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Amarin Thai
Categories: Restaurants Thai Restaurants Vegetarian Thai, Vegetarian [Edit]
3843 Richmond St(between Essex St & University Ave)
San Diego, CA 92103
Neighborhood: Hillcrest
(619) 296-6056
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri 5 pm - 11 pm
Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Sean M. said: "I've never been to an Indian restaurant that has any TVs, let alone one everywhere you look, playing sports in glorious HD. I wouldn't recommend going anywhere else downtown -- especially if you're right around Horton Plaza. I went…" read more »
798 reviews for Amarin Thai
Review Highlights
"I recommend Tom yum soup to start with."
(in 48 reviews)
"The Mambo Mambo Chicken: Bomb dot com."
(in 21 reviews)
"And the FBI - the coconut ice cream was soooo good."
(in 18 reviews)
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798 reviews in English
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Review from Jenny P.
San Diego, CA
2/2/2012
Amarin has been my favorite thai restaurant for the last 3 years. The chef maintains a good balance between sweet and flavorful (while other Thai places tend to run amok with the sweetness level). Also, it's one of the rare thai places where you'll get a dish with the amount of spicy you want, not like other places where you specify a level 10 and have to add more chili flakes to the dish. Haven't had a dish I didn't like!
Great decor, friendly staff, good priced wine. :] -
Review from Shawn B.
La Mesa, CA
2/1/2012
First I want to say that I'm the 800th reviewer!
If there are 800 reviews and this place has 4 stars do I really need to say much about this place besides that it is amazing!
This is definitely a place to take a girl on a date.
You're guaranteed to love this place if you like thai food.
Enjoy :) -
Review from Bruce S.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 1/26/2012
I'm updating my previous review after being drug back in to Amarin by a friend asking to give them another shot. The service and attentiveness was incredibly better than my previous visit. Gave them a 1 star last time.
They offer a special vegetarian menu free of egg, fish sauce, and other things like that to make for better dining by vegetarians and vegans.
Can't argue that the food is among if not the best Thai food in San Diego.
Parking still sucks though.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/13/2011
I have been here several times and the food has always been good and on par with other similar… Read more »
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Review from Nette B.
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hit or Miss.... Straight forward, simple and to the point...
-Parking is challenging... drive around the neighborhood and look for street parking
-Food can be good on some days. A couple of times when I visited there was just too much of an ingredient (not so great of a taste and I was disappointed)
-Good service and Clean
Nothing really to rave about. Nice decor and a lot of seating. I came here with a large group of 20 and they were able to accommodate us. Patio seating available too.
I did love the sticky rice and the fried banana with coconut ice cream.
I hope they redeem themselves on my next visit.Listed in: You want THAI?
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Review from Thomas A.
Lakeside, CA
1/26/2012
Nothing but great things to say about Amarin. Went their last night with my boyfriend and our friend Alicia. Had a little trouble finding parking, but what's new on University at 7pm? We made reservations for 7:30, arrived 10 minutes early, was seated immediately. Took a little while for the waiter to acknowledge us, but once he did the service was great, food was better and cost was the best!!!
I had the Red Curry with Vegetables and a spice level of 8. It was good, although it could have been a little spicier. I will most certainly be back. -
Review from Gary R.
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
As is typical, whenever there is any type of local, community event taking place within the bowels of Hillcrest (e.g. Nightmare on Normal Street), the local restaurants become inundated with hungry and thirsty patrons seeking means to calm the unsettling and impatient growls of their stomachs after the festivities abate. On the night in question, popular establishments such as Gossip Grill and Betty's had horrendous lines; therefore, as a last minute choice, the curious appearance of inactivity we noted over at Amarin Thai became a convenient, yet viable, option for my small group after an enjoyable night in the heart of the gayborhood.
Upon entry, the staff were extremely inviting, hospitalble and seated us expeditiously. In spite of our earlier impressions that Amarin Thai was experiencing a slow evening, the dining room was actually quite populated and active. In the spirit of the occasion, the staff were all dressed in a myriad of costumes, thereby playfully embracing the blithesome and mischievious Halloween night. We all felt at ease and eager to explore the menu.
