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

I just wanted take out, and this was soooo good. The coconut shrimp was the best I've ever had, and the pad see ew was super good too. The inside of the place was super cute, and the cashier was super friendly. read more

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

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Generally we go to Sab E Lee in Linda Vista and when we don't feel like driving over there we go over to the non related Sab E Lee in Santee. I found Hug Thai based on the amazing reviews. I really was looking for another Authentic Thai Restaurant. I ordered the salad, vegetable spring rolls, fried rice, and the basil chicken. Salad - The salad was just plain American type salad, not what I expected at all. Vegetable Spring Rolls - Something to try out , don't think I'll order it again, as the rice paper kept falling apart and defeats the purpose of it staying in one piece. Noodles - Good Fried Rice - Plain but satisfying Basil Chicken - Good, but there were so many small pieces. Dime size pieces that there's not really meat inside, but I have to say it's tasty. The food is not super, but it was good enough for the price and quality. I was a bit confused that they didn't have thai chilis when I asked for it. The worker there offered me something similar to siracha instead. She kept telling me that's thai chili. haha. I guess she doesn't know. Definitely want to come back and try their other foods. read more

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Here at Hug Thai Express again. Second time and I ordered once again their Fried Pork Ribs and for a first time the Larb Shrimp With Duck Spicy Level 8!!!!! I'll Be back Soon With Photos.. read more

Hug Thai Express - 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

For over 4 years, I haven't had Thai food because I haven't liked the taste and consistency of the food. I've tried many places over many years. I came to the conclusion that Thai food just wasn't my cup of tea. Recently this year I decided I wanted to retry Thai food. My friend group loves Thai food, but we've never been together since I didn't like Thai food. But I'm a person who is willing to keep trying. This place has been on my list to visit and try if I ever wanted Thai food. It's very close to my home. Their food looks great online and reviews are great as well. I looked up their menu and their IG page. Wrote a few items down and headed over. I live two mins away by car and so phoning it in wouldn't have made a difference for me. I also wish I got pics, but alas my hunger was more important at the time. The food absolutely did not disappoint. For the price you pay, you are definitely getting good portion sizes. I purposely ordered multiple items to try a range of different Thai food and to have leftovers. Here's what I ordered: (my total was $50 and some change) Chicken drunken noodle Shrimp Tom kha Crab Rangoon Mango iced tea Kalas crispy chicken I ended up loving the food. And I am now more open to having Thai food. I'd definitely return. Highlight of the food, I'd say the mango iced tea, Shrimp Tom Kha, and their new special: Kala's Crispy Chicken were extremely good! I would go back just to have these three specific items. I'm def going to have to try the Thai food at a spicier level. I got them at level 3-4 and it tickled my throat. I would go back to try a 5. Their spice levels range from 1-10. Service was really good! I expected to wait 20-30 mins for the amount of food I ordered and considering there were a few people who ordered in front of me. I was there for maybe 10 mins max! They have indoor seating and two sets of tables outside. It's very small, but it's very nice and peaceful. If I were to come back and eat here, I'd sit outside. Mostly because I'm not a fan of small places esp when I eat. read more

This Thai place is a hidden gem in La Mesa. It's a small space but definitely a good place to takeout Thai food. Whenever I get takeout from here, the staff often write sweet messages or smiley faces on their containers. They're also on GrubHub! I absolutely love their crispy chicken larb seasoned to perfection - it has more of a lemony kick to it. Another favorite of mine is their pad see ew and any of their curries are delicious! My first time I got takeout from here, I got their crab fried rice. Crab taste was too strong for me, but their regular fried rice was the best in my opinion. read more

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

Our go to for work lunch outings ...or actually, anytime! Food is delicious and the service is great! My staple ...crab omelet and basil chicken. sooo good! read more

Some of the best Thai food in East County, very rich flavors and delicious. It is more of a take away Thai Place but they charge sit down prices. They are fast and the food is good. Either lower the prices ten percent or increase the portions for 5 stars. read more

Great Thai food at a fair price. A favorite of mine in La Mesa. Service is friendly and timely.

