This is an amazing place. Everything I put in my mouth was more delicious than the last. My friends and I began our meal with two appetizers - a larger-than-life spring roll with a decadent peanut sauce, that kept appearing, much to my delight, throughout the meal, and the veggie satey. The two appetizers were more than enough to whet my palate for the three main dishes we ordered to share. While all were delightful, I will rank them in order of preference. 1. Kao Rad Kang with green curry. Oh my! I wanted to lick the plate. I didn't quite sink to this while dining in the restaurant, but I do recommend it for anyone who orders this dish to go and can do so in the comfort and privacy of one's own home. The cultured way to sop up all the good sauce while surrounded by other diners seemed to be using the rice. It worked fairly well. 2. Faktong Pad. To my knowledge, I've never had kabocha squash before. It seemed a lot like a sweet potato but denser. This dish is spicy, so much so that one bite immediately made me start tearing up. That didn't stop me from continuing to scarf it down. 3. Pad Makua. A solid dish, but it didn't compare with the other two we had. I also enjoyed an iced thai coffee which was sweet enough to count for dessert. We left feeling engorged and all for less than $20 each. What a deal! Especially for dinner. This place is a total dream for vegetarians. If I lived in the area, I can assure you that I'd be a regular. read more

This is a vegetarians paradise! There is an entire vegetarian menu complete with unique dishes and incredible portion sizes. Try the pumpkin curry - it's to die for. And service is impeccable! read more

Last night my boyfriend and I dined at Neecha Thai. First, I love this area of Oakland, Grand Avenue. Our table was right by the window which I do enjoy. It's a small dimmed restaurant and I enjoyed the atmosphere. Now, to the good part, the food was really good. I LOVE Thai food and I love it when it's as authentic as possible. We ordered a few things to share; Vegeterian Fried Rice w/Salad Chicken Pad Thai Green Curry (Chicken) w/Rice Dessert: FBI = Fried Banana w/Coconut Ice Cream (YUM!) = ) Overall, we had a nice quiet dinner and left with full belly's, also, the service is fast and good. Enjoy! read more

Great authentic Thai spot! Stumbled upon this place by chance while with a party of three adults and two toddlers. We were starving and couldn't go another step and voila! We were simply expecting to refuel, but instead we were treated to authentic Thai with all of the interplay of spices and tastes and no holding back. I liked it so much I returned the next week for dinner with a girlfriend and added it to my rotation. Pros: Great service, kid-friendly, spectacular food. Con: (This is the reason it only gets a 4) It's a pretty small place so it gets packed too easily which can leave you standing forlorn out on the sidewalk if you don't plan ahead. read more

Wow. I am so lucky that this place moved into my hood. This is elevated Thai food. This is gourmet Thai food. It's fresh and deliciously spiced. It's the bomb-diggety. Try their grapefruit and herb salad or the fried trout with this amazing chili and basil sauce with chunks of pineapple. MMMM! I've tried a bunch of things here and only once was I disappointed -- the pad thai -- super ho-hum. So don't get that dish and you should be as a happy clam. Plus they serve brown rice, which I love. read more

One of our favorite Thai places in Oakland. We've eaten here once but taken out a number of times. The only constant I normally get is the green curry - so good! Otherwise, I try something different every time and I have never regretted anything we've ordered. Some other memorable dishes: Garlic Shrimp Pad Thai corn fritters Noodle Soup (can choose your noodle) Everything has tons of flavor and is really good. Price is fair for what you get.The kitchen is full of women who know their food. Always seems fresh and always fast for pick up. Family friendly for eat in and kid friendly foods. Recommended for sure! read more

Love their Thai food, authentic Thai place with Thai cooks, can't say how amazing the food was, loved their pad see ew and pad Thai....big portions and you get salad and a slice of watermelon on the side read more

Neecha Thai - Shrimp see ew - Thai Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is for the delivery I had through Postmates. When I got my food, it was still pretty warm but the pad thai I ordered was a soft, somewhat congealed mess which is not at all like what I've had at the restaurant. I'm not sure what went wrong but it was very unappetizing. The salad tasted like it hadn't been washed. Also, the chicken satay was burnt. Very disappointed with this meal and I'll never order again. read more

