We decided to try Marlai Thai for my husband's birthday dinner as we've pass this location nearly every day! We were delightfully surprised as the food was delicious! We ordered the Yum Lamb special and a delicious soup, the name of which escapes me, but it had chicken and a coconut milk soup base. We definitely will return!! read more

Meh. Let's get the pros out of the way. PROS: -It's pretty - white table cloths, china and glass, fresh flowers... -It's on a bus line, between U. Village and Children's Hospital. -The service is pleasant and attentive. Sounds nice, right? Decent-ish location, nice staff...pretty...this is the set up for a good restaurant, right? Meh. CONS: -The food is not that good. I ordered the lemongrass chicken once and the skin all over it was kind of rubbery/fatty and difficult to remove. Once it was removed, so was all the lemongrass/grilled flavor and the chicken was mildly bland. -The rice is hit or miss in a big way. On one occasion, it was actually really good - like, four star quality good. On a second occasion, I actually wondered if it'd been cooked. -Somebody else mentioned this: no personality. This place, while nice to look at, just doesn't seem to have much personality. It's blah. It's boring. It's MEH. -Parking can suck in a big sort of way. So can getting out of said parking, due to it being on a major street. (Bus = your friend in this case.) I gave it two stars because I haven't gotten sick from it, but I'll say it once more...meh. There are better Thai places. MUCH better Thai places. read more

Inexcusably overpriced. Our dinner experience with Marlai started with an unfortunate attempt for takeout. The same number listed on Marlai's website, menu, Google, and Yelp all went straight to an error tone over 4-5 tries. My boyfriend and I were close and hungry enough for some Thai food so we decided to head over anyway. The restaurant looked rather dated with some tacky decors but was pretty tidy. Our to go order of the Rama Rong Song, Vegetables with Cashew Nuts, and a side of peanut sauce was prepped quickly and totaled to a unexpected $30. Our measly sized $12 entrees came with no rice, no sides, and no utensils. The quality of the food did little to redeem how absurdly expensive the meal was. Watery peanut sauce, meager pieces of chicken, flavorless veggies... Any average home cook could have easily thrown our meal together. How Marlai stays in business with the abundance of much cheaper, tastier alternatives just next door in the U-District, I really don't know. read more

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Prices are a bit high for the amount of food. Chai tea is pretty good end staff are friendly. Nothing spectacular.

Service here is friendly and very attentive. They have an extensive lunch menu as well. The small starter salads are nice with a tasty poppy seed dressing. The swimming rama with fried tofu lunch special is excellent. The green curry is pretty good too - it is a thick curry with plenty of chicken and veggies. I found I did not need any rice as it was almost like a stew. Very yummy! read more

Overpriced for so/so Thai food. The reason why Thai food is one of my favorite choice of foods is because of the spicy and flavorful taste. However, Marlai has a very dull and bland taste. The most annoying part is there level of spicy is so off. If you like your food spicy at a level of 3, the rule of thumb is to always go one or two levels higher here. Marlai's main focus is the presentation over the quality of the food. The restaurant is really pretty and they try really hard about the presentation of their food. This is so annoying! They should be putting their effort towards the flavor and quality of the food! Their noodle dishes such as pad thai or pad see ew ranges in about 10-12 for a noodle dish. There portions are reasonable and are very filling. A bit high for the noodle dishes. However, the pad thai is very dry and not moist. I would not recommend the pad thai because you will be very disappointed. If you do choose to go here I do recommend the pad see ew. Their fat noodle dishes are really good but do not try the pac kee mao!!!!!! Its not good at all! However, back to what I was saying the pad see ew is not too bad. Lots of flavor and if you like spicy don't even bother asking them to add it in. Just get a side of chili sauce and add it in to your dish as you wish. Their judgment on spicy is very off! They do have lunch specials that are a pretty good deal for lunch. They have a lot of options that include are combination dishes. For example, red curry and a noodle dish. Just ask the workers for a lunch menu because it separate from the regular menu. They also do to go and are pretty quick. If you are short on time, order ahead and they will have it ready for you. There are plenty of better Thai places around this area I would definitely recommend on trying different places before coming here. read more

