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    Hanuman Thai Eatery - Newport

    4.5 (435 reviews)
    PriceyThai, Asian Fusion
    Closed 3:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    HANUMAN THAI EATERY - NEWPORT ATMOSPHERE

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    ruam mit
    Jin H.

    Hanuman is seriously the best Thai restaurant I've ever been to. I realllyyyyy like Thai food so I've been around to most places in OC and LA and even at famous places in New York and elsewhere, but Hanuman clears all of them. I mean I haven't been to Thailand yet haha, but I feel like this is as close as I'm gonna get. Specifically their khao soi absolutely clears every other khao soi I've ever tried. It's SO rich, creamy, and I didn't know such strong flavors could exist in a dish. From the perfectly cooked egg noodles to the most tender flavorful chicken to all the little veggie garnishes, but especially that spicy curry broth, wow it's truly the perfect dish. I've ordered this one every time I come here and even for takeout, and it's consistent in how perfect it is every time. Second favorite dish here is the massaman with hangar steak. The curry in this one looks similar to the one used in the khao soi, but it actually tastes completely different! The curry is a bit lighter which could be better if the khao soi might be too rich for you, and the hangar steak is definitely the star of the show. Cooked perfectly and amazing with both the rice and roti that comes with it. Mee klook noodles are a bit sweeter if you like that sweet savory combo. The desserts here are soooo good here too and actually feel worth the money. Service is always so friendly, even one time we got seated 45 minutes before their closing and we felt really bad, but the servers were so kind and we always feel taken care of here. Will never stop recommending Hanuman to everyone I know!!! I feel like the word has gotten out already so there's definitely always a line, but trust me it's soo worth it!!!

    Brendan V.

    Massaman Curry with the ribeye steak, w/ roti. It is the perfect combination. This has got to be a top 5 thai restaurant in Orange County. My biggest gripe about thai curries is the lack of texture despite having some of the riches flavors of all their dishes. THIS HERE!! Satisfies all my senses. Smells fragrant, good curry consistency, flavor bold, nutty, coconutty, then the char on that ribeye is perfect. As a side you get crispy light roti the perfect compliment to the dish. If you drink alcohol have a thai beer pairs perfectly with the dish. I still think about this dish when I'm not eating it.

    Kris B.

    This excellent place is tucked in the corner of a strip mall. Come early because it fills up fast. We got there at 5:30 so there were plenty of tables to choose from. We started with the Crying Tiger beef ($20) and Tom Kha Gai soup ($18). The beef was really tender. This is my favorite soup and unfortunately you can't order just an individual bowl. My MIL and niece didn't love it, so the rest came home with me! For entrees we ordered Pad Thai ($19), Pad See Ew ($17) and Sweet and Sour Salmon ($22). Both noodle dishes were delicious and my MIL loved her salmon dish. It was light and citrusy with a pineapple salsa. My niece also ordered a dish To Go. The staff was really attentive, continuously refilling water. It's a very small place and they have a lot of staff taking care of you. Bill was $200 with tax/25% tip for three people, no alcohol.

    Karlee B.

    A small intimate restaurant with amazing food and really friendly staff. It wasn't super busy and we still had to wait about 20 minutes on a Wednesday evening. The food is very elevated and done very well. I enjoyed the curry with steak and it was a perfectly portioned, flavored, and cooked dish. The staff did a great job helping with multiple celebrations that were happening at tables throughout the restaurant.

    Megan O.

