15 Best Thai Restaurants In Los Angeles, Ranked

Jul 09, 2023

There's nothing quite as comforting as a pad see ew on a cozy night in. While Chinese takeout reigned supreme for many decades, Thai takeout seems to be the more popular indulgence as of late. However, whether you're looking to order in or go out, Los Angeles is home to an authentic Thai cuisine scene that is well worth exploring. From Thai town to more modern Thai eateries on Sunset Boulevard, finding some solid pad Thai or Panang curry isn't too difficult. Whether you're craving noodles or a more refreshing and light papaya salad, even those who aren't too familiar with Thai food should branch out and give it a try.

The flavors are fresh, the spice levels range, and there are also plenty of vegetarian options for plant-based diners. Regardless if you're a seasoned Thai food connoisseur or you're simply looking for your next favorite takeout spot, we've created this ranked list of the best Thai restaurants in Los Angeles so you can cure your craving.

This Los Angeles staple has been dishing up great food in the heart of Thai Town for over 20 years. Slide into one of its booths for dinner or grab your meal to-go. Either way, Pa Ord Noodle will have you dreaming of its food. At the entrance, you can use the massive whiteboard-sized menu (complete with pictures) to contemplate what your meal has in store or gaze longingly at the dishes you didn't include in your take-out order.

The casual spot dishes up some incredible tom yum noodles. Each bite of citrus and salt is topped with ground pork, barbecue pork, a pork ball, liver, and dried shrimp, making a bowl of tom yum the ultimate comfort food. Pa Ord is also known for its boat noodles, an umami meal served with a selection of pork or beef and liver. Round out your order with a refreshing plate of papaya salad, which comes Lao-style, Thai-style, or topped with hunks of salted crab.

Sanamluang Cafe is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 1:45 a.m., so it'll be there for you nearly every time your Thai food craving hits. The restaurant serves up an impressively massive menu, with impressively consistent service and quality — Sanamluang does the Thai American staples justice. The nutty and salty-sweet pad Thai is the most popular dish on the menu, followed closely by the caramelized pad see ew and the tangy pad kee mao.

You can also take a baby step off the beaten path with Sanamluang's roasted duck noodles, served with flat noodles, BBQ duck, lettuce, and a rich warming broth. If you're craving a more substantial soup, the roasted duck curry is another local favorite, complete with red curry paste, tomatoes, pineapple, and basil in coconut milk. If you want to bring more seafood into the mix, the Sanamluang noodles are served with a fish ball fish cake, shrimp, pork, and a crisp fried wonton.

When he founded Night + Market, Chef Kris Yenbamroong sought to serve up meals to bring people together in a fun way. At each of his three Los Angeles locations and the one in Las Vegas, he's managed to create energy to match. The atmosphere is bright and buzzy, complete with bright orange walls, colorful patterned tablecloths, an eclectic array of string lights, and even a few disco balls. Night + Market stocks an impressive menu of natural wines, as well as a selection of unforgettable house cocktails.

Plus, the food is excellent. It may seem simple, but the pad Thai at Night + Market is some of the best in the city. The spicy, fresh nam khao tod (crispy rice salad) with soured pork, raw ginger, onion, peanuts, cilantro, and chili is another great addition to your order. Plus, you definitely won't want to miss the "world-famous" fried chicken sandwich. The chicken is prepared Northern Thai style and with the fried skin on, topped with papaya slaw, ranch, jalapeños, and cilantro.

Located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, Galanga Thai Fusion is known for serving up simple yet classic Thai food in a very casual and cozy setting. This is definitely a neighborhood spot that is loved by locals, and you can always expect consistency and quality. Best of all, the prices are incredibly fair when compared to many other Thai restaurants in Los Angeles. Snag a spot on the back patio and start off with a Thai iced tea and the tornado starter.

The tornado starter lets patrons enjoy a taste of everything and includes crispy shrimp, calamari, wontons, and crab rangoons. When it comes to entrées, you can't go wrong with any of the noodles or curries, but the panang chicken burrito is a unique favorite that is both comforting and hearty. The pra ram with peanut sauce, spinach, and your choice of protein is a lighter option that pairs wonderfully with tofu.

This Thai Town staple is tailor-made for great nights out with your loved ones and has been filling bellies for over 25 years. The dining room is complete with fish tanks, murals, and a faux cottage that hosts the cash register. Each member of your group is sure to find something to love on Ruen Pair's massive menu. Start off strong with a luminous order of shrimp cakes, as this Ruen Pair signature is deep fried until golden brown and served up warm alongside the sweet and sour sauce.

