- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Siam Splendour
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
1125 Emerson St(between Oak Ave & Railroad Ave)
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 492-1008
- Nearest Transit:
-
Foster (Purple Line)
Davis (Purple Line)
Noyes (Purple Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri 11 am - 10:30 pm
Sat 12 am - 10:30 pm
Sun 12 am - 10 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
51 reviews for Siam Splendour
Review Highlights
"Haven't made it to the lunch buffet yet."
(in 11 reviews)
"Ruby of Siam IS vegetarian/vegan-friendly."
(in 18 reviews)
"The Pad Thai is about as perfect as Pad Thai can be."
(in 16 reviews)
Loading...
51 reviews in English
-
Review from Pavithra M.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
love the lunch buffet. For $8.95, you get a good variety and tasty food. Their spread includes a ton of meat and vegetarian dishes to satisfy most taste buds. I love that it is close to work and can be a great place for lunch meetings because it is not overly crowded - why this is remains a mystery to me!
-
Review from Helen S.
12/29/2011
Tasty. I love all types of curries (Indian, Thai, Japanese, etc) and Siam Splendour makes the best panang curry. I've tried this dish at both Cozy Noodle and Thai Sookdee, but Siam Splendour still wins. The portion sizes are decent - the curry can usually last you for two meals if you eat it with rice (which you will...) - and the other items on the menu are delicious too; I think I also tried the pad see iew which I liked. This is a good casual place to stop by when you don't feel like cooking.
-
Review from Liz S.
Evanston, IL
12/31/2011
I'm not sure why Siam Splendour changed its name, it seems to be the same exact place, but that's just fine with me, because this is my favorite Thai place in Evanston. I love their pad thai, which I like to get with chicken AND vegetables, and they don't charge me extra, like they do over at Cozy Noodle. Siam Splendour also has a choice of bean thread noodles or rice noodles--awesome! The mango sticky rice dessert is delicious, the mango is always ripe and the sauce on the rice is very good. My only complaint would be that they seem to keep the temperature kind of low, but maybe that's just something having a full dining room will fix. It seems most of their business is delivery. The guy who does the delivery is really nice (And he has a very cute newborn baby!:)
-
Review from Laura H.
Wilmette, IL
12/18/2011
We used to love Siam Splendour when it was Ruby of Siam, but the quality has definitely slipped in the last six months. Our last order of 6 dishes had 2 that were totally wrong and one that was inedible (stay far, far away from the eggplant). Their best dish and the only thing I'd ever get from them again is the one-bit chicken. But even that came with iceberg lettuce that had brown edges. Seriously?
-
Review from Ashley J.
Chicago, IL
7/25/2011
Best Thai restaurant in Evanston! Decent portions and prices (unlike Thai Sookdee). One of the best pad thai dishes I've had in any Thai place! The potstickers were not very impressive, but then again it's not a Chinese restaurant. However, when I ordered delivery from here, the food did not seem as tasty--perhaps because it had been sitting in a car for a while. If it was not so out of the way for me, I would definitely go all the time!
Be sure to ask for the chili flakes, not sure what kind of seasoning they add in but it's amazing. -
Review from Carly H.
9/29/2011
I love Ruby of Siam, now known as Siam Splendour. What gives!! anyways I guess it's ok since the website looks amazing and has catchy music... My favorite dish here is their amazing lemon chicken ( tastes better if dining in ). The other options are pretty good and very reasonably priced. Hard to go wrong with Ruby of Siam.
-
Review from Marco A.
Evanston, IL
4/16/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Fresh and tasty food! Incredible lunch buffet! I'm a big fan!!
Usually go there once a week and food is always up to par! -
Review from Tricia L.
6/1/2010 1 photo
Solid Thai food. There's over 100 choices on the menu, but all I can tell you is that the pad see eiw with beef hits the spot.
Spacious restaurant. There's a lunch buffet too. And while I'm not too crazy about the name change coming up (to Siam Splendour), I'll keep coming here. -
Review from Daphne L.
5/10/2010
A Thai lunch buffet, you say? Well, yes, I think I will give it a try!
