Thai Hut
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sun 12:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: None
20 Reviews for Thai Hut
This place is great! The food is very tasty. The prices are low and the staff is really nice. I really enjoy going there for lunch because they serve you a spring roll and soup as soon as you walk in.
They have the best spring rolls I've ever had!
Their dinner menu has a lot of good dishes to choose from.
I also liked that it is set in a diner atmosphere.
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Stopped by here for lunch today, just kind of on a whim. I'd never been in the old Marvin's Garden diner, but it didnt seem like much could have changed. Hell, the booths even have signs saying you can't sit there as a single between 11-2, lol.
When I walked in the side door, a woman looked at me and held up one finger, so I nodded yes I'm alone. She put a menu down at the counter and had a bowl of celery soup and an egg roll before I got there. Pretty good start. I took a glance at the menu and ordered the cashew nut chicken and it came within 5 minutes. The place definitely seemed to have perfected the "quick lunch" concept. The service was flawless from start to finish, as well. Everything I had, including the usually bland celery soup was delicious. The cashew nut chicken being probably my favorite asian dish I've had in quite some time. It all seemed very light and on the healthy side as well.
I ended up with a bill of $7.33 which for the amount of food, and the quality of food, and the quality of service, I was very pleased with. They are doing a lot of things right here, and I think this will be a very successful restaurant in the Midtown dining scene. I only hope the best for them as it really is great.
I've been fortunate enough to travel to Thailand twice. It's a beguiling place. The most remarkable thing about Thailand is the friendliness of its people. Everyone smiles in Thailand, regardless of how humble their circumstances may be. Thai Hut is a sheer delight because it reminds me of the best of Thailand. The staff at this restaurant is always smiling and their happiness is infectious.
The setting for the restaurant has a fun and funky vibe. It looks like Flo's Diner was redecorated by Thom Filicia with decor from the Suan Lum Night Bazzar in Bangkok and a Mid-century Modern reproduction house. The choice of location on McDowell across from the Phoenix Art Museum is great.
Whether or not the food at Thai Hut is authentic is a moot point. In Thailand I tasted a wide variety of even the most basic dishes such as Tom Kha Kai soup and Larb. It all depended on the chef and their given preparations and quirks. What sets the food in Thailand apart from what you will generally find in the US is the level of spice. The food in Thailand varies in heat intensity from Nuclear Hot to Surface of the Sun Hot. I've seen Thai folks enthusiastically devour Tom Yum soup that was so hot it made them weep. I've also tasted a dish spiced with pepper-infused vinegar that was so hot it literally took my breath away along with some taste buds.
With all that said, the food at Thai Hut is great with an appropriate amount of spice for the average Phoenician's palate. My favorite soup is Tom Kha Kai and the Thai Hut version is luscious due to all the silky coconut milk they use. It makes a great start to a meal. The standby Sa-Tay appetizer is delicious as the chicken is spiced with curry before grilling and the peanut sauce is delightfully sweet. I believe the sauce is enriched with coconut milk. The Fresh Rolls are also very tasty, but the BF does not like that they include large pieces of green onion in them. He pulls out the green onion pieces before enjoying his Fresh Rolls and all is good again for us at Thai Hut.
Thai Hut offers a variety of entrees and all have proven to be tasty. The Cashew Nut dish offers up a mix of sauteed cashews, onions, green peppers and your choice of protein in a savory sauce. The sauce balances well with the cashews and it brings out their natural sweetness. The Pineapple Fried Rice is a delicious choice that includes lovely chunks of fresh pineapple and cashews. The Ultimate Asparagus dish comes from the Chef's Special section of the menu. It offers fresh asparagus stir-fried with shrimp and chicken in a savory brown garlic sauce. I totally understand why it's in the Chef's Special section as it's delightful.
The Thai Iced Tea is also appropriately sweet and the milk is a nice respite from the spice in the dishes.
Thai Hut also offers its menu at a very wallet-friendly price point. I used to enjoy Wild Thaiger, but it has become too expensive for what it is. Thai Hut offers better food at about half the price. Thai Hut has knocked Wild Thaiger off as my standard Thai restaurant.
