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Hanuman Thai Eatery is an absolute staple for me, and it never fails to deliver. The flavors here are consistently authentic, vibrant, and beautifully executed. We started our meal with a few of our favorite appetizers. The fresh oysters served on ice with crispy fried shallots are incredibly clean and briny. The "son-in-law eggs," topped with a mountain of crispy shallots and a perfectly balanced sweet-savory tamarind sauce, are always an absolute highlight. We also love the crispy Brussels sprouts topped with shredded nori, which have a fantastic texture and savory depth. For the mains, the curries are an absolute must-try. The sliced steak curry features perfectly cooked, juicy, medium-rare steak over a rich, fragrant curry sauce that you'll want to scrape clean. The grilled chicken curry version is equally impressive, with beautifully charred, tender chicken that pairs seamlessly with the creamy, aromatic sauce. To wash it all down, their drinks are just as stellar--especially the classic, creamy Thai iced tea and the refreshing iced lime tea. The only time this place ever misses is when they run out of their mango sticky rice dessert lol. Other than that, it's phenomenal food, beautiful presentation, and top-tier flavors every single time. Can't wait for my next visit!
I came here last month with 2 friends on a Wednesday evening, and we waited almost an hour long to be seated. Parking in the plaza was plentiful on the bright side. We first ate the pad see ew w/ chicken which was delicious, followed by the massaman and khao-soi. The food portions are generous, so I was quite happy with everything we ordered. The mango sticky rice had the most beautiful presentation I've seen in a mango sticky rice dish, and I would definitely order that again! The interior of the restaurant is a bit small, with the bathroom awkwardly located in the far back corner. Given how popular and successful Hanuman has become, I feel like there should be more space for customers so that the wait time can also be cut shorter. If I had to compare Hanuman to another Thai restaurant, I'd probably mention Manaao in Tustin. Can't wait to return and try other dishes!
Tried this place with some friends and enjoyed it a lot! The wait is crazy as expected but it was well worth it. We were lucky to get a table inside, as many people were being seated on the outdoor deck by the parking lot where it was pretty sunny and crowded. The restaurant itself was a bit warm too. The Ruk Na was really beautiful and had a delicious lychee flavor! Super sweet and concentrated for my taste, but a great summer drink. Family style is the best way to order here. The pad see ew was delicious with tofu - the portion was huge and I loved that it came with a side of chili fish sauce. The khao soi was also very delicious and rich with a good serving of chicken, beautifully presented! The crying tiger was just okay. Meat was very tender but the portion was very small for the price, and I wish that there was a jaew sauce to dip it in, it was on the blander side for me. But the Massaman curry with hangar steak was sooo good - cooked a beautiful medium rare and served with roti that was perfectly flaky and crispy. The mango sticky rice is also very pretty. The sticky rice was warm and soft with toasted coconut on top. Although the mango was very beautifully presented, I feel that the slices were a little too thin. A thicker cut would allow the taste of the mango to come through better, but since the slices were so thin I felt like it didn't taste like too much, if that makes sense. But soooo pretty nonetheless. Overall, great spot and would love to come again!
Nice and small Thai Street eatery near John Wayne OC airport. Always crowded and have long waitlist. In the evening, they use the patios and have quit few tables. We came couple time. Even with Yelp Waitlist, the waiting time is at least 1 hour plus! Located in a small strip mall next to Ayres Hotel. Next to it is a Japanese restaurant. Same owner. They offer their menu at Hanuman. Once seated, service was fast. Food is not bad. Not your typical Thai taste. Depends on your taste bud. Some has the chef's interpretation. Nice plating. Taste is hit and miss with the combination. The family loves the fried chicken, not too much on sticky rice. Same with the curry sauce. Nice steak but the roti is not dry. Interesting combination with fresh tasty Yellowtail ceviche with Shrimp crackers. Will try different menu next time.
This was my second visit because I was so wowed by their Kha Soi on my last visit. This time, unfortunately, we were a bit underwhelmed. The portions were small and the taste was just "ok." We've been indulging in a lot of Thai and the wow factor just wasn't there. Solid food, good service, but didn't win me over this time around.
