Chai Yo is a very welcoming restaurant with very responsive staff. From outside the restaurant seems decrepit but the inside was spacious, clean and well lit. When we visited last night they were busy but we were quickly seated, honoring the reservations that we had. Water was on the table in seconds! The waiter took our order in minutes and the appetizer -- crispy spring roll -- was on our table a few minutes. The appetizer lived up to its name: it was hit, crispy and delicious! We ordered volcano beef, chicken pad thai and beef fried rice. The first two items, in a scale from 1 to 5, were at spicy level 3 and the last one at spicy level 2. And boy it was spicy. I cannot imagine how spicy level 5 would be!!! The food was fresh and well cooked. I am not a big fan of Thai food but my family is, so we go for Thai food every so often. I liked the fact that the staff knew which food items has MSG and which didn't making it easier to avoid it. read more

A small place right in ECR. They've been on my radar for a while and I drive by this place often enough, but haven't actually stopped to come in until recently. Everything we ordered had been tasty. Prices are reasonable. They even have a whole vegetarian menu. Service was good. Friendly and not overbearing, though our wait staff kind of disappeared for stretches at a time. But not that big of a deal. I'll gladly come back and try other tasty offerings. read more

Chai Yo Thai Cuisine - Samosa - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

A hidden gem in San Mateo! The entire menu can be made to be vegetarian/vegan friendly and both are fantastic. We are non-vegetarian, but came with our vegetarian friends and ordered the roasted duck curry, the soy roasted duck curry, the pad see ew, and the Bangkok duck -- everything was fantastic flavor wise. The ambiance is also great -- they're a fairly small restaurant, so it's a great setting for having a dinner with close friends. Our food arrived quickly and the service was very attentive. We will absolutely be back! read more

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Ordered the following food to go: Chicken pad Thai 4/5 Crispy spring rolls 3/5 Thai tea 4/5 The food was okay. It was conveniently located next to my hotel and I needed a quick dinner. Service was quick and ambience was casual. read more

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What we thought would be a casual Thai joint in San Mateo turned out to be one of the best veggie meals we've had in a long time. Our group of three split a couple of mainstay dishes including their Papaya Salad, Tom Kha with Tofu, and entrees such as their Fried "Fish" and Minced Basil Soymeat. Everything came in large portions that we were barely able to finish most of them without taking a few bites home. The salad and tom kha were my two favorites - each having so much depth and flavor to each dish. The mock fish was also a standout and really goes well with a serving of rice, so don't forget to order some. Looks like they used to be a fully vegetarian/vegan restaurant but have since started serving animal products. Despite that, I encourage anyone to give them a try because their food and service were fantastic. read more

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Wonderful Thai shop with both vegan and meat options! Fast friendly service. Loved the Thai tea made with soy milk :) my fav Large portions and flavorful spices; curries had a spicy kick! Street parking. Thank you. read more

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So glad we found this place. Everything we ordered is delicious, with the perfect level of spice. Service is quick, friendly, and attentive. Relaxing lounge music is playing in the background. We will be back! read more

Vegetarian food was very tasty with reasonable pricing. Bangkok duck was the crowd favorite, definitely recommend.

Just so-so Thai food. The panang curry was runny and lacked spice and way too many green peppers and very little chicken (and the pieces of chicken were overcooked). Basil eggplant was also just ok. Was excited to have Thai food as we don't have good thai food in Tampa. Should've gone to elephant Thai (which incidentally is rated lower but food there has tons of flavor). read more

I have driven by this restaurant on El Camino many times but had no idea it was a Thai food place. When I read more about them I was intrigued to find out that they had lots of vegetarian style proteins. With a good amount of good Yelp reviews, I decided to give this place a try for a family takeout dinner. On the menu, it said that they had veggie chicken, pork, etc but on the phone I was told I could also get real meats as well. Parking can be a little difficult in this area but my wife dropped me off while she parked in a short term parking spot and I ran in to get the food which was ready in time as promised. On the car ride home, I can smell all the yummy dishes. We ordered the following: Penang curry chicken Pad thai with tofu Crispy fish with sweet garlic suace Bangkok duck (veggie duck) Praram beef All the dishes tasted great and portion sizes were decent. I had no complaints about any of them. A standout dish to me was the crispy fish with sweet garlic sauce. The prices were also decent. This place will be part of my peninsula Thai food option rotation for sure! read more

