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    Chao Phya Thai Restaurant

    3.9 (534 reviews)
    Closed 4:30 pm - 9:00 PM

    Order Chao Phya Thai Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Chao Phya Thai Restaurant Photos

    CHAO PHYA THAI RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Chao Phya Thai Restaurant

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    Nadine C.

    Takeout dinner in Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i... First to Review was in 2007... Wow... That's a long time ago! So, this Thai restaurant has been in business for almost 20 years! Must be good, right? Located at Windward City Shopping Center, next to Starbucks, Chao Phya Thai Restaurant is visible from Kamehameha Highway. Everyone passes it when entering Kaneohe from the Pali Highway. Inside, it seems rather dim, cozy, and cluttered. The cashier wasn't at her station. I waited around for her. She was chatting with some customers. Another takeout customer came in after me, but at least she cashed me out first. I called in my order: yellow curry (with tofu) and pad see ew (with shrimp). When I paid, there was no printout. I looked at the menu to see the prices. The proteins were an added upcharge. Wow. A bit pricey compared with other Thai restaurants... At home, I enjoyed my meal. However, the food was blander than other Thai cuisine that I have recently had.

    Bugs in lettuce
    Le J.

    Expensive for what you get. The spring rolls had bugs in the lettuce. Beef pad see ew tasted like metal. I love Thai food but this place is not it.

    Seafood medley
    Maritess C.

    My boyfriend saw this place and we decided to eat here for dinner. Hardly anyone in here. We ordered quite a bit, 4 plates. We ordered the pork fried rice, noodles, sweet and sour fish and seafood medley. We ended up waiting for a little bit because they had one cook so the waitress gave us free complimentary spring rolls which looked like egg rolls lol Everything was good but I especially liked the seafood medley plate because it had shrimp in it. Waitresses were really nice and promoting new dishes they had. Ambiance was nice and decor was cute. Plenty of parking up front and around. High recommend this place for Thai. Food was delicious.

    Randall S.

    This was a hidden gem to find in Kaneohe! I had seen the restaurant for a while and decided to take some out of town guests to check this place out. Needless to say we had a great time! The chef stopped by to review our order and recommended we try the baked oysters (not shown on the menu). The oysters were done similar to oyster Rockefeller but was baked instead. We also tried their bone in prime rib and it came with sides of potatoes and sautéed vegetables (not on the menu). The cashew soup was smooth with a good flavor (not on the menu). The eggplant was also very good and the pad Thai noodles were perfect. Not too gummy and not too crunchy. The service was excellent and after dinner, the chef stopped by to make sure we were satisfied with our meals. Our friends were impressed and said this was the best Thai food they've had and I agree. It was a wonderful experience and I'll be back again. Highly recommend folks check this place out for outstanding Thai fusion cooking!

    Pineapple Fried Rice + Pad See Ew
    Raquel M.

    Food: it was subpar. I did love the service and their eagerness to want us to try different menu items, but we know what we like. Pad see ew is just always my favorite. It was a bit too sweet. Ambiance was chill and clean!! Very family friendly. Parking: easy -- shouldn't have an issue.

    Crispy fish with spicy sauce was great.
    Ramiro H.

    The staff was really personable and welcoming. Great recommendations and went out of their way to ensure we felt taken care of. Food cake out extremely fast and the portions were a good size and really flavorful. We got spicy and it was just spicy enough to lightly tingle my lips, but not overly spicy to where it's not enjoyable. We will definitely be returning to this place, but although there's plenty of space and it's family friendly, it's just not financially sustainable for us to bring our kids. Quality food comes at a cost and it was just under 100 (not counting tip) for 3 plates, bowl of jasmine rice and water. Adding 3 kids to that tab would only be upon request for special occasions (birthdays, graduations, etc). Overall great staff, location, ambiance and food. Looking forward to the next visit

    Fish cake appetizer
    Debra N.

    They are very friendly, making drink and food suggestions. They took our orders fast before16 party came in. Appetizer: Seasoned fish cake, chewy texture, very tasty, laid on lettuce and wanted another, but given only four pieces...needed to behave! Main dish: seasoned fried fish was fantastic, many texture (crunchy, flaky, delicate), carrots, basil, mushrooms, lettuce, asparagus, and etc. This an absolute dis to eat. You don't need the sauce....makes it savory though. Side: purple rice... This was a fantastic meal and worth coming back to! Ciao!!!

