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Sabai Sabai Simply Thai
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Thu 4:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri 11 am - 10:30 pm
Sat 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
Sun 12 pm - 9:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
102 reviews for Sabai Sabai Simply Thai
Review Highlights
"2) Floating market noodle soup - FLA-VOR-FUL."
(in 7 reviews)
"Kao Kha Moo (braised pork leg)-this was actually my..."
(in 9 reviews)
"My friend and I shared this Peppercorn Soft Shell Crab."
(in 3 reviews)
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102 reviews in English
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Review from Adil B.
Germantown, MD
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here recently for a colleague's farewell lunch, and left quite surprised that I hadn't been here more often!
The menu has two sides to it: one features Thai street fare and the other features standard dishes. I ordered the Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodles) lunch special and a Thai iced tea. Both were great and filled me up. The ambiance of the restaurant is fancy and the bathroom sink is made to look like a hollowed-out smoothed stone.
For dessert, my coworker ordered something that was made of coconut, condensed milk, spring onions, and sugar. It was warm and delicious. I will be coming here more often, especially because it is so close to home! -
Review from Diana P.
Laurel, MD
1/18/2012
I was looking for an authentic Thai restaurant since I love Thai food. We found this place through Yelp and the reviews were helpful, or so I thought.
The menu is similar to other Thai places I have been too, so I expected the food to be cooked the same. I was wrong, I ordered the beef and string beans in a spicy sauce and it was nothing like what I get back home. Needless to say I was disappointed by meal.
Overpriced for portion even for lunch. -
Review from Ntochi K.
Germantown, MD
1/13/2012
One of the few good eats in Germantown. The food is good, prices are average, and service is OK. Although the ambiance is not bad, I prefer them for take out.
They often seem to be understaffed, making service slow at times and leaving staff with limited time for your table. The biggest downside is that they really pack the tables in and, when the restaurant is full, it sometimes feels like you are sharing your table with strangers. Also, if you are seated on one of the tables in the aisle/high traffic area, on a busy day, you'll constantly feel bodies brush up against your bag and have the occasional bum right by your face as the wait staff serves other tables. So, I'd ask for a table against the wall.
The food is pretty good--I haven't been super wowed or disappointed with any of their dishes.
However, I recently ordered their Roast Duck Curry and was disappointed with that: the duck was cut into big pieces that also contained bones and some tough stringy stuff. I wouldn't order this dish again.
I've ordered their Crispy Whole Fish twice and really enjoyed that (it wasn't the cheapest item though).
All in all it is good food! -
Review from Carmen L.
Blacksburg, VA
11/12/2011
Food and service were OK. Ambiance was kinda nice.
Before I came here I was told this place was getting rave reviews all over the place. I was expecting to be blown away...and was not.
Chicken sticky rice with papaya salad..the chicken was a pain to deal with (was not de-boned - if that doesn't bother you then you'll be fine) and wasn't anything out of the ordinary. The papaya salad was spicy but I couldn't really make myself like it .The sticky rice was allright. Portion was decent - had left-overs but mainly because I was taking forever to eat the chicken and filled up faster.
All in all, not bad. Probably won't ever go there again since I would be like 30 mins away and I wouldn't make the drive just to eat there. -
Review from Miss V.
Georgetown, DE
2/2/2012
Great food. I am vegetarian and their veggie menu is awesome. Its a little small but worth it because of the food. On weekends can get crowded. I believe they have happy hour there too. Now the bar, lol... Don t try to order fancy drinks at the bar. They will get it wrong, in the wrong glass and it will take forever. Then again we came here for the food, not the drinks. It was good. They do- take out- as well.
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Review from Rachel L.
Montgomery Village, MD
1/28/2012
I used to really like this place for thai, but after getting carry out last night I think I'll move on. Everything I ordered was really sweet and kind of rubbery. The pad thai was just a mound of rubbery really sweet noodles covered in bean sprouts. Considering there are so many thai options in the area, I'll just move on. It's a shame, this used to be my go to place.
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Review from Chris B.
Springfield, VA
1/3/2012
We recently moved nearby and this has become a staple in our list of goto restaurants. We always get the drunken noodles, whole fish with thai basil sauce, or the duck with basil sauce. We also recently tried the green curry with salmon as their special and that was delicious as well. Make a reservation on weekends.
