We have been coming here since Nara Thai opened. excellent service and wonderful food and ambiance

Server was extremely sweet & helpful ! Great food & beautiful ambiance. Would definitely come back again !

The service is always incredibly warm and the ambiance is beautiful and perfect for everything from a casual dinner to a date night. The food is absolutely delicious. Everything tastes fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully prepared. You can really tell they care about the quality of their ingredients. One of the biggest reasons we keep coming back is that they cook without seed oils, which is surprisingly hard to find. It's so nice being able to enjoy amazing Thai food without having to compromise on ingredient quality. Highly recommend if you're looking for authentic, high-quality Thai food with excellent service and a great atmosphere. We'll definitely be back! read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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Heard about this through Resy, I believe. I liked the upscale vibe & interior design within the photos. My father being vegetarian, we usually go for Thai, Mexican & other veg friendly cuisines. I liked the small square footage & ambience as we walked in. Btw, you will want to create a reservation--otherwise be prepared for a wait. We were promptly seated & ordered our drinks & apps. I had the Shrimp Blankets, which is a new dish not featured on the Full Menu. They look very interesting. However, as I bit down, I discovered the shrimp was not de-shelled. This made the crunch a bit weird for me, as the tempura was softer than the shell & crumbled away. I think it would be better if they de-shelled & de-tailed the shrimp. Though, I know people eat whole shrimp in the East more often, so if you are used to that you may like it. My dad had the tofu wraps & enjoyed them. However it seemed the Tofu mixture was cooked a while ago & the dish was simply "fired" upon order. This lead me to the notion that the apps came out way too quickly. As we were eating them, we felt a bit pressured to get our main dish orders in. This is not a place for you to kick back & lounge around with friends for 1.5 hours. Because of the small sqft. it seems they want a quick turn around for tables. I would not recommend this restaurant for an intimate date. More of a quick foodie date. My dad had & loved the Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao). I wish I could say the same for my Crying Tiger skirt steak. The presentation was a bit marred by the filet slices being smothered in sauce. The meat was not completely sliced through & tough & seemingly undercooked in some areas. They don't provide a knife, so it made it a bit of a challenge to work through the pieces & the last bite was hard to chew & get down. The sauce was fine. I think $40 is a bit too much for the steak dishes.. but the price includes the "Irvine premium". I would recommend you at least try this place once, & try your favorite dishes to judge it against other Thai experiences. & whether or not the premium process are really worth it. Service was great overall. No complaints really, except feeling a bit rushed to order the main courses. read more

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I've had a number of incredible dishes at Nara Thai Kitchen to a point I've almost tried everything. Incredible food, MSG-free, top-tier flavors. I discovered this place as recommended by my friend and have been in love ever since. It's my favorite Thai restaurant by far and I'm very particular about cuisine. Service has always been fantastic, especially courtesy of the owner Micheal and one of the lead servers Sophia. I've always felt tended to and given a great experience each visit and not a single dish has ever missed the mark. The ambiance is unique; Sundays have a performer with live saxophone and singing in the evenings which is a great touch for dinner. Everything about this restaurant receives 5 stars from me. Thank you Nara Thai Kitchen for a dining experience which never misses its mark - thank you to Sophia for wonderful service with a smile delivered at all times without fail. read more

