Thai restaurant in Chiang Mai

[Robert24]

Prism made a good suggestion with Baanrai Yarmyen. great Northern food. I recommend too.

[Afook]

I've been to this place a few times, like it a lot..........Ban Rom Mai Bali.......080 120 7722.........only open for dinner, 5pm.....no luncheons.....

[smokie36]

Just go to Chiang Rai OP...its clear no one in CM eats good Thai food anymore!

Hehe

[Afook]

Ban Rom Mai Bali Restaurant 080 120 7722,, up scaled fusion Thai food........dinner only.......nice setup, food good, prices higher than your local 40B noodle shop, a great place for a special occasion, quiet Thai live music, just right.......I from the US, and didn't think about the prices, higher yes, but doesn't empty your wallet either :-) Been there a few times, and always enjoyed it.......

[Dogbarker]

I know you are looking for something new BUT why not go back to real basics in a restaurant and try this place .. good value good food outside of town .. very busy place :

http://purechiangmai.com/?q=laab-gai-baan-hong

or In town near Mc Cormick hospital .. radna Kang restaurant ... where he nurses eat good traditional food!

[smokie36]

I ate on the roadside past Mad Dog....had Krapow Moo Sap....had to wait a while as was busy....stinky really but the krapow was a 9/10....maybe the best in CM.... Turn left coming out of the pub.

[true blue]

the curry house,off the canal road,do northern thai food seems very popular with thais never ever seen another farang in there

Where on canal Rd ??

same soi as Andaman sea food at the top on the left.

[off road pat]

I think you have a problem with you're taste buds,...all the restaurants having the same taste ??? some meals yes.

when my wife and I are going to eat somewhere in CM, most of the time we discus what we would like to eat...and then, we go to a restaurant that's cooking exactly what we want....in the more than 20 years we live there we know a whole lot of great places....each has a couple of specialities they make well. We don't try to order anything ells as we tried most al ready....My wife is a excellent cook and knows what ingredients are added and how it was cooked....I have learned a whole lot about Thai food tastes from my wife....

I think you order the same things over and over again....and complain it has the same taste.....just get some culinary adventure in your life....eat something you never ate before.....

now I'm not going to give you addresses of good places, it would be unfair toward places we don't know well or that have changed.. as the saying says in French... you can not discuss tastes and colours....(les gouts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas...) I know they going to censure this because it's in a other language....!!!

By the way, order without MSG....("mai sai pongchourot") because a whole lot of restaurants use MSG even when indicated otherwise.... lot of cooks don't know how to make the taste good without MSG...Monosodium glutamate.

Edited March 14, 2015 by off road pat

[poweratradio]

Hello Nervosa,

Google: Nasi Jumpru. Is a bit out of town on the 1317. Google will show you the precise location. Very good food, each plate made by an artist it seems. Price about 3 to 4 times normal but it is something different.

Good luck

R'tje

That looks good..

Thanks.

I would only believe that the taste would be up to ones own palate and the restaurant's artistry in presentation. I find family cooking meets all my palates needs better than countless restaurants tried.

[poweratradio]

I know you are looking for something new BUT why not go back to real basics in a restaurant and try this place .. good value good food outside of town .. very busy place :

http://purechiangmai.com/?q=laab-gai-baan-hong

or In town near Mc Cormick hospital .. radna Kang restaurant ... where he nurses eat good traditional food!

Disgusting menu avail-abilities.Placenta's, ant eggs utter nipple . Yeah I am right on that. Any restaurant that serves that kind of food has just barred me from having anything cooked in the same pots or pans.

[phrodan]

Best fusion food in Chiang Mai by a country mile - MIX in Soi One, Nimman.

Bizarrely the service can be slow/poor - but the food is superb. Every CM expat should eat at MIX at least once.

Nongfluke One & Nongfluke Two - with two hundred metres of each other on Canal Road, around one click from the junction of Canal Road/Hauy Kaew Road. heading towards Mae Rim.

A bit unusual - and I can't remember the name but you'll find it - Suthep Road, on the Chiang Mai Uni side, beyond Canal Road, two hundred metres up on the left, on the corner. A modern looking frontage, with a by-line of "Something To Eat Before You Die." Popular place with the hip Thai crowd - no beer, ( from memory ) no wifi for sure, closes at 9.30.

