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    Little Plearn Thai Kitchen

    4.0 (447 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Noodles, Vegetarian
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order Little Plearn Thai Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

    Little Plearn Thai Kitchen Photos

    LITTLE PLEARN THAI KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Terrific yellow curry, and vegetables, salad, & egg roll all inclusive
    Brent M.

    Best lunch deal in Berkeley, complete lunch with salad, entrée, rice , & egg-roll, last time I went it was $16.00! Charming interior design, and wonderful staff. Cold beers are available with a nice glass. I frequent this spot and love the yellow curry vegetarian style or the ginger vegetables with cashews. Served with jasmine rice, or a small up charge for brown rice. The background music is ambient, elevator jazz music, which at times is a bit annoying. But much better than classic rock blaring at you. A must if you end up in Berkeley for lunch, dinner, takeout or delivery! And I know you'll agree and thank me......

    Crystalin B.

    The restaurant is so adorable inside! Even though it was busy, the staff was super attentive and friendly the entire time. We tried the Restaurant Week sampler plates, which were such a fun way to explore a variety of dishes. Everything was incredibly fresh, vibrant, and tasty. My standouts were the papaya salad, green curry tofu, pad see ew, and pad thai! Every dish was flavorful with the perfect hint of spices. The drinks were refreshing and beautifully presented. We ended the night with mango sticky rice, which was so delicious - it had a crunchy topping sprinkled on top that added a really nice texture! Overall, this place exceeded expectations in every way. Delicious food, amazing service, and such a welcoming atmosphere. We will 100% be back!

    Classic Thai Street Set
    Tim L.

    I've been exploring Berkeley more for food and i came here during Restaurant Week. The interior is nicely decorated with hanging flowers and lights. Service was quick. Food was amazing, each plate being a shareable size as your typical Thai restaurant. I definitely recommend the Mussamun Curry. Their plant based curry is also good, but has a strong kick to it, even on a mild. Overall, all items were enjoyable.

    Yam Fries
    Jonathan F.

    We stopped here for a quick dinner after walking through downtown Berkeley. We got there around 5pm, so the restaurant was still empty since it just opened. By the time we finished, there were still some tables open but it definitely started to fill up by 6pm. We got the yam fries to start, and shared both the beef pad see ew and crab fried rice. The yam fries were super crispy, but also so light and tasty. Loved them! The beef pad see ew was cooked perfectly and rivaled some of the better pad see ew's I've had. The crab fried rice, however, was just decent. I wasn't a huge fan of the warm rice and cold crab combo. I think this would be a huge hit if it was served in a hot clay pot instead to let the bottom get nice and crispy. Just my personal preference though. Overall, still really enjoyed the food and ambiance. Would definitely come back if I'm in the area.

    Lovely, relaxing atmosphere.
    Annette C.

    The food is so fresh and delicious that I couldn't get any pictures! We were all so taken aback by the aromas rising from our plates that everyone just fell silent and started digging in. I could hear the sound of approval in between bites and sips. Service was friendly and prompt. The high ceilings and decor gave the place a freshness, like a pristine glass of water. Everything was wonderful.

    Christine D.

    Flavor (5/5): Not a lot of places do pumpkin curry and it's an absolute favorite of mine. When I saw they had it on their menu I had to order it, and it hit every craving I had for it. It was loaded with protein of your choice and lots of veggies. Highly recommend! Instagram Worthy (5/5): I didn't expect this place to be so cute from Yelp but when I walked in I was surprised! They went hard on their Halloween decor and the food presentation was chefs kisses! Service (4/5): We got seated quickly and ordered and got our food in a timely manner! Food came out piping hot and the portion sizes were crazy! Takeaways: Lunch special is such a great deal, portion sizes aren't cut down and you get a free eggroll with your plate! The brunch spot down the road was 1.5 hour wait so we stumbled into this place instead and I'm so glad we did. Little hole in the wall, I would definitely come back!

    Mojito
    Charlene D.

