Lanna Thai Restaurant
1245 Noriega St
(between 19th Ave & 20th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122 (415) 665-8080
- Hours:
Mon 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
321 reviews
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
"I think the best Thai Food I've ever tasted. There was no wait at all and the service was fast and very attentive. We had the Chicken…" read more »
29 Reviews for Lanna Thai Restaurant
Came here with a fried a while ago and I remember having such a great time. The service was great and the food was delicious. I definitely recommend this place for any occasion!
I love this Thai restaurant, not only because it's actually owned by Thai, (I am so sick of those Chinese owned Japanese restaurants). Great food with very reasonable price! They serve not the Americanized Thai food but real Thai food.
Before I step in, I thought this restaurant would be a little pricey, but no, it's good price with great food! A very nice hidden restaurant that not many people know about. I had a daily special and a cup of soup, it ends to be about 11 dollars for dinner, and it worth every penny of it!
Friendly service, family owned, a husband is the waiter and and wife cooks in the kitchen, they make you feel very welcome! A very unique restaurant in outer Sunset!
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We had Lanna Thai cater a birthday party. The food was good. Pad Thai (covered in prawns, a delight), Chicken Satay (mmmm), rolls (double mmmm) and Lanna Fried Rice (their specialty). Although I have not eaten at the restaurant, I can say they had been courteous and prompt with our order. I would recommend going there for dinner.
Are you serious!? How is this place even averaging four stars? I must have come in on an off day or something because this was one of the worst Thai joints I've ever dined at.
A few friends and I came here for lunch a few days ago. I was pretty excited to try the place out because I used to eat at a Lanna Thai out in Oklahoma when I lived there for a little bit. Thai food in the Midwest? Yeah I know...I was blown away too because it was the best Thai I've ever had. I was hoping that by some small chance this Noriega one was part of a huge chain. Let me tell you...shit didn't even come close.
Here's what we ordered:
Pad Thai- Strangely discolored, and painfully bland
Chicken Satay Skewers- Tasted like they were microwaved
Pad See Ew- Discolored, bland, with weeks old broccoli
Spicy Angel Chicken Wings- Only thing that could pass as edible
Lanna Fried Rice- Supposedly their specialty, but once again was dreadfully bland, overcooked, and looked like cafeteria food.
I would have given this place a one star, but the fact they had video Keno to keep me entertained bumped it up to two. If you're looking for bargain Thai in the Sunset, do King of Thai--it's quick and decent. If you're in the mood for something a little more high end, drop on by Marnee Thai. Whatever you do, though, I'd advise you to stay away from this place.
This place is fantastic. Good food, local, and a small business. The man who runs it is so sweet and just the nicest guy. I really love eating there and the food is delicious. Highly recommended.
3.5 Stars
I live a few blocks away from Lanna Thai for 26 years and today was my first time stepping foot into the restaurant. Overall first impression was good. Lanna Thai is a small, quaint restaurant with many historical Thai decorations and for some reason they also have Keno on their TV.
The service was great even though there was only 1 waiter but i assume the restaurant was run by owner and his wife (who was in the kitchen). I ordered number 32 (Chicken Ga Prow: Sauteed fresh chili, onion, green onion, bamboo shoot, bell pepper and basil.) which was pretty good and had a nice spicy kick. Overall, i thought my dining experience was delightful.
Great alternative if you are NOT in the mood for Japanese and Chinese food if you are in the neighborhood. Plus Lanna Thai had the "People love us on Yelp" sticker and you cant go wrong with that :)
I've only eaten here once, but my impression is that this place is fine, but nothing special. The food didn't have nearly the flavor (or the spice) that I like and am used to in SF. The best dish we had was a barbecue beef and shrimp combination, served with some steamed vegatables; the beef was pretty tasty and tender. The rest of the meal was pretty forgettable...
The owners are nice, though, I do agree with everybody on that!
My best friends and I (ie: the dog and boyfriend) took a stroll up and down Noriega after picking Mochi up from daycare. We came across Lanna Thai Restaurant and I had to get some Pad See Ew. After the distaster that was King of Thai (on Sloat) I was praying for a good serving of noodles.
I was supposed to share...But I didn't. I did, however, leave a to-go box full of broccoli for Joe to eat (: Can you tell he's lucky?
