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Cermak-Chinatown (Red Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
291 reviews for Opart Thai House
Review Highlights
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291 reviews in English
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Review from Vaidehi T.
Chicago, IL
I am updating my Opart thai rating from 3.5 to 4.5.
I ordered take out from here - they were super quick - my ordered reached home in 20mins. And the food is really good. Love going to and ordering from this neighborhood Thai joint.Listed in: Around the world!, South Loop specials!, Vegetarians will not be…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/12/2011
It's actually a 3 and a half stars. This is our neighborhood Thai joint. We have been here often and… Read more »
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8/12/2011
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Review from Greg R.
Chicago, IL
Have only gotten delivery a couple times, but when I have it is wonderful. I may make this my Sunday night go to. Can not say enough good things about the food from this place.
Warning...I always say 'medium' spice and it is pretty spicy -
Review from Jake F.
Chicago, IL
Went to Opart tonight hoping to get some Thai before going to the movies. It was a HUGE mistake. The place maybe had 10 tables occupied, which for a Friday night is not very busy. We were seated with out any verbal connection to the waiter. She just put the menus on the table and walked away as if we knew we were to follow her.
We sat down and within a few minutes our order was taken. This is where the experience really fell apart. While waiting for our food to arrive we noticed the table next to us (who arrived long after we did) had their appetizers and we hadn't seen anything related to our order. We started looking toward the kitchen to see if anything connected to our dinner might be ready. After glaring at the waitress for a few minutes she came to our table and acknowledged our food would be out shortly -- apparently due to a lot of carry out orders. No big deal, we figured. We still had time before needing to leave for a movie.
A few minutes later our first dish arrived and were told the second item would be out momentarily. But, as one might imagine, it wasn't on its way out. Next thing I know, the table next to us -- the one who arrived after us and had their appetizers before our food, was served their main course. Still no sign of the waitress or our food. We literally had to grab her as she walked by to ask where the remaining dish was.
Upon her return to the table after visiting the kitchen, she explained it would be out in a couple minutes. Yeah, right. Heard that story already. We instructed her to cancel the order. We were out of time.
They didn't charge us for the never delivered dish. But after having totally ruined our dining experience (have you ever sat in a restaurant watching the person across from you eat, while you're expecting your food to arrive?) they charged us for the entire meal.
The service was bad enough. But then actually charging the $10 for the privilege to watch the other person in your party eat is a total insult.
I'm never going back. If you want inconsistent service, so-so Thai, and staff that doesn't know how to resolve a problematic experience, then this is the place for you.
For me? No, thanks! -
Review from Zubair K.
Chicago, IL
We ordered in from this place and based on our experience, the place is alright. I have not been to this place since my very first visit back in 2008, and it looks like they are consistently the same in decor/food/service.
Ordered 2 curries (eggplant curry, shrimp coconut curry) and Pad Thai (Tofu). The food was very hot and packaged very neatly, and it tasted really good. However, the rice was hard and very chewy, so I did not care for it much. The total bill was like 32 bucks, so it was a cheap take out dinner for 4 entres i guess.
Check it out. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Vernon Hills, IL
Great Thai food! I dined here with a group of people after a trip to the Field Museum.
The staff was friendly and I really liked the decor of the restaurant. It was really authentic and inviting.
The food was delicious and they leave plates on your table so you can all share your entrees. I am a big pad see eiw fan and this one did not disappoint. The prices were very affordable and you get a lot of food as well.
I would go back for sure if I am ever in the area again. -
Review from Sarah M.
The tiger cry indeed delights! The kee mow also pleased with generous amounts of basil, veggies, and just the right spice level 'hot'.
But my partner's pad thai was awful. Too much tamarind, not enough peanuts or bean sprouts or scallions... I was disappointed!
Overall, a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 because pad thai should be easy. But the price is definitely right and my entree was delicious! -
Review from Kavita B.
Chicago, IL
Delicious! Fresh, flavorful, and spiced to preference.. and so, to perfection. ;-).