A wonderful newcomer to the Grand Lake district, with the audacity to open up smack inbetween two long-time Thai cuisine tenants just footsteps in either direction, I think they've got a bright future here. They have a remarkably large selection of vegetarian options on their menu, which I think will account for 50% of its success. The other half: well, good food and service of course. I've been dining here pretty frequently for the past 4 months, and they're mostly consistent in the food quality department, too. Basics like Pad Thai are done solidly and with some unique flair. The green curry was delicious, but nowhere in the league of my favorites. The small plates are playfully and beautifully presented -- not something you'd expect from modestly priced restaurant. The chicken wrapped in pandan leaves, and the dungeness crab appetizers have been my favorite of the starter set. But my absolute faves here: the garlic pork and the red curry with prawns and kabocha. Entrees are not served family style here. Instead, large plates are served with a scoop of rice instead, and frequently some tempura-style fried vegetable as well. I had mixed feelings about the serving style at first, but portion sizes are still generally large enough that you can share dishes family style anyway. They offer the option for brown rice: that's a first I've encountered in any Thai restaurant, and I do believe they'll win many hearts for it as well. The service was super attentive, and I've had some pleasant exchanges with several members of the family that own and run the place. And that makes me even all the more eager to go back and spread the good word about this wonderful new eatery. read more

NEECHA I needCHA! This is by far THE best Thai restaurant in the grand/lakeshore area! Trust me, that's coming from someone who has been exposed to this cuisine since birth and just recently someone who WAS a vegetarian for 9 months (long story)... Their vegetarian/vegan options for Thai cuisine are unmatched (veggie pad kee mao & veggie thai curry) but I took a lady friend of mine to neecha & she ordered the shrimp pad thai, the garlic shrimp plate and I swear she had me aroused with all the moaning she did while devouring those succulent shelled critters. Their veggie noodle soup & koi soi needed a little more flavor but were by no means bad in anyway... The takeout was also a bit lackin' but I have no idea if there was a diff chef or if that makes a major diff in general... Only more reviews will resolve this unsolved mystery! read more

Went for lunch for the first time. Had heard good things about this place but was slightly disappointed. I had the Green Curry Chicken rice plate which was just okay. The curry seemed to be missing the kick that I am used to with the Thai curries. Perhaps they didnt have enough spices or they didnt use enough coconut milk because they are vegetarian/health conscious. A friend and almost everyone else around had the Pad Thai which looked really good. Another friend had the fried rice plate which smelled fantastic. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. Will have to re-do this review after I try the Pad Thai next time. read more

I've gone here twice, and my second experience was much better than the first one. The first time I ordered the Pad Seew, and it was "okay". I didn't like how they added the mushrooms in there. The service was kind of lousy that day, too. But last week I decided to give this place another try because I was REALLY in the mood for curry and didn't want to go to Champa Garden. This time I ordered the Yellow Curry (which is their mildest one, and I believe it!) and Thai Iced Tea. The curry was... oh my GOODNESS.. it was delicious. Maybe it was because I was absolutely starving but it was so good. Taste just like how my dad makes it (maybe even better)! Our service was even better this time, too. The only downside to the dish was that they serve it with like an ice cream scoop of rice. I don't know if it's just me, but I like a lot of rice when I eat curries or sauce-based dishes. But it was okay, because I couldn't finish it anyway. The curry tasted better the second day! This place is small, so I wouldn't suggest going here with a large party. Otherwise, yummy food! read more

Walked down to the Grand Lake Theatre and passed a "new to me" restaurant that listed Kao Soi in their menu. "Hey!" I say to my self, "I should try that place out". While waiting in line I bump into 3 different sets of friends, and begin my campaign of "wouldn't it be fun to have dinner- I know the perfect place-just a couple doors down". Everyone agrees luckily (so I don't have to force them) and we troop in. Even tho they are busy at 9+pm, they seat the group of 8 quickly towards the back. We order a mix of food, with some special requests due to food allergies and spice-wuss issues. roti- sweet deep fried dough drizzled with condensed milk was ok (not at all like the savory roti canai with peanut curry sauce that I was expecting) hello a dessert item! I felt like they could have warned us. kao soi- crispy noodles with chicken in yellow curry with yummy treats mixed in. delicious. all the other dishes were good and made to the appropriate heat requested. NB you can get it volcanoe spicy but you have to convince them that you want it hot! i've gone and lost the menu that i took notes on. i'll sign off now with a promise of writing more. but don't take my word for it- try it out yourself. a great new addition to the neighborhood. read more

