Kwanjai Thai
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: None
33 Reviews for Kwanjai Thai
Phenominal service! Amazing foo!. I showed up late to a party of 11 that was orginally 8 and with a smile the waitresses practically rebuilt the place for us. Did it with out disturbing other customers too much.
I'm also quite taken at the lightening speed in which the food arrived. I don't think we even finished ordering and all this fantastic food just came pouring out!!!
Glorious!!!
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Eh, in this neighborhood you have to be damn good to take the top prize in the Thai category. The gf and I are Jai Thai junkies that tried Kwanjai out last night on a recommendation. Don't know about her, but I'm going back to Jai Thai.
Had chicken phad thai (hey, I know what I like), and skimpy on the chicken, not-so-tasty peanut sauce and not-so-crisp sprouts.
Tiny, was packed, got sat by the door and it was freezing. People would walk out and leave the door open which sucked. Service was so-so, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since it was packed. Would have been nice to see a little white and smelled a little soap on the cloth used to wipe down our table. Good cold Singha, no glass.
Plus side is that the price was decent and the serving size was good. But what's the point of a larger serving size if the taste doesn't grab ya and it's mostly noodles? Food-cheapening (smaller packages in grocery stores, less chicken in burritos at mexican restaurants, etc) strikes again.
Got the 4 out of 5 spicy and it was more like a 2 or 3 to me.
Not terrible, but given the competition just steps away, I won't be back.
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What the fuck happened to Kwanjai!? Although it was never fancy, I always liked the lowkey atmosphere and the food used to rock. I used to grab lunch here regularly and occasionally dinner and it was always packed. So when we stopped in last night and the place was almost empty my gut immediately told me there was something foul going down. I could feel a disturbance in the force and suggested we leave but we decided to stick it out. That was a mistake! The food was bad, I mean bland, boring and downright bad! So disappointing. At least they couldn't fuck up my Tsingha but MG ordered the house cab which was awful and came in a nice glass with lipstick on the rim. Love that!
I'm assuming all the 5 star reviews I see here are for the pre-fucked up Kwanjai. Some kind of shit has gone down there and hopefully its just temporary but I'm not going back until I see some more solid reviews.
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Amazing!!! Best Thai in Seattle. Such a cute little hole-in-the-wall place, and the BEST food ever. Great service, wonderful fresh rolls, and AMAZING peanut sauce. I've never had anything like it. So tasty!!! The Cashew Chicken dish was amazing -- 3 stars, a perfect amount of spiciness... Also, very reasonable prices. Overall, I give it a huge YUM. I love Kwanjai Thai!!!
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More like a SOLID 4, but I have a soft little cozy soft spot in my heart for Kwanjai the owner.
I've been here maybe 4000 times. It's like home. Well, not REALLY, but it's, you know, as far as Thai restaurants that I've frequented, I'll usually end up here. Nice staff, faaaaaaaast service, comfortable 'vibe' and oh yeah, solid food.
one draw back. tummy dont feel good after eating dry peppa. Please, ask for the fresh peppers. or, go with the dry and chalk it up as a free colonix.
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Kwanjai Thai became a weekly pre-soccer habit. The pad thai in the lunch specials provided that extra boost to make it through an entire 90-minute game without needing a break -- necessary for a co-ed team that was chronically short on women. I prefer their panang curry to all others in the neighborhood, although the Garlic Shrimp (on the specials' board for three years) is a winner. The service was a welcome change from Jai Thai down the street. I loved that the sweet ladies in the kitchen remembered me and I could always expect an enthusiastic greeting when I picked up my take-away.
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A nice walk to lunch along Lake Union usually takes me to Kwanjai for a nicely priced and well executed lunch. Phad See Iew is always at the top of my list, with pork.
It's just good okay! I can't say anything funny or cool about it beyond that! It's just ... not funny!
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I've eaten my fair share of Thai food in Seattle and this is my favorite. Fremont can be particularly overwhelming when it comes to making a decision as it seems there is a different Thai place on every corner.
Consistently great food, fast service and generous portions keep me coming back. I'm a pro (look at me! - PRO) at eating 'til it hurts and I always end up with enough leftover for an extra meal.
The only reason they don't get a full 5 stars is that the ambiance is pretty stark and for some odd reason, there wasn't a lick of heat on during the "snow storm" yesterday. Almost everyone that sat down put their jackets back on mere moments after taking them off. But then again, if you are clever with your order, you can heat things up yourself.
If you're still reading this, you need to rethink your commitment to Thai food.
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4 1/2 stars.
