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Lanna Thai Cuisine
Categories: Restaurants Thai Restaurants Vegetarian Thai, Vegetarian [Edit]
4501 Mission Bay Dr(at Bunker Hill St)
San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 274-8424
Announcement
We Deliver to PB, Bay Park & Bay Ho
$2 fee, $20 min
5:30-9pm on Mon-Wed
5:30-10pm on Thur-Sun
Turquoise - PB Dr
Mission Blvd - Clairemont Dr
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
298 reviews for Lanna Thai Cuisine
Review Highlights
"Sushi Ota, 7-11 or Lanna Thai."
(in 33 reviews)
"pad kee mao had a great spiciness to it."
(in 11 reviews)
"The Tom Yum soup was also good."
(in 11 reviews)
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298 reviews in English
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Review from Janet J.
San Diego, CA
2/1/2012
top notch delivery thai food! it was a saturday night 930pm, and I thought I was going to be told no, or have to wait an hour. lanna thai not only DELIVERED super fresh thai food, they were quick (within 35mins) and got the order right. the chicken dishes use healthy sized chicken pieces....their portions were above par, and their prices super reasonable for the amount of food we received. oh..and spice meter was amazing! a 10 was a 10, an 8 an 8, and a 12....is making my mouth water now!
this will be our new thai delivery spot.....although, I do like ivory thai (in pb) online ordering system. if lanna would get that, fugazzie..
lanna thai, is lanna perfect. -
Review from Dmitriy S.
San Diego, CA
I've always driven by Lanna Thai on the way to work, but never had a chance to try out until recently. My dad was in town and I had a massive craving for Thai, so we decided to come here and give it a try.
What we ordered:
- Mango Shrimp Roll ($8): Marinated shrimp, fresh mango & cream cheese wrapped in crispy rice paper. Great flavor contrast between the shrimp and mango, although I couldn't really get a taste of the cottage cheese. The sauce goes wonderfully with it.
- Sa-Tay ($8): Grilled chicken skewers with a cucumber dip and peanut sauce. Pretty good satay, but I wish they had lamb and beef as well. Peanut sauce was great but didn't taste too authentic. Not quite like what you would get in Singapore/Thailand, but not the worst.
- Herb Mussel ($9): Steamed New Zealand mussels with lemongrass, basil, lime leaves and lime garlic sauce. DELICIOUS!!! The broth that the mussels are cooked in is amazing and adds a lot of flavor to the already delectable mussels.
- Tom Kha ($5/10): Coconut milk soup with chicken, mushroom, tomato, lemongrass, galanga. This is my go-to dish when it comes to judging a Thai restaurant. Theirs was pretty good. but I've had better. It felt too sour and not sweet enough.
- Thai Wonton ($5/10): Seasoned ground chicken wontons in clear broth with lettuce, bean sprouts, scallions, fried garlic. STAY AWAY. Their version of wonton soup was extremely bland. The wontons themselves were pretty typical, but the broth just ruined it. I have no idea why my dad insisted we get wonton soup at a non-Chinese place...
- Tropical Duck ($16): Crispy tender duck over colorful fruity sauce with mango, pineapple, bell pepper, onion. When they say crispy, what they really mean is deep fried. I though it would just be grilled to the point where the skin becomes crispy, but I was wrong. Nonetheless, they fry it fairly lightly so that you can still enjoy the duck itself. The mango sauce goes perfectly with the tender duck meat.
Royal Nest ($13): Delightful stir fried shrimp, chicken, vegetables, cashew nuts rested on a crispy noodle nest. This was my first time seeing a bowl made out of noodles, and it made for a fun food adventure. The whole dish was well prepared and all the flavors blended like they should be.
The service here was fantastic. Our server was very patient, helpful, and efficient. She explained many of the dishes, gave her opinion, and got our orders in quickly. Overall a great place for some local Thai food! -
Review from Lauren R.
San Diego, CA
1/9/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've never had a bad thing at Lanna. From the soup to the noodle dishes, the curries are to die for, and the dinner entrees are wonderful too.
