Wheres The Best Thai Restaurant In Pattaya

[nungnatee]

can anyone recommend a top thai restaurant in pattaya, please dont recommend suger hut, i was not impressed, that place has gone down hill, i went about 6 months ago the service was terrible, food cold coming in dribs and drabs and tastless, it was very good abou4-5 years ago, im not looking for the cheapest only the best, food service and ambiance

[Phil Conners]

Royal Cliff or Dusit.

[DonTron]

Royal Cliff or Dusit.

Sure if you want to pay double the price for half the quality...

There is only one MASTER Thai restaurant, and thats "MUM AROI".

Ask any Thai person and they will say the same.

Mum Aroi is located 2 places

1) 3rd Road close to the big Jonny Walker place (behind hollywood). This place have the best food of the two.

2) End of Naklua Road (north pattaya). This one is right on the beach and is a very beautifull place, but come in good time cause its here all the up-scale Thais go for a great dinner. Usually I am the only farang there.

[moo9]

Royal Cliff or Dusit.

Sure if you want to pay double the price for half the quality...

There is only one MASTER Thai restaurant, and thats "MUM AROI".

Ask any Thai person and they will say the same.

Mum Aroi is located 2 places

1) 3rd Road close to the big Jonny Walker place (behind hollywood). This place have the best food of the two.

2) End of Naklua Road (north pattaya). This one is right on the beach and is a very beautifull place, but come in good time cause its here all the up-scale Thais go for a great dinner. Usually I am the only farang there.

I know it very well. It can get very crowded on weekends. And certainly you are not the only farang there, but I guess the percentage of Thai/Farang is like 95/5.

The food is good. Place is nice, with some live music in the evening. Imho much better than the Mum Aroi on 3rd road (which however is not bad either).

[lalana]

Yeah,

agree with DonTron that Mum Aroi is very nice + I've been there ocassionally myself.

However,the comparison with the Royal Cliff is not fair.........yeah the Cliff may be expensive,

BUT...........it is true 5-star stuff.I don't go to the Thai restaurant myself,but do go

regularly to the "Grill Room" and "Caprice" restaurants in the hotel,and to say it's half the

quality,phew!!...that's a strange one...I struggle to think of a single facet of "Caprice"

restaurant(in Royal Wing) that isn't complete perfection itself....I'm talking right up there with

Bruno's and Casa Pascal........."minimum"!!!!!!!!!......for one to say that it's half-quality,well,I'm

not sure by what astrnomical standards they base their restaurants

Moo9,agree with you that the Cliff can seem to be crowded at times with the ever-present

Russians(reception areas),..BUT AGAIN....the restaurants themselves are very quiet with

the number of clientele!!.....really,almost exclusively/deserted-type quiet with an ambience

that can feel that you're the only one in the restaurant.......don't believe that???..........

go and check out the "Grill Room" or "Caprice" ANY evening of the week and you'll see what I

mean .

Nungnatee,Mum Aroi type restaurants are fine and indeed may suit your purpose!!!!.....

However do you wish the restaurant to focus pretty much exclusively on Thai food or

have a 50/50 mix???....if an all-Thai menu that narrows your choices to "an extent"

Also, in the Royal Cliff,I don't know about the Thai Restaurant here(Larn Thong),but the

2 restaurants I go to have "no-Thai" on their menu,English only!!!!!....hope this wouldn't be

a problem!!

Couple of years ago,saw the rare sight of an all-Thai couple at "Caprice", and bless them,they

were a lovely couple,but really struggling with the menu + things like

**Boiled asparagus in red wine reduction with truffle sauce, OR...

**Poached Alaskan scallops with tuna tartar sauce..............

Anyway,have a good one wherever you go...there are lots of choices that we could talk about

all day.....but everyone's opinon is subjective,I suppose...........

it's just that that,while Mum Aroi-type places are good(I go there)...I was genuinely amused

at DonTrons' assertion that the Royal Cliff was half-quality ..and didn't want you getting

off on the wrong foot ..........

LATER..........

[nungnatee]

Yeah,

agree with DonTron that Mum Aroi is very nice + I've been there ocassionally myself.

However,the comparison with the Royal Cliff is not fair.........yeah the Cliff may be expensive,

BUT...........it is true 5-star stuff.I don't go to the Thai restaurant myself,but do go

regularly to the "Grill Room" and "Caprice" restaurants in the hotel,and to say it's half the

quality,phew!!...that's a strange one...I struggle to think of a single facet of "Caprice"

restaurant(in Royal Wing) that isn't complete perfection itself....I'm talking right up there with

Bruno's and Casa Pascal........."minimum"!!!!!!!!!......for one to say that it's half-quality,well,I'm

not sure by what astrnomical standards they base their restaurants

Moo9,agree with you that the Cliff can seem to be crowded at times with the ever-present

Russians(reception areas),..BUT AGAIN....the restaurants themselves are very quiet with

the number of clientele!!.....really,almost exclusively/deserted-type quiet with an ambience

that can feel that you're the only one in the restaurant.......don't believe that???..........

go and check out the "Grill Room" or "Caprice" ANY evening of the week and you'll see what I

mean .

