I've never been more glad to have discovered a place like Hug Thai Express!!! Me and my partner ordered off Doordash and the whole experience was just as great. They wrote the cutest words on the packaging, which already started off our meal on a good note! The prices were pretty reasonable, which I feel is very hard to find these days. I ordered the Hawaiian Fried Rice and it was absolutely worth the $18! It was the tastiest fried rice and they filled the container up to the brim; me and my partner were so shocked when we grabbed the container and noticed how hefty it was. I also ordered myself the Thai Tea. If you're somebody that prefers stronger tea flavors in your Thai Tea, this is definitely up your alley. I love my Thai tea to have some of that bitterness from the tea leaves and their Thai tea hit the spot! I'll definitely order from them again, and I'd love to come in-person! Definitely recommend read more

Walked in and was attended very politely and quickly The food was amazing I ordered the pad Thai chicken plate and was not disappointed that number 10 spice is no joke not to mention the lunch special they have going on very good deal. I'll def be coming back read more

Every dish we ordered was bursting with authentic Thai flavors. The Yellow Curry was rich, creamy, and had just the right amount of spice. You could tell the ingredients were fresh and high-quality. Honestly, this is some of the best Thai food I've had in a while. The combination of genuinely delicious dishes and attentive, friendly service makes Hug Thai a real gem. I highly recommend checking them out - you won't be disappointed! We'll definitely be back. read more

Best Thai food in San Diego. The pad Thai and pad see ew is delicious! Love that this is so close to my house an a great addition to the neighborhood read more

Best crab fried rice!! We always go back for it. It's our go to Thai food in La mesa. :)

Absolutely love this restaurant. The food is excellent. There isn't a dish that we have tried that wasn't fantastic. Highly recommend. In addition many of the dishes can safely be made gluten free! read more

After a long day at sesame place... my husband, two daughters, and myself were looking for a good place to eat to end our night with a happy and fully belly. We are not from around here... so I searched on yelp and found this gem! We ordered crab fried rice, panang curry, Kala's crispy chicken, and the garlic chicken wings. Everything was AMAZING!!!! So good we even ordered an additional order of garlic wings. The flavors were on point with every dish. The food was made to order and steaming hot coming to the table. When we are in the area we would definitely come here again!!! Delicious!! read more

I walked in at 1:30 PM. The place was empty. I ordered my food and the woman at the counter asked, "For here or to go?" I said "For here." Then she looked at the time and said she was going to pack it to go because they were "closing soon to prepare for dinner at 3 PM." It was 1:30. That's an hour and a half before "dinner." Makes no sense. Because she wouldn't let me sit, I had to eat in my car. The curry spilled everywhere -- all over my seat, my clothes, everything. Total mess. If you're going to ask if someone wants to dine in, then refuse to let them, what's the point? Completely unprofessional and lazy. If you don't want to serve customers, don't open a restaurant. Food wasn't good enough to justify this kind of treatment. Trash service. Not worth your time or money. read more

Food is very good and the employees are extremely nice and very attentive. I came an eat here at 3 times per month.

This place is disgusting. The food is all sitting in a cup of oil and it has no flavor. Huge mistake ordering from here

While on vacation with the family, we came here to get our Thai fix. Our family is half Thai, so we come in knowing what the flavors should be like (and having unreasonable expectations as well, of course. The restaurant is a small operating in the previous location of a Mexican restaurant. There are only about four tables inside that can seat two people each, so this isn't a place I would come with a large group for a meal. But the flavors and quality are spot-on. Their specialty seems to be street noodle (Pad Thai, Pad See-Yu), which are all excellent. The shrimp Pad Thai had four shrimp in an order which is already two more than most places deign to include, and everything is amazingly fresh. There are other menu items as well-- for a small place, I was surprised to see Som Tom and Larb on the menus; since this was our first visit, we opted to try the chef's specialties instead, but we did venture into the appetizer menu and order perhaps the best garlic chicken wings I've ever eaten at a Thai restaurant. These are seriously good and well made-- crispy, but with a bit of sweetness and a perfect amount of garlic (there's more in the box if you need to ward off your neighborhood vampire...) The place is extremely clean and the staff are incredibly friendly-- so much so that they write the cutest inspirational and appreciative messages on each container of food for their customers. Go out of your way to try this place out and have a great meal with friends. A nice beer would give the experience six stars! read more

Hug Thai Express - Their containers have the best messages! - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

Great service, always greeted with a smile and the food is amazing and fresh but they gave close to no meat. Pretty expensive for mostly noodles and vegetables panang Was mostly vegetable with minimal chicken And pad Thai had little beef read more