When I visit any Thai restaurant for the first time, I typically order the Drunken Noodles as a measuring stick for the quality of the cuisine. One other test that I employ is to evaluate the resolve of the cooks to provide the spice intensity that I desire. My Korean tablemates, with Cheshire grins on their faces, doubted this white boy's insistence that I could withstand the extreme spice levels that they were accustomed to. In an act of sheer defiance, I vocalized my intention to order the Drunken Noodles with spice level 10, the maximum intensity, but I noted a sudden look of dread move across their faces that functioned to betray their utter fright at that prospect (they were going to be sharing the dish, too). Therefore, I compromised at level 7.
The noodles were delicious, easily comparable to some of the best drunken noodles I've had elsewhere in the neighborhood. And the spice intensity? Well, let me say that I'm pleased to report that Amarin is not afraid to spice it up. Indeed, they spice it up quite well, evidenced by the beads of sweat that were profusely pouring down the faces of my two Asian dining companions. Yes, Amarin's drunken noodle dish made them its bitches. As for me? Well, it wasn't quite spicy enough, but a 7 can only take one so far.
Overall, everyone seemed really pleased with what was ordered. If I'm in the neighborhood again and have a hankering for Thai, Amarin will certainly be on my shortlist of go-to options. Consider it if you find yourself in the 'hood. -
Review from Sam P.
San Diego, CA
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Street parking only and hard to find a space during dinner (like most Hillcrest restaurants). Decent Thai food, I highly recommend the crab fried rice and either of their soups. Semi-romantic and casual - great place to bring a chill date or catch up with friends.
Also, try some of their thai beer selections! -
Review from Andrea R.
1/6/2012
Amarin never fails to impress me...
While their portions aren't enormous - they really don't need to be. The pricing is just about right and the food is always up to par.
If they had delivery, I'd rate them 6 stars. -
Review from Sharon L.
1/1/2012
We ordered the yellow curry with chicken and the roasted duck simmered in red curry with grapes.
Yellow curry with chicken was your standard fare but the roasted duck curry was delicious! The duck pieces consisted mostly of skin but the curry was very flavorful.
I would come back again. -
Review from Janelle J.
San Diego, CA
1/9/2012
Pretty darn good...for an americanized Thai restaurant. :D
I come here with my vegetarian friends, as it is the most vegetarian friendly of the Thai restaurants. Keep in mind, I'm not a vegetarian so I'm not an expert on vegetarian dishes.
Anyways. I was impressed by the vegetarian satay. It didn't have the chewy, weird texture that a lot of faux meat does. Or maybe I was happily distracted by the delicious peanut sauce. Either way, I was impressed by it.
The Tom Yum was pretty good. Not as tangy/sour as I like to have it, but it had a generous helping of vegetables. I generally crave Tom Yum when I'm sick, and I'd much rather drive to Amarin for their Tom Yum compared to the Thai Joint which is a 10 minute walk from me.
The Gaprow dish is one of my frequents. It's quite delicious. However, be careful on the level of spiciness you ask for. I tend to get a 4. It's not really that spicy, but you will now and then get a mouthful of chili pepper, with the seeds. (Which is only funny if you're watching your friends suffer, not if you're the victim.)
The curries are pretty standard. They don't stand out as being exceptional, but they are good.
One star off from me for being a bit over-priced. But given that it's in Hillcrest, it's pretty good food and I'll continue going here. -
Review from Stephanie L.
San Diego, CA
12/20/2011
Amarin Thai isn't particularly memorable but, it's a decent Thai Restaurant.
We came to this restaurant on a Monday night, around 8 and it was still pretty busy. Lots of seating and nicely decorated--I'm sure this place would be suitable for groups or a date.
We had the Crab Fried Rice, Green Curry and Pad See Ew.
