I visited Chaophraya for dinner on a trip to Manchester earlier this year, but this was my first time coming here for lunch. I'm very pleased to report that my dining experience was just as exceptional for lunch as was when I came here for dinner :-) read more

When I think Thai, I think low key and chill. While not "upscale", it was a nice restaurant. The decor and ambiance is light, pretty, & relaxing. Pad Thai with prawns - yummy with flavor in every bite! A good amount of prawns in the whole dish. There wasn't a bite or ingredient that I didn't like. I liked that they had different beers and wines from around the world - including Thailand! Great & attentive service the entire time! read more

Chaophraya - Pad Thai with prawns - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I visited Chaophraya for dinner on a trip to Manchester earlier this year, but this was my first time coming here for lunch. I'm very pleased to report that my dining experience was just as exceptional for lunch as was when I came here for dinner :-) Arriving just as they were about to stop serving the lunch menu, we were seated right away. Our expert and efficient server took gave us menus and took our drink orders within minutes of our being seated. The dinner menu here is immense, and filled with a dizzying variety of delicious choices. The lunch menu isn't quite as large, and the portion sizes are a bit smaller than at dinner, but that's to be expected. Everything still looks and sounds incredible. My friend and I decided to share a number of starters for lunch, as well as two entrées - the Pad Thai & the Chicken in Pepper Sauce. Each starter was beautifully plated and very tasty; the entrées were nothing short of brilliant! Whether you're looking for an amazing dinner experience or a exceptional lunch venue, I highly recommend a vlsit to Chaophraya at your first opportunity. read more

Chaophraya - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I can't fault this place based on the couple of times I've been here. It's very plush and beautifully decorated. The majority of staff are actually Thai! The food is yummy and there's a great selection, including halal meat so I can bring my mum :) We had vege spring rolls to share as a starter, they were crispy and packed full of vegetables so there was a good pastry to filling ratio #foodmath. They came with a delicious dip too, garnished with pretty edible flowers. I'm trying to eat less meat so I ordered the vegetarian green curry with jasmine rice, it was fragrant and flavoursome. Very filling! My friend had the lamb which she said she loved, I could see it was really well cooked based on how it looked. At 50% off the bill came to £10 each, my kind of price. There is ample parking outside which is free after 8, it's pay and display before then. My pal thought it was free after 6 and got hit with a £50 fine so be warned! read more

Chaophraya - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I really enjoyed my evening at Chaophraya. I had been here once before, a few years ago and I remembered it being lovely, so when it was suggested as an option for our Tuesday night meal with some other foodies, I was more than happy to visit again. The month of January seems to have been very kind, many places are offering discounts on food, so were Chaophraya - 30% off! Fabulous. As is becoming tradition nowadays, I shared my starter with Andrew Y. We had the Ruammit Satay Fondu appetiser - which was lovely. Chicken Satay, pork, prawn and grilled squid on bamboo skewers and Thai fish cakes with a warm satay sauce. I dipped away and was very happy with what I'd ordered. For my main course I ordered the Ped Pad Prik Pao - which was Duck, stir fried with roasted chillies, mushrooms, carrots, peppers and onions. And I ordered sticky rice to compliment. It was the perfect combination of flavours, not too spicy and thoroughly enjoyable. The overall atmosphere in the restaurant was lovely, the staff were very friendly and helpful - even a birthday celebration went on behind us, with the waiters and waitresses clanging pots and pans to wish the customer a happy birthday. Very enjoyable! I also spotted an elderly Thai lady cooking in the kitchen who looked like someone's grandma!! No wonder the food was so good. The bill came in at more than reasonable. Even without 30% off I'd be happy to pay the prices here for their dishes. read more

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My first trip here having tasted their food at the food festival in Albert square one year. Great restaurant and very attentive staff. The food was good but not the best Thai food I've had in Manchester. We had the special lunch menu which at £13.95 is decent value. Worth a visit... read more

