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Thai Bowl
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
1049 W Taylor St(between Miller St & Carpenter St)
Chicago, IL 60607
Neighborhood: University Village
(312) 226-5865
- Nearest Transit:
-
UIC-Halsted (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
187 reviews for Thai Bowl
Review Highlights
"guess I was too busy stuffing my face full of Jade Noodles."
(in 15 reviews)
"Thai Bowl was always my go-to place for pad thai."
(in 64 reviews)
"It's also super convenient if you're on UIC campus."
(in 42 reviews)
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187 reviews in English
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Review from Jeremy C.
Beverly Hills, CA
1/28/2012
The GF is a UIC alum and swears by the place so we decided or order.
AWESOME.
If there is such thing as comfort Thai food I've found it. Get:
Basil Chicken
Pad Sae Eww
Chicken Satay
All 3 of these are awesome dishes from the place. Other Thai food joints should be this good. I ordered delivery here in the South Loop and it was at my door in 30 minutes. -
Review from Kathy P.
Updated - 12/23/2011
I can say for sure that this was my worst experience at Thai Bowl for 2 reasons.
1. The food (pad thai and crazy noodles) were super bland. Although I don't get the crazy noodles very often, I always get the pad thai which is usually pretty flavorful. It seemed like they had a cook who didn't know what he was doing.
2. The proteins in our entrees were REALLY suspect. The tofu tasted like it was about to go bad (or maybe it was already bad). I also bit into a piece of gristle in the chicken and my husband got something long, hard and weird looking. He thought it may have been a claw. We never had anything like that happen before and we obviously lost our appetites. And that's saying a lot because we usually eat almost everything.
Sorry Thai Bowl. I sadly cannot come back.Listed in: Thai Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/22/2008
Alrite people, here's the thing. I hated Thai Bowl with a passion and didn't understand why so many… Read more »
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Review from Candice G.
Naperville, IL
Maybe if I lived or went to school nearby I could learn to like it, but for an experienced Thai food connoisseur like myself, this just wasn't up to snuff.
I will give them a shout out for the shear amount of tofu in my Spicy Basil Leaves dish, but the rest of the meal was on the brim of being disappointing. Good thing my company was satisfying.
First off, it wasn't spicy. Not at all.
Second, The rice and other components in my dish weren't the delicious delicate ingredients I'm used to. The rice was room temp and all clumpy like maybe they make a big batch for the day and scoop it into each bowl as ordered. Wah, wah. And one of my favorite things about Thai food it's usually very fresh and you can taste each of the ingredients , plus it's generally pretty healthy for you. Not this one. Everything tasted a bit like fried rice and I'm just not big on the frying.
Third, Spicy Basil Leaves should have a certain amount of a liquid-y chili broth swimming around, not this one. I mean, maybe it had been on there at one point but evaporated from being pre-made beforehand or something. Dry Thai makes Candi Cry.
It's possible I just went during an off time but based off my experience, I think there are much better Thai options out there. If in the area and convenience isn't the main factor when I'm searching for food, I'd defo go elsewhere. -
Review from Dax R.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
The delivery service was terrible here so I stopped ordering from this location. There was one waiter and delivery guy that chased after you if you did not give him enough tip.
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Review from Jolie G.
Chicago, IL
1/26/2012
This place has decent Thai food. I usually order the Pad See-Ew, and it tastes great every time. During my undergrad years, my friends and I would always order from here. They're pretty cheap, and I think they have a 10% discount for students.
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Review from Gayatri D.
Chicago, IL
12/6/2011
There is a trick to getting authentic yet delicious vegetarian food at any Asian restaurant: Get your Asian friend to order for you! My friend, who speaks Thai, always orders for us and we end up with massive quantities of yummy dishes.
Their Basil Fried Rice is the best I've had. They also make a fantastic Green Curry and Veggie Pad Thai. I know that Pad Thai has the ability to taste bland without fish sauce. But somehow, this restaurant makes it work!
The food is cheap, comes out quick and tastes great. What more does one need to stay happy? -
Review from Sharon R.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2012
LOVVVVEE their shrimp pad Thai and beef pad se ew! MUST TRY these if you're in the area.
