The Best Thai Restaurants in Portland

Eem

This mash-up of Thai food, Texas-style barbecue, and Polynesian cocktails started out as a collab among three local chefs at a food festival. An instant hit, Eem became a brick-and-mortar spot and in 2019 was crowned Restaurant of the Year by The Oregonian. A winning order includes the signature white curry with smoky brisket burnt ends and the sweet-and-sour fried chicken, spiced with red curry powder.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai

Eater rightfully describes Nong’s food as “life-changing,” and here, the transformative dish is khao man gai — tender chicken served with jasmine rice cooked in aromatic broth. Chef Nong Poonsukwattana immigrated from Bangkok at age 23 with only $70. After working in Portland’s best Thai kitchens, she opened a smash-hit food cart. Now she has a brick-and-mortar location, so you can skip the line and order the khao man gai right to your door. 

Thai Peacock

Thai Peacock has been marrying Pacific Northwest flavors with homestyle Thai cuisine since 1999. Born in Bangkok, chef-owner Chookiat “Ham” Saenguraiporn has embraced the best-quality local ingredients. The crispy trout is delicate and light, and the House Thai Peacock Curry is complex and creamy. There’s something for every diner, with ample seafood options and a wide range of vegan and gluten-free dishes.

Hat Yai

Hat Yai is named after a Southern Thai city known for its street-side fried chicken vendors, Malaysian-style curries, and fresh roti. Order all three in a combo meal, and make sure to dip everything into that curry. Hat Yai consistently lands on Eater’s round-ups of the best restaurants in Portland, and chef Earl Ninsom’s outrageously delicious food has been nominated multiple times for James Beard Awards.

Khao Moo Dang

Thai comfort food meets pork-and-rice heaven in every plate of khao moo dang, owner Chookiat “Ham” Saenguraiporn’s favorite childhood dish from Bangkok. Made with five-spice pork loin, it comes with crispy pork belly, sausage, and rice. Pork is the main attraction at Khao Moo Dang, but the House Curry Noodle with Tofu is a noteworthy vegetarian option.

Kati

A fixture on Eater’s list of the best Thai restaurants in Portland, Kati is a leader in Portland’s vegetarian and vegan dining scene. The place is co-owned by Nan Chaison and Sarah Jansala, and Sarah’s talented mom, Renoo Jansala, helms the kitchen. You can order rich curries, comforting pad thai, or herbaceous tom kha. Save room for house specialties like the golden, crispy garlic-and-pepper stir-fried tofu.

Paadee

At Paadee, chef Earl Ninsom re-creates memorable dishes from his childhood. The khao soi has a sunny-hued coconut curry broth that brightens any day with its rich egg noodles. Peek gai tod — fried chicken wings — come with your choice of sticky tamarind glaze or a dry rub of laab spices. Paa dee means “to bring good things,” and that’s exactly what every order delivers.

Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine

This small chain of unique Thai spots has made waves and received Michelin recognition for its flavor-packed, artfully plated dishes. The Volcano Cup Noodle is served in an iconic Cup Noodles container filled with spicy fried noodles topped with beef short rib that falls off the bone. With menu options like lobster pad thai, crispy roti, and calamari, Farmhouse is a playful departure from traditional Thai dining. 

Tom Yum Thai Cuisine

A fixture of Southeast Portland’s Woodstock neighborhood, Tom Yum draws loyal diners with its wide, spicy, saucy drunken noodles and yellow curry studded with potatoes and carrots. Pineapple fried rice has just the right amount of char, with big chunks of fresh pineapple and your choice of protein. Whether you’re craving soups, noodles, or curries, Tom Yum reliably serves up your Thai favorites.

Pad Thai Kitchen

Thai noodle dishes are this southeastern Portland’s spot’s specialty. Along with the namesake pad thai, it serves pad see ew loaded with fresh broccoli, as well as pad kee mao in a thick garlic-and-chile sauce, stir-fried with mushrooms, bell pepper, and lots of basil. Hop on the TikTok crab rangoon trend, and order up a starter of these crispy pouches filled with creamy filling.