The noodles were considerably good after having stopped several places before heading home to enjoy my food. It was a little more peppery than I'm used to, which was weird because I didn't see any pepper on the noodles, but I was definitely pleased. I'll most definitely be back!
The restaurant itself is too cute. A very homey feel, and the help seems very kind. The lady that took my order at the register complimented Mochi who was outside patiently waiting for me (:
The rating is more like a 3.5 for to-go. I'll definitely update again once I have time to sit down and eat. Maybe we'll go again on Monday before we pick up el perro from daycare.
mmmm pad see ew...*drool*
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An inexpensive decent alternative if you don't feel like walking to Chabaa or Marnee Thai on Irving.
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My BF and I went to this restaurant last night. We were looking for a new Thai restaurant to try in the Sunset and decided to give it a go. Service was pretty good. Our server (owner/husband) was very nice and hospitable. However, at times, it was a little slow waiting for him to take our orders and to give us the check. But overall, his service was the highlight of our dining adventure. The two stars are for the service...not the food.
Unfortunately, I did not like the food. We started off with a salad that consisted of bean thread noodles, dried shrimps, black fungus, lemon juice, lettuce, fish sauce, and some other things. It was good, but was a little too tangy. Also, in comparison to some other restaurants it was not as good as I thought it would be. For our entreees, we shared the Peanut Sauce Chicken atop a bed of spinach and a Seafood dish with Bamboo Shoots, Bell Peppers, and Basil in a medium spicy sauce.
The Chicken dish was too sweet and I like sweet things, so for me to say that, it was pretty darn sweet. Also, the seafood dish was sweeter than I thought it should be. It actually needed more salt. Also, I did not like the seafood in the dish...the mussels were not fresh, the calamari looked a little odd...etc. The Thai beer was pretty good and the rice was hot and plentiful.
Basically, I didn't like the taste of the food. I've eaten at other restaurants and based on my preferences I like them better. It looks like a lot of people like this restaurant, so I would advise you to check it out and make your own judgement.
As for me, I thought the price was not consistent with the food. I thought the $30+ bill was a little steep considering I didn't like what I ate. For me, I personally prefer Osha, Marnee Thai, Thai Cafe, and some other restaurants. I recommend you try those places as well.
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A tough choice the other night: Pizza delivery accompanied by the 1,427th showing of "The History of Bricks" on the History Channel, or get off our butts and follow our appetites towards something we might actually enjoy. We chose the latter, and headed west, drawn by the siren song of Lanna Thai peanut sauce, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding culinary wreckage of Noriega street.
The Rhama Thai with tofu was a sure thing, with tofu and spinach drenched in the revered Lanna peanut sauce (buy some pre-packed to take home). Vegetarian egg rolls were also terrific, crispy and flavorful. Can't say the same for the prawn curry, which tasted something like pineapple soup with shrimp, not quite a crime against nature, but a head-scratcher nonetheless.
An endearing and enduring feature of Lanna, aside from the lovely family that owns the place, is the ongoing Lotto Hot Spot game and ceiling-mounted video monitor for your playing enjoyment. Thai food enthusiasts who also happen to be gambling addicts will surely enjoy the never-ending 5-minute lotto cycles, where players can play to win anywhere from $1-$20 a round. Sadly, no one was enjoying this novelty during our dinner.
We hadn't paid particularly close attention to the menu prices, and were somewhat shocked to get out the place for $30. I can't remember the last time I had any dinner that cheap, let alone a good one. Such a nice experience, a great dinner, a night out, and secure in the knowledge that "History of Bricks" will undoubtedly be airing for the 1,428th time sometime soon.
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wow this place was insanely not that good. where the spices yo!
what is the sunset smoking or maybe lanna was having a bad night cuz clearly the vegetables on my dish came from the frozen food isle, possibly the canned isle.
if ordering, stay away from the pad see ew and the green curry it looked like they reheated someone else's leftover box they forgot to take after their meal. ugh! but i kept chugging into my mouth cuz im asian and need to eat everything on my plate.
good luck guys. sorry for the bad review, i know you cherish your yelp reviews but it had to have been said.
There are two foods I will kick you in the shins for:
chicken
peanuts
You put the two together and I won't just kick you in the shins, I will shank you (TM KayJay) for them. Really... justifiable shanking should be legal.