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Review from Dean S.
Lincolnwood, IL
10/29/2011
I'm new at UIC and my lab partner and I came out of our 3 hour afternoon engineering lab extremely hungry. He suggested that we either go to Thai Bowl or one of the mexican joints around the area, and we settled on Thai Bowl mostly because it was closer to where his car was parked.
It was a nice day out, so we sat on the patio outside and ordered right away. Service was fast and friendly. I got my usual Thai-food-place gauge, Chicken Pad Thai, so that I could compare it to other places, and my friend ordered his 'usual' from here.
Overall, my Pad Thai was about average. I've definitely had better Thai food elsewhere, but I was extremely satisfied with the big portion size and the cheap price. You can get a 10% student discount if you show your ID, but keep in mind that the minimum credit card charge amount is $10. So bring cash if you're not ordering much food.
I could see myself coming here after class again. -
Review from Heather M.
Chicago, IL
10/21/2011
Super cheap, average thai food. The noodle soup was just okay, the pad see ewe was okay, but pretty greasy (I guess that's status quo).
The tom yum was pretty awesome, and the beef salad was great with food flavoring.
No complaints, would definitely come back. It's perfect hangover food - especially the Tom Yum. -
Review from Erin L.
Good food but holy slow service.
The courtyard is beautiful and a perfect place to grab some lunch and sit outside!
Pad Thai is always a good stand by choice but the Pad See-Ew looked delicious too! Everyone loved their dishes - Hot and Sour soup, Thai Iced Tea, cucumber salad! Yum!
Work on the service a little bit and this place could get 5 stars. -
Review from Varsha L.
7/26/2011
Just walked there for lunch,no lunch specials???
We sat outside, I would say for the price the food is okay....I got the crazy noodles, which were pretty good but for the price I would have expected more.... and we got the noodle salad-dont get that its not very good... service was slow...I probably wouldnt go back, for the same price I would rather go to Ma and I, they have good lunch specials... -
Review from Larisa B.
Chicago, IL
1/6/2012
This place is the BEST RESTAURANT EVER!!! Everything tastes sooo good. The best flavors. Everything is fresh and delicious. I eat here about once a week. I'd eat here everyday if I could afford it.
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Review from Glenna S.
Chicago, IL
9/11/2011
Hands down, best Pad Thai I have ever had in my life! I'm never disappointed--consistently cooked well and flavorful! And huge portions. No doubt, you'll have enough to take home with you for the next day's lunch.
We usually split a Mango Ice (smoothy) and it is SO good. However, sometimes we opt out for some post-Thai Bowl Mario's Italian Ice across the street instead.
I absolutely love the outdoor seating area--no place cuter and still casual on a nice spring, summer, or fall night. I don't actually go here in winter because the ambiance inside leaves much to offer, though the Pad Thai is so dang good... The servers are always very pleasant and speedy also.
Couldn't love it more! -
Review from Aaron S.
4/30/2011
Thai Bowl - you know I love you, right?
But, Thai Bowl, you just don't want me to love you back, do you?
If you did, you wouldn't keep running away from me and playing hard to get and just never listening to what I say.
Your food - it's delicious. The prices for the main dishes here will leave you feeling satisfied and not do a horrific number on your wallet. When I lived closer and had more reasons to be in your neighborhood, I'd stop in for a big ol' bowl of Asian Beef and Noodles. Why? Because it has "Thai Bowl's Secret Sauce" and it's so very hard to find a similar-tasting sauce anywhere else. It's just a shame you only use that sauce on this one particular dish, and nothing else. I've tried your other entree items, and they just can't compare. I don't care if "Asian Beef" doesn't qualify as "authentic Thai cuisine" - it's what made me fall in love with you, and I fall in love all over again every time I take a flavorful bite.
But Thai Bowl, I couldn't keep making the trip to visit you - so I needed you to make the effort and visit me. You said you would. You said so right on your menu that you could deliver your love to me.