Nungnatee,Mum Aroi type restaurants are fine and indeed may suit your purpose!!!!.....

However do you wish the restaurant to focus pretty much exclusively on Thai food or

have a 50/50 mix???....if an all-Thai menu that narrows your choices to "an extent"

Also, in the Royal Cliff,I don't know about the Thai Restaurant here(Larn Thong),but the

2 restaurants I go to have "no-Thai" on their menu,English only!!!!!....hope this wouldn't be

a problem!!

Couple of years ago,saw the rare sight of an all-Thai couple at "Caprice", and bless them,they

were a lovely couple,but really struggling with the menu + things like

**Boiled asparagus in red wine reduction with truffle sauce, OR...

**Poached Alaskan scallops with tuna tartar sauce..............

Anyway,have a good one wherever you go...there are lots of choices that we could talk about

all day.....but everyone's opinon is subjective,I suppose...........

it's just that that,while Mum Aroi-type places are good(I go there)...I was genuinely amused

at DonTrons' assertion that the Royal Cliff was half-quality ..and didn't want you getting

off on the wrong foot ..........

LATER..........

thank you for your views, but i just wanted advise on quality THAI restaurants which i dont realy frequent much, i eat out a lot and am familier with quality european food here and around patttaya, ive been living here for 6 years and have eaten in the royal cliff on a number of occasions, when it comes to european food i know what im talking about i was a chef in london for the savoy and worked in the south of france, metropole in monaco and the carlton hotel in cannes which in 1976 when i worked there was 1 of the top 3 hotels in the world, i just wondered if there was any thai food gourmets who could point me in the right direction as i have some thai business clients coming from bangkok soon, anyway thank you both for ur help

[Phil Conners]

Maybe we don't defined UPSCALE in the same way

[jm49er1]

Royal Cliff or Dusit.

Sure if you want to pay double the price for half the quality...

There is only one MASTER Thai restaurant, and thats "MUM AROI".

Ask any Thai person and they will say the same.

Mum Aroi is located 2 places

1) 3rd Road close to the big Jonny Walker place (behind hollywood). This place have the best food of the two.

2) End of Naklua Road (north pattaya). This one is right on the beach and is a very beautifull place, but come in good time cause its here all the up-scale Thais go for a great dinner. Usually I am the only farang there.

agree 100% - the one on the end of nakula road has recently completed an expansion and now has more tables on the water

[Thaifan2]

Kiss restaurant 2nd road ,Pattaya .Come early as it gets crowded .

[lalana]

No problems Nungnatee,easily solved, the "Larn Thong" restaurant at the Royal Cliff is a totally

Thai-themed restaurant.While I haven't been to this Thai one,would have to guess that it would

be top-notch though !!

For upper-class Thai's,this Pratumnak Hill location with one of the royal residences in the area would

make for a suitably high-end dinner topic + this type-choice location may very well be more

appreciated than a central Pattaya/3rd Road-type one!!!

HAPPY HUNTING............

[nungnatee]

No problems Nungnatee,easily solved, the "Larn Thong" restaurant at the Royal Cliff is a totally

Thai-themed restaurant.While I haven't been to this Thai one,would have to guess that it would

be top-notch though !!

For upper-class Thai's,this Pratumnak Hill location with one of the royal residences in the area would

make for a suitably high-end dinner topic + this type-choice location may very well be more

appreciated than a central Pattaya/3rd Road-type one!!!

HAPPY HUNTING............

thank u sir

[Asia4Play]

If you want to take them to a good seafood follow the jomtien beach road right until the end ( very end ). I know many well upscale thai's that drive from Bangkok just to eat there. Sorry I do not know the name.

[nungnatee]

Kiss restaurant 2nd road ,Pattaya .Come early as it gets crowded .

ur jokin with me right ive been there and thats on my list of forgetables they also have 2 more restaurants 1 by the dolphin roundabout and 1 up soi siam country club, just in case u want to be punished again

[suiging]

Always enjoy " The Malabar " at Ban Amphur. Great tree, good food.

[Jingthing]

If you want to take them to a good seafood follow the jomtien beach road right until the end ( very end ). I know many well upscale thai's that drive from Bangkok just to eat there. Sorry I do not know the name.