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Got take out from here. The restaurant is very clean and the food smelled good. The taro with boba was okay. The ribs were pretty dry, it was as dry as the jerky. I'd pass on the jerky and ribs next time. Pad see ew was good and spicy. The spring rolls were good and taste super fresh. read more

Hug Thai Express - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

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The ambiance of this place is so fun like a cafe, the food is great but my favorites are the pad Thai salad plain without spice, the mango sticky rice and the pad Thai. They are all so light and good. read more

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Got takeout twice already and so far so good. Better than 2 other spots I tried in La Mesa. My husband picked it up so no comment about location itself. We've enjoyed the pad thai, pad see ew, papaya salad, panang curry, and tom kah soup. Soup was loaded with veggies and tofu which was great. Portions of entres are fine but a little smaller than some other Thai spots. They did mess up my last order by giving me chicken instead of beef in my pad see ew. read more

Forgot to snap pics but picked up Hug Thai last week for the first time. I always see it when I'm swinging by the taco shop or on my way to froyo. I was very impressed with the level of service we received. The packages had cute messages written on the outside, the lady ringing me up was super friendly and so happy. We ordered crab Rangoon which were delicate deep fried wontons loaded with cream cheese, crab, and served with a sweet chili sauce. I ordered the yellow curry with tofu at a level 3. The curry was flavorful and I had enough leftover to munch on the next day. The potatoes could've been cut a bit smaller but no big deal. I don't handle heat very well, so I'd get a 2 next time. My husband had the pad Thai with chicken. It was saucy and delicious. The chicken, egg, and bean sprouts gave a nice texture to the noodles. I'll definitely be back, knowing it's a 10-minute drive from my house, so an easy night out to bring dinner back home. read more

I have been to Hug Thai twice now as it is near my office, quick, and very convenient for lunch. Thus far, I have tried the Pad Thai with tofu and the green curry with chicken, two of my go-to Thai dishes. The restaurant is small with about four, or so tables inside. There is a window to order and pick up food. As it is a very small restaurant, I see it as more of a take-away place, which is what I have done both times. However, if you do choose to dine inside it does have a crowded, but cute interior. Both times, my food was ready quickly, and it was packed between the time of my phone call and my arrival. The people are friendly and the food is fresh and delicious. I do wish they had some lunch specials. I looked, but did not see any on the menu. The helpings are large, and for lunch, it would be nice to have a smaller serving, but perhaps with a small spring roll and soup. Anyway, this is a great place to stop by to pick up a quick Thai lunch! read more

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Great service and delicious food! We got the beef tom yum soup, egg rolls, and beef pad grapow (no veggies). Highly recommend! read more

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This place is pretty amazing! They have awesome customer service and they're so friendly when placing a phone order. My sister and I ordered food yesterday and we both got Panang curry. My sister got a spice level five while I went with a four and we were both very satisfied! The restaurant itself is very tiny and it's located next to a convenient store, but they had plenty of parking nearby. Would definitely come again! read more

Grabbed a quick lunch at Hug Thai Express and although the shop is more so for takeout orders, there are tables that are inviting for dining in. I ordered my favorites at any Thai restaurant and got cream cheese rangoons, Tom Kha soup, and drunken noodles. The cup portion for the soup was plentiful and although the soup was more on the thin side, I still liked the flavor. It has red onion, tomato, mushrooms, cilantro, and we got chicken as the protein. The drunken noodles were great in flavor but a lot of our noodle pieces were more broken. I did enjoy our meal and can safely assume that locals come here for authentic Thai food takeout. They also have pretty neat weekend deals where they discount some of their appetizers! read more

Hug Thai Express - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

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The gteen curry is spectacular! Amazing flavor, diversity, fresh herbaceous vegetables. The service is so warm and welcoming, like you are in somebody's home. Definitely will be back :) read more

Great little Thai restaurant near Lake Murray. Though it's an express place with lots of take out orders, there are some small tables to dine inside or on the patio. The Tom Kha was so good with the coconut milk and the perfect hint of sour. We also ordered the Pad Thai and enjoyed the texture and flavor of the noodles. My mom ordered the Thai crab omelette and was happy with her meal, as you can actually taste the flavor of the crab. Really fast service, with dine in and to go orders ready in under 10 minutes. Great, reasonable prices for the dishes. read more

Hug Thai Express - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Always love it here. The food is always delicious and well made. The service is always great! It's a cute little place. I always order takeout however and my dishes are usually if. Not always accompanied by a kind message. I'm a definite fan. read more

The food here is amazing! My favorites are Garlic chicken wings, yellow curry, and pad see ew! read more