Finally, a great Thai restaurant in Oakland. The reviews are true! The fried rice was tasty without being overly greasy. My friend's pad sew was not too soggy or undercooked, but just the right amount of chewiness. The papaya salad had a kick to it. The lime flavor was tangy and they even put lime in the water which is a nice touch. Cute decor, simple but not ostentatious. This has definitely been my favorite Thai restaurant in Oakland Update food is hit and miss. Great. Pad Thai read more

I haven't ordered from here in a long time, and I'm not sure if I have had their Tom ka chicken soup before, but it is definitely not my favorite version. Not only is it much sweeter (added 2 little salt packs to the soup just to cut the sweet) than most it had large unchewable chunks of mushroom stem that were flavorless. Besides the stems and the chicken it was just the soup base, a bit bland as far as ingredients go, I'm used to having a few more things in my Tom ka at least some more mushrooms. Wanted to post this so that they could see this and understand that those big chunks of mushroom are not something that should be in anyone's food. I found 2 straw mushrooms and one shred of carrot, which probably came in from elsewhere as there's not usually carrots and this soup either. Very disappointing. I posted a picture of all of the giant chunks of mushroom stem along with this review, hopefully it will show up. read more

Neecha Thai - Inedible mushroom stem in the Tom Ka soup. - Thai Near Me - Oakland, California

Hands down, the best Thai food I've had in the East Bay. The calamari was so delicious, my boyfriend swore he could eat plates of it all night. The mild yellow curry was fantastic, as was the pad thai. Now that its on my radar, Neecha is absolutely my go-to dinner spot before movies at the Grand Lake! But get there early, by 6:30pm it was packed. read more

The best thai food in Oakland and I'll even say Bay Area. I have been going here for four years and never disappoints . read more

Neecha Thai - Amazing display - Thai Near Me - Oakland, California

I love knowing that if I go to eat here I will leave satisfied, full and happy that I had chosen to eat here. GIngko biloba seeds....so delicious and the tofu sheets...I forget what the dishes is called, but it makes me so happy. The fried bananas with coconut ice cream a decadent way to finish up. I love it. And my quality of life increases knowing I can walk down here and have their tom ka soup whenever I want. :) read more

Came in here randomly on a walk through Oakland. What a pleasant surprise! Some of the best yellow curry I've ever had. Very flavorful, great balance of meat, potatoes and veggies. I read that some people request peanut sauce on the side but I didn't find it necessary. Not too spicy, and large enough portions to take some home. Also ordered the Tom Ka (coconut) soup which was delicious. It was a great combination of tangy and sweet, not too much one or the other. The only headache was that the mushrooms are pretty large and have multiple heads, which makes it a bit clumsy to eat. The service was only decent, but I'd go back. Food was def worth it read more

Burned wok flavor in everything. Repeat, burned wok. My "pad thai" was INEDIBLE. Horrible burned flavor on grossly overdone noodles in a dry, too sweet sauce. Ghastly. The server brought boxes to the table for us to package up our leavings. She dropped mine on the floor right in front of me, then handed it to me. i packaged up the plate of food, left a 20% tip, exited the restaurant, and dumped the whole mess in the nearest garbage can. read more

Definitely am not getting great vibes from the waitress. But whatever. Ordered a glass of Cabernet. They only have Woodbridge. Guess I'm drinking the cheap shit tonight. Fried spring rolls that says it has all these various meats in it, including shrimp. Waitress tells me, that only have pork ones. Ok, I guess. For my entree, green curry shrimp with rice. Food hasn't arrived yet, so unsure of what it shall taste like at the moment. I do know that I despise their menu. It was definitely not what I'm use to. It was just very hard to decide what to order because you had to find your like within this menu. It's hard to describe the issue. You would have to order from it to understand what I'm talking about. Spring rolls are here. Kinda tiny. Only enough for one person. But very tasty. Oohh weee if it would've had everything in there...mmmmm. My entree is here. Reminds me of a lunch special. Ugh, the Damn tails are on the prawns. So now I need to get them off which I don't think I should have to. They are in the sauce and now my hands are dirty. This green curry is not flavorful at all. I am totally not feeling this dish. I remember one day I said it has to be hard to fuck up Thai food. Well that's a Damn lie. This stuff is not to my liking at all. Maybe to someone else, but not Muah. Imo, they are very lucky to be in grand ave. Otherwise, this place would flop read more