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Nara Thai is an upscale Thai restaurant in Irvine that opened in 2023. It has an elevated and high-end atmosphere with an intimate ambiance. When we walked in I really liked the dim lighting and the candles everywhere. We made reservations online ahead of time and were seated immediately for a party of two. THAI ESARN SAUSAGE ($14) - this was flavorful and I loved the char. I also liked the varying accompaniments like garlic, lime, and chilis for added flavors. This was my favorite dish. 4.5/5 THAI STYLE FRIED CHICKEN ($17) - this was crispy and I liked the sweet chili dipping sauce. There were only four pieces and I wish there were more given the price. 4/5 CRYING TIGER FILET ($40) - we ordered medium rare and it was slightly undercooked and chewy but the flavor was decent. It was also super spicy (for us) and addicting because of the nam jim jaew. I thought it was the star of the dish but I would've preferred they put the sauce on the side instead of drizzling it all over the meat so I could control the spiciness. 3.5/5 DRUNKEN NOODLES ($23) - we ordered it mild and were told it was a 2-3/10 on the spice level. There was a decent spice and I thought this dish was just okay. 3.5/5 For cocktails the yuzu offering ($18) and butterfly bloom ($18) were light and refreshing. The green aura ($16) was one-dimensional and just okay. I noticed that some of their cocktails were either soju-based (no hard liquor) or were non-alcoholic (although not explicitly mentioned) so beware when you read the ingredients. We also ordered the thai iced tea ($8) which was more tea-forward than others I've had. It was not as sweet and had hints of sweetened condensed milk instead of the typical heavy cream. It was one of the better ones I've had at restaurants. We finished with Nara's mango sticky rice ($17) which looked cool and was decent. Some of the dishes were flavorful while some were more disappointing. The cocktails were just okay. The prices were on the high side and some of the portions didn't match those prices. The interior was really cool and is a great spot for a nice night out. read more

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Food was pretty good, cocktails were okay (a bit too sweet on one but mostly good). Drunken noodles were delicious and their curry was normal (good). I'd recommend the lettuce wraps for an appetizer. 3 stars mainly because there is a random 4% charge for no reason added to all checks which isn't gratuity (wth?). If it was solely food I'd say 3.75/5 Lesser annoyance was the AI voice response when calling, couldn't understand anything. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Menu - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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The food is excellent, but what really sets this place apart is the atmosphere--the music is amazing, with a fun, vibey, almost lounge-and-club feel that makes the whole experience stand out. The drinks are just as impressive as the food, and the beautiful Tulum-inspired design and architecture give the restaurant a stylish, upscale energy! read more

Their 3-star rating is generous. After tonight, they're a solid 1 star in my book. I called 30 minutes before closing to place an order and was told they were already closed, despite still being within their posted business hours. If a restaurant can't be bothered to stay open during the hours they advertise, that's a pretty good reflection of how they operate. The disappointing service, high prices, and average food have been recurring themes every time I've given this place a chance. I wanted to believe the negative reviews were unfair, but unfortunately they're spot on. Nothing about this restaurant stands out except how little effort they seem willing to put into the customer experience. Skip it. There are too many good restaurants out there to waste your time and money here. read more

this place is super nice! the service was quick and had us seated right away. Ambiance is very nice and sets the mood for a candlelit dinner. Food was very delicious! literally loved all the dishes we had gotten and had put us in a food coma right after. (LOL) I would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a place with ambiance and a craving for thai food. read more

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I was really excited to try this place since I drove over an hour after hearing such great things, but unfortunately, the service completely ruined the experience. The woman who took my order was extremely rushed and came off as rude. When I asked about popular dishes, she didn't seem interested in helping and made me feel like I was inconveniencing her. I spent over $100, and I expected at least a basic level of patience and customer service, but that wasn't the case. Her attitude felt very dismissive and almost fake nice at times, which made the interaction uncomfortable. It also seemed like she prioritized helping other customers over me, which didn't sit right. Overall, the food may be good, but the service was disappointing enough that I won't be returning. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - The restaurant - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

The prices are pretty high and I would not return because of that but the service was amazing and the quality of food was good. The ambience was just as good as the Service. If you're looking for a nice dinner for you and your spouse, this is a great place if you're bringing your family expect a hefty bill. read more

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We made a reservation one week in advance for four adults and one baby. However, when we arrived at the restaurant, the waitress and the owner would not allow us to bring the baby stroller inside, and they also did not provide a high chair for our baby. We politely suggested that the restaurant should at least offer a high chair for customers with babies, but the owner immediately said they did not have one and showed no willingness to help. When we mentioned that many restaurants provide high chairs for families with children, the owner responded very rudely and told us to go to another restaurant if we wanted that service. The situation became very unpleasant, and the owner even used offensive language toward us. This was terrible customer service and the worst attitude from a restaurant owner we have ever experienced. We will never come back and do not recommend this place to families with children. read more

