Thai Time
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Mon-Fri 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sat 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
86 reviews
Redwood City, CA
"Very good food. I have turned in to a PatPong man of Thai food and this place is good. Great service and enticing atmosphere. Well…" read more »
61 Reviews for Thai Time
This place has pretty decent Thai food, everything that me and my boyfriend tried was up to par with our expectations. I must give them kudos for their tom yum gai soup, really yummy. I was going to give them three stars, but gave them an extra one because the service was awesome! We didn't even have to ask for anything once (i.e., water refills, rice refills).
If you know what to order here, you can have a pretty good meal. The noodles and curries are all good. So is the eggplant. Don't order the calamari though, that was pretty bad. I also had the Thai BBQ Beef once and it was a little tough. The menu isn't authentic, so don't look for that but I'm not an ethnic cuisine elitist either.
Now let's get to what really makes this place unique. If you come here enough, you will notice a disproportionate number of middle aged men who are eating there alone. Hm!
This can be attributed to two things: the full bar with the old white guy working it (at least this is authentic!) and the overly flirtatious servers. They will laugh with you, make small talk, hug you and I've even seen one of the servers getting a small massage. But really, they're harmless. It's a service industry and I'm sure they get nice tips.
So let's recap: Pretty good food, save a few dishes, full bar and flirtatious waitresses. Take it as you will.
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I wouldn't call this authentic but we were very impressed with what we ordered. Pad thai - good. Boiled chicked over spinach with peanut sauce - tasty tasty. Spicy beef - mmmmmm. We had take out but wouldn't mind sitting in the restaurant next time... and this place has a full bar! Nothing better than having a bourbon with spicy food. Good stuff.
Went for the first time last night. I loved the food. I can't remember everything we ordered, but the chicken with green curry and coconut milk was killer--as was the spicy catfish. I love that it has a full bar, and I have NO problem with the flirtatious waitresses!
I would not call the food here authentic Thai food, but my standard is high after my gourmet Thailand trip, no plan to revisit this restaurant anytime soon.
I can't get enough of this place.
We had the sauteed eggplant and sweet and sour grilled pork. Which sounds more chinese-ish, but it was nowhere near it. Maybe one of my new favorites alongside the seafood in red curry.
Hope the new waitress does better though. She was pretty spacey and not of usual server attitude. When we were leaving we turned around to say bye, but she greeted us again with a Hello, like we just got there. haha, at least the sweet lady that is always there served us.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/25/2007
I was impressed.
From the outside it looks like your average, semi-shady thai place. I found out… Read more »
I am fan of the food but not so much the hostess/owner ("Hi Honey, how are you today? How is your husband?"). She's a very nice, good-looking lady but I find her to be quite odd. One time she gave a male customer a hug or something rather followed by "...don't tell your wife OK?"
The food is fantastic. It's actually one of my favorite Thai restaurant. I do agree with one of the reviewer (Michelle E.) in that their service can improve. It's distruptive to the customer who is eating his/her lunch to have to get up and move so that the restaurant can accomodate more customers. That's just plain rude and poor customer service. So to avoid all those things, perhaps it's a good idea for take out. And ladies, don't send your boyfriends or husbands alone.
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We got calamari (which did not meet my standards for Thai calamari, set by the Bangkok Bay calamari of 10 years ago - it was to die for), some weird tofu coconut curry I didn't like much, and vegetable curry, which I did enjoy.
My bf also got a German black beer - Köstritzer - which was quite good. Apparently the husband of the husband-wife ownership team is German and the wife is Thai, so that's why they had funky German beer at a Thai place!
But, it seemed really expensive for what we got. I think our bill was $50-something and I didn't feel like that was appropriate based on the simple, mostly vegetarian food we got. I don't think it was good enough for us to go back.
Water? Water? Water? Thai Time has great food and even better service. The servers are constantly refilling your drinks and they come in groups. We had more than one server helping us throughout dinner which was quite refreshing to say the least. The food was good as well. Can't complain.
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Food? 3 stars. nothing memorable. They didn't have all the items I usually get, so I had to get creative. It was good; just wasn't anything spectacular.
Soup needed a ridiculous amount of salt and pepper. -1
Tea was horrible. Sprite was flat. -1
We did get fancy cloth napkins!