Beau Thai Restaurant

For more than 20 years, Beau Thai has been serving Thai classics made with Northwest flare. Try the panang salmon in its nutty curry coconut sauce, or the popular pad kee mow and hot-and-sour tom yum soup. Beau Thai delivers on dessert too, with its sweet sticky rice with fresh mango, topped with a ruby-red maraschino cherry. 

Sweet Basil Thai

Owner Supree Smithynuntha is a self-taught chef from Bangkok who learned to cook by studying family recipes. At Sweet Basil Thai, he has been sharing his best dishes for more than 20 years. Embracing the ingredients of the Pacific Northwest, Sweet Basil offers king salmon in homemade curry, and crispy local trout topped with a fresh slaw of green apples, carrots, and cashews.

Mee Sen Thai Eatery

Mee Sen’s menu is an ode to Bangkok’s best dishes. Order up moo ping (char-grilled pork skewers), fried wontons filled with spiced ground chicken, and a citrusy hoy ob samun prai, an aromatic hot pot of green mussels. The extensive menu includes one of the city’s best versions of pad thai, with noodles tossed in a tangy tamarind sauce and topped with meaty prawns.

Thai Bloom!

A food cart turned brick-and-mortar, this spot is a fixture of the Nob Hill dining scene. Dig into a bowl of spicy curry, a glossy noodle dish, or generously stuffed fried spring rolls. With seasonal specials like pumpkin curry and khao man gai, steamed Hainanese chicken and rice, Thai Bloom! knows exactly how to warm you up on the coldest Portland day.

Kinara Thai

Specializing in Northern Thai dishes, Kinara’s signature Kinara Rolls are an essential part of any order; they feature succulent roast duck wrapped up with fresh vegetables in a delicate pancake. Along with reliably delicious wok stir-fries, noodles, and curries, order the khao kloong, a melange of crispy rice and ground chicken that’s dressed in loads of lime juice, fish sauce, and spicy chiles.

Thai Chili Jam Restaurant

Owner Sureewan Allahverdian spent years working at the best restaurants across Thailand and the U.S., honing her culinary skills. At Thai Chili Jam, she serves family recipes made with local ingredients. Start with a sampler plate of Thai appetizers, and add on drunken noodles topped with sweet scallops, pork, or tofu and a house specialty like panang salmon in a spicy curry sauce.

Tara Thai

This family-run restaurant serves up classic Thai cuisine as well as Laotian food. From its busy corner in Northwest Portland, Tara Thai combines local Pacific Northwest ingredients in flavorful dishes like larb made with salmon, batter-fried coconut tofu served with a sweet chile dipping sauce, and steamed ginger sea bass in a silky brown sauce.

Red Onion Thai Cuisine

Red Onion Thai Cuisine sets itself apart from the pack with innovative house specials, playful rice dishes, and spicy curries. Volcano Beef is made with tender sirloin in the chef’s special sauce, roast duck is lacquered in tangerine sauce, and the Three Flavors Halibut comes with freshly fried fish on a bed of pineapple and vegetables that’s topped with a spicy sweet-and-sour sauce.

Monsoon Thai Cuisine

This North Mississippi Thai spot is a mashup of a bar, restaurant, and laundromat. Its uniquely joyful atmosphere translates to every order that comes out of the kitchen. Locals love the pumpkin curry, pineapple fried rice, and pork pot stickers. An order of crab fried rice elevates any meal, and, for dessert, Monsoon's coconut milk sticky rice is tropically refreshing.

Esan Thai

Southeast Portland’s Esan Thai is a neighborhood standby, with popular dishes like the Evil Prince Curry, a red curry made with broccoli, carrots, and cabbage. Memorable noodle dishes include the pad kee mao, in which wide rice noodles are stir-fried with vegetables in an umami-rich house sauce with your choice of protein. Save room for the Thai curry puffs, flaky, handmade, spiral-shaped pastries that are filled with chicken curry, potato, and onion.  