    Wowwwww 100/10 experience. I brought my date here for his birthday and we had a blast! Food- 100/10. He got the Thai shrimp curry and I got the pork egg noodles. Both were amaaaazing. I wish I could eat the pork egg noodles every day of my life. We also got the special green Thai tea and wowwwww was it good! We also ended with the Thai tea creme brûlée which was delicious. The service (100/10) was even better than the food. Honestly some of the best service I have ever experienced. Ethan was our waiter and John also went over and beyond to help us too. Like the second we put a piece of trash down on the table, someone came and cleared it for us. They consistently checked in and got us everything we needed. The big kicker was they even brought out a birthday Thai tea creme brûlée (which was so good) and played a special birthday song. All just over and beyond amazing. The restaurant itself was clean, very nicely decorated, and fun. Maybe about 15 tables. We went for dinner on a weekday so we were sat immediately. I'm not sure what the wait is on weekends. Plenty of parking as it's in a shopping center. We will absolutely be back and can't wait to try more dishes! Thank you all so much!

    Tom Kha Gai
    Allegrah S

    Came here after hearing raving reviews from many friends. It's been in the area for a while but I finally was inclined to trying it with a friend who was newly in town. Wait was around an hour, so we went to Crossroads and killed some time. We were seated outside and helped immediately by our waiter, Johnny. We were given a great rundown of the entire menu - what items are most popular, personal favorites and insight into what dishes are ideal for sharing. We ended up ordering the Tom Kha Gai and the tofu pad see ew. It was my first time ever having Tom Kha Gai, needless to say, it was delicious, and the portion was also good enough for 4 people total. The pad see ew was also great, probably the second best I have in, first being Dean by Dean noodles in Rowland Heights! The ratio of tofu, broccoli, eggs and noodles was great, honestly I am still thinking about that pad see ew and am tempted to go later this week for a plate... We also got the thai tea which was good! Given we we seated outside, there still a lot of room between tables so we didn't feel cramped by any means, I will note that if it gets cold, there aren't any outdoor heaters (that I saw), so just make sure to have a jacket! Service provided by Johnny was great, very awesome waiter and checked in on us a handful of times to see how we liked everything. I will definitely be coming back here again and providing updates with any new items I try!

    Street Noodles
    Denise P.

    There is a reason that Hanuman Thai Eatery has the ratings that they do. The food here is THAT good. Whenever we would pass by the area, there would always be a crowd of people waiting, which deterred us in the past from going in to try them out. Finally, after timing it just right, we were able to miss the rush and get seated right away. For appetizers, we got their fried chicken " Gai Todd Hat Yai" and it was crunchy and made fresh to order. It was still steaming hot on our plate. There was no way I could have eaten all this with the sticky rice and the sauces with a spoon and fork. This had to be a use-your-hands moment. The combo was just divine. For the main dishes, we ordered the Khao Soi and the street noodles. The Khao Soi, while aesthetically pleasing, did not stand out to us as much as street noodles. The street noodles were refreshing and did not feel too heavy. The foods here fall on the sweeter side of Thai food. Service was quick and the staff always had a smile and indulged me with more limes when I asked. There were continuous check ins and water refills without me having to wave them down! The ambiance is warm and welcoming. It's a smaller restaurant so seating inside, it could feel cramped at times but a fun place to people watch and listen in on the first dates that are happening. We also got their tea, which I think is overlooked but delivers on the floral flavors! We got the Peach Blossom tea and we were not disappointed. A great spot that I would frequent if only the wait wasn't so long and I lived in the area. Timing your visit to avoid the rush could make the experience worthwhile.

    Ashley L.

    wow I love thai food sm but this placeeeee absolutely divine. the panang curry w steak was to die for. oml the pairing was good and as good the steak alrdy was the curry just topped it so well and made it better. the drunken noodle was bomb as per usual. the thai fried rice and tom yum was amazing. waiters so kind and service was fast

    menu
    Anna W.

    We came for dinner on a Sunday and had to wait around 40 minutes, so keep that in mind if you're coming during peak time. We ordered the Gai Todd Hat Yao, Khao Soi, and Panang Curry. The Gai Todd Hat Yao was definitely a must-order, the chicken wings were super crispy and really flavorful. The Khao Soi had a beautiful presentation, and the broth was rich, flavorful, and coconuty. The Panang Curry was good, but I do wish the chicken had a bit more seasoning and was cooked more into the curry for more flavor. The inside ambiance is really nice and cozy, and the servers were attentive throughout our meal. I will be back to try more dishes next time.