There are two places at the end of the road. Which do you prefer? I think they are both good but not upscale at all. In fact, the service is horrible (at least for farangs). There is the one at the very end, and there is the one just before that on the left.

[Jack Jones]

Kiss restaurant 2nd road ,Pattaya .Come early as it gets crowded .

ur jokin with me right ive been there and thats on my list of forgetables they also have 2 more restaurants 1 by the dolphin roundabout and 1 up soi siam country club, just in case u want to be punished again

Agree that place is terrible. Over priced and small portions with a lovely view of the traffic on second road. Think he might have been pulling our leg

[lalana]

Yeah,

Malabar restaurant is a nice one with a lovely location right on the beach!!!

Jingthing,the restaurant right at the end/corner of Jomtien Beach you're referring to

is "Loung Sawai"I go there myself and it's HUGELY popular with Thai people...it's been

in business for over 30 years,the owner told me when last there.

The other longest established on this strip is "Nang Nual"(2nd branch Walking St.)...also

hugely popular and in business for 30+ years.Service here "slightly" better than Loung Sawai,

still though !!!.....I go to both of these as I live in Jomtien,Chaiyapreuk Road,a 2 minute

drive from them...........BUT......... agree also,if our Nungnatee friend has specified.......

**"Thai VIP business clients and only the BEST in service and ambience".....**

the list gets shorter than a Chinaman's middle wicket .......

in Bangkok the list would be considerably longer but in Pattaya??..well!!!!!!!

One may find it hard to look beyond the "Thai" restaurants in the hotels like........

Royal Cliff/Sheraton/Dusit/Marriot...and what else ..........."POSSIBLY"...MANTRA eatery

on Pattaya Beach road,...BUT... the ambience here with their high ceilings giving way to

considerable echo-effect,not to mention being huge and cavernous(not intimate).....slightly

takes away from its admittedly goood food + service!!!!!!!!

Happy Hunting.....although at this expectation-level, I believe the list to be a very short one ........

[bergen]

If you want to take them to a good seafood follow the jomtien beach road right until the end ( very end ). I know many well upscale thai's that drive from Bangkok just to eat there. Sorry I do not know the name.

There are two places at the end of the road. Which do you prefer? I think they are both good but not upscale at all. In fact, the service is horrible (at least for farangs). There is the one at the very end, and there is the one just before that on the left.

I agree! Service is bad, especially the first one - and they're not upscale!

Edited May 21, 2008 by bergen

[the scouser]

PIC Kitchen on soi 4(?) or the restaurant at the Birds and Bees resort (used to be Cabbages and Condoms).

Scouse.

[tropo]

If you want to take them to a good seafood follow the jomtien beach road right until the end ( very end ). I know many well upscale thai's that drive from Bangkok just to eat there. Sorry I do not know the name.

There are two places at the end of the road. Which do you prefer? I think they are both good but not upscale at all. In fact, the service is horrible (at least for farangs). There is the one at the very end, and there is the one just before that on the left.

I agree! Service is bad, especially the first one - and they're not upscale!

But what's the food like? Which one is better?

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I don't know if this would meet your definition of "upscale", but I found this restaurant was very comfortable, had a good Thai menu, and a great atmosphere for meetings. Cucumber is located on the north side of South Pattaya Road, west of TukCom, and across the street from the large beauty salon supply store. Cucumber is much nicer than the surrounding restaurants on South Pattaya Road. It is a very attractive restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and a fantastic view of South Pattaya Road.

On my first visit, I had beef tofu soup (220 baht), as I was still sick. It was great.

On my second visit, I had chicken satay and panang curry beef. With an iced tea, I think this cost about 420 baht.

[PattayaParent]

Kiss restaurant 2nd road ,Pattaya .Come early as it gets crowded .

I've eaten Thai at the Dusit twice and am not impressed. The food at Kiss is better.

[stupidfalang]

Go to the Royal Cliff

Hi-So Thais don’t really care the quality of the food like you do. It’s Where you eat, the service will be good and just in case the outcome is not top quality you will not loose face. Hey you took them to the Cliff and Face is gained.

Thais between Thais will go for that place on the corner of Chaiyapuk 2. Horrible setting but the food seems to be like nowhere else and saw some Ferrari’s parked in front the other day.

But that’s for the Thais, you as a farang should take care about the face thing...

[PhilHarries]

In my experience a lot of Asians in general think it very chic to eat western food (strange people).

So take them to Pizza Hut or Maccy Dee's.

Just joking. But I'd suggest a place that offers a choice.

