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Tawon Thai Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
3410 Fremont Ave NSeattle, WA 98103
Neighborhood: Fremont
(206) 633-4545
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
110 reviews for Tawon Thai Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"We get some spring rolls to start." In 7 reviews -
"Tom Yum Noodle Soup w/ soft tofu." In 4 reviews -
"The curry is rich and creamy with good spice." In 35 reviews
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110 reviews in English
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Review from Einar J.
Ferndale, WA
5/11/2012
Have eaten at a lot of different Thai restaurants over the years and alot while in Thailand as well, but this place has stood out from all of them. Decor is warm and spacious. Decorations are authentic and give the dining areas a good ambience. Like the light in this place. Hight ceilings makes it feel spacious.
There are some great things on the menu, but the Crispy Chili Chicken is a combination of flavors and texture like none I've ever experienced. You hear the words sweet and savory, but this dish captures them. The fried basal with it gives the perfect crispyness to it. The Golden Bag appetizers are done a bit differently than most Thai places with a bit more curry in them which I really enjoyed. The staff were friendly and the owner was accommodating to ask a few questions with. Parking can be a bit tricky if you're going on a Friday or Saturday night, but we had no problem on a Thursday at 7PM.
Will be going again to try some of the other items on their menu as well. -
Review from Erik M.
3/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
"I think I've found my new favorite Thai," remarked my coworker remarked as we rolled out fully satisfied with our lunches. And while having a favorite restaurant of any kind is really ab out as subjective as anything can be, I can definitely see where he's coming from.
The restaurant is casual but classy, with subtle Thai decor, pleasant lighting, and everything is clean and in good repair. The service was prompt and cheerful, and the food was greatly satisfying both in quantity and quality.
Not feeling overly creative I went with one of my old standbys, the Pad Kee Mao, and it was on par with any I recall having eaten in Seattle. I ordered it with three star spice, and I'd say I got what I was expecting in that regard. My companions who went with four stars reported the same.
The lunch specials are a good value, combining a portion of Pad Thai with your choice of main, and one of my colleagues remarked that the Pad Thai was particularly good, which is noteworthy because he is typically not a fan. Another dish at the table that received high marks was the Panang Curry.
Since my team recently relocated to an office just across the canal from Fremont, I suspect Tawon will become a more frequent lunch destination, although we'll certainly do our due diligence with the other Thai options in the neighborhood as well. -
Review from Albano B.
Seattle, WA
3/19/2012
This restaurant is in our neighborhood, so we go there often because of convenience. But it's definitely not just the convenience. We like the spacious, high ceiling atmosphere with dim lights & a few two-top tables by the window are great for people watching. These tables are most popular for two person parties & are usually occupied.
The food that we order is almost always the same & is simple; Pad Thai, vegetarian red curry, chicken satay & fresh veggie rolls. We like all those dishes just fine......red curry can be a bit inconsistent though, sometimes it's thinner & other times it is a little more dense & "creamier". We prefer the latter. Pad Thai is good, but can be a bit "sticky", but not too bad.
The service is basic & efficient & that's just fine with us, we're not crazy about our servers hovering over us too much & interfering with our communication.
Overall, Tawon Thai is your basic, solid Thai restaurant, nothing to blow your mind away or deeply disappoint you & that's not too bad! -
Review from Norm W.
River Falls, WI
4/30/2012
I have been to a lot of Thai Restaurant but this is still my favorite. I live in Minneapolis but get to Seattle every year or so. This is one of the places I always visit when I am in town. The food is amazing and the service is good.
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Review from Jerry G.
Seattle, WA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tawon is and average but clean Thai restaurant that has plenty of space. It's a good place if you have a party of four+, have children, and want an in an out experience. You don't have to wait for seating here - Ever. As for the food.... Well that's average too. For some reason it tends to be on the greasier side. However, It's cheap, good and satisfies.If you are a Thai food lover (like myself) and want to enjoy a really healthy lunch or dinner then don't be fooled. There are far better Thai restaurants around to choose from.
Wheelchair friendly -
Review from Trisha S.
