I would not recommend this restaurant. I visited on a Wednesday evening in May around 7 PM and was the only customer there. I ordered a bowl of boat noodles. The broth was decent, but there were only a few small pieces of meat and no lime or fresh greens. I was also given some bathroom-style hand tissues that had been left on another table and appeared used, which was off-putting. I also asked for pork cracklings (deep-fried pork skin). The waitress went to the back and brought out a full bag, which I was later charged $9 for, so I took it home with me. While I was there, the cashier appeared preoccupied watching a movie on her cell phone, and I could hear the audio from across the room, which was distracting and annoying. After getting home, I continued eating from the bag and noticed something very concerning--the expiration date was February 21, 2026. The product had been expired for about three months but was still served to me. I had unknowingly eaten some of it, which left me feeling disgusted. After realizing this, I couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort. It made me question how carefully food items are being checked and stored, and left me with little confidence in the attention being paid to freshness and food safety. Based on this experience, I will not be returning. My only regret is that I didn't take a picture of the bag to show here. read more

I stopped by for the green vegetable curry with extra broccoli, and unfortunately it was $18.57. The lack of hygiene was a major red flag. The front door glass was smeared, the condiment rack was messy, and my table was noticeably sticky and hadn't been properly wiped down. Despite the obvious need for cleaning in the dining room, the cashier was preoccupied watching a movie on her cell phone instead of maintaining the space. The "extra broccoli" I paid for consisted of only four florets, while the rest of the dish was predominantly bamboo shoots. More importantly, the broccoli tasted expired and lacked any freshness. When I brought the plate to the cashier to address the quality of the vegetables, there was zero attempt at a resolution. When I asked if anyone had actually tasted the batch, I was dismissively told, "No, but it's good." To make matters worse, despite paying an upcharge for inedible food, I was told they have a "no refunds" policy. Between the lack of hygiene and the unprofessional service, I won't be returning for further business. read more

The restaurant is under a new management because the guy that used to run is no longer there anymore. Customer service was still good and the place they have put more bench seating so there is more seating area by the cashier side. The place is small is clean. The food slightly change I went to have a bowl of boat noodle in the beef is all clumped up and they gave you less Noodle than before. There are no limes in missing some ingredients. Probably some cutting of greeting after the Covid. It doesn't taste as good as before, but it could be due to the day and how long the broth has been shimmer. There's a hit and miss day. read more

Karen Thai food - Boat noodle - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Instagram: @xcyanneats Thai boat noodles were pretty good. I feel like the broth still was missing something though. Meat portion was very well for every bite. The noodles were a bit too soft where it would stick together. service was my downfall on this. it's a small area and when we got there it wasn't too busy, but while we ate it did pick up. my friend asked for no veggies in her broth and they still came out with it, no one came for refills till asked, my appetizer didn't even show up and was asked if i still wanted it while i was paying. i did ask for it, but they said it'll take a tad bit longer.. overall, food is good but service wasn't so well. almost felt like i had to self service myself read more

Karen Thai food - boat noodles - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Some of the best chicken pad Thai, & very spicy. Generous portions. And it was done very quick! Definitely going back.

I used to come here with some friends that I met in college and it was one of the first places that they introduced me to Pho back when it used to be called Mays Deli. And then after graduating a few years later I went back and now is Karen's Thai food and I met this guy when I was taking my order I wanted Pho and he rejected my order with a big smile. I was kind of surprised when he suggested that I should try boat noodles with a bag of pork rind, and I told myself what the heck let me try it and it was one of the best decisions that I've made in my life. I love the place, awesome hospitality, and the recipe never changes. I'll my gratitude to him, and both noodles have become one of my favorite meals top 10 recommend!! read more

Flavors were ok. Ordered spring rolls- had no herbs, very little meat, wrap was dried. Like it had been sitting around for awhile. Ordered Rad Na- very little noodles, too soupy consistency. Not your traditional Rad Na; also too sweet. Had the Pad seweee asked about spicy level 1-5 the server said mild, medium or spicy lol typically there are levels to this! Their menu was small so I would think food would be better. Definitely won't go back read more

This is a great little restaurant for a quick tasty meal. Down right cheap for the quality of food! There is no ambiance to speak of-very strip mall feel-however the service is great and super friendly. We usually carry out and it is always fresh and hot. Their shrimp spring rolls are our favorite-huge, crunchy and fresh!! Solid currys with a good dose of heat. We also enjoy their Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles. Servings are huge and shareable. This is honest, well priced Thai food to feed a family. read more

Ordered Massaman curry. Tasted very sweet. It was really runny. A few big chunks of potato. 5 tail on shrimp added $6 to the $10.99 dish. They forgot to add the peanuts. Not a very flavorful food dish. read more