Thai Hut offers take out and we placed a large order of Sa-Tay and Fresh Rolls for our Tacky Tiki Gay Pride Brunch and the proprietors were very accommodating.
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Thai Hut did not live up to the hype. Maybe we didn't order properly, but eh.
We went on a Thursday evening, and it was moderately busy. The waitstaff was prompt and attentive, and the foodservice was quick.
The place has a slightly gungy, dirty feel though. Just enough to be "ew" but not so gross that we had to leave. It smelled like cleaning solution, which gives me mixed feelings.
I ordered the yellow curry with tofu. It was weird. Thai cooks are famous for their ability make tofu spectacular, but that ability was not used in this dish. The tofu was cut into chunks and added to the sauce - not rocket science, and certainly not a great preparation of tofu. There were carrots and "potatos" in the mix as well. I call them "potatos" because I wasnt sure if they were just undercooked or if they were some other, unidentified vegetable. I would not order this dish again.
My husband had the spicy fried rice with tofu - it was definitely spicy, the tofu was prepared in the same way, and it had that terrible greasyness that bad fried rice sometimes has.
We also had fried spring rolls. They were the highlight of the meal - Small, light and crispy, they were really really good.
I don't think that I would go back to Thai Hut. We have not found our downtown Thai place yet.
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Thai Hut falls somewhere in the spectrum of 3 to 4 stars. I really am not an expert on Thai food and usually count on my gf to order something I'll like, but several things make Thai Hut stand out:
1) Location is ideal and near the art museum in the restaurant dead-zone of McDowell. Odd, that.
2) Charming building
3) Fantastic, family oriented service
4) Pad Thai is the best I've had in my limited experience (take it FWIW)
5) Thai tea, um, fooking delicious
6) CHEAP
Besides, where else ya gonna go before hitting up the Goyas?
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Garnish? Yes, Garnish!!! Seriously, when was the last time you had a lunch for $7 with a carrot flower and carrot "shoestrings" on the side of your plate?
The food is good, sure it might not be the best in the world, but it's very good for Thai . Service is quick and attentive so it's a great place for lunch. Large and filling portions. A simple yet comprehensive lunch menu.
I thought the Hut part of "Thai Hut" always seemed kind of dumb but once you come here it makes sense. It's the original diner on the inside which makes it feel comfortable and inviting. The big picture windows and fun to look out on McDowell and check out the passers by
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I can't believe I've never written a review for this place!! This is right in my neighborhood. The servers know what my partner and I like to order and call me the girl who eats too many fresh rolls...i.e. I go here a lot.
Ok. So the food is good. I love this building and the fact that incorporate the cheesy/mocking factor of calling themselves the Thai Hut (set in an old pizza hut type building) is perpetually hilarious to me.
The servers are arguably the best part of this place. There are two women that wait on us consistently. Both are funny, dynamic, and appropriately upbeat (you don't want a server that is too cheery...it's creepy...that's a hard job...they should be just a little bit jaded).
I always order the fresh rolls (usually two orders...and yes I eat them all)...and split an entree with my partner. Of everything I've tried I'd say my top two are the Pra Ram with tofu and the Clay Pot Shrimp both are absolutely delectable.
Word to the wise...the Thai Iced Tea (if you've never had thai iced tea) is SUPER sweet. Like grinding your teeth with pure sugar sweet. It's intense. So be prepared if you order that.
Oh and they should be getting their liquor license in the next month or so if they already haven't.
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Perhaps calling yourself a food "hut" isn't the best way to advertise. We all know what Pizza Hut is like. The name Thai Hut kind of scared me and kept me away for a litle while.
I'm glad I eventually got over the name issue because this place is totally great. So far I've only eatern here twice, but both times were bad ass.
Soups Great
Curry dishes Great
Summer Rolls Great
Salads Great
Thai tea great
Service Great
Dessert...dissapointing :(
Other than that, four stars. Can't wait to try the lunch menu. See you at the hut!
