Hang lay. Khao soi. Duck gra pao. Laarb neung. Ooooooh the food was sooo good and pretty authentic. The hang lay had a nice portion of fatty pork belly but the fattiness was perfectly balanced with the ginger. Laarb is unlike the isan laarb but still delicious. The texture was perfect and had a generous helping of fresh vegetables. Khao soi was very authentic. The creamy broth was balanced with the pickled sour mustard. Also had good texture with the crispy noodles. Duck gra pao is not what I expected. A whole duck leg and not ground duck. Didn't really taste like gra pao but still nicely cooked. Overall, the food was delish. Definitely would come back. read more

AMAZING FOOOD! service was good, only had to wait for a table, so make reservations! ambiance is casual and nice read more

Ka Kai - khao - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Delicious food! All the dishes we had were very filling and enjoyable. Service was excellent and speedy. Great vibes inside. Highly recommend. read more

My friends and I celebrated a birthday at Ka Kai before attending a show at The Castro. We were seated right away and didn't have to wait, even though the restaurant was busy. The Thai-inspired cocktails were tasty, although a little sweet for everyone in our group. The food was delicious! I'm definitely going back with another group of friends to try more dishes. Ka Kai is a great addition to the neighborhood. Let's support our local small businesses! read more

Ka Kai in the Castro is an incredible addition to the San Francisco food scene, offering a fantastic introduction to authentic Northern Thai cuisine. Northern Thai food relies heavily on aromatic herbs, complex spices, and deep, savory pastes. The kitchen here works with impressive efficiency, as all of our dishes came out incredibly fast, fresh, and piping hot. We began our meal with their signature vibrant drinks. The KAI JA is a beautiful, silky purple spritz highlighting creamy ube and delicate rose bitters, while the KHAO SOI COLADA perfectly balances tropical coconut rum with warm house Khao Soi spices. For the feast, the Som Tam Nampu green papaya salad offered a great medium heat with an authentic Northern Thai crab paste dressing. The Khan-Thok Box sampler platter is a must-order for groups, featuring traditional favorites like Sai Ua herbed sausage, crispy pork rinds, black sticky rice, and flavorful Larb alongside delicious dipping sauces. The Ho Nueng Sea Bass arrived flawlessly steamed with a fragrant blend of lemongrass, roasted rice powder, and shrimp paste, while the Lampang Khao Soi Kai featured a remarkably tender, slow-cooked chicken leg quarter in a rich curry broth topped with crispy egg noodles. The Tom Som soup also stood out with its bright, spicy, and sour shrimp broth.While every dish was excellent, the absolute standouts of the night were the Larb, the Som Tum Po, and the Tom Yum. However, the true star of the table was the Ka Paw Duck. The roasted half duck was extraordinarily crispy on the skin, incredibly juicy on the inside, and stir-fried with a fiery punch of basil and chili before being topped with a perfect fried egg. I truly appreciate the authentic flavors the chef brings to the table and highly recommend Ka Kai for anyone looking for a memorable, flavorful meal in SF. read more

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Didn't book in advance, but called right before going on a Thursday evening. They were quite busy, but put me on the waitlist via phone. When I arrived, it was a short wait and got seated! Menu is lovely with Northern Thai options. Service was helpful where they provided additional recommendations. Flavors are so tasty and ambiance is beautiful. I was captivated by the wallpapers especially. Would recommend! read more

Ka Kai - Sea Bass - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I'm always happy when a restaurant opens in the Castro and actually has good food, and this place is a great addition! The restaurant itself is spacious and nicely decorated, and the service was great. We started off with some drinks, my friend got the Khao Soi Colada and then we also got a Kai Ja to split. The Colada was super unique and was a mix between sweet and savory; I really liked it. The Kai Ja was incredible - it came in the cutest chicken pitcher + cups, and the portion was huge, and it was sooo tasty. I would definitely get both of these drinks again. For starters, we got the Peak Kai Thod (chicken wings) and Larb Nuea (minced pork dish). Both were great - the wings were sooo crispy and cooked perfectly, and had a great flavor. The Larb was more unique, and had a fresh and vibrant flavor. I'd highly recommend both. For mains, we split a couple things: -Pad See Ew - realllllly good and so flavorful. All the components were cooked perfectly and it was a perfectly balanced dish. -Yellow Curry - this dish was also incredible, such a great flavor. -Pad Thai - this was probably my least favorite dish, as it fell a bit flat compared to all the other dishes. Overall I had a great experience here, and I will definitely be back! read more