Sweet Water on the site of the old Pun Pun on Suthep Road, beyond the CM Uni gate is a rising star. Thai/American owners. Closes at 9.00 pm.

Underused and under rated - Maldives on Soi 6, Nimman.

Xanadu on top of Furama FX - it can be quiet, but the view is superb, as is the crispy bacon salad. They have a Thai chef that worked in Belgium for twenty-five years, top class. Again, under used and under rated.

Bar 22, Soi 6, Nimman - I'll not say it's the best, I will say the music is great, and for a weird food combination that blows you away order the Larb Moo Tod and Crabstick dishes. Mix the wasibi in the sauce and alternate between the two dishes - everyone I know that's tried it is addicted now.

Another one that I forget the name but you'll find it easy - the BBQ restaurant opposite Hug Bar on Soi 13 Nimman - let me just say this place is queued out. I mean literally queued out. Expect to have to stand in line for twenty mins before getting a seat. I'll ask you - when was the last time you saw Thais being prepared to wait that long for a table?

Blow you away Isaan street food - Chiang Mai Gate - heading towards Suthep, go past the BKK Bank on the moat - keep going about two hundred metres - street café on the left, the second one you come to. Pet mak mak, be careful. Amazing.

On the same road, at the funeral gate, on the left hand side is probably the best hot pot restaurant in CM.

This may be irrelevant - but some of you may have a go at it for a special occasion. The French restaurant at the Dhara Devi hotel was recently visited by eight Michelin chefs, this was in Feb, so very recent. They were on a sponsored tour of eateries in Thailand, to get ideas for their own places. They could not believe the quality of food served at Dhara Devi.

Expect to pay around 12,000 baht for a meal for two with a bottle of wine.

Put a gun to my head and pick one?

MIX - and for dessert try a dish called Global Warming, hilarious.

Edited March 14, 2015 by phrodan

[ronthai]

Go to places where Thais eat, real good food and cheap.

Or get shit bad farang Thai food in a fake expensive tourist restaurant.

This goes for any and every city, village, farm, whatever, in every country, just changes Thai locals to countries locals

Edited March 14, 2015 by ronthai

[quidnunc]

I know you are looking for something new BUT why not go back to real basics in a restaurant and try this place .. good value good food outside of town .. very busy place :

http://purechiangmai.com/?q=laab-gai-baan-hong

or In town near Mc Cormick hospital .. radna Kang restaurant ... where he nurses eat good traditional food!

Disgusting menu avail-abilities.Placenta's, ant eggs utter nipple . Yeah I am right on that. Any restaurant that serves that kind of food has just barred me from having anything cooked in the same pots or pans.

You think that's disgusting? I've actually been to restaurants here that serve rotten, stinking, congealed milk. I think they call it cheese.

[ChiangraiTony]

I'm really surprised that no one mentioned an excellent restaurant on Canel Road. They have a delicious Pork dish and some other good dishes as well such as a Cashew Chicken which is prepared and served in a Birds Nest style. For the overall food and entertainment experience I highly recommend Oak Tree.

When you visit there, be sure to ask for 'Oak' and you can even tell him Tony recommended his place. His bartender makes the best Long Island Ice Tea I've ever had in Chiang Mai. If you haven't been there, you should really give it a try. Oh, and one more tip. Ask 'Oak' to play a song with his Sax. Knowing him will make your experience more delightful.

[LivinLOS]

When I fancy Thai food that is different from standard central Thai or Issan fare, I go for Chiangmai style food. Theres the always packed one in Nimmen with the small BBQ at the front. I But be prepared to queue.. an hour is usual most evenings. Never had a bad meal there. However, recently been introduced by local born Lanna Thais to what many see as the best "chiangmai food" place in the area. Its called Huaeng Jai Young in San Kamphaeng. I can't argue with them. Nice traditional garden setting surrounded by an art gallery. Not ostentatious or expensive. Clean, friendly and well presented. Have tried lots of new stuff, all delicious. Its not very "Thai" in the usual 5 tastes sense. Not spicy at all but packed full of wonderful jungle herbs. Great foody place. Been a few times for lunch and usually quite full despite its out of the way location. Not a ferang or foreign tourist in sight when I've been, but quite a few Bangkok tourists.