Neecha Thai... I had u once. I savored Your red curry. Wasn't as spicy as I wanted it to be but u know what? I didn't specify it.... My bad. I do appreciate that you were hella busy on a Sunday and gladly and happily too my togo order. It did sound pretty busy in there and that was comforting as a new customer. Ya'll did aight. I mean I'm gonna go back. But net time i wanna dine in. I mean damn why did u have to rent out such a small place? PS could you please deliver? I'm so tired of picking up food. read more

My favorite "I'm really sick" food is Tom Kha with tofu, so I sent my bf out to Neecha to pick some up for me last night, along with some red curry (why oh why are there no places that deliver in Oakland???). The Tom Kha was really disappointing -- it was like they dropped a few mushrooms into a can of coconut milk and threw in four pieces of tofu. And the portion they sent was extremely small. It was not very spicy or tangy, and there were no vegetables :( The red curry was okay, but also not very spicy. Blah. read more

yum! Came by there spur of the moment for lunch yesterday. Unfortunately, there were no lunch specials, so lunch was rather more expensive than I was planning. but oh, it was so delicious! Some of us shared the papaya salad, crisp, chilled and tangy. I had the pad see ew, and they included enoki mushrooms with it. There was a side salad simply dressed, and a tiny slender fried spring roll thing--in fresh oil no less, and one perfect halved strawberry. large vegan and vegetarian options too! (note, one of my friends doesn't do the rice or starch thing, and they gave him the bbq chicken with a large plate of salad to go with it) read more

Everything was exactly what I thought it would be after reading Yelp reviews - a very yuppie-oriented dining experience. Way pricier than downtown Oakland, "spicy" food that wasn't, quick & efficient service, somewhat inconsistent dishes.... The meat dish we got (wish I could remember what it was - the waitress recommended it) was delicious; the tofu Rad Na was not (no flavor, limp texture); the green bean appetizer was mighty tasty; the mango & sticky rice was just OK. So.... we might try the ghetto thai place around the corner. Or we might just head down to the westside of LA next time we want good, cheap, actually spicy thai food. read more

Awful. I ordered Pumpkin curry with chicken. Watery curry sauce , no flavor, 3 pieces of scrawny pumpkin and some chicken. Total rip off crap. Why it has any stars at all, I can only think people have never had real and good Thai curry before, because this is a total disappointment and sucks. Even though it's only around the corner from me, I'll never go here again. What a bad excuse for Thai food. Yuk. read more

Just like every other thai place in Oakland. Pad Se Ew was super tasty but that was the only thing we'd order again. Just unremarkable. read more

Got the lamb yang ($16) when I came here for dinner with a couple old college friends tonight. I was debating between that and my go-to shrimp pad thai. It was pretty good - came with peanut sauce over the top, a salad, and quinoa, which I've never had before but enjoyed. I don't know if it's so good that it was worth the $16, but I did bring home leftovers, though not enough for an entire next meal. Nice atmosphere, small and cozy, good for a date. But I don't think I'll be coming back; I'm sure I can find equally good, if not better, Thai food somewhere else for cheaper. Sorry! read more

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We were actually on our way to a different Thai restaurant when we parked our car and noticed this was right in front of us. For our appetizer, we ordered the spring rolls and chicken satay. Both of which were excellent. For our meals, we ordered the pad thai with chicken, read more