The service was friendly and the decor well done. The only reason I didn't give this restaurant five stars is due to the layout of the tables. Awkwardly placed and somewhat cramped, the seating arrangement takes away from what otherwise was an excellent dining experience.
The star of this restaurant is definitely the food, and that is certainly how it should be. I will absolutely dine here again and am already looking forward to that time. -
Review from Paul S.
Orland Park, IL
Very nice decor. The spring roll with peanut sauce appetizer was totally delicious. The Pad Woon Sen was tasty but different than I was used to - a tomato sauce - hmmm.
Pleasant service - the only downside is parking in the area can be a bit challenging!
Give it a try if you like thai! :) -
Review from Jason N.
Chicago, IL
Consistently good service and great food! Not giving five stars because every table I've ever sat at there wobbles, but it doesn't stop me from going there once a month. Enjoy!
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Review from Hans H.
I've only ever been here once, and I'll go back again I'm sure to check for consistency, but oh man--their food is pretty darn good. I can't vouch for authenticity because I haven't had enough thai food to say what's authentic or not. We were showing up late and I had asked my friends to order something for the wife and I, and when I got there, it turned out they got us a chicken pad thai (very standard dish), and some sort of steak salad (I think it was the Nam Tok salad).
And I said to myself--"Steak salad? Salad? Do my friends even know me?"
I was proven wrong, because my friends knew me and knew I would love it. And wow, tangy, spicy, crunchy, and the steak was grilled and sliced perfectly medium rare, the way I like it. I gobbled that all up, and the chicken pad thai was quite good as well.
Service was great, and they accommodated all 8 of us and my baby just fine. This place has my stamp of approval. -
Review from MahaKali S.
Chicago, IL
Sorry, Opart.... I wanted to like you, but I just don't. Your decor is nice, in fact; I love all the Thai crowns on display. Very pretty. The tables.... a bit cramped. The waitstaff was very nice, but the food.... fresh, but mediocre.
They had a vast list, and maybe their meat dishes make their food better, but my party was two Vegetarian and I, the Vegan.
And there's PLENTY of vegetarian Thais out there.
Anyway.... edible, but not all that great.
Also, I asked for mine "As spicy and humanly possible....THAI hot."
Well, it was not. Not even close.
Don't get me wrong, the food is good, but it's closer to any other bland Chinese food joint in the city. -
Review from Debbie C.
Chicago, IL
The food is definitely delicious. You can not go wrong ordering the pad thai, which I love! The appetizers I must suggest would be the tiger cry and the cucumber salad. The tiger cry is charbroiled grilled beef so flavorful it is own marinade that you don't need to dip it in the small dish of sauce next to it. I really liked the simple refreshing sugared vinaigrette over the cucumbers. The small slices of red onions and jalapenos really compliment each other. I try to stay away from ordering the typical appetizers like crab rangoons because you can get that any other Asian restaurant.
My husband loved the red coconut curry with duck, only after he tried it from another friend who order it. I had the red coconut curry with catfish before but I didn't fancy it. Surprisingly, the flavors of the catfish were actually a lot better as leftovers after we refrigerated it! -
Review from Lawrence Y.
Chicago, IL
I called in one night for delivery recently ($10 minimum). The guy taking the order over the phone seemed a bit short - I'll give him the benefit of a doubt that they were busy, but there were no "thank you"s and the phone call ended abruptly with "50 minutes *click*" after I gave him my credit card info.
That being said, I ordered the Nam Tok salad (Sliced charbroiled tender beef mixed with rice powder, onions, lime juice and Thai chili powder, served with lettuce) and the Pla Muk Nam Prik Paow (fresh squid sauteed with chili paste, bell peppers and onions) which was essentially like garlic squid. The salad was pretty good, I must say. I would have liked it better if the lettuce cups were layed out and the meat and sauces were marinating on top, vs the cups on the side. The squid was also pretty good - really heavy on the bell peppers and onions (naturally) but the amount of squid in the dish was good. I actually was able to save some for leftovers the next day.
Delivery ended up being around 20 minutes - so now I'm inclined to think that the "phone order" guy was just being a dick. -
Review from L B.