Gets rave reviews by Thais in Wongnai website. Well worth a trip there.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1380884-d3167917-Reviews-Huen_Jai_Yong-San_Kamphaeng.html

This ??

[LivinLOS]

You ask for generic Thai food, but dont want it to be same like everywhere ?? Not sure I get your request..

I enjoy Phuket seafood (or is it andaman ??) On Canal Rd North heading to the convention center.. Good seafood, and dishes often subtly southern, more coconut, more fresh rather than dried chillis.. The tom yum nam khon is just how I like it and beats the northern watery nam sai style with dried chillies hands down for me. Mud Crabs and yellow curry etc.. Not cheap perhaps, its seafood a long way from the sea..

Northern Lanna Thai ?? Just past Payap entrance on middle ring Rd.. Past the kink in the rd and in the large wooden building in the retail estate (star mall ??) does some excellent norther gaengs, fish, somtams, purple sticky rice with beans, really good balance of flavors.. Pictures of royals and Thai stars adorn the wall, So I guess this is an established operator who moved to this huge building to try to grow. Also adjoining next door is an interesting Laos food place, with some kind of fusions dishes (salmon somtam etc) which was really fresh tasting saldy selection. Cant quite tell if this is 2 cuisines same operator.

In fact for northern geangs, really cheap and great little place on mahidol Rd heading into town, past the college there and before the Lamphun rd.. Look for an octagonal / round looking building with parking under the trees.. Great taste and sets of rice curry and a drink at like 89b etc..

Without knowing really what you mean, those are 3 instant, less than usual fare, Thai eateries around.

would be nice if you disclose the names.....?

I know locations but didnt commit names to memory.. Phuket (or andaman but I am 99% sure its Phuket) seafood is well known, N Canal Rd. The 'big wooden place' I had in facebook its Lumdee Te Khuadang,, And the geng place will just have to work on the location. Its the last place before Varee school big black and gold entrance / sign..

But really so many around.. Just picked 3 very different examples at random.

[Nervosa]

Chiang Mai have good restaurants, but none of them was actually good enough for me to remember.

BUT about this Isaan Restaurant 2km from chiang mai ; This WAS on the Doisaket-Sansai Road. exaclty at KM 4. It was a small restaurant with a dirty look. The owner was a young isaan woman and her boyfriend was a old farang. She cannot cook, BUT her brother was really good. Not expensive too. But I said WAS because now it is close and they opened a soup shop if I remember right.,

BUT I got another Isaan restaurant on Wiang Bua Road (just put the name of the road in google map, this is a small road. You can find the place easy. This is just after a 7/11 and an intersection with many karaoke). I never paid attention to the name of this place, but they know how to cook Isaan food. They open 10h AM and close 7PM. Always have alot of people. I don'T think they have an english menu, so If you cannot read Thai, it's going to be a little bit difficult. Because you have to order by writing what you want on a paper.I suggest you to take any Laab (35-45 Bht) and try the grilled long fish (which is very big by the way and only 75 bht) and SomDtamLao (35 bht). I don't suggest any of the soup. I've been there now 4 times and still planning to go there again.

Not expensive, good seats, quick and good cooking, friendly staff.

Here is the link to the place on google map ;

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/18%C2%B048%2720.9%22N+98%C2%B058%2754.7%22E/@18.805812,98.98185,226m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

I can recommend Hot Chilli on Ratchadamnoen road, just past Wawee Coffee travelling from Tha Phae Gate, where I have eaten many times when in Chiang Mai. It has a great atmosphere, interestingly decor and has an eclectic menu. It is also very popular and I no seats have been available on a couple of my visits.

If this is your first time in Chiang Mai and you just want a nice place to seat and drink, I said yes, you can try that restaurant because this is not far from the center.

I really don't recommend that place. I critics that place as a high restaurants, because that what they want us to thinks.

Everything from the outside is nice and have this romantic atmosphere to come with his wife or the kind of place any girls can like.