Wow! This place is good. We ordered Pad See Ew, Khao Soi, Hanuman Fried rice and crying tiger. Pad see ew is good! I love the smoky taste to it, the Khao Soi is so creamy and that chicken is huge! Hanuman Fried rice is packed with meat and it tastes good too! The crying tiger, I was a bit surprised with how small the portion is despite it's price though it's an appetizer, I just thought it would be a little bit more. Service is good, they were very accomodating and friendly. We have our dog so we decided to seat outside and they even gave my dog a water bowl. Inside dining is a bit small, so it's good that they have a couple of outdoor seats as well. We came around 3pm so there's not that much people yet, but everyone seems happy with their food and I could hear them compliment their food. Will definitely be back to try other food on their menu!
very long wait for very subpar food. the wait on a weekday was almost an hour because the restaurant is very small. *thai fried chicken (5/5)- the only dish that was decent. the fried chicken is crispy and perfectly flavorful *khao soi (2/5) - there aren't a lot of thai places that have khao soi so i was really looking forward to trying this. after having amazing khao soi in thailand, i feel like this is extremely unflavored with a weak curry flavor. *massaman curry (2/5) - similar case here with a lack of curry flavor in the curry *thai fried rice (3/5) - average thai fried rice, but i've lowkey had better at other everyday thai places *shrimp pad thai (1/5) - this had a super weird fishy flavor that i was not a fan of. it tasted really off from what im used to for this dish *pad see ew (2/5) - not bad but it was WAY too over flavored, it tasted so salty and overwhelming
This place is so good, but just be prepared because the wait is always long. I genuinely don't even know what a good time to come is because every time I've gone, there's still been a bit of a wait. But honestly, the food is good enough that it still feels worth it. There's both indoor and outdoor seating, which I liked, and our server was really nice and gave us a lot of recommendations, including a drink that I can't remember the name of but was actually really good. Overall, definitely a spot I'd come back to, I'd just mentally prepare for the wait first.
This place gets super packed. Reminds me of a hipster restaurant, lots of young people. The service is amazing. Everything we got was amazing. The chicken wings to start were super delicious. I was impressed how crispy and juicy it was as well as flavors. The rice with the sauce that comes with it is addicting. 4.8/5. The Pad See Ew was probably one of the best in Costa Mesa. It had so much flavor it was ridiculous. 5/5. The haunaman fried rice (I think that's how you spell it) was next tier. The sweet sausage and umami flavors of the dish it was gone quick. 5/5. The pad Thai was sus at first. They don't do chicken. Just tofu and shrimp. I guess that's the "authentic" way of making it back in the motherland. I got it anyways and it did not disappoint. So good. 4.9/5. Overall I would come back here. You just need to make reservations because this place gets packed fast and people come in crowds.
Busy during the evening, definitely prepare to wait long period of time just to get a table. Luckily, we waited 20 minutes so it was not too. They have inside and outside seating. We were fortunate to get a table outside and they provide heaters by the table. Wow!! The food was impeccable, the decoration on the food was nicely done, but the plates were pretty big. We barely had room on the table. We had to minimize what we had because we did not have room for a party of 6. The Moshi drinks were tasty, not too overly sweet. The staff members were welcoming. Tons of parking.
Best Thai spot I've found yet! The Massaman curry with hanger steak is a masterpiece, 10/10 flavor with perfectly cooked tender steak. The Pad See Ew with shrimp was excellent, and the Gai Tod Hat Yai fried chicken was flawlessly crispy and juicy. The Thai fried rice with pork was standard but good. My only letdown was they were out of mango sticky rice by the time we ordered, but the rest of the menu is delicious. Lots of parking; it's in a small shopping center. Service was quick and friendly, we were in and out of there in no time.
This place gets pretty busy quickly so come a but earlier for some buffer. I came at 4pm and the place was being full but luckily no wait. I ordered the panang chicken curry, the portion size was very filling and the taste was great. However it could have been hotter temperature wise. The fried chicken there is a must have and the sticky mango rice was great as well. Service was great and staff were friendly. Id come back, note parking does get full as well quickly...