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My friend and I were looking for a good spot to eat in the Castro and found Ka Kai on Yelp. The restaurant doesn't have a lot of reviews but the reviews and photos looked promising. The restaurant was cozy and had a good vibe. However, they were playing the same darn song for like 45 minutes lol. It was some old school funky song that just kept on repeating and repeating LOL. Anyways, my friend and I ordered several items including the papaya salad, hang lay curry, mu yang and Thai iced tea. I have never seen the hang lay curry at any other restaurant other than at Must Be Thai restaurant in San Jose which is my favorite Thai restaurant in the Bay Area. The flavor for the hang lay curry was good but the pork was a little tough and chewy. Also, the rice crackers don't really match with the curry. The rice crackers were very hard and tasted like cardboard lol. I was eating the curry with steamed rice instead which was way better. The papaya salad was nice and pungent and my friend absolutely loved it. The mu yang was good but I think the best one in San Francisco is at the classic Sai Jai Thai in the Tenderloin. Overall, our dinner was good but it was quite expensive at over $100 including the tip. Service was friendly and the staff pretty much knows the menu pretty well. If I was in the area again, I would try some of their other items. read more

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Had high hopes for this northern style Thai resto, as I'd heard good things about it, but the best I can say is the pad see ew was good, and the ambience was nice. I met here with a couple of friends for dinner, and we got the larb nuea, som tam nampu salad, pad see ew with tofu/veggies, and mango sticky rice for dessert. The larb nuea had a good flavor, but I don't particularly like ground or minced meat because of the texture and difficulty eating. One of my friends wanted salad, which is why we ordered the som tam nampu salad at the recommendation of our waiter. It was very similar to a salad I got at my favorite Thai restaurant in Manhattan with a salty anchovy flavor so very standard but not exactly my or my friend's exact flavor profile preference. My other friend and I agreed the pad see ew was our favorite dish on the table, and they even considered it one of the best they've had. Moving onto dessert, we opted for the mango sticky rice since I'm lactose intolerant but didn't bring any lactaid. It was pretty good but rather small so not great value, but that's to be expected here. Overall not bad but not a place I'm dying to return to. The service was very nice and friendly, so there's that. read more

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Food- very authentic Thai and I said this as a Thai person. I saw many comments complained about their Pad Thai- that's not red lol You guys just get used to with American version of Pad Thai. At Ka-Kai you can taste the authentic Pad Thai that some places in Thailand still can't serve you this flavor! Kao Soi, Larb, Papaya salad, and Sai Uaa were also good and well-executed if considered what ingredient they can find here:) However, I expected to see more Northern dished like Nam prick noom, Gang Ho, Konom jeen Nam Nge-aow etc. -Service and ambiance were great, servers very attentive and nice decoration. The price wise, a bit higher than typical Thai restaurants. - read more

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A relatively newcomer in the Castro. Quite a busy crowd on a Thursday night. I can see why, really good food at reasonable prices. Nuea Thod: The menu says this is jerky, but it's so much better than that. It's thinly sliced and firm, but it tastes freshly cooked. Plus all the spices attached to it make it taste pretty great. Som Tam Nampu: A tart and refreshingly salad, tossed in some nice sweet and hot juices. Khao Kor Mu Yang: Rich grilled pork, fresh veggies and a tangy dip. Good portion of pork, though parts were a little fatty. Overall, a very fun and interactive meal. read more

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Great Thai place in Castro! Came on a Friday night and waited around 30 minutes for our table. Indoor was clean and nicely decorated and the staff were extremely friendly. The food was really good as well. The green curry was flavorful but more on the spicy side. The pad se ew was delicious as well! Would stop by again if I'm ever in the area read more

Ka Kai - Green curry rigatoni - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Really great new Thai restaurant in the Castro! I saw this new spot opened up recently and had to try it as Northern Thai is one of my favorite cuisines. We tried the eggplant papaya salad, ka kai chicken noodle soup, pork jowl, and spicy basil duck. Everything was delicious but my favorite had to be the spicy basil duck which was super flavorful! The duck was tender with crispy skin and served with a broccoli and pepper stir fry, rice and a fried egg making it a meal in of itself. I would come back just for the duck! The ka kai noodle soup is on the lighter side with a sweet broth but the housemade chili sauces they provide on the side are a great way to provide a kick. The restaurant itself is gorgeous and it definitely could be a good date night spot. It's on the pricer side but for the portions and ambiance it's definitely worth trying. read more