So I called you up, and made you bring that sweet sweet loving to me.
But then you changed. I called you up and you started telling me I was too far away for your love. I reminded you that you gave me your love in the past, and convinced you. But sometimes you just wouldn't listen to me and you refused to bring me your love. Crushed, I had to find someone else to bring me some foody loving on those cold, cold nights.
But I came crawling back, like a fool. A fool in love. And time had withered you, Thai Bowl...
I had to shout just to get you to hear me. I had to repeat myself because you kept forgetting. I had to take things so, so very slowly, as you seemed to forget the English language altogether on me so many times.
But with enough patience, you eventually succumb and bring me a neat little package of Asian Beef and Noodle love, with your oh-so-secret sauce. And for a fleeting time, I can see past your many flaws and remember why I love you.
And know that in the end, you love me, too.
Even if you're a pain in the ass about letting me know it.Listed in: #8 Bus Friendly
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Review from Joanne A.
Fremont, CA
3/6/2011
I miss Thai Bowl!! I use to live in University Commons and Thai bowl was just 5 minutes away, now its 3000 miles away (moved to california).
Tell them your a student and you get a discount. Fav dish is Penang Curry! When it gets warmer outside, sit outside! There are a couple Thai restaurants on Taylor, but I usually find myself going back to Thai Bowl :) -
Review from Alan A.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
8/10/2011
Been eating from here since I began attending UIC in 2007 and have ordered only one thing ever since: Asian beef and noodles. Probably the most perfect dish I have ever eaten and it is too much of a risk to try something else for the fear that it will be inferior. Throw in some spicy sauce and you'll be eating food so good you'll be making retarded faces. Their chicken satay is also pretty solid for an appetizer.
The only thing this, the portions are HUGE! If this is your first time eating there, chances are you'll be taking some home, even if you're a big eater. I've taken many people here and they were all pleased with the food. The place is a little run down but hey it's still a great spot and you should definitely eat outside if it's warm! -
Review from Tiffany K.
Chicago, IL
3/23/2011
CHEAP AND LARGE PORTIONS!
i have had cucumber salad, beef salad, panang curry, basil chicken, pad thai, pad see ew, lard nhar, crazy noodles, jade noodles, beef curry noodles.. i think i've tried plenty. after each visit, my tummy leaves full and happy.
i have to thank my best friend for introducing me to thai bowl. mmmm. i'm getting hungry just thinking about this place! -
Review from Dannie L.
Chicago, IL
6/23/2011
This place is always good! I know the space is kinda of small inside but the outdoor patio/courtyard makes up for it, it's nice sitting out there in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. Now the food, very very good Thai food, simple and delicious! I like that they just give 1 price to all rice/noodle dishes, and very reasonable prices too. My absolute favorite has to be Pin Noodle Duck, this is the only Thai restaurant that I've been to serve Pin Noodle, which is a shorter, thicker noodle, much different from the traditional Pad Thai or Pad See Eew noodles, very tasty, on top of that the roast duck with crispy skins on it, is to die for! Love that they serve their dishes in a bowl, simple, comfort-y style and no other non-sense/fansy-shmansy dish. That's the essence of Asian cusine!
I do have to agree with some other yelpers for their services, when they get busy it could take them a while to wait on you or serve your food, but on a non busy day, they do serve you pretty quickly, like me and my husband just went last night at 7pm, got seated right away, got service right away, food came out steamy right away! So, for good food, I don't mind waiting, and it's not ridiculously long wait anyway, it's standard everywhere. The servers, well, true, they could improve their service a bit but I had to say, in all authentic Asian restaurants, service usually is not their priority, LOL, so I can forgo that for good/cheap food! -
Review from Jass V.
Chicago, IL
2/7/2011
I used to be a fan of Thai Bowl. Their green curry was decent and more importantlyit was a close enough walk from then-boyfriend's apartment. Even after he became an ex-boyfriend, Thai Bowl offered the best option for Thai delivery in my area.
NOT ANYMORE.
