- opens late, which is rare for Honolulu - good authentic…read moreThai food, great flavor - service excellent. Super nice people and hospitable - good location, in the mix of all Waikiki things - nice interior with good a/c and spacious tables. Good ambiance

Despite how busy it looked, we were seated almost immediately. The restaurant has a warm, inviting…read moreatmosphere where you can tell people come to enjoy family style meals together. It's on the smaller side, but the tables are spaced comfortably enough that you don't feel cramped. The menu is also extensive, with just about every popular Thai dish you could think of. Service was one of the highlights. The staff was attentive, friendly, and quick throughout the meal. Our Thai tea arrived almost immediately. I'm talking within a minute of ordering. It's definitely on the stronger side with less milk than most Thai teas, allowing the tea flavor to really shine through. It leans a bit sweeter than average, but the sweetness was balanced, and you could genuinely taste the freshly steeped tea leaves. The Thai boat noodles are what this restaurant is known for, so they were a must-order. Since it was my first time trying boat noodles, I figured this was the best place to experience them. I can definitely see why they're a customer favorite and would recommend ordering them if it's your first visit. The beef pad see ew surprised me. It was sweeter than most versions I've had, but it really worked. The noodles were cooked perfectly with great texture. My only complaint was the beef. It was a bit chewy and didn't match the quality of the noodles. The seafood tom yum was the biggest letdown. The broth itself was flavorful, but the seafood selection felt like a frozen mix rather than fresh ingredients. The mussels were already removed from their shells, the squid was chewy, and the soup included canned mushrooms instead of fresh ones, along with fish cakes and fish balls. It lacked the freshness I was hoping for. Overall, I left feeling that the proteins were the weakest part of the meal. The flavors, service, and atmosphere were all enjoyable, but the quality of the meat and seafood didn't quite stand out. That said, it's still a solid Thai restaurant, especially considering the options in Hawaii. Would I come back? I'm on the fence, but probably not

After a long day of hiking and enjoying the beach, I was craving some spicy Thai food. I happened…read moreto drive by this restaurant and decided to give it a try -- and I'm so glad I did! This place exceeded my expectations. The food was absolutely delicious, the service was amazing, and the staff was so friendly, kind, and welcoming. They even made something special to customize my order, which I really appreciated. If you're looking for authentic, flavorful Thai food in Waikiki, I highly recommend this place. I'll definitely be coming back!

Food was crazy disappointing. Veg in summer rolls was brown and soft. No spice in papaya salad…read more No spice in chili stir fried green beans. Service was absolutely terrible. We asked for spice and got bland. Took order, didnt see her again until she returned 40 minutes later to "see if everything was good" and drop the check. Redeeming quality was the fried chicken appetizer. Dark meat, marinated, good sauce. Entrees dont come w rice . Surcharge on debit cards. Not for locals. Probably for tourists from the midwest who dont know any better.

Came on a Monday afternoon. Got summer rolls, pad see ew, panang curry, and a Thai iced tea…read more This place is such a cute little hide away with a tree growing in the middle. The food was so good, all warm and delicious. Had a bit of a wait for the check but the atmosphere makes up for it. The host and server were attentive and sweet. This is such a cute hidden gem, I wish I knew about this place earlier in life. I'd love to come back.

