Jomtien Restaurant Recommendations...!?

[mistephenso]

As per the title, can anyone recommend some good Thai restaurants in Jomtien/Pattaya please...!?

I am looking for somewhere that would normally be frequented by locals, with fresh cooked Thai food and not too expensive. Anywhere that specializes in seafood will be much appreciated too...

If you don't want to share your secrets with everyone, PMs will work as well! It doesn't matter if these places only speak Thai either - that is perfectly fine.

Cheers,

M

[tontraveller]

Rin Kitchen at Soi 9 Thappraya road (soi German Dental ) is a well known place by expats.

Top quality at reasonable prices..

You find them on Facebook as.well..

[SidJames]

Pupen seafood place is great imo & gets a lot of Thai families. It's at the far end of the beach though.

[stailmanki]

Pupen seafood place is great imo & gets a lot of Thai families. It's at the far end of the beach though.

+1 ; Pupen is great & cheaper/better than similar places on walking street

[Michaelaway]

Im Arroy Reestaurant- Next door to Tequila Sunrise Bar, at the corner of Jomtien Beach Rd. & Soi Chaiyapruek.

[Michaelaway]

Im Arroy restaurant- Next to Tequila Sunrise bar, corner of Soi Chaiyapruek & Jomtien Beach Rd. Very good Thai food, prices & service.

[mistephenso]

Great, thanks guys (and the PMs too) - we'll definitely give these a try...!

Cheers,

M

[Baloo22]

I have not been in Jomtien since February so some of these may have gone out of business or moved or whatever. When I lived in Jomtien these places were my favorites.

For Thai food - Eagle House Restaurant on Soi 4 off Jomtien Beach Road. Good Thai food and good portions. Best Pat Priow Wan Gai (Sweet and Sour Chicken) I have ever had!

For Burgers - 1921 Restaurant on Thap Phraya road after it turns towards the sea. Almost to the point where it becomes Jomtien Beach Road. Here it is on Pattaya Photo Guide. It is new so it does not show on the photo but it is located where the Fuji Photo place used to be.

For Italian Food - Trattoria Italiana on the east side of Thap Phraya in the same parking lot as Foodland Supermarket. See PhotoGuide. Great Italian food! Never had a bad meal or bad service there. At nighttime it's usually packed and plenty of Italians eat there. (I don't speak Italian but I can usually recognize it.)

For Mexican Food - Sam's Mexican and American Grill on Jomtien Plaza Road. A little difficult to find. It is in Soi "Jomtien Plaza", Jomtien. If coming south from Pattaya,don't turn right towards Jomtien beach but go straight past the Hanuman Statue for about 80-100m and turn right (directly opposite Dine from 99 baht). That's Jomtien Plaza. Sam's is almost at the end and is on the right-hand side.

Bistro Oscar in Jomtien had an excellent brunch buffet from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm daily. It is in the Jomtien Complex and located directly across Thapraya road from View Talay 2. Come straight out of View Talay 2, cross the road and you are there. I would go there for breakfast at least twice a week. It’s not your standard “breakfast buffet” but more like brunch. The food quality and service is excellent. The cost was 199 baht (tax included). Some may consider that high but, IMO, you get what you pay for!

[jombom]

There is a pretty good Thai seafood restaurant on a road which is almost an extension of Soi 7 from Jomtien beach road.

If you go to the top of Soi 7 the extension is offset slightly to the right (you have to cross the new second road). It is beside Grand residence, a condo block.

Anyway, if you go up this Soi about 300 metres it is opposite the entrance to the large carpark at the top of the Rumpho beer bars --- approx 40 bars. The fish tanks are at the back of the resto, which you can look at and check out.

Very fresh seafood. A small shade on the expensive side --- maybe 10 percent --- but for the quality it's worth it.

Sign is in script Thai only and packed at lunchtime with Thais who look like office workers. It's been there for years.

[lovetotravel]

Pupen seafood place is great imo & gets a lot of Thai families. It's at the far end of the beach though.

Great place, but avoid weekends. Very busy.

[ericg1953]

Rin Kitchen is very good..they have also moved to a new location next door to the old one and its very nice. Pupen also great

[Jingthing]

Im Arroy restaurant- Next to Tequila Sunrise bar, corner of Soi Chaiyapruek & Jomtien Beach Rd. Very good Thai food, prices & service.

You mentioned that before but I FINALLY got around to trying it. Good pick!