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Review from Margaret C.
Bethesda, MD
Updated - 1/26/2012
Tried four dishes - the Fish Ball and Rolled Noodles were excellent. The Crazy Tiger and the Fried Tofu are misses. Service was efficient, since the restaurant wasn't packed like the last time I was there.
1 Previous Review:
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6/15/2011
Excellent Thai place but extremely crowded. People must know about their food.
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Review from Bob G.
Germantown, MD
12/29/2011
When it comes to good Thai food, this is the place to go. Good service and great food. Thank god the quality of food is much better than the sushi joint down the street.
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Review from Lu H.
Rockville, MD
A rather fancy, modernized Thai restaurant as opposed to the Thai places I've tried in the past. Everything we got was generally good, but also had their downfalls. As for the Floating Market Noodle soup, I felt like the proportion of noodle to soup was too little. The Kao Kha Moo was really tender and juicy, but again, after what seemed like only a few bites (shared amongst two people), and it was all gone :/ The Soft Shell Crab came in a nice portion though, and there were at least five large soft shell crabs. This would be the one dish that had no real faults, although I have to say that it was pretty darn salty. But then again, everything was quite on the salty side. I must admit though, for some reason I still prefer the smaller, family run Thai restaurants...
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Review from Matt P.
Potomac, MD
12/25/2011
After my first few visits, I wasn't blown away. The food was good but certainly nothing to write home about. Fast forward to now, and after having different things and going a few more times, I'm a big fan.
The places always is packed when I'm there and there was a 20 minute wait for lunch last time I was in. It seems like the tables are "on top" of each other and I feel very close to others...maybe it is just me... Regardless, food and service are very good. Only problem is it is a good ~20 minute drive up 270 for me. Not that it is a deal breaker, but just wish it was a bit closer down-county.
I'd say it is worth a visit! -
Review from Cheryl L.
8/16/2011 6 photos
I generally don't like rating Thai restaurants because every Thai restaurant I have visited in this area is usually about average, give or take 0.5 stars. But someone told me that this place had the best Thai food in the area, so I had to come give it a shot.
Sabai Sabai is above average in my opinion, and I'd give it 3.5 stars. Although my favorite Thai place in MD is probably still Benjarong in Rockville, I guess I can see this place coming somewhat close.
A dish that really stood out to me here was their Pork Skewers (see photo). Just like its name, the appetizer dish consists of skewers of pork accompanied by a side of sticky rice and a sweet and sour dip. With a side of salad, this really could be a meal in itself.
Other than that, the curries and pad thai were not too memorable. They did surprise me by throwing in Massaman Curry on their menu, but the execution was not well and the complex flavors and fragrant aroma didn't come out in this dish.
If I had to compare Sabai Sabai with all its neighboring chain restaurants (IHOP, Ruby Tuesdays, Longhorn, etc.), I'd definitely give it a better rating. But the truth is, once you venture out of G-Town, Sabai Sabai is just another slightly above average Thai meal. -
Review from Robert C.
9/20/2011
My co-worker and I have been craving Thai food for awhile. So, we decided to go to Sabai Sabai and try their lunch special:
Kao Kha Moo ($8.95) - Braised pork leg served with spicy vinegar sauce. let me tell you, the spicy vinegar sauce's money. It goes really well with the pork. This is actually a rare Thai dish, not many restaurants serve it. Overall, it's pretty dang delicious (4 stars); I'd definitely try this again.
Drunken Noodle ($8.95) - Not bad. It's better than your average drunken noodle, but nothing special. I guess it's always been 1 of the safe dish to pick along with Pad Thai.
Portion wise - Just like any other Thai restaurant. The dishes're really small with very little rice and meat. I was still really hungry after my lunch; very unsatisfying meal, felt like I just ate ration lol. However, I really do recommend you guys to try the Kao Kha Moo! Better alternative - Thai House - much bigger portion and better food. -
Review from Tanya R.