Super good food, great friendly service. The restaurant is rather small but doesn't bother me. Their Thai style pho is AMAZING and their drunken noodles weren't bad at all. I will be back! read more

Karen Thai food - a bowl of soup with chopsticks - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Go here if you want your orders messed up and overcharged for food! Let me preface this review by saying I have been here in the past and had pleasant experiences, so came back a third time. However following last night's experience, I will never go back to this restaurant, which is unfortunate because I love to support immigrant-owned restaurants like these. The service was terrible; the waiter didn't write down our orders and kept reasking what they were. The food still came out wrong (surprise surprise when you don't write down the orders)! I complained that the red curry was too surgary and didn't taste the same (since I've ordered it before), but they wouldn't let me return the dish and made me pay for it. Finally, they overcharged us for 4 orders of eggrolls when we only ordered 2. My family was in such a rush to get out, we didn't notice it till later, so shame on us for missing that huge detail. All around horrifying experience, so I won't be back! read more

When you ask for spicy you get spicy here! I was dying but everything was delicious. Menu is small but they have all your main classics. It's seat yourself. Good thing we came on a weekday and it wasn't too busy inside but there were a lot of take out orders so we had a feeling we made the right choice dining here. Would definitely come back and try the other dishes. read more

Karen Thai food - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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3.5 out 5 Got the Boat Noodles. As everyone else has said, it's not listed on their menu, but if you ask for it they'll give it to you. It costs $9.50. They will also ask you if you if you want a side of fried pork skins with it too. It'll cost you an extra $2.00. The broth was tasty and actually really garlicky. The noodles for me were a little overcooked. They just stuck together and I was basically just ripping them apart. There were a couple of thinly sliced beef and sliced meatballs. For the amount that I paid I expected to get a little more, but it was still tasty. Inside was a little busy. Basically only one guy taking all the orders and cleaning the tables. I got in at a good time when there were a couple of open seats. Took about 10 minutes to get the food. read more

Karen Thai food - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Overall great place to eat for Thai food. The spice is definitely there so be careful ordering spicy(or extra spicy)! I absolutely love the boat noodle and it's the best I've had for 2022. It's a must try broth! read more

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Ordered spring rolls with my wife tonight. While eating one of the spring rolls, my wife found a piece of plastic inside. Food was horrific. read more

Karen Thai food - Plastic found in the spring roll. - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

First impression, Very small business, lots of customers, friendly waiter I would recommend to not dine in as too few spaces to sit, you'd have a better experience at home or at the park or anywhere good to eat I do recommend you ordering to go and ahead of time Here's how long it took my order as we sat to dine in Waters came immediately (sink water) 20 minutes for the first plate of fried rice 5 minutes for the rest of the food to follow, wings, satay, and pad thai Felt like forever because i was hungry but ig thats average Chicken pad thai was a bit sweet tbh Beef fried rice was bomb but a bit spicy as i ordered the medium spice Chicken wings tasted similar to papa johns and dominoes, would 100% recommend to not order the chicken wings Chicken satay was delicious but easily made it seems, a piece of chicken breast turbo air fried with no seasonings of any sort. They did bring out sweet n sour sauce which i used on it which was pretty close to home. I used to air fry walmart bought chicken breasts and eat them like so with rice. No tapioca unfortunately :( I had a blast as i always do when eating out, waiter was super nice No bathrooms either, i think!! There is a small sink you can use to wash hands right behind the cashier Super crowded but i rate this place a 5 star because of the friendlyness, the prices, and just being simple Although some of the dishes may not have been my favorite I'm confident their other food tastes amazing such as the pho, boat noodle which i didnt try, and others. Again, order to go especially if you have a big family and give em plenty of time to make it!! read more

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Friendly staffs that'll greet you as you enter the premises. It's a small joint to grab lunch or dinner at. Don't be surprise if seats are all filled. They do do take out as well. I really enjoy their boat noodle dish. Mainly that's what I go there for with an extra bag of pork skin. Broth is great, always consistent with the flavors. Noodles are not too hard and not too soft. Service is kind of slow. Usually one waiter/waitress working to serve customers. read more

Karen Thai food - Boat noodle - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Karen Thai food makes the BEST Pad See Ew!! When you tell them to make it spicy, they definitely makes it spicy! read more

Karen Thai food - Pad See Ew - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I had the boat noodle. It's part of their secret menu, you will have to ask about it because it's not on their menu. The space is tight and cleanliness can improve. The service is very slow so be ware and give yourself extra time. It took about 15 minutes to get water and another 10 to get my order in. Food came out after 15 minutes so that took a little long just for pho. There was only one host/server so that didn't help with the speed of service. read more

Karen Thai food - Boat noodle - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Great food and great service!! Would HIGHLY recommend their Pad Thai, Rad Na, and Pad Kra Pa!