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We visited Chia Yao Thai with a group of friends and everything was exceptional. Love that they have so many vegan options and they were flexible when we requested modifications. They were so welcoming and attentive. Highly recommend! read more

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We saw high ratings for this restaurant and decided to check it out. There were limited street parking nearby. We managed to find a parking spot two blocks away from this establishment. A friendly waiter greeted us right away upon entering the restaurant. The menu was kind of confusing to us because a lot of dishes were listed on the menu stated veggie chicken, veggie pork, and veggie beef. We're not vegetarians, and the waiter told us that we can have real meat with our orders. We ordered the chicken satay, pineapple fried rice, chicken pad thai, seafood curry, Thai iced coffee, and Thai iced tea. The food came out in a timely manner. The chicken satay was the worst chicken satay we ever had. They had grilled marks, but they were so dried even with the sauce on top of them. We couldn't even tell if they were made with real chicken or veggie chicken. The pineapple fried rice was lack of flavor. The chicken pad thai was ok. The seafood curry was kind of on a spicy side. They didn't skimp on the seafood. The Thai iced coffee and the Thai iced tea were refreshing. However, the Thai iced tea was kind of too sweet. We like to support mom and pop restaurants. However, they used way too msg in their food. My wife and I had dried mouth for the rest of the day and the following day. We drank lots of water and that still didn't help. We definitely had better Thai food elsewhere. read more

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Me and my fiancé were in the mood for some Thai food, and I saw reviews raving about the pad thai here so we stopped in. We came in on a Wednesday around 5pm when they had just opened so the place was completely empty. The employees were friendly and quick to serve us. We got the Chicken Satay, Papaya Salad, Tom Yum Soup, Chicken Pad Thai, and Pineapple Fried Rice. The chicken satay was pretty good. Chicken wasn't overly dry, and had good flavor. The peanut sauce that came with it was good as well. The Papaya Salad was also good, but the portion was rather small. The Tom Yum soup was okay. I've never seen broccoli in Tom Yum soup before, and it definitely was out of place in this dish. The Pad Thai came out, and I was excited to see what the raving reviews were all about, but was severely disappointed. It was way too sweet, and the sweetness overpowered any other flavor profile. The Pineapple Fried Rice was the most disappointing dish. It looked great, had a nice color from the curry powder, but it lacked any flavor whatsoever. The interior was clean and on the smaller side but still comfortable and the service overall was great and friendly. read more

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Very good food super nice waiter very normal prices They made an effort for the decoration . A hidden gem.

Came here for dinner and got the chicken wings, papaya salad, volcanic beef and spicy eggplant with shrimp. Everything thing was ok except for the Volcanic beef. The beef was over cooked and dry. Haven't they heard of using baking soda to cook with. read more

The sister restaurant of Charm thai. Same owner. This one, I think, originally just served vegetarian and vegan dishes, but now also serves non vegitarian.l dishes. It is located not far from Charm thai. The restaurants size is almost similar. It is cozy. It was only us when we arrived. First, we thought it only served vegetarian as the menu were vegetarian and vegan, but when we asked, the server said they also serve non vegetarian. We order some tum, crispy fish with garlic sauce, and pad kee mao. When the fish was ready, I said this one similar to the one at Charm Thai. When we asked the server , he said they were the same owner. All the dishes taste similar. The food was good and we finished all. This is an alternative if you wanted to have a meal at Charm Thai, but they are full. Next time we will try the vegetarian dishes. read more

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Food was so delicious! The staff was kind. We didn't realize that they also do real meat, but they offer so many veggie options. We got papaya salad, veggie chicken basil, and veggie chicken pad thai. Recommend everything!!! So much flavor and umami! Can't wait to come again! read more