Montgomery Village, MD
8/25/2011
Not so Great at all.
thee of us went, we ordered: each one of their 3 soups (they were all VERY sour) waaaaay too much flavor, if there could be such a thing.
curry puffs - naasty - though i hear others like it... i dunno maybe i just didn't expect them to be so sweet.
calamari - undercooked with too much doe around
crispy egg rolls - ok
took 20 minutes to get our first dish (all of the above are soups and appetizers mind you)
we will not be back again. -
Review from Megan H.
Gaithersburg, MD
8/4/2011
This restaurant has some of the best Thai food in the area, hands down. I love spicy food - I won't be satisfied until my tongue is numb and I'm sweating bullets, all while asking for more!! That said, I may have to request them to make the dish extra spicy next time around.
Penang Curry and Pad Kra Pow are both delicious, overflowing with flavor and that wonderful Thai basil aroma. I have a slight preference for the Penang Curry because the coconut milk added to the dish provides a sweet and creamy sensation that counteracts the spiciness. The Street Style Grilled Pork was wonderful and very similar to the dried beef jerky from Asia. Mango Sticky Rice was nothing particularly special, just your standard mango sticky rice.
I will definitely be back to try other items on their menu! -
Review from Christina O.
Los Angeles, CA
11/23/2011
Solid Thai food.
Great place to take a group.
The chicken skewers were good. Flavorful. If there's more than one chicken skewer dish, not sure which one.
We asked for the green curry to be less spicy but it was still kind of spicy. I liked it though.
The other dish we ordered... You know, this review is pretty useless. I didn't order any of the food so I don't remember the names of our dishes which were all pretty good.
This place is above average for sure. If you're on the fence about trying it, just go. It's worth trying at least once.
Some things worth mentioning.... the bamboo trees are fake. My little cousin pointed that out. Ha! And there are jars of peppermint and other candies.
My review could be condensed to three words: Solid Thai food. -
Review from Paul D.
6/23/2011 4 photos
This is as good as it gets for Germantown MD restaurants. Which is why I'm giving it 5 stars. When compared to Other well known Thai restaurants in the DMV this place is just 4 stars. However, in a bedroom community known for it's crappy chain restaurants, Sabai Sabai is arguably the best restaurant in the area. It's comperable in quality to Yuraku Sushi and Mi Rancho Tex-Mex.
I've been here twice, so far, and whenever I go to Germantown it's my new favorite place to eat. The first time I came here was with someone who didn't want to eat Thai food. Yet, they enjoyed their dish the most. So, that's saying something.
I like to order my food "Super-Thai-Hot" and have the waitress ask me if it's too hot when she sees me sweating and sniffling from the heat.
It's quite the endorphin rush....
I've enjoyed, or tasted, the Pineapple Fried Rice, Floating Market Soup, Drunken Noodles, Pad See Ew, Tom Kha Gai, etc. and it's All Good!
This is you basic high quality Thai Restaurant with a few unique dishes like Kao Kha Moo (braised pork leg) and Crying Tiger (grilled marinated beef slices with Thai spicy salsa).
So, if your in Germantown MD, and you want a decent meal at a classy restaurant, this is as good as it gets.
Also, it should be noted that they get busy enough during peak dinner hours to require reservations. Reservations for dinner in Germantown? That's unheard of!!! -
Review from Charles H.
Arlington, VA
7/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Whenever I step into Sabai Sabai Simply Thai, I am truly happy happy (sabai sabai)! Why? Because I know that:
1) The Pad Thai is cooked to perfection, seasoned nicely
2) The Satay, grilled chicken (with sticky rice and papaya salad) is flavored to perfection like on the streets of Bangkok
3) The Mango is ripe and sweet along with the coconut flavored sticky rice
4) The customer service is similar to Thailand as the hostesses and waitresses will welcome my family and I
Thai foodies should also try out Sabai Sabai's unique dishes such as the spicy catfish, minced pork omelette, and guay teaw nam sai (Thai noodle soup). -
Review from Hung T.
7/12/2011 3 photos
So after long deliberation and research, I finally decided to try this place out. Plus the fact that its only 10 min from my house helped ;-)
Heres what I got:
1) Papaya salad - got some kick to it. Was okay, but I didn't like the raw string beans they put in it.
2) Floating market noodle soup - FLA-VOR-FUL! The soup is reminiscent of Pho but has a more sour broth and different spices. I didn't like the bok choi that was in it though (thats just personal preference).