Definitely popular with the Thais. One issue is a portion of the menu is not translated. My waitress spoke no English. No problem, good sign.

You can ask for anything of course. For example pad krapow is only on the menu as a main dish but you can order some things like that as a with rice dish (many of the Thais were doing exactly that).

I had red curry with squid which I thought was going to be a coconut based red curry but turned out to be a jungle curry style soup. It was very excellent and a generous portion of luscious squid including my favorite, lots of tentacles. 150 baht. Also had a pork larb, served warm, juicy and phet phet as ordered ... stellar larb. 80 baht.

It's a winner! Too bad Thai restaurants like that are so rare on or near inner Jomtien beach road, so many tourist traps!

Edited December 9, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

There is a pretty good Thai seafood restaurant on a road which is almost an extension of Soi 7 from Jomtien beach road.

If you go to the top of Soi 7 the extension is offset slightly to the right (you have to cross the new second road). It is beside Grand residence, a condo block.

Anyway, if you go up this Soi about 300 metres it is opposite the entrance to the large carpark at the top of the Rumpho beer bars --- approx 40 bars. The fish tanks are at the back of the resto, which you can look at and check out.

Very fresh seafood. A small shade on the expensive side --- maybe 10 percent --- but for the quality it's worth it.

Sign is in script Thai only and packed at lunchtime with Thais who look like office workers. It's been there for years.

I like this place but a little pricey and portions for some things too small. Edited December 9, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

For Italian Food - Trattoria Italiana on the east side of Thap Phraya in the same parking lot as Foodland Supermarket. See PhotoGuide. Great Italian food! Never had a bad meal or bad service there. At nighttime it's usually packed and plenty of Italians eat there. (I don't speak Italian but I can usually recognize it.)

Well I've eaten there twice and eaten at the very close by CARPE DIEM in View Talay 1 twice and I definitely prefer Carpe Diem, also has Italian customers and similar price levels. I learned about Carpe Diem on this board as you'd have to know to look for it or have reason to go to View Talay 1 to know about it!

[manarak]

For Italian Food - Trattoria Italiana on the east side of Thap Phraya in the same parking lot as Foodland Supermarket. See PhotoGuide. Great Italian food! Never had a bad meal or bad service there. At nighttime it's usually packed and plenty of Italians eat there. (I don't speak Italian but I can usually recognize it.)

Well I've eaten there twice and eaten at the very close by CARPE DIEM in View Talay 1 twice and I definitely prefer Carpe Diem, also has Italian customers and similar price levels. I learned about Carpe Diem on this board as you'd have to know to look for it or have reason to go to View Talay 1 to know about it!

Made the same experience regarding non-pizza italian food, although I think I remember Carpe Diem's menu has no pizza on it (but the lasagne was stellar).

Pizza isn't the strength of Trattoria Italiana, and there are much better places for Pizza anyway, such as La Bocca and Cafe Le Mar.

[Michaelaway]

Im Arroy restaurant- Next to Tequila Sunrise bar, corner of Soi Chaiyapruek & Jomtien Beach Rd. Very good Thai food, prices & service.

You mentioned that before but I FINALLY got around to trying it. Good pick!

Definitely popular with the Thais. One issue is a portion of the menu is not translated. My waitress spoke no English. No problem, good sign.

You can ask for anything of course. For example pad krapow is only on the menu as a main dish but you can order some things like that as a with rice dish (many of the Thais were doing exactly that).

I had red curry with squid which I thought was going to be a coconut based red curry but turned out to be a jungle curry style soup. It was very excellent and a generous portion of luscious squid including my favorite, lots of tentacles. 150 baht. Also had a pork larb, served warm, juicy and phet phet as ordered ... stellar larb. 80 baht.

It's a winner! Too bad Thai restaurants like that are so rare on or near inner Jomtien beach road, so many tourist traps!

Told 'ya... glad you liked it, krap! The family-owners' daughter (about 30) speaks some English if you need it.

Edited December 9, 2012 by Michaelaway

[Jingthing]

For Italian Food - Trattoria Italiana on the east side of Thap Phraya in the same parking lot as Foodland Supermarket. See PhotoGuide. Great Italian food! Never had a bad meal or bad service there. At nighttime it's usually packed and plenty of Italians eat there. (I don't speak Italian but I can usually recognize it.)