Excellent food. Adequate service. Fine atmosphere. Convenient location for Laurelhurst. I come from Berkeley, CA, where the Thai food is very very good and I can list a dozen of my favorite Thai restaurants there. By comparison Marlai was excellent, and would be one of my regular stops if I lived nearby. I ordered for the table since my parents don't know the difference between Thai food and Chinese food. The Tom Kha soup was perfect and light -- a good size appetizer for three people. The Pad Thai was delicious but I was surprised that shrimp was not included by default. The green curry was very flavorful and had a nice subtle spiciness to it that you don't always see in green curry. The garlic basil eggplant looked mushy at first but was actually nice and tender and the sauce was perfect and flavorful. The three of us were too full for dessert at that point, so we'll have to come back another time and sample the dessert menu. My parents were skeptical about trying Thai food, almost opposed to the idea before the meal, but by the end they were ready to bring their friends back to enjoy a great meal at Marlai. read more

I have been going here for 20 years and the staff would recognize my voice on the phone and say would I like the usual for my whole office. Every time was very pleasant and friendly. Today however a new person answered and when I asked for the Coriander Chicken add Tofu and Broccoli (that they have done for us for 20 plus years the man on the phone yelled at me, "We don't do that!" I was shocked and asked if this was a new thing because we have been ordering from them weekly for over 20 years. He said "I guess my dad must have gone easy on you and let you bend the rules, but I don't." When I said I had ordered there for years he became a little more pleasant and said, "Fine I'll LET you order it." When I went to pick it up I said that I was surprised to be yelled at over the phone and said, "That is how you lose long time customers." He said "I understand you are a regular customer of 'years' (he said in quotation hands) here, so go ahead and COMPLAIN TO MY DAD I DO NOT CARE!" I was floored. Marlai lost a long time weekly regular due to the attitude of the owner's son who clearly didn't care he lost our business. And NO he never apologized or explained why he yelled at me on the phone or in the restaurant. WILL NOT BE RETURNING AND AM PASSING THE WORD ON OF THIS EMPLOYEE TO MY LAURELHURST NEIGHBORS. read more

I live close to Marlai and I have eaten here a number of times. The food is ok, but unfortunately not as good as the numerous options on the Ave, all of which are cheaper. This most recent time I ordered the beef Phad See Ew. The portion was generous and there were plenty of noodles and beef, and sauce-saturated broccoli. However, the dish was bizarrely sweet. A solid meal, but again you can get similar or even better quality/quantity on the ave for a better price. read more

I come here with my coworkers significantly more than I'm proud to admit. The food is always on point. Service is good, and the water tastes good. The beef is perfect in the pad se ew. In every dish. Just eat here, k? read more

I came here with a group - we were treating a speaker at a nearby event to dinner. I had reserved one of the side rooms - you sit on the floor and your feet hang into a hole under the table. Unfortunately, the speaker ended up being very fussy and complained about taking his shoes off and sitting on the floor (apparently he had broken his toe.) I was pretty embarrassed, and requested that we be moved to a regular table. The staff was friendly and accommodating. The food was okay - not great. I ordered the garlic green beans, but they were VERY oily. I sampled a few other dishes and they were better, but it is a bit pricey for what it is. I'm giving the place three stars mainly based on the service - the food would probably be two and a half. read more