Chaophraya - Main dining room - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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After reading the reviews we decided to go to Chaophraya for my graduation meal. As my dad was paying I thought I would extort him abit and go to a more luscious place than I can afford. I picked well. Chaophraya is a stylish restaurant that incorporates ancient Thai with the modern age to produce a sensational atmosphere. I didn't want to leave. (See pics) There were 5 of us and it is recommended that you book because a number of walk inns were turned away. Not one of us complained about the starters or mains as they were delicious. I had: Khan non been = £7.95 La gae open parlow - £14.50 (the best lamb I have ever had, I am not exaggerating) I could not tell you what everyone else had because I simply cannot remember, but I did sample a few and was impressed all around..... Little hint.....get a side dish if you're having no starter but if you decided to have a starter then leave out the side dishes. We made the mistake of having sticky rice and noodles and they simple didn't get touched as we were all full. The service was fabulous. The staffs were really friendly and quick to bring drinks and food to our table. Between courses the table was wiped down and new plates and cutlery were bought out. All in all a really pleasant evening and a nice place to celebrate with the family. read more

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Been here a few times but not for ages. I think the interior has been refurbished since I last visited. I came here the other week with some fellow Yelpers. We originally booked somewhere else which had the 50% off food offer which many restaurants were doing in January. However, I got the booking wrong and luckily managed to book here. The offer was 30% off food so still pretty good! Every time I have been here its good food and good service. This time was no exception. I shared a "sharing platter" starter (Ruammit Satay Fondue) with Laura F - which as Laura says is becoming a tradition! I like sharing platters as you get to try a variety of things. I also generally like starters - sometimes more than the main. For the main, I went for a lamb curry called Massaman Lamb Curry. I also got it with some egg fried rice on the side. There was a decent amount of lamb and was nice and meaty - and it was very filling actually. The curry was maybe a little too sweet for my taste but still good. read more

Chaophraya - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Chaopraya came highly recommended by a couple of friends and I'd agree it's a safe bet for a slightly special occasion like parents visiting or one of those dates when it's starting to get more serious but you haven't yet discussed whether you're a couple. It's definitely one of those places I would give 3.5 stars to were that an option and should my opinion matter to that extent, which it clearly does not. The food was generally very good - the prawn satay starter had really nice big prawns and we both liked the beef fried rice dish and duck tamarind, although the latter was quite sweet. By the way if you're in any way in the hunger danger zone when you arrive prawn crackers are £2. Service was generally prompt although after our mains we were left for quite a while. I really don't like this tendency - it's good not to be rushed out but you should at least have the option of ordering more or paying and leaving. Apart from good service it's also good business. Negatives were having to wait for our table when we arrived, which as we had a reservation, was surprising, as was our location around the back next to the toilets, and the outrageous price of the starters - I think the cheapest is £7, almost as much as some of the cheaper mains! read more

Went here with a group of 8 but it costs £10.00 per head to book in advance for 8 or more ppl and you have to order from set menu. However on the day one person dropped out so we could order from a la cart. Yet, the lunch menu for £14.50 for starter and main was good for value as main alone costed minimum £10.00. The service was ok but one of my friend who was a vegetarian had to send their main back because they served meat version of the salad. I ordered the chicken satay, where the presentation matched with the taste. The only thing I would change is the sauce. There wasn't enough of it! The chicken skewers were delicious but the sauce to me always makes the dish. So please don't deprived me with the sauce! For my main, I had the honey pork. This was really tender and succulent and it was also nice and sweet. Not spicy at all. However the side pickled papaya or radish? had a bit of heat which brings the dishes nicely together. For lunch, this was value for money with well cooked delicious food and also a nice place suitable for all dietary requirements. read more