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New Thai spot in the Castro! We went around noon on a weekend and were seated immediately. The som tam nampu (green papaya salad with Northern style dressing) was extremely sour, so I don't recommend ordering this unless you love sour flavor profile. The larb was good and had a nice heat but didn't have much of the tangy & sour flavor. The crispy pork skin on the side was great. The hang lay curry was fantastic! It was rich and flavorful with soft pork belly. I just wish it came with a bit more curry sauce so I could enjoy it with the sticky rice and crispy rice cracker. Service was friendly but a little slow. The inside is clean and has a nice relaxing ambiance. It wasn't too difficult to find street parking nearby. read more

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If you're in San Francisco, you must try Ka-Kai. The food is incredible and full of flavor! I highly recommend Ka-Kai in San Francisco. Not only is the food incredibly delicious, but the restaurant is also very clean and the staff provides amazing service read more

Ka Kai - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

New spot in the Castro for Thai food! The inside is very cozy and well decorated, with many cute chicken motifs! We ordered the papaya salad, pork jowl, green curry rigatoni, and the Thai toast dessert. Everything was very flavorful, and my favorite dish was the jowl! Portions are a bit on the smaller side though. read more

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New spot in the Castro that opened about a week ago! Really fantastic food and service - loved all the dishes we got and dessert was really tasty as well. Really generous portion sizes - we got a main and 2 apps and were quite full for two people read more

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Good vibe and interesting decor. Annoying AI music. Yummy food and drinks! Overall good Castro addition. read more

Ka Kai - Yellow curry & pineapple fried rice - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

Solid new spot with very cute interior :) Be warned, there can be a wait since it's new and the inside is on the small side. We got the tom yum soup and pad kee mao - both were yummy. read more

Ka Kai - Pad kee mao, tom yum soup - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love Thai food. And was excited to try a new place, especially in the Castro! Not to hurt the owner's feeling, but I found the flavors, quality and portions underwhelming. I tossed out the pork dish. My dinner was $85 including delivery and tips. I found this no better than fast food... and wouldn't risk eating there again. read more

To the restaurant owners, if you're reading this, please hire a graphics designer to recreate your menu. Your AI-generated menu contains some truly lovecraftian and trypophobia-inducing food photos. read more

Just checked out this relatively new Thai place in the Castro. The Khao Kor Mu Yang (BBQ pork jowl) is tender and juicy, perfectly complemented by their savory sauce. Well worth the visit! read more

Ka Kai - Khan Khor Mu Yang (BBQ pork jowl with jasmine rice) - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very good authentic northern Thai food! We got the Kai Kai noodles which came with a huge chicken leg and the Thai papaya salad, both were really good read more

Ka Kai - Kai Kai noodles - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great environment, very cozy. Food was good. Great service! Must get the soup, be careful though, there's a kick to it! read more

Ka Kai - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

There's been a lot of conversation about this restaurant. It's popped up on my feed a few times. A friend suggested we go try this out after deciding on a place for dinner. I figured it would be difficult to get in because of all the buzz. It was also near the end of the night for the restaurant. I called and asked when their last seating was and it turned out to be perfect. I arrived at the restaurant and entered. An employee said hello to me after standing there for a few seconds. There were two others waiting to be seated. I assumed she would be back to greet me or be put onto some sort of waiting list. Two others walked in to the restaurant and a different employee came over and greeted them and handed them a clipboard to write their name on. I figured I should join the list after noticing they had a waiting list. I guess I should have asked upon first entering. They were busy and it seemed a bit understaffed. The restaurant smelled amazing..like really goooood. It was very warm in the restaurant as well. It felt like the heater was on really high. After getting our table we had a few moments to review the menu. We decided on our dishes. They were out of the khan-tok box which we planned to share and one other dish. So we went with the other delicious dishes. The food is really good and so much flavor. The khao soy was very rich and creamy. The meat was tender and the crispy noodles gave the perfect texture. I would definitely recommend this spot. I think there should be more clarity upon entering with a check in or waiting list. For me it was really warm in the restaurant and even while eating. The food is delicious and very reasonably priced. The interior is great and I love the Mosnstera plant in the entrance. Definitely give them a try!! read more

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Great food. We ordered the dinner box that lets you sample a little bit of everything along with the pineapple fried rice. The fried rice came with a ton of seafood mixed in and was delicious! Highly recommend dining here. read more

The Pad Thai gets a solid 10/10 for authenticity. What makes it special is the crispy pork rinds sprinkled on top--such a delicious touch! The fresh vegetables served on the side included not only bean sprouts but also garlic chives, which is a detail that really shows the restaurant's commitment to traditional Thai flavors. Little touches like these make the dish feel truly authentic and just like what you'd find in Thailand. The other dishes were just as delicious. I also highly recommend the Khan-Thok Box. It comes with a great variety of traditional Northern Thai dishes, just like the way they are served in Northern Thailand. It's a wonderful way to experience different flavors in one meal. I will definitely be coming back again and look forward to trying even more dishes read more

Ka Kai - Kahn-Thok Box - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Excellent new restaurant in the Castro. Attentive service, clean restaurant, delicious food.