Hanuman is a modern Thai restaurant that will have your eyes feasting. The aesthetics of this restaurant begin with the exterior first, prior to the food. Loved the vibe with modern music as I sat outside. Once you sit, you're greeted with 2 menus - one from the izakaya restaurant and one for Hanuman (at least this was the case during an early dinner hour at 5). I ordered specialty dishes which were the Khao Soi, Mange Sticky Rice and the Gai Todd Hat Ya, each of which had its own unique twist. The Khao Soi came out beautifully and had a delicious coconut flavor. The noodles were cooked well and the dried noodles added a nice texture change. I will say the chicken leg that came with this dish was cooked perfectly - juicy, and tender. (If you're a protein lover like me though this may not be enough.) As a note, the broth is a little heavy for those who haven't tried a coconut soup. The Gai Todd Hat Ya was a crispy fired chicken with a side of sweet and sour sauce and sticky. The crunch was fantastic on these as the chicken was also juicy and perfectly cooked. The only downside to this dish is outside of the sweet and sour sauce, I felt there was a lack of flavor on the wings as they were seasoned. The sticky rice it came with was also tasty! The mango sticky rice was my favorite of the bunch. Perfectly ripe mango paired with the coconut rice drizzled with coconut milk was delicious! Just look at the photo! If you go here, try to order, since the restaurant says they only have it while supplies last!! Be the judge of cost, but for these 3 dishes (including 18% tip), the total came out to ~$87. read more
such an amazing restaurant! the staff are wonderful and attentive here and the overall vibes and decor of the place is great. it wasn't crowded and we were instantly seated (mon late afternoon past lunch time). drunken noodles with chicken or pad kee mao (10/10) - SO good. perfectly flavored without being oily at all. mild spice level (per my friends taste) wasn't spicy but didn't take away from the flavor. noodles are perfect and not soggy. i wish there was a bit more meat but otherwise great. highly recommend + would get it again next time spicy basil rice with minced pork (7.5/10) - solid savory dish! unsure what the sauce(?) that came with it was but it didn't taste like much. the pork, rice, and egg paired well together mixed up. yummy to try but probably would try something else next time to change it up :) coco mango mocktail was SO good. a coconut mango paradise if you will! the coconut cream on top was thick and creamy. not too sweet, but i would definitely consider it more of a dessert drink lost in samui mocktail was very refreshing! there's a very light pandan note + the mint aftertaste is very prominent overall highly recommend and would definitely try again read more
2 months ago
I would not say No to a Thai food. The place is too loud to me. The staff are all nice and attentive. read more
18 days ago
Had a midweek date here with my husband. Per our servers recommendation, we started with the chicken wings. I'm not normally a chicken wing girl, but these were fire! So juicy, crispy & full of flavor. For our entrees, we both got the Pananag curry. We added filet mignon & salmon to ours. Both were very yummy! I will note that the Pananag curry is very coconut forward, which I love! We left full, satisfied & excited to come back-- overall, great experience!!! read more
This is really thoughtfully made Thai food and a few steps up from your neighborhood Thai spot. Tom Yum Koong is one of the best renditions I've had...ever. The flavors were just well-balanced. I don't usually love coconut milk, but this really worked for me since it wasn't heavy-handed. I just wish that the super fibrous ginger and inedible lemongrass was cut into bigger pieces so you can avoid them or just fished out entirely. Solid Drunken Noodles with pork. I love noodles. Panang curry with hangar steak. The cook on the steak was perfect. The curry could have had a little more salt and some acid...it was a little sweet for me. I probably should have amped up the spice factor, too. Service was great and so was the food. read more
I've heard so much good stuff about this place but was never in the area or the one time I was, it was when they were closed. I was finally in the area again couple nights ago so I decided to give them a try. The wait for one person was over an hour so I put in a take out order. Took about 30 min to get my food but still faster than getting seated. The hostess was friendly and knowledgeable. I got the Massaman curry with steak and also the chicken wings. Maybe it was because it was take out(?) but it wasn't amaaazing like everyone said it was. Told my friend and she still says I have to eat it there haha. I love chicken wings and I will say, they were juicy. The crisp was all right but the sauce definitely saved it. I'll come back and dine in one day but for now, they're all right. Parking was pretty decent, I got a spot right away but it got packed quick. Saw a bunch of families with kids dining here but also younger friend groups as well. read more