3) Crispy duck - when they say crispy, they mean it. Very tender and crispy. The sauce was great. Probably the best dish at the table. Duck was not oily at all.
4) Crispy herbal fish - Tilapia fillets battered and deep fried and drizzled with a tangy, sweet garlic sauce. Decent. Fish could have been a lot crispier but the inside was moist and flaky. Nothing special.
Service was better than the other reviews said. Our waitress checked up on us 3 times during the meal and she was prompt to get our order in and bring out the food. Total wait time was about 20 minutes on a busy Tuesday evening. Not bad!
Finally, Germantown has something to offer for the foodie in us all! -
Review from Sean L.
Herndon, VA
7/25/2011
Rarely visit Germantown area before, I was surprised to find this hidden gem there providing good exotic spicy food. Recommend if in the area.
Location: Germantown
Deco: Modern American ***
Service: average attentive ***
Lavatory: average clean ***
Dining environment: business comfortable ***.5
Food: good ***.5
Cost: $$.5
Recommendation: recommend ***.5
Experienced: Steamed Mussels (good but less thai), Satay, Som Tam, Tom Yum (full favor with herbs and lemongrass, not enough spicy), Kratiem Prik Tai chicken, Pad Thai, Sabai Sabai Lamb Chops (good but less thai), Penang Curry, Chili Basil Eggplant, Kao Kha Moo (good but less thai, more Chinese), Roast Duck Curry -
Review from Emily N.
Rockville, MD
So i've been here on two occasions. Once with my mom and i for lunch and then my parents and i for dinner. Both times we got the, "Som tam" which is shredded green papaya with fresh lime juice, tomatoes, green beans, peanuts, and dried shrimp powder, also "Pad thai"
Thin rice noodles stir-fried with egg, bean sprouts, scallions, ground peanuts, and chicken and lastly their "Floating Market Noodle Soup" which includes slices of beef, meatballs, Chinese watercress and bean sprouts in spicy broth with thin rice noodles.
And then i got their "Mee Krob" which was really different yet delicious. Salty yet tangy and sweet. Also i got their Sabai Sabai Grilled Chicken which when is compared tot he rest.. It was really disappointing. The chicken was dry and lacking in flavor. The sides were really good though. But just the chicken ruined the dish.
All in all this place is a quiet yet chic place. I wouldn't say it's "Authentic" but it definitely has their dishes that are just plain delicious. ("Floating Market Noodle Soup" and "Pad Thai") -
Review from Tiffany L.
Silver Spring, MD
7/21/2011
The food:
Thai Iced Coffee was one of the best I have had. It was not to bitter, sweet, or creamy.
Papaya Salad was okay. It had a very good spicy kick to it but was overpowered by the fish sauce taste.
Floating Market Soup was okay. I was not as flavorful or spiced as Nava Thai in Wheaton, MD.
Pad Thai was alright as well. It was a little overly saturated, either by the sauce or by the grease.
My experience was just okay. Nothing spectacular. If I happen to find myself in Germantown (I live in Silver Spring), and am craving Thai I would probably come again. Besides that, I'll get my Floating Market Soup cravings from Nava Thai and my Pad Thai cravings from Benjarong. -
Review from Dee B.
9/29/2011
When they say spicy, they do mean spicy. I did need to ask to have my water refilled - that's never a sign of good service. And it's loud in here on a Friday night...it was just two of us at a small table, but we had a very difficult time conversing.
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Review from Anita C.
Rockville, MD
6/2/2011 2 photos
Came here for lunch today with a friend. There was about a 10 minute wait around 12:30pm, which was not bad.
Price: $9.95 for Kra Pow with chicken, and I believe $8.95 for Pad See Ew - or it might've been $9.95. $3.00 for Thai Iced Tea. A little steeper than what I'd normally pay for lunch.
Food: I ordered the Kra Pow - chicken sauteed in a brown sauce with basil, chili, and other spices. It was pretty spicy - I started off with water, but couldn't handle it! I ended up ordering a Thai Iced Tea to alleviate the spiciness. The dish was extremely flavorful and came with a small bowl of rice. I wish the bowl of rice was a little bigger - an extra is $1.00. My companion ordered the Pad See Ew, which was flavorful as well. I preferred the Kra Pow. The Thai Iced Tea was average - tasty, but nothing spectacular.