This place is not for the fine diners. This is not the place for the germaphobes. This is a place for those who want that Authentic at home Thai flavor cooking. Something affordable and fulfilling. When you actual Thai people making the dishes and see actual Thai people go in to get served then you know the hype is real. It's not over the top. It's just right. The service is what I expect it to be. It's a home like feeling. It you want fine dining go somewhere else. read more

I was never a fan of boat noodles but this place changed my mind. The flavors are great. The owner is always so friendly and never fails to greet us with a smile. It is very small for dine-in, so we usually do take out. The only negative thing I will note would be that portion sizes seem to get smaller and smaller. Other than that, we will continue to support our small local businesses. read more

I started getting takeout from here on my way home when the exit off 35E to 36E/Stillwater was closed for construction. They're reasonably cheap and usually quick. All the food I've ordered from them to date has been very good. They are my go-to place for pad thai. Just a heads up: they will only accept cards if your order is over $10. The dining space is incredibly small -- this place is literally, like, a hole in the wall -- and they seem to get a fair amount of business. Tables and seating are very limited, so if they are particularly busy, you're better off getting your food to-go. If they're slammed, the wait can be long for food. This place is so small, I don't think they can handle high volume right now. Another heads up: their food is legitimately spicy. They don't dumb it down and make it Minnesota spicy! It is, like, actually Asian spicy. I love it. The pad thai is good stuff, and it doesn't take them very long to bring it out to you. The last couple of times I ordered from them, they included a lemon wedge in the box instead of a lime wedge. Just ordered pad thai today and there was a lime wedge so I dunno, man. Good amount of peanuts, bean sprouts. Chicken red curry is very good, decently spicy, and a little bit on the sweet side. Now that I've seen people here talking about boat noodles, I might have to go in and try it. :D read more

Karen Thai food - Chicken pad thai takeout order - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Ordered Thai boat combination, pad Thai combination, egg rolls and chicken wings. Thai boat broth was rich and tasted fresh. Wish we ordered a bigger size. Pad Thai was pretty spicy for medium and a balance of sweet, salty, and sour. Egg roll and chicken wings were good appetizers. Had enough flavors in each and the sauce that comes with it is good. Overall decent place to eat. Small place so if it's busy there might not be a place to sit. Service was pretty fast. Everything total was only a little over $30. read more

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The owner is really nice, you can tell that the staff tries really hard to ensure that you have everything you want, rarely do servers come by with napkins without asking. Dry noodle salad was amazing, so was their fried rice read more

Karen Thai food - Noodle salad - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

First time here. I was in search for good boat noodles so this place was recommended by a friend. The moment we got there, we wanted to leave! I already knew it was a no no. I'm not fond of tiny places, this place is tiny!! There were people standing around so it was awkward as soon as we entered. The girl came up to us and asked if we needed a table for 2 and we said yes, so she sat us at the small corner table. Literally no room to even order lots of dishes... only 2 dishes! A guy came up to our table and was like, ready when you guys are. He didnt even look like a server, we were confused for a bit then just ordered, he wasnt writing anything down either. We got pho and boat noodles, then pad thai and fried rice to go. 3-4 min after us, these 2 other girls came and sat down at the table next to us. The server came out with 2 bowls of PHO, she looked at us then gave 1 bowl of pho to the table next to us and then walked away to the table in front and gave them their pho (we came before them too!!! She looked confused and I was just like, uh why did she get hers before us?? I got my boat noodles shortly after but my husband had to wait another 5 min for his. Then after we were done eating, we went to pay and our to-go was NOT ready yet. We stood in that tiny place for 10 minutes........... I got irritated and asked the guy if our to-go was ready and he looked like he didn't even wanna go ask the kitchen. The whole time while we were waiting, 3 plates of fried rice came out already. The 2 servers were just asking the guy who got what, and they kept going to the tables asking the customers what they were waiting for. Isn't that your Job to know? Anyways, we won't be coming here again. The service is just not it. Boat noodle was okay, kinda sweet. You have to ask for pork rinds. Pho tastes like Destiny Cafe 2 pho, no tripe or tendon. So don't expect viet pho. Pad thai was sad looking but it wasn't bad. Fried rice looks sad too and is okay only. Prices are not on the menu btw. So you just pay what they ring up. read more

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Would not recommend Green curry ( just pure sweet ). Prices too high. Only ordered 3 plates, did not expect a $70 plus tip.