Amazing traditional Thai food restaurant that reminded us of our visit to Bangkok.a couple of years ago. Shredded green papaya salad, Penang curry with skirt steak, street food fried chicken with sticky rice, and the drunken noodle/pad knee mao were outstanding. Definitely will be returning during our next visit to Irvine and highly recommend. read more
2 months ago
Visited May 1. Two of us shared the crying tiger beef (fork cut it so tender), fried chicken (sauce made it truly delicious) done perfectly, and Massaman Curry with Chicken, which was absolutely amazing. Cocktails look great but I had a Thai beer which was crisp and light. Wife's rose was "ok".. Highly recommended as the service was as good as the food. So glad we went! We will be back. read more
Wow this place is awesome. My friend and I showed up for an early dinner, close to 5pm which was definitely the right move because shortly after people started pouring in. Cute and cozy inside. Super friendly and attentive staff. I ordered the Massaman curry, which I had wanted to get with tofu but apparently their tofu isn't gluten free, so I got grilled shrimps instead and then I got the Roti Paratha on the side to give to my friend who can eat gluten. I honestly am not a huge curry fan but this was probably the best curry that I have ever had. We will definitely be back and are dying to try some of their drinks and desserts next time! read more
7 months ago
I would come here for the Khao Soi alone. I didn't even know what Khao Soi was until I had it here and ohhhhh wow. Life-changing. Not even overstating it. The pictures speak for themselves. I also loved the ambiance and the staff here was wonderful. Everyone was helpful and friendly and really made my experience so much better. Unfortunately, when I came back a few days later, I decided to try the pad thai and I wasn't nearly as impressed. Pretty bland and did not really have any kind of wow factor or anything that made it memorable at all. Pretty disappointing. But still. That Khao Soi. And the other diners around me had pad see ew and curries that looked amazing. I will come back to try more of the menu on my next work trip. read more
3 months ago
The food it is amazing. If you want to try authentic Thai food you need to come over here! And the best part is the mango sticky rice read more
7 months ago
Absolutely one of the best Thai places I've ever been to just wow. This place is always packed we were lucky enough to get seated right away and we knew exactly what we wanted. Watching countless plates of Pad See Ew go by I knew for sure that's what I had to order along with the Karee and crying tiger Every single thing I ate here was perfect zero complaints just absolutely perfect so good I got mad at my friend for not taking me sooner. Highly recommend everything I ordered I'd order it ten times over just wow. read more
21 days ago
Great place the food is good and hot. I suggest to get eat in family style so you can get a taste of every dish. The service was okay. We did had to wait for a while after we were second in line. We did wait for extra 20 mins after being second I think the seating situation could've been improved. The ambiance was good it wasn't too crowded but it was busy. Great place for dinner and I would come back again. read more
7 months ago
Overall 4 star for food and service.... If this was based on food alone it would be 3.5 stars. It's a small place with such great customer service. Super nice and attentive! The food was good too! We enjoyed the fried rice with the sweet and salty sausage. My son loved it! The fried chicken with the sticky rice was great but I honestly don't need the sticky rice. The chicken itself was enough. The khao soj was ok. I think I've tasted better but I'm not saying it's bad! It's just not the best I've tasted like most of the reviews said. It def did not live up to the hype. The curry was ok too. I think we should have gotten the panang instead. We know it's not mango season so that bummed us out!! We love mango sticky rice and those looked so good on Yelp! We did go for the coconut ice cream sticky rice which was so good too! It's really a good Thai restaurant! I just don't know if it's the hype everyone talks about. Will come back for mango season for sure! read more