Service: The waitresses weren't particularly friendly, but they weren't rude either. Ours came to check on us once or twice, but she wasn't very chatty or amicable.
Bottom Line: One of the yummier Thai places in the Rockville/Gaithersburg/Germantown area. Definitely beats Tara Thai in terms of food quality. I'll be back when I'm in the Germantown area. -
Review from Phi N.
6/16/2011 6 photos
I was told that this was the best thai place around, but several of my dishes were very similar and not as special as you'd think. Don't laugh at me when I list for you what two of us ordered... we wanted to try a lot of items because germantown is far, and we figured we won't come back up here again unless it's really worth it.
Our appetizers were probably the best things we ordered. The Crying Tiger is always a good option anywhere. The sauce is a sour/spicy/tangy dipping sauce that you dip your beef in. I wish the beef was a little more rare though. We also tried the Sabai Sabai spicy wings. They were unexpectedly good too.
For our main course, we had the crispy duck with basil, the special flounder in basil sauce, peppercorn soft shell crab, and floating market soup... hahah that sounds bad... we didn't finish it all, don't judge us! My favorite was the floating market soup. This one is unlike others you may have had, you can actually taste it. So I guess it depends on which you want. Other places you go, it will just be complete spice that you taste. Not here, even if you ask for extra spicy... The duck was my next favorite dish. The skin was very crispy and the sauce was scrumptious. I do not recommend the special flounder nor the soft shell crabs. They were battered and just too much going on per an entree.
The restaurant can get very busy so you may have to wait a bit. -
Review from Jesse V.
Germantown, MD
4/3/2011 9 Check-ins Here
How have I not reviewed this place. I have been here so many times dating back to when they first opened (and were less known, and less busy). I have gotten carryout countless times as well.
Everything I have had here has been good (and I have eaten 70% of the menu), although I can say that occasionally the spicy-ness of certain dishes varies from trip to trip. I am particularly fond of the spicy stir-frys, the Penang Curry, and the Crispy Basil Pork. Also, try the corn fritter appetizers, they are very good as well.
This is a regular go to spot, and probably the best restaurant in Germantown (which is notoriously devoid of decent food). I highly recommend it. -
Review from Maz W.
Clarksburg, MD
11/10/2011
Great Thai food. I highly recommend the Pad See-U, and the Massaman Curry. I find their Pad Thai a little fishy, but most other dishes we tried here were really good. Their corn cakes are excellent. We mostly get takeout, and they're always very kind and helpful.
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Review from Sherin P.
Silver Spring, MD
8/6/2011
I'm really not sure what the hype is about. I feel like I missed something because I was truly underwhelmed by my experience. I came here for my dad's birthday hoping for some really tasty Thai food. Meh. I've experienced much better.
Firstly, the waitress was super unfriendly and acted like we were ruining her night by ordering food from her. She obviously had better things to do with her time because we were barely able to get her attention.
In regards to the food, the salad dressing for the house salad tasted like liquid Skippy peanut butter. My mother ordered the Pad Thai. If you think this is good Pad Thai, you've never had really awesome Thai food. It had a very sweet and greasy taste to it that was pretty unappetizing. My sister n law ordered a peppered shrimp dish which was just shrimp and peppercorn. I had the Jungle Curry which was sad boiled chicken in curry water. The one redeeming factor was the whole fish fry which was really tasty. However, with the overall experience, I can't give this place a high rating. I will not be returning. -
Review from Micah P.
5/3/2011 2 Check-ins Here
To be honest, I thought Sabai Sabai Simply Thai was a chain. The logo and look of it just seemed so chain-ish, especially cause it was in a strip mall. With this in mind, I never wanted to go it.
I was wrong! Turns out, it's an actual non-chain Thai restaurant. I decided to check it out and the food is okay. I had the green chicken curry and it wasn't bad; however, I could tell that they didn't use fresh lime juice. I definitely smelled and tasted lime juice concentrate in the curry from a bottle. Maybe I just have to try other things? I'll be back! -
Review from Lynn F.
Germantown, MD
Updated - 7/15/2011
We love this place and come here a few times a month. Be adventurous and order off the street food menu, or come for lunch and try a combo plate, everything we've had has been good to excellent.