It is a true joy to write a review for Neecha Thai, which along with SF's famous Marnee Thai, is about as good as Thai food gets in the Bay Area. Ultimately it's fresh ingredients, incredible flavor and great value that add up to make Neecha a 5-star experience. Neecha Thai is on Grand Avenue in the heart of Oakland's Lake Merritt neighborhood. This is, of course, a good thing because it means lovely sunny weather, cool local culture and a view of the lovely man-made lake sitting below the East Bay hills. It is also, however, a bad thing because parking can be a bit tough. Expect to hunt long and pay dearly- like Lindsay Lohan on a bender. Once inside you'll notice a minimal yet thoughtful decor, with neutral walls sporting an Oakland-chic graphic. Neecha is about a 30-top restaurant and the service is prompt, so there is rarely a wait to sit down. Once seated you get the menu. Meat on one side, veggie dishes on the other. But these two aren't truly segregated, because ultimately you will realize that almost every meat dish has a vegetarian alternative. As you can imagine, lots of great vegetarian and gluten-free options. Although, the gluten-free folks won't get to eat the rice noodes in the Pad Kee Mow, but that's okay- more for me. Now, when it comes to the food, I don't say this lightly- you can not go wrong. Follow your gut. Follow your heart. Just pass up the Pad Thai and get something a little more daring. The Thai Green Curry is delicious. Lots of complex curry flavor to accompany all of the fresh veggies and chicken. The curry mix can change, but typically it's white meat chicken, bell pepper, carrots, and onions. At least. The aforementioned Pad Ke Mow is also amazing. Freshly minced chicken with tons of basil hit the piping hot wok with delicious, in-house rice noodles and veggies. This dish does not disappointed. I have also had my way with quite a few of the specials. The Prik King (laugh it up, fuzzball) is very unique with tons of green beans and kaffir lime leaves. The Lamb Yang is a decadent walk on the meaty side, offering a huge pan-friend lamb chop topped with spicy, earthy peanut sauce. There is also a citrus and green papaya salad that is both flavorful and refreshing on a hot, East Bay day. Ultimately what keeps me coming back to Neecha Thai is the food. The flavors, the freshness and the value. Take a look at their menu online, you'll see... it ain't that expensive. And the bang you get for your buck is fantastic. If you are in the Oakland area and craving a great thai spot, definitely stop by Neecha. Jefe's Tip: ASK FOR THE SPICE KIT!!! I will sadly agree with other reviewers who kvetch that the spice kit is not offered outright. However, now you know. And the more you know... the more variety of delicious spices and sauces will be made available to you. Food:***** Ambiance:***1/2 Service:*** Value:**** read more

UPDATE: 19 December 2007 Neecha Thai may have turned a corner for the worse. The last couple of times I've been there, the food hasn't been as good. The spicy flavors I've grown to adore have wisked away into spice without flavor. It's greasier. The once voluptuous body now appears anorexic. I asked the owner about the kitchen. She said that the primary Lao cook no longer works there. I have seen a notable decline since his departure. I hope it's merely coincidental. For now, I'm lowering my rating to 3 stars. Lately, it's nothing special. I'll go back -- old habits die hard -- but now I'll experiment with other places as Neecha Thai no longer -- at least for the time being -- holds its standout place in my culinary heart. ------------------- UPDATE: 21 September 2007 I'm upping my Neech Thai ratings to a solid 4+ stars. More than any Thai restaurant I've been to in the Bay Area, this place solidly delivers superbly spiced, fresh, delicious, greaseless Thai cuisine. Kudos to the brilliant chefs at Neecha Thai for their consistency and their appreciation for truly spicy food. Bravo! ------------------- Quite tasty, not greasy, and flavorful. Undoubtedly, one of the more promising Thai restaurants I've been to in the East Bay. Portions for dinner were small, however. Our entrees came with rice on the plate -- much like what one might expect for a lunch special. It would have been difficult to share given the portion size. Prices in and of themselves are not that high -- higher, however, than its sister restaurant in San Francisco -- but considering what one receives, it feels more expensive than it should be. Still, good quality and worth checking out. read more

Overpriced mediocre Thai food. The pad see-ew was decent but the chicken dish my boyfriend ordered barely had 3 or 4 pieces of chicken in it. We ordered our food to-go and they packed the rice with the entrees in these big plastic containers. By the time we got home, the rice was a soggy mess. Also, the to-go portions were a little small. Switch to paper containers and pack the rice in a separate container and you'll earn an extra star. Update: I changed the rating from 2 stars to 4...they have made great strides in the quality of food here. Very tasty...lots of veggie alternatives....yummy desserts. I ordered the pad see-ew again...so much better this time around. Maybe they just needed a little time to get settled in...either way, I would recommend it! read more