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Chaophraya is the restaurant that's constantly in the pages of food magazines, it gets rave reviews, it wins awards, but is it worth all the fuss? Well, I will say for one thing that the sterling reputation seems to have been used as an excuse to up the prices. Many of my friends who've been there plenty of times in the past say it was once reasonably priced but is now suffering from a bit of LSS. Lead Singer Syndrome. Hey, it can happen to restaurants. You know, where you're in a band and the singer starts to think that he or she is the badger's nadgers because of all the attention they're getting. Lead Singer Syndrome often leaves the bassist, drummer and guitarist (or the Thai restaurants of Chinatown and nearby in this case) feeling slightly dejected. They get better (and don't charge as much), lead singer's head gets bigger (and they charge more), and often you find yourself seeking alternative... wait, are we talking about music or Thai restaurants? I've confused even myself. You get my gist though, it's about believing one's own hype. Service in Chaophraya can be very hit and miss depending on who you ask. Obviously this can be a subjective thing, but from the reports I've had it might be something they want to keep an eye on. The service my party received was warm and friendly, so no troubles there. As for the food, like anything which is hyped you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Tempuras can be a little greasy but I found that to be the case occasionally with Tampopo too so I think it's one of those universal things. The selection of appetisers for a minimum of two people is certainly generous, but I wish you could just order a dish to share rather than paying £7.50 per person. I mean, £7.50 for a starter? You can get all your usual Thai mains here and they're cooked with care and attention. They do fish extremely well and you can't argue with the ambience, the place is beautiful and opulent-looking. As for the fact that it's so popular, you do have to cope with it being crammed. Chaophraya's certainly a great experience but I'd recommend checking out additional That restaurants in the area too. Don't leave them out in the cold just because this is the one everyone's shouting about. read more

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One of my favourite restaurants in Manchester. Excellent customer service & quick delivery of food. Food is home made and fresh!! I always have the 'Thai Green Chicken Curry' my favourite & get the spivey prawn crackers to start yummy! When the bill comes you have complimentary chocolates to! A nice little touch. Decor ? Inviting and professional gorgeous place. Would highly recommend this restaurant :) read more

Chaophraya - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Another one on my bucket list ticked off! I headed here on Saturday night - having arrived here a little earlier than our booking we were shown to the bar before being seated. We started with a glass of prosecco which was so tasty with a slight fruity fizz to it! We were then shown upstairs to our table. It was a little louder up here but we could still hear one another across the table and we had the added bonus of seeing the food being cooked in the open kitchen plus the large fish tank behind the bar! Given the fact it was a warm night the air-con counteracted the heat from the kitchen which was perfect. The whole decor is so well thought out here from the art right down to the menus - which were extensive but displayed in a fan like fashion so your not hiding behind your menu whilst choosing between the set-menus or the a la carte! Whilst we chose the waiters were great coming over to put the napkins on our knee - nice touch! As there was four of us - I decided to opt to go from the main menu with a friend whilst the rest went for the Peng set menu so we had a little mix of everything! The two sharing platters arrived promptly with a selection of tasty treats including; chicken spring roles, pork, duck salad (in a crunchy filo basket!) alongside some tempura prawns and some chicken satay! All incredibly yummy with the trio of dips! I did steal some of the prawn toast from the set-menu starters which really was amazing!! Having decided to share two of the dishes we opted for the thai green and red curries served with a portion of sticky rice (which is big enough for two!). The red curry was my favourite which came with tender prawns and a fragrant sauce with spinach. The green curry served with chicken was unbelievably spicy and so fresh! We barely fitted all of the dishes on our table given the set menu arrived with 4 or 5 different curries and noodles! There was more than enough to go round all four of us! Downside: i'm never a fan of the loud birthday celebrations - which come with a drum and tambourine in this place! read more

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This Thai themed restaurant and bar simply oozes high class sohpistication and it's obvious that some real thought has been given to both the design and services offered by this quality establishment. From the plush leather seating, comfortable sofas and traditional Thai sunken cushioned seating to the authentic three wheeled Tuk Tuk service that you can book to transport you to the premises in true Bangkok style, everything has been carefully considered then considered some more. Save this one for your special occasions. read more