Red Elephant rocks!…read more We have been in Waikiki for the week and eaten at beautiful restaurants on "The Strip" but were looking for a change of pace. Our son who is a University of Hawai'i Manoa shared he had driven by this neighborhood gem numerous times but never tried before. So our group of five thought we would give this ThaIRISH restaurant a go! Wow! We were pleasantly surprised to discover this excellent authentic Thai cusine in Honolulu, Hawai'i! The relaxed setting with iconic Buddas, Elephant and Thai art is simple, inviting and warm. Our host and server was Taylor who was extremely friendly, gracious and great Irish smile! We ordered the classics (I inserted our selections in the photos given my severe dyslexia) Each dish was equally fresh, eye appealing and delicious! From the "Best Pad Thai I have ever had" comment from my discerning wife who judges a Thai restaurant's cusine by its Pad Thai is saying alot! Wow! Very impressive offering we haven't been able to get even in the "Best" Thai restaurants in San Francisco. Our son managed to make sure there were absolutely NO leftovers on the plates before he ordered the Manago sticky rice. It was perfect closure to an extraordinary meal. Bravo to the chef for making it happen. I talking with Taylor we learned the owner is her uncle Dr. Stephen Foley, MD an OBY/GYN and University of Hawai'i alum as Keck School of Medicine. As a former hospital CEO on the mainland I can appreciate this extremely difficult work. The Honolulu Ohana is blessed to have Dr. Foley a fellow Irishman on Ohau serving patients, new babies and extraordinary ThaIRISH cusine. Bravo!

Glad we visited this place to order takeout. We ended up getting the chicken tom yum and the fish…read morepatties. Had enough flavor, and we also saw a handful of ginger along with the lemongrass in the soup (which is a plus for my fam and myself). For the spice level, we got medium -- it was pretty spicy, though my spice tolerance is low lol! The cashier was friendly. This will be one of my go to places for Thai food!

This place is located in Old Stadium Mall - next to Fresh Bites and Golden Eagle. "Free" parking…read moreout front with QR code. Inside is smallish with a few tables only. Even with the afternoon sun shining through the covered windows, it was still cool and comfortable. The Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) with Chicken was very good. Soft, wide chow funn noodles with fresh vegetables and strips of chicken. Seasoned and prepared very well. Came to the table piping hot and fragrant, which I always enjoy so you can slowly eat it and appreciate the aroma and many flavors and textures. The Eggplant with Tofu was delicious! I could smell the fish sauce among a plethora of other aromas when it arrived at the table, but the fish sauce was not strong and added a nice savory and umami flavor to balance the sweet. I loved the basil's brightness and herbaceousness it adds to this dish - just wish it had more! Overall, a nice meal. Food was flavorful and prepared well. Service was good and friendly. I might come back to try more, but also curious how different it is at the original Thai Issan Cuisine.

Amazing food amazing service special kudos to Kevin our waiter who explained the dishes to us. It's…read morevery hard to find vegan options in Hawaii but this restaurant prepared them special for us. We ate here 3 times the drunken noodles were amazing and the Tom Yum soup was the best i have ever had. The mango sticky rice was made with fresh picked mangoes. The crispy noodles were also amazing

Omg a good friend told me about this place - this is the real deal - ono food - and the nicest…read morepeople ever !!

Olay's Thai Lao Cuisine is a little oasis tucked away in downtown Honolulu. The beautiful outdoor…read moreseating with koi ponds, umbrellas, and string lights creates a peaceful atmosphere that makes you want to slow down and enjoy the meal. If you're looking for authentic Lao food, this place definitely delivers. We ordered the Soop Noor Mai (bamboo shoot salad), Lao-style Som Tum, Beef Red Curry with jasmine rice, and Seen Haeng (beef jerky). The standout dish for me was the Soop Noor Mai. It was unlike anything I've had before, with an earthy, herbaceous flavor and plenty of texture from the shredded bamboo shoots, toasted rice powder, fresh herbs, and greens. Every bite had something different going on, making it both interesting and deeply satisfying. The Lao-style papaya salad was fresh, vibrant, and packed with bold flavors. The beef red curry was rich, creamy, and fragrant with tender beef that paired perfectly with the jasmine rice. The only dish that missed the mark for me was the Seen Haeng. While the flavor was good, the beef was cooked a little too long and ended up drier than I prefer. I personally like Lao beef jerky with a bit more tenderness and chew. Everything else was excellent, and the relaxing garden setting made the experience even better. If you're craving authentic Lao cuisine in Honolulu, Olay's is well worth a visit. I'll definitely be back to explore more of their menu.