This is my second favorite Thai place of all time. Since I'd have to travel to Logan Airport and take the blue line to the green line and thus proceed to take the B all the way to Washington street for my favorite place...I'll gladly drive 12 min to Fremont and illegally park to eat here. Favs are drunken noodle and massaman chicken.
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I've eaten plenty of Thai food in my life, well Phad thai that is. Kwanjai is by far the greatest place for phad thai. Kwanjai used to be a weekly dinner for my roommate and I. We would order it and pick it up within 10 minutes. Our favorites are Chicken Phad Thai 3 star and Panang Curry 3 star. I love to see the women in the back chopping, spicing, and cooking everything up for us. If you haven't stopped into the little house in Fremont, please do so soon. Although at times it seems very crowded, you won't regret your Thai choice.
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Great, cheap Thai. They are fast and friendly. You can dine in but I mostly take-away with my rain city vidoes rental.
I really adore the food at Kawanjai, and I do come back from time to time. But the atmosphere is just so, not, good, and the tables are all crammed into this tiny little house, and lately the staff just seem to constantly be shouting across the place. The atmosphere is thusly horrible. This is a shame, because while the food is just slightly better than Tawon Thai (also in Fremont, just two blocks away or so), I will choose Tawon over Kwanjai nine times out of ten simply so that I can relax and enjoy my meal.
Try the salmon with pineapple and spicy coconut sauce. Truly a gem, and something I don't remember seeing elsewhere. But, get it to go.
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A solid five-stars for Kwanjai. Inexpensive, centrally-located Kwanjai Thai serves Thai that lets the ingredients do the talking without bombarding your tastebuds with all manner of egregious spice. They used to serve a great basil/peppers dish (kinda' like pad prig, but not). I haven't seen it on the menu since they changed it last year, but the rest of the food here is so good I don't miss it.
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Perfection! My new haunt...love it! The service is super fast, the prices are right and the food is spot on. So much better flavors than the competitors (*cough cough...Orrapin...)
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I was pretty tanked when I ate here (after drinking all day at the Fremont Pub Crawl), but from what I remember, it was really good. My seafood noodle soup consisted of generous portions of cubed tofu, shrimp, squid, and maybe scallops(?) floating in a spicy broth. I think I got 4 out of 5 stars on the spice level, which was perfect for a spice-head like me. My friend got some seafood stirfry dish or curry that was delicious too.
I complained about the dearth of noodles in a self-proclaimed "noodle soup" and they graciously brought me more noodles. I was pleased as punch.
Then I went home and threw up.
Kidding!
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By far the best thai food in Freemont. Perhaps a contendah for best in town. I am not Seattle thaisperienced enough to make that call at this time as I have not ventured too far from home for thai just yet.
I do know that the people are always happy to see you. It is a cozy homey space. Meals are prepared very quickly as their staff is literally sitting around waiting to serve you. I ate in once so far and had the soup nearly immediately. By the time we had finished one of those cup-like bowls, the entree had arrived. Very fast.
I've tried a few of the entrees here now and was very happy with how they arrived. I haven't been able to order thai hot yet because I've been eating with other with less thai-machismo than myself, but I'm looking forward to it.
Hotness is ranked from 1 (whiteboy whimpy) to 4 (thai hot).
There is a bit more fat in the dishes than I was expecting, but they are completely delicious. The spicing is incorporated into the meal so that it tingles the palate instead of beating it around your pie-hole like some other places seem to prepare their food. Very nice.
I have heard people ask while I was here if they have brown rice. They do not. Should you want to eat brown rice with thai food? I really doubt it.
I should also note that this is the only place that I've had a thai tea that tasted good at all. Everywhere else I've been eating thai in town has been like drinking a cup of cream infused corn syrup. Bleh! This thai iced tea was actually what I was expecting before arriving in Seattle. It's about time I found one that didn't make it diabetes-inducing sweet. Make sure to have one. You'll thank me!
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Out of all the millions of Thai restaurants in Fremont, this is only one I keep going back to. When I had visitors from out of town come in, and they had never had Thai food b/f, this is where I took them.
Sometimes a wait, but well worth it.
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When you ask for three stars- they give you three! Called for take-out and was told 5 minutes. That is totally cool. Picked it up and headed back to the heat of our house. If you pay with a card they add %3 to your bill- whatev'... I liked that they listed exactly what veggies were coming in the dished on their menu so I could ask for NO CARROTS with my mix of wonderful veggies in a chili sauce. I HATE cooked carrots* They need to be banished from all foods- especially at restaurants that use too much because they ran out of my favs like broccoli and mushroom. The to-go containers leaked a little bit. We ate everything- and I mean everything. Chicken with basil-mushrooms and broccoli with zucchini-bamboo shoot-snow peas-mushrooms-etc. It was hot, spicy, and flavorful. Great place for basic Thai menu items. Plus we discovered that if you drink Pepperwood Pinot when you are eating Kwanjai Thai the wine will have a strong peach aftertaste- yum!