Frankfort, IL
Some things are excellent, such as Tiger Cry and Curry Catfish with beans.....but often it tastes like pre-made sauce and overly salty, and like not done with care....i work in the area so I order often. 30% at least something wrong with my order and frequently way too salty, even when requested not to. In an appetizer twice they put in lime peal- which is very bitter, and as far as I know, inedible.
Also, delivery charge is $3. All in all, it's an acceptable Thai place that throws out some delicious dishes, but most are mediocre and inconsistent. i wish they would lower the delivery charge for places that are within 2-3 block radius, I would order more often. -
Review from Sandra A.
Antioch, IL
Thanks to fellow Yelpers, I visited this restaurant while staying at the McCormick Center Hyatt, an area where restaurant choices are largely limited to what is in the hotel or convention center unless you get into a cab and head into the loop.
I notice that a lot of people like to pontificate on the authenticity (or inauthenticity) of an ethnic restaurant in their reviews, and this always puzzles me a little. I'm Italian, and any traditional meal cooked by my native Italian family members will be prepared differently, presented differently, and -- taste different!
So, I confess, even though I've eaten at many a Thai restaurant, I have no clue what "real Thai food" is. Shocking, isn't it?! Stop reading right here before I corrupt your culinary sensibilities!
What I *do* know is that my husband and I enjoyed our meal at Opart Thai. I had the Pad Prik with shrimp, and my husband had green curry chicken. Both dishes were flavorful, seemingly made with quality ingredients, and served promptly. Shrimp is always a risky order in any small restaurant, but mine was cooked nicely. Our waitress was a woman of few words, but she gave us nothing to complain about.
The decor is unremarkable, tables are fairly close together, and the noise level was a little too loud at times. This is a casual, no-frills restaurant, but the food was good and the prices were extremely reasonable. It's on our list next time we're looking to grab a nice meal near McCormick while our convention colleagues eat lukewarm, overpriced room service. -
Review from Carm O.
Chicago, IL
Good Food, Good Prices, and very Good Customer Service. The Tom Yum soup was very good. They also had a special on the Chang beer (which was quite good), 2 for $5. If I am in the area and have a taste for Thai, I would definitely stop by again. Parking lot in the back or they have pay street parking.
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Review from Nan S.
Chicago, IL
Quick review: Great thai food, full bar, and free parking lot (in the back). Awesomeness. Not the best thai restaurant in Chicago, but I was really happy to find great thai food south of the loop. i like that this is a place that would work for a casual but nice date, a dinner with friends, or a dinner with family.
More detail: Went there with the bf, and we got crab rangoon, tom yum goong (spicy soup with shrimp), pad bai krapao with chicken (ground chicken stir fried with basil and jalapenos), and khao soi (spicy curry with chicken over egg noddles, with fresh onion). Everything was great, but standouts were the tom yum and khao soy...ordered both at the "spicy" level and it was just right. the krapao was tasty, but we ordered it at a "spicy" level and it was lacking in that. Order a side of rice to spoon into the tom yum and it'd make a great meal instead of a side/appetizer. We ate till we were stuffed, and still had leftovers of khao soi and pad krapao. Which by the way, goes great on top of leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes as a late-night, got the alcohol-munchies snack. Take that, KFC potato bowl.
I was really amused that you can get a caipirinha and mojito at this thai restaurant. i got a lychee martini instead, it was just ok, perhaps i'll just stick to the beer next time, and you can't beat a special of 2 Chang beers for $5. also random note, i misspelled caipirinha the first time and the yelp spell-check caught it, but apparently doesn't recognize mojito...weird!
Service was great, attentive but not hovering, and the food came out really fast. Granted, there were maybe only 5 other groups there, ranging from 2-6 ppl, so I can't say how they are when they're busy. At any rate, I can't wait to come back and try more dishes! -
Review from Audri L.