Second visit within 2 weeks! We love this place and the employees are very friendly. You chose how spicy you want your food prepared, 1 to 10 and they are very accurate. read more

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First, I just want to say they have outstanding service. Small place, but they make everything work. Just one person taking orders, answering phone calls, and making the drinks. Fast-paced environment and little wait time when I had dined in. While waiting I also noticed the decorations. I mean how can you not, they're everywhere. I really enjoyed how they decorated with the spiders and webs very photo worthy spot. When everything arrived, just wow. Didn't do much talking just because how good everything was. Pad Grapow could've had more rice, but maybe I should've mixed it, nonetheless delicious. Veggies also added great texture with a crunch. Pad See Ew was actually really good, not basic. I enjoyed how the sauce wasn't really overwhelming and was it pleasant to eat. Not too much oil, pretty much a good combination. I want to see how this place looks every holiday. read more

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The food is amazing! Another hidden of mines, Hug Thai, has received Yelp's The People Love Us Award. Devin and I always get the Crispy Basil Chicken ( Spicy level 10 ). The flavorful chicken is so crunchy you can actually hear yourself or the person next you, chewing all the crunch. Every single crispy chicken has a lovely crunch. The Crispy Basil Chicken comes with bell peppers, onions, and crispy Thai Basil. read more

Hug Thai Express - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

Wonderful service and food. I got the drunken noodles, yellow curry, egg rolls, pad sew, pork jerkey and sticky rice. 100% would recommend! read more

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This remains THEE place for Thai takeout in La Mesa! Alway fresh, always fast, and always friendly service. The menu is delicious and I recommend the Curry dishes! read more

Three cheers for hug thai express! This cute little hole in the wall Thai food spot has tons of delicious meals that cater to any and every diet out there. And their street style menu options ensure that their food is always affordable and always brimming with flavor and personality. They recently updated their menu to make a whole slew of gluten-free options available, making this one of the most gluten-free Friendly Thai joints around. My wife is gluten free and vegan, and it's so great that she gets to try something different every time we go, instead of having to stick to the one or two available options to her that some places have. The portion sizes here are fantastic, even the appetizers are sometimes enough for a whole meal (Those spring rolls are insane)! I especially love the little notes that they leave you on your receipts and your order! It really gives a cute, friendly vibe and makes me want to keep coming back week after week. I've tried most of the stuff on their menu and I can say with confidence that anything with the word basil in it is going to be a humongous win. I don't know what they do, but their basil dishes are so fresh and so flavorful that I'm sad when I finish my meal and sometimes think about going back for seconds. Their curries are also supremely delicious. They have a pineapple curry that is out of this world and is definitely my go-to on those nights where you just need that Curry fix. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I might go get some right this moment. Got to run! See you at hug Thai! read more

This is hands down the best Thai food Ive had in San Diego! I highly recommend the pad thai and the papaya salad. The service is very quick and it's a good spot for lunchtime! The food is very fresh and it's a very clean restaurant. read more

Hug Thai Express - Shrimp Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

Hug Thai Express handles an impressive line of take-out orders. When I had dined in, there wasn't a slow moment, phone calls constantly ringing with requests. Perhaps I should have followed suit as opposed to settling for a mediocre in person experience. Parking lot was very small and shared with two other restaurants and a liquor store. After squeezing into a spot, we waited for an additional 15 minutes to place our order due to the lengthy line out the door. We got our food within 15 minutes while those who had just place take-out orders were given an estimated 30 minutes. Unfortunately the table was still dirty since the hostess used only a dry towel to wipe off the crumbs, leaving some residual orange markings. =FOOD= Utensils and water weren't given until we received our soup. *Tom Yum: selected chicken. Came out lukewarm. However, the flavors were a good balance between sweet and sour. Wished there was more vegetables and chicken for the large portion though. Even though I can't handle spice, I would have increased this to 4-5 to taste it. *Sweet Rice with Mango: rice was fantastic. Excellent gooey texture, smothered in coconut sauce. Mango was a bit unripe and sour but the rice really shined. *Hug Thai Combo Express: selected marinated beef. Sticky rice wasn't given until later--perhaps was still being heated up despite the food coming out. Papaya salad was average, sweet and crisp. The meat was incredibly chewy and salty. Maybe the garlic wings or pork jerky would have fared better but I wouldn't pick the beef option. Perhaps I won't challenge the express element next time and choose take-out instead for a better experience. While the dishes were average, the pricing was fair so I can see why people choose this as an affordable dinner. However, Hug Thai Express didn't blow me away except for being a convenient Thai option in La Mesa. read more

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Coming in with another review. This time on Hug Thai's Thai Tea and Pad Thai. I have to admit this is one of my favorite tasting Thai Tea's and I should have know the pad thai would be delicious. They don't make a sauce heavy noodle, but it's the flavor of the dish that makes it so good. My consistent go to: Drunken Noodles level 4 spice Also delicious: Pad Thai level 2 spice Favorite item: MANGO STICKY RICE :) read more

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This is my very favorite in the neighborhood. I've tried most things on the menu, and I've never had a bad dish. Love Hug Thai!