I ordered what I always order, green curry with chicken made as spicy as humanly possible. Let's start with the chicken. You know how when chicken gets left out and then it sort of dries and the outside turns that pinkish brown shade and get's just a teensy bit hard? Yeah. That was my chicken.
So I removed every last piece of vomit-worthy chicken. And yet the curry was stil Awful. I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps it had been infused with the flavor of old, dry chicken or perhaps there was something else fundamentally wrong with it. Either way I ended up squirting the packets of chili and soy sauce into my rice and feeling cheated at spending so much money (because let's face it, Thai food ain't cheap) on what amounted to spicy rice.
I will say that delivery was prompt but the woman taking my order over the phone must have been doing too many things at once because everything I said required repeating multiple times. I raised the volume of my voice, I enunciated like crazy and even tried speaking as slowly as if I were conversing with a small and slightly backwards child. If only I'd given up right then.
Thank god I'm moving soon. I look forward to never eating such awful food again. -
Review from Kim B.
Chicago, IL
7/11/2011
Stumbled upon this great spot on accident.
Beef Noodle Curry? Awesome sauce!
Thai Bowl and I are going to be good friends. -
Review from Anne K.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2011
Watched marathon runners this weekend while enjoying my favorite red curry dish. I'm a huge fan of Thai food and this place gets an A+. The only reason I would not give it 5 stars is because we did sit outside in a very nice garden. The ambiance inside could quite likely kill any food enjoyment. That said, I recommend this place only when it's nice out or for take out.
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Review from Joanna K.
3/12/2011
Thai Bowl is a great place to fulfill a craving for thai food. This place is not the most authentic, but it does have very good noodle bowls. Their portions are huge, good for two meals. This place is a good place to grab a quick bite also. I always try to get something different when I come here, there has not been any disappointments. They also had decent bubble tea here!
My favorite things to get here are:
- Spring Rolls
- Pad Thai
- Pad See-Ew
- Crazy Noodles
- Jade Noodles
- Pad Woonsen -
Review from Phillip C.
Schaumburg, IL
Jade Noodles! Still my all time fave when it comes to Thai food. I've never seen anything like it anywhere else and was glad to see it was just as good as before. It's actually been a few years since I've been to Thai Bowl and never been happier to have a bowl of green noodle goodness. Spinach noodles + sweet chili garlic sauce = noodle heaven. I always get mine with chicken and always throw in some of that awesome Thai hot sauce. I wish I had another bowl in front of me right now.
Their Sweet & Sour Chicken is also another solid dish. Instead of the usual battered nuggets of chicken, these chicken tenders are coated in crispy panko bread crumbs. This makes the juicy tenders crunchy and even better when dipped in the sweet & sour sauce. I only wish I had tried these earlier... guess I was too busy stuffing my face full of Jade Noodles.
Seems like not much has changed with the place or the food. Thai Bowl's still my favorite place for some tasty noodles.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/28/2009
JADE NOODLES! I'm usually the type of eater who tries something new/different every time I eat at… Read more »
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Review from crystal f.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2011
I have a few valid complaints about thai bowl
1. Why is there a dog bowl at the front door? What the hell. Sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not but it's still gross.
2. The little you can see of the kitchen does not look clean. That is probably why there is a curtain there.
3. The phone service. You call and attempt to place a order for pickup and they put you on hold and set the phone down on the counter. As you wait you can hear the girl taking orders of people that walk in or settling out diners. Once I waited 20 minutes just to see how long they would leave me on hold. I got so mad that I told them I would never order from them again. It should not be that difficult to order takeout. -
Review from Kristopher K.
Chicago, IL
10/16/2011
Good food, but the service is mediocre at best. They reduced the portion sizes in the last year or so. I spent a LOT of nights here back in the UIC days. Can't say I'll miss it entirely, but worth checking out if you're looking for some cheap Thai food on campus.
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Review from Lili V.
Chicago, IL
5/3/2011
Dear Thai Bowl,
Even when I had a sinus infection and thought my head was going to explode, I love your food.
There is nothing more comforting that taking home a little take out box and getting to eat it in bed.