Chicago, IL
I can't believe it's taken me this long to review Opart. This has been our go-to Thai place for the past 2 years. The food is good aaaannd it's pretty cheap! I used to live up north, so we used to order deliveries and take-outs from the one on Western all the time, before moving to South Loop. But I later realized that the 2 Oparts make my favorite dish differently--I like the taste of the one @ South Loop better (menu #68), it's more flavorful for some reason. I also like the ambiance of this location a lot more. PS-if you really like it spicy, tell them to make it Southeast Asian spicy--they usually don't disappoint.
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Review from patrick l.
Chicago, IL
Good food, fresh food, good price, free parking, good service and nice decor. Tiger cry is the bomb.
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Review from Alison R.
Chicago, IL
Good Lord. Eat here! The gaeng gari is phenomenal. Best yellow curry I've ever had. Peanut sauce is also delish. Good service. Good prices. Every time we eat here, it's delicious, the service is good to great, and the prices are fair. I wish I lived across the street so I could eat here every day.
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Review from Shirley W.
Chinatown, Chicago, IL
This is a to go Thai place.
You could have a small party there for ur bday.
The servers are always so nice. Food is good portion and good price.
One time I order something really spicy, but I didnt know how spicy it was. It was my own fault. But they nicely remade the food for me. I felt bad, but that's a good service man. -
Review from Lin C.
Chicago, IL
The food is okay. The service is good. The decor is stellar. Tables and chairs are a little on the wobbly side and all too cramped with your neighbors. The milk tea is fantastic.
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Review from Jill S.
Chicago, IL
Great for dine-in or take out. Street parking can be tricky during dinner rush. Service is quick and friendly. I recommend the Curry Fried rice and pretty much anything else. They can make dishes as spicy as you like it.
Great for date or group. Nice addition to near South side. -
Review from Sarah L.
Chicago, IL
Love the food here! The atmosphere is fun, and the drinks are yummy, too. Had a few girls night out dinners here, and we had a wonderful time each time.
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Review from Grace L.
Chicago, IL
Love! Probably the best Thai food I've had in Chicago, what a treat!
To give you some frame of reference, a vegetarian friend of mine is reported to eat beef at only one place on Earth - here, for the Tiger Cry. I agree, the Tiger Cry is most excellent!
I've been here a few times since I recently moved to the area and have loved every dish I've tried. For one thing, they mean it when they say they can make a dish spicy! I LOVE spicy food and am usually disappointed with the lack of flair... here however, I have managed to break out into a sweat every single time and even had to blow my nose! Unreal for someone who grew up eating kimchee before applesauce.
Their curries are excellent and their noodle dishes are great, too. In particular, I think their Massaman curry is the best I've had in Chicago.
Definitely going back! -
Review from Angel Maria R.
Chicago, IL
Found this place on here and I am glad I did. Take out order ready in 10 mins, good portions, delightful springrolls, tasty crab Rangoon, and I'll be back pad Thai!! Oh and free parking in back
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Review from Justine L.
Chicago, IL
We've been looking for a really good Thai place for quite some time and Opart Thai is our winner!
We got the pad see ewe and woon sen pad thai. both were very flavorful and meat was tender. Also great ingredient proportions were perfect! Every bite had the perfect amount of meat, veggies, and noodles.
Another cool thing about this place is that it attracts a very diverse group of patrons. There small and large groups, different ethnic groups, and young and old people. It's a sign that they're appealing to a lot of people yet sticking to the ethnic recipes.
However, the one docker for Opart Thai was the service. We came on a Friday night around dinner time, yes, but it took over 45 minutes to get our food. They kept saying it was a long line because of all the people. But in all seriousness, it does not take that long to cook noodle dishes. I would hope that the wait is why the food tasted great, but it is definitely hard to believe... vermicelli noodles do not take that long to cook! Next time we'll go take-out!! -
Review from Kathleen L.
Chicago, IL
Oh how i love Thai restaurants that are just unpretentious and do what they do really well.
The epitome of what Thai restaurants began as- great food for great prices... and good portions!
Tiger Cry- i was a little disappointed by the reviews. It just tasted like a barbecued beef to me, really.
Crab rangoon- better than most places. I like the filling, but the wonton was a little greasy...
Fried shumai- best fried shumai i've had. enough to have a thin layer of crisp on the outside and heavenly filling on the inside. delicious!
