Laura P.

Pretty good restaurant with authentic flavors. Prices are a little on the higher side, but the dishes are interesting, like the special lobster pad Thai and soft shell crab pad Thai. The lobster one seemed especially popular, so I might give it a try next time. There's only 1 bathroom, so good luck during rush hour.

Tom C.

Likely the best Thai food I have had in over 20 years. I honestly can't rate this restaurant high enough. Started off with the lobster pad Thai. They actually serve you a whole lobster tail with the main dish. If you're a pad Thai fan, I highly recommend it. We then ordered the yellow chicken curry. This dish was sensational. Likely the best Thai chicken curry dish I've ever had. It was the subtlety of the different flavors that made all the difference. The server was a very nice lady and very informative, who gave useful information. Can't wait to go back and try their crab fried rice dish. Based on the photo in the menu, it looked amazing.

Ivan Lawrence A.

Food Went in for a quick friday lunch. It was a particulary cold day by the beach so I was craving for something to keep me warm. I ordered the tom yum noodle soup. The soup was delicious, perfectly spiced to give off the right amount of heat that doesn't overwhelm the palate and the soup's temperature was just right. Good portion size as well. I ordered it with chicken, making it the perfect comfort food for the weather. Service/Ambiance The place itself is pretty small but had really nice vibes going for it. Our server was nice and we got served the food pretty quickly

Jasmin W.

I came here with family and the food was DELICIOUS! I ordered the panang curry and it was so flavorful and delicious! I should have ordered it slightly milder as it was very spicy but it was sooo good! I also ordered a Thai iced tea which was delicious as always. We ordered chicken wings which were okay nothing special, crab cream cheese wontons which were also okay and egg rolls which were good. I decided to try something new the mango with sticky rice and it was unlike anything I'd tasted before but was very good! The service was very attentive as no one else was there. The restaurant is a little small but it fit our party fine. This was a great find! I definitely would come back!

David D.

I really like the atmosphere here, the location, clean bathroom, easy parking, and all the food except the chicken. The employees here are the nicest people I have ever met in a Thai restaurant. I had my usual Spicy Eggplant with Chicken and Shrimp you can see in the pics. The sauce and eggplant were great--what a great taste, but: I could not finish the chicken--it just did not taste good--and not in a make me sick way--it just had a bad taste and I know it can be better--I have a lot better at Thai restaurants. The shrimp was excellent but you don't get a lot. The thing about chicken breast in Asian restaurants is that many use pre-cut bagged frozen like you find in the grocery store and that kind just does not taste good. I would not be able to order the chicken here again and that is a shame because the rest of the food was excellent. Here is my suggestion to the owner: See if LA LA Thai in West LA will allow you to sit in with them and learn how they buy and prepare the chicken. ( https://www.yelp.com/biz/lala-rice-thai-eatery-and-more-los-angeles-2?osq=lala+thai ) This is the best Thai in LA and their chicken is excellent always. You are far away and not in competition so probably they would show you. No one in South Bay is going to come to LA LA for Thai--South Bay people don't like to drive in LA. And while you are there, teach LA LA where to buy and how to cook brown rice because LA LA's brown rice is mediocre and yours is a lot better. Last, prices here are expensive--probably the highest I have ever encountered for these Thai dishes. It's basically $50+ for 2 people to dine here. But Nawa is in the very high rent district so that is probably where a lot of the money is going--to the landlord. A lot of people not in real estate don't know that the cost of land in Manhattan Beach exceeds the price per square foot in Beverly Hills or Bel Air. It's that expensive here.

Sean Z.

Located by the heart of Manhattan Beach. Walking distance from the shore. There was no private parking but plenty of street parking. The decor was simple and touch of Thai style. The service was great. Water and menu were brought to the table immediately. The food were served without much of a wait. The food was absolutely delicious. The shrimp in the papaya salad was tender and fresh. The portion was slightly small. Nonetheless, it was still a satisfying experience. The price wasn't too bad for its location. Overall, it gets a 4.7 out of 5. May visit again!