Service was hysterical. They straight moved one dude in the middle of his lunch so they could fit a group of 4 together. The joint is small. And they only had one set of condiments (hot sauce, chili sauce, peppers), so when I asked for it, they took it out from under another lady's spoon. She barely got the spoon back in the container before they brought it over to me. Waitress was hella cute about it though haha made me laugh. +2
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Quite good Thai food.. definitely my favorite Thai restaurant in San Mateo County. The ambiance is really nice actually, I can see taking a date there if they liked Thai food. Plus, they have sparkling Voss :-)
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Pretty good!
Went here for dinner the other night to wait out rush hour. The bar looks like it belongs in a Tahoe lodge, so that was a little different for a Thai restaurant. They also have a very eclectic beer list: English, Belgium, German varieties.
It took our waiter a while to come over to take our order. They don't really interact with you. He took our order, brought our food, and brought our check. No check-ups, but everything really was okay, so I guess that was fine!
The Thai iced-tea was really sweet and for me, that's perfect! They have a dish that I've not seen on any other Thai menus before: chicken, prawns, jalapenos, mushrooms, carrots, and onions. The sauce looked watery, but it was actually delicious! The other dish we had was the Red Curry (with chicken). It was loaded up with bamboo shoots and was satisfying. We went for a "hot" spicy-level. We might have been able to have handled "very hot," but "hot" left us happy and comfortable. Dinner was served with plenty of steamed rice - always a plus.
Random observations: Lots of pretty Christmas lights to keep the mood festive. Very cushy carpet.
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This is the BEST Thai Restaurant I've ever eaten at. The Crystal Prawn Soup is unmatched. I love all their Curry Dishes.
Extensive Menu and Moderate Pricing. Thai Time sports a full bar hosted by one of the owners, Tom, who makes the #1 Mai Thai.... but you've got to ask for the "Tom Thai" which takes it to a different level in terms of intoxication.
The waitresses are all friendly and @ Thai Time, the Gorgeous Thai Girls will welcome you with open arms.
The luncheons are still a bargain; Soup & Salad Included.
On Saturdays Tom and Pat have a piano player provide soft background music. Usually on the weekend you catch one of the regulars, Lance.... don't be scared of his Body Art. Lance has led an interesting life... be sure to open the door for some of his stories. Ladies, once you discover that Lance is Housebroken and a Great Guy, be sure to ask him about his Asian Mistress, his Blue Yamaha FZ-1... AND if your female and really BOLD, ask for a ride... come to think of it... better not as Lance's Motto is "Just Say NO to SLOW." Lance is just one of the many regulars who enjoy the food, ambiance and talking to Tom 'The Tender' also a Fanatic Miami Dolphin supporter.
Thai Best Food is constantly GREAT. Parking in the rear. Thai Best is also a Cop Friendly Place and every so often, you'll spot one of San Carlos's finest, eating there for lunch.
Say Hello to the Owners Tom or Pat and tell em Greg Gorgeous sent you and try the Tom Thai.
Came here for a business lunch the other day with my colleagues. When I first entered the restaurant, I noticed a bar (um???) which I thought was a little weird.
The carpet inside the restaurant had a very nice underpad which I thought was very worthy to note.
I ordered a Pad Ki Mao Chicken which I thought was decent. The interior decor was 3 stars since we did have a cloth napkin.
The service was typical Asian, about 2.5 stars.
Price for my Pad Ki Mao was $9.95...definitely not on the cheap side.
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CONSISTANTLY GOOD.
Delicious Pad Thai. Wonderful curry dishes and pineapple fried rice. Fried banana fritters with coconut ice cream for dessert. Owner makes a mean cocktail for you. Pleasant service. Recommend without hesitation.
thai is not my fav but it was ok
One of my favorite restaurants on the peninsula.
If you want an extra spicy, yet flavorful dish, order the Pad Gra Prow (my favorite) EXTRA SPICY. Warning: you will sweat. But you will thoroughly enjoy this plate.
Tumi and her girls with the great service...they're all cuties, too ; )
Tom with the awesome drinks..."No PIRATE for me, Tom...no way! LOL"
It's not the most authentic Thai food that you'll get here, but it's all very tasty and well-prepared - everything is always cooked to just the right level of tenderness/doneness/crispiness. There isn't a better place on the Peninsula for Thai food.
Some dishes I love to order here:
- som tum (green papaya salad), eye-wateringly spicy;
- spicy fried fish;
- eggplant and basil stir-fried together;
- shrimp and scallops swimming in a rich yellow curry;
- vegetables and tofu in a green curry;
- tofu and spinach in a sweet coconut-peanut sauce.