My favorite of the night was the Crab Fried Rice. Fluffy rice with ample amount of crab. I would definitely order this again. The Green Curry wasn't bad either..I think the sauce was a bit watered down and mild but, it was acceptable. It was a pretty small serving though.
My least favorite would have to be the Pad See Ew. For me, the noodles just lacked that stir fried "wok" flavor. The noodles were a bit tough and not the traditional wide rice noodles that's usually used.
I'm not sure if it's just the dishes we ordered but, I'm sure some would say that Amarin seems a bit more Westernized with overall influences from other Asian cuisines rather than traditional Thai food.
Overall, it was satisfying. Nothing to go ape-sh*t over but, it did the trick. -
Review from Jennifer N.
San Diego, CA
12/31/2011
This is probably my favorite sit-down Thai restaurant in San Diego proper. You can come here with friends, bring your parents here, have a casual lunch, or even go on a date here. The cuisine is affordable and there's a great selection of traditional Thai dishes. It's really hard to get let down here.
The service is above average but I've never had knockout service, though that's not that big of a deal - much better than coming here and getting bad service. They're always pretty quick about making sure you have your beverages and it never takes too long to order.
I love the appetizers and I have yet to try a dish I don't like. The curries can get pretty hot if you ask for it and the noodles are never soggy and they don't overdo any sauces.
I come here frequently and will continue to come here. I'm a fan for sure! -
Review from Jonathan W.
12/17/2011
So I'd prefer its sister restaurant, Siam Nara. I had pretty high expectations given the reviews. Parking is rough so try to go at non-peak hours. Given the number of quality thai places in SD, this one seems more popular likely because of location.
The pad thai was done well, not too soggy and a slight kick, the curry was average, lacking flavor. Mambo chicken was solid as well.
Tried the sweet sticky rice with mango....I've had better elsewhere.
I still prefer Sab-E-Lee, tastier food or Siam Nara, better setting and service. -
Review from Kim B.
San Diego, CA
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food here is very tasty, but here's a tip. The exact same menu is available at Siam Nara on Mira Mesa Boulevard and there is never a wait for a table. My favorite dish is the Garden Delight. It's a vegetable dish, but you can add any type of protein for an additional charge. Sounds simple, but the sauce they use is awesome! The garlic salmon rice is also a good choice. For dessert, try the mango sticky rice.
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Review from Edward S.
San Diego, CA
1/16/2012
If you like thai food, this is the best vegetarian restaurant that fits vegetarians and also meat eaters. When I go eat with my coworkers, (most of them are vegetarians) we go to Amarin Thai to cater to the meat eaters and the vegetarians. I can only review them for their vegetarian food such as the vegetarian satay. The peanut sauce they have on the vegetarian is to die for, simply the best. I have been eating at alot of vegetarian restaurant but this one is my all time favorite. The decor is amazing and the food is just as amazing as the decor.
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Review from Mike L.
San Diego, CA
12/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
IM A LEGITIMATE FAN OF THIS PLACE.
By far the best thai restaurant i've ever had in my life. My fiance, from Los Angeles has been talking so highly of her spots up in LA like Palms. The day we tried Amarin, she just felt like shes been deceived her entire life.
This restaurant is a game changer. everything we've ordered has been memorable and delicious. Some of the items I highly recommend are:
1) Three Flavored Fish - absolutely full flavored and spicey. we got this in spiciness level 3 and i was still sweating. SOOO GOOOD!
2) Drunken Noodles with Shrimp - a take on pad see ew but again with a kick of spicy
3) Pad Thai - yup, pad thai. ive always thought every pad thai taste the same but this is head and shoulders above the rest
Other things we typically order here are: green curry, any of the rice dishes, and of course thai ice tea.
To prove to you how good this spot is, I have been contemplating wather i should right a yelp review on it or not. id hate to wait even longer for a table. and we come here usually once a week! bad parking and all, its worth it
by the way, pay cash. You'll be glad that you did =) -
Review from Nicole T.