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Warning! Certain dishes are very spicy. I know you're thinking "well it's because it's thai, man". Just know that when they ask you if you want it "Thai hot" or "regular hot" that you answer carefully. I would recommend going with a conservative answer the first time. I'm a fan of habaneros and jalapenos. I like anything spicy. I just went for it. WOW! Kablam! Three things that I've had over there. Pad Thai...pretty good, no spice (of course). Drunken Noodles...freaking awesome, a little spice to them. Hot and sour soup...Don't eat it in front of people who don't know you. You might lose control over your sinuses. I get this for sinus or upper respiratory infections. Everything I've ordered has been good and reasonably priced. Healthy sized portions. Everyone I've gone with left happy. The waitresses are very nice.
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OMG - another great Thai find in Phoenix!
Thanks to the other Yelp reviews, I've been wanting to try 'Thai Hut' for the last few weeks. So, when Liz M. and I were deciding where to meet for dinner, I suggested it... I think we were both pretty impressed!
It's centrally located right at 1st street and McDowell and the cutest little diner with amazing service and delicious food... The menu has a variety of options to choose from with lighter fare (fresh rolls, soups, and salads) to more traditional Thai fare (curry dishes, noodle dishes, fried rice, and more) and of course desserts that sound oh so good!
Liz and I started with the fresh rolls (cold hand wrapped and filled with vermicelli noodles, shrimp, tofu, bean sprouts, cucumbers and green onions). They were served with both a creamy peanut and a tangy sweet sauce for dipping. I mixed the sauces together and savored every bite... Then we shared the pad thai and the stir fry eggplant. Instead of adding chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, or tofu to the eggplant dish, we had them add more veggies and it was perfect! Service was great... our waitress checked on us several times and kept my water glass full at all times.
We were too full for dessert this time. I guess that's reason enough to return... as if I needed a reason ;)
****One more thing - Thai Hut offers take out - it even says on the menu that 'phone orders are welcome.' I'm sure I'll take advantage of that sometime as well!
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I'd describe this place as a modest but charming American-style diner that serves good Thai food. The owners would probably protest that they've stuck Thailand posters up everywhere to give it a more Thai feel, but I'm not trying to insult them. I got a good vibe as I sat here for lunch with a friend, and it's the same vibe you get at a cozy, urban American diner. What's wrong with that?
Most of the tables are lined up against huge windows that overlook McDowell Street and its downtown Phoenix traffic, which makes things interesting. We were seated at the infamous bullethole window, which also made things interesting. We probably spent some 5 minutes just on discussing those 2 bulletholes. The windows appear to be bullet-proof, because the bullets apparently didn't penetrate them. They just dented them, if you can imagine that. When did they get there? If before Thai Hut bought this location, why didn't they bother removing them? Why does it appear that one bullet was shot from the outside and one from the inside? Does this mean that someone shot into the interior from outside, and someone inside shot back? WTF?
While we pondered the mystery of the bulletholes, our food arrived and we were very pleased. I also forgot to mention that the moment you sit down, at least for lunch, they bring you a free spring roll and cup of soup. What a nice touch.
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A building that has housed a variety of greasy spoon diners over the years is now an outpost of Thai cuisine in the cultural district situated between the Downtown and Midtown areas of Phoenix. Directly across the street from the Phoenix Art Museum, Thai Hut offers southeast Asian cuisine in a casual environment. Even the counter and stools from the old diner design have been left intact, creating an interesting mix of retro looks and exotic food.
Thai Hut's food is not terribly different from the Thai cuisine served in strip malls throughout the area, but the combination of tasty food and friendly service in an area of town not usually known for Asian food has made Thai Hut, which was originally established in Mesa, very popular in its new Central Phoenix location. Thai Hut meals begin with an array of soups, salads, and appetizers. The som tum, or papaya salad is particularly good with a combination of initially perceptible sweet and tart flavors and a nice afterburn that follows from chilis and an occasional whole clove of garlic. The soups, on the other hand, seem underflavored, although they may be good choices for spicy food novices.