Well I've eaten there twice and eaten at the very close by CARPE DIEM in View Talay 1 twice and I definitely prefer Carpe Diem, also has Italian customers and similar price levels. I learned about Carpe Diem on this board as you'd have to know to look for it or have reason to go to View Talay 1 to know about it!

Made the same experience regarding non-pizza italian food, although I think I remember Carpe Diem's menu has no pizza on it (but the lasagne was stellar).

Pizza isn't the strength of Trattoria Italiana, and there are much better places for Pizza anyway, such as La Bocca and Cafe Le Mar.

Interesting. Yes, I didn't love the pizza at Trattoria and wouldn't order again. Carp Diem DOES have pizza but I haven't tried it yet. Believe it or not, I am not thrilled with the pizza at La Bocca, but love their Calzone and some other dishes such as eggplant parm. There is a "new to me" pizza and Italian place in the same back soi as Sam's Mexican which looks interesting, gotta try it.

[jombom]

Im Arroy restaurant- Next to Tequila Sunrise bar, corner of Soi Chaiyapruek & Jomtien Beach Rd. Very good Thai food, prices & service.

You mentioned that before but I FINALLY got around to trying it. Good pick!

Definitely popular with the Thais. One issue is a portion of the menu is not translated. My waitress spoke no English. No problem, good sign.

You can ask for anything of course. For example pad krapow is only on the menu as a main dish but you can order some things like that as a with rice dish (many of the Thais were doing exactly that).

I had red curry with squid which I thought was going to be a coconut based red curry but turned out to be a jungle curry style soup. It was very excellent and a generous portion of luscious squid including my favorite, lots of tentacles. 150 baht. Also had a pork larb, served warm, juicy and phet phet as ordered ... stellar larb. 80 baht.

It's a winner! Too bad Thai restaurants like that are so rare on or near inner Jomtien beach road, so many tourist traps!

There's another really good Thai restaurant at the end of the short Soi opposite --- the Soi is first turn left as one travels up Chayapruk (beside pharmacy) --- some Farangs think it's better than Im Arroy, which is high praise indeed. Probably best to go late afternoon, as the service when it gets busy can be rather slow.

[manarak]

For Italian Food - Trattoria Italiana on the east side of Thap Phraya in the same parking lot as Foodland Supermarket. See PhotoGuide. Great Italian food! Never had a bad meal or bad service there. At nighttime it's usually packed and plenty of Italians eat there. (I don't speak Italian but I can usually recognize it.)

Well I've eaten there twice and eaten at the very close by CARPE DIEM in View Talay 1 twice and I definitely prefer Carpe Diem, also has Italian customers and similar price levels. I learned about Carpe Diem on this board as you'd have to know to look for it or have reason to go to View Talay 1 to know about it!

Made the same experience regarding non-pizza italian food, although I think I remember Carpe Diem's menu has no pizza on it (but the lasagne was stellar).

Pizza isn't the strength of Trattoria Italiana, and there are much better places for Pizza anyway, such as La Bocca and Cafe Le Mar.

Interesting. Yes, I didn't love the pizza at Trattoria and wouldn't order again. Carp Diem DOES have pizza but I haven't tried it yet. Believe it or not, I am not thrilled with the pizza at La Bocca, but love their Calzone and some other dishes such as eggplant parm. There is a "new to me" pizza and Italian place in the same back soi as Sam's Mexican which looks interesting, gotta try it.

Just curious: what didn't you like in La Bocca's Pizza? I had a pizza diavola, it was very good.

[Jingthing]

Just curious: what didn't you like in La Bocca's Pizza? I had a pizza diavola, it was very good.

Like pretty much every pizza I've had in Thailand, the crust didn't taste of anything. I believe pizza crust itself should have some flavor and seasoning. The toppings ingredients though sparse (had to be, thin crisp crust) were of good quality. I expected to like it better what with the fanfare of their charismatic chef and special oven. Also there was no char and I think with their kind oven no char is an error. I'm not saying it's bad. Fans of Euro style crisp bland thin crust pizza might well find it among the best in town. Also, I would be surprised if any restaurant in town does a better eggplant parm than they do. It is on the specials menu and it is very rich with olive oil, so be warned about that. Edited December 10, 2012 by Jingthing

[manarak]

Fans of Euro style crisp bland thin crust pizza might well find it among the best in town.