I've been there with my wife. The first thing that I didn't like was our nap table was really dirty and have these BBQ sauce spots everywhere and the fake look of this Thai young waiter trying to look Hi-So. I don't really mind so much, but it was just so unatural and suggested us a very good glass of wine ONLY 200 Baht (maybe 180). Which I declined and took a Big Chang instead just to look at his face, It was priceless...

We ordered a plate of mix grilled (mix of chicken, porc, beef, vegetables, shrimps, squid) with 3 differents Thai Style BBQ sauce. 350 Baht. Everything was way overcook, except the Green Bell Pepper and the Tomato. And the 3 BBQ sauce were way too sweet. Cannot taste nothing else.

We had a plate of stuffed squids with pork with NaamPrik. Very small and Overcook too. The porc inside was like sands and the squid had this big dirty black stripes of the grill. 220 Baht

After I decided to order a dessert. Because when I eat bad food, for some reason, I need to eat something sweet. Even if the BBQ sauces was already sweet. I ordered the "Hot Tempura Banana with a famous Thai rhum sauce (Sang Som)." Oily like hell. But the sauce was kind of ok. 200 Baht (Maybe 180).

One Big Chang for my wife (100 Baht) and 1 Big Leo for me (100 Baht).

Everything ALMOST 1000 Baht for 2 peoples and not full.

Ho, I forgot, they have a 10% services fee, (for the tips I guess). Good they had the bright idea to put that fee, because that place was not deserving any tips.

That was my fault, I knew that place was a tourist trap. But I like to walk around the wall with my wife and wanted to eat somewhere new.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Nervosa

[theDukes]

I like Nasi Jamphu but try The River Market, you will be pleasantly surprised. Some of the best new Thai food and dishes in Chiang Mai. Try the red pork belly or some of the seafood dishes including the salmon red curry in coconut. Don't take my word for it. Try it. Not cheap but quality and good. BBQ chicken with som tam, beef short rib panning curry, pork tenderloin moo ping, som dam with soft shell crab. The River Market has the best Thai food in Chiang Mai. Sure I am the owner but look at the food. P eople complain because they want it cheap. Nothing is cheap in Chiang Mai any more.

[theDukes]

Sure it cost but bette to have something good.

[theDukes]

Some delicious plates.

[theDukes]

Sure, the Thaivisa demographic says cheap food that is crappy.

I also know a good place by the moat that serves food drenched in sugar, MSG and soy sauce.

[sandmonster]

When I fancy Thai food that is different from standard central Thai or Issan fare, I go for Chiangmai style food. Theres the always packed one in Nimmen with the small BBQ at the front. I But be prepared to queue.. an hour is usual most evenings. Never had a bad meal there. However, recently been introduced by local born Lanna Thais to what many see as the best "chiangmai food" place in the area. Its called Huaeng Jai Young in San Kamphaeng. I can't argue with them. Nice traditional garden setting surrounded by an art gallery. Not ostentatious or expensive. Clean, friendly and well presented. Have tried lots of new stuff, all delicious. Its not very "Thai" in the usual 5 tastes sense. Not spicy at all but packed full of wonderful jungle herbs. Great foody place. Been a few times for lunch and usually quite full despite its out of the way location. Not a ferang or foreign tourist in sight when I've been, but quite a few Bangkok tourists.

Gets rave reviews by Thais in Wongnai website. Well worth a trip there.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1380884-d3167917-Reviews-Huen_Jai_Yong-San_Kamphaeng.html

This ??

Yes and I think its only open for lunch. Around 11-3pm I recall. Having eaten in 4 or 5 great "chiangmai food" places around town, mostly at the BBQ outside one with queues in Nimen, and the a bit posh one which I'm told used to be a royal residence in Canal Road ?, and I personally rate this in SK above them all food wise.

[sandmonster]

When I fancy Thai food that is different from standard central Thai or Issan fare, I go for Chiangmai style food. Theres the always packed one in Nimmen with the small BBQ at the front. I But be prepared to queue.. an hour is usual most evenings. Never had a bad meal there. However, recently been introduced by local born Lanna Thais to what many see as the best "chiangmai food" place in the area. Its called Huaeng Jai Young in San Kamphaeng. I can't argue with them. Nice traditional garden setting surrounded by an art gallery. Not ostentatious or expensive. Clean, friendly and well presented. Have tried lots of new stuff, all delicious. Its not very "Thai" in the usual 5 tastes sense. Not spicy at all but packed full of wonderful jungle herbs. Great foody place. Been a few times for lunch and usually quite full despite its out of the way location. Not a ferang or foreign tourist in sight when I've been, but quite a few Bangkok tourists.