Chaophraya - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I can't get enough of restaurants that exude comfort and style. I want to feel like I'm in a relaxed yet luxurious environment when I go to a restaurant and Chaophraya achieves just that. The ambience is second to none and the service is just incredible. The only other time I've had service like this was in first class on a Thai airways flight (no, I don't have bags of money, I ended up in there by sheer luck!). They wear amazing Thai silks and cater to your every whim without interfering with the overall experience. The presentation of the dishes and attention to detail here is incredible, and you can really tell the owners take a lot of pride in their culinary heritage. Considering this is an establishment that's recently been put forward for Manchester Food and Drink Festival's 'Restaurant of the Year', the prices are unbelievably reasonable. I came with my boyfriend an ordered the set meal (Sukothai) for £20 a head which is a degustation-style menu where the food just keeps coming. The satay bamboo skewers and and Tod Mun Pla stood out to me (minced fish with curry and lime). During the week they also have special half price offers on drinks and cheap house wine. read more

Chaophraya - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

This is a great Thai bar on the corner of Chapel Walks near Cross Street. As soon as you walk in you realise they have spent alot of time and effort thinking about the interior. The food is absolutely out of this world and the staff fall over backwards for you- not that I would ever want them to mind as it may cause serious and unnecessary head injuries! If you want a totally different Thai experience and a restaurant full of laughter and atmosphere you cant go wrong with Chaophraya! read more

Chaophraya - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Started with the Chaophraya platter which was a great mix of Spring Rolls, Chicken Satay, fish cakes, and Tempura Prawns. For my main I had the Green Curry Chicken and Egg Fried Rice. Just the right amount of spice. Really enjoyed it all. read more

I just can't fault this place! The staff are so lovely and attentive, the atmosphere incredibly calming and authentic and the food is just incredible. This time I went for the Thai prawn red curry with jasmine rice and it was delicious! I didn't want it to end! It was only a quick bite so didn't have any starters although every single one looks amazing! Definitely must check this out of you like Thai food!! read more

Chaophraya - Thai Prawn red curry - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

The fine dining thai restaurant in Manchester deserves its title. I have been here twice. The food is pretty amazing tbh. They do very well on chicken since chicken dishes are easy to overcooked and end up tasting dry. Apart from chicken, they also have very tender lamb dishes as well. The green curry and yellow curry are all very tasty I just love them all! Pad Thai is my all time favorite especially when I ask them to add some prawns. The lunch menu is £14 for 2 courses which is not too bad. read more

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So. Hot sunny day in town and everywhere is rammed. I'm with the Mothership and she wants to try somewhere new. I thought I'd treat her and take her to Chaopraya. I'm a good son you see! She loved it. I loved it. In all honest, what's not to like and love about this place. We had the set menu for £35 each. She had things I never thought she'd try and she actually loved it all. The starter was amazing (the pork and the ribs especially were very good). The mains were even better and the beef was mums favourite, whereas my duck in coconut sauce was unbelievably nice, closely followed by the pork dish, I mean prawns. Oh I don't know, it was all amazing and coupled with fab service, it was a pretty perfect afternoon. I liked it before. Mother loved it. I'll be going a lot more frequently. Well done read more

I really enjoyed my food here! I had previously visited the buffet-style restaurant by the same people at the Trafford Centre (Chaobaby) and remembered really enjoying it, so I was glad to find food of the same quality. I shared the satay fondue starter with a friend. This was really tasty and such a fun idea - the satay sauce is in a pot heated by a tealight which you can dip all the different items into. I particularly enjoyed the squid rings - sometimes I find the texture slightly less than enjoyable but these were great. For my main I had spicy seafood Udon noodles which were excellent and ticked all the boxes for me. A nice variety of delicious seafood (although there was only one mussel, which seemed a bit stingy!), with chunky noodles. The heat of the dish was lovely and not overpowering, though it was the type of heat that built up so by the end of the dish I was feeling the burn. The portion didn't look very big when it arrived but there was actually a lot of food. The bill was very reasonable as we dined during the 30% off deal in January. At full price I think Chaopraya would be a little out of my "casual meal" price range but happily within my "slightly special occasion" price range. I'll definitely be back! read more