With a new job in a new part of town, I get to try new lunch spots, and was granted the opportunity to check out Ruby of Siam. I've driven past this place five bahundred times, but, never bothered to stop for a meal. A monthly department Friday lunch was the perfect opportunity.
My (new) dept. went for lunch this past Friday, and we had a great time. I was surprised to see a decent crowd during lunch time, but after tasting the food I see why. The buffet isn't huge, which I found to be a nice change from the typical vats of food that sit out for hours at a time. They offer small portions that are replenished as-needed, and a nice variety. I started with the tom yum soup which was quite good, a curry rice with pork, and mixed vegetables in a somewhat spicy sauce. Others in my party were raving about the pad thai, so I went back for a taste..I wholeheartedly agree that the pad thai is delicious.
The service was absolutely lovely, it's located within walking distance of my office, they have a free parking lot, and, the lunch buffet is $8.95! I'm fo shizzle adding this to my new lunch rotation. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Houston, TX
9/13/2010
FOOD:
There are actually quite a few Thai places in Evanston, and Ruby is one of the better ones. Their dishes are little bigger portions than others, and made with pretty fresh ingredients. It's kind of hard to go wrong with Thai food though..
ATMOSPHERE:
Meh, it's ok. Usually pretty empty. Lots of space, and pretty clean. Reminds me of a sit-down family Chinese restaurant. -
Review from Keiko S.
6/21/2006 1 photo
If you're craving for solid Thai food in Evanston, give this place a try. Some dishes I find to be a bit too mild and sweet, but you can always ask to make them spicier. My favorites are chicken salad, panang curry, rard nar, and sticky rice with mango (seasonal).
3 stars for the food, but 4 stars for their weekday lunch BUFFET(offered from 11am). It's one of the best deals around, and is definitely worth the price of $7.95/person, plus a 10% discount with the NU wildcard. They typically have two kinds of soup - veggie and chicken tom yum. The latter is my favorite, sweet and tangy. Then there are curries, stir fries, chicken/beef salad, fried rice, fried noodles, etc. For dessert, they typically have some cookies and the warm coconut milk w/beans and tapioca...very yummy.
Friendly service, clean and spacious setting, ample parking, fast delivery... Not sure about the Skokie branch, though.Listed in: Thai yummies in Chicagoland
-
Review from andrew z.
Evanston, IL
12/12/2007
Perhaps I am becoming jaded. While I found the food at Ruby of Siam to be edible, there was nothing that made me take much notice of it.
Let me back up to say that this is good food, not merely "edible," but it wasn't all that interesting. I ordered my food medium spicy and still found the spices overpowering the flavor of the rest of the food. Was that a carrot or a pepper? I don't know, I couldn't tell.
I would like to try more of the meals here. -
Review from Elaine M.
New York, NY
5/17/2007
I second PJ K. that Ruby of Siam is the best Thai restaurant in Evanston. The red curry is delicious and the spiciness is sinus-clearing good! The pad see ewe is also nothing to sneeze at. I've never been around for their buffet, but I imagine that could be a pretty good deal.
Though I agree that RoS is unfortunately located in that weird no-man's land that my boyfriend aptly referred to as Bizarro Evanston, it was always convenient for me during my senior year, because I lived a mere block away on Garnett Street back in the day. (The epic dilemma was always: Chicken Shack or Ruby?) -
Review from Kristen S.
Chicago, IL
6/8/2008
My second favorite restaurant for Thai cuisine in the Chicagoland area. I work in Evanston and was looking for a great place to grab lunch.
There is a lunch buffet at a reasonable price, which most of the patrons are ordering. I, however, have a gluten sensitivity, which means I have to order off the menu. The cucumber salad and chicken pad thai here are both gluten-free items and the total with tax is about $12. There is enough pad thai and cucumber salad to save for tomorrow's lunch as well - so I have figured it is $6/meal.
Food is excellent. I think it's even better than my other favorite Thai place, Noodles in the Pot in Lincoln Park in Chicago. I can't quite make a decision yet.
The chicken pad thai comes with tofu and fresh veggies and it is pure perfection. I love that the light sweetness of the cucumber salad is accented with hot Thai peppers!