    Beer menu 1.23.26
    Mimi J.

    Review 17/365 Day Challenge Came here on a Friday evening to celebrate my anniversary w my bestie also 1.23.26 My friend that we were coming with said that this was one of her fav thai restaurant but the Bristol location. What we ordered ~ Hanuman's Ceviche made with yummy yellowtail and refreshing, not spicy at all. Wished it was spicy, served w fried shrimp chips . $ 28 ~ Tom Yum Koong was filled w lots of veggies like mushrooms & lemon grass sliced up than shrimp $ 24 ~ "Gai Todd Hat Yai" fried chicken was battered and flavored like a sweet taste. No spice to it, don't let the red color fool ya. Suppose to be like a thai street food, served w sticky rice $ 24 ~ Crying Tiger, has 6 filet mignon slice pieces $ 24. Tender but This was a huge disappointment since didn't have much flavor along with the sauce that was drizzled on top of the crying Tiger. ~ Thai Tea Creme brûlée $ 8 was good. Smaller size, creamy n torched perfectly. Can't really taste the thai tea taste. It was complimentary on the house since they knew we were each as a couple celebrating our anniversaries. Enjoyed it family style type of dinner. We had a girl & boy server. Didn't get the girls name who was explaining the restaurant popular dish and got the guy servers name, March was his name. Staff were really friendly, attentive w refilling our water cups. We received our food in a timely manner. The restaurant was nice, romantic dark like a date night type of vibes. Decor was nice & distinctive. With bamboo sticky rice holder and much more greenery nice decor hanging from the ceiling. There is an outdoor patio seating w heat lamps available and bistro lights hanging around the courtyard looking area. Which is located right in front of the restaurant. I'm laos ethnicity and really familiar w thai/laos food. Along my cousin owns a Lao/thai restaurant in Garden Grove. I had really high HOPES for the restaurant. Since this was my choice to come here for dinner b4 our show. I felt this is more like an Americanized Thai restaurant. Not too much authenticity on some of the dishes we ordered. TIP ~ get on the YELP WAITLIST on the YELP APP. Will save you tremendous of time. Right when we got there around 6 pm, we checked in and were seated right away. FYI There's a 90 minute seating time frame when it's busy. On a Friday evening. The restaurant was getting filled pretty fast and full house by 7 pm. The Patio itself was full and there was a wait at the door. Located a few doors down from Poke works across from Triangle Square.

    Celeste H.

    Great and amazing food!! Throughly surprised on how much I loved their ceviche. It was fresh, not fishy at all. The chips were a lovely surprise and the fruit made the dish feel fresh and not too heavy. Their pad thai and pad see ew was on the sweeter side as the server noted to us. They encouraged us to use additional vinegar and spices to enhance the flavors! Everything was so yummy! We'll def be back again.

    Panang Curry with Grilled Shrimps
    Katie T.

    Be prepared to wait long unless you go at an off time because this place a little small with limited indoor seating, but is very popular for good reason. I came on a Friday night around 8pm (I thought I would beat the dinner rush) and still had to wait a little over an hour. Their first location is usually busier than this second Newport one. But the food is so worth the wait. Everything is seasoned to perfection and the stir fried items have the smokey charred wok flavor you want and crave. The interior is beautiful and perfect for a casual dinner or more intimate date. The presentation of the food is also on point. Everything tastes as delicious as it looks!

    Pad thai with shrimp $22- thin, soft noodles- 1 star
    Mary D.