I walked into Lanna's after a hard day. I needed crispy rolls to soothe my tired soul and I needed crispy rolls STAT. Initially, I was worried I was going to be disappointed because the crispy spring rolls I ordered came sans grease and a litte... well... not GOLDEN brown.
GASSSSPPPPPP! I know, right?
I realized this is because they are veggie, which is healthy and all, but remember... legalized shanking... chicken... all that. The peanut sauce served with the rolls was light and void of oomph, so I was afraid after my meal I would find myself driving down the street and ordering a pizza my fat ass knows it shouldn't be ordering just to feel satisfied.
Then, it came. Heaven on a platter... my order of Rama Thai - sauteed chicken with peanut sauce over a bed of spinach.
There is a sign on the wall that states: "Pre-packed Peanut Sauce - $4.95 for 8 oz." There is a reason why this sign exists people. I wasn't wearing socks, or underwear for that matter (that is an entirely separate review and perhaps a good twenty minutes with my therapist), but if I was, both would have been knocked clean off.
Lanna's peanut sauce is excellent. It was so good, I poured a heaping spoonful into the light peanut sauce that came with the egg rolls and CHOWED TO THE MUTHA PHUCKING DOWN! Cuz I'm classy like that. The bed of greens were so tender, I wanted to make love to them... with no protection and some Barry White playing in the background.
Lanna is the owner and if you peek behind the little alcove you can see her cooking up dishes with cookware that looks as if she's owned it since 1985. A big flame roared in the kitchen at one point and, the BADASS she is, just stepped back, crooky eyed that mug and stepped right on back in to finish preparing her dish.
Ain't no third degree burn gonna stop Lanna from doing her thing. My new goal in life is to find a thai man with a mother that cooks just like Lanna. I may gain 100 lbs. after we're married, but I'll have a ring and a steadfast pre-nup, so he can't even TRY to get rid of me. Remember... justifiable... shanking...
Lanna's is small and gives you the feeling as if you're eating right in her kitchen. Ben, her brother, was serving( I eavesdrop, alright? Leave me be. I'm a very lonely woman who, sometimes, doesn't wear underwear.). The restaurant is not beautifully new or amazingly decorated. It's a little hole where you walk in to get some seriously grubtastically fantasmatical (how ya like dem words, huh?) food. I ate everything I was served. YOU SHUT THE HELL UP AND DON'T JUDGE ME! I'm big boneded and it was good, ok?
Gift certificates are available. Get one for a friend. They'll appreciate it so much after trying the food they'll buy you porn and name their first born after you.
...and who doesn't like free porn? (Please, don't answer that. I may have to de-friend you if you raise your hand and say "I don't")
In the car, on the way home, I realized I had eaten way too much because I threw up in my mouth a little bit. Good times. Good times.
Note: Some of the words in this review are not actual words.
Note: I did actually receive an education.
Note: I did finally put underwear on. Pink ones.
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I live nearby and come here at least once to twice a month. I think i've been eating here for over 8 years. The owner is very nice and he recognizes me(feels great to be remembered, no?). i believe his wife is the cook. now for the food or my top 3 fav there. I love the tohm kah soup there(coconut goodness yum), stuff chicken wings are the best(they use to remove the meat from the bones and stuff the meat with the mixture back into the bones before frying), and their lanna fried rice or my friend calls it in chinese lewn gum chow fan is sooo good(pineapples, chicken meat, raisins, eggs, tomato, dried pork shreds,etc and a familiar flavor i just cant quite grip ).
i've tried other thai restaurants and lanna's still my number one thai restaurant. maybe its the hospitality, but you got to try the food!
The service here is so hospitable and friendly and there's plenty of variety on the menu for everyone. I only had #18 (tohm kah with tofu) which wasn't as good as the soup at other Thai restaurants in the Bay Area. Flavorful, but thin and rather diluted, with a token few cubes of tofu (think four or five... this in a medium bowl of soup) and just as few slices of carrot, slivers of onion and scallion, and cabbage.
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This was the first place I ever tried Thai food, so it set the standards for me. The chicken satay with peanut sauce is the best I've ever tasted, and the custard dessert.... well, if it weren't for a sense of what's right, I would probably eat 4-5 of them at one sitting.
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Wow! One of my favorite tom kahs in the city, and the curry is generous and rich. Lanna is a mom & pop restaurant where every meal is made fresh and well worth it. The dining atmosphere in the restaurant proper is never crowded with a cozy, homey vibe, and hey - they sell lottery tickets, to boot!