Seattle, WA
3/23/2012
Lunch Menu with Combo #6 Pad Thai and Ginger
I left almost untouched all the food. The pad thai was too greasy with a very distinct taste of over fried vegetable oil. This thing tasted as bad as it smelled.
Ginger - in the menu it was forgotten to point out that "ginger" is just a bunch of cut and fired onions served in a souse with just 3 slices of bell pepper and tofu. Unless you like onion that much this will not be a dish for you. -
Review from Sue Y.
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Positives: Chicken satay
Summary: Cute ambiance and semi-good service (depending on what you like), I really wish the food had been better.
I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance of the restaurant. Clean and very open and considering the moderate Yelp stars, it was much nicer than I had expected.
The service was confusing. It was very difficult to get their attention to order more dishes, or to get limes, or even to get the bill, but they were incredibly, almost annoying, insistent about removing any plates that were not currently in use despite the fact that we were one of three tables. They were also really good about filling the water. We weren't the only ones to get this strange service either. When we were leaving, we overheard another table getting hassled about whether or not they were going to split one of the dishes because they wanted to remove the excess dishes/bowls.
In terms of quality, the chicken satay appetizer (though small) was my favorite and perhaps the only redeeming dish. It boosted this review from one to two stars. The chicken was very tender and moist. The cucumber salad was delicious, sweet, and crunchy. My only grip is that for about $5, I expected more than two tiny pieces of chicken and a quarter cup of salad.
If only the other dishes were nearly as good!
The Pad Thai was an overcooked pile of bland noodles, and scrambled eggs on top of sprouts. The flavors were okay, but really lacked the bold Pad Thai flavors that are usually associated with the dish.
The Seafood Tom Yum Soup had loads of seafood, but was mild on the lemon grass and other associated Thai flavors. Also, we ordered it super spicy, "four stars", but it was only mildly spicy. -
Review from J.P. S.
Issaquah, WA
8/13/2011 10 Check-ins Here
This is my favorite Thai restaurant in the Seattle area!
Sure, it may be right across the street from Jai Thai, but my personal opinion is that the taste at Tawon is better.
I recommend the cashew nut with chicken. Also, their brown rice is just amazing and much different that the classic brown rice you will have anywhere else. Its more red than brown and very sticky too.
I have never had to wait for a table at Tawon (unlike Jai Thai), and the service here has always been great as well.
Definitely put this place on your dinner list the next time you are in Fremont. -
Review from Ryan D.
Seattle, WA
7/29/2011
I would give this place four stars is for the Pad Thai which I think is the best in the Fremont/Wallingford nexus of Thai restaurants(Seriously in our hood there are more Thai Restaurants than Thai people!). However, the lack of depth puts it in the average category
the other dishes are good, but really not memorable. Nevertheless if you go with a group you will now know to grab the Pad Thai and leave the curry for the other folks. The Pad Thai is less sweet than the other places and has just the right zing to it. Very fresh veggies and condiments upon request as well.
The decor is very nice, almost too nice as sometimes when I want pad thai its on a day when Im not dressing up...but nice enough to take your grandmother too for sure.
Parking can be a pain and it does cost now...Thanks Mayor McGinn! I recommend parking up the hill and walking down to avoid the draw bridge area. -
Review from Lissa W.
Seattle, WA
10/27/2011
Maybe it was because I got take-out or something, but the Pad Thai was essentially tasteless. I've gotten better food from a mobile food truck. On top of that, their spiciness was way off. Maybe it was just this dish.
I would not go here again. It was too expensive for mediocre food. -
Review from Daniel S.
Seattle, WA
9/9/2011
I walked in on my way to work and ordered my food to go.
The heat was perfect, the food was tasty, and it was fast - Granted, I came in when they just opened and no one was there.
I've seen their to-go on http://eat24hours.com and I've walked by going to work numerous times, which is why I wanted to check it out.
The interior feels spacious, and the Eastern design made an 80 degree weather day in Seattle really feel like I wasn't in Seattle. I wish I could have stayed under the fan and eat there.
I haven't eaten in-house at this thai restaurant in years, but it is definitely on my list. -
Review from Tan Lo S.
6/9/2011
Uhm, they're okay. Their food isn't that great. Service is pretty good. But I think i've had way better thai.