Been here a few times and it always blows me away. I had the Massaman lamb curry and it was hands down the nicest curry I have ever eaten. Combine it with one of their amazing rices and it is perfection. I have also had the pork belly which usually shows up poor cooking ... not here ... it was perfect melt in your mouth amazingness. Go eat here you owe it to yourself. The environment is warm and friendly and the staff are spot on. Some might not like the Thai presentation which can be pantomime at times but it certainly knows what it is. Upstairs and downstairs seating seems to have a different atmosphere. Downstairs is chilled and romantic whereas upstairs is louder and more friendly. That might not be the case on all nights! It can get loud but it is never annoying and always somewhere I enjoy being. When am I going next?! read more

Loved it here, great ambiance (live music) and the service was spot on! I ordered the weeping tiger and it was cooked just how I asked, medium rare, and my partner had the seafood dish which had a generous amount of seafood (prawns, mussels, squid and scallops). The steamed dumplings were some of the best I had tried, a great portion size and the sauce they came with was excellent. I loved the ambiance in the restaurant; it was very professional, calm and seemed like a premium experience. All staff were polite and worked well together, the décor was great and the live music really made the venue stand out. Great selection on the menu, very difficult to choose! read more

The best Thai restaurant I've been to!! The ambience is great for a date/ dinner party/ family meal and the food is absolutely amazing! Definitely try the dim sums and tom yum soup!! They are delicious! read more

Chaophraya - Starter platter - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Seven of us grown ups went to the Manchester branch of Chaophraya on Saturday. I must admit, although I am not a fan of SE Asian cuisine, Chaophraya is one of the very few places I don't mind visiting every so often. Having been to their Leeds outift last April I was optimistic and entusiastic about going back. I'll talk about the good bits first and then go to the not so good bits. The food was exceptionally well made and the portions were gigantic. For starters I had the chicken Satay, which came with a peanut sauce, half a slice of toast and some salady bits. My wife opted the veggie golden baskets. The chicken was succulent and cooked to perfection. The spices that went into the marinade blended well and the peanut sauce complemented this excellently. The golden baskets themselves were intricately made with batter and deep fried (I think) and the filling was a stir fried mixture of sweet corn, carrots, beans etc, which was brilliant! Oh and the salad... For the mains, I went for the Massaman Lamb curry, cos if the Thai royalty had this on a regular basis, I could pretend to be a king for one evening. I had my lamb curry with Jasmine rice. My wife went for the tofu pad thai but forgot to tell them not to add eggs to it (she hates it btw, so if you're inviting us for dinner, no eggs in her pad thai, please). I was bowled over by the lamb curry. It was flavoursome, rich, fragrant and had a generous helping of peanuts and cashewnuts. I didn't find the jasmine rice all that special though, but given how well the lamb was made, I won't mention the jasmine rice (here onwards). The food was brilliant, which was a good thing. The people who were serving us were all polite, friendly, cheerful and constantly had a smile on their faces. However they kind of lost the plot at the organising stage. We arrived in staggered groups and had made a table booking for 730. When I arrived at 730, the table was not ready and they also did not know where my friends were. So, I had to explore the crowded restaurant awkwardly (like Arnold Schwarnold did in the first Terminator) looking for my friends, but finding none. Then they appeared out of nowhere near the ground floor bar. But hey, we all have bad days, so what. This is the only part of their otherwise beautiful game, they will need to up a little bit. However, based on the balance of probabilities and the fact that they make a delectable Massaman lamb curry, I will be back! (like Arnold Schwarnold said in Terminator, Terminator 2 and Expendables 2). read more