Full Moon Thai

Curry lovers are in luck at Full Moon Thai, which offers 11 varieties to choose from. Each one is made from a family recipe that has been handed down for generations. The classic yellow curry ticks all the boxes, but you’ll also find a distinctive green curry with eggplant and a house special mango curry, made with coconut milk.

Mai Thai

It’s impossible to only order one appetizer at this Belmont gem. The Mai Thai spring rolls are distinctively thin and delicate, and the goong sarong, deep-fried prawns wrapped in noodle-like wonton skins and served with dipping sauce, are irresistible. Along with all the apps, order up Bangkok street food like the savory duck noodle soup topped with fresh herbs and chile, and the khao soi, curried egg noodle soup.

Cha’Ba Thai

As one of Portland’s best Thai restaurants, Cha’Ba Thai offers a large menu that accommodates  any dietary preference. Start with the restaurant's namesake fresh rolls, rice paper rolls packed with bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and steamed rice noodles. Delightful dinner specials include the khana mu krop, crispy pork stir-fried with Chinese broccoli, or the seafood medley, with local crab claws, shrimp, squid, and scallops coated in sweet chile paste. 

Pinto Thai

As one of Portland’s most popular food trucks, Pinto Thai honors the city’s tradition of serving great food out of tiny spaces. The kitchen might be small, but the menu is bold, with both traditional and fusion dishes like pad see ew topped with juicy prawns, fried coconut shrimp served with plum sauce, and a unique twist on pad thai, made with young coconut and a housemade coconut-tamarind sauce.

Sunee Thai & Lao Kitchen

With both Thai and Lao cuisine, Sunee’s menu offers ample meat and vegan options. Deceptively delicious fried tofu comes with a sweet dipping sauce, and spicy chicken wings are glazed in Mae Ploy fish sauce. House specialty pad phet pla duke comes with crispy bites of spiced catfish stir-fried with vegetables, lime leaf, and sweet coconut milk.

Mae Ploy Thai Cuisine

Seafood and crab are king at Mae Ploy Thai Cuisine, with freshly fried crab puffs, stuffed with creamy filling, and Super Crab Fried Rice, made with sweet crabmeat and topped with fresh tomato, cucumber, and lime. Shrimp lovers can load up on shrimp-topped noodles, like pad thai and pad kee mao, and every dish pairs well with a glass of creamy Thai iced tea.

Chang Thai

This Milwaukie favorite serves up stir-fries, curries, and fried rice. Head straight to the house specials to order an example of what makes this spot so special, like the gai gra tiem, deep-fried chicken pieces stir-fried in garlic sauce served over shredded cabbage with rice, and the avocado salmon curry in a green curry sauce.

Bang Bang

Nestled in Northeast Portland, Bang Bang serves snackable Southeast Asian dishes made to be consumed alongside an ice-cold beverage or two. Order the drunken chicken wings, french fries topped with chili aioli, and a variety of meaty grilled skewers. Don't skip the tart passion fruit daiquiri, and check out the menu’s unique add-ons, like housemade sriracha and a vegan rice pudding parfait with mango preserves and cashew brittle.

Drunken Noodle

University of Portland students loyally line up at this local spot. True to its name, the drunken noodles are always a popular order. A traditional northern Thai dish, they're made with stir-fried rice noodles and heaps of wok-charred broccoli and bell peppers. Fried chicken pairs well with any noodle dish, and can be ordered as a main or added to your pad thai.

Wild Tiger

Located in an unassuming strip mall is one of Vancouver’s best restaurants, which serves Thai and Laotian dishes for lunch and dinner seven days a week. You should try the nutty massaman curry, with its subtle hint of cumin and cloves. The soups are luscious and warming, including the wonton soup, which is filled with tender shrimp dumplings and shrimp in a homey broth.

PHOTO CREDITS:

Mee Sen Thai Eatery by Emily Triggs

Paadee by Christine Dong

Kati by Emily Triggs