Beef pad see ew. Red Curry. Mango Tapioca Drink. -
Review from Hoang L.
11/10/2010
Despite some of the bad reviews, this place is actually pretty good! I used to live down the block and it was a nice treat to eat here, especially outside when the weather permits. I think the colorful plastic cups are funny.
It's been a while since I've been there, but I remember getting big portions. As a college student, that's crucial. I've tried all the noodles there are all pretty solid. I'd say best Thai restaurant on Taylor Street! -
Review from Kiki M.
9/29/2010
Oh, Thai Bowl. A trusty special-treat companion through my graduate school career at UIC. I have such fond memories of eating your take-away noodles with splintery chopsticks, crouched hiding in my library carrel with a terrible math problem to solve. Once you even agreed to put a tapioca bubble tea into my Nalgene water bottle so that I could sneak it into the library! That was so nice!
BUT WHAT WENT WRONG?
I went here for dinner last night, and my dining companion and I ordered spring rolls. Let me tell you what arrived: a putrid sin against nature. Cold crepe-esque light brown pancake wrapped around cucumber slices smothered in CREAM CHEESE??? and then covered in an unappealing transparent brown speckled sauce. I am still processing this traumatic experience.
To top it off, staff members (visible to outdoor diners) were attempting to feed/pet squirrels on the patio. Eh, gross! Seriously? Gross!
Gordon Ramsay Kitchen Nightmare. -
Review from Vijay K.
Chicago, IL
1/5/2011
Thai Bowl is always a hit or miss for me. Panang Curry: awesome! Curry Noodles: Great! Pin Noodles and Duck: meh and Rama Chicken: ummmm.
Since it is Little Italy, there is a bunch of Thai Resturants (makes sense right?) So as a result, there serve generally the same thing which makes it easy to compare. Thai Bowl is offically the place I go when I really can't decide and chinese food gets old. -
Review from KChicagoan S.
Chicago, IL
2/25/2011
This is one of my top Thai places in the city. Generous portions, nice menu and a cute outdoor garden for dine-in during the warmer months. I would by no means go here for the indoor ambiance, the restaurant itself is an obnoxious neon yellow color with crowded tables typically full of loitering UIC undergrads coming in for the student discount.
My FAVORITE dish (dare I say favorite Thai dish in the city) is the Beef Coconut Curry Noodles - it's incredible. The flavors are so rich and the sauce is creamy, spicy, sweet and delicious. -
Review from Liz K.
12/28/2010 2 Check-ins Here
One of the things I miss about living around that area is Thai bowl! I always ordered the Pad Thai tofu and their tofu is the best I have had. And you can never go wrong with their smoothies( Mango smoothie =yum!)! The only problem is that the place can be cold inside. Usually I order carry out so I won't have to sit there eating with my jacket.
I still make a trip from the burbs at time just for Thai Bowl! Especially because I usually have leftovers that I can take for lunch and I seriously think that their food is better reheated the next day! -
Review from Rachael J.
Chicago, IL
9/13/2011
I stop by periodically for the kiwi-ice smoothies on my walk between the UIC campuses. Finally, I had a meal, too. The beef curry noodles were really good, an actually spicy and flavorful curry!! My companion enjoyed his rice-based dish, too. Good food for lunch or quick dinner.
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Review from Kimmie W.
Chicago, IL
8/27/2011
The food is much better than expected, but the kitchen looks a little suspect. Portions are big enough for two and the quality is commensurate to the price. My problem is that the kitchen didn't look very clean.
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Review from Anna H.
Cicero, IL
4/13/2011
One of my favorite places to go! It's small and always crowded, but I think the awesome food and low prices have a lot to do with the slight wait every now and then. Most noodle and rice plates are around 8 bucks, and plentiful. My personal favorites are the green curry and their fried rice (with extra limes!) they have yummy fresh-made smoothies with tapioca, also. They're also pretty prompt when you put in a to-go order- they tell you exactly how much time it will take.
If you're a uic student, show your ID for 10% discount, and free fortune cookies on the way out~! -
Review from Jonathan T.