They are all nice and nice service, but I would prefer other thai places. -
Review from Eunice K.
Seattle, WA
I came here with my boyfriend since on the recommendation from his coworker. Supposedly it was his favorite Thai restaurant.
This place is a lot bigger than I expected from the outside. It's really spacious and the decor is nice.
I had the beef pahd thai while my boyfriend had this chicken massaman curry.
When I got my pahd thai I was a little skeptical because the coloring looked weird. All good pahd thai I have had all usually have this orange sauce thing going on, so when this came out looking like just plain noodles on a plate I was super worried.
But it was AMAZING, comparable to my favorite thai restaurant. The massaman curry was good too, but I feel like it's really hard to mess up curry.
In general everything was great. Food was good and the service was good. -
Review from Inna B.
10/12/2010 12 Check-ins Here
I pass through Fremont on a daily basis these days and Tawon Thai has the PRIME location for take-out when you're busing.
I mean seriously... their location is right AT my bus stop. So, when I've been craving some tasty Thai after work, I just give them a call about 15 minutes ahead of time or hop inside to make my order if I have 20 minutes until my next bus.
The staff is nice and I think the waitress/hostess is starting to remember me now. (Yay?) They are always very nice and have me take a seat, bring me some water to consume while I wait. (Normal or do I tend to look dehydrated??) Also, last time I ordered Phad Thai with Tofu they also asked me if I'd like them to leave off the egg. (How awesome!)
The food is constantly tasty and always satisfies my Thai food cravings. I've been on an eggplant kick recently and their Fine Eggplant entree (with brown rice, whenever I remember to indicate that I prefer that instead of white) is deLICIOUS. The Famous Garlic is pretty tasty, too, but spicier than I was expecting it to be (given that I usually only get 1-2 spicy stars).Listed in: Appe-THAI-zing, Fremont-alistic!
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Review from Anne-Marie H.
Seattle, WA
6/21/2011
This is my favorite Thai restaurant in Seattle...and I've lived here my whole life. AND, i have lots of food allergies, but Thai food is one of the few I can have.
Definitely the best Phad Thai and Phad Woon Sen around. My boyfriend also loves the Phad Kee Mao.
Will never go back to Jai Thai. -
Review from Kevin E.
8/20/2011
If you are gluten-free this is not a good restaurant for you.
I was here today with a large group of people. All I needed was gluten-free food, and for this neighborhood I didn't think that was too much to ask for. I eat Thai food all the time and I've never had an issue with Thai restaurants creating something for me or taking soy sauce out....until today at this restaurant. When I asked if the curries were gluten free the waitress apparently didn't know what that was and so after I explained it to her she said that everything in their restaurant had gluten in it. I asked if they could just not put soy sauce in the curry and she told me that everything was pre-made and they couldn't take it out. I asked her again, so there's nothing you serve here that can be gluten free. This may have been a language barrier, and for this neighborhood, I just find it so absurd! She asked me what I wanted, and since I couldn't eat anything, I said, "I'll just have water."
Then I decided to walk up the street to Flying Apron Bakery and I had the most delicious vegan ginger kale salad. Soooooo goooood!Listed in: Duds
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Review from Hannah L.
9/19/2010
Once you've had truly excellent Tom Kha Gai, it's difficult to go back. Which means I don't think I'll be going back to Tawon Thai...but it might be worth a visit for you.
I'd had decent curries at Tawon Thai on previous visits, so after a session at Hop Fest down the street we were in fairly desperate need of sustenance and Tawon was fairly empty. Stopping in, we were seated immediately (the service here is always friendly!), and ordered a bowl of the Tom Kha and one of the specials, a red curry featuring pumpkin, basil, and a few other veggies.
The best Tom Kha I've ever had featured a lovely swirl of chili oil sliding across the smooth coconut soup. I judge everything by it, and everything comes up lacking....Tawon's version was almost pure white, with very little spice (we ordered medium) and not much chicken, but lots of lime - almost too much, even for a lime lover like me. The red curry was equally bland: the pumpkin had a great texture, but the curry wasn't spicy at all (again, at medium), and it was difficult to impossible to taste the basil or anything else interesting about the dish.