If only they were open on Sundays...
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Lanna Thai sits nestled along with other family owned businesses on Noriega. Inside is cozy; the mirror makes the dining room appear larger than it actually is. Even though I'm already set on what to order before stepping foot in the door, their menu with full color pictures was tempting enough to flip through. Service is provided by the friendly proprietor. As others have mentioned, their peanut sauce is one of the better ones around.
Having both sides of the Sunset covered, I'm sure many people flock to Marnee when they've got a hankering for Thai. Next time, trek down a few more blocks...Lanna deserves a lil lovin', too.
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Another Sunset gem. The first thing to keep in mind is that this is Northern Thai cuisine, which is wholly different from most Thai restaurants that are central Thai/Bangkok influenced. Whenever I feel a cold coming on, I order Paul's Tom Kah. It is not the basic white coconut flavored Tom Kah. Elle puts in plenty of lemongrass and galanga to provide a more layered flavor. I also love their Pad Thai - plenty of tofu and shrimp with a healthy serving of sprouts. The best daily special is the pad thai and stuffed chicken wing combo. The stuffed chicken wings are full of clear noodles, cabbage, ground pork and mushrooms that are fried to a non-greasy crust. It's the best meal under $10 that you can get in the Sunset. In addition to eating delicious food for cheap, we play the SuperLotto and MegaMillions while there. What's better than great food and fantasizing about what we'd do if we actually won?
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Ok, so everyone raves about this place because of their peanut sauce, and the three stars that I'm giving Lanna Thai is primarily because of that sauce...BUT, and this is a big deal to me, I got the chicken and spinach in peanut sauce and the chicken was just gross. Fatty, lots of dark meat, I had serious questions about whether it was actually cooked through. This is not a good situation, especially when the whole thing is smothered in sauce making it impossible to tell the questionable pieces from the fine ones. If I go back, I'll stick with the tofu.
The only bad thing about Lanna's is that they close on Sunday's. But otherwise, it is a great place for some good Thai food. The portions are pretty big and the food comes quickly. It's a mom and pop joint so the owners will start saying hello if you're a returning customer - which is great given the homey feeling of the place. It's nothing glamorous but I live a few streets away, so it's a super convenient place for some great food.
I'd recommend the Sauteed Beef Noodles and the BBQ chicken.
Lanna was one of my favorite lunchtime locales when I used to work at the Providence townhomes right down the street. However, if you are looking for a quick bite, you should head somewhere else because this place was designed with atmosphere in mind. Remove the photographs of former Kings of Thailand, and you would think you just stepped into some French or Italian cafe. This is the type of place where you are supposed to sit for awhile, and soak it all in.
The ironic thing is that Lanna is merely a mom and pop shop (not a knock on it by any means), with only two employees - the wife cooking in the back, and the husband serving. However, I think most restaurants in the City should take some notes from this dynamic duo, as they are some of the most efficient I have ever seen!
Now, I am extremely inexperienced with Thai cuisine (this is the only Thai restaurant I've ever been to), but from what I gather, my taste buds seemed to approve. I can't vouch for the authenticity, but in the whole scheme of things, does it really matter? All that I care about is that it tastes good, and that it does.
However, with the good, comes the bad, although they are rather minor, nitpicky things:
*It's too dark. I'm the type who likes to see what I'm eating. Also, being the klutz that I am, stabbing my nose with the fork is no fun, indeed.
*The California Lottery Keno screen ruins the whole mood. I can see how the owner would like it though, since it brings in additional income, but I rarely see anyone playing.
*It's a bit pricy. $7.50 for a lunch combo is on the upper end of the spectrum, considering all the cheap Chinese eats for $5 or less right next door.
Overall, if you are in the upper Noriega region, Lanna is a nice place for a relaxing lunch. The clientele here during the lunch hour is mostly older Caucasian ladies, with the occasional Asian (surprisingly so, in this 60+% Chinese neighborhood), but I have never felt uncomfortable.
P.S. Do Thai people not use chopsticks? It feels weird eating Asian food with a fork.
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Two words: PEANUT SAUCE!!!
I've been to a number of Thai restaurants over the years, and none have had a peanut sauce that has met my standards that Lanna has set. Try it with the chicken skewers, or as a main dish with the "Pra ram long sam," beef over spinach with peanut sauce.