My brother enjoys the chicken and potatoes in yellow curry - the meat is meltingly soft and the potatoes are smooth and yielding to the tooth without being mealy or mushy.
Extra points to the restaurant for offering a really soft, flavorful brown rice as an option.
Probably the weakest area on the menu are the appetizers. $7 for "fresh rolls," which consists of shredded iceberg wrapped in rice paper? HELL no.
They're also pretty stingy when it comes to portions with their version of miang kham (or meang kam), which they call a "lumpini starter." However, to this day I haven't been able to find a single Thai restaurant that isn't stingy when it comes to miang kham, so I often just suck it up and order it anyway.
Note: If you don't mind live music and a crowded setting, come on a Friday night. Come for dinner during the work week for a quieter, more relaxing meal. Parking is cramped and inconvenient during peak activity but that's endemic to the whole area.
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Maybe I was super hungry but the food was awesome and think this place deserves at least 4 stars. The angel wings was my favorite dish! The atmosphere is nicely decorated and service was great. I didnt order the lunch special so the waiter asked if I wanted to add the soup for just $1. So that was nice.
Good staple Thai place. We go for lunch practically once a week it seems, but I've only been there for dinner once. The staff definitely seems to know who we are and sometimes even knows what we want! The curries are usually pretty good, and you can usually tune the spice level how you want. I love the pad si ew and a couple of the other noodle dishes.
The lunch specials are pretty reasonable, but things add up quick if you add appetizers and/or drinks. They have a small patio out back which is shaded and has some greenery around it to make you think you're not sitting in a parking lot. Nice on a sunny day if you can get one of the three tables back there. Very convenient location if you need to run by an auto parts store or Best Buy during lunch :)
I like the Pad Ki Mao extra spicy. Haven't had anything else from here, probably eaten it 10 times. The bar sucks, don't bother.
I have heard stories from a friend that some of their servers have questionable hygenic practices.
Anyway, the Pad Ki Mao is good enough that I told my buddy to cram his story up his ***. Besides, if you're getting it extra spicy hopefully the chilis will kill any foreign organisms.
I went and picked up take out last night, was very good. I ordered the curry and vegetable and fresh rolls. The Fresh Rolls were amazing, and quite large. The staff was very friendly, looks like it might be a good place to sit at the bar.
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OK. I'm just gonna call this place Thai One On Time.
1. Mixed drinks are wicked strong, good and the bar looks tres cool
2. HELLS YA: this place has Guinness, also Thai Time serves Franziskaner with the matching yard-size glass... it's a beautiful thing
3. If my friend-- who is the king of abstainers-- is willing to have his 'once in a blue moon' alcy beverage here, it must be alright
Atmosphere is charming and relaxing. I'm a sucker for Buddha decor, but it's all done quite tastefully for the space they have.
Thai Time is surprisingly light, airy and well-lit inside-- not what I usually expect for this restaurant type.
I don't know hardly jack about Thai cuisine, so Useful-seekers, apologies in advance for all my pedestrian blather.
Green Curry. That stuff is sneaky. Tasted nice, mild and even kinda bland at first. But it will come back at you half an hour later to say 'hellsya I'm spicy hot and don't U 4get it.'
Fish Cakes appetizer seemed tough-skinned, but I have no idea what texture they're supposed to be.
Spring Rolls and Wraps were extra fluffy with finely shredded lettuce. Is this a good thing? I have no clue. The wrap is a bastardization of the roll; very thin flour tortilla instead of rice wrapper.
Chicken Satay was tasty, and Pad Thai was sweet.
Did I get enough food? I think so. What can you say, it's a Thai restaurant. Adjust your portions expectation accordingly.
Live music... well sort of. How's about a keyboard player. He counts, right?
Thai Time is children-friendly. Our service was fab, even for the large party we were. (Then again, we went with someone who is a regular.)
A trannie and male dining companion were also there. Now, I KNOW I'm a helluva rood retard for pointing that out, but it's so rare I see such in my sheltered suburbanite microcosm, it's a novelty for me.
I've been on the other side. When I spent a little time in the South, some school children stared because I wasn't black, white or hispanic. I was a curiosity to them and I wasn't offended.
Anyway... Thai Time was a good time.