Gets rave reviews by Thais in Wongnai website. Well worth a trip there.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1380884-d3167917-Reviews-Huen_Jai_Yong-San_Kamphaeng.html

This ??

Yes and I think its only open for lunch. Around 11-3pm I recall. Having eaten in 4 or 5 great "chiangmai food" places around town, mostly at the BBQ outside one with queues in Nimen, and the a bit posh one which I'm told used to be a royal residence in Canal Road ?, and I personally rate this in SK above them all food wise.

The busy one in Nimen is Tong Tem Toh on Soi 13. Used to be better without the queues 2 or 3 years ago. Its still nice but I do detect a slight drop in standards in the last year or so.

[Mcffee]

A really great Thai restaurant is 'inside' the train station, right on the corner near the entrance, absolutely love that place it's real Thai food (not the sidewalk rubbish) cheap, fresh and always clean food, recommended!!!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

People complain because they want it cheap. Nothing is cheap in Chiang Mai any more.

Indeed. I left you all to slow-smoke to spend some time in Cha Am, and I was really surprised at the pricing at some of the restaurants; quite a bit lower than what you typically find in Chiang Mai. Now, it also had a very 1990's-Early 2000's-Chiang Mai feel to it in terms of presentation and ingredients, but for the money it fit the bill perfectly.

Sure, the Thaivisa demographic says cheap food that is crappy.

I also know a good place by the moat that serves food drenched in sugar, MSG and soy sauce.

Ok, so after three posts in succession beating your drum, this fourth one really added something.

I will say though that seared medium-rare coriander crusted tuna was one of the best things I ever had in my life. (At river market; it's proved elusive though, the tuna at Duke's wasn't really similar.)

Anyway, as for Thai food.. I just realized we don't actually go all that often for Thai food in Chiang Mai in a restaurant setting. (So not counting typical stuff ordered takeaway). Perhaps one that fits the bill for really standard Thai food (no arty farty fusion aspirations) is the restaurant on the Hang Dong road, left hand side after the Middle Ring underpass. It's bigger than it looks and is open late night. I'm not recommending anyone to truck all the way out there if you live in Mae Rim or something, but for people in the Hang Dong direction it's a good option.

Edited March 17, 2015 by WinnieTheKhwai

[onthedarkside]

Off topic post removed.

[Johpa]

Sure I am the owner but look at the food. People complain because they want it cheap. Nothing is cheap in Chiang Mai any more.[/size]

You have good Thai food, but what people are paying for in most places like the River Market is upscale ambiance, and that is nothing to sneeze at. I have taken western visitors to the River Market quite a few times for Thai food.

One can still find great Thai food cheap, but just not so much in the big city anymore, much easier in the smaller towns outside the Amphoe Muang region. I can find really great Thai food at a local restaurant up north of town, not a road side stall mind you, for less than half the cost of any of the riverside restaurants in the city, but the ambiance is decidedly Thai with overly loud piped in Thai music and always at least one table where they have had too much to drink and should have stopped serving any alcohol an hour earlier.

Now for those who want good northern Thai food (great som tam) and truly unique ambiance may I suggest the long running but often forgotten "Beatles" restaurant across from the Mae Raem 7-11 on the 1096, the road to Mae Sa Waterfall. If you are really lucky the owner Jiep, will play you a few songs table side for you. And don't let the aging and somewhat forlorn front gate deter you as the parking and the eating area are not visible from the road. If the gate is open the restaurant is usually open.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Sure I am the owner but look at the food. People complain because they want it cheap. Nothing is cheap in Chiang Mai any more.[/size]

You have good Thai food, but what people are paying for in most places like the River Market is upscale ambiance, and that is nothing to sneeze at. I have taken western visitors to the River Market quite a few times for Thai food.

Me too. Mostly on business though when you want easy parking and no trouble finding a table. (And the company pays the bill. )