Writing this months after visiting. Unfortunately, this place was my welcome to Seattle back when I popped up here to visit one of UW's grad programs. I had just arrived from a 4 hour train ride and was staying in the area. Not sure if the hours are updated now on Yelp, but they were listed differently than the hours outside the door. I walked here and ordered a to-go order within 30 minutes of closing (I do try to avoid this and would have if the hours were listed properly). The server was so rude I was greeted with glaring eyes even after apologizing and saying I'm ordering to-go. Unfortunately, this was the only place open close by to my AirBNB at 8:30pm on a weekday. Food was WAY over priced and rather bland. Now that I'm I officially live up in Seattle, I can and will happily recommend a myriad of other Thai restaurants nearby. read more

We have eaten here about half a dozen times. This restaurant shows care and attention to detail from the covers on the backs of the comfortable chairs, the clean rugs, living plants (yes!), tasteful decor, arrangement of meats and vegetables in pleasing designs on the plates (someone went to chef school) accompanied by live orchid blossoms, nice silverware and crystal and even to the clean bright bathrooms. Bathrooms tell the real story, don't they? Our family dinner in one of the spacious tatami-style rooms was nicely served, our 7 dishes well prepared and moderately sized and also moderately priced. Even though the Superbowl was on, the TV sound was kept low with closed captions so we could carry on our conversation with ordinary voices when the children weren't screaming. They offer seating at a counter overlooking the open kitchen which shows they are pretty sure their food prep and handling are of a high standard. Or maybe they just want to expand seating. In any event, it was a very aesthetically pleasing experience and we'll go again soon. Even WITHOUT a coupon! read more

I have been going here for over 15 years. Hands down the best green curry, pad Thai, fresh spring roles I have had anywhere in the state. It can be more $ then other Thai in the area but worth it. I typically get take out- it's easier with a toddler. My toddler likes pad Thai chicken or pad Thai tofu (comes with baby carrots). read more

We eat at Marlai Thai once or twice a month (including tonight). Before covid we would usually eat in their dining room, but now that most of that is shut down, we get take-out. The people who run this restaurant are just lovely -- always friendly. The food is usually ready pretty fast (20-25 minutes or so). It may not be the best Thai food in Seattle, but it is consistently good We love their fresh rolls and I always order the Rama Rong Song. My husband often gets a tofu curry or the seafood soup. Consistently good food and a great staff/owners. You can't go wrong supporting a neighborhood restaurant like Marlai. read more

This is the place where I first experienced Gang - Ka - Ree (yellow curry w/ potatoes and chicken) And no other Thai restaurant has lived up to their curry standards. I've only ventured out of my safety zone there a couple of times, and I wasn't thilled, but the yellow curry and Thai iced tea are so supreme every time. And not only is the food great, but the people who work there are very sweet, as well. Love it! read more

Love the thai food...highly recommend it. And to top it off, we had the black rice pudding. - Off the hook!!! Small place but the food very delicious!!! read more

This restaurant is very consistent! The food is delicious, mostly nutritious, and presented beautifully. The staff is friendly and fast. I don't know why this place doesn't have higher ratings but I would highly recommend. I've been here several times for dine-in and take out and I plan to keep coming back. read more

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AMAZING service. The staff is incredibly helpful and attentive, almost formal. Food is really good, and well priced! I think it's $1-3 cheaper than dishes elsewhere, but that makes a big difference when there are multiple people. It's good quality food too. The restaurant itself is clean and intimate. There's plenty of tables and usually no wait. read more

This place is close to the Children's Hospital, so when we came here for lunch, it seemed as though a lot of local employees were there eating. The interior decor is bright from the natural sunlight, ornate, peaceful, and rather traditional looking. The hostess who welcomed me was nice and the waitress faithfully filled our waters throughout the meal with a kind smile as well. There were other tables of people eating, but it was rather peaceful inside. On to the food, I ordered the panang chicken curry, which comes with a scoop of rice and salad/soup for lunch ($10). The curry size was on the smaller side, but if you finish the rice with it, you should be adequately full for lunch. The flavor was pretty good, but slightly lacking a depth I look for in a panang curry. My companion had a plate with lots of veggies, tofu and brown rice, which was a pretty decent portion. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here for Thai food, but if in the area, would say yes to if others wanted to come here. read more