Service is great, wonderful location... I'd drive up here on the weekends to have lunch or dinner because it's just THAT good. -
Review from Emily Y.
11/30/2008
I went to Ruby of Siam tonight based on some reviews I'd read elsewhere
Lesson: don't stray from Yelp, even if UrbanSpoon has an iphone app. Ruby of Siam had a 91% approval rating and I was in the mood for thai.
I ordered the pad thai with chicken, which is a standard and also one of a few entrees listed as recommended on their menu. It was probably among the worst pad thais I've had: really overpowering lime flavor and far too sweet for my taste, plus the sauce seemed almost mayonnaisey (notaword!).
I'd probably give this place a second chance, but as my waitress delivered my food I asked her for a to-go box (trying to survive holiday weight gain by just automatically packing away half) and she rolled her eyes at me. ROLLED HER EYES at me. I've considered that I imagined this, since I was having a pretty crappy, pitiful day to begin with (Texas came in third to Oklahoma in the BCS even though we beat them by 10 points on neutral turf? Does God exist? Is he napping???) I decided that my mind wasn't playing tricks on me when I watched her blow off another table's request for to go boxes soon after.
This is just the world trying to tell me to leave well enough alone and stick with what I know: Tac Quick Thai on Sheridan in Wrigley. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) Sorry, Evanstonians, I don't know what to tell you... -
Review from Lauren C.
Peru, IL
5/10/2011
I had a sweet potato and chicken curry and it was delish! The sweet potato was not as flavorful as I would have hoped, but the curry was really tasty. We had excellent service, and we'd definitely go back again!
-
Review from Scott S.
Chicago, IL
10/5/2009
Like its sister in Skokie, Ruby of Siam has a great diversity of dishes and delivers on most of its promises. Especially good are the sauces for appetizers (and the appetizers themselves); you could do a main course of the pot stickers and/or the crying tiger, period! (Why yes, I have, thanks for asking... *uncomfortable cough*... moving on....)
Try anything - the menu is quite complete and largely good. You'll find the flavor profile to your liking on a few orders and find your "groove" here. Don't forget to get at least a small tom yum goong or tom kha gai!
If you're driving between Chicago and Evanston or points north, this is a great place to stop and grab lunch. :-) Enjoy1 -
Review from Jade T.
4/24/2009
I have to disagree with Kid K. Ruby of Siam IS vegetarian/vegan-friendly. I called ahead to ask whether or not fish sauce could be omitted from their Pad Thai, and they said they'll gladly do it. Sweet. So I went to Ruby of Siam for dinner (and had a coupon with me - check your mail). It's just a stone's throw away from Foster station.
My friend and I shared/split the Yum Woon Sen (glass noodle salad with lime juice and hot sauce - delicious). I ordered the Lard Na (wide rice noodles with broccoli and brown gravy), minus oyster sauce and an order of Phad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) to go. My friend had the Tilapia with 3-Flavor Sauce. Naturally, I didn't know how it tasted, but my friend finished the entire dish. Ruby of Siam's food is better than other Thai restaurants in the area, but also a few dollars pricier. The portions are gigantic, so you get your money's worth. The Lard Na was lunch and dinner for me the next day.
The service is very polite and accommodating. Again, if you ask them to make a dish vegetarian (no meat, no fish sauce, no oyster sauce) they'll (try to) do it. It beats the Thai restaurants that already have everything pre-made. I'd be WARY of the curries though. Curry pastes are usually pre-made with fish sauce, shrimp paste, et cetera.
I haven't ranked all the Thai restaurants in Evanston, but Ruby of Siam's menu has more dishes than others and the flavors are as authentic as it gets in suburbia. How do I know? The chefs are Thai. (I was there until closing and saw all the staff.)Listed in: Vegetarian-Friendly (or…
-
Review from Yanyao N.
8/5/2009
The promise of a lunch buffet lured me in, and at $8.95 during the week, it isn't such a bad price to pay for limitless Thai food.
The good:
- Parking lot, though I probably should have walked here.
- The staff are really nice.
- They have iced jasmine tea.
- I never order fried rice but always want to eat it. At the buffet, there were TWO kinds of fried rice - one regular with beef, and one spicy with pork and green beans.