I love eating at Lanna Thai when I can. Don't let the strip mall (next to Planned Parenthood location) fool you, the ambiance inside is one of a kind. I've never had problem with service either, it is top notch. And one more thing, I swear this place sparkles with cleanliness. I am a huge clean freak and I really notice that Lanna is always kept very clean and tidy. -
Review from Courtney D.
San Diego, CA
1/29/2012
I live a skip away from this place, I'm very blessed.
Good food, nice staff. -
Review from Nette B.
A hidden gem tucked away next to what? "Planned Parenthood"
Parking is always full but there's street parking and parking in the back of the building.
Very nice intimate setting with great lunch specials. I always have their Chicken Panang spiced up and sticky rice. The food is always consistent.
Servers are always very kind and nice to me. So soft spoken and pleasant.
I would definitely return as often as I can.Listed in: You want THAI?
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Review from Yvonne K.
San Diego, CA
12/16/2011
Its on the pricier side compared to other good and authentic thai places in San Diego, but its consistently very good which is why I come back.
Favorites: yellow curry, pad thai, pad see eew, thai iced tea, appetizer sampler.
I would not recommend the honey duck entree.. I hadn't had duck in a while and because I associate duck with crispy skin and moist and salty meat, I was really disappointed. Maybe it was the method of preparation that I didn't like and I guess I really shouldn't assume that all duck would be cooked the way I like it to be... The noodles in the description weremainly garnish under near the duck and did not add to the dish. BUT despite this so so dish, I really like eating here!
Great service and those dishes above executed very well. The noodles are always cooked to perfection and they even cook the beef perfectly for their stir fried noodle dishes. Achieving cooked, yet not dry pieces of beef is hard to come by..
The parking lot is usually full but parking on the street to the right of it is not difficult at all.
The restaurant is not very big but my volunteer organization did manage to have an early banquet/dinner here (all 20) of us. -
Review from Kat T.
Cambridge, MA
1/3/2012
Food: solid 5 stars.
Service: a meager 3 stars.
I've been here about 7 times now, today being the 7th for the lunch special and they totally cheated us on the price! 11$ for the pad kee mao with tofu/veggies?!
However, I will be back just because the papaya salad is the best I've had outside of Thailand. -
Review from Sarah G.
Coronado, CA
1/27/2012
I just had the pleasure of getting take out for me and a co-worker from LANNA in Pacific Beach. You walk in and you are immediately transported to a different place! The decor is beautiful, they use dim lighting to create ambiance. There is a sleek bar and dining area to appreciate. We ordered the lunch special of Chicken fried rice which comes with a delectable egg roll and fresh salad. The meal was packed fresh as could be healthy and tantalizing. I throughly enjoyed the food and the lunch special was affordable too! Definitely would reccomend this restaurant to Thai Food fans!
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Review from Sunny D.
San Diego, CA
1/5/2012
I would really enjoy this place but when I dine in the staff is not very warm and the last time I ordered food to go I almost ate a bobby pin that must've fallen out of someone's hair who works there. It hurt my mouth but at least I didn't choke and die. It's gross thinking of someone's greasy hair pin being in my mouth too!!
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Review from Lizzy P.
San Diego, CA
2/1/2012
I love Lanna's! The service is always good, love the decor and never ordered something bad. Curry, Pad Thai w squid, eggplant and sweet and sour dishes are my rotating few. Great place for a date, not loud, food is served quick.
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Review from Renee L.
San Diego, CA
11/18/2011
My go-to Thai place
Start with Lychee martini, yum! Then Sarong shrimp appetizer. I love the duck curry, delicious sweet nutty flavour curry. Thai BBQ chicken is AWESOME!!! It is marinated in this amazing spices.... Delicious! For carbs we like good old standby fav Pad Thai. The pad see eew is also very good! Finish off meal with fried banana egg rolls with coconut ice cream.... HEAVEN!!!
Nice, clean modern restaurant. Very romantic for date night... Even if it is next to Planned Parenthood building haha -
Review from Lindsy H.