Drunken noodles and Pad Thai have huge portions, Thai omlette is good with pork. And Tom Yum soup is yummy. Love the appetizers. Lahrb is Larb Gai, and the version here is on the spicy side.
But no matter, you can ask them to alter the heat level of any dish & they'll advise if something is likely to be very spicy anyhow. We like spicy, but if you don't, don't be afraid to ask for a milder version.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/12/2010
Love this place. We've been here 8-9 times and the food has been consistently great. The "street… Read more »
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Review from Julie L.
Germantown, MD
6/6/2011
When this place first opened I was so excited to finally have a Thai place in Germantown. They have been open now for a couple of years and they never cease to UNDERwhelm me. Many of my favorite Thai dishes are way too salty here and it is disappointing, though their Panang is good.
When we have eaten Sabai Sabai in the past it has almost always been with takeout. Each time I order they quote me a time and when I arrive I ALWAYS end up waiting an additional 15-20 minutes. This has been true regardless of how busy they are. I have waited just as long for take our when they have only 2 people in the restaurant as when they are full.
To be honest I can not understand why everyone ranks this place so high. -
Review from Andrew B.
Germantown, MD
3/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
!!This place has some of the best most authentic thai food in the area. There is a reason why it is always busy, it's really that good!
They also serve premium tea from The Social Tea House! -
Review from Mary S.
Germantown, MD
10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Some of the best Thai food around.
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Review from Alireza S.
Germantown, MD
2/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of the worst restaurant experiences I have ever had. The staff at the door is friendly, but our waitress was not... very unapproachable and NO personality. We were seated around 7 and did not get our entree's until 7:45. Slow kitchen. Appetizers were poor at best. Stay away from the spring rolls... they were terrible.
I ordered the crispy duck which would have been good if it was actually warm, my food was cold and I figured I should just eat my food instead of waiting for another 20 minutes for our waitress to show and wait an extra 40 for it to be microwaved. The taste was decent, but the duck was just too fatty and too tough. It was like a cheap steak. I honestly do not understand how you have 2 waitresses staffing the entire restaurant on a Friday at dinner time.
My mother made the mistake of getting the ginger chicken which was flavorless... Take a bit of cardboard and nibble on it to compare the taste. We asked for some peppers or hot sauce, of course our waitress forgot. So we asked again. By the time it arrived, my mothers food was cold as well.
My father got the chicken pad thai which he said was good, but I am not budging on my 1 star rating. He can write his own review.
Drinks:
Ice tea was not bad. Many people have complimented it, but its not anything special. The only thing that was notable was that it was real ice tea, not the diabetes in a cup that McDonald's serves. The ice tea was stale though, it did not taste very fresh brewed, it was probably from the afternoon.
Coke: Watered down.
We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes at this horrible place. I would not go back even if I was guaranteed a free meal. Worst dining experience I have had in years..
To the Sabai Sabai management: hire more staff, make sure they are friendly, reserve less tables, work on customer satisfaction. You guys were terrible. Lower your prices too. -
Review from Fenny L.
A strip mall.
In Germantown.
With a name that...rhymed.
Yes, I was expecting this to suck. And suck royally. Yet...yet it was remarkably tasty and definitely "good eats"!
We came after a day of running errands. We wanted Thai but didn't want to visit any of our usual haunts, so I pulled up Yelp, and voila - Sabai Sabai Simply Thai.
At first, I didn't really want to come. After all, it's Germantown (I refuse to believe that there are good eats in Germantown), and it's nestled in a strip mall. And the name of the place...*shudder*...I hate cutesy names like this.
But I'm so glad I came!
The menu is simple, with two sides. The "traditional" which has Thai fan favorites like pad thai and ka-paw, and then there is the reverse side called "street food". Now, having been to Thailand and having happily gorged on Thai street food for 14 days straight (and gained so much weight that when I arrived back in the US my dad thought that I was pregnant...FML), I was skeptical of the quality of "street food" from a strip mall, but I was game.
For those of you that have been to Thailand...this is not authentic...not by a long stretch. However, it was so damned delicious that I forgot that we were in a crappy strip mall (yeah, I really hate strip malls) in the middle of Germantown. Now that's some good eats!