UPDATE-
Their prices have risen... My $14 dollar order came in at $20 instead and I was only told the total when I arrived. The Phad See Lew was soooo good. I want to try new things so I did the Red curry with tofu and the Phad See Lew with tofu. I am now a HUGE tofu fan- the chicken is just too filling for a former vegetarian. Both new dishes turned out to be addictive. One was soy sauce, red chili based, and slightly sweet while the other was chock full of bamboo and green peppers in a great just right thickness red curry.
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After all the crappy Thai food I have been eating in Seattle, I was beginning to wonder if moving here was such a great idea. (That and the infamous *Seattle Freeze*. KIDDING.) Just in the nick of time, though, I mosied on over the Fremont Bridge and into the quaint little house of yummy yummy Thai food lovin' that is Kwanjai Thai.
Let's begin by talking about how abso-freakin' cute this place is, all tucked in to a cottage with a porch that is just perfect for Saturday afternoon people watching while you eat. We sat outside and talked about how fancy Fremont is when compared to our own neighborhood epicenter that is 23rd and Union. Way fancy.
Our server was truly delightful and gave a very accurate description of Kwanjai Thai's spicy-meter. For a lover of the spice, this ability is essential and often lacking; our gal gave great advice. She checked on us appropriately and even asked before refilling our waters when it was apparent we had finished eating (I hate wasting water). Another wonderful service-related tidbit: the food appeared within minutes of placing our order. It was like some sort of magical Thai food fairy sensed we were coming and all the woes we had experienced so far with Thai food in Seattle and waved some sort of little wand to make the food appear out of nowhere.
My husband and I started with an order of fresh rolls (salad roll). Amazingly fresh, cilantro-mint and infused with yum. The sauce was good until my husband stirred it, at which point it became a little weird tasting. I blame him, naturally. I had red curry with tofu, spicy level 4. Husband had panang curry with tofu, spicy level 5. Both dishes tasted exactly like what we ordered-- no more, no less. Just right.
Oh yes. Lots of gushing about Kwanjai Thai. I do, however, have one tiny gripe: the leftovers go home in Styrofoam. This is not good. If they sent home paper, then it could go into my compost. Next time I might bring my own container.
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Kwanjai Thai is one of the 15 thai restaurants in Fremont. Okay maybe there are not quite that many but it definitely feels like there is. It is a shack-like house with no atmosphere and as many tables as they can possibly fit into the small dining area. What it lacks in decor it makes up in character and good thai food.
I have had the Pad See Iew and the Lard Na because I am a noodle addict. Both are great although the Lard Na is a little soupy. Unfortunately on my quest for the perfect green curry, Kwanjai was pretty close to the bottom of the list. There is nothing that bothers me more than two stars that taste like four. The curry was way too spicy. Also, it was the tiniest serving. Compared to their noodle dishes this curry was like a cup of soup.
One of the best things about Kwanjai Thai are the people that work there. They are very warm, friendly and at times loud and bossy in the best kind of way. They serve you quickly but don't make it feel like you are being pushed out the door.
Go there when you are looking for cheap and quick noodles.
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I'm sure it's not necessary for me to write a review of a place that has gotten consistently great scores but I love this place. My wife took me here when we were dating. I would make the long trek from Atlanta to see her and we would inevitably wind up at Kwanjai. Atlanta has some great food but this was one of the best Thai places I had been too.
My wife gets the chef's vegetarian special and I normally get the eggplant. I get it medium spicy (3) so as to not destroy my mouth and throat. It's consistently perfect. Drinks lots of water to combat the sodium.
We normally get it to go but you should eat there at least once. The place is so small and horribly decorated, if at all, but this is what makes it so great. You can dress up a place all you want but it's the food that counts. The people are always super cool, fast and friendly; it takes about 30 seconds to get your food. You would have to go out of your way to stay longer than 45 minutes.
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Bangin' thai food.
I also have a soft spot for restaurants converted from old houses. Kwanjai stands out from all the other - mediocre - thai places on 36th (a-hem, Jai Thai - you know who you are!).
Why are they bangin'?
A.) Consistent spiciness.
B.) Nowhere NEAR mall thai.
