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    Malai Thai

    4.6 (169 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Food Trucks
    Closed Closed

    Malai Thai Photos

    MALAI THAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Reviews With Photos - Malai Thai

    Thuy N.

    I tried the pad kee mao and the papaya salad, and both were fresh and full of flavor. Good food and generous portions. If you're craving authentic, tasty Thai food on the go, this food truck is definitely worth a stop.

    Holy basil chicken spicy
    Celeste G.

    One of my favorite Thai places to get food at. Always has so much flavor. Love that I can get anything on menu Thai spicy staff is always so friendly. Outdoor seating is available. There's other food trucks as well. But if you're looking for Thai food on the north shore this is the place.

    Mango Sticky Rice
    Nikol P.

    Disappointing Experience Despite High Hopes! I treated my family to dinner after exploring the north shore & we stopped by a Thai food truck off of Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa, excited to try something local and flavorful.. but unfortunately, the experience fell flat from start to finish. Right off the bat, the customer service at the window was cold and unwelcoming. The lady that took our order was so rude & made us feel like we were bothering them just by ordering, which really set a negative tone. We tried a variety of dishes: the Pad Thai egg rolls, mango sticky rice, fried chicken wings, and the Thai tea. Sadly, most of it lacked the flavor and freshness we were expecting. The Pad Thai was especially underwhelming, bland and one dimensional. The mango sticky rice didn't deliver that sweet, creamy balance it's known for, and the Thai tea tasted watered down. The only standout was the fried chicken wings! They were crispy, well seasoned, and actually enjoyable. But when that's the best thing out of a full order of classic Thai dishes, it's disappointing. Maybe others will have a better experience, but as someone who's had a lot of Thai food, this was by far my least favorite Thai place everrrrr!! I wouldn't go out of my way to return. Instead, I'd try the other local food trucks parked nearby.

    When you see this sign by the road, drive straight into the driveway to the end. Malai Thai is just to the left of Korean BBQ.
    Marli A.

    We've been here twice. We HAD to come back after the first time. And I'm sorry, but we ordered & split the Yellow Curry Noodle #21 AGAIN because it was just so good! Even though the plates of the other folks dining there looked amazing, too! If you love the taste of curry but can't tolerate the spicy heat (like me), you'll probably love this dish. The beautifully landscaped garden hideaway here is enough to make you forget you're at a food truck! It also seems like the tall trees/bushes help keep some of the dust down from the gravel parking lot. Pretty clever. We'll be back & next time we'll try something different. I think!

    Chicken pad Thai
    Emily L.

    Went on a Sunday at 4 pm to grab a bite after the beach. I saw this Thai place and decided to try it out. I decided to be basic and try the chicken pad Thai. The wait was a bit longer, took about 20-30 minutes to receive food after ordering. I received it and it was hot and fresh. I enjoyed the flavor, although I wish it had more spice. And the price was very reasonable. If I'm in the area, I would try this place again when wanting Thai food!

    Pad Lee Mao with veggies.
    Kristin S.

    To be fair; it was not my favorite Thai place so far but what I did try was okay and I would reorder two of the three items I did try. I think I've become accustomed to my copycat recipe from my Cali home spot and they still always out did my attempts. The fried rice was good and I would order it again here. It's a hard one to mess up and it was a solid 4 stars just for the rice. The chicken satay had a bitter taste to them, my son ate them and said they just wouldn't be his first choice. The meat was tender but the flavor was just off. I am pretty particular with my Pad Kee Mao and this spot did have a decent flavor; after adding more soy sauce and some of the chili flakes. I also added the chili sauce, it was like it was missing something I couldn't place. Maybe more noodles in the serving since it didn't even cover the bottom of the takeout container. I asked for the veggies well done but they were still extra crunchy. The service was sweet, literally too cute honestly. She was young and seemed like she was learning to help her mom in the kitchen by taking orders. She had questions and this was probably my favorite interaction with ordering so far on the island. Since I am a mom, it's fun to watch kids learning and appreciating food while helping the family. The outside seating area is surrounded by trees and shaded benches. The area in this section of food trucks is one of my favorite. I feel like I'm on a tropical island.. well I am, but you know what I mean compared to the clusters of food trucks in this area. The menu has plenty to try so hopefully I find something I enjoy more on our next visit.

    Mabelle T.

    Malai Thai found in the food truck court of Hale'iwa this spot is a staple for any of my Thai cravings. The quality of food and service is high quality and this place always hits the spot after an adventurous dive or a day at the beach. The atmosphere of this place is so friendly and welcoming :)

    Pork Curry Noodles
    Sanea F.

    Family and I stopped in this area before heading back to our hotel. We ordered from one food truck for dinner and decided to go here to bring back food with us. Such a great decision. The wait was a bit long for the food but the food was delicious. Definitely would of ordered more to take back if I could had.

    Chicken wings
    Alex J.

    This food truck is legit. The cook/server were busy making our order, which I must say was too much. They give you plenty of food. We thought we wanted chicken wing and egg rolls as appetizer before our entree, but we were getting full before we even started the entrees. Chicken wings were a meal of its own. They came out nice and hot. Same for all their dishes since it's made to order. The curry noodle dish is not what I had expected, yet it was tasty. My friend had the spicy shrimp with rice. It wasn't eaten at one sitting, yet the 2nd time at the dish was even better. The sauce soaked into the rice more so every bite was delicious. Would definitely make a trip out to this food truck again.