Chai Yo Thai Cuisine - Basil (Gra-pow) - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Amazing food and service. They give two menus to everyone- one vegetarian and one "regular meat." The veg menu has all of what the regular menu has, with vegetarian duck, seafood, bbq chicken, etc. I had the vegetarian duck curry, the veg papaya salad, and a soy milk Thai iced tea, all of which was excellent. Wish I had just ordered more to take home for tomorrow- I'll be back soon. read more

Updating my review since my partner and I have been continuously coming here for the past two years! Never let us down! Friendly and warm service every time (and I love the Pop Marts they have displayed) Still highly recommend - great delicious vegetarian and non-veg/meat options as well. Amazing family owned business! Recommend their pad thai, pad kee mao, yellow curry, roti and curry, and thai samosas. You won't regret coming here! read more

They have a wonderful vegan and vegetarian menu! There service is quick and the staff is great. The location is a great spot to meet friends! They have the best red curry with tofu, and their tam kha soup is amazing. They also have a good vegan chicken noodle soup! read more

Tasty vegan Thai food with options to make some dishes vegetarian. They have separate menu for meat options as well which is nice. Pretty laid back ambiance and the interior is small but cozy. Would recommend it if you're looking for some good Thai vegan dishes read more

Amazing fake meat options; some of the best I've tasted with very real texture. Quiet little spot read more

When we first saw the menu, we realized this was a vegetarian/vegan Thai restaurant -- but when we ordered, the waiter let us know that they also serve real beef and chicken. We ordered a Chicken Pad Thai and a Beef Pad See Ew which were really good! Servers were super attentive and the atmosphere was nice and peaceful. read more

Chai Yo Thai Cuisine - Beef Pad See-ew Noodle - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Small place easy to miss but good food. Service is polite and courteous and Ambiance is average for this place. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could but since half stars not allowed, I'll bump it up to four. Standout dishes include green curry, grilled string beans, and don't miss the lychee iced tea! read more

Yummy vegan friendly options! Glad to find a local place with plant based protein options, delicious flavors, and friendly service! The inside is cozy and cute. Will definitely come back again! :) read more

My husband and I stopped for a quick lunch and found this hidden gem. Highly recommend the pineapple fried rice with shrimp and the yellow curry with chicken. We also paired it with the hot tea and it was perfect! The service was quick and friendly and the ambiance was relaxing even on a large street. read more

Chai Yo Thai Cuisine - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

HOLY smokes the BEST thai food i have ever eaten. Not to mention its full vegetarian and almost everything can be made vegan! Staff is so kind and sweet & always smiling. Vibes were good, loved the decor on the wall. Literally the biggest hidden gem- i'm from the east coast and we have thai food often- this is 100% the best ive ever had. The dumplings came in an amazing thai gingery sauce, the soup literally could feed a family of 6 (portion was huge!!!), the pad thai was the tastiest pad thai ive ever had. Thai iced tea with coconut milk perfect level of sweetness & so refreshing. Staff frequently came to check in and was so cute and sweet! When i'm back in Cali this is my spot, seriously dont even want to gatekeep it because they deserve the business. read more

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The staff is so kind and what excellent customer service. Makes me want to keep coming back!

The vegetarian food is good. Spring rolls are a bit oily, but fried rice is amazing. I recommend this place.

Our second time here and love it. The wing bombs were the big surprise - super flavorful and perfectly crispy with a chewy interior. We had the grids tofu (again) and it's great. Massaman coconut curry was rich, creamy and flavorful but be sure to get rice with it as it's soupy. read more

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Absolutely delicious pad thai! The dishes are all beautifully presented and the food is fresh and savory. Our service was really friendly and polite. The veggie chicken satay was remarkably good. You would never guess that it is vegetarian chicken. A truly delightful menu and a comfortable, cozy dining room. read more

Chai Yo Thai Cuisine - Veggie chicken pad thai - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Parking was a bit difficult, so you might want to come a bit earlier to find parking. Food was unfortunately some of the worst we have had. However, these are covid times and some of their food may be much better when eaten right away. Fried Fish with Sweet Chili Sauce was too sweet for my taste. I find the veggie fish too processed and it tastes more like duck than anything. I eat more fried food than most people, but find this too greasy. Seafood Curry tastes awful. The curry itself tastes worse than all the Thai food places I have been to. The vegetables have an odd taste to it. Not a fan of veggie meat in this curry. Unfortunately, I would much rather get vegetarian food at a Thai place than here. Too unhealthy here and does not taste better. read more