Great food, wonderful service highly recommended. My favorite Thai food in La Mesa. I've tried many items and all great. read more

Hug Thai Express - Tom Kar, Pad Thai, Pork Ribs and green curry. All outstanding!! - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

Just stopped by for a takeout order pickup. Everything was great as always!! The specially package crispy items with holes in the packaging lid so your items don't get soggy on the way home. They even include a personal touch on each item- someone writes "thank you :)" on each lid. Today was my first time trying their green curry. It was SO GOOD. It's really rich because of the coconut milk. I got level one spicy because I am a wimp ;) the bell pepper and eggplant were perfectly soft. And the garlic wings were crispy and flavorful. read more

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WOW. I found this place on Yelp and noticed it was a 5 star place. So we decided to see what the hype was about. THIS DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Everything was some of the BEST Thai food we've had. We ordered: Crispy basil chicken: what the heck is this made out of because this was our absolute favorite dish. Crispy savory pieces of crispy chicken with basil, onions & bell peppers. Just wow. The texture and flavor was exceptional. Beef red curry: this curry is soooo creamy. The sauce consistency was not too thick or thin. It was perfect. Beef was tender. Vegetables were tender. Definitely would get this again. Crab meat fried rice: this rice dish was very tasty. Rice was made perfect and the chunks of crab meat were very good. Very generous portions. Spice level for these 3 were between 4-5. Definitely has a kick to it and builds up quick so I would get 4 all around next time. Tom kha soup: WOW. I got a spice level 6 cos I like my soup with a BAM. Definitely choked on the spice here & there but damn this was so good. So flavorful, the vegetables were tender and delicious. We did order thai tea, one with boba, one without. The boba was very soft. The drink was more on the watery side but still hit the spot! Sometimes you don't want it too sweet! Definitely will be back to try more things!!!! read more

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Order at counter. Not much space to sit down and dine. Decent pad thai and tom kha soup.

The food was outstanding, and the service was excellent. I highly recommend the Crab Pad Thai and the Pad Grapow. The restaurant had a great vibe, and I would definitely recommend visiting. read more

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

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Food is amazing and staff is wonderful :) this sentence is for the 85 character minimum.

SO YUMMY! All teas are so authentic and good, better than most boba places, had the yellow curry and crispy chicken. OUTSTANDING!!! Real authentic delicious thai food that smells delicious as soon as you walk in. Service was very friendly and efficient too!! read more

UPDATED REVIEW- 12.13.20 Spot on customer service, timely manner for food, and quality of food is phenomenal. I cannot express how great this place is. This is my 2nd time and will continue to come here to experience their menu. Thanks for my food coma experience read more

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I 100% recommend this be on your list of places to try out! Thai for the win and an amazing food choice to end 2020! This meal was so delicious and going into my rotation. I called my order ahead and it was ready on time:) I specifically mention this because some restaurants miscalculate and I really don't like waiting long for food. Customer service is A+! I ordered the crab fried rice and crispy basil chicken. Oh my gosh that fried rice was Everything I wanted! Portion sizes are large, packaging is perfect, food fresh and hot. I didn't get photos of the inside but it looks like limited seating (whenever they do allow dining in again) and a cute backdrop for that perfect IG photo. Kickstart 2021 with this place. read more

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Welp, found our new Thai yummy food spot! The food were exceptionally delicious. We ordered Pad Thai (shrimp), crab fried rice, tropical chicken mango, and my main go to, beef salad (Yum Nuah). All were well balanced. The Pad Thai sometimes the tamarind sauce is too much, to tangy, but the Pad Thai in this place, just right (like very good). It's a hit or miss (mostly missed) in a lot of Thai food restaurant but the one here, perfectly balanced and the portion will not disappoint you. It's a small place but is packing with a lot of great delicious varieties of authentic Thai food. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

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They have a new dish called Kala's Crispy Chicken that is so good, you must try if you like sweet and sour. Great service like always. read more

Hug Thai Express - Kala's Crispy Chicken - Thai Near Me - La Mesa, California

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We have been to Hug about a dozen times in the last year. It's a great spot for takeout, not a place to dine in since there are only a few tables. We get the crab fried rice, Thom Kha Gai, Pad Thai, etc and they are always delicious. The staff is so nice so give it a try. read more