Entrees include a wide variety of curries, stir fries, and noodle dishes all prepared with a choice of chicken, pork, tofu, beef, or shrimp. There are also several hearty noodle soups that are meals in themselves. For dessert, there are a variety of homemade options. The combination of mango and sticky rice, when available, is a great way to finish a meal. Beverages include sodas, fruit juices, and Thai iced tea made with condensed milk. A liquor license is pending.
At lunch, Thai Hut does not offer its normal menu, but instead provides a list of a dozen lunch entrees each priced at $6.95. At first glance, the lunch menu is confusing because it suggests that only chicken entrees are available. Upon closer inspection, the fine print reveals that substitutions of tofu, beef, and pork are all possible. Each lunch special comes with a spring roll, vegetable soup, jasmine rice, and a beverage. While the inability to order from the standard menu on weekdays before 3 PM can be frustrating, the low prices and quick service associated with the lunch specials are certainly appreciated. Thai Hut is open seven days a week until 9 PM.
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I DUG it. First off, for me, any Thai place that has drunken noodle is awesome. It was different than I've had at other Thai places -- more veggies, and more variety of veggies, less noodles and meat. That made for a refreshing change, even for an old stick-in-the-mud such as myself.
Secondly, the service was outstanding. Our servers were very attentive (but not annoyingly so), cheerful, and kept the drinks topped off.
I didn't know what to think of the bullet holes in the front glass -- cool, or disturbing? I was also a little afraid to walk to my car, which was parked in the overflow parking in the back.
Thankfully, I lived long enough to write this review.
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I am glad this place is now in my neighborhood, it is great to have Thai food so close to downtown. The restaurant is a former greasy spoon American style diner, complete with a counter and booths, the kind of place you would picture Mel and Flo.
The food is really good, not the best Thai food I have ever had, but still really good. And the prices aren't bad, either. The staff is friendly and helpful and, of course, almost all Thai. They seem genuinely happy to have you visit and have your business.
The serve a great Tom Yum soup. The menu has traditional Thai dishes as well as some Chinese and like most Thai restaurants you can choose your meat or tofu.
The place is great. Give it a try.
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I decided to roll the dice on my birthday and try a new restaurant with my wife. I often pass the location of the former Marvin's Garden Cafe and saw the "Thai Food Coming Soon" signs tempting me and decided to finally take action.
On a Thursday night there were maybe 6 or 7 other tables filled when we walked in. Still plenty of room for us to be seated immediately. The service was outstanding. Our orders were taken as soon as we were ready and everything came out quickly, but not so quickly that we felt rushed.
I was looking for a beer or glass of wine but, alas, no alcohol is served here. I did enjoy a tall Thai iced tea that tasted nice and sweet like it should.
We ordered Spring Rolls for an appetizer. They were stuffed full and already cut in half, so they were a bit cumbersome to eat (fork required). The rolls were accompanied by a delicious peanut sauce and a sweet Thai dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham??)
My wife ordered Tofu Panang. Unfortunately, we found some random pieces of chicken in it. Not good for a vegetarian. Other than that, it was slightly more sweet and less spicy (hot) than my ideal panang, but still quite yummy. The leftovers the next day were even better!
I ordered the Pad Thai. On my first bite I got a crunchy surprise when I bit into a shrimp tail. Dearest Cooks: If you are going to leave the tails on the shrimp, please, please, please put them on top or around the side. Make it obvious to me that I have some work to do before I dig in. Better still - take the tails off!! After I learned my lesson, I did enjoy the rest of my dish, which included tofu and chicken as well (as advertised on the menu).
The restaurant layout hasn't changed very much since it's days as Marvin's Garden. The long diner-style bar lives on. It looks like redecorating consisted of some paint, new tables and chairs, a few new light fixtures and wall decorations. It's not the fanciest place in the valley for Thai.
To sum up, good food, great service in a casual atmosphere. I'll certainly be back to try more of the menu and maybe even add a star if the preparation bugs are worked out.
Total bill with tax, tip and beverage = $36
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UPDATE: Adding another star for service and spice.
I went back for lunch on Monday and was seated at the bar. Less than a minute after I received the menu, I was also given the salty soup and petite crunchy spring roll that accompany all lunch specials. I hadn't even looked at the second menu item yet!