Found Hug Thai on Yelp with very good ratings so I called in an order to give them a try. The phone was answered promptly and I was able to order right away! Well this is a good start... I drove into Hug Thai and found ole Ty of parking in the strip mall. As I walked in I noticed inky a couple tables so it appears that takeout is more prevalent here. When I checked in on Yelp I was able to get a free Thai Iced Tea!!! Order was ready in only 10 minutes which was the time it took me to drive there. All was bagged up and ready for travel. The food was well boxed and there was nothing leaking that can happen which I find messy. Here's our review of the food: Shrimp Spring Rolls - 8 Densely packed with veggies but a tad too much cucumber? Flavored. I prefer to have the herbs be the star of the show. The shrimp was clean but had a fishiness too it which generally means it wasn't kept cold until use. The rice paper was interestingly brown...not sure if it's a special type of rice paper but it was very good, just caught us off guard. Both the peanut sauce and soy dipping sauces were very good. I'd recommend getting a side of sriracha to add to the peanut sauce. Overall, worth getting again. Chicken Pad Thai (Spice 4) - 10 - This was the best pad Thai I think I've ever had. It was the perfect balance of sweet and spice packed full of flavor. I really enjoyed the bits of vegetable to break up the monotony of dense noodles. Highly recommend this, but maybe take the spice to a 6. Yellow Curry w/ Chicken (Spice 5) - 8 - I found this yellow curry ti be pretty good but nothing stood out as unique. Solid version of yellow curry with the potatoes and ample rice. I'd recommend a tad spicier than a 5. Thai Iced Tea w/ extra cream and light ice- 10 - I don't know if it was the extra cream or less ice made room for the cream but this was perfectly balanced! I detest Thai iced teas that are under flavored or over sugared which this was neither of. I'll be ordering the large next time! All in all, Hug Thai is a fast and friendly San Diego Thai Takeout for a date night in your own home. Fair prices and rapid readiness of the food will challenge your date to finish making popcorn by the time you get home. Gray spot for Thai! read more

Recently moved to the area and was excited to try this placed based off of word of mouth as well as their great reviews and they did not disappoint! I've been choosing my items based off reviews to start lol. I've tried the pad Thai, crispy basil chicken, yellow curry add shrimp, and now the garlic wings and pad see ew with only a $3 up charge for a mix of chicken, shrimp, beef and fish! Crazy!! And I was surprised by the generous amount of meat that came with it. I will say, the chicken add on in dishes is not my favorite, it is on the drier side which is why I don't usually opt for chicken but that's ok. And with the pad Thai to-go I wish it came with a larger peanut container/side because I love peanuts in my dishes lol. Besides that this is my 3rd time trying them and everything has been VERY good! The chicken wings and shrimp are the freshest and best quality in texture and taste that I've had in San Diego the past 4.5 years I've lived here and that's not an exaggeration lol. Every single time the food is perfectly hot and fresh! Service is wonderful- they truly know what customer care and professionalism is. The place is cute and clean though I always order to-go. The garlic wings are perfectly flaky/crispy but still moist. I'm impressed with the garlic and have never seen it done that way! I love how their veggies are always fresh and slightly crisp so you feel like you're actually eating quality vegetables. Everything seems so intentional and sometimes that can be hard to come by. Great job Hug Thai! Their crispy basil chicken and yellow curry are amazinggg. As are the wings. I have yet to have something I don't like. The portions and prices are definitely fair and I'm very happy to support a place that seems to be doing all the right things right. Thank you! read more

Hug Thai Express - Garlic wings and Pad See Ew - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

10/10 foods delicious all the aunties cooking in the back really know what they're doing. Found this place a few months ago and have been there at least once a month and EVERYTIME food is amazing. read more

The food is amazing! This is our go to take place and it's never disappoints. Can't recommend this place enough.

Karla is the best period quality is her specialty and this place I recommend to all my coworkers and with her there running the show absolute awesome best place ever read more

We stumbled upon this restaurant while we stayed in an airbnb nearby and searched for "rice" in yelp lol. Omg you guys - one of the best Thai foods we've ever had!!! I left the restaurant's name in my airbnb review so other friends can see and discover you guys. read more