This restaurant is widely known as one of Manchester's best restaurants...I still hadn't been until last night. I'd heard about it and always wanted to go in but my boyfriend doesn't eat Thai food, it was only when it was mentioned to me that they have a huge menu and something for everyone that I decided to try it out. Only now do I know what I've been missing. What an amazing place. The food, the service, the wine...! Ultimate place to head to for an romantic meal, I couldn't believe how good it was. It's incredibly authentic, the decor is fantastic in both the restaurant and the bar, the atmosphere is really authentic too with the waiters all dressed traditionally. The food was amazing, it took us ages to decide what we wanted as the menu was so vast, ranging from curries to seafood to steaks to everything in between. It's quite expensive but it's very good so if you're splashing out it's kinda worth it. Would definitely recommend for a birthday too as we saw a girl being thoroughly embarrassed here when the waiters brought her out a cake and sang to her! All good fun! read more

A birthday treat, my first time here, after visiting Chao Baby. Wonderful food, marvellous atmosphere, friendly staff. We will be back read more

Chaophraya - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Best restaurant in Manchester. Great food, perfect for groups and couples! Has an amazing lunch/pre theatre deal too! I think it's reasonable in price, you can be as lavish or conservative as you want. It's really easy to go here and pay no more/LESS than Wagamama prices but also just as easy to match even the pricier places in town. Hands down best Thai in Manchester. read more

Chaophraya - Meat and yummy dips! Winner. - Thai Near Me - Manchester, XGM

One of the best Thai meals I've had outside Thailand! I have eaten here a few times, but was completely loan away by my last trip. The atmosphere and staff were brilliant and you cannot fault the food. Try the mussels to start, you won't be disappointed!! read more

Wow what a truly wonderful place. Really, and honestly I do mean this. No sarcasm or anything that isn't utterly sincere. An honest testament to the value of Yelp, as it was on the basis of these afore given recommendations that me and a couple of the girlies decided to dine. The other was on the reputation of another friend as to how well Chaophraya catered for vegetarians, of which we had one with us. The veggie is one of my besties, so it's important that she eats as well as the rest of us meat eating folk; it's awful when a place gets rave reviews, and you want to share with your friends, but when you get there you realise they can't eat most of the things on the menu. Not the case here. I remembered on prior recommendation that the Thai Green Curry was a must, so I offered up this recommendation to the veggie, and I had the chicken version of the same dish. YUM! This really has set the bar for Thai Green Curry, as in so many places it is often done to ill effect. Not here, twas gorgeous. Excellent call. I haven't even mentioned the absolutely charming, welcoming, warm and friendly staff, who were phenomenal with our ordering, especially with vegetarians and allergy sufferers and the like. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, fabulous. The restaurant itself is decadent and opulent, without being the least bit tacky. A perfect place for couples when the day turns to evening, and I will be continuing the recommendations to all looking for a gorgeous meal, in a beautiful restaurant, with exceptional staff. read more

I heard such good things about this place I was really surprised and disappointed when I visited. Chaophraya (try saying that five times fast!) is an upmarket thai restaurant which has a lot of good things going for it. The menu is substantial but not confusing, and the prices are very reasonable. I had a very large set of dishes for barely £15 and could have got other options for less than ten. The portion sizes are good too. I got one of the set menus which is like a thai tapas except each of the dishes was very decent and the 'main' was a portion on it's own! But. But, but, but. The food isn't very nice. I'm sorry, so many people love it, so many people swear by it and go again and again. But I found it surprisingly bland and with all the flavours mixing together so it tasted of nothing, if you know what I mean. And with that I can't give this restaurant better than 3 stars. It has so much going for it, but trimmings never made a turkey. Maybe I had an off day, maybe I was unlucky. This is the restaurant which won the 'Pride of Manchester' restaurant of the year in one form or another 2 or 3 years in a row including this year. But I won't be going again. read more