I dropped in for a takeout after my yoga class across the street. The Tom Kha was very bland (even though I ordered it spicy) and there weren't any decent veggies to speak of except a few sad mushrooms. Luckily - the chicken satay was tasty, but it was a very small portion. I judge a Thai spot on their Tom Kha which is my favorite and Neecha Thai's fell short.... read more

The vegetarian dishes here are pretty bland. If you're going to order one, get one where the sauce is pretty strong like a curry. The vegetarian noodle soup was blah. The vegetarian red curry with pumpkin squash (it's called something else) was ok, only because the curry was so strong. I'm told the meat dishes are better. read more

Mmmmmm second time here. This time for dinner. After a couple glasses of red wine down the street at Kingman's lucky bar, Thai food was the perfect ending. I ordered the yellow curry.. Whoa..party in my mouth. The flavors and amount of spice was delicious. Chicken was tender and the piece of watermelon on the plate was refreshing. I wanted to lick up the plate. The sauce was just too good! I would say one of the best yellow curries I've had. Will definitely return for more! read more

Food was great. Tom yum was a bit more sugary than I'm used to but I loved the tofu and mushrooms that were in it. Vegetarian Kao soi was delicious with the pickled mustard greens and various tofu and veggie meats. The coconut water is canned with added sugar so if recommend getting their fruit tea which is made in house! read more

This is a great Grand Lake neighborhood place, where we've been eating about twice a month for two years. I would give a fifth star, but the menu is a little limited once you get to know it as well as we do. Solid options are pad thai, pad se ew (the vegetarian version is fantastic), and pra ram. They make THE ABSOLUTE BEST PAPAYA SALAD I have ever had. They serve a small green salad with entrees and you can substitute quinoa for rice. My husband loves the bbq chicken and orders it almost every time. Chicken satay appetizer is good too. I have to say, the soups are not a highlight here. The portions are generous and the service is quick. I love it when you find a place where you don't have to wait for a table, yet the food is reliably good. It's not romantic but works just fine for a casual date. read more

Calamari, yes please.. Can you make that two because it was so delicious!?! Lamb curry, yummy but a little too salty for my taste. Mango sticky rice, in my mouth please!!! read more

The curry noodle was nasty. Its full of old oil that taste terrible. Greasy as hell. Every bite is oil. Never seen a restaurant use that much oil. Service is bad. Only one waitress in the restaurant and she was in a hurry. Trying to close the register and counting money. I seriously don't know how it gets the 4 stars. Unbelievable. Won't go back for sure. read more

Everyone but me loves Thai food. I just think it is the same sauces, veggies, fried tofu and rice every place I go to. Maybe I don't have a discerning palate. I think the pumpkin curry at Koh Samui & The Monkey is ok but still sort of ho-hum. At this point in my life, I'm happy if the food isn't overly oily. My constant Thai food buddy and I had frequented the Neecha in the city and were eager to try out its sister location. When we got there on a Friday night, an irate customer was yelling at the kitchen staff for ripping her off. I guess they sold her an "eighteen dollar ball of rice." (This item didn't appear on the menu, but I was intrigued enough to try it myself and see what all the fuss was about.) She was loud and belligerent enough to warrant the cops coming. This incident must have shocked the staff to a degree that they didn't feel like giving us water or taking our order for ten minutes. This enabled my companion and I to discuss the merits of an apartment we had just seen. But then we were delighted to get iced water served in mugs. MUGS! I love drinking out of mugs! The starter of tofu and crispy basil was superb! The texture of the fried tofu's exterior gave into the chewy center like that was its whole life's destiny. The sauce was powerfully intricate without being overwhelming. An amazing one-two punch of taste and texture. My companion wanted that to be her main dish, but I mocked her for such a suggestion. Had we ended the dining experience there, we would have left pleased. The main dishes were a little disappointing. The pad thai tasted too much like ketchup or fish sauce. Something weird was going on. The green curry was more coconut milk-y than spicy flavors. I'm giving this place an extra star because I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in a while, which always makes me feel like that's the reason we go out to eat, instead of eating a stir-fry in front of the TV while we argue about if we've seen this episode of What Not To Wear or talk about how many Diet Cokes I've had. read more