Came for lunch after the gym and it was delicious. Would recommend the noodles - soups are amazing.

- [ ] Ka-Kai was fantastic! I loved the rigatoni green curry it was such a beautiful blend of flavors and cultures. The butterfly pea tea was fantastic as well! Can't wait to return. The servers were very attentive and kind. read more

We loved Ka Kai. The service was impeccable, ambiance extremely well thought out and the food was excellent. This is a great place for a date! The fresh spring rolls were the best I've ever had and I loved the rigatoni! Very creative. read more

Ka Kai - Fresh spring rolls! - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was waffling between the larb and the pad se ew and I asked the server which he preferred and he said the larb so I ordered the larb. It was a decent larb, but I felt like the flavor was a little flat and it wasn't spicy enough for me. Also (and why is this always the case?) they did not serve it with enough lettuce wraps. I asked the server for some more lettuce as well as some more mint and a small plate in order to assemble the wraps, and he told me that they charge for a serving of lettuce(?!?!!). I was like, "I have to PAY for more lettuce??". He went back to check and then he came out with some more lettuce free of charge (thanks?). He never brought the additional mint or the plate (honestly, at this point, I was afraid to ask). When he came back by he asked how everything was. I told him I wish it was spicier. He then proceeded to tell me that spice doesn't come from chilis, it comes from the herbs (what???). It could have been a language barrier, but it felt condescending. Also, he never brought me the herbs I had asked for, so there is that. read more

Service was not ideal - had a reservation for 730pm and got seated closer to 8pm after they seated a group that came after us.. Food was decent. Best dish (everyone's fav) was the pork belly called Hang Lay Curry - will be going back for this specific dish. Next fav was the green curry (tofu) which I'd recommend. The pineapple fried rice was solid but didn't come close to the two above dishes. I personally wouldn't order the Som Tam Nampu papaya salad again - unique flavor I'm not a fan of. read more

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Absolutely a must when visiting the Castro. The Ka Kai noodles and green curry were fantastic! And Tar is the nicest waiter !

I was pleasantly surprised at how good this restaurant was. Will definitely come back and highly recommend it to add to your Thai food restaurant! read more

Service is great! Decor and ambience are lovely! Food is delicious! We had the fresh spring rolls, green curry, and sea bass. Highly recommend all of these dishes. The drinks are also great. The lychee martini paired nicely with our meal. Would definitely come back and bring friends here! read more

Ka Kai - Fresh spring rolls - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

Really happy Ka Kai opened up in our neighborhood! We went with a group of 8 and ordered 7 dishes, and we were beyond full. Highly recommend the khao soi (we had enough for all 8 of us to eat a bowl!), the duck, the pad Thai, and the hang lay curry. I'll for sure be returning to try the steamed bass next time! read more

First time at Ka Kai, and the food was fantastic. The ambience and service is great. The papaya salad and duck ka pow is delicious. Definitely will be back. read more

Ka Kai - Norther style papaya salad - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Castro can sometimes feel like a food desert of boring food catering to drunk people - not here. Other reviewers mention the strong bold herbal flavors. They're not wrong. Larb has a spicy heat that sneaks up on you with a slow burn. This is not the Americanized junk Thai food you've had before. So glad to have some good food in the neighborhood. Good luck! Keep it up and don't ever tone down the food. read more

Ka Kai - Larb - Thai Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cozy, warm atmosphere that feels like home. Beautiful decor, relaxing vibe, and very friendly staff. The Khoi Soi Colada cocktail was so creative and delicious -- tropical coconut, citrus, and warm Northern Thai spices that really reminded me of Khao Soi flavors. The papaya salad was fresh and flavorful, and the Khan-Thok Box was perfect for sharing with so many tasty Northern Thai dishes. Also loved the Mo Thod pork jerky! Finished with the Bo-Ran Ice Cream dessert -- not too sweet and perfect for coconut lovers. Highly recommend! read more

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