San Diego, CA
12/20/2011
Absolutely THE place for Thai in central San Diego. Untraditional favorites are the duck and flat steak. Traditional favorites are the yellow curry, basil-eggplant curry and drunken noodles. Golden triangles are the best appie - love the sweet and spicy plum peanut sauce.
DON'T underestimate their wine list or noise level at the dinner hour, but DO make reservations and arrive early to find parking.
Side note: Very intimate seating in the main indoor dining room. -
Review from Hong L.
San Diego, CA
1/27/2012
Great quality, so much food.
Service is quick since there is plenty of waiters. Plus they can carry so many dishes on their hands and arms.
The ambiance is upscale and calming. Everything is laid out nicely.
Street parking is a hassel.
Spicy fried, drunken noodles, panage curry, and mango with sticky rice. Enough for 5 of us to share and be content (not full). The food is the best I ever had so far. -
Review from David L.
San Diego, CA
1/24/2012
When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING they make is on point!
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Review from Naomi C.
Los Angeles, CA
11/22/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is my favorite Thai place, out of all the Thai places I have tried in over 6 different cities. It might be because of what I order but I try to venture out and try new things all of the time. My usual is the Amarin Crater which is delicious and served in a pineapple.
I do agree with almost everyone that the parking is awful! So get there early (before 7) and you will not have as much trouble (finding parking or being seated).
Anywho, this place is great! -
Review from Yuan R.
San Diego, CA
1/20/2012
Over all not bad. I love Thai food and I have had a lot of it. The dishes are a little on the salty side in my opinion.
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Review from Marc A.
Mission Viejo, CA
Updated - 1/31/2012
Good food
Listed in: Favorite places in San Diego
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/29/2011
This place is amazing. Such a nice little restaurant with amazing service. The waitresses were so… Read more »
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Review from Su C.
San Diego, CA
12/6/2011
Food was superb, although their portions could be a little larger?
We ordered the love boat appetizer which was fantastic. Their papaya salad was super delicious which I should have ordered more of.
We also ordered the drunken noodles with duck, and panang curry w/ mixed seafood.
I guess my appetite that day was large so I didn't leave full, but wished I had ordered more food.
Place is definitely good, and would go back, only problem during my first visit was that the party of 10 behind us (all white females) were extremely loud if not obnoxious! They were practically screaming to the point where it made the guest jumpy, and uncomfortable. I mean if you are loud and drunk, it might be ok to be like this in a club or bar, but in a nice restaurant is pretty bad...
4 stars for the food and friendly staff, would have given 5 if the ambiance, meaning noise level were under 130db. =) -
Review from Wil M.
11/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was a really rainy Saturday last weekend, so my boyfriend and our friend decided to order some take out. Our friend recommended this place which was just a block away from where were staying.
De.Lish.Uhs.
I had the typical Pad Thai, but the flavors were *fantastic*. I was ready and excited about the typical greasy blob of noodles, but this was far beyond that. Great sweet and sour flavors, fresh nuts in the mix, fresh chicken, and the spices were all individually apparent in the cooking. I wolfed that sh_t down.
I can't wait to come back! My boyfriend and our host were also really pleased.
And to note - *very* reasonably priced.
I do wonder though - their "uniforms"... who thought them up? They look pretty hokey. I can't imagine they're comfortable. -
Review from VictorAngelo C.
Country Club, CA
1/24/2012
consistent
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Review from Joe M.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well, we ordered a bottle of Chardonnay to go with our dinner. The waiter poured me a little sample and I tasted. OMG, the wine was bad. I ask to also give my companion a sip of it. It was clear. This was no wine for us.
I requested to let us have another look at another bottle of wine.
He came back a little later and told us: "we usually don't take back an opened bottle, but because we ordered something else, he said, he will take care of it." WTF...... Would you charge me? This is one more instance in which Amarin did not meet my expectations.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/5/2011
If you like it in a jiffy, Amarin delivers. Not only did we get seated in the fully filled… Read more »
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Review from Adam O.