    This is the 2nd Hanuman location. This location is less crowded, and has much more seating. The inside is small, but they have a ton of outdoor seating. I ordered the panang curry with beef $24- 4 stars, pad see ew with chicken $17- 4 stars, gai todd hat yai aka fried chicken with sweet rice $20- 5 stars, khao soi $21- came with a chicken leg and did not taste like anything special- 2.5 stars, pad thai with shrimp $22- it was stir-fried with a lot of small pieces of rubbery tofu which was off-putting, and the noodles were thinner than usual and soggy- 1 star, Hanuman's ceviche $25- very fresh but small portion- 3.5 stars, and Hanuman's fried rice $18- savory and flavorful, with small pieces of lap cheong/ Chinese sausage- 5 stars. The food here is not as good as their original location on Bristol St., so if you're craving Thai food, go there instead. Overall, 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 with the customer service. I would highly recommend their GAI TODD HAT YAI aka fried chicken with sweet rice and HANUMAN'S FRIED RICE.

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    0.8 mi
    $$$

    this was one of the best restaurants i've ever been to! my boyfriend and I sat in their speakeasy…read morewhich was dim and fun, and they played the best music. great date night vibe. we got their yellowtail salmon poke which was so light and flavorful. their black miso cod which was buttery and rich. the wagyu skewers which is some of the best steak i've ever had, the flavor is insane and it was so buttery on the inside. and the chicken and scallion skewers which were amazing and the char flavor was immaculate. they brought us out a free dessert for my birthday which wasn't for another week! so nice of them! we got their salted caramel gelato which was some of the best ice cream i've had. and their ube banana pudding which was amazing. so fluffy, perfectly sweet, and a great size. this is my new favorite spot! absolutely incredible!

    I absolutely loved Oak & Coal! The food was delicious, the presentation was fantastic, and the…read morecocktails were really inventive! Dishes we ordered: - cucumber sunomono - 7/10 - seared hamachi - 20/10 ~ my favorite dish by far! - organic chicken and scallion skewers - 6/10 - snake river wagyu beef skewers - 8/10 - new zealand lamb chops - 10/10 - broccolini - 8/10 - miso black cod - 7/10 - oak's famous garlic noodles (veggie) - 8/10 - smOAK show cocktail - 10/10 Overall we really enjoyed our meal. We will be back for sure!

    Photos
    Oak room
    Oak room
    Chicken yakitori  Instagram: @hungrytamale
    Chicken yakitori Instagram: @hungrytamale
    Oak & Coal

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    Momonoki

    Momonoki

    4.1
    (306 reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    Went here cause I love Asian fusion had butternut squash ravioli was amazing sad they took it off…read morethe menu I also had a different pasta can't remember the name the calamari the steak - wish there was more chimichurri a pork belly dish super tender prosciutto salad with Panna cotta so different but works ! And focaccia so fluffy and delicious ! By the way they own a farm so it's mostly if not all farm to table ! I came back 6 times to get through the whole menu after this service was great and the place is small so dinner gets packed ! So be prepared Never uploaded this review then came back because they redid their menu and again never disappointed and the server who noticed I was waiting to order and hopped right out her spot to come take mine even though I think it was her coworkers job lol well done on the customer service and observation it was so sweet and adorable

    I saw a lot of posts about this place on social media comparing this place to the popular Ini…read morerestaurant, so I came to compare and try it out for myself. The cocktails were refreshing and good, but more on the sweeter side rather than alcoholic. We got a good amount of dishes to try out and share as a group Calamari- Solid but nothing too special Miso Bacon Carbonara- noodles were good, creamy base Gochujang Pork Belly- probably my favorite! tender bits of pork! Steak- good but a bit pricy from how much you get, need additional sides to go with it Crudo- refreshing but small portions Overall, nothing stood out to me crazy for me to run back. However I would come back if it was suggested by friends. A bit pricey in terms of their portion size so you do have to order a lot. Great spot to have date night as the restaurant itself is pretty and intimate.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Pappardelle Bolognese
    Pappardelle Bolognese
    Bolognese papardelle

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    Bolognese papardelle

    Hanuman Thai Eatery - Newport - thai - Updated June 2026

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