We got the grilled pork skewer with sticky rice, and it was rich and flavorful. For my entree, I got the "Floating Market Soup" - a delicious concoction found along the river in Bangkok. If you've never had this before, it's basically a rich noodle soup with bean sprouts, fish balls, slices of meat, slices of congealed blood and thickened with more blood. Yes, you read that right (and it's DELICIOUS!). The server, seeing how I was drooling all over the menu the moment I spied this, was careful to caution me that their Floating Market Soup did not have blood in it...but I was still willing to give it a try. He was right - it's just not the same, yet - it was still rich and satisfying and really hit the spot! YUM!
The service was fast, prompt and very attentive. The space is a little "cutesy trendy" for me, but I tend to be a little judgmental about stuff like that.
All in all, it was surprisingly delicious and I am so glad that we came. Will definitely be back! YUM!Listed in: Sawadee Thai!
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Review from Dorian P.
Gaithersburg, MD
3/2/2011
Went in here last week, and sat at the bar. The owner served us, and we enjoyed a light conversation with her resulting in two on the house Thai teas (my favorite!). The drunken noodles were delicious, as was the spicy beef dish I ordered (can't remember the name). In my opinion, the spicy beef wasn't THAT spicy, but i'm mexican so i'm a bit biased. Anyways, the owner brought out four different spicy sauces for us, in case we were feeling adventurous. I loaded on the hot peppers, and a few minutes later, was downing the Thai tea to relieve the stresses on my tongue.
The atmosphere is beautiful, a total surprise given the surrounding restaurants in the Germantown area. No idea there was a bar in there too. It would make for a great watering hole, since everyone and their mother seems to drink at bailey's or green turtle. Great selection of Imported beers too. -
Review from yui g.
Silver Spring, MD
2/25/2011
One of my favorite restaurants PERIOD! The food here is exactly like Bangkok! Try the Crispy duck basil, the kao kha moo, or the Kana moo krob and my all time favorite Yum eggplant- you will not be disappointed. The decore is comfy-cozy-trendy, and the wait staff attentive. I seriously love the food here!!
A desert to try- ka nom krok- it's delicious and hard to find in the DMV area. -
Review from S C.
Washington, DC
4/11/2011
Ordered delivery from this place twice. The first time we ordered was a lot better but I will review the food from last night. We ordered Tom Yum soup. The flavor was nice but it wasn't spicy enough. It was very tangy instead. For entrees, we ordered the Spicy Catfish and Southern Style Curry. The catfish was very tasty. The curry could be better. The flavor was nice but the potatoes were undercooked.
Their customer service could be improved. It would be nice if the person who answers the phone understood engrish =\ -
Review from Akshay A.
Gaithersburg, MD
10/22/2010
Simply mediocre!
I don't know if everyone in this area is used to such bland and tasteless Thai food, but there are definitely better options than "Sabai Sabai Simply Thai."
From the get go, we knew we were in for a sub-par experience. The hostess at the door completely ignored my father while he was asking her a question (about the http://Restaurant.com coupon that we had). She was obnoxious; vanishing for several minutes without even properly giving us an estimate for the time it would take to get us seated.
On to the food. We had heard good things about the Spicy Wings, but alas, they were just regular wings mixed with your run-of-the-mill sweet & sour sauce and garnished with basil to make them look Thai.
My mother's lamb chops were well cooked, but lacking any real flavor. My father's noodle soup was so bland that he had to add all sorts of condiments from the spice rack to make it taste better. My own drunken noodles were spicy... but that's about it. There was no real taste to them, and the chicken was rubbery.
Finally, the sticky rice was an absolute disaster. I ate half of it before shoving my dish away in disgust. It was akin to chewing cardboard.
About the only thing worth trying at this place is the Thai iced tea - and even then, I've had better.
Service was slow, but the place was busy, so I guess I have to cut them some slack.
Overall - avoid! There are better options. -
Review from Natalie S.
San Francisco, CA
6/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sabai Sabai is yummy!! I think the Thai food here is pretty authentic. I like how they have a Thai menu and carry snacks that I usually only find in Thailand like the coconut pancakes kanom krok/krong. Their food is pretty spicy so if you can't take heat, order it mild.