Chai Yo Thai Cuisine - Vegan Fried Fish With Sweet Chili Sauce - way too sweet - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The food was actually very good, also pretty in presentation. The Papaya salad had a nice level of acidity, I also ordered it medium spicy, i personally think it came out slightly more than medium spicy, but not anything to be alarmed about. Pad thai was great flavor was not as nutty as I had expected, but nonetheless tasty. Server was kind and helpful and very friendly with a good smile to greet me! The room had a casual vibe to it, where you can walk in and have a meal without having to worry too much about how you dressed. So why is the rating a 3 star? Well... remember how I said the pad thai was tasty. It was a good pad thai, just not the surprise of a piece of relatively large sand grain I found after i chewed unexpectedly. Server did refund me the pad thai, and was apologetic and told me this never happened before. Well I'm glad it was me and I have strong teeth, and stopped before I bit down too hard. I do believe they will make be vigilant so it doesn't happen again, my review only reflects my dining experience. As long as you don't have any surprises in your food, it should be a good experience. Probably a solid 4/5 for me if I had no surprises. read more

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I'm in love with this place! Consistently delicious and good portions! Vegetarian and gluten friendly on purpose (no hassle)! I've only eaten to-go/delivery and not at the location. Well-packaged and comparable pricing. read more

Small, charming, and clean with a fun atmosphere. The food was excellent, and despite having just one person handling both hosting and serving, the service was solid. We ordered the volcanic beef, pad see ew, and spicy eggplant--all were incredibly delicious with a perfect blend of spices and flavors. read more

I love this place! Such yummy vegan thai food! I have ordered the crispy spring rolls, pad thai (no egg), pad woon sen (no egg), basil chicken, Tom yum noodle soup, and the pumpkin curry with tofu and they are all delicious!! There was one dish that disappointed me a bit- the chicken noodle soup. It just wasn't as flavorful as the Tom yum noodle soup but it was still light and filling. The staff is very kind and friendly. We ordered most dishes with tofu since my mother in law is gluten-free but I was able to get a few with gluten chicken. I highly recommend this place! read more

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Ordered out once and fell in love so I decided to come try it in person and I was very very happy once again! I'll come back again to try more but this time I got the chicken bombs! Everything was 5 stars! Make sure you get coconut rice! Too good to miss out! read more

Chai Yo Thai Cuisine - Chicken V. Wing Bomb - Thai Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Upon entering, the setting was cozy, dimly lit, and there were modest decorations. The waiter bowed and greeted us with a friendly smile. Though they were the only one serving, so it was slightly slow; understandable though. They were still very polite and helpful. Food was light, healthy, and tasty. Samosas were probably the healthiest samosas I've ever had. We also ordered the Pad See Ew (vegetable) as well as brown rice with sweet and sour veggie chicken, which were both sooo delicious. It was fairly busy on a Saturday at 7pm...almost a full house. Overall, great experience. The food tasted and felt like exactly what a body needs! So tasty and healthy. Prices were also fair. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

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Found this place last month and have to say it's the best Pad thai and Pad kee mow in San Mateo! It's now my go-to Thai restaurant

SO HAPPY to see a vegetarian restaruant in san mateo. all onion/garlic free review: pad thai - AMAZING pad see ew - pretty good too green curry - very flavorful and coconuttty bangkok duck - shitake filling with beancurd sheets wrapped in a fish shape and fried til super crispy. on a bed if mixed greens. sauce has garlic so I didnt eat the sauce. crispy spring rolls - a solid choice and tasty. stuck a togo order in the air fryer so they were nice and crunchy crispy chicken fried rice - so so so good i want this again already stir fried eggplant - so fragrant, has the wok hay. this was a crowd fave. volcano beef - just saucy mock beef on a bed of mixed greens. I'm personally not a fan of mock beef so i wouldn't get this again. dog friendly, limited parking, same building as the rabbit kitchen read more