The pork jerky is another snackable crowd-pleaser. Each tender bite is marinated and fried and dipped in the restaurant's slightly spicy special sauce. If you're looking to clear your sinuses, the tom yum goong (another Ruen Pair signature) is up to the task. The soup is cooked up with shrimp, mushrooms, lemon grass, lime juice, and fresh chili to create the perfect blend of salt, citrus, and spice.

To put it simply, there is nothing else like KinKan in Los Angeles. The restaurant's dining room is eclectic, yet minimalist, complete with an array of hodgepodge cherry wood chairs, an intimate sushi bar, and walls adorned with bundles of dried flowers. KinKan describes its food as Japanese Thai fusion, but with a boundlessly creative set of dishes that changes from night to night, the food that you'll be served at KinKan takes on a genre of its own.

The restaurant offers three different menus. Its original take-out offerings of bento and chirashi boxes, a 20-course omakase tasting menu served at the sushi bar, and Sun-Moon-Shine, which is a multi-course tasting menu that pays homage to Chef Nan's father's Thailand tour company of the same name. The experience guides guests through the four essential culinary regions of Thailand, with courses like an uni martini, A5 Wagyu tartare, creamy tom yum, rich panang bolognese, coconut panna cotta, and lychee yuzu sherbet.

This Thai Town spot dishes up great food and drinks every night until 2 a.m. Kruang Tedd's sleek dining room may seem sparse at first glance, but once the lights go down, it turns into one of the premiere music venues in the neighborhood, featuring local bands and DJs alongside its menu of great Thai food. The filling khao mok gai, perfect for the chicken lover in your life, is made up of a ridiculously tender steamed chicken thigh, herby curried rice, and a refreshing, slightly sweet green sauce.

The kao soi chicken is perfect for cool Los Angeles nights as the northern-style chicken noodle curry is served with flavorful pickled lettuce, red onion, and chili oil paste and topped with crunchy egg noodles. And, Kruang Tedd satiates the late-night cravings of Angelenos across the city with its classic pad Thai. It's a great place to kick back with a drink. Whether you're craving a house cocktail, a bucket of soju, or a whole coconut, Kruang Tedd has it.

This unassuming strip mall spot has slowly become the sleeper hit of the Los Angeles Thai food scene. Its two lead chefs have roots in Phuket and a menu chock-full of Southern Thai staples. They are also the masterminds behind Noree Thai on Beverly. When in doubt, order one of the Chef's Specials. Its most popular dish, the Phuket-style crab curry kanomjean, is an excellent place to start. The spicy pot of crab meat curry is served with Vermicelli rice noodles, a hard-boiled egg, pickled carrots and papayas, and chopped veggies.

The dried jade noodle with 3 BBQ is another must-order special. The dish is composed of three different types of mouth-wateringly delicious BBQs — pork, crispy pork, and roasted duck — bean sprouts, broccoli, crushed peanuts, and jade noodles, perfect for mopping up the savory sauce. Round out the trio of house favorites with the sweet and spicy hat yai fried chicken. But, make sure to order it early. When the restaurant is busy (and it usually is), the dish takes roughly 30 minutes to hit the table.

This cozy Hollywood Boulevard restaurant is the ideal takeout joint. The wait time from ordering to eating is impressively quick, there's plenty of seating if you're in need of a place to wait for your food, and it's some of the best well-priced Thai food in town. Main dishes are priced at an average of $12, and portions are generous and delicious. You can't go wrong when ordering from Boran Thai, but classic Thai-American dishes are among the most popular options at the restaurant.

The tangy pad Thai Boran is an ideal comfort staple, the salty, hearty pad see ew is endlessly crave-able, and, if you want to skip the noodles, the crispy pork/Chinese broccoli will keep you coming back to Thai Town for more. Surprisingly, another of Boran Thai's most popular dishes is its shumai (a traditional Chinese dumpling). Nevertheless, it's a must-order. After, wash it all down with a refreshing glass of Boran's Thai tea.

If you're ever in need of a quick bite in Downtown Los Angeles and don't feel like braving the sprawl of Grand Central Market (or just want some amazing Thai food), Holy Basil is the place to go. It's located in a small food hall off Los Angeles Street. Make your way there, and allow yourself to be beckoned in by the red neon glow of Holy Basil. Ordering the pad Thai may seem simple, but you'll definitely want to try this one. The wok-fried rice noodles are finished with a mouthwatering sweet and slightly sour combination of paprika, sweet radish, tiny dried shrimp, and tamarind fish sauce.