:D
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with all things considered, such as having no decent asian -- or in this case, thai, food in the area, thai time is a good neighborhood restaurant. it's not a good date place unless you want to start conversations with the folks in the neighboring tables (we were sandwiched between a group of oracle employees and a mom/son discussing middle school). the parking is also extremely tight in the back and you'll have to back out in reverse.
now onto the food: the pad thai was much too sweet and with 2 pieces of shrimp and 2 pieces of chicken -- certainly not enough protein. the appetizer combo was ok and had a good mix of the normal fair. we also ordered the yellow curry chicken which came with 5 rotund chunks of chicken and no knife to be found anywhere. the thai iced tea was ok.
but with all this said, we would return for a quick thai fix since it's only a few miles away. like we said -- a good neighborhood restaurant.
This place is ok. Not much going on, nothing spectacular. The inside is sort of tacky too. But the food is reasonably priced for what they give you. I am usually full after I come here and I don't ever hate what I ordered but never really am WOWed or anything. The service is nice though. I like coming here with friends.
One thing I've learned from this place, call in during lunch... they're usually full during lunch time so take out seems to be the way to go. As for the food, I love it. The Appetizer Combo was great with the perfect peanut sauce to boot. Entrees were flavorful and yummy. Would love to be a regular but it's a bit pricey and the parking is well... horrible (who goes to Kragen anyway?).
Very good authentic thai cuisine but service was a bit slow due to the large lunch crowd. Everything looked, tasted great so I would recommend going back to try it all.
***third visit***
Was seated next to a very loud group of ladies (think they all worked together or something) that appeared to have had a few drinkies, they all had that intoxicated laugh cackle thing going on.
Cho Chee Salmon and a noodle dish (this is why I need to bring a notebook with me when I eat, I always forget!) that was yumtastic and SPICY! Hubster and I had quite a lovely meal aside from having to occasionally raise our voices over the din of the tipsy ladies next door.
oh! and creepy guy sitting in the shadows of the patio outside told us to move our car from the Kragen lot since they have a habit of towing cars that park in their lot and then go have dinner.
***second visit***
Had one eensy beensy drinkie and got HAMMERED. I guess I should have eaten something before having a libation. I was apparently very loud and obnoxious.
I think the food was good, I honestly don't remember.
***original review***
Friends took us here last time with the pull "very good food and they are best known for their martini's" a Thai place known for martini's? We must go!
We got a noodle dish (can't remember which one), Choo Chee Salmon, Crying Tiger Beef Salad and one other chicken dish but can't remember the name of that one either (I really should bring a notepad with me when I eat out). All were D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!! They didn't ask us what level of spicy we wanted but I think since we were 3 white peeps and a Chinese chick, they put the spice on "Caucasian." Nothing made my nose run but it was still all very good (although the Crying Tiger had a funny smell that I couldn't place).
Their drink menu is off da hook, loads and loads of fancy drinkees and when they came out, I practically squeed with delight! They were so pretty! Mine was a Kim's Mirage and it had three different layers of color, an orange slice, a cherry AND an umbrella! The hubster got a blood orange martini, which he liked. I can't remember what our companions got, but the enjoyment was all around.
Atmosphere is nice too, the hostess had on a very elaborate outfit with tons of sparkly stuff in her hair, almost like a crown. She seated us promptly, the carpet was a bit odd, it was very spongy and deep so if you're wearing heels when you come here, look out!
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The best Thai restaurant I have ever eaten. Only if I live on the Peninsula, I will probably go here pretty often.
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I've been coming to Thai Time for about three years now. One of my favorite dishes there is their BBQ Pork - I have not found another Thai Restaurant that taste like they do it and their dessert pancake is just to die for! You can hit or miss with the service but if you've been going there for a while like me they actually recognize you and that is a nice feeling.
It was a drive from work to get here, the closest decently rated Thai restaurant but well worth the drive. The service was super, considering the place was very popular for the executive lunch crowd and there's even a full service bar at the front. I ordered very spicy, but it still didn't cut it. Then again, very few places do, for me. Nevertheless, the rice dishes are delicious, and they put just enough rice... a small mound... for my preference. There are too many places that crowd the whole plate with a mountain of rice, and while many people like that, I think it's a bit wasteful. In this case, I had just the right ratio of rice to curry saucy meaty & vegetably goodness on my plate.
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I love this place, even though the first time we came here was a disaster. The food was great, but they wouldn't take a gift certificate I had. A man, I'm pretty sure he was the owner, was not being cool about it, but finally gave in. Because we liked the food so much we came back, and have been happy ever since (its been about 6 years now).