San Diego, CA
1/13/2012
Talk about a hidden gem! A friend stumbled upon this place and took me last night - great food!
I love thai food and my bench mark for comparison is Pad Thai with chicken, add some spice. Lanna Thai's pad thai stood the test and was great! I was also delighted that a level 6 spice had some great kick to it and that there are 4 other levels above it to try!
Prices were really decent and the food came out so quick! The servers were soft spoken, but always on top of it.
I look forward to many returns to Lanna Thai -
Review from Brandon S.
San Diego, CA
1/5/2012 3 Check-ins Here
My favorite Thai place in town!
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Review from Tiffany H.
La Jolla, CA
3.5 stars.
PB is a little out of the way for me to go grubbin' (unless it's for Sushi Ota), but we had a GoDailyDeal where we spend $15 for $30 worth of food at Lanna so it was the perfect opportunity to try what one of my friends deemed "the best Thai curry in San Diego!"
Unfortunately, I have to disagree with my friend. To me, Siam Nara still reigns supreme in San Diego Thai cuisine, but Lanna was not bad at all. We had the pad thai with mock duck and the panang curry with tofu. The pad thai tasted a little bland but the mock duck was delicious! Possibly the best I've had. The panang curry at a spice level of "3" was surprisingly not too spicy (a "2" as Siam Nara exceeded my spice tolerance threshold!). But the curry itself just didn't make my tastebuds tingle the way panang usually does. One thing I did love was the tofu! I think tofu is typically (or traditionally?) fried in Thai curry dishes, but Lanna's tofu is silken. I wish all Thai places would cook and serve tofu in this manner!
For dessert, we had the fried bananas with green tea ice cream. Roasted black sesames were sprinkled all over, adding a nice, toasty crunch. Definitely a show stealer! In fact, I'd love to come here again just for the dessert.
The dishes are about $1 more expensive than Siam Nara's but at least 30% more food. Great deal. You also get 5% off your total bill if you pay in cash. -
Review from Saya G.
San Diego, CA
1/4/2012
This is by far my favorite Thai place. We ordered a bunch of take out on New Years Day for and everything was really good. My friends from LA commented that the Duck Curry had more duck they had ever seen! I joked that there must have been a very big duck at Mission Bay! haha. The Panang is always good, tthe Pad Kee Mao is the best in SD, the fried rice was ok but needed more spice and I liked the steak salad as well. The people who work there are so nice and I like supporting a neighborhood business!
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Review from L. Arthur S.
San Diego, CA
1/24/2012
Great service and best Thai food in PB! Always smiling, always nice. The lunch is the best deal. The only nick I have on them is that their min. delivery order is $20. Drop it to $15 and you get 5 stars!
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Review from Stacie M.
San Diego, CA
10/24/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I'm a huge fan! They always have coupons in the san diego circular and they deliver!
Panang curry, Basil chicken, Pineapple fried rice are some of my favs. Makes for an awesome takeout after work.
You get a 5% discount for paying in cash! -
Review from L M.
San Diego, CA
1/17/2012
This is the third Thai place that I have tried and im convinced its some of the best food I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Its a small restaurant and from the outside and location you don't expect much of this place, once inside,however you feel like you are at an expensive restaurant. The decor and ambiance is lovely. The hostess and all staff is friendly and welcoming. We ordered the spring rolls as an appetizer, they were okay. My husband ordered the birds next and it was excellent- wonderful presentation. I orderd Thai basil with shrimp (level 7) and it was excellent!! Both of our main dishes were cooked to perfection. The one thing that dissapointed me was that their dinner portions were rather small and they didnt come with the spring rolls or any soup. Other Thai restaurants that I have been to provided me with soup and spring rolls as a starter to the main course so that was a dissapointment especially since I heard they do this at lunch time, but apparently not dinner time. Regardless, I will definately be back. Lanna Thai is hands down one of my new favorite eateries. :)
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Review from Colette P.
San Diego, CA
1/13/2012
This place has great ambiance (despite sharing a parking lot w/ 7-11), great food and friendly service. Love their Tom-Kha and their noodle dishes. Would recommend to anyone who likes Thai.