I doubt I'll be back, unless I find myself in Fremont on a Friday night needing to eat and unable to find a table anywhere else. Perhaps we failed in not ordering a spicier dish, but even the dynamics of the dishes were rather plain and dull (which is different from them not being spicy, in my culinary opinion). As mentioned, I remember liking their yellow curry in the past, so that might be worth a test for you if you're in the area and need a quick place to eat with friendly service and a quiet atmosphere. -
Review from Jenn D.
2/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
LOVE Tawon Thai--best Thai food in Seattle. Beautiful interior, amazing food, inexpensive. We've gone here for years--we try other Thai places, but none compare.
Try the Thai Fried Rice. SO GOOD! -
Review from David N.
10/3/2011
I had the Tom Yum noodle soup for lunch and thought that the dish was only alright. It didn't have the hotness or sourness that I typically associate with Tom Yum. Also, it is weird to have a dish with ground chicken because it all on the bottom of the bowl.
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Review from Sabrina G.
Redmond, WA
10/10/2010
I like Tawon Thai. A lot. Some people in Fremont swear by one thai place or another; I had to frequent two to have my taste-bud needs met. Kwanjai was one, Tawon was the other.
Tawon has superior seating, interior decor and curries. I much prefer phad thai here to other places in Fremont as well. Most importantly, for me, I receive a very high level of spice and the ability to adjust it higher when at Tawon, which is not the case at other places. I want my 4 stars an actual 4 stars. If my 2 yr old nephew can eat it, it's not 4 stars.
Easy to seat large groups at lunch, price is a little high compared to other places around, but you rarely have to wait and you get a much more pleasant dining experience.Listed in: Thai/Indian
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Review from Chris T.
Seattle, WA
1/3/2011
I work in Fremont, so I walk past Tawon Thai everyday when I stumble off the bus at 7 a.m. and when I skip to the bus stop to head home from work in the afternoons. From the outside, the building looks kinda dingy and old, so I was really surprised when I came here for the first time for a company lunch and walked into a very spacious restaurant that looked well cared for, well decorated, and complete with sky-high ceilings.
The lighting is always cozy, the tables and booths are all comfy, while I've only been here for lunch three times, I think it would make a cute cheap-date spot. At lunch time, you can order a HUGE combo plate (with rice, phad thai, and curry) for $10, which usually doubles as my dinner. While I inexplicably love the deli at PCC and know that there are a plethora of other unique eateries in Fremont, I am repeatedly drawn back here because of the great service and the delicious, perfectly made phad thai. The phad thai is very flavorful and not orange, which makes it amazing in my book. I usually eat too much of it too fast, which turns out to be a pretty good thing because once it cools off (and especially if you box it for leftovers), the flavor diminishes and the noodles get hard (that's what she said!). -
Review from Josephine M.
Seattle, WA
5/30/2007
I've heard it said before that there are more thai resturants than children in Fremont, and I'm pretty sure it's true. I have tried all of them now, to the best of my knowlege, and Tawon is the cream of the crop.
The atmosphere here is just awesome, great decor and it's not cramped at all. The service is always very quick and gracious. I tend to order some variation of brocolli and tofu in a garlic or oyster sauce, every thai place I go. Tawon has by far my very favorite rendition. I never manage to leave with left overs. I've tried several appetizers here, the spring rolls, fresh rolls, and crispy soft tofu, are all great. What really makes these stand out is the sauces they're served with, which are downright outstanding. The curries and pad thai are also definitely above average.
I can't recomend this place highly enough. The only problem is the general difficulty of parking in Fremont. Fortunately for me, I live just across the bridge where parking is abundant. I'm a frequent visitor here, and will continue to be for some time.Listed in: Fremont or Bust, Feed the Beast
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Review from Jeremy D.
Seattle, WA
1/11/2009
Used to love this place until a RAT ran out into the dining area.
Mid-meal. Squealing it's furry little head off.
I ran back to the kitchen to tell them what was up, and they sent out a cook with rubber gloves on to take care of it.