- A huge vat of tom yum soup at the buffet.
The bad:
- Yes they had iced jasmine tea, but when our server went to get a refill he discovered they were out of it and then we were just left with water. Sadface! I love my refills.
- The vat of tom yum soup that I was excited about was too sweet. I wouldn't really blame RoS because all the tom yum soups I've had in Chicago are too sweet and lacking in heat. In Asia I would have to ask for a side of white rice because my mouth would be in fire. Mmm food masochism.
- The rest of the buffet was just about average, which is sad because I was so excited. They had a tofu pad thai, a pork vermicelli pad see ewe, 2 fried rices, white rice, stir fry veggies, and a couple of meat dishes (broccoli chicken, ginger pork, etc). There was nothing wrong with what I ate. It just wasn't that great.
- What? No crab rangoon? Spring rolls? Veggie egg rolls? Fried tofu? Satay? No?
All in all, there was nothing wrong with lunch. I left feeling full and got to sample everything. I like variety! I think that the Thai Classic weekend buffet has completely spoiled me though, so if I were in the market for a great Thai buffet, I would definitely go there instead. I can't say much for ordering off the menu, but I am fiercely loyal to Cozy and Siam Pasta.Listed in: Buffets!
-
Review from Laila C.
11/16/2009
I give you 3 stars just because of the hilarity of the one time I've ever been to Ruby of Siam. I have a large Indian friend who prides himself on his ability to consume SUUUPER hot foods.When the server asked us how hot we wanted our dishes, this crazy asked for super Hot. The server looked at him, snickered and walked away. HEEHEEE
let's just say, my friend his tummy was not happy with him for the next week.
Anyways, when I was in the restaurant, the table next to us looked like they were having an awesome feast! Lots of fishes, all with their heads on, and other delicious foods! Totally Authentic place! -
Review from vali t.
Evanston, IL
3/13/2011
HORRIBLE SERVICE!
The cashier/hostess was so unbelievable rude that I won't be eating here anymore nor friends and office peeps.
I got the wrong order... which i didn't mind but when I told the cashier "oh, btw I got the wrong order" She started to speak pretty loud, asking me for the name of the food. I told her I'm sorry I can't say the name but this is the number and this is what is on it" - she immediately replayed we don't have number here... you made a mistake. Give me your receipt number!. As she kept talking louder and louder... i was just trying to explain her that I didn't care for a replacement- i just wanted to let her know but she kept interrupting me - and after I gave her my order number she said "we don't have that order number. It doesn't exist" all this while I was looking at my receipt given by her.
wow.... i don't mind the confusion I just dislike when people feel the need to be rude just because they made a mistake. So no more Siam for me.. I'm sorry but it is unacceptable that you pay money to be treated poorly... and ok food.
I never give reviews but this whole thing was pretty ridiculous. -
Review from Travis G.
Erlanger, KY
2/25/2008
Definitely one of our favorite Thai spots in the Chicago land area. The menu is extensive(read almost overwhelming), and we always have to tell the quaintly dressed wait person for a little more time on deciding. Some of the portions are ridiculously huge. We will sometimes get the fried tofu with ground chicken on top as an entree even though it's listed as an starter. Spice levels are sometime inconsistent, we've had to cut back a level on the soup but still get entrees at full spice. Well, full spice without having to ask for anything special. Haven't been disappointed with anything we've ordered. Haven't made it to the lunch buffet yet.
As I'm not from up here I like the fact that is has a parking lot and a crazy store next to it. Location is actually nice for me, as I sometimes can't stand the pretentious college kids and snobby white trash that live in this area.Listed in: 5 out of 5
-
Review from Vanessa C.
Evanston, IL
6/2/2009
Can you say delisch?
I love, love, love the chicken curry! My sisters and I will without-fail halt our evening plans short on weekend nights just to sit and divulge in Pad Thai, tom yun soup, and dumplings!!!
If you're looking for genuine and legit dinning or takeout, you must run over and grab some Ruby!! -
Review from Reid C.