I was disappointed with my visit a few days ago for lunch with a friend. We arrived about ten minutes before opening and a party of four was already waiting at the door. We sat down and about 10 minutes of waiting,, our order was taken. We knew what we wanted already. The party ahead of us was still waiting to order. None of us had received any water yet either. People started trickling in, party of two then one. From my observation it appeared they were friends, related or known acquaintances. They spoke to one another in their native language and engaged in conversation and laughter. They received water right away and within ten minutes of arriving they received their food. About twenty minutes in we received water and still waiting for our food. Another party comes in, about six of them. Same thing happened... they were greeted and seated, water came out right away followed by some food. By this time we finally received our spring rolls and samosas. The first party started to get their appetizers too along with two of their dishes but they were still waiting for more. Then my friend's fried noodles came out and I was still waiting for my bowl of noodles. Unfortunately his noodles were spicy... so spicy that he couldn't eat it after two bites. He didn't even request for any pepper so we told the waitress and she took it back. Now forty minutes in he's eating his replacement noodles and I'm still waiting. The first party was still waiting for theirs too. After almost an hour we asked for our bill, I told the guy that I never got my bowl of noodles. He didn't say anything. After he rang me up then he kinda laughed it off, apologized and said it was taking longer to make but the words came too late. As I walked out the first party of people were still waiting for their food. I don't live in the area so I only stop in once in awhile and although I've always loved their food, for me, not worth the lack of respect and good customer service. It shouldn't matter if your mom walks through the door, if you have customers already waiting for you then they should come first. As for the food, the samosas were a bit dry, the spring rolls were mainly lettuce and the fried noodle dishes were inconsistent. The first dish was spicy but full of flavors but lacked chicken. The replacement dish was plain and had more chicken. read more

The food tasted very different than how it used to be. The meatball dish only had 4 pieces and the food was just not good. Also we're very stingy about napkins. Imagine eating hot soup and cannot clean yourselves. After asking around, I found out that the owner had changed. I wish I knew about this sooner. I talked so proudly about it and brought a bunch of my coworkers & ended up embarrassing myself lol. read more

The Green Curry is by far the worst I've ever had in my life! It's too sweet and way to watery! It looks like Pho. This place is small and unclean. read more

Karen Thai food - Supposed to be Green Curry - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Excellent taste of food. Taste just like Thailand. They have the real deal. Their dried pepper is so good, super spicy and crunchy as well. You guys will not regret going to this place. My only downfall is the place is a little small. If you go during a busy time, you won't have a table until someone is done unless you get it "to go". Love their pad Thai. read more

Karen Thai food - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I absolutely love this place. Every time we visit my husband's family, we go here to get boat noddle soup. If you want pho, this place is not if. But if you want real Thai boat noddle soup, this is the place to go. read more

Server does not write down order and guesses fron the top of his head. Ordered a Drunken noodle with Beef no spice, came out as a drunken noodle with chicken and spicy. Asked for a remake, was then provided a pad thai with beef and a whole different stir fried vegetable was added. After the remake server never attended the table again. I can understand if they were busy but the were only 3 other tables. read more

This place is good. Pho is good. Boat Noodles is good. Egg Rolls are good. Pad Thai is good. Everyone seems to come here for the Boat Noodles. Just in case you don't know what it is, it's blood broth soup over rice noodles. It's an acquired taste. Salty taste because of the blood. I like it though. A few cons... - Their menu is hard to read (color scheme, font, & descriptions). I have no idea what I'm ordering somethings. They do have pictures though, but I don't wanna look dumb and just order off pointing at pictures. - Place is tiny. Do not go in with a large group. Occupancy: 12 people? - Busy as h3ll. Good luck trying to find a seat during lunch hour - Customer Service is lacking, probably because they are busy as h3ll read more

decent portions and food. i had the Tom Yum chicken soup medium spicy. They got the spicy amount right and it was served with white rice. Decent prices, but location is pretty small which has to share restroom with Subway next door. I will probably come back when I am near by again. read more

Karen Thai food - Tom Yum Chicken soup. - Thai Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Food was good. Small family owned restaurant. Came here on a family recommendation. Will be back

Food was Sweet. A little too much sweetness. Waitress was forgetful. Received my food AFTER 2 other customers (who came in came AFTER me). Never came back to refill water. But, I think what REALLY killed it for me was HOW the waitress cleaned the table next to me. Instead of bringing out something to catch the droppings of food on the table, she merely wiped it off onto the floor. There goes your cleanliness for this place. read more

Decided to go here on my birthday and wasn't disappointed. Boat noodles is the best in the city pad Thai was good and massaman curry was also good. Space a small but definitely going back. read more

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We waited too long to try this gem. We still need to try some more foods from here but had the drunken noodles and the pho and have never looked back. The only downside to this restaurant is they aren't open on Sundays lol. Love this place and will happily go back! read more

I dont have a picture to post but damn their food is pretty good. That fried rice be on point!! Its definitely my to go place to go for that food now. Cheap and amazing! read more