The cook stepped on the rat's tail, causing the disgusting thing to squeal even louder. The man then reached down, picked up the rat, brought it to his face, stared at it for about five seconds, then shot me a look like "what's the big deal, pal? haven't you seen a rat before?"
Needless to say, I won't be returning. Which is really unfortunate, because the food is pretty darn good. -
Review from Will L.
5/29/2008
Our evening in Fremont begins in locations southern. I in my humble abode in Seward Park, my biz partners at a condo in Cap Hill, a wireless signal connecting us as we discuss matters of import regarding our small yet healthy graphic/web design business, Red Card Studios:
"Get up here bitch! We're hungry!"
Ah yes, our annual company meetings are powered on food and alcohol.
Since one of my partners is visiting from out of town, we give him the option of choosing what he wants to eat. He wants Thai food--another Seattle luxury along with coffee and beer that generally brings him here instead of sending us all elsewhere.
Since we're on our way to Fremont for drunken mis-adventures with a vendor/client at the Ballroom for trivia night, we figure we'll go visit one of the... what is it... "48 Thai Restaurants in Fremont," according to Katie S. I'll trust her on that, she's a sharp one, she is.
I get Rock Star parking for Fremont. Of course I do. One of my biz partners is also keytar hero Phil E. of Stay Tuned. We're practically guaranteed a kick ass spot with both of us in the car.
We head into Tawon Thai Restaurant. It's immediately apparent that we're not going to have a problem getting a table. The place is huge. And... kinda looks fancy. Oh well, no smashing tables or throwing cups. :( Looks like I'm going to have to eat with silverware, not my fingers. Sigh. No... LE sigh. (Aawhaaa ze French!)
Much to the dismay of my out-of-town partner, Skids, I order a Thai Iced Tea. "What? No beer?!" Phil bails on him too, with a Sprite. I can understand the shock, I suffered the reverse experience at EVERY dining establishment/watering hole in Southern California, where the best liquid bread anyone had on tap was Stella. For like $8 a pint. Maybe I'm starting to take access to good beer for granted. Or maybe I'm bloated and stuffed from all the eating/drinking we've been doing over the last couple days.
Speaking of eating and drinking, bloat, stuffing, and dining with silverware, we have a brief moment of panic when the menu makes it seem that all there is to offer is vegetarian dishes. What do we look like, herbivores? Give us meat, or give us ... meat! A quick perusal of the rest of the menu quiets the riot. I order the Yellow Curry (with chicken). Skidders orders Pad See Ewe with beef. Phil asks if we like green beans. "Sure, if there's MEAT with that!" Christ man, were you listening? Phil gets Spicy Green Bean with chicken.
We get some spring rolls to start. They were fried... not what I was expecting. I also didn't glance at them in the menu, so I didn't notice that the non-fried version are called "Fresh Rolls." Whoops! They were tasty anyhoo.
A bowl of white rice, a bowl of brown rice. Both were good, especially splashed with curry. We devoured everything like the gluttonous pigs we are, and then scrambled for toothpicks.
"I feel like I've got a quarter of the meal stuck in my teeth," says Skids. He's got enough toothpicks hanging out of his mouth that he looks like Hellraiser.
Well that's one way to take home leftovers... -
Review from Shekinah S.
Seattle, WA
10/6/2008
I've been to Tawon a couple times and was pleased on both occasions. I brought an out of town friend here in the spring, she was happy w/ her curry, and this is my ex's fav Thai place. It's never been crowded (at dinner), which is crazy cause Jai Thai is literally across the street and is usually packed. Contrary to the experience of other Yelpers, the wait staff has never been rude. Though on my last visit the waitress boxed up our leftovers together which was odd. I was w/ my ex so maybe we still have the "live together" vibe. I don't know. When she saw us inspecting the box she volunteered to give us two, which was nice that we didn't have to ask.
Two menu items of note: First, the "Fresh Rolls" are fried. They look like Tostino Pizza Rolls, and I've had better. Second, this place can make some spicy food! I always ask for 4 - 5 stars when I eat out and it's never been a problem. On Sat, my food was so spicy I drank all of my water and at least half of my dining companion's as well! It was good, but use caution if you like spicy stuff. This is the spiciest I've ever had in Seattle!!Listed in: The Asian Persuasian
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Review from Katie S.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2007
Arroy!