Got beef pad thai based on other reviewers' suggestion. Thank God they don't do that weird orange sauce here. The pad thai was really good, but I was really disappointed at how take home leftovers turned out---- it became kind of slimy almost and wasn't quite as appealing or tasted very well after a reheat. oh well.
But thai iced tea for $2.50? awesome!!! -
Review from Ryan B.
Excellent Thai food. If I lived close, I would probably eat here regularly.
What makes it so good? It isn't too oily and hence tastes lighter and more flavorful. I have to say our waitress was inattentive but would tolerate it for the food.
Probably more of a 3.5 stars, but I am rounding up. -
Review from Jade T.
I require a steady diet of Thai noodles, and I have been going to Opart Thai almost every Friday for over a month now. Originally, it would be rated five stars, but I realized that Opart isn't the best Thai restaurant and that I need to find another.
I will tell you though, their Pad See Eew is out of this world. It's the best I've had in Chicago. Your initial impression of the dish will be that of a boring, brown noodle dish, but wait until you taste it. There is no sauce, but the noodles are savory thanks to the sweet soy sauce. The Chinese broccoli is crisp with a little bite (it is part of the mustard-green family, after all). Pad See Eew is a delightfully simple, but delicious dish. I strongly recommend ordering it here.
I've had their Pad Thai, which is also good. A little dry for my liking. My boyfriend has ordered many curry dishes and all are pretty stellar. I don't think he has had anything he disliked. At Opart, if you ask for Thai spicy, they will make you hurt. I don't understand you sadomasochistic eaters.
Opart Thai is four stars because I am a regular here, but I've never been treated as such. I am now on the look-out for a new Thai restaurant where food is good and authentic (as it can be) and the service is a little more personable. I prefer taking my business to a place that remembers me (and there are places that do, even after one visit - read my review on Ben's Noodles). Lastly, other Thai restaurants offer more vegetarian dishes. Opart can't accommodate to vegetarians either. You can ask for Pad Thai and Pad See Eew without fish sauce, but that's about it. -
Review from Elizabeth F.
Chicago, IL
The answer to my Thai food prayers!
I have enjoyed Opart Thai House twice so far: once as a dine-in experience & last night for carry-out, both of which were perfect & pleasant.
I first tried their Pad Thai (of course.) It was better than other Pad Thai dishes I have tried in the neighborhood.
Last night I ordered their Panang curry with tofu & asked for it to be made hot (hot being their highest level of "spicy.") The curry was fantastic; though I have had spicier curry elsewhere but this was very good, very flavorful.
I now have found my new neighborhood Thai spot, thank goodness! -
Review from Blanche R.
Chicago, IL
Whenever I want to enjoy awesome Thai food and share the experience with others I go to Opart (or refer others to go there). The food is simply delicious - consistently, the drinks fun, and the ambiance - feel of the place --- welcoming, uplifting, and beautiful. It is a pleasure to dine there! (very reasonable prices too.)
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Review from Amber D.
Chicago, IL
New to the South Loop, we were anxious to find our go-to Thai restaurant delivery. After a few tries, we found it. Opart's Pad Thai and curries are amazing. Great prices and great food.
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Review from KChicagoan S.
Chicago, IL
This place is legit GOOD! Crab Rangoon's are crispy and filled generously and are a good start to any meal. Like many others, I really liked the Tiger Cry as well - spicy and tasty and the meat is well seasoned and tender. The soup is really where Opart earns the stars - all of the soups are so, so, so good. If you're a fan of lemongrass, try any of the Tom Yum (chicken or seafood) and you won't be disappointed. I love that you can eat the soups, get such amazing flavor and not feel like you've consumed a million calories - so flavorful and healthy too!
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Review from Evan R.
When I worked in Chicago for a year, we were always too tired to make decisions on food. So, we ate here or at Moon Palace. Every week.
While this behavior took years off of my life, it was totally worth it. This is not a gourmet place, but all the food really shines.
The appetizers are great - especially the crab rangoon and tiger cry, which are the best I've had.