    Enjoyed my dining experience! Thai food is good but finding a good restaurant that serves a variety is tough. Came here with family celebration of a birthday. I like the holiday decorations and festive feels. The restaurant is a good size for seating but I suggest making reservations because this place became packed and waiting time became long after we were seated. Arrived around 4 pm on a Sunday. Service was professional and waitress was nice and knowledgeable. The staff knew how to serve well. We had a big group but each of our entrees came out at a decent time. Also the portions were generous. I thought the Thai ice tea lemonade was good and something new to try. Highly recommend and would come again!

    Eggplant served on a cute plate and Papaya Salad was so fresh with great presentation
    Cristina P.

    i drove an hour across the bridge from the peninsula just to try little plearn thai kitchen after seeing this restaurant all over my tiktok feed and it was so worth it! the restaurant was poppin' on a friday night, maybe because it was berkeley restaurant week and students returned from spring break. fun fact: this restaurant is family-run, on its 3rd generation working hard to preserve the roots of thai culture started by the grandmother/ founder of this restaurant (Plearn is her name)! They've done a great job putting in effort to keep this restaurant innovative and fresh down to its indoor decorations and dish presentation appealing to aesthetic and trends while still preserving the authentic taste of the food. they shop for their fresh produce, meat, and noodles every morning while still making everything homemade like their curry. every dish is PACKED with flavor and extremely flavorful. you could definitely tell all the dishes served take so much time to make and are made with love by the kitchen. show-stopping must-order dishes: green curry: i will dream about the taste of this curry!! wow. perfect spice. papaya salad: the spice paired with the freshness and texture to this dish was exquisite. perfect crunch and soaked in flavor. basil - thai sweet basil pork, zucchini, green bean, bamboo, red chili & chili: such a comfort dish filled with so much flavor. eggplant: vegetables were cooked perfectly and fresh. felt healthy and full of flavor. beef pad see ew: noodles were so fresh they also have this housemade chili sauce that was so bomb and i was dipping everything in it. dishes were reasonably priced, especially in this economy and is so considerate for the students in the area. the workers were so kind, attentive and quick to serve and cater to their customers as if they were welcoming everyone into their home. i had a wonderful and meaningful experience dining here.

    Duck Over Rice
    Sapphire D.

    This place came highly recommended by a fellow foodie who's recommendations I really trust! She explained the family history and authenticity behind the food and I told myself I had to try it asap. The restaurant is quaint and charming. They even had Christmas decor up adding to the already charming atmosphere. We tried the pad Thai of course, it was delicious. We added crab, cause why not and prawns. Unfortunately the fish only came with two fairly small prawns. That was a little disappointing, but no points deducted for taste. The food was excellent. We also tried the duck over rice and I thought it was very good. The duck was nicely cooked and came with a tasty sauce. Service was very attentive, constantly making sure our table was clean, waters were full. It was really nice. All in all we had a great time and we'll definitely be back!

    Menu
    Brian H.

    I felt like I was in Thailand. The food was fantastic. Chicken pad Thai was just like I was in Bangkok . The staff are very friendly and fast service. You will be very pleased. I felt very welcome here - you can park out front and the menu is on the window. It has nice seating and plenty of room for 4. Every seat is a good seat . Everything on the menu is a win. I got the lunch special. With a Thai iced tea. I will be back . And I hope you will too.

    Uyen L.

    We ordered a few things togo and had a great experience. The server was super friendly, and even though it wasn't quite dinner time yet, the place had a steady flow of people. The food took about 20 minutes, and everything was still warm and fresh when we ate them about 30 mins later. Portions were solid for the price. We got the shrimp pad thai, chicken pad see ew, and potstickers. Everything tasted great! The pad see ew could've used a little more seasoning, but still good overall. Would come back again!

    Tiffany P.