Hanuman Thai Eatery really delivered on flavor & portions! We started with our go-to comfort dish: Tom Kha Gai with chicken ($21). Creamy coconut broth with that perfect balance of sour + savory, it warms the soul every time! Next was the Pad See Ew with pork ($19). You can never go wrong with this noodle dish.. savory, rich, & well-seasoned. Only thing was the noodles were a little soft for my al dente-loving taste, but still delicious overall. Then came the Massaman Curry with hanger steak ($25) & let me just say... I would 100% come back just for this dish. The curry was fragrant & flavorful. PLUS the hanger steak was cooked medium rare & so tasty. It came with roti (that pillowy, pita-like bread!) AND rice, perfect for soaking up the sauce. Huge portion & super shareable! We also had to try the Khao Soi ($24), which is what caught my eye about this place. Presentation was so cool! Egg noodles layered on top which you dunk into the creamy curry broth. It comes with a large drumstick in the middle & once mixed, it's creamy deliciousness! The curry was on the stronger side, flavor-wise. For drinks, we ordered the Coco Mango Mocktail ($9)! Such a fun combo! Gave off mango sticky rice vibes in drink form. Refreshing & not too sweet. Service was great, our server was attentive. Pro tip: Put your name on the Yelp Waitlist before heading over!! It gets busy & this saves you from waiting too long! Highly recommend for Thai food lovers who appreciate big flavors & generous portions. read more
Great experience here. But I wish they accepted reservations. It's first come first serve only and they get very busy. After joining a waitlist, we waited an hour and a half before we were seated, this was on a Monday night. Good part is you can enjoy a drink next door while waiting. Service was good. Our food was incredible. I got the salmon curry and it was phenomenal. I didn't try any drinks so I'll have to go back again and try one or two. read more
Hanuman Thai Eatery is one of the best Thai restaurants in OC. This spot remains an amazing choice for Thai food. It sits in a very unassuming and honestly kind of tricky to find strip mall near the airport. The service is fast, and I was surprised how many seats they were able to add outside! The Ceviche remains one of my favorite, and I only wish there was more. The two curries we tried were both great! The fried chicken thigh was surprisingly good, and I recommend it a lot! Overall, Hanuman Thai Eatery remains one of my favorite Thai places in OC. read more
1 month ago
7 days ago
When my group arrived around 6 pm, the wait was reasonable. We were seated within 30 minutes. We ordered the Panang Curry with steak, Pad Thai Boran, Hanuman Ceviche, and Gai Todd Hat Yai for our entrees. Each dish was cooked to perfection, and the Panang Curry was perfectly spiced. I particularly appreciated the small cuts of the tofu, so that each bite of Pad Thai contained some. For dessert, we ordered the Banana Pudding and it was incredible, read more
My favourite thai restaurant in oc, and for good reason. Seems they've recently combined kitchens with the neighboring japanese restaurant- ETC so you can order items from both sides if you please. They also have a selection of japanese-thai fusion dishes which I had to order from for research purposes. Raw sweet shrimp app: 8/10 one of the fusion dishes. I liked how they deep fried the heads. Sauce was a bit mild and the heads were a little hard to chew but the shrimp was fresh and thought it was a good dish altogether. Im a sucker for sweet shrimp so would order again. Scallop sushi taco: 7/10 essentially an open temaki in the shape of a taco. I didnt like the mayo/sauce they used but id try the other tacos next time. Scallop was fresh. Lamb-singh: 10/10 most unique lamb dish ive ever had. Sauce paired very well with the lamb and it was cooked to perfection. Only complaint is that they didnt have more chops on the plate. Boat noodles: 10/10 soup was so comforting and flavourful. Great portion size and very generous with the meat as well. Massaging with fried chicken: 10/10 one of my fav curries in all of OC. Not much else to say other then that I will order this on every visit. read more
A great spot for Thai food and this is one of two locations that they have. There's a good amount parking and the location has both indoor and outdoor seating available. This restaurant can get very crowded, but they have a Yelp waitlist available. Both drinks that we tried had really nice presentation as well as taste. They were a little bit on the stronger side, which was appreciated. The Crying Tiger was very tender and cooked to a nice medium rare. Both the khao soi and pad see ew were delicious. They had lots of flavor and they're both great for sharing. read more
3 months ago
My friend and I came here right at 5pm on a Wednesday evening and was seated immediately. The waitresses were friendly, cycling to the table a few times to check on us as we were trying to figure out what to order. We started with the Gai Todd Hat Yai, which was their chicken wings with sticky rice. Reviews on here were consistent about how good the wings were and I agree. Nothing extremely unique with the wings but they do go well with the sweet chili sauce. The wings had a taste reminiscent to KFC's original chicken recipe with a nice spicy kick. 7.7/10 Next was the khao soi. Decently flavored, not too creamy. I would say this is consistent to other khao soi I've had in the past, so can't go wrong there. It could use some more chicken in there to pair with the noodles and the broth. 7/10 Pad see ew was the winner for me. First bite was instant hit of flavor. It is a simple dish with your stir fried noodles with a choice of protein but sometimes simple does the trick. 8.5/10 We wrapped up the night with the mango sticky rice dessert. The coconut milk that comes with it provided a subtle sweetness that pairs well with the rice. I'm not used to eating sticky rice with a dessert but I can say it's a definite must-try. 8.5/10 Overall, this was not bad of a Thai spot. Would I wait 1-2 hours to try this food? Likely not. But if it's 20 minutes or less of a wait, give it a shot! They have outdoor seating for those wanting to enjoy the nice weather, but be warned of planes flying above as it can get a little noisy. read more