I've had almost everything on the menu, but I think my favorite dish was the Gaeng Pet Ped - the curry was overflowing with flavor and I love duck. The pad thai is obviously a thai staple but it was great here too..good mix of sweet and spicy.
Not that this is unusual for me and food, but I became a running joke at work because of the dessert here. I ordered the mango and coconut sticky rice every time we went, and would usually be left alone as I refused to share and my eyes slowly rolled back in my head. It's was a religious experience.Comment from Mary Ann P. of Opart Thai House 7/25/2011
Hi Evan! Thank you so much for the review. How very kind of… More » -
Review from Catie V.
Glenview, IL
oh.my.god. this restaurant was amazing.
the food was sooo reasonably priced, it was DELICIOUS, the variety in dishes was vast, relaxed and trendy ambiance, cute decor, aesthetically intriguing waitstaff....
the entree that i ordered was called 'peanut sauce lover': now yes, it sounds like the title of a bad 80's love ballad, but this dish is anything but tasteless; in fact, it's explosive ;)
rice covered in spicy peanut sauce, macaemia nuts, and an assortment of vegetables. it was the best thing i've ever hard, really.
i tried the fried shumai and wolf cry appetizer: fried shumai has a light, not too fishy flavor, tender, comes with a tangy vinaigrette sipping sauce, oh so amazing.
wolf cry: now, this meat was prepared extra well, which was good because it added a smokey burnt flavor to the meat, but i preffer my meat to be tender and at about a medium to medium rare. aside from that tid-bit, the wolf cry was great.
yeah, if YOU people out there ever have the chance to go here, i highly recommend it! -
Review from Darren F.
Chicago, IL
this is my favorite go to place for thai food since its in my local area. like everyone else here said, you have to try the tiger cry appetizer here if u haven't. the pad khee mao, pad see ew, pad thai, curry fried rice, and basil chicken is also amazing and full of flavors! its a decent portion they serve and the price is pretty reasonable. this place makes the BEST thai ice tea that i ever had before! sometimes if I'm around the area, i would just go in and get a thai ice tea to go lol. the service is very friendly and the decor is nice, very nice place to dine in.
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Review from Robyn T.
I've ordered takeout from here before but was happy to at long last be checking out the South Loop digs in person.
I can't say there is anything particularly interesting about the decor (dark wood tables and chairs severely in need of some cushion replacements with some traditional Thai adornments on the walls) but the food is solid and not particularly expensive. I've ordered the Rama chicken several times before and have never been disappointed. Portion sizes are fair and they don't skimp on the veggies (a pet peeve of mine - I love my broccoli!)
There are other Thai option in the South Loop that I think are great (Ma & I) but this is by far the best bang for your buck and definitely worth a trip (or take-out at the very least).Comment from Mary Ann P. of Opart Thai House 7/25/2011
Thank you for the review Robyn! We changed the chairs, by… More » -
Review from Susan L.
Chicago, IL
I guess good food always come in smaller portions. This would have to be my favorite thai place, despite their portion size. This has been a place for me to keep on coming back. I usually order Khao Soy, Basil Chicken, Peanut Sauce Lover. Khao soy is egg noodles with chicken in coconut curry soup. Sometimes they would put to much curry soup that it end up being too soggy, but majority of the time, they make this dish pretty good even if the noodles end up being kind of soggy. For the Basil chicken-who ever knew white meat chicken taste so good? I personally don't like white meat chicken, but basil chicken is good on their rice. However, it is little pieces of ground of chicken, which I did not expect it. It is still very tasty nevertheless. I also like how there are different degrees of spicy-ness. I tend to eat things that are very spicy but medium is pretty spicy enough for me to tolerate. They have free parking available which is always a extra plus in the city.
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Review from Rich B.
Atlanta, GA
I give Opart 4 stars:
Food: 5 stars because it was wonderful! We had Larb, Nam Sod, Tom Yum Gai, Tom Ta Gai, and Pad Thai. All were excellent, although the Pad Thai noodles were overcooked.
Service: 3 stars. Slow and almost without recognition, despite being a slow Sunday afternoon.