Parking is convenient with meters out front and a structure across the street. Just make sure you pay because parking enforcement is active. This place feels like such an underrated gem. Every time we visit, it is never overly crowded and the waiters are always friendly. The Crab Fried Rice ($23.95) is my absolute favorite here. They give a generous amount of real crab meat, and ordering it medium spicy gives it just the right kick. The portion is large enough for me and my husband to share, with leftovers to take home. The Pad See Ew with beef ($20.95) is another must-try, also great medium spicy. Both dishes are packed with flavor and quality. One thing to note, it does get a little warm inside. On our last visit, it felt like the AC might not have been working. There were two fans that sprayed mist, but they didn't completely cool the restaurant down. Overall, this has become our go-to Thai spot in the area. A little on the pricier side but worth every bite.

PatrickJ T.

Celebrated a Fantastic Birthday dinner at Nawa Thai Restaurant in Manhattan Beach, California!! There was only one negative factor that occurred that special evening. It took forever to find parking!! We went there on a Saturday night, and Manhattan Beach was bustling with activity and traffic. Had to drop off my family while I searched long and hard for parking. Other than that, it was a perfect evening. The parking issue was no fault of Nawa Thai. The restaurant is not very large, but it is cozy. The staff were attentive and kind. The food was DELICIOUS!!!! I don't remember the names of all the entrees that we shared, but I do remember that we were all happy with the food! Everything from the Thai Iced Tea to the Pad Thai to the Mango with Sticky Rice was very very good!! We are not in the Manhattan Beach area very often. If we were, then we'd be regulars at Nawa Thai. Look forward to returning someday.

Audry P.

Excellent customer service Casual ambiance Delicious and flavorful food If you're in the neighborhood, this place is open 7 days a week! (Closed from 3pm-4pm week days) Lovely assortment of beers, including Singha, Sapporo, Stella, Leo. They also have red/white wine and sake. There is no outdoor seating ,but there are plenty of tables available inside. They have the ability to seat parties of 6, but I recommend calling ahead. They do offer plastic free to-go containers, as well as reusable utensils. All-in-all a delicious lunch! I can't wait to go back, and try the lobster pad thai

Ray M.

Small quaint location in North Manhattan Beach. Service was friendly and precise. Never had the fried shrimp donut before but its possibly the best asian food appetizer I have ever had. Then the Pad See Ew was fixed perfectly and with the requested amount of spice (Spicy). Great experience. Only losing a star for the canned sodas.

Jonathan B.

Wow and wow. It seems to be relatively easy to make passable Thai food and with some effort decent Thai food, but Nawa is neither. Nawa is exceptional. In fact it is so good that I would place it in the destination category! Meaning it's worth a drive of an hour or even more give. Its location too. This is the best Thai food I've ever had! And the customer service is top shelf!! Hats off.

Lorsine L.

We came to check out Nawa Thai while in the area and we were pleasantly surprised by the selections. My fiancé jumped on the lobster pad Thai and I sampled a couple of their appetizers. The chicken satay and crying tiger were really good. My fiancé especially loved that they cut off the fat of the beef and put it to the side since he doesn't like the fat (there's still some lean meat on it, I loved it). He didn't love the lobster pad Thai but that's more because it's on the sweeter side and he likes more savory dishes. I thought the pad Thai was good personally, so something to keep in mind. Our server was very attentive and food came out quickly. He even distinguished between the room temp water for me and ice water for my fiancé. Music was nice and mellow and decor was nice and green. Parking was your typical beach parking so it wasn't great... side note: did you know that the parking meters in Manhattan Beach know when you leave your parking spot? The person in front of me left and had more time than me, so I pulled forward and BOTH meters reset. Just a word of warning for those looking for parking or hoping to use someone else's spot

James Q.

Hands-down, the best Thai restaurant in the neighborhood and perhaps the greater Los Angeles area. The food here is not only authentically flavorful, but also interesting. They have dishes that other restaurants do not have for example they have a pad Thai with a lobster tail, and they have crab fried rice. Their mango sticky rises to die for, I recommend you eat at the restaurant because when you get the mango sticky rice the rice part will be piping hot. Simply extremely delicious. Also, if you eat at the restaurant, the owner will bring you a wide assortment of different spices. My wife considered the spices extremely special and perhaps the highlight of the meal.. Pro tips: There's a discount if you pay cash. Parking is quite difficult, consider ubering here and try their Thai beer!