    We found the perfect Valentine's Day date @Little Plearn Thai but honestly? Delicious all year round Little Plearn Thai has been on our list since last year since we love festive restaurants, but what really impressed us is that the food is just as good as how pretty the space is What we ordered: Fresh Spring Rolls, Curry Puff, Pad Thai (SO fresh best Pad Thai I've had in the Bay, no debate), Panang Nua, Basil pork, Thai Yaki Soba, Duck Over Rice, Moo Dang & Crispy Pork Over Rice. They also have a limited Valentine's drink menu We can taste how fresh everything is. Hearing the story behind the restaurant made it even more special The owner's grandmother started the business and STILL personally picks the fresh ingredients at the store. That kind of care shows in every bite. #foodie #bayarea #valentinesday #datenight #thaifood

    lunch menu spicy basil & pad thai
    Rachel Z.

    my first experience wasn't great. the food lacked flavor. we tried the basil and the pad thai. both dishes were bland. i love pad thai typically and everywhere i go, it has always tasted similar with a nice tang but this one really just tasted like nothing? i didn't plan on coming back but was passing by and had some doordash credits to spend. out of convenience, i tried their crispy pork for takeout and it was actually really delicious. i would easily come back for this dish. the sauce it's paired with enhances the flavor nicely. the crunch of the skin and the softness of the meat creates a nice texture balance. the cucumbers were so sweet as well. perhaps the first time was an off day, or maybe those specific dishes aren't as great anyway. either way, i'm glad i ended up coming back because i really loved the pork

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    3 years ago

    First time ordering takeout from this restaurant and not it will be the only place I will order Thai food from. Excellent food!

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Sara A.

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    4 years ago

    The food and decor will definitely be appreciated by any prosp you take here on a date.

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    3 years ago

    Great food and low-key ambiance. Comfortable and has never disappointed me in the 20+ years I've been eating here.

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Rude customer service, food came late and it was incorrect. I wasn't refunded or given right order after but instead told to leave.

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    3 years ago

    Great food, very nice staff. Packed so we knew it would be good. Exceeded exceeded even those expectations.

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Pad ke Mow is great but worth the drive to get it. Generous portions for the price Would order again

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    3 years ago

    In town for work, ordered dinner to go twice from this place. It will be a go to when I'm in town.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    the food is delicious and the workers were very fast and efficient. always love their thai tea and pad thai

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    3 years ago

    Very tasty and affordable Thai food near the Cal campus. The staff is great and the food to go is timely, if you're in a rush!

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    3 years ago

    Has great food with friendly and fast service. I recommend going for the lunch special :)

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    5 years ago

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    Page 5 of 12

    Little Plearn Thai Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

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    Laughing Buddha Vegetarian Bistro - Kung pao chicken

    Laughing Buddha Vegetarian Bistro

    4.7(64 reviews)
    3.1 miPiedmont Ave, North Oakland

    I had a chance to try their Buddha's Delight (aka Chinese Jai), and it was absolutely delicious!…read more It tasted just like my Mom used to make it. I went back on a Monday and had lunch. The place was quiet and had a calming atmosphere. Service was attentive and nice. I ordered the Yee Fu Won Ton Soup and Sesame Cold Noodles. My server made sure I understood that the Yee Fu Won Ton Soup had eggs in it. We discussed it's recipe, and she told me the dumplings have a tofu filling. The egg flower soup was perfect, and I could of enjoyed it without the won ton dumplings. The Sesame Cold Noodles were great. I was full from the won ton soup, but one taste of the Sesame Noodles made me want to keep eating it. The thick ropey noodles had a balanced savory taste of nuts, sesame, garlic, chili oil and vinegar. I had the idea of taking it home to finish it, but the dish seemed addictive. The great thing about being retired is that life slows down. I can take my time and enjoy my food. I definitely enjoyed my lunch at Laughing Buddha. I wish I knew about this restaurant sooner, because it's walking distance from Kaiser Hospital in Oakland. Come try this restaurant, and try a unique style of asian cooking.

    Ordered Sizzling Rice Soup with soy meat ham and Crispy Basil Shiitake & Tofu plus the Longetivity…read moretea to share. Service was really attentive and good. The sizzling rice soup was very unique and was the right balance of flavor and lightness. The soy ham really tasted like The basil tofu with mushrooms was sweet and savory with the right balance of both. Tea was light and refreshing. Nice local veggie spot.