Food, service and ambiance was great! Despite a busy crowd and being short staffed, our waitress Angelita did an amazing job tending to my family's many needs. For dessert, I recommend trying the mango sticky rice or coconut ice cream with sticky rice. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Mango & Sticky Rice - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

First Time Dining Just This Past Saturday. Friendly Hostess While Checking In, Who Was Also The Order Taker & Server!!! Very Quaint Small Restaurant & Pretty Dim Even During The Morning/Day. Probably Had Between 10-12 Tables. The Dishes I Tried Was Good For The Area & For What It Was. Not As Authentic As I've Had, At Other Thai Restaurants. read more

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Had an amazing dinner here tonight, so I'm updating my review after the earlier Resy fiasco. The food is so elevated and fresh! It's truly a joy to come here and enjoy Thai food at its best. We had very flavorful drunken noodles, and I especially loved the fresh crisp veggies included with the noodles and meat. My son devoured the chicken satay with a perfect peanut sauce. Everyone also enjoyed the yellow curry. Love the ambiance and dishes too. Such a refined neighborhood spot! read more

High end thai resturant, was a given since its in Irvine. For the price of the short rib curry I wish they would at least give you another piece. However I will tell you that is some of the best I've ever had and I would order it again. The yellow curry was also quite delicious. I was surprised at how much I liked the salad to be honest. The only bad thing is when you try to to-go your food since the bowl was porous. Great service with no wait time since we had a reservation. The restaurant was quite packed so I would recommend making a reservation if possible. Saw lots of couples in the resturants and looks like they could do about 3 or 4 families. I would come back read more

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Stopped in for a date night here yesterday, and was pretty blown away. Beautiful restaurant, amazing food, great service left us immediately wanting to make this a frequented spot. Food (5/5) - Large menu with steep prices, but delivers on quality and presentation. We shared orders of: Moo Ping, Giant Prawn Pad Thai, and the ground chicken Pad Kra Pao and everything was delicious. The pork skewers were so rich, complemented with the citrus-y sauce served with them; the pad thai was cooked well and so were the prawns, grilled to perfection and not dry inside; the pad kra pao was a tad salty but the flavors were VERY prominent and great regardless. Service (5/5) - Showed up a bit early to a reservation, and got greeted nicely and sat early at a gorgeous wooden table in the middle of the restaurant. The servers were very on top of refills/pre-bussing plates and checking up on us. Lovely people that work here! Ambiance (6/5) - This might be the first restaurant i've been to where the decor possibly impressed me more than the food. i hope life for whatever interior designer you folks hired is going exceptionally because i was in awe at how detailed, elegant and cultured this place is! While i will say this restaurant is tiny, they made the absolute best use of what they have with the bar, open kitchen being classy while providing atmosphere for the rest of the dining area, packed full of quirky decor and earthy dinnerware/plates we loved. A must recommend spot for a fancy occasion! read more

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Nora Thai Kitchen has a great cozy vibe--modern but still feels like a real Thai spot in terms of ambiance. It's a small place, maybe 10 tables, so it feels pretty intimate. We had the Pad Kra Pao with filet mignon--super tasty, but the filet was an extra $13, which felt a bit much. The Panang curry was just okay; good spices but could've had more flavor and the chicken was a bit on the drier side. Drinks were a mixed bag--the mango soda was $9 and not very fizzy, but the Thai iced tea was solid. Service was great, super friendly, but there was a surprise 4% charge at the end of the bill (not a tip or service charge, just a cost increase due to "rising costs"), which was a little confusing and disappointing to see. Overall, nice spot with great service and decent food, but a bit steep in terms of pricing. read more

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Excellent service, excellent food. Had the pad kaprow, very tasty. Service was great as well, waitress very attentive

Beautiful ambiance! Friendly and attentive service. Food is flavorful and authentic. Beautiful presentation!!! read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

Insanely good food and the vibe is a ten completely unexpected for a Thai place it's a 10 and I'd go more often for certain my girl fell in love as well read more