San Diego, CA
1/11/2012
Great deal for lunch, you can't beat the price. I get the yellow curry with chicken every time because I love the flavor profile. Beyond that, I can't opine. Fast and very courteous service.
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Review from Yasin S.
Manhattan, NY
1/29/2012
they deserve more than 5 stars. The best Thai food that I have in my life. The service was exceptional. The portions are quite big for the price.
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Review from Maziar S.
San Diego, CA
1/2/2012
Amarin is by far my favorite Thai restaurant in San Diego. The food there is amazing! Their Tom Yum soup is to die for and they really don't skimp on the sea food in this soup. The red curry with duck is fabulous and my life loves their pad tai noodles. The prices are average when it comes to Thai food. I think their noodles and curries are very reasonably priced, but some of their fancier entrees tend to be a little bit pricier. The presentation and the ambiance seems very authentic. Parking in Hillcrest can be challenging though, so be prepared to do some circling around to find street parking. I highly recommend Amarin Thai, especially in Hillcrest...the only other Amarin Thai I have been to was in Mira Mesa, and the ambiance was just not that great (felt like a take-out joint).
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Review from Betty L.
Saint Louis, MO
11/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was here for dinner with a friend. It was before Halloween so the place was totally decorated with cob webs, spiders, ghosts. I imagine the normal decor of this place is like your typical higher end Thai place.
Service was good and attentive.
I had green curry with chicken and he had spicy wide noodle (think pad thai with thicker noodle without the peanuts). I think he had the better dish between the two of us. The green curry was okay. Not earth shattering in any way. The spicy wide noodle was much more flavorful. But we probably paid way too much for the food. Could have gotten just as good food somewhere else. Kind of disappointed based on the reviews the place got from yelp.
I might come back and check out their lunch menu. -
Review from duke c.
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Possible the best Thai food I've had in awhile in SoCal.
We were waiting for a table at Baja Betty's for brunch but we had a party of 6 and the people at their big tables weren't budging. After an hour wait, all of us were too hungry so we called Amarin to make sure they had seating and as soon as we found out, made the short trek over and started to drool over the menu.
There's your typical Thai fare but also some specials you don't usually see. For all the dishes you can customize the level of spiciness somewhat. For me... 5-7 is a good amount of heat just to enjoy. In the end we decided on the following:
+ Tom Kah (large) - perfect for sharing. Lots of coconut milk in this one but still tangy from the lime juice. Great starter.
+ Chicken Satay - generally not a big fan of satay since chicken always gets so dry but it's quite moist here. The peanut sauce is pure money.
+ Mambo Mambo Chicken - stewed chicken with ripe mango in red curry sauce. I am a huge fan of red curry and with the sweet ripened mango. Savory & sweet. I got a 7 for this and found it to be perfect since the coconut milk did cut the heat a little.
+ Choo-chi Duck - roast duck in choo-chi sauce. I don't know what the sauce is but I was pouring it over my rice like a maniac.
+Spicy Noodles - so good. They use quite a bit more of soy sauce here so it has more of that aroma that just makes you salivate. Level 5 was perfect for this dish!
+ Garlic Salmon Fried Rice - wow wow wow wow. I couldn't get enough of this. Awesome garlic flavor through the fried rice with a little bit of lime. We spent awhile wondering how they got so much garlic flavor throughout!
+ Massaman Beef - beef in curry sauce with potato and onions. Seems like a mix of yellow and red curry. Great tender pieces of beef.
+ Yellow Curry - sold yellow curry but definitely go for the specialties :P
Favorite was definitely the garlic salmon fried rice and the Mambo. We were extremely full satisfied afterwards but since everything tasted so good, we decided to get a dessert to share and went for the FBI, which is fried bananas egg roll with coconut ice cream. The coconut ice cream itself isn't sweet but they drizzle plenty of honey for sweetness, and as for the fried banana, it is super crispy thanks to the egg roll wrappers.
Definitely glad it was so backed at all the brunch spots so we were able to try this great Thai restaurant!Listed in: daygo!