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Review from Grace K.
6/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
While waiting for our puppy to be groomed right around the corner, the boyfriend and I decided to grab some definitely craved Thai food. I was excited after seeing some Yelp reviews, but I'm sad to say this is one of the few times I've been let down.
I have to start off by saying Lanna Thai is very Americanized. There might not be anything wrong with that for some people, but I like my Thai to be as authentic as possible. And yes, they do try to make it a bit frou-frou. We both ordered lunch specials which came with lemon grass soup, a spring roll, and a small salad.
Lemon Grass Soup: Great, flavor-packed soup. Love the cilantro - not a big fan of the peas in it. I thought they were a bit misplaced.
Pad Kee Mao (mine): Decent. I thought it was pretty bland and not spicy at all. I also got a mouthful of pretty raw garlic towards the end which wasn't that pleasant.
Pork Thai Fried Rice (his): Good. There's really not much more to say, honestly.
Salads: They were great with the exception of the overwhelming amount of the peanut dressing. The salad comes in a very small cup with only a very small handful of lettuce, but when I had finished the salad, I could have taken an entire shot with how much dressing was left over...
Service was decent. We had to call for the attention of our waitress a few times, but no real biggie. Decent prices. Overall, I'd say that Lanna is just decent. Definitely not the best Thai in San Diego by any means. -
Review from Joseph S.
San Diego, CA
9/3/2011
I am far from a Thai cuisine expert, and I have only had Thai a few times, so I am a rookie. But I must say I love curry, especially yellow curry ever since my days in Japan. So usually I get yellow curry just to compare with what I remember from Japan.
I had lunch here the other day, yellow curry with onion and potato. The soup that came with the lunch special was delicious, lemon grass I believe. The curry, spice level 7 was just right, and very tasty. My only complaint was that some of the onion was a little too raw. But overall I really enjoyed my meal. Very clean, friendly service, and good atmosphere. -
Review from Stacie N.
La Jolla, CA
5/22/2011
I am addicted to Thai food and its all Lanna's fault. I have been going here for several years and also the food has constantly been tremendous, the service impeccable plus the atmosphere is usually comfy.
Recently they've changed around the menu adding some new excellent items and raising costs overall, which initially disappointed me, but it is still worth it and because the quality has surely improved. -
Review from Ester S.
La Jolla, CA
5/1/2011
I adore the curry duck at this restaurant. I've had this dish in Thailand, and these guys make it nearly precisely the exact same. Truly an excellent dish.
Overall you cannot truly go wrong with this location. They're generally friendly, as well as the food has generally been fantastic.
I have even ordered delivery a couple of times as we truly like this location.
Excellent food, nice service, superior atmosphere. Go, you will not be disappointed. -
Review from samantha h.
San Diego, CA
1/29/2012
i always have great food, and great service here. the reason im giving if 4 stars instead of 5 is because i do wish they had a larger menu. there is not a lot to choose from, however ALL of it is freaking delicious.
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Review from Veronica G.
San Mateo, CA
5/29/2011
FIRST OFF: If you are near Sea World ... go here!
We were on a road trip to San Diego and stopped by this place since it was near our hotel and the yelp reviews were really good.
We ordered the Fruity Curry and the Island Treasures. Usually we share food, but mine was so good (Fruity Curry), I didn't want to share mine. :)
Both dishes were honestly, fabulous.
The service was a bit slow and they accidentally gave us the wrong bill, but I can overlook that given how many people were in the place and... well.. the food was soo good!
I might also recommend different music for the dining room since it was new age music with dolphin chatter in the background. :) :)
I will stop by next time I'm in San Diego. -
Review from Tyler L.
San Diego, CA
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice place, great atmosphere.....inside. the lanna platter was delicious. I had the spicilicous seafood and it was edible. The basil was waaayyy over powering. My friend had the pad thai with chicken, she said it was "nothing to write home about"
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Review from Chelsea G.
San Diego, CA
11/14/2011
Pretty good and it's close to my house! Don't have to go into the madness of PB which is nice. I really like the peanut dressing on the side salad.