This time around I opted to try the green curry with chicken.
The waitress double checked with me after I ordered. "Spicy?" she asked. "Spicy is good," I replied.
And spicy it was. The dish included chicken, bamboo strips, green beans, green bell peppers and ... jalapneos. I made it through about half the dish before breaking out into a fierce sweat.
Thanks to the excellent service, my water glass was never more than half-empty which allowed me to push forward to the end.
The lunch special was just shy of $8 with tax included. No beverage - just water.
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Finally a decent downtown Thai food place with good lunch prices. Actually, the first decent mom and pop restaurant serving an Asian cuisine I've been to downtown.
This place is a godsend from the over-priced likes of Wild Thaiger and Fate. It features really tasty and authentic lunch specials which run 6.95 and come with a small soup and a spring roll. I got a Pad Khing which was absolutely delicious and spicy. It's been a long time since I've had that dish that good.
I also really like the diner experience for a small lunch. The only downer is that if you go with more then four people you will likely be sat in this attached dining room which has an awkward company-sponsored-increase-teamwork-dinner vibe. Although it still has the groovy 70s brown and orange lamps that are throughout the restaurant, which are a highlight fo' sho'.
The thai iced tea rawked my world too. Milkier then usual, but delicious.
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Yum! The ambiance in this place is a bit weird - it feels like a 1960's Thai diner - but the food and service are both fantastic. I tried out the Thai Hut fried rice and my husband had the Drunken Noodles. Both were delish. I can't wait to eat the leftovers. It's nice to have another place within walking distance, too.
One thing to note - their 'medium' level was more like mild-medium. Not very spicy, at least on the fried rice.
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The service is good but the food.... Mediocre. Thai Lahna is a lot better. All the food is disturbingly sweet. I ordered some curry.... not a bowl of fucking froot loops. I thought Thai was supposed to be spicy?
The food is not authentic. I went once.... and won't be back.
The Green Curry at Pei Wei is better. How sad is that?
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When Rickie mentioned going to the Thai Hut, I thought, that's funny, I'm really not in the market for neckwear. Then we drove by and it looked so cute. Like a Thai diner with lots of booths lining the windows which overlook McDowell around 3rd Ave. Obviously not a lot of money or design when into the reincarnation, but the energy of the room and the super friendly staff warmed me instantly. I swear the server telepathically took our app order as the spring rolls arrived to the table, hot and crispy, before I had even squeezed the lemon in my water. Along with the chicken satay, they were both good, not out of this world however. Rickie's "chicken noodle" soup was flavorful, yet the chicken was hella funky. Oddly shaped bland, poached peices of poultry particularly unpleasant. The sizzling beef was Thairiffic. Really. Thairiffic. My obligatory phad thai, although missing the tofu, was very dee lish. Prices were affordable. No beer however and that made me sad. I mean I was just costume shopping at Easley's and really could have used a large Thai cerveza. Rickie loved his Thai iced tea (me? not a fan of that beverage...sort of tastes like lawn clippings and cream). The service is outstanding...attentive, friendly and efficient. That pushes them from 3 to 4 stars easily. Great energy, good food, smiling staff. I'll be back.
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When I walked in, I wasn't really expecting much since I love Thai food, and most of the places in Phoenix were really really disappointing. Trust me, I visit Thailand nearly every year, so I know what Thai food is supposed to taste like and this place actually did a surprisingly good job.
Their lad nar was excellent. It was the best I've ever had. The noodles were prepared perfectly and the sauce was just right. I also had their pad thai, which was a bit tangier than I'd like, but it was still really delicious. Their thai tea was really creamy, but I prefer that over the runny teas most other places have. In Thailand, they use condensed milk- now that's creamy. The sizes of their plates was generous, I didn't finish, even if I was willing to do myself bodily harm to do so. ;D
The service was really efficient. The wait time was always minimal and everyone was always smiling and happy.
I liked their booth seating, but I completely agree with all the retro comments. But I think it used to be a diner before???
Anyone who hasn't tried it really should. And get the lad nar. It's really good.
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