I was really excited to try this place. A weekday around 8pm, this place was still packed. We…read morewaited about 10min for a table and another 10min to be waited...which is not a big deal. I could see the servers were busy. The food came out in a reasonable time, and the appetizer sampler was great. I usually don't really like regular egg rolls but they were so tasty. Chicken wings are also my favorite. Calamari and summer rolls were okay. The entrees....pat thai and panag curry were good but nothing special. What was really dissappointing was we found a long piece of hair when we took the left over curry home in the container. I know these things happen but wish I noticed that at the restaurant ( I barely ate the curry at the restaurant as I got full so quickly). Paid $25 for it....rarely ate it and found a hair.... Also they charge 4% credit card fee and put the default tip from 20%, 25% and 30%. All these upcharge and tip culture is getting out of control.

One of the most Authentic tasting Thai food restaurants on Oahu. This restaurant is a must try if…read moreyou are craving a meal that taste like it's straight from Thailand. And might I note, this review is coming from someone of Thai ethnicity, who grew up eating home cooked Thai food, knows how to cook Thai food, and visits Thailand very frequently. When I first dined in this restaurant they had just opened about 5-6 years ago and to be honest, I was disappointed with the food that I ordered. However, at the time I assumed it may have been attributed to the fact that they had just opened so they may have been just getting their footing and figuring things out. I'm so glad I gave this place another try again years later because everything was SO delicious and very authentic tasting. As someone who grew up eating home cooked Thai food, I personally dread going to a Thai restaurant and discovering that they over sweeten dishes or add ingredients that aren't typically found in an authentic Thai dish. This place does everything right! I came during lunch around 11:00am and while the seating is limited, the staff was very attentive. I ordered pad kee mao (drunken noodle), kratiew leauy (boat noodle soup), som tum (papaya salad - Laos style), and pad krapow. The stars of the show were definitely the boat noodle soup and the drunken noodle. The drunken noodles were cooked to perfection, tasty, and had that smokey, charred, wok flavor which made the dish stand out. The boat noodle soup had so much depth and flavor - the best on island, hands down. The papaya salad (Laos style) had that tangy, salty, sweet, crunchy, funky, and spicy flavor that reminds me of my mom or grandma's papaya salad. I can't wait to eat here again when I'm craving a great Thai meal!

King of Thai Boat Noodles on Keeaumoku is one of my newest finds in Oahu that is also in my list of…read moretop 10 restaurants because really, their boat noodles reminds me of the time I had them in Thailand. I usually order their boat noodles and green papaya salad. Both 5/5, and because I've had it at least 4 times, I'm ready to venture out in their menu and try something else the next time I go there. Looks like this place has regulars and for good reason, their food is awesome. Highly recommend this place.

Haven't had Thai food in a while so we voted to come here, especially since Market City parking…read morewasn't too bad. We opted for family style since we wanted to have different things and went for: -Pad see iew with tofu (very flavorful but portion was a bit on the smaller side... I thought they gave more before..) -Papaya salad (crunchy, fresh, and tart) -Sticky rice -Yellow Curry with chicken (delicious & coconut didn't overpower) -House fried chicken (crispy, juicy... and most pieces were boneless). We warmed up a little with the medium spice level papaya salad...and they don't mess around with their spices here. Thai spice is way more of an intense, painful heat than Korean chili peppers (in my opinion!). This dish even made my spice tolerant friend sweat a little but couldn't stop eating because everything was packed with flavor. Service was fast - I would definitely come back here (and maybe bring a jacket). At least I know the AC works here!

Thai restaurant with great lunch special!…read more We got the pad thai with chicken and the lunch special. The lunch special comes with crispy chicken, salad, and your choice of curry - we got green. Everything were amazing and a great portion! We definitely had some leftovers. The lunch special is a bit inconspicuous on the menu so you have to look for it or know about it, but it's definitely worth it! The service was great and it was a cozy shop. One of our favorite Thai restaurants on the island!