If the goal was to make us wait long enough to be absolutely starving so we'd eat anything in sight--mission accomplished. My friends and I waited over an hour and were famished. By the time we finally sat down, we were ready to eat our own arms. We ordered right away, and to our surprise, the food came out super fast. The standouts were the larb, drunken noodles, and the Thai tea crème brûlée--each dish was incredible. The food was amazing, the service was excellent, and I honestly can't wait to come back. read more
There's such a hype around this place that we expected maybe a skosh better but ultimately it was good. Would I wait in person for such a long line? Probably not, but if you can join the online waitlist it's worth it. Larb was pretty good, I do with it came with more vegetables (radish in this setting is useless to me) and was a bit more interesting spicewise. The khao saoi we will always enjoy and this was a fairly creamy version of this which we enjoyed. Spicy basil chicken is always my marker of how much I'll enjoy a place of this cuisine and this was pretty average, so ultimately a bit of a letdown. I did like the plating and the ambience of the restaurant, which was not what I was expecting from the outside. It's a fine option for Thai food. read more
1 month ago
Probably my favorite Thai place in the OC. I had the panang curry with steak. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Pad see ew is always good but theirs is amazing. Also a must try is their mango sticky rice drink!!! read more
Panang beef was amazing. In fact everything we had was amazing except the sweet and sour salmon was great but wouldn't necessarily get again. The appetizers we phenomenal and our beverages were refreshing, unique and so worth it. Staff was super friendly and we got seated right away outside on a busy night. Date night spot for amazing food and fun drinks! read more
13 hours ago
This is hands down the best Thai food I have ever had! We started with some delicious hand-crafted drinks and an appetizer recommended by the staff -- the Hanuman Ceviche -- and it did not disappoint. For mains, I ordered the Drunken Noodles (Pad Ke Mao) with chicken, spicy mild. The flavor was incredible, and next time I'll definitely go for medium spice. My cousin had the Panang Curry with shrimp (medium spice), and it was equally amazing -- both dishes were bursting with authentic flavor. We skipped dessert because we were happily stuffed, but everything we tried was perfection. The service was spot on, and the staff were both friendly and attentive. The restaurant has limited seating indoors but a fair amount outside. While they don't take reservations, you can join their waitlist -- and it's absolutely worth the wait! I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves Thai food or wants to explore a rich variety of flavors. You won't be disappointed! read more
1 month ago
I did not even get to eat, the waitlist for this restaurant was over an hour. When we were the next party they told us 15 minutes it's currently been 45 minutes with no end in sight for this waitlist so we're 2 hours in and im still starving sitting in my car. UPDATE: After checking in again they told us another 15 minutes we are about 3 hours into this endeavor and I've only smelled the food I haven't seen it or tasted it yet. They have tabled many seats before us. Final update: after putting our name down at 6 we were sat at 9:15. I wouldn't be so angry if they told us upfront about the long wait time. My issue was I was told an hour and 15 minutes and ended up waiting over double that time. Not to mention parties of a similar size were sat before us. Thankfully the food was decent however that does not make up for the extremely long wait time. read more
2 months ago
The food here is so good and flavorful what the heck. Everything was bomb, we got massaman curry with tofu, sweet green curry with tofu, mango sticky rice, and pad see ew eith tofu. Also the mango coconut cocktail is heavenly totally recommend and cool servers & interior. read more
10 months ago