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Review from Caroline V.
Alexandria, VA
8/5/2011
If I had one wish it would be for all the thai restaurants in the world to be 5 stars. Imagine! Sadly, most aren't and this one isn't either.
My eastern eggplant with chicken was just not that good. Pad thai I tasted was not what I was used to - not in a oh, this is different kind of way but more like an I feel funny way.
Panang curry was flavorful but the tofu in it appeared to have just been dunked in the curry at the end (instead of marinated or fried) and so, it had no flavor.
Sigh. -
Review from Abby P.
San Diego, CA
3/8/2011 4 photos
With all of the great reviews on Yelp about Lanna Thai I had to try it out with my sister. From the outside it doesn't look like much but once you walk in you'll realize how nicely decorated it is. This is a great place for dates; it has dim lighting with candles and fresh flowers on the tables.
I started off with a Lychee Martini which was really good and refreshing. Just want I needed after a long day of work. Next we started off with a pot of Tom Yum soup to share. For all you coconut lovers, this is a must try! For our entree we ordered Pad Thai, Thai Fried Rice and the Chicken Supreme. "Yum-O" as Rachel Ray would say. Everything tasted so so good! Lanna Thai was an awesome experience and I will definitely be back again and again. Yelpers were right about this place; can't wait to try their other dishes. -
Review from Roehl A.
Chino Hills, CA
7/10/2011 9 photos
Great food. Excellent service. Beautiful decor.
Place is in a strip mall by a 7-11. We started with the Tom Yum soup and ordered the yellow shrimp curry, beef red curry, and the sea food fried rice.
You can order and provide the level of spiciness which was great. The food was awesome! The food is really tasty and the flavors are really well balanced.
We finished withe the sticky rice and mangoes. Absolutely delicious!
This is a must-visit if ever in the San Diego area! -
Review from Robyn X.
San Diego, CA
7/6/2011
Tasty thai deliciousness, soothing environment, lovely staff.
I've eaten here at least 10 times in the last 6 months.
The food has been consistent, the staff is very friendly,
reasonable prices, great food and presentation.
Great for vegetarians.
I found it by accident when Sushi Ota was closed, and I'm so glad I did!
The interior is nicely decorated.
Everything tastes so good, and the portions are good-sized. I usually have
leftovers. I've had the Rama (veggies & tofu) with peanut sauce, Tom Kha soup, eggplant, yellow curry, spring rolls, special Royal Nest. All are yummy. -
Review from Laurel P.
San Francisco, CA
6/14/2011
Always a little bit iffy about Thai food after too many incidents of bad tummy aches-however, this place wasn't too bad. And so far, so good.
Classic dishes like pad thai, duck curry and larb were all very tasty, authentic and portioned well.
Pleasant service, intimate setting-nice date place, and reasonable prices make this place very appealing. The only down fall is the limited parking spaces and the location. It's sandwiched between a 7-11 and planned parenthood. -
Review from Michele C.
San Jose, CA
6/15/2011
Not intending to eat here, (the sushi place next door was closed at 5pm on a Monday) we found this place to be clean and welcoming with beautiful classic decor. They had just opened so we were the only ones in there at first and we found ourselves a little hesitant about the food, but after getting the two dishes we ordered we found it to be DELICIOUS!!! We gave them more points after hearing they had been there for 5 years! We ordered a yellow curry chicken with potatoes and carrots, jasmine rice and a noodle dish I believe was Pad-Woon-Sen. The noodles were amazingly good with the vegetables and sauce it marinated in!!
Great, quick, clean, well portioned, yummy food!!!
I even found the bathrooms to be clean and greatly decorated.
Make sure when you go they are open!
Bon appetit! =) -
Review from Aaron B.
La Jolla, CA
4/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent restaurant. Friendly service. Quiet atmosphere.
The Spicilicious Seafood entrée is to die for, mussels, calamari, shrimp, fresh basil, and custom ordered heat level (I like it HOT!).
We order the Pineapple Fried Rice for our kids - massive plate, lot of pineapple & shrimp.