I dig this place b/c not only is it about a 3 minute walk from my office door, it's also the better of the 48 Thai Restaurants in Fremont.
Situated right 'smack!' in the "Center of the Universe" is Tawon Thai. As far as Thai food goes, it's consistently good. It's also the best deal for Thai in Fremont. Their combo menu serves Phad Thai with almost everything- I believe they have about 15 combos- all $8.95- but TONS of food. Their noodle soups are also some of the best I've had and come with the chili tray.
Atmosphere is very cool- it's a big joint and it's not your standard carpeted, duct taped, bland affair. Lots of dark wood and ornimentation make it inviting. Very nicely done.
Nice waitstaff, even nicer if you're a regular, which works for me. The owner is great. Super friendly, always bustin' his butt to make sure you're service is efficient. It always is.
Favs:
*Phad See Iew w/ beef
*Chicken Satay Combo Lunch
*Special Eggplant w/ soft tofu
*Tom Yum Noodle Soup w/ soft tofu
While it's pretty good, it don't get that '5' star seal of approval b/c it's 'tame Thai'. It's never quite spicy enough for this wacky lass.
And don't forget the jolly rancher on the way out. I find it a rather nice way to cleanse my pallette.
Two blue raspberry Jolly Roger candies down my trap! God, that's good.Listed in: Take It OUT!, Soup's on in Seattle!, Thai'd n' True!, Noodles in Seattle!
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Review from Miss M.
Glenoma, WA
8/2/2011
My favorite Thai restaurant ever. The pumpkin curry is spectacular. The brown rice actually looks purple but is tasty all by itself. I go here anytime I am in the area or can make an excuse to get there.
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Review from Ian S.
4/8/2007
I dropped in here on the lunch hour on a Saturday.
Someone saw us come in, asked how many for lunch, and then said something while facing away from us and literally ran off across the restaurant. We wandered in unsure if she was seating us or doing something else until she barked at us something I couldn't parse from across the restaurant that amount to something about how we were stupid and that we were to be seated over by the window.
Okay.
We looked at the menu for a bit. All the appetizers were $8 and all of the entrees were $10. Seemed like a lot of green for thai, I thought.
No one came to check up on us for a while, so after looking around for an interested party and waiting a bit more, we departed. No one asked us why we were leaving on the way out. I guess they had better things to do. -
Review from Alea S.
Seattle, WA
12/11/2008
This is by far my FAVORITE Thai restaurant in Seattle! Their Chicken Satay, Chicken Pad Thai, and Mussaman (sp) Curry are all FANTASTIC! Their pad see ewe is also delicious!
I have enjoyed many dine in and take out experiences here and will continue to for a long time!
Love it! -
Review from Melisser E.
San Francisco, CA
7/24/2006
The Pad Thai was very bland & greasy. I've never been asked how spicy I wanted this classic Thai dish, but I was here! I ended up pouring peanut sauce from someone else's dish on this, just to give it some flavor!
The prices & service were good, but I wouldn't return. -
Review from Lisa C.
Seattle, WA
8/12/2009
I don't know why I've waited so long to review this place... I guess what finally inspired me was the fact that they finally found our house on the first try. I'm really not kidding, we've ordered from them at least 6 or 7 times and it usually is over an hour because for some reason Mayfair gets confused with Mercer on QA. But yesterday they found us with no trouble! Bonus!
The food is good. I'm a sucker for Thai soup, I like it spicy and flavorful. This place fulfills... I will have to remember to keep my soups at 3 stars though, at 4 stars they start tossing in chunks of EXTREMELY hot peppers. Just one bite is enough to start Mitchell hiccupping. Also, there is always a lot of lemongrass and ginger that is inedible and needs to be discarded.
I like their Pad Se Ew and all the curries I have had there. This most recent time we gor the garlic broccoli w/ beef that I really enjoyed. I think we got 3 or 4 stars and it was covered in red pepper flakes - yum! The curries are also like a creamy soup and can be difficult to eat when you don't get rice. But I found a way around it, this time we ordered the pan fried noodles over fresh spinach and then I put the curry on it. DIVINE! I'm trying to eat more spinach since it's SOOO good for you... anywho...