The atmosphere very chill. The decoration is cute. There a live music for you to chill with some cocktail We order 4 dishes in total. The star today is Papaya salad, very fresh, well seasoned. The drunken noodle and Tomyum is just okay for us, not too special The worst dish I had tonight is the pineapple fried rice, you cant taste any flavor except the raisin inside the fried rice, even you eat a whole piece of pineapple, there no taste The worst thing make me unhappy tonight is the service. If they assign you a server, the rest will ignore you like you nothing. My server name is Sophia, she super nice but the rest make me never want to step a food back in here. I have to wait for 15 minutes to order my food. Another 5 to ask for a pair of chopsticks. There absolutely no teamwork or whatsoever in here. read more

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Came here to use the Amex $100 Resy credit. Ambiance and dish presentation were nice. Price was high for what you get so we likely won't be back, but we overall did enjoy the food. For the appetizer we got the papaya salad ($18). The salad was surprisingly big and tasted fresh. I'm glad I got the sauce on the side because it was spicy for me. I enjoyed the tomatoes, green beans, and peanuts in the salad. For entrees, we got the grilled salmon green curry ($36) and the pad thai with crab ($39). The salmon was ok. It was small, not super tender, and the curry flavor didn't go that well with the salmon. For $36 for 1 piece of salmon and rice, this dish wasn't worth it. The pad thai was yummy though. The flavor was rich, and I enjoyed the crab pieces. I asked for less sauce/salt, but the crab meat itself was too salty. read more

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I have seen videos of this restaurant and have wanted to try it since! After having my fair share of dining at Thai Restaurants (and being a Lao person who's very familiar with Thai dishes), this would rank 4th on my list. First, the service was nice and the server was sweet. She was attentive and would check up on us. The ambiance was really chill and lowkey, I can see how the decor draws from natural elements. It is a pretty dim restaurant, so something to keep in mind if you have trouble seeing. The food was good, but not the best that I've had. If I'm ever craving Thai food and the other restaurants that I like aren't open, then I would consider this place. As an appetizer, we ordered the crispy shrimp rolls. They came out hot and fresh. Overall a 7.5/10, I would want to try something else next time. For my drink, I got the White Lotus and it was yummy, came in a pretty lotus holder as well. 8.5/10 And for my entree, I got the cashew chicken that automatically comes with a side of jasmine rice. This dish wasn't spicy at all and the flavor was a nice sweet but savory sauce. I would say this was the highlight of my dining experience, giving it a 10/10! For dessert, you can never go wrong with mango sticky rice. The mangos were soft and yummy, the rice was warm. It was your run of the mill mango sticky rice. Overall, pretty good Thai place, but there's better out there at more affordable prices ‍ read more

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Absolutely gorgeous restaurant with breathtaking decor and beautifully presented dishes. However, the service was super slow on a Thursday afternoon and it took us 45 mins to get our entrees. The flavor profile was very similar to other local Thai places that charge a lot less so you're definitely paying for the ambiance. If presentation and ambiance is what you're looking for, Nara is absolutely perfect. If you're looking for an authentic Thai meal, there are a few nearby places that offer the same. read more

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Lita was an amazing waitress and the food was awesome! Especially the crying tiger. The ambiance transported me back to Bangkok. I've never been but that's how I imagine it'd be. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

I was initially hesitant to dine here after reading some of the reviews, but I'm truly glad I decided to give it a chance. It's clear that the restaurant has taken feedback seriously and made noticeable improvements.To address some of the common criticisms first: many mention the pricing, and while it is higher than typical Thai restaurants, you're paying for the upscale ambiance and overall experience... it's elevated for a reason. Others noted that the food lacked spice or was catered to milder palates, but that was not my experience at all. We're accustomed to Viet chili-level heat, and the medium spice delivered a satisfying kick. As for my dining experience itself, our food arrived quickly, the service was genuinely warm and attentive, and the presentation was beautiful, especially the papaya salad. I particularly enjoyed the tom yum and panang curry. The pad thai, however, was more average: slightly too sweet and not enough protein. Overall, I would return if I wanted a nicer thai dinner. Bonus note: they're on Resy, and this has been my favorite Irvine restaurants to use my Amex dining credit on. read more