SO GOOD! Joined the wait-list a bit ahead through yelp and was seated quite quickly! There's an option for indoor or outdoor seating as well. Staff were friendly, quick, and always filled our water. Slight upscale aesthetic! Got the Massaman Curry with Hanger Steak medium rare and oh my gosh! A must try! Unique blend of spices for the curry, and the steak was definitely well made, tender and soft! Curry included small potato chunks and onion in it too. Roti that came with it was perfectly crispy as well. 5/5 For drinks, I got the Coco Mango Mocktail (they also have a cocktail version of this) it's supposed to be Mango sticky rice inspired and it did not disappoint! Flavors were amazing! Was recommend to drink it with the layers rather than to mix it and I definitely agree so you can really taste all the separate flavors. A sweet mango juice with a coconut cream on top, slightly salted. The cream balances out the sweetness of the mango since I do think it's a tad too sweet for my personal preference. The coconut cream tastes very similar to the classic canned coconut milk/cream used in all Asian recipes. Overall I wish it wasnt so sweet but the flavors were amazing! 4.9/5 Would definitely come back to try their other dishes! If you love Manaao, you'll love this place too. read more
Some notes in bullet points: - We waited over 2 hours to be seated. Joined the waitlist around 6pm on a Friday night, got seated around 8:30 pm - seating inside is kinda crowded and busy - food was overall just alright despite the great yelp stars and number of ratings here. - The appetizer was the best thing we got which were the chicken wings; however, with the chicken wings comes with a thing of rice and the rice was severely overcooked and dry. - typically I would also assume just a pad Thai at a Thai restaurant would be pretty standard but the flavors here were so bland and honestly sad for how many "good reviews" it had. It also starts at over $20 for no real protein and some mediocre tofu as the protein. - my friend also got the basil pork which she got as a "mild" spice because the waiter said this was real Thai spice; however, the basil pork had no browning on it for one and it honestly had zero spice. (We can attest because we were all Asian!) read more
5 months ago
After finishing a movie with a good friend, we couldn't decide on where to go to grab dinner. Friend suggested Hanuman - which tbh, I've never heard of before despite it making Yelp's Top 100 list at some point. When we got here, there was a 50 minute wait (somehow, I missed the option to waitlist myself on Yelp when I had initially looked them up after friend's suggestion). The friendly hostess told us that we will likely be seated sooner, since it's near closing, and they are encouraging diners to leave after they are done eating. We were seated in a table right next to the window - which was great for people watching while we waited. Andrew was our friendly and attentive waiter for the evening. It was great that he even asked upfront whether we had any food allergies - a thoughtful gesture that most places wouldn't think of asking. For an appetizer, friend and I split the Thai Sausages ($14). Both sausages were full of flavor, I enjoyed the different accompaniments that came with the plate. I ordered the Street Noodle - a pork-themed broth soup that had a pleasant, aromatic base to it. The meat to noodles ratio was great - noodles were al dente, I enjoyed the flavorful meatballs and sliced pork. Each sip of the broth was rich of flavor. It wasn't too spicy, and I enjoyed the crunchy topping once it softened up a bit more in my soup. Friend had the drunken noodle, which he ordered extra spicy - and paid the price lol. We're complete opposites in terms of spice when it comes to eating. He managed to somehow finish his meal - but I couldn't even sample it considering how I didn't like spicy food. It looked great though. The dining room has great aesthetics. Parking is easy to find, since we came in the evening, so a lot of the strip mall's businesses were already closed. While the food was great - it wasn't out of this world amazing. The nearly hour long wait would be a huge consideration factor for me if thinking of revisiting this spot again. It is open until 10pm, so that's a plus. read more
Came on a weeknight and there was already a long line. Joined the waitlist on the iPad and waited almost an hour to get seated for 2. The inside is not very spacious so prepare to be seated close to other tables. Ordered their chicken satay, massaman curry with steak, khao soi, thai tea, and thai tea shaved ice with butter toast. Everything was so delicious and it kind of made the wait worth it. Service was friendly as well. Plenty of parking. The manager said their other location on Newport is typically less packed so will try that next time. read more