    Curry noodles
    Patrycja L.

    We were looking for a good food stop on our North Shore road trip and this place was amazing! Delicious food! Cool location and nice service! It was a bit of a wait to get our three orders but it was so worth the wait because food was authentic, freshly made and delicious! I will definitely be back! I loved it

    Pad See Ew
    Kelly N.

    Legit Thai Food Truck! Holy Basil with Egg and Ground Pork - everything was fantastic, meat was soft, crisp stir-fry vegetables added nice crunch, runny egg Pad See Ew - perfectly cooked noodles, sause absorbed well with great flavor, beef tender Ordering was simple and everyone there treated us nicely. I especially liked the use of fresh ingredients and the fact that no MSG was used for the taste.

    Pad see ew
    Robin D.

    Really excellent Thai truck tucked in the back of a food truck lot in the heart of Haleiwa. Lots to choose from and plenty of outdoor seating and parking. We've tried quite a few of their dishes now and haven't been disappointed. The portions are fair and the prices are reasonable (remember where you are haha). They've replaced our usual go-to Thai food takeout place when on the North Shore.

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    Malai T.

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    8 years ago

    Average at best. Location cant be beat. The pad thai was better than curry which was really bland.

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Amazing find!! Authentic food made by really nice people. We got green curry and kow peak. Highly recommend! He makes his own noodles.

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    7 years ago

    We stopped by on our way out of town and were surprised with how good it was. Awesome pad Thai and coconut curry!

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    9 years ago

    Overall good food and you get a lot of food for the price. The chicken wings are crispy just the way I like them. Only cash so be prepared.

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    I love this place. I come here a minimum of two times a week. Definitely try the curry noodle soup, it's my favorite.:-)

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    8 years ago

    It is everything that it said it was! Great Thai food , great location, fun stop for all and of course in paradise! Mahalo

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    9 years ago

    This is the best Thai food I have had on the North Shore. I am a local and love Thai food! This place knows what's up

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    Page 4 of 5

    Ask the Community - Malai Thai

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    Sometimes the underdog wins big! Hono's turned out to be the champ. We had both Hono's and…read moreGiovanni's. The pro tip is to get the extra shrimp and skip Giovanni's. I also have a positive review of them so I'm not bias. This is just better imho. I'm a week late on the review, but better late than never. Food (5 stars) + Extra shrimp upgrade for a few bucks? Huge portion, bigger shrimp, perfectly balanced flavors--not drowned in butter. Great presentation too! + Hot sauce with a sweet kick--absolutely complementary. + Kalbi plate was tender and delicious--sweet, savory, and bone-in goodness. Service/Ambiance (5 stars) + Quick service, easy seating right in front of their truck, no confusion. + Personal touch with celebrity signatures on the truck--BTS included! (Not that I know much about them, but pretty cool) ~ Parking here is $2 and $5 in another lot about a block away. We paid the $5 to support the local community. This is the one I'll rave about! When I'm back, Hono's is my first stop. And yes, check out that BTS autograph!

    Another shrimp truck in the middle of the food trucks within the same plaza as Giovanni's. We…read morewanted to see what all the hype was about at Giovanni's and compare it with Hono's, and trust me when I say Hono's wins by far. This Korean-inspired truck has more to offer than its competitors, not only because the menu is bigger, but also because there is zero wait and the shrimp is just as good. The service was relatively quick, and the woman working the truck was very nice. We ordered the galbi shrimp plate, and the galbi was pretty spot on. It wasn't as tender as we would've liked, but the flavor was definitely there. The shrimp was on the spicier side, but again, the flavor really came through. It is a bit of a nuisance to have to peel your own shrimp, but they were soft enough that you could still eat them pretty easily if you didn't feel like it. Seating is also nice since Hono's has its own area away from Giovanni's.

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    Super delicious mushroom burger, fries were killer good. Service was great, the time they took to…read moremake my burger and fries was worth the short wait.

    There's something about island-made food that carries a little extra heart -- and Haleʻiwa Burgers…read morehas it in every bite. No fancy frills, no over-the-top hype. Just good food, made with real hands and real care. I ordered the Mushroom Burger, and it honestly changed the game for me. The patty was juicy and seasoned just right, layered with sautéed mushrooms that added this deep, earthy flavor -- like comfort cooked slow. The melted cheese pulled everything together in perfect balance, and the toasted bun held its own without ever getting in the way. Every bite was messy in the best way -- the kind you have to close your eyes for and just feel. The vibe here? Pure aloha. You walk in and feel like you've been here before -- like this is where everyone goes when they just need a good meal and a moment to breathe. The staff are chill, friendly, and full of that easy local kindness that can't be faked. It's the kind of place where time slows down -- where you sit outside, taste the salt in the air, and let the flavors remind you how good life can be in its simplest form. Final Thoughts: Haleʻiwa Burgers isn't just about burgers -- it's about the feeling after the last bite. That quiet, content, "yeah, this is it" kind of happiness.

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    Buffalo wings after shaking up
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    Menu, as posted

    Malai Thai - thai - Updated August 2026

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