Chicago, IL
4/5/2011
Actually pretty solid. Loved the red curry and cucumber salad. Plus there weren't any bees in the restaurant as far as I could tell. BONUS!
-
Review from Shradha A.
Chicago, IL
8/1/2007
I beg to differ - I really liked Ruby of Siam for a long time, until I discovered Thai Sookdee. And now there is no doubt in my mind which is better!
Ruby of Siam does everything very cutely, the dishes they bring the food in and the server's costumes, but there is just something about the food that doesn't quite satisfy me.
To add to that, the service leaves a lot to be desired! I ordered Bubble Tea, the waitress got it down wrong, brought me the wrong thing, when I told her she told me I was wrong! I had 7 other people on the table and they all knew what I had ordered. Making mistakes is human, but not accepting them is definitely not the way to go!
Everything said and done, I still will go back here once in every few months, although I don't quite know why.
My recommendation although is Thai Sookdee! -
Review from Marion P.
Chicago, IL
12/14/2007
We ordered from Ruby of Siam because Thai Sookdee doesn't deliver and Joy Yees was closed for construction.
It really wasn't terrible, but I also wasn't terribly impressed. The food here is WAY too expensive. Almost all entrees are around 13 dollars, which is about twice as much as they should be. The food was a bit messier and greasier than necessary.
The most disappointing, aside from the price, is the lack of specifically vegetarian offerings. You can probably order things with tofu instead of meat, but why bother begging for an exception, when other Thai places have large veggie offerings or at least explicitly state the tofu option?
I ordered one of the few actually vegetarian things on the menu, an eggplant something, and it was fine, but not great, especially not 13 dollar kinda great. -
Review from Jennie M.
Los Angeles, CA
6/5/2009
Ruby of Siam is awesome.
I went here a couple Saturdays ago with a friend and we both got an appetizer, an entree, and a beverage, and each of us paid like 8 bucks. The thai iced tea was DELICIOUS and my beef pad see ew was f'ing phenominal. Plus it, paired with the fried tofu, was easily 2 and a half meals. If I was going to be in Evanston more often, I'd hit this place up on a regular basis.
Also, I left my purse there and didn't realize it until almost 15 mins later. Yep, I'm a dumbass. When I called they said they were hoping I'd remember and had stashed it behind the counter for me. At least someone was looking out for my stupidity.
One thing: they didn't give us plasticware for our takeout order which was a problem when we reached our destination (the beach) so make sure to ask for it, or grab a set of chopsticks from the counter. -
Review from J G.
Evanston, IL
4/16/2011
Great little place in Evanston that also delivers. Very good wait staff and the food is always delicious. Try the duck - yum!
-
Review from sheryl k.
Skokie, IL
8/14/2010
Bright, spacious and clean, Ruby of Siam (aka Siam Splendour) is a decent destination for a quick bite in the suburbs. It may be that the lunch buffet is only served during the weekdays as there were no lunch specials on a Saturday.
We were starving and jumped straight to entrees. I got the Pad Thai with Chicken. I am used to flat noodles and lots of basil in my pad thai, but they used thin rice noodles and no basil. That was a bit of a bummer but not to say that it tasted bad. I finished my plate. However, I've had better. They served the pad thai with the standard fare: crushed peanuts, brussel sprouts and a wedge of lime.
The white table cloths and extra touch with fresh flowers on the table make the space inviting, however, the waitresses could be better dressed to give a more put-together ambiance.
If you want to avoid driving into the city, then try this place out. -
Review from Kerrie B.
Chicago, IL
3/27/2011
More "meh" than "memorable." As in, I ate half of my curry and didn't take the rest home; I'm glad to have been once, but don't feel the immediate need to revisit.
-
Review from George O.
Evanston, IL
10/22/2008
I went with a friend, and we had the green curry with tofu and one of their whole fish dishes.
Thai restaurants generally have a whole fish as the piece de la resistance, or something to that effect. Here, it was tough, incredibly salty (I couldn't choke any more than half of it), and didn't seem especially fresh. Maybe I'm just harsh because this is often my favorite thing about going to a Thai restaurant, but I'm never going back. To be fair, the green curry was reasonably good, although they overcook their firm tofu, which seems silly to me. -
Review from Amber K.