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    The Butchers Son - Ruben - Smoked Pastrami Reuben Sandwich

    The Butchers Son

    4.2(1.7k reviews)
    0.3 miDowntown Berkeley
    $$

    I am not vegan, went here with a vegan friend. Seriously could've fooled me. The food was really…read moregood! all of it. I've gone back several times and tried different variations but the pesto "chicken" sandwich is one of my faves. There must be some sorcery going on in that kitchen because I have never been to another vegan spot that pulls it off like they do The lines out front back my point up. Don't let them deter you Its very much worth the wait.

    This place gets really busy during lunch hours and is on a cute street in downtown Berkeley so…read moreparking is tough just for those planning to drive here. This is a great grab and go option location because to order you go up to the cashier at front and stand in line to place order and can seat yourself. There is both indoor and outdoor seating which is nice but again gets crowded fast. Everything is vegan which is good for anyone with dietary restrictions and the food did not take more than 20 minutes to come out. The location is feels homey and cafe like. Food wise I would say everything was good but nothing to be absolutely blown away by. Definitely would come back here to grab a quick bite if in mood for American style vegan food or in a rush to get something, but nothing that I would say is a must try or unique for myself at least.

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    Millennium

    Millennium

    4.1(1.1k reviews)
    1.6 miRockridge, North Oakland
    $$$$

    They are open again!!…read more I visited Millennium the day of the re-opening in June 2026. I was so happy to find out that the food is still among the best food I've eaten, vegan or not. The new concept is prix fixe dinners on the heated, covered patio, and à la carte inside for walk-ins. I ordered from the à la carte menu and it was awesome. So easy. So delicious. My table ordered the cascatelli pasta, smoky glazed tempeh, coriander & arborio crusted oyster mushroom, and for dessert the summer sundae and chocolate tart. We were sharing so I got a taste of everything. Just amazing. It tastes just as good as before but feels much more approachable and affordable with the new concept. And you can still get the fine dining experience if you want it. I can't wait to go back on a Tuesday to try the pizza. I've heard it described as the best vegan pizza in the Bay Area by people who know what good pizza is, and I can't wait to try it. All food is vegan, and almost everything is gluten free.

    I came here with my family, who had been here before it closed and re opened. They have a fixed…read moremenu and an à la carte menu. You can only order the fixed menu on the patio, and the à La carte menu inside. But it doesn't say that anywhere. This is one of those places that takes a paragraph to describe a dish, but you still won't know what you're getting unless you're the chef because of the descriptions and names that they call things. We decided to stay inside and go à la carte. My family each got the veggie burger, and I went with the pasta. They seemed to like their burgers. I like my food to be a bit more straightforward, so I thought the pasta would be a safe bet. It came with a smear of pesto on the side of the dish which, although looks fancy, made the dish very impractical. Mixed in with the pasta was some arugula and cooked cherry tomatoes which they describe as a confit, but they're not. Just cooked tomatoes. The shape of the pasta was kind of difficult because it splits length wise and makes it impossible to stab with a fork, which you have to do in order to get some of the pesto on it. Over all, it was good, but I think I'd prefer a different shape of pasta and have the pesto on it instead of on the side. One thing that kind of bothered me was that my pasta came with no sides of any kind. And the portion was "fancy" so it wasn't generous. But it was the same price as the burger, which was piled so high that you literally can't fit it into your mouth, and they came with a generous side of veggies. So my family took half of their burger and all their sides home after only eating half each, and I finished my pasta and had room for more. For the same price. So I'd say the pasta is not a good value. Service wise, we had to ask for them to bring drinks that we ordered, even though they weren't busy. The ambiance was ok. Music not too loud, so we were able to talk to each other. I definitely wouldn't have chosen to come here but I guess people like places like this. I just like to know what's going on my food without needing an encyclopedia and a decoder ring.