This is a very interesting restaurant. It has all the pieces to be one of South Orange County's finest and best restaurants. It has a Michelin Star written all over it, but the pieces are put together wrong. The design and execution of what the kitchen creates does not do the kitchen any good. The front of the house is so disorganized that the back of the house, the food, the product is compromised. Let start with what is right about Hanuman Thai Eatery: the food! Excellent! Fresh and flavorful. The staff is kind and helpful. The location is beautiful and central to OC. The style is like you are on the island of Bali, very nice, exotic. What is not so good about the front of the house is how they manage the waitlist. Yes, We put our name on the Yelp list at 6:45 p.m. and were told our "estimated" seating time would be 7:30 p.m. We arrived at 7:30 p.m. and checked in. No problem, we waited in our car......and waited......and waited.... so I checked in again, and were told they are running late. At 8:00 p.m. we checked again, and more apologies and excuses.... so we waited longer. At 8;30 p.m. we checked again, and were told we are not on the waitlist. I reminded the same gal that I checked in at 7:30 p.m and here is my app on my phone, we are 13th in line. OOOHHH she says, Yes! More apologies and excuses. We finally sat down outside at 9:15 p.m. The food came at 9:30 p.m. The menu is limited and could use more veggies. There is an imbalance of proteins and cooked veggies. The curry came poured out on a plate with rice? It should be presented in a bowl to keep the heat and flavor in it. They ran out of mangos and sticky rice, of course. There is a large parking lot they use for the waiting area. Why not build a platform and create a larger seating area with tables? They have the room to sit 40 - 50 more people to increase sales and make people happy like us who had to wait for two hours to be sat down. I hope they figure out these issues, because this is a restaurant with such great potential. One more final "It irks me," is they gave me my bill with three choices of tip: 20%, 22%, and 25%. What? You think this is the Capital Grille? Mortons? Maestros? NO, silly. I had to get out my phone and type in 18% to figure out the tip. 25% tip!! That is funny. You make me wait three hours and expect that kind of tip? read more
Another restaurant that lives up to its hype and more. Stopped by later in the evening (maybe around 8:30) for a late dinner. The two of us split a khao soi (5/5 creamy broth, tender and abundant chicken, piping hot), beef pad see ew (4/5, a little sweet for my liking), and mango sticky rice (5/5 impeccable presentation and taste, love lots of cream and mango was so good!). There's indoor and outdoor seating, plenty of parking, and service is very attentive, even when you're outside which is really impressive. read more
More info about Hanuman Thai Eatery
355 Bristol St
Ste U
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Directions
(657) 571-7388
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Visit Website
http://www.hanumanthaieatery.com
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Ask the Community - Hanuman Thai Eatery
Do we need to stay at the restaurant while we are waiting to be seated?
You'll eventually get a text message saying your table is ready and have about 5-15 minutes to get to the restaurant
Hi, I have a service dog which is 13 pds. Small dog. Can I bring her to restaurant?
Probably not but there's a patio.
Can I bring a small dog if I eat on the patio?
We saw someone eat inside with a small dog... so it should be fine
Can you bring your own wine and is there a corkage fee?
Definitely can bring your wine, there will be a corkage fee.
Is it safe to eat here if I have a shrimp allergy?
There are other protein options
Do all curries have chicken/beef broth?
Not sure but they have a sign outside that says no vegan/vegetarian options
When will the Costa Mesa Courtyards location open?
Do I need to make a reservation?
No, no reservations at this time. Check in, grab a beer and wait till table available.
Can the khao soi be ordered with chicken breast?
Sorry for any inconvenience! We do not offer substitution protein for the khob soi, due to the preparation and space limit. We have to simmered the drumstick with the curry sauce to get the best flavor, which it takes at least 10-12 hours to get the… Read more
Can the dishes be made vegan?
Why can't these places make the menu vegan friendly? I'm vegetarian but I have a dairy allergy so sometimes I don't bother going to restaurants because they don't list ingredients clear on their menu.
Do you serve halal or Zabihah meats?
Do you have vegetarian options?
No vegetarian items. They have a sign on their store that clearly states this. Everything has fish sauce.
Any vegan option?
No vegan options. They have a sign at their store that says as much (see my review)
Is it safe to eat here if I have a soy and dairy allergy?
They have a sign saying they don't cater to vegan and on the menu tells you each item if it has soy or selfish etc.
Do they allow reservations?
Unfortunately, we don’t take any reservations. Sorry for any inconvenience.
When are you guys serving mango with purple sticky rice?
We have them this week.
Are their outside dining options available?
Yes, we do have outside seating available.
Are they still open? Wondering about ordering on Christmas day or over the weekend.
We closed for Holidays. We will be open back next year on January 4th.… Read more
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Hanuman Thai Eatery - thai - Updated June 2026
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