Our dinner was expertly prepared and delicious. The vegetables were perfectly cooked which is rare in my experience in other Thai restaurants. Service was courteous and we never felt rushed. The portions were generous and enough left to have a nice lunch the next day. read more

A great place if you have a hankering for Thai food. I've eaten at this place enough times to where the staff greet me warmly each time I call in and pick up my order. The restaurant is clean and beautifully decorated. The food is delicious, but I do have my qualms. First, the prices are a bit steep. For one order of egg-rolls (2 cut in half) is $6.50! And 1 order of my favorite Thai dish (and second negative, which I wish was on the lunch menu, and not just dinner), Pad Se Ew, was a startling $10.50. Lucky for them I was starving and decided not to cancel my order... read more

I'm not a Thai restaurant fan, and when I end up in one, curry is not my preference. We ended up here on a Sunday lunch time, because most casual restaurants in the area were closed. I ordered the yellow curry by accident, pointing at the wrong item on the menu because my toddler decided to act out. It was delicious, fresh, and did not have a greasy old peanut butter flavor. Husband, child and myself, we ate it all. Service was nice, too and the place was clean. read more

The few times I've been here I've always been satisfied with quality food, good customer service, and an open, clean environment. At Thai restaurants I always order the Phad-See-Yew and their beef choice is excellent. Not too greasy and no unnecessary added ingredients. The noodle is al dente and the flavor is on point! Their lunch menu is a good deal because most if not all of their items are under 10 dollars leaving you with some extra to take home. I tried the red curry and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of protein they have on a lunch special! A must-go if you're ever in the Laurelhurst area :) read more

So, before I begin this review, I do want to say that they did get 40% of our orders correct and they were really really apologetic (including knocking a few bucks off our bills) with getting 60% of our order wrong. That's why it's not a one star review. Yeah, they got 60% of our order wrong. Including putting meat in a non-meat dish. The kitchen apologized for that by giving us two free appetizers... that had meat in them. Also there were sauce and at least one human hair on our plates. Not the ones food were served in, at least. The food itself was okay. Not the best Thai food in Seattle (that is a high bar to clear, admittedly), but it was definitely okay. Everything else though was eh, and even though the waiter and the chef both apologized it was still awkward and annoying and generally not a pleasant experience. read more

Worst service ever! Server had something against us. She ignored us the whole time and her face looked angry when talking to us. Immediately changing when serving other tables with smile and refilling waters. She only came to take order and then bring plates. I had to stand up and go to the kitchen to ask for silverware for my little one and a high chair which she was not very happy with the ask. Had to stand up again to get boxes and I was completely ignored by the two servers. Received check and no pen and even had to ask for it twice. She was mean to us but not with others. This is wrong. Would like I give zero stars but yelp requires at least one. This is a zero star place. Shouldn't be located close to a children's hospital when all you want is a kid friendly place. Not a rude kid place. She even removed all dishes and silverware for our kid when we arrived. Only left the two for the adults and never worry about the little one. read more

Chicken Panang, pad Thai tofu, rice. Yum. Their Panang is just outstanding. They use straw mushrooms in their soup - which is a great indication of their attention to ingredients. read more

I took some Chinese friends to Mariai Thai and my friends were looking at the menu. The waitress came over and realized that the Chinese friends could not understand the menu. I wish I could remember her name, but she said that she know exactly what they would like and how much. She was exactly right, the food was perfect for my friends {and for my daughter and myself}, and the amount was perfect. We left full, and we did not have any left overs. I was very impressed with the food and the service!!! There were 6 of us and including the tip it was under $100.00. read more

Overpriced. Lunch noodles are all $12. Ambiance is very nice. Waiter was not friendly, but also not unkind. Pad kee Mao was bland. Large portion for mediocre taste. read more