I don't know if I'd call this place "authentic", but I LOVE the food here. The appetizers are awesome, especially the Lumpini. Prawn coconut soup is fantastic as well. My favorite entree is the Oriental prawns, which is a tiny bit spicy and SUUUPER tasty. If you love spicy, they've got lots of selections; in fact there is a great variety of everything.
The atmosphere is not quite what you'd expect; its a mix of asian with...maybe old time western? Carved dark wood, stained glass...and on weekend nights, live jazz music....but it "works". The drinks here (from the carved, strangely ornate bar), are good....and strong! Service is usually pretty good, too....we'll keep coming back.
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Food is decent--not the best, but by far, one of the better restaurants in San Carlos. Hostess was prompt and courteous. For a Tues night, it was fairly packed.
Tip: Don't park in the Kragen lot--your car will get towed.
Walking in to the restaurant is "interesting"...
Full bar with a pretty thai lady mixing behind it... some older gentlemen sitting at the bar having a good ol' time... and then you make a left and walk into a well decorated room with a feeling of Thailand... not that I have been there or that the older Caucasian guy playing the keyboard was anymore "authentic thai"...
Its nice overall...
As for the food... They have a wide selection of your typical Pad Thai, Yellow curry chicken, Thai BBQ chicken/pork, fresh spring rolls....
All which is light and very tasty...
For something different try...
Green Curry Seafood
For dessert have.. the Thai pancake... I wont describe it... just try it....
The waitresses are sweet and attentive...
And on your way out... don't forget to tip the keyboard player and say bye to the guys at the bar...
enough said...
3.5. The food here is tasty for sure and spicy. I ordered my dishes "spicy" and they weren't kidding. They don't Americanize their spice levels here. I like a Thai restaurant that likes to keep it real. I liked all the food here, and the Thai fried rice and green curry were good. Parking can be tight here. Service was good. If you're new to Thai food, order your dishes mild here.
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Food was good but not the best. Tasty but not authentic. I like the beef curry with eggplant and chicken coconut soup. But the meat could be a little more tender. Some plates are a bit greasy. We asked to make every plate as spicy as possible, but they weren't spicy enough. Nevertheless I wouldn't mind going there again.
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Not the best Thai food that I've ever had but it is pretty decent. We asked for very spicy but didn't really get that spicy. If you love spicy food, ask for the extra chilli on the side, you will get a spice rack with 4 little jars those have different kinds of chilli, dried, paste, sliced in vinegar, sliced in fish sauce... love it...
My husband and I used to eat there all the time when we were dating and first married. My husband enjoyed when the adorable waitresses (two in particular) flirted with him. He was disappointed to see a few years later that they flirted with other male customers just as much. He didn't feel singled out anymore.
We like their Mai Tais, their vegetarian spring rolls, tom ka gai soup, and pad thai.
Their curries are pretty good, but the food (especially the curry and fish dishes) don't compare to Regent Thai in SF (though the soup here is better). This is one of the best Thai restaurants for this area (though I prefer some of the dishes at Sirayvah Organic Thai, also in San Carlos).
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We stopped by randomly, just seeing this restaurant on El Camino on our way to REI, and were pleasantly surprised. The interior is tastefully decorated in pale greens and dark wood, with an amazing beautiful bar right near the door. Plus, they've got Bass and Chimay on tap!!! Service was excellent, quick and friendly. The food was very good and reasonably priced, though I should have ordered mine mild rather than medium - medium here is spicier than elsewhere. I'd definitely come back.
I LOVE Pad See Iew and have been craving it ever since I stopped working in SF (where the Thai restaurants were all over the place). I have been looking for a restuarant that serves it in the Peninsula, read the reviews for Thai Time and finally went. Here is what I thought:
- Their Fresh Rolls were mediocre - it seriously looked like some iceberg lettuce mix in a rice wrapper.
- The Pad See Iew was bland.
- The brown rice was interesting - not your typical brown rice but not bad.
- The Tofu Kee Mao was delicious.
Aside from the food being hit and miss, it took quite a while for them to take our order and the Thai Iced Tea that we ordered in the beginning did not come until we were done with our meal.
To be fair, we heard the tables around us saying how much they enjoyed their food. I'm still on the hunt for good Pad See Iew, though, so I won't be returning anytime soon.
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