I like this place and if they can consistently find our house I might like them more... they're seriously only 6 blocks away, how hard can it be to drive up a hill? -
Review from Rachel B.
Seattle, WA
5/18/2006
I wish there were 10 stars. Because I would give this a 9. So, I guess really that is a 4.5. 9 Just sounds better to me.
Anyway, I've eaten here multiple times over the last few years. The food is always really good.
I went the other night and it was outstanding. My friend and I (I was taking her out for her birthday), pretty much ordered all specials. We did order the green curry because I really like it. All of the specials were outstanding! The green curry was good (a 7.5). Everything else was at least a 9!
I've also had one of the "salads" as well. It was really good.
A friend of mine always gets noodle soup of some sort.
I've taken a number of friends here and they always like it.
I vaguely remember not being wild about the phad thai but I've only found one place that I like phad Thai and then even there not consistently (Thai Siam on Broadway.)
Beyond the food, the atmosphere is gorgeous. It has very high ceilings and it remains relatively quiet which is always nice. The decor is fabulous. Not too much, just right.
And of course the service is always really good.
Hmmm... the brown rice which I normally like was a bit mushy (the best brown rice in town is at Jamjuree on 15th on capitol hill.)
Anyway, Tawon Thai always has great food and the atmosphere is excellent. It doesn't cost too too much and the service is really good. If you are sneaky you can find parking pretty easily in Fremont and no, I am not going to tell you the tricks.
Go there. If you like Thai food you will like this place.Listed in: My favorite restaurants!
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Review from pisit c.
Seattle, WA
9/17/2007 1 Check-in Here
I visited this place because of my mom -- she knows the owner of this place and he treated us a big meal the first time we were there. No offense to my american friends here, initially I thought this place is so americanized. Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup are too sweet for native Thai tongue of mine.
Then, I went back with my girlfriend several times when we're around the area. We discovered several dishes that make Tawon Thai the real best Thai food in the area -- and I'm not saying that because I know people there. They're really good. The best dishes we always go back to eat (sorted by order of likeness) are:
H1. Kow Soi (Curry Noodles) $8.50
Better than a lot of places even in Thailand. Spiciness and Taste of the curry noodles are just right. Salty, sweet, spicy enough to make it absolutely yummy but not overdone. Pickled cabbage and fish sauce they put in there are so high quality that you can feel it. Don't forget to ask for chilli paste to go with it.
44. Neau Yang E-San $9.95
Best thai-style grilled beef I've ever had. Sauce (jaew) is amazing. They use New York steak beef grilled it to well done (don't complain folks, that's what Thai people do for grilled beef dish) but it's not at all chewy. Highly recommended for beef lover.
H4. Gai Manow (Chicken lime) $9.95
Most people screw up this nice dish but this place doesn't. They grill the chicken instead of deep fry it so it has nice grill aroma. The sauce is made of real lime juice and low on mayo so you can have great smell of lime in there. Other places put almost pure mayo on the chicken with some fresh lemon slices with seeds and peels left on them. Ew.
A.4 Crispy Soft Tofu $6.25
The name is a little confusing itself. They use soft egg tofu and fry it to perfection. I'm sure it's not an easy dish to make since tofu can get mishaped very easily when you put it into the boiling oil. They made it so nice-not soaked with oil. I really like the flavor but my gf doesn't eat tofu so it can't make top of the list here.
The owner shipped most of the decoration, except the dining sets, from Thailand. The ceiling is really high that you'll feel it so spacious. You'll have a glimpse of the kitchen but the ventilation is great making it not stuffy. When the owner is there, he really enjoys talking to the customers over there if you want him to (I saw him sitting down with a lot of diners over there just to chat). Although they don't have full-serviced bar, they have several selection of wine, beer on tab (including Fat Tire Draught), and of course, Singha! The owner can give you bar experience if you go there alone :)
Bottom line:
It lost 1 star because parking is a little hard to find and the famous Thai dishes are quite americanized. However, the ambiance is nice and staff are really helpful and friendly. It's a great place for meeting with friends, dining with kids, having work lunch, and dating.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from SingingInSeattle Y.