    Pad Thai Noodles

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    5 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Delicious food and great atmosphere! Will definitely be coming back!! Loved the garlic chicken!

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    This truly is one of the gems of the Windward Side. I love the yellow curry - one of the best I've had.

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Wow ...Hidden Gem ...food and service amazing...my new go to place ! Had the soup and special fish ...

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The food was $ and not that good. My dish was too salty. Not a lot of choices of things without meat.

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    1 year ago

    Delicious food and friendly and warm staff. Our new go-to Thai restaurant in Kaneohe.

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    Page 1 of 14

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    It was actually funny because we came in the day before just to look at the menu, and when we came…read moreback the next day, they remembered us. It really felt like a family owned business, and the same three people were there both days. Everyone was extremely nice, and honestly, I would come back just because of how welcoming they were. We ordered the sesame chicken with fried rice, and the portion of sesame chicken was huge. I definitely wasn't expecting that much food, but I'm not complaining. The chicken was really crispy and had a great flavor. The food also came out pretty quickly, so there wasn't much of a wait. One thing I really appreciated was how attentive they were with the water. I drink a lot of water, especially with how hot it is in Hawaii, and I mentioned that when we first sat down. Every time my glass started getting low, the gentleman would come over and refill it without me even having to ask. He probably refilled it 8 to 10 times, which I really appreciated. The music was also really good, and we had a nice window seat where we could look outside. The seating was comfortable and the whole experience was just really pleasant. I would definitely recommend coming here, especially if you appreciate good food and genuinely friendly service.

    Love this place for sushi. People like to come here for…read moreChinese food but the sushi is the star. It's clean, newly renovated, super nice inside, comfortable, ac and nice music.

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    4.4(442 reviews)
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    Caleb our server was kind and exceptional. His recommendation for the Ginger Chicken Rice was spot…read moreon. The food and service improves with every dining experience. Be sure to arrive with enough time to find parking. Vehicles come in and out pretty quickly, but you may have to wait a bit to find a stall if your timing is off.

    I've now been to Chao five times and still keep coming back. I came shortly after they opened and…read moreloved it so much I came back the following week and have had business meetings and family dinners here. It's to the point that at least one of the servers has recognized me and welcomes me back. Each time, we have enjoyed every thing that we've ordered. Frankly, my only trouble with this restaurant is finding parking. I plan to get there early so I can have a few laps around to find a spot. Their apps are always tasty. I've loved their hamachi crudo, the calamari, the Spanish octopus and the street corn. My go to app is the maitake mushrooms. For lunch, I'm a big fan of their banh mi's as I've eaten both the brisket and lemongrass. The bread is nice and crispy and everything is oh so good. For dinner, my wife loved the soft shell crab pasta and I've really enjoyed the crispy pork belly. I'm going to come back to try the Picanha this next time! I normally take pictures but for whatever reason, I didn't these past times probably because I was too busy stuffing my face. Guess I have to come again and retry!

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    Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

    Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

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    Honestly never been here to this location yet having past by many times. Thankfully seen a QR code…read moreto scan for a discount off your total. So finally got to try some of their lunch specials as I want feeling the grilling my own at the time. Lunch bowl specials are not bad really can't complain for the portions to the price. Got the tonkatsu ramen minus the set so ramen only was about $12.95 I got the Umakara beef bowl taste like a bulgogi sukiyaki with a hint of spice. Set came with miso soup and salad. Also got an order of mochiko chicken dipping sauce had a kick. Again portions to price I'd come here again! All that minus our discount was around $20!! Service was good and fast since it was early lunch. Plenty of tables available

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    Lucky Belly - Shrimp Kim Chee Bowl

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    4.2(2.2k reviews)
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    So glad we ate here! Looks like there are lots of hip options in Chinatown, and we would have…read morewalked around and tried even more if we had had more time. We had a 4 hour layover in Honolulu and it was a quick 15 minute Lyft ride here to Lucky Belly. We were the only party here right at 5:30 pm. Loved the art and clean simple elegance of the exposed brick wall and wood tables. We were greeted and served by a very friendly host. We had the duck tacos, plus the special dim sum appetizer combo of pork belly bao, lobster dumplings and oxtail dumplings. We could not pick a favorite. The variety of textures was fantastic and each of the meat fillings were perfectly seasoned and tender, delicious! Each had a different sauce- just enough, not too much. Nothing was spicy but there was chili oil on the table if you wanted to add more heat. We got 2 nonalcoholic spritzers, one lilikoi and one hibiscus, which were each refreshing and complimented the meal. Since the service was so efficient, after eating, we still had time to zip over to Magic Island to stroll around, take in the scene and enjoy the sunset before heading back to the airport. Our last evening in Hawaii was really special thanks to this delightful restaurant!