Chicago, IL
12/28/2007
I think this is the best Thai restaurant in the Chicagoland area. Checking out the other reviews, I'm kind of surprised that other yelpers don't seem to agree with me. but I will not succumb to peer pressure!
I went on a multi-day tour of various Thai restauants in north chicagoland with a group of friends, and at each restaurant we ordered 4 or 5 different curries plus one or two noodle dishes. I came away feeling that all of the food at Ruby of Siam was more flavorful and contained higher quality ingredients (particularly meats) than at the other Thai restaurants. Plus I felt that the portions were slightly larger than the other restaurants. Yes, the food was pricier, but I think that is justified by the better food and the larger portions.
By far, my favorite dish here is the duck curry. they even serve it in a ceramic duck! -
Review from Stanley T.
Chicago, IL
12/10/2008
Best Thai food in Evanston. Their curries are good and they have a wide selection of food including some interesting appetizers like the One Bite Noodle that I haven't seen at the other Thai places in the area.
The entree prices are higher by a few dollars than the other area Thai restaurants, so so bear that in mind when choosing a Thai restaurant. For me, I'll pay the premium but as a result I don't eat here quite as often as I would like. -
Review from Barack O.
Evanston, IL
Updated - 11/19/2010
I got a chance to try the lunch buffet recently. At just under $10, it's a little expensive for the modest selection, but that selection encompasses a wide range of foods (meats, veggies, noodles, etc.) and everything I sampled tasted great. If you're in the mood for a satisfying Thai lunch, definitely give this place (now called Siam Splendour) a look.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/8/2010
A cozy, quiet place for Thai cuisine. Food is excellent: savory without an overload of grease,… Read more »
-
-
Review from PJ K.
Cambridge, MA
7/6/2006
Probably Evanston's best Thai restaurant, which is no doubt what keeps them in business despite an unfortunate location in a strip mall a couple of blocks from the "bustle" that is downton Evanston. Good simple food, served in generous portions, by a staff that is friendly and helpful. Not the best Thai food in the Chicago area, but a nice little restaurant that deserves some recognition.
-
Review from Ethan A.
Sunnyvale, CA
5/22/2011
This is my wife and I's default Thai restaurant in Evanston. It's the best food of the three Thai restaurants in the area (Thai Sookdee and Cozy being the other two). The menu is pretty standard, and everything is cooked well and delicious. The staff is very courteous, and we always have a pleasant experience eating here or doing take-out.
-
Review from Natasha M.
Evanston, IL
1/3/2010
This is place is the place to go on one of the weeknights after work or school. It's very relaxing and group-friendly place.
The portions are huge!!! Pad See-Ewe is delicious and the Panang Curry, too. The Thai Ice Tea there is among the best I have had.
They also offer delivery and take out. It's highly recommended on one of those cold winter nights that you have to study but too hungry to begin. Just give them a ring! -
Review from Kid K.
Evanston, IL
10/3/2008
I write this review for the benefit of vegans and vegetarians.
Ruby of Siam routinely advertises in the Northwestern student paper.
Their advertisement invariably includes the phrase, "Vegetarians -- any dish made vegan." The thing is, vegetarian dishes are very scarce on the menu. When I asked for a curry without fish sauce the waiter could not comprehend my request (language barrier). I therefore have little confidence in their oft-printed claim that dishes will be made vegan. This happened both times I visited the restaurant (hey there was a good coupon).
Portions and price -- not too good. Pre-eat. -
Review from Andrew T.
Chicago, IL
11/26/2007
This is based on one visit to the lunch buffet. No pad see-ew in the buffet? The coke was really diluted and very carbonated. The pad thai was okay, as was the fried rice. The rest of the dishes had beef that tasted like cardboard (beef/brocolli). No bueno.
-
Review from Lu C.
Evanston, IL
1/11/2009
As I heard from one of my Thai friends, this place is very authentic compared to most. I'm not Thai, but everything here tastes really good to me- the main dishes and the desserts too (try the mango rice!). The only part that I don't like about this place is the walk. It's in a sketchy area away from most things, but if you have a car, hit this place up all the time!
