They seem to skimp on the shrimp and beef in the dishes ordered. 2) No delivery option.
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Review from Ryan C.
Natick, MA
10/30/2010
Tasty stuff! Restaurant itself was kind of boring, but great service and great food.
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Review from Jeanne K.
Brighton, MA
1/26/2010
Amarin of Thailand is a hidden jewel! Tucked away in sort of an underground space, Amarin is a great place for great Thai. Our group of four did not need reservations for a Saturday night. Granted, we were there at 6:30, but even when we left around 8 there were still plenty of tables available. I would recommend the spring rolls and the pineapple chicken. The pineapple chicken actually comes served in a pineapple, which is cute. The service was good; however my one complaint is that our waitress did not check on us until our meal was almost gone. I personally prefer the waitstaff to check on me and my meal shortly after its been brought out - just in case I encounter any problems. The prices are pretty reasonable. They also seem to be very child friendly - there were several families and even some very small children.
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Review from Ray T.
Canoga Park, CA
2/16/2010
Hmm... Thai food in a suburb of Boston vs Thai food in Thai-town of Los Angeles. My standards are a bit higher than most when it comes to Thai food. Amarin of Thailand does have some good thai food. I ordered the Noodles with Tender Beef (Pad See Ew?) and my lady friend got the Pad Thai. My dish was ehh, the noodles and sauce were okay but the beef tasted funny. The pad thai was actually really good. I recommend it over their rival's (Lemon Thai) pad thai. Service was pretty good as well as the prices. 3-stars for having average pad see ew, good pad thai, but not being open on Sundays! Why are you not open on Sundays??
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Review from Blake M.
Natick, MA
6/21/2011
great thai food; nice atmosphere; good service
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Review from Andrew M.
Wellesley, MA
4/8/2007
I haven't had enough Thai food to judge Amarin intelligently, but my soup was tasty and the main dishes were excellent. The best of Wellesley's three Thai restaurants, I'd say.
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Review from Chris W.
Framingham, MA
11/20/2009
went for lunch and chose the Beef Panang. This was marked 2 chilies, and I was a little tentative as I'm not a big fan of hot & spicy.
However, it was fairly tame, so rest assured, or ask for more if you like it hot.
While the broth was hot (temperature) the beef itself was cold/room temp. That was disappointing. The rice was fresh and tasted good w/ the broth. The vegetables (oyster shrooms, green beans, pepper (green & red)) all tasted fresh and were nice and crisp. The green pepper probably could have cooked a bit more, but I like pepper raw.
For the most part, the beef was tender, too. Got one piece that was kind of gristly. -
Review from Alisa K.
Wellesley Hills, MA
8/6/2010
Delicious thai food!! I dont think they deliver to Wellesley but Ive eaten in the restaurant couple of times..all my experiences were great! Ive had better pineapple fried rice elsewhere, but pad thai was really good. Much less greasy than Lemon Thai.
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Review from Dennis L.
Wellesley, MA
4/21/2009
There's something about the Wellesley location that does not draw me to this Amarin as much as the longer drive to Newton... It's the same menu for the most part, with a few exceptions (Wellesley doesn't have the cranberry/pine nut chicken dish), but for the most part, the food quality is the same. The tables are set pristinely and the waitstaff are attentive, but... here's where I have an issue... Every time I go, the restaurant is relatively quiet, nearly empty, even on a Saturday night. You can chalk that up to the town basically being dead after 6 pm. I've been there for lunch, and even then, only the front few tables are filled. When hands are idle, employees get busy. It's somewhat uncomfortable to have the whole staff milling around in front of the bar (i.e. looming), the sounds of a distracting Game Boy being piped out. I love the food, but I'd rather go to Newton where it is a bit more active. Take out should be just fine at the Wellesley location, but I'd avoid eating in at night unless you have a group. Then getting a table becomes easy and it isn't as ominous when you are talking with someone and feel like all the attention of the waitstaff is on you. There is ample parking in the area, always.
Listed in: Wellesley