What a place. Bursting with character, the East just pops out at you. All the intricate furniture, ornament pieces, the walls, the stairs, the bathrooms. I love when a building just sings to you and Chaophraya sure does to me. I've only ever dropped by for special occasion drinks and sat for hours in the bar area but just for this, I give Chaophraya a thumbs up this. Their cocktails are yummy and the bartenders ever so generous and friendly. The place is a nice classy place to come for some civilized drinking and a hear some alright Thai food although I'm yet to be tempted myself. read more

This place is a dream if you like Thai food. A huge party of us went here to celebrate graduation; Mum's, Dad's, Brother's, Sister's (and even a gran) were all bowled over by both the food and the decor. The magnificently decorated dining space is both authentic and impressive, so great for parties and events, whilst the food is amazing, AMAZING in capitals maybe because it's so amazing. We ordered around 20 dishes to share between the whole table so I had a taste of just about everything on the menu and although it's all a bit of a blur I would happily recommend anything to eat here. It's just such a nice place; the food, the friendly waitresses who are so attentive, and the decoration give a real taste of Thailand here. I've since been with a girlfriend, for a birthday party and well, just because, and every single time Chaophraya has delivered the goods. I love it here, 5 stars all the way. read more

I came in here with grand expectations matched only by my hunger and the good faith my dinner companion had in me that I was taking them to a place of unimaginable prestige and taste. I wasn't left entirely satisfied. Sure, the interior is a casanova's wet dream. A place of unrequited beauty, of class and style that oozes from the very brickwork. But all that is academic when you're hungry and it was the reputation of the cuisine that drew me here. We ordered the mixed seafood starter, followed by a range of dishes covering poultry (red thai chicken curry), sea bass (rolled in banana leaves) and a vegetarian dish. And whilst they were of a good standard, perhaps I'd set the benchmark too highly. It all came to over £50 for the two of us. Which, although not bank busting, still left me feeling the pinch. In my stomach and my wallet. I will mention though, that the service was up to speed and friendly enough. The point is this - in this world of credit crunches, we discerning clients expect more for our money. And I know of Thai places in Manchester that serve better food for less. There is a trendy bar downstairs, populated with good looking people and it's worth spending some time in here. Perhaps, I'm being unfair and judging it by the weight of its own reputation, but this place is a heavyweight player so it's got to expect to be hit harder that most if it lets it's guard down. Overall: Good, but not spectacular. read more

I've been here twice and each time had a different set menu, one for £20 and one for £30 per head. Both times, the food was so good it was to die for. Even if I couldn't handle my chillis very well, the soups and dishes were so delicious I had to brave the burning lips and streaming eyes because I could not stop eating. The atmosphere at Chaophraya is unlike any restaurant I have ever been in. The staff all wear beautiful, ornate uniforms and always have a smile. They are incredibly observant and notice when your wine/water/beer need topping up. These are the small things you notice here. The last time I went, the food proved to be a larger quantity than either my father or I had anticipated and the staff were glad to package it up for me to take home (I am a student after all, and take what I can get!) All in all, a lovely dining experience: staff are fantastic, food even more so and the restaurant is always bustling with activity. Just remember to book as it's always busy, and so that you're not disappointed when you just turn up. read more

I first went to a Chaeophraya restaurant in Leeds and i found it amazing there! I have been a few times in Manchester, unfortunately I didnt find the service as good. Although the food is still good, very good but you really need to know what to order for your own preferences- where I didnt find the staff very helpful. The dessert which I love there and go there for is the Pancake dish- You think your getting the basic pancake and ice-cream, but its actually green! With a green dessert filling. Its lovely and yummy and unique, and not too sweet like desserts. Doesnt look the most appealling, but your eyes are certainly decieveing you!! read more