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    Millennium - Dining room

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    Gather

    Gather

    3.8(2.6k reviews)
    0.1 miDowntown Berkeley
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Private events

    Berkeley's food scene is about as diverse as they come, ranging from student-friendly hole-in-walls…read more(Top Dog, Steve's BBQ) to upscale dining (Chez Pannise) and everything in between. One of our coworkers recommended Gather, a large, farm-to-table restaurant, so five of us ventured here for a business dinner. The food and service were definitely 5 stars. Great laid back vibe. We came on a Tuesday night and yet the restaurant eventually got busier through the night. My favorite dishes were: Yellowtail Sashimi and Corn Riblets are both great appetizers and full of flavor. We should have double ordered to split among five. The half roasted chicken had crispy skin and was fairly well seasoned and moist. I don't indulge in desserts as much these days but if split a few desserts among five people you get 1/5 the calories, LOL! I recommend the warm bread pudding, pecan sundae, and salted chocolate chip cookies. In case street parking is difficult (it often is in Berkeley!), the restaurant is located right next to Oxford Garage which has a low flat fee for weeknights.

    We went to Gather on Sunday 6/7/2026 for my aunt's belated birthday dinner. Since my mom made a…read morereservation in advance, we were seated right away. For our drinks, I had the Moonlight Blossom, my aunt had a glass of red wine, and my mom had a cucumber mint spritzer (mocktail as she was the DD). The moonlight blossom tasted similar to cherry limeade. The entrees we had were the mussels, veggie burger, and the chef's market pizza. The mussels themselves were tasty and appreciated that they were able to leave out the chorizo. However, I wish that they brought a spoon and there was more broth. I tried some of my mom's veggie burger and the red color from the beets made it stand out from the usual veggie burger. The fries tasted homemade. I had a slice of the pizza and while I like the ingredients themselves, the combination just didn't do it for me. The crust was good though! We also shared a green goddess salad, which was tasty. The desserts looked amazing but we had no room! Service was friendly and our waitress made good recommendations. Can park on the side streets or the garage. Restaurant was not noisy. Would come back to try other items, especially dessert.

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    Cha-Ya - Agedashi Tofu

    Cha-Ya

    4.0(790 reviews)
    0.6 miGourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
    $$

    My husband & I came here for Mother's Day, since their vegan menu looked AMAZING!…read moreJust note, they only take cash or Venmo, so make sure you have one of those payment options. It was pretty busy with not a TON of tables, but the service was still fairly quick. Our rolls came out faster than our appetizers, but at least we got everything eventually. We each ordered a miso soup, which was honestly kind of bland. We added some of their red pepper-type seasoning to it & it made it a little better. We also ordered their vegan bao buns & they were SO delicious! Super doughy, & the stuffing was seasoned really well. Their vegetable tempura wasn't bad. Didn't have the same assortment of vegetables most places have, but it still tasted pretty good. Ours primarily had yam, broccoli, & green beans. For our rolls, we ordered: The Cha-ya Roll (The entire sushi roll, filled with asparagus, yam, avocado, and carrots, is lightly battered and deep-fried, Tempura style. Served with special house sauce.) This one was my personal favorite! We also got the Vegan Roll (A large roll with spinach, atsuage tofu, cucumber, broccolini, pickled burdock, seasoned shiitake and campy gourd, and pickled ginger.) Lastly, we ordered the Haku Roll (Sushi rice with fried yam, shiitake mushroom, rolled up with an outer layer of avocado.) All the rolls were so fresh & flavorful! Next time we are in the area, I'd love to go back & try other things. I wish their menu had pictures on it, because some of the items were hard for us to imagine what it would look/taste like. But their menu online has a lot of pictures, so maybe I'll write down what interests me for next time!