Marlai Thai Restaurant - Pad Kee Mao noodles. Blander than I'd like, but could not be classified as bad. Edible. - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Best Thai restaurant in the area. Large portions too. A little bit on the pricey side, but it is definitely worth it. I can tell they use high quality ingredients. read more

I've gone to Marlai Thai since it opened many years ago. It's my "go to" neighborhood restaurant with my 86 year old Dad. We love it and it's very convenient. I tend to order the Salmon special for lunch and sometimes the Swimming Rama with peanut sauce. For an appetizer the crab rangoons are delicious. I am deducting one star due to our waiter on our last visit. Perhaps he was having a bad day but he was cold and not friendly at all. Also, the prices have increased since my last visit which was a bit of a disappointment. One of the reasons we loved to go there for lunch was the reasonable menu prices. Now they are bordering on becoming overpriced. read more

This is my sons favorite Thai restaurant! He loves the Thai iced tea and the Mongolian beef!

One of the best Thai places in Seattle! Love their pad Thai and chicken skewers the most!!!

I was craving some yellow curry and this place happened to be the closest around. So I called an order in and picked up my food. BEST yellow curry I've ever had. The chicken was cooked very tender and flavorful. I'm usually so cautious of chicken because I hate finding fat, bones, cartilage or arteries in my food and it happens with chicken the most. NOPE. Not here. Chicken was perfect. Better than my mom's, probably. It was so so so so good. Atmosphere was clean and classy and the service I experienced in my brief time there was great. Check it out. Totally worth it. read more

Incredibly delicious and reasonably priced authentic Thai food provided with outstanding service. I have been enjoying Thai food at this neighborhood fixture for years. The food is always high quality and delicious and when I go in person I am always impressed with their friendly and courteous service. I have a physical disability and the last time I was there the server recognized me and was so nice that she neatly set the napkin on me when my food arrived at the table. How thoughtful! read more

The food is okay. Unfortunately, I have been to this restaurant several times and every time I go, the male server who works on the weekends does not come to receive the order for minimum 15 minutes, and usually longer than that. His customer service is extremely poor. I am not planning to go back. read more

My noodles were good but it wasn't what I ordered. Before I get to that though, right when my sister and I walked in there was a sign that read "Please wait to be seated". My sister and I decided to overlook the menu as we sat in the front and waited to be greeted and seated. We sat there for about 5 mins before deciding to walk to the front to order as clearly nobody was going to come greet us or give us a table. We hadn't even been acknowledged. The restaurant was empty and my sister and I were the only two in there aside from the staff. Not only was the menu a little confusing as there was a weekday menu and a weekend menu (neither were labeled as such) but the waiter was a little rude about it. I ordered the Pad Kee Mao, pork no tomato. We weren't experiencing the best customer service so my sister and I decided to take our food to go. By the time we made it back to my place 35 mins away, I opened my food to see tomato and chicken in my dish. Food was still great but not what I had ordered. Needless to say, I was not very impressed. read more

Over priced, under delivered (think bland and diluted), and I've certainly had better. Sampled Pad Thai, Panang Curry, and Gang Karee. Rice pudding was mush and quite regrettable. read more

The food is decent to good, 3/4 stars, but we waited over an hour for takeaway when people came and ordered after but left before us. It wasn't that crowded, honestly, either. No one seemed interested in remedying the problem until we sort of complained about our wait time. read more

This place is only good simply because it is never busy!!! I have been here plenty of times, and the only reason I keep on coming back is because at anytime of the day there is absolutely no wait. The tatami room is really cool, take your shoes off, relax and just have a great time and experience at Marlai. The food is OK, not GREAT, but not BAD either. Though all I ever do is stick to Thai basics: Pad Thai and Curry! Another great thing about this place is that since its never really packed, your food comes pretty quickly. Though I would say that if you were looking for an upscale Thai restaurant to take someone on a date, this would be the place. The whole setup in Marlia is simple yet elegant! read more