Have been here a handful of times now and have yet to be disappointed. A great place for lunch or dinner with a wide range of starters and mains to choose from. I'll not mention the desserts as they let the side down somewhat - if ice cream covered in fried batter is your thing, then great. read more

Chaophraya is a fairly new Thai Restaurant in the City Centre. The decor is beautiful, full of dark wood and fountains. You can sit at high tables (not that comfortable) or at the side tables (far more comfortable!). There is an open kitchen so you can smell and see what is going on. The menu is fairly interesting although the price has recently risen for lunch - the menu was £4.50 on average for a main dish, now the average for a dish is £7.50. The service is excellent, the presentation is spot on, but it is not the best Thai restaurant I have visited (and there are several Thai restaurants all within 10 mins walking distance) because of value. I would still recommend this restaurant for hungry shoppers because of the location. read more

Food was excellent, I had red curry and it was tasty with fresh chilis and basil garnish. Beer assortment is from last century. Waiter couldn't remember his own name if you tattoo'd it to the back of his hand. Forgot my protein and forgot my side. That means of the four things he had to remember, he got two wrong. read more

Overpriced and overrated is what first comes to mind. Oh, Chaopraya-- how you've done me wrong! I don't know if they're getting distracted by opening their Trafford Centre location, but our recent visit was pretty poor from start to finish. This is my second time at Chaopraya-- and I don't know if it was better the first time around because we had a set menu or bigger party, but my take-away from this visit was that they don't like parties of two. It was a quiet Tuesday night-- the restaurant was bustling, but not bursting at the seams as it was when I'd previously been on a weekend. From the moment we walked in we got the impression they were put out. No greeting, no smiles-- led us dejectedly to a table where we sat. And sat. And sat. We finally asked for menus, and then sat. And sat. And sat. I kept looking around-- sure; there were a couple of big parties and most of the tables on the second floor were full. But the sheer number of servers flying by our table made me think that at least one could drop off a menu. When the menus were finally (literally) dropped on our table they forgot the drinks menu. Not that anyone was interested in taking a drink order. They eventually did-- with our dinner order. And then we sat. and sat. and sat. (Beginning to get the picture?). The drinks practically came with the meal. But wait-- they didn't. Because the meal took CRAZY long. We didn't order appetizers-- it was late (after 9 pm) so we just wanted a quick bite. So much for that. It took 45 minutes to get our mains. Whaaa?? Okay-- so my husband ordered the Ka Gae Op Palow-- maybe braised leg of lamb does take a bit more time (although of course they aren't making that for dinner service from scratch). Mine-- the red curry and prawns should have taken all of 5 minutes. It wasn't just the service that was poor-- and as my husband observed, when the staff looks so miserable, you can't expect much from the food. And man, was he right. My prawns were overcooked, the broth thin and oily and there was a shocking lack of vegetables-- a few limp bamboo shoots, no peppers, no basil. And cold. COLD. It was clear that that it sat while they prepared my husband's meal. I consider myself a bit of a connoisseur of red curry. It's a staple-- a basic that's on every Thai menu. i always order it as a clue to what the other food will be like. If you screw that up, there's not much promise for the rest of the offerings. Ain't that the truth. Despite it's very appealing presentation, the braised lamb wasn't much better. The pepper was overpowering. Yes, it's in a pepper sauce-- but one bite of the sauce, there wasn't much point in eating anything else because you couldn't taste it. All of that succulent lamb, perfectly cooked and falling off the bone was completely destroyed by the sauce that muscled its way onto your palate. Just one bite and it ruined my dish-- and after eating my curry, I still only tasted that pepper sauce. To add insult to injury, the perfectly cooked lamb was accompanied by undercooked vegetables. They may as well have saved the energy it took to cut and put them on the plate. I really wanted to love this place-- great decor (despite the dour servers), open kitchen-- i love to be able to see the chefs in their element, and great space. With all the rave reviews, it seemed like a home run. It seems they pay more attention to big parties and the set menus... we'll think twice before going again. read more