The tom yum soup is another surefire hit. When chefs reference that perfect blend of salt, fat, acid, and heat, this bowl is what they're talking about. It's cooked up with oyster mushrooms, lime, roasted chili jam, lemongrass, herbs, and cream, and even on LA's hottest summer days, it's a must-order. Also, make sure to pick up a can of Joy's Thai Tea. Each can is brewed by Holy Basil's own Joy Yuon to the perfect amount of sweetness, with dairy and oat milk-based options for sale.

If you're ever stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 101 and happen to be near the Hollywood Boulevard exit, pull off the freeway to rest, refuel, and wait out a rush hour at Pailin Thai Cuisine. The family-owned and operated restaurant serves up Northern Thai fare and has been a verifiable neighborhood staple since it opened, earning its spot in the top five of our ranking.

That said, the dining room is on the smaller side. If there's no room for you to slide into one of the restaurant's bright blue booths, rest assured that Pailin's take-out business is booming. Unsurprisingly, its pad Thai is one of its most popular dishes, closely followed by its pad see ew. If you're eyeing the appetizers, opt for shrimp: Pailin is known for its deep-fried shrimp cakes with sweet and sour sauce, as well as its spicy shrimp balls. The richly flavorful khao soi noodle soup is another house favorite — a meal at Pailin wouldn't be complete without it.

Jitlada is a legendary Thai eatery that is known for having some of the spiciest Thai food in all of Los Angeles. The restaurant even offers a spicy dynamite challenge that gives patrons the chance to try one of the spiciest dishes ever created by Chef Tui. The spicy meal in question is a savory stir fry that can be prepared with your choice of meat and is cooked in a fire-hot mix of fresh and dried Thai chiles. Those wanting to partake in the challenge must be 18 years or older, and we're warning you — it's not for the faint of heart (or heat).

If spicy food isn't your thing, there are plenty of other options that are sure to satisfy. In fact, the massive menu boasts over 300 different dishes, making Jitlada one of the best places to take a large group with a variety of tastes and diets. That said, if you're looking to branch out, give one of the spicy smoothies a shot. Choose up to four flavors ranging from mango to ginger to rambutan.

Need a new Thai place to take your vegan friend? Look no further than Salaya. This Thai-fusion cafe is completely plant-based, and the menu features tons of innovative takes on traditional Thai favorites. Located in the heart of Thai Town, Salaya always serves fresh food that comes in pretty large portions, making it a great option for a quick and casual dine-in experience or take-out. The grilled tofu dumplings makes for a wonderful appetizer, as do the deep-fried corn cakes that are served with a sour cucumber sauce.

When it comes to mains, warm up with a bowl of wonton soup or indulge in the spicy garlic noodles for a savory and satisfying meal. The rice plates also offer a great bang for your buck and are served with everything from ground Beyond Meat beef to fried soy chicken. If you're looking for something low-carb, the veggie entrées are where it's at. Everything is delicious here, landing it in our top three spots.

Between the warm and modern interior and the diverse menu, it's no wonder why LA locals have been flocking to Sri Siam Cafe for almost 40 years. Whether you're looking to grab a Thai tea to-go or are planning on sitting down for a full meal at lunch, Sri Siam Cafe deserves to be at the top of your list when you catch a craving for Thai food. From the decadent soft-shell crab to the light yet filling crispy rice salad, this legendary eatery always impresses, making it our second-favorite Thai spot in LA.

Some other menu highlights include the hearty pad see ew, spicy seafood soup (that is perfect for sharing), and crispy pork fried rice. In addition to classic Thai teas, you can also go for something a bit more modern like matcha milk tea. For a little texture, add some boba for only $0.50. Though you can dine in for dinner, Sri Siam Cafe offers some solid lunch specials that are worth taking advantage of.

In addition to being our top pick for the best Thai restaurants in all of LA, Anajak is also one of the best restaurants when it comes to any kind of cuisine. Located in Sherman Oaks, Anajak Thai has been around for more than 40 years. From Thai Taco Tuesday to standard a la carte dining, a meal at Anajak is not one that you'll soon forget. Start off with a glass of wine, all of which are hand selected by sommeliers, before diving into the seasonal menu.

The menu changes pretty regularly, but expect plenty of elevated takes on Thai classics like the fried chicken wings with tamarind sauce, crispy garden rolls, and pad Thai. If you're looking to go all out during a dinner at Anajak, book the Omakase experience. The omakase dinner is only available during the last weekend of every month. Since this is one of the toughest reservations to score in Los Angeles, definitely book out as far in advance as possible.