Can't give you any names as, when I'm in Thailand, I tend to go completely bush with pie, chips, peas and gravy.

[pluto_manibo]

I think you might like Cabbages and Condoms in Jomtien. They have a beautiful natural setting, with a sub-tropical rainforest. There are peacocks and little rabbits running around. The beach is the most beautiful in the area and the restaurant is amazing...great food. The hotel is owned by Khun Meechai, who was a member of parliamment and had a big campaign for the use of condoms in Thailand. To sum it up, the setting is beautiful, food is great and the service fantastic.....You will not regret it. Funny how small the world is, I have eaten in some of the restaurants you worked in, probably at the same time as well....Hotel Metropole!

I just saw Khan Davies suggested it as well....I second his suggestion!

Edited May 22, 2008 by pluto_manibo

[Pdaz]

For good quality food, excellent service and a nice ambiance I'd have to recomend PIC Kitchen in Soi 4 .. They have won several food awards over the years.. There is a choice of seating either in an open air lanna style wooden house (upstairs) where you sit on the floor in traditional Thai style or (downstairs) they have a more conventional air con area with tables and chairs.. The resturant is located in a private garden with high walls and lots of greenary.. nice affect at night with coloured lighting.. There is a comfy bar area adjacent to the resturant called ''the jazz Pit'' which often has live music (think quiet and relaxing not overloud) and is great for a pre-meal drink (good cocktails too)

The menu is full of Thai classics and in the 10 years I have been living here I have never heard anything but compliments from the wide variety of friends I have taken there..both Thai and farang. BKK Thais can be pretty hard to please when it comes to Thai food in Pattaya.. They will enjoy seafood along the beach in a informal setting but if you want great food at somewhere more formal PIC is the place.. meal for four adults around 3000 baht and up (not inc drinks) depending on your choice of dishes.. I would have suggested the old ''Vientienne'' on 2nd Rd but it's moved now and is not of the same standard as PIC. Although the food was still better than many Thai places in town as their menu didn't overly pander to farang tastebuds.. Vientienne is still in operation but the new location is not as good as it was.. There are a number of good seafood places in Naklua and down towards Bang Ampur but none ofer anything that could be called ''high class'' as mostly open air and have wooden bench seating..

Many of the other Thai resturants in town cater for farangs and Thai's seem to find the food tasteless or un-authentic.. Appart from PIC or a couple of other places if I wanted up-scale Thai food I'd head to BKK..

[Jingthing]

I very much enjoy the EXCELLENT food at Vientiane Restaurant on Pattaya Tai on the right hand side a few blocks in from Sukhumwit when approaching from the beach.

They have Thai, Isaan, Vietnamese, Western, and Lao food, as well as fresh seafood. The service is excellent. It is not upscale but very good standards. As a large place, you can sit in the open air but covered ground area, or in the smaller aircon dining room above. The prices are moderate and considering the quality one of the best values in town. It is not a tourist trap, they have real SE Asian food. I especially suggest the Vietnamese grilled pork with vegetables and rice paper wrap appetizer.

I agree the ambiance at PIC is excellent but I consider it a grade A tourist trap and find the food farangized.

Edited May 22, 2008 by Jingthing

[Jack Jones]

I used to go to a place on second road, can't remember the name now but they reopened on Walking St. The food was excellent at the old place, not particularly Hi-So. but for quality it couldn't be beaten.

Agree with previous posts, I'd be tempted just to take them to a 5 star hotel regardless of the quality of food. I mean you could go to some back street place and the food would be superb but these kind of things are more about the setting you're in.

[Jingthing]

I used to go to a place on second road, can't remember the name now but they reopened on Walking St. The food was excellent at the old place, not particularly Hi-So. but for quality it couldn't be beaten.

Agree with previous posts, I'd be tempted just to take them to a 5 star hotel regardless of the quality of food. I mean you could go to some back street place and the food would be superb but these kind of things are more about the setting you're in.

That was probably Vientiane Restaurant. They were first on 2nd Road (closed now), then on Walking Street (closed now), and now off Pattaya Tai as I have described.

[Jack Jones]

I used to go to a place on second road, can't remember the name now but they reopened on Walking St. The food was excellent at the old place, not particularly Hi-So. but for quality it couldn't be beaten.

Agree with previous posts, I'd be tempted just to take them to a 5 star hotel regardless of the quality of food. I mean you could go to some back street place and the food would be superb but these kind of things are more about the setting you're in.

That was probably Vientiane Restaurant. They were first on 2nd Road (closed now), then on Walking Street (closed now), and now off Pattaya Tai as I have described.

That's the place, used to love it there. The hot pan dishes were great. I'll have to make it up to their new location at some point