Their curries are all very good. Some of them are a little spicy (a 3 on a 10 scale ) as their lowest spice level - my wife isn't a chilehead like me. Panang is awesome.
We pretty much always order the chicken satay as an appetizer and fresh salad rolls (they come with shrimp & tofu). If I was going to say one bad thing, it would be that they put alfalfa sprouts in the fresh salad rolls, just not a flavor I'm looking for. I imagine they would leave them out if requested, I just haven't remember to ask yet!
It is on the expensive side. Three entrées, drinks, couple of appetizers, and an order of Mango Sticky Rice for desert, is just south of $100. But it is really good.
Bon Appétit! -
Review from Sarah P.
San Diego, CA
4/7/2011
MUST TRY: Lanna's platter (appetizer). Gives you a perfect delicious sampling of what they have to offer, perfect for 2-4 people. Pad Kee Mao with Beef. Not oily, tender beef, and crisp veggies compile to make a perfect Thai noodle dish.
Beautiful and modern ambiance and friendly service along with the divine food ensures that I will be frequenting this restaurant. -
Review from M H.
Littlefield, TX
6/8/2011
Remember what you love the most about pad thai? The sweet & nuttiness that makes it unique?
Well, forget it. Because it was dry & bland that night I ordered take out. -
Review from Glenda M.
San Diego, CA
4/16/2011 2 photos
Thai Cuisine Restaurant called Lanna
Lanna is situated in a strip mall (4501 Mission Bay Drive in San Diego) that has decidedly seen better days. Unassuming from the outside, the interior welcomes the diner to an immediate wow factor.
Open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. - and opening an hour later on weekends - the fare is a mix of curry dishes, noodles, specialties and of course fruits of the ocean. My favorite appetizer is the Lanna's Platter. All the food is fresh, tasty and gorgeously presented.
Lanna's owner is Jaew, who welcomes hungry guests with a gracious smile and quiet elegance. She remembers returning visitors and recalls favorite dishes. The food is inexpensive; the service is flawless. The next time you find yourself in this neck of the woods, do not forget to visit Lanna's Thai Cuisine.
Tell them Glenda sent you! -
Review from Kristine P.
La Jolla, CA
1/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
5 stars for sure!
We went in around 7pm and it wasn't even busy. Good ambience, perfect for a date, and their service was pretty good. But, expect bad parking. It's in the same plaza as Sushi Ota.
Pad see ew= they gave me too much beef and not enough noodles. But still very good.
Drunken noodles (it was a different name on the menu though)= i didn't think it was spicy enough but my friends liked it very much.
Papaya salad (i think that was the name?)= it was my first time trying it and it was really interesting and good! My friend ordered sticky rice along with it and it was very satisfying.
Crunchy spring rolls= basically like eggrolls. I'd say it was one of the best ones that I've tried in San Diego.
Overall, I had a good experience here and I'm definitely coming back again! -
Review from Romi C.
3/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
After seeing all the views on yelp, I had to try the "best thai food in San Diego" for myself. I would have to say that this place is pretty good, but not the BEST. It is not very authentic, and yes there is some froo froo decorations that make the place look really nice and chic, but it's not that great in terms of food. I ordered the Lanna plate for appetizer as well as the Thai Barbecue Chicken.
The Thai Barbecue Chicken was a bit dry, and it was not really tasty. The appetizer was pretty good, but not so amazing that I would likely come back. Plus it was $12.
I honestly like hole in the wall's a lot better like Sab-E-Lee, even if it is in a small dingy shack of a place in Linda Vista, try that before you come here. -
Review from Velma B.
San Diego, CA
9/20/2011
Tom Kha soup was the best I've ever had! East Eggplant wok was excellent as well - and it was easily enough for two meals. I got my order for pickup so I can't comment much on the service, but the restaurant looked really nice inside and the hostess who took my order was very personable. Parking lot was nearly full at 7:30 on a Tuesday night. Since they share parking with Sushi Ota, available spots may be a problem on Friday and Saturday nights. That won't stop me from trying this place again.