Seattle, WA
3/15/2011
I've tried this place once-- and I'm being kind of harsh with my rating (I'd really give them 3.5) but it's because of two reasons that I'll get to.
I went in at lunch on a weekday, and ordered a combo plate of green curry chicken, phad thai, and their phad thai is probably my favorite-- I like it when it isn't over seasoned with too much sauce, with chili powder :]
Their green curry was a bit too soupy for my taste with not enough vegetables with the chicken but they were relatively generous with the chicken in the plate.
The price was pretty high-- considering that I can knock a dollar or two with the same if not more food on my plate going to Thai Tom's in the U-District which tastes amazing and is cheaper.
I think this place would be good for a date-- the ambiance is nice, and the food isn't bad, but for the everyday foodie and cheap penny pincher like me, I'd go to Thai Tom's. -
Review from Amy B.
8/10/2009
I was surprised at the size of the restaurant when I walked into Tawon Thai in Fremont. It was so much larger and better looking than I thought it would be!
Food was good. Service was friendly. Liked the interior. Felt that it was clean and spacious. Overall, a better impression than Jai Thai across the street. -
Review from Mike C.
Renton, WA
7/6/2011
I've eaten at many a Thai restaurant in the Seattle/Bellevue area. Some are better then others but until this restaurant opened I didn't realize how much I truly love this food when it's done so well. Since it's opening, Tawon Thai has consistantly given me not only great food but also great service. I'm never waiting for anything. The food always arrives quickly after an order and it's perfectly cooked with just the right amount of everything. I may sound a bit like I'm fawning over this restaurant but it's all true. If you've had a different experience then I suggest that you give them another try. Best Thai restaurant in the county, hands down!
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Review from Rachel S.
Seattle, WA
12/11/2007
The service at Tawon is routinely excellent and the food has improved drastically since it first opened several years ago (I stayed away for months after a gross and greasy first visit). I've tried a number of their dishes; I can't think of a dish that disappointed me in the last two years. They're also quite accommodating for larger groups -- they handled a friend's birthday gathering of 10 very well. When I meet friends for lunch or dinner here, they always seem to enjoy the offerings.
They have a number of good lunch specials which include an entree, pad thai, and rice. Sometimes they can seem a little slow but they do get slammed in the noon-hour. -
Review from Desiree V.
Seattle, WA
2/10/2009 12 Check-ins Here
I am a die-hard Jai Thai fan, but the other night I thought I would mix it up and give Tawon Thai a try. I decided to get my two go-to thai favorites: pad thai and green curry. I ordered takeout and the people were really nice and the food was ready right when they said it was.
The problem was the food...the food was bad. The pad thai had no flavor and no spice even though I ordered 3 star. I've had better pad thai in the food court. The green curry was ok. I wasn't crazy about the flavor, it seemed off.
Bottom line, you are MUCH better walking across the street to Jai Thai and you will be much more satisfied. -
Review from Ray Z.
Paradise, WA
6/27/2007
I used to eat at Tawon a lot. There was one stretch when I ate there every Sunday night for several months (I know - I needed to get a life). Anyway, this was before I was learned what authentic Thai dishes look, taste and feel like. I don't eat much at Tawon Thai any more. Not because it's horrible - its just that my tastes have changed. Were I to eat there again, I'd get the thick, rich, smoky Panang and the grilled seafood with the fresh garlic/lime/chili sauce.
3 Stars - The food's not bad, I just like other places more. -
Review from Chris O.
7/7/2006
Been here twice, both times for lunch. Good atmosphere, good service, and great food. As one other reviewer notes the restaurant is spacious which is nice.
The combo #14 (phad thai and yellow curry, thanks Steve K. for turning me onto it), is outstanding. The phad thai looks pale, but still tastes great. The yellow curry tastes maybe more Indian than Thai, which is fine with me. Portion sizes are large. Prices are a little high but worth it - #14 is $9 after tax.
My only quibble would be that on the phad thai, they seem to add the heat by sprinkling powdered chilis on top, and I prefer that it be stirred in evenly. And parking is no good here, but welcome to Fremont. :)