Maybe I'm one of those - I like when the pizza crust tastes like fine italian bread, with maybe a pointe of olive oil and salt - remotely related with baguette parisienne by the aroma, though definitely different.

Another decent Pizza I had was by Big Pizza in Naklua (didn't mention it earlier as the thread is about Jomtien).

I visited "Im Aroy" in Soi Chayapruek tonight, and I was not impressed.

It is Thai priced but not excessively cheap.

I had kao pad moo, red pork curry and kaw moo yang.

The fried rice was very good.

Instead of the red pork curry indicated in English on the menu, I got some soup similar to gaeng whio wan moo, but without cokonut milk and with added red chili. Wasn't my cup of tea.

And the worst was the kaw moo yang. What I got wasn't kaw moo yang, it was neither kaw (the pork was a dry as the desert of Gobi, not a piece of fat in sight) and it wasn't yang either - I'm still hesitating between cooked in a pan, boiled or steamed.

So "Im Aroy" is a good option for a quick & cheap meal if you know what dishes to order for your taste, but I wouldn't recommend it for dinner.

The food at the soi Buakhow hole-in-the-wall near Sugar Sugar is much better and cheaper in my opinion. But again, soi Buakhow is not in Jomtien...

[MTH]

Fans of Euro style crisp bland thin crust pizza might well find it among the best in town.

Maybe I'm one of those - I like when the pizza crust tastes like fine italian bread, with maybe a pointe of olive oil and salt - remotely related with baguette parisienne by the aroma, though definitely different.

Another decent Pizza I had was by Big Pizza in Naklua (didn't mention it earlier as the thread is about Jomtien).

I visited "Im Aroy" in Soi Chayapruek tonight, and I was not impressed.

It is Thai priced but not excessively cheap.

I had kao pad moo, red pork curry and kaw moo yang.

The fried rice was very good.

Instead of the red pork curry indicated in English on the menu, I got some soup similar to gaeng whio wan moo, but without cokonut milk and with added red chili. Wasn't my cup of tea.

And the worst was the kaw moo yang. What I got wasn't kaw moo yang, it was neither kaw (the pork was a dry as the desert of Gobi, not a piece of fat in sight) and it wasn't yang either - I'm still hesitating between cooked in a pan, boiled or steamed.

So "Im Aroy" is a good option for a quick & cheap meal if you know what dishes to order for your taste, but I wouldn't recommend it for dinner.

The food at the soi Buakhow hole-in-the-wall near Sugar Sugar is much better and cheaper in my opinion. But again, soi Buakhow is not in Jomtien...

As I agree with you on your pizza comments, I’d guess I’ll be staying away from Im Aroy then. I’d been reading a lot of good reviews here about “the hole in the wall” on Soi Buakhow and finally tried it out a couple of months ago, had one of my worst dinner ever there. Think I’ve have to try out Jombom’s recommendation on soi Chaiyapruek instead.

Otherwise as others have mentioned already, Bpuphen and the Thai restaurant back of the beer bar area on second road are quite good. There is also Suttangrak, great food but maybe a bit overpriced and currently under reconstruction. Additionally Surf Kitchen should not be overlooked.

[JimmyTheMook]

Ordered Penang Chicken , 120 baht - came loaded with long cut up string beans and green peas (these are bunk and fill) and not anyway Penang should be served.

I translated most of the Thai menu into English for them.

Im Arroy restaurant- Next to Tequila Sunrise bar, corner of Soi Chaiyapruek & Jomtien Beach Rd. Very good Thai food, prices & service.

You mentioned that before but I FINALLY got around to trying it. Good pick!

Definitely popular with the Thais. One issue is a portion of the menu is not translated. My waitress spoke no English. No problem, good sign.

You can ask for anything of course. For example pad krapow is only on the menu as a main dish but you can order some things like that as a with rice dish (many of the Thais were doing exactly that).

I had red curry with squid which I thought was going to be a coconut based red curry but turned out to be a jungle curry style soup. It was very excellent and a generous portion of luscious squid including my favorite, lots of tentacles. 150 baht. Also had a pork larb, served warm, juicy and phet phet as ordered ... stellar larb. 80 baht.

It's a winner! Too bad Thai restaurants like that are so rare on or near inner Jomtien beach road, so many tourist traps!

[Jingthing]

Let me put this another way. Name some BETTER Thai restaurants in the INNER JOMTIEN area than Im Aroy, taking price into account. No way is Surf Kitchen better even though it isn't bad for a TOURIST restaurant. I never said it was the best in town or in Thailand. Talking about the horrible competition in the main tourist area of Jomtien.