We ordered over the phone and the host was super friendly and helpful! When we came to pick up, the restaurant was cute! It's small, but it has two tables and these cute clear chairs. If I went back, it would only be for the courtesy of the staff. We ordered a bunch of different things to try and... overall, the food wasn't too great (it tasted like something you would've gotten from the frozen food isle). The Thai Tea was also very watered down. I usually go to Lemon Grove Thai and their food is a lot more seasoned and the Thai Tea is amazing! read more

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

5 stars and well deserved! This restaurant is a sleeper, its pretty small and theres not much room to sit down and eat so I always order takeout and i havent been disappointed. Every time I come in the workers are really nice, and they also always write a nice message on the containers which is a nice touch! For food my go to is the drunken noodles with FISH - yes fish! the fish is battered and its absolutely delicious definitely try it if you havent! The other proteins are also good, but the battered fish is pretty unique and elevates the dish. I also like the Tom Kha with either fish (this isnt battered) or Shrimp. A few other things ive tried is the papaya salad, beef jerky, and pineapple fried rice and those were also good but for papaya salad i personally prefer lao style over thai style and they only have thai style here so its not really a knock against them. Def recommend stopping by and trying this restaurant! read more

Decent place, the food was definitely on the milder side with flavor. Leans a bit sweet, pad Thai and Panang curry both not spicy at all but they never asked me for a spice level so maybe you have to speak up if you want it hot. Crab rangoons were excellent, they didn't skip on the crab meat. read more

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

This Thai eatery occupies a very small suite in a La Mesa strip mall off Baltimore Dr. There's space to seat only six customers. Unless they move the three tables outside, it's a useless area right now. That being said, their takeout business seemed pretty robust, hence the 'Express' in the business name. As I approached the service counter, I noticed there were numerous packed bags ready for pickup. Usually, I get a noodle or curry dish when indulging in Thai cuisine. This time I started with the Fried Pork Ribs ($7.95). This appetizer was marinated fried pork riblets served with a traditional tamarind sauce. The little chunks of bone-in meat were crispy but didn't have a thick layer of batter on them. The other item I ordered was a Hug Thai Express Combo Set ($14.95). I haven't come across a combo like this before. The dish consisted of mild spicy marinated beef served with som tum (green papaya salad), sticky rice, tamarind sauce, and sweet chili sauce. I loved the sweetness of the chili sauce, and the sticky rice acted as a buffer from the spices. The service was polite and quite efficient. Between that and the food quality, I gave Hug Thai Express a four star rating. read more

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This little Thai spot is one of our favorites. The food is fresh and flavorful, and the portions are generous. We love their Drunken Noodles - the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy. The staff is always friendly and the service is quick. Very reasonable prices. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area! read more

Very, very nice indeed. I stopped in this small Thai eatery for some lunch and ordered the Drunken Noodles with chicken and a stir fried egg at a wimpy heat level of 4. It was a terrific version of Drunken Noodles. The wide rice noodles were very flavorful and had a nice chew to them. The chicken was tender, and the peppers and onions were crisp. The sauce was well made and the heat level was just right for me. I could gently feel it which made for a comfortable eating experience. Let's just say there was no need for a tall glass of cold milk. The eatery is conducting a heavy amount of take out, given the Covid-19 situation. They offer a small dinning area, but only one party at a time can dine in given the small space. The employees were all friendly and made good suggestion for further visits. Great little place! read more

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I'm really late on this review, but I'm on vacation now, so I have time to catch up lol. I visited this place on 4/30/2022 and took one of my goddaughters to lunch here. The parking lot allows for ample parking. The inside is extremely and I mean EXTREMELY tiny. There might have been 3 or 4 tables inside (some of the tables were only for 2 people) and I believe there were 2 tables on the outside. My goddaughter and I were lucky and were able to sit inside. I ordered my usual pad see mao with beef, she ordered the panang curry with lime 1/10 spice. Let me tell you-babyyyyyyyyyy...this restaurant and their food are completely worth the wait. I also had their mango tea with boba and it was so good I had tears welled up in my eyes lol. There were a lot of people coming in to pick up to go orders. Try this place!!! Zero ragrets/regrets haha!!! read more

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I love their portion size! They give a lot of food (IMO)! The service is amazing and I really had a good time here:) read more

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

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