    First the good - food is great. Vegan Japanese food is so rare and to have a restaurant that's…read morefully vegan is a blessing. We've had Cha-Ya roll, Vegetable Tempura roll, Agedashi tofu, Mushroom soup, Gyoza, and probably a few more dishes and all ha amazing. The Bao bun was a pass. The setting is good - intimate and some window tables. The bad - the host is a snob and service is slow since she's also the server. She's also not comfortable with English, which is fine for me as an immigrant myself, but it does cause some communication issues. The place doesn't accept cards - only cash (and Venmo). Not to be presumptuous, but when I see a restaurant accepting just cash I always wonder how accurately they pay their taxes? The ugly - we had a terrible (mildly racist) experience on our second visit. First as we sat down, the host got 3 forks for us. When she came back, we asked for 3 chopsticks. She responded with a tone "are you going to use chopsticks?". Like, what was she implying - brown people can't use chopsticks? "Yes" I said to which she pointed to a sign on the wall and responded in broken English "we have a policy". I read the flyer she pointed to and figured that you can get either a fork or chopsticks. So, why didn't she ask us upfront if we want chopsticks or forks? Sigh. I didn't want to confront her about it or be rude since I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. So we let this chopsticks incident get past us, started enjoying the food. She never came to ask if we were doing okay, which is fine by me since we didn't really need anything from her. As we were feeding our kid, she came by and dropped the bill on the table. Didn't ask if we wanted anything more. Didn't ask if food was okay. As we looked at the bill, we noticed a 15% mandatory tip. I checked the menus and the flyers - there's a mandatory 18% tip for parties of 6 people, but nothing below that. I went and politely inquired about it to which she said "well it's a restaurant", I pointed to the flyer that said parties of 6 people have a mandatory tip, to which she didn't respond at all, mumbled something, turned and went back into the kitchen! Extremely rude! Crazy thing - last visit a few weeks ago I didn't get mandatory tip on the bill and I tipped 15%. This time we had our kid with us, and whenever we dine with kids, it's always 20% tip or up, so I would've tipped that anyway. The racist and rude behaviour isn't worth putting up with. Such a shame.

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    Kitava - Power bowl with crispy chicken

    Kitava

    4.4(278 reviews)
    2.8 miNorth Oakland
    $$

    If you're looking for a healthy alternative for fast food, this should be top of mind…read more After spending the afternoon training at Witterfield for a 5K, my friends and I decided to find a healthy option and stumbled upon Kitava on yelp. We ordered... Sesame Chicken 4/5 Chicken was crispy. Broccoli was cooked perfectly. It could use a little more seasoning on the chicken and broccoli but the sauce was there to elevate it. Reminds me of panda express haha Miso Salmon Bowl 4/5 Salmon was cooked flaky and moist. Really enjoyed the jalapeño lime sauce. Brussel sprouts were roasted to perfection. Very light and tasty meal. Fish & Chips 4/5 Crispy fish and chips. Simple dish but it was fun and tasty! Evolved Caesar Salad + Paprika Chicken (Protein) 5/5 Absolute favorite. After mixing everything together it was the best healthy salad I've had in a while! Chicken was tender and flavorful! Enjoyed this dish the most. Service 5/5 Ordering is very quick, Staff was very friendly and our order came in timely within 10 minutes or less. They do serve your orders right to you but water and utensils are self served, as well as cleaning up after yourself. There is a 5% mandatory fee for employee health, so be aware of that. Ambience 5/5 I loved the vibes inside. It's very bright and homey. Made me feel good to be there. Seats are comfy and tables are clean. Parking was a breeze. Definitely adding this to my diet rotation if I forget to make a meal prep

    Vibe/Interior: A perfect healthy fast casual spot that feels cute enough for an impromptu date…read morenight and casual enough for a post work out meal. Standouts: Everything! We ordered the Sweet Plantain Bowl (and added the picadillo beef) and the Sesame Chicken Bowl along with a side of brussel sprouts. Service: Staff were friendly and knowledgeable Parking: Street parking in the front Pro Tips: Look for the signs that has the 'Special' Rating: 5/5

    Photos
    Kitava - Inside

    Inside

    Kitava - Hummus w/ Soft Egg & Sesame Togarashi

    Hummus w/ Soft Egg & Sesame Togarashi

    Kitava - Banana walnut pancakes

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    Banana walnut pancakes

    Little Plearn Thai Kitchen - thai - Updated September 2026

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