So you translated the menu? That's great. Thanks. I hope to be shown the fuller menu on a later visit. As far as the red curry it did say on the menu red curry soup and I had assumed it was going to be a standard coconut milk curry which but it actually was more like a soup as stated on the menu with the flavor profile I associate with jungle curry. I like jungle curry so I loved it. I'm not sure that is really the restaurant's fault in that case if they were expected a coconut milk curry especially as they have a strong Thai customer base.

Edited December 11, 2012 by Jingthing

[manarak]

So you translated the menu? That's great. Thanks. I hope to be shown the fuller menu on a later visit. As far as the red curry it did say on the menu red curry soup and I had assumed it was going to be a standard coconut milk curry which but it actually was more like a soup as stated on the menu with the flavor profile I associate with jungle curry. I like jungle curry so I loved it. I'm not sure that is really the restaurant's fault in that case if they were expected a coconut milk curry especially as they have a strong Thai customer base.

the menu just said "red curry", so what's to expect? they should certainly be more specific, because in Thai, the names for red coconut curry and the stuff I got are different as well - so they also need different names in English. makes sense?

Then I can name the "Opal house" at the bottom of soi 7 on beach road as one restaurant that is a tourist restaurant but delivers solidly. It isn't as good and as cheap as it was before the renovations, but it is still good and the setting was improved a lot.

[Jingthing]

So you translated the menu? That's great. Thanks. I hope to be shown the fuller menu on a later visit. As far as the red curry it did say on the menu red curry soup and I had assumed it was going to be a standard coconut milk curry which but it actually was more like a soup as stated on the menu with the flavor profile I associate with jungle curry. I like jungle curry so I loved it. I'm not sure that is really the restaurant's fault in that case if they were expected a coconut milk curry especially as they have a strong Thai customer base.

the menu just said "red curry", so what's to expect? they should certainly be more specific, because in Thai, the names for red coconut curry and the stuff I got are different as well - so they also need different names in English. makes sense?

Then I can name the "Opal house" at the bottom of soi 7 on beach road as one restaurant that is a tourist restaurant but delivers solidly. It isn't as good and as cheap as it was before the renovations, but it is still good and the setting was improved a lot.

OK, the menu I got at Im Arroy definitely said red curry soup so I couldn't really complain to get ... red curry soup. I know the Opal House and definitely prefer Im Arroy to that but among the choices far in on the beach Opal House and Surf Kitchen would be among the better ones.

[KennyF]

Kiss..Just opened in july,,at beg,of new 2nd road...cheap and good!!

[Jingthing]

Kiss..Just opened in july,,at beg,of new 2nd road...cheap and good!!

Cheap. Yes. It's OK.

[pontious]

New Thai restaurant opened 2 weeks ago on Chaiyapruek 1. It is called 'Onolicious'. It is opposite the 711 near the German Bakery. The Thai food is excellent and very reasonable prices. They serve Western food as well but we have not tried yet.

Edited December 11, 2012 by pontious

[Jingthing]

Interesting. Yes, I didn't love the pizza at Trattoria and wouldn't order again. Carp Diem DOES have pizza but I haven't tried it yet. Believe it or not, I am not thrilled with the pizza at La Bocca, but love their Calzone and some other dishes such as eggplant parm. There is a "new to me" pizza and Italian place in the same back soi as Sam's Mexican which looks interesting, gotta try it.

OK, this is the NEW pizza place in same soi as Sam's Mexican. Page 4.

DA NICOLA PIZZA

http://www.pattayape.../49ABF4A369.pdf

OK, I did try it. It is not my style of pizza. Not the crust (very soft pizza bread experience ... apparently that is AUSTRALIAN style ... not only can you FOLD it, you can probably make ORIGAMI with it!) and not impressed with the toppings either, including what I thought was a skimpy and not quality cheese portion. However, I must say this new place is getting quite the following (many people LOVE it) and suggest you try it YOURSELF and see what you think (pizza being so subjective). One thing is for sure, it is VERY DIFFERENT than La Bocca (I myself would prefer La Bocca between the two). On the other hand, this new place is doing a different kind of style, perhaps unique in Pattaya, so perhaps worth experiencing at least one time to check it out.

Edited December 12, 2012 by Jingthing