C.) Cute atmosphere - albeit humble.
D.) Fast service.
E.) Cheap.
I think those are all the measures of bangin' thai on the scale of bangin'-ness. Let me know if there's one I missed.
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Quick, friendly and delicious. A winning combination!
The fresh spring rolls are tasty, the prices are excellent and the service is super-fast and attentive. The menu covers everything a Thai restaurant should have from your classic tom yum soup to a good selection of curries, noodles and rice dishes- as spicy as you want it.
The cozy dining space can be loud when full, so I opted to take it home instead... and I did not have to wait very long (on a Friday night I'll add). This will certainly be my Thai staple for takeout!
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When it comes down to Thai food there is only two places i will ever consider going too, and it comes down to Kwanjai and Tawon.
I love the food at Kwanjai, its always perfect, always hot, always quick.
Not to mention how much of a steal the lunch menu is.
Two people, two huge entrees, for $15...It cant get much better then that.
I highly recommend the tofu fresh rolls, the tofu is very flavorful and the fact that they are made to order unlike a lot of Thai places really makes a huge difference.
I also am a huge fan of the chicken salad, its just made perfect with the perfect amount of chicken to lettuce ratio and the lime and the fish sauce YUM!
The only draw back for me doesn't even have to do with the food haha!
The tables are a little to low for me, i feel like i have to hunch over to far for comfort, and its also not really a date place, not very intimate but im sure thats not what you go there to expect. I keep that for Tawon :)
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Kwanjai has always served up the best cheap Thai food in Fremont, which is saying quite a bit.
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A visit for lunch and to see what all the stickers in the window are for. I didn't set my expectations too high since most thai food in it's widespread popularity has become slop for the masses. They offer an affordable lunch combination that includes phad thai, spring roll, soup and a choice main dish; I chose the garlic vegetable with tofu. The soup was soothing coconut milk with mild flavor, the spring roll perfectly crisp but no sauce for dipping, the garlic vegetables ideally prepared leaving them with crunch and vibrant color under a nicely garliced sauce. So most of this priced right meal was very good, but what I use to determine wether a Thai restaurant is worth going out of my way for is the Phad Thai noodles. When they are good it is one of those perfect comfort foods, but when bad it can ruin the whole meal experience for me. Unfortunately their noodles were gloppy, over piquant and over sweet-disappointed.
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The best bai kaplau period! (holy basil dish with shrooms, peppers, onions and garlic and basil of course - I get it with chicken). Consistent spicy star scale and Kwanjai, the lady who owns it, is always working there ready to take orders, run food, and take care of her customers personally. She rocks!
I'd also have to say some of my favorite appetizers come from here too.
Crab rangoons - top notch!
Fried tofu - crispy AND soft - not at all soggy
Spring rolls - both fried and fresh - DELISH!
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This is the best Thai restaurant around. The interior is plain. bordering on shabby, but the food is awesome. A few times our to go orders have been missing their sauce and we have had to go back. Otherwise I would give them 5 stars.
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UPDATE: Kwanjai *used to* kick ass. Now they've changed hands, and are a thin veneer of what they used to be. Kaosamai is the new kwanjai.
Kwanjai kicks ass. Here in Fremont, aka 'Little Bangkok', it's easy to get confused by the myriad Thai options. Kwanjai doesn't care if you pick it or not, it's comfortable in its superiority. Its little white house facade is unassuming and easy to miss when scanning the block.
The food is delicious and consistent. My favorites are the pad see ew and the fresh rolls. I like standards. The rolls are big and fresh indeed, and they taste like heavenly summer.
There's a matriarch in the kitchen, and she runs a tight ship. I love to watch her run the joint, even though I can't understand a word she's saying, she's ever-so-clearly in charge. The girls who wait tables are as different from one another as could be, but something keeps them all there together, they've all been there for years! The service is cheery and efficient, and they remember me when I go in. The prices are right, the portions are really big (definitely enough to share), I love it.
Living a block and a half from there for these 9 years, I have never tired of Kwanjai!
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With a fun, fresh appeal this menu will tickle your tastebuds and make you wanting more. Ordering from this restaurant is a breeze, whether you choose to take out or dine in. Try it for yourself and see ;)
Kwanjai has AWESOME food - period. And if you're going to need more information than that, geez, fine.
In the heart of Fremont, in a little old house, its charming hole-in-the-wall appeal gets me every time. With about 20 people the place is crowded, which I consider a testament, to its coziness and well, the REALLY GOOD FOOD.
The best thai in seattle. Casual setting and low prices.
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