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Review from David C.
I was definitely stoked to try Amarin because I had heard it was the best Thai in San Diego. I absolutely loved the Panang curry. It is an explosion of amazing flavor. I think that would be my last meal on earth. I can't recall ever having bad curry and Amarin didn't disappoint. I would also recommend the drunken noodles. What kept this from a five star review was the chicken in the pad Thai. My step mom and I noticed it was dry and didn't taste fresh. Maybe it was an unlucky day but as long as you stay away from the chicken you will have an outstanding experience at Amarin!
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Review from Lara L.
San Diego, CA
10/25/2011
My husband and I ate here the other day after many people said this was the best Thai in San Diego. Thai has been our favorite food for about 7 years and we have been to many many places. Amarin falls right smack dab in the middle of all the places we've been. Not bad , not great either.
Food was good but definitely not the best. I find that the reviews I read are overrated (3/5). The price was good. We thought we were going to have to pay a lot more than we did (4/5). Lastly the service was interesting. For the most part we had no trouble with service and it was good. But while we were taking our order the server interrupted us before we were done ordering. When we told her we had more to order she said " oh that's a lot". I would call us "fit foodies" and the comment seemed kind of out of place (3/5).
Side note: Parking 2/5 -
Review from Kathy V.
San Diego, CA
10/16/2011
Best Thai place in San Diego! The food is so fresh, perfectly seasoned, and delicious. Not greasy at all!
The dinners are on the expensive side, but so are most Thai places. The lunch deals are pretty good. You get a salad and soup with your meal.
I have had the Chicken/Rice/Vegetables meals and the Pad Thai. All delicious and flavorful. I like my meals spicy. So, I typically ask if they make their "spicy" "American spicy" or "Thai spicy."
Parking is on the street, so it could be kinda annoying on weekends. You could probably find a spot in the neighborhood streets.
I wish I could go here more often! -
Review from Ix B.
La Jolla, CA
9/24/2011
Lovely place! Great for dates, nice ambience, lighting, etc. The food is overall above average -- the appetizer boat was fabulous, tom yum with shrimp always good. The drunken noodles, sadly, failed to impress, hence the four stars. Be sure to ask about levels of spiciness even if they don't offer -- spicy can be quite spicy.
One drawback: parking is a pain, especially on weekends. Try lots across the street. -
Review from Kathy S.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2012
I think this will be one of my new faves!
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Review from Mamabear B.
Irvine, CA
12/17/2011
This is the only place I go to eat thai food (Hillcrest location). I always find myself ordering the spicy noodles and calypso shrimp. I really enjoy the tofu tod and chicken satay for appetizers. My favorite desert is the FBI because you can't go wrong with fried bananas and coconut ice cream, but sometimes I like to switch it up and get the mango with sticky rice. I have been going here for years and I never get tired of this place.
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Review from Julia S.
9/21/2011 1 photo
(+)
- pad thai
The ambiance inside is nice, seems like a good place to take a date. Parking is not so great though, definitely remember to also check for street parking across the street.
I got the pad thai with beef, I don't know if it was the ingredients used or combination of spices but it tasted sooooo good. The noodles were delicious and I devoured the whole thing. I paid 10 bucks total in the end, what a deal! The other dishes are more expensive but the pad thai is worth it! -
Review from Richard Y.
San Diego, CA
12/12/2011
Good coconut ice cream. Drunken noodles are tasty too.
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Review from Tiffany H.
La Jolla, CA
8/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Good lighting (nice and dark so blemishes can be hidden!), good service, and even BETTER food! The menu is vast and the prices aren't bad, considering the location. Thai House on Convoy still has the best prices per portion, but Amarin's food tastes a wee bit better to me. We ordered the pad thai with roast duck and the mambo mambo chicken--yum yum yum!
Most dishes are by default vegetarian which makes it a great option for non-mean-eaters. I can't wait to go back and try more dishes...wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being my favorite Thai place!Listed in: Vegetarian Friendly, San Diego Thai