Chicago, IL
11/6/2010
Say what you will about this place, but they do one thing right... they make one damned superior egg roll. Yeah, better than 99% of Chinese restaurants, not to even mention other Thai places. Outer skin is golden-brown, paper-thin and crisp. Slight inner skin offers just a fleeting hint of chewiness. Fillings are completely vegetarian (I f*cking hate it when restaurants chuck dried or fresh shrimp without mentioning it... ruins my day completely) and perfectly seasoned. The roll itself is a good two-three bites, not those bubbly burrito-sized monsters other places love to shove in your face. The sweet chili dipping sauce can be a bit cloying, but I've developed a fondness for it.
Great delivery, especially when they throw in a free appetizer or two that you didn't order. -
Review from Amy T.
Chicago, IL
9/2/2011
Went here several times and also tried carry out before. I guess the place can get pretty busy sometimes so the customers can get neglected. I'm not sure if it's just me but it just feels kind of sexist/racist in there. Maybe if you go with a table of guys only, the service might be better because I went with my S/O and we got some pretty crappy service. It took us a good 20 minutes before our order was taken. And mind you, there were only four tables occupied.
The quality of the food is alright. If you hit them during a busy hour, the quality of the food might not be as good. I tried the crazy noodles twice and they were both cooked differently each time... one was soupier than the other.
downs: There's pretty limited amount of choices as well, compared to other thai food restaurants; pretty bad service; can get really loud; pretty crowded most of the time
ups: It's pretty convenient for those who live on campus, or even in between class periods; tasty food(I'm a noodles, soup, and rice fan...); reasonable prices for the amount given -
Review from Amy L.
Chicago, IL
7/13/2010
"Hot Pepper Beef, Red Curry, Pad Thai, Thai Iced Tea" .... "COME TO ME!.....
No, service is not always the best. But decent when available. Decor could be updated and the space is tiny but who cares. We are all broke ass college students at one point or another and many still are for that matter. For that amount of tasty food and pricing +10% off. "Why would you complain?"...
Remedy: Bad service- Look at HDTV while waiting for service
Decor: Look at generously delicious food in front of face instead of around the place ( oh I rhymed)
Love my hot pepper beef. It has beef with peppers swirled with a savory sauce on top of a bed of white rice. Man, that's some hefty sauce. Red curry is also very flavorful with bamboo shoots and your side of protein. Moreover, I don't care what anyone says, I still like the pad thai. I've eaten at some other thai restaurants and they don't make it as good as here. And who can forget about a refreshing big glass of Thai Iced Tea (I can't)! Amy doesn't like a small itty bitty glass for 4.50, she likes a beer mug full... This was definitely worth it!...... Like button engage!....
Oh wait, this isn't facebook.... My bad! -
Review from Dustin W.
Chicago, IL
6/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thai Bowl has more potential than delivery. the first time I attempted to dine in, the air conditioning overhead was dripping into my water glass, ie early exit. The next attempt was delivery: a subpar Pad See-Ew and somewhat tasteless Tom-Yum soup. We tried yet again nearly a year later, dining outside on a beautiful evening in their open air seating alongside Taylor St. The service was decent, but again the food was less than great, lacking flavor or pop I enjoy at the other nearby Thai establishments. I got the noodle hot pot and she picked the oriental veggies. While far better than the previous meal, it just didn't scream pick Thai Bowl over Golden Thai down the street. Sorry Thai Bowl, not stopping back in, but I do like your outside seating.
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Review from SP I.
Chicago, IL
8/24/2011
I really wish I could give this place a high score, because the food is great- I went there during my undergrad years. But, man oh man, does the service SUCK.
I would recommend ordering it (esp. the basil chicken!), but they're even rude over the phone!
It's worth trying it out though - but please, don't eat there. Terrible customer service and dirty restaurant.
Good luck. -
Review from Binh N.
Chicago, IL
8/23/2011
Something about the food at this place makes me sick after eating it. I have tried other Thai restaurants and I don't get sick at all. The food taste decent, just wish I didn't feel horrible afterwards. At the same time, service here is not that great.