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I had an amazing experience at NARA Thai Kitchen. I ordered the yellow curry with chicken, and it was absolutely delicious, rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, with a generous portion size that was very satisfying. The interior was beautiful, featuring creative tables and a modern, welcoming atmosphere. The staff was amazing as well, friendly, attentive, and made the experience even better. Great food, great service, and a great environment. I will definitely be coming back to try their other food and drinks and highly recommend this place to anyone looking for quality Thai food. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Yellow Curry - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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It's hard to find a Thai restaurant that not only taste delicious but also has a great vibe and nice style. Everything from the music, the interior design and quality of the food is by far one of the nicest Thai restaurants I've been to. Perfect for date nights or catching up with friends. Staff is friendly and helpful in choosing what to order. Very chill and relaxing vibe read more

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My friends and I went to Nara Thai Kitchen for a drink after having dinner at Zovs. It was such an impressive vibe as we walked in and were seated at the bar. They have a live musician on Sundays. I have only ordered food to go and it was much better than some of other Thai restaurants in the area. read more

Not going to lie, I feel a bit conflicted about how to rate Nara Thai Kitchen. We came in around 5pm and got seated by a female worker. It didn't take long for me to realize that she was the only one working on the floor. It was pretty empty but got pretty busy around 6pm so I highly recommend getting a reservation if you want to dine at a regular table. We didn't receive any explanations of the menu, no greetings, no offers to refill our waters or extra pleasantries. That's fine and all, but for the steep prices, you have to offer amazing service to go along with that. 17 dollars for 2 standard spring rolls. I was a bit shocked to be honest. We spent over 150 dollars for 2 entrees, 2 drinks, and one appetizer. That's fine, but I left feeling empty. We were ignored the entire service and it was honestly giving me anxiety seeing all the food piled up ready to be taken to the tables. The food was sitting there for at least 15 min before the worker went to bring them to the customers. As a result, our food was not hot. The food tasted average to be honest and the OC has an abundance of amazing Thai food with better service and quality. The reason why I am giving it 3 stars instead of 1 is because I feel bad for how understaffed they are. The workers deserve better than this. read more

Papaya salad is good here but why the heck are we putting it in paper boxes???? Not to mention this type of dish has fish sauce. please find a better storage container this is kinda ridiculous. Also 30 min for some papaya salad is kinda long. Please get a better container something that wont leak through. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Papaya Salad (Som Tum Thai) - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came here for some Thai tea. The presentation was great and tasted amazing. The vibes are pretty nice inside, and the staff are super friendly. Service is great and always swing by when I'm in the area. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

Wonderful service and delicious food! Cocktail was great and the restaurant is beautiful. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Mango sticky rice - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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We decided to try this spot for a little date night where we went restaurant hopping. We stopped here first. Firstly, it is so beautiful inside. We loved the decor and the ambiance. We ordered the filet panang curry and I believe the drink I got was the lotus flower. It was all so delicious! We definitely want to go back and try other items. read more

Nara Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Irvine, California

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The food and service was top tier! It was enough food for 4 people to enjoy and even some leftovers to take home! The vibes are also great.

All I gotta say is $42 pad see yew with filet mignon is ridiculous. Even if it's a filet the price is unreasonable. Might as well put some caviar on it and charge double. Also, sounds like "Michael" the manager doesn't care what anyone else thinks about the food and service (weird 4% surcharge for no reason) and neither do. Overpriced and rude service. Only thing nice about the place is decor. For a Thai place read more

Take out review. Nara is by far the best Thai food that I've had in Irvine. I've eaten in restaurant but mostly takeout. The food is incredible, super high quality and always delicious. They are also pretty consistent in how long it takes to get food regardless of how busy it is. The restaurant has an upscale, clean vibe that's enjoyable. I could definitely tell they were lean on wait staff today compared to the number of people eating there. The website could also use a little work as there are a couple dead links and if you want to order online you need to find the DoorDash link because the direct order page doesn't load. Would highly recommend their drunken noodle and Som Tum spicy. read more

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Food and the ambience was superb! We went on sun eve and they had the live music playing. Loved the entire exp. Will def recommend it if you are looking to try good thai places. Seating is limited so make a reservation before you goz. read more

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