    Horrifying experience. We arrived to a nearly empty restaurant. The hostess asked if we had a…read morereservation. We arrived an hour or so before they were about to close. All of the window seats were empty. In fact the restaurant was nearly empty. We were told the only option for us was the inconspicuous booth at the back of the restaurant. Not a good start. The food was okay. There was more than we were expecting, however the short ribs were a little tough. The ambiance, it was nice and empty by the time we left. Overall, what had been something we'd been looking forward to for years turned out to be a dismal disappointment. The experience left us feeling unwelcome, particularly because it seemed the staff were uncomfortable with two men simply going out for lunch. Being a Black and Asian couple shouldn't have any bearing on how paying customers are treated, but unfortunately, that's how the experience felt to us. We can overlook mediocre food or service, but feeling judged or unwelcome is something we won't overlook. We were there as paying customers and deserved to be treated with the same courtesy and respect as anyone else. Unfortunately, this is a place we won't be returning to, and based on our experience, we would not recommend it to others.

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    5 Stars for service! Our server was fantastic! She always made sure we had water, fresh plates, and…read morevery attentive. We were seated near the doors which lead to the patio, against a wall with really neat paintings. It was the first thing I noticed, so figured it deserved a mention. We started with the dinner with bread, butter and beverages, as should everyone. yummm. I enjoyed the espresso martini made with rye and cold brew on ice. It was different, but I appreciate the flavors. Each corner of the table ordered different meals, but I shared the clam noodle special and homemade gnocchi. The noodles were interesting, like al dente saimin without the broth. I liked it! The gnocchi was not my favorite because the texture was kind of strange, very soft. I will note that the server did let us know it was made without potatoes. We ended the meal with one of each desert and a round of green tea shots! The tiramisu was my favorite. Thank you Giovedi!

    We arrived about 15 minutes early for our reservation and waited several minutes without being…read moregreeted. The inside is fairly small, so I understand why there may not have been a traditional hostess stand, but regardless, no one acknowledged us or let us know what was going on. Several bartenders and servers saw us, and while one waiter briefly said hello, no one checked us in or offered to find someone who could help. After a few minutes, I went toward the back to find a staff member, while another person in my party went toward the middle of the restaurant to get the host's attention. The host asked if we had been checked in, and when my sister explained that we hadn't been helped yet, she told us to go back and wait in the front. Her tone came across as somewhat condescending, and we weren't given any information about our reservation or how long we would be waiting. While we waited, we all noticed the host whispering to a server, who then looked directly at us. I don't want to assume what they were discussing, but given the interaction we'd just had, seeing her whisper to the server and then having the server look directly at us made the situation feel awkward and unprofessional. We eventually decided to wait outside, and about five minutes later, the host came out and seated us right at our reservation time. There were plenty of open seats on the patio, where we were ultimately seated, so it felt like we could have simply been acknowledged when we arrived and given some basic information about our reservation. Our server was friendly, but unfortunately, the service was minimal. He only checked on us a couple of times throughout the meal. We later found out that the host who talked to my sister was actually the co-owner of the restaurant, which made the experience more disappointing. I was taken aback by the lack of professionalism, especially seeing her repeatedly whispering with staff directly in front of us. Again, I can't say what was being discussed, but regardless, I don't think that type of interaction creates a very professional impression for someone representing their own restaurant. To me, it doesn't really matter how good the food is if the service is poor. Service can make or break an entire dining experience, and unfortunately, the food wasn't particularly impressive either, so there wasn't much to redeem the experience. For the price, I expected a lot more in terms of both the quality of the food and the overall experience. I understand the restaurant was busy, especially around the bar. However, the biggest issue was the lack of communication and professionalism throughout the experience. We were there celebrating a birthday, and unfortunately, it wasn't what we had hoped for. Overall, there are plenty of places where I'd rather spend this kind of money and receive both good food and service. I hope they take this feedback seriously and work toward creating a more welcoming and professional experience for their guests. I'm not leaving this review simply to criticize or tear down the restaurant, but I do think businesses should be open to honest feedback and use it as an opportunity to improve. I hope they are able to take the feedback in that spirit. Aloha.

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    Chao Phya Thai Restaurant - thai - Updated September 2026

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