That said, the other dishes are also very good, in particular the prawn lemon soup (which BTW is fantastic if you've got a sore throat).
A pleasant restaurant, generally not very packed, and the staff is always very kind.
Huzzah for Lanna's!
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This is a small family owned restaurant in the Sunset on Noriega near 19th. Tasty peanut sauce and excellent porkchops. Great Thai restaurant if you live in the Sunset where pickings can be slim.
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This place reminds me of walking into a 1970s decorated Lola (Filipino word for "grandma") house. The wood paneling, crimson carpet and friendly greetings make it a nice sit down Thai restaurant without all of the frills and trendiness attached.
My favorite: I try to have something new but their Pad Thai is just the right balance between sweet and savory. If you are in the mood for a little bit of everything, you can have a combination plate or a daily special. The prices are moderate and you do get what you pay for. Great little place to go when you want a nice quiet Thai meal with the one you love. Ahhh...
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This is an amazing little Thai restaurant, never very crowded (and I'm not sure why) but really quite delicious. It has nice minimalistic yet authentic Thai decor and super friendly service.
Entrees are perfect for lunch and dinner, and I love getting their lunch specials. You MUST try their Stuffed Chicken Wings - they're absolutely delicious and filling. I hardly ever order an appetizer or dessert because I know it'll be enough. Their pad thai isn't the best I've ever had, but it is decent. And for people who are very picky, their garlic pork chops are really tasty. They give a complimentary house soup (I don't know if ordering an appetizer affects this) of a delicious broth with green onion and cabbage. It's so simple yet so good. It's a wonder I haven't asked for just a huge bowl of this soup, it's that good.
And THIS PLACE IS CLEAN. The waiter, Paul, cleans up by actually using a window washer on the table, although I note he used to actually get a spray bottle to clean up after guests.
I would say that you shouldn't make a special trip to eat here, but definitely should if you live in the Sunset or are around here.
stars are for the consistently good food, friendly service & reliability (explained below).
have been coming here for years! this is a family owned (husband & wife) restaurant. has a nice, cozy, homey feel -- just eat, no scene restaurant, . we're always welcomed by the husband's friendly service. once in a great while we get to say "hi" to the wife, when she's not busy cooking in the kitchen. nice "reliable" restaurant in the sense that, if we're starving & we want to eat now, we know we don't have to wait to be seated, tables are readily available. or we go here if we don't want to get dressed up & deal with the scene, cause there's absolutely no scene here....and we know what we're getting, our usual -- which is consistently good.
our usual:
i get the daily special: starting with their tom kah kai soup (chicken, lemongrass coconut soup -- instead of the house soup, add $1), bbq chicken w/side of sweet chili sauce, pad thai & rice. deilish, perfect combination -- all compliment each other well.........bbq chicke is very tasty. note, not your typical pad thai -- noodles aren't flat & are thinner, does taste different -- but i like it & appreciate that lanna has its own flavor..........
hub starts with the tom kah kai soup (instead of the house soup, add $1), then he either gets the beef brochette (charcoal broiled) w/ sauce & veggie on the side & an order of rice OR the lanna brochette which is the same beef brochette with charcoal broiled prawns. delish too!
occassionally we've ordered:
- deep-fried calamari tossed w/ garlic, salt & pepper, carrot, red onion, cilantro & green onion........one of our favorite deep-fried calamari, tasty, spicy, a bit on the salty side.....
- thai iced tea -- nothing special
we've had the special with pad thai w/ one of the following curries: mussamun curry or thai yellow curry (good, but nothing special) or panang curry..........i remember i thought they all tasted good.........but the past 8 - 10 years i've stuck to the usual & happy with that............i go there specifically cause i'm craving the usual.......
i'll have to agree w/ the other reviews -- they do have one of the best peanut sauce. used to buy a jar of peanut sauce to take home & dip bbq chicken or add to a bbq chicken sandwich (asian/thai style).
We tried it because of the reviews here -- boy was that a mistake. Probably the worst Thai food I've had, and we've been to a lot of Thai restaurants. Ok, we came on a Monday which is usually the worst day but even so, I don't want to taste the best.
i like the chicken curries offered here. service is friendly mom and pop style. much more intimate than the always jamming Marnee. the food is equal in taste and quality.
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