Food was a bit over priced and it was really warm in the restaurant. The food was delicious and it was very charming inside.

Tried multiple curries, noodles, and entrees between this location and the one downtown. Dishes very flavorful, reasonably priced, and filling. My favorite so far has been the duck curry. Atmosphere is versatile- good for casual dinner or more special occasion. Would come back for curry, but go elsewhere for noodles. read more

Nicky's Thai Kitchen - Red curry, pad Thai, basil tofu entree - Thai Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

So glad I trusted other reviews and came here. Ben was very friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The food come out really fast and was absolutely delicious. I had the Pad See Eaw which I've had at many Thai restaurants and is my staple at Thai Taste in Charlotte. It was on par with Thai Taste which is saying something. We also had the spring rolls which were okay in flavor, but a bit dry. I give them a pass on this as I honestly feel like they maybe weren't prepared fresh as the rice paper seemed a bit dehydrated. This could be because we were in not too long before close. Overall, great service and a great experience. We will be back next time we are in Pittsburgh. read more

Loves this spot! Maybe become one of my favorite place to go in Pittsburgh! The scenery on back, the outside patio, beautiful!! Plants and lighting make the environment amazing there. The foods is amazing, great options, beverage is amazing as well. I order pineapple fried rice with chicken and Thai teas. Both cooked/brew to perfection. The Thai tea serves in two different flavor, green tea and original, I would recommend both to anyone. :) The waitress are friendly. Definitely a deaf friendly spot to go! read more

Nicky's Thai Kitchen - Thai Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I wish I had realized that Nicky's has a lunch version of their menu sooner, because we find it quite sufficient as compared to the full menu. Since it's still pretty extensive but with lower prices overall (plus a soup or salad with most items), there's no reason not to! We chose the rice soup to start with, and it was so hearty, being seasoned with some herbs and spices and some pieces of meat. Our entrees were the phad see eaw and wild curry. The former was made just as well as you can find in many other Thai restaurants. The wild curry came with an assortment of different vegetables; it was interesting because it lacked coconut milk and was more like a spicy soup. They also came with a crab rangoon each, which I found kind of weird, but it was an interesting bonus. The food here tends to be on the sweeter side, so that's something to keep in mind. read more

Nicky's Thai Kitchen - Pad see ew - Thai Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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This was my first visit to Nicky's Thai on the North Side, although I have been to the downtown location many, many times. The inside seating area is a little smaller, although I believe they have outdoor seating at this location. The food was great, service was great, and ambiance was great -- just as I expected it would be! I ordered the green curry noodle dish (which I've had numerous times at different Thai restaurants) and it was delicious here! I was happy the server gave me the warning that all curry dishes are rated around a 3 to begin with because of the spice in the sauce. I'm a little bit of a baby with spicy food, but I went for it and it was just spicy enough for me. This location, unlike downtown, is a BYOB. Always a plus! read more

I was recommended this place by a Yinzer I used to work with. He is a foodie and beer connoisseur. Since I'm not from the Burgh it has taken me a long time to get out there. So I finally was able to take another Yinzer friend of mine for his birthday when I made an impromptu surprise visit. I am so glad that we went. It was raining and dismal. We walked in and they asked if we would like to be inside or outside. Anyone who knows me knows that I will choose outside 100% of the time when it is gorgeous outside. I look at her and say it's raining. Is it covered? She said it was covered. Sold!! That choice was simple. What a beautiful patio. Serene is the best way to explain it. You could hear the rain drops on the roof. So nice. Calming. There was a fountain in the middle of the room and plants and statues everywhere. Onto Service. Our server was V. I say like Vee and she said nope just V like as in victory or vendetta...hmmm this is going to be an interesting meal. I am a server and I can appreciate her wittiness. She comes across dead pan serious when she is talking to you but with the things she is saying you can understand that she is intelligent and knowledgeable. What is not to love!! We find out that she is studying for some god awful intelligent subject. She is destined to make some difference in the world. She did a fabulous job and I hope that she will be there when I visit the next time. So we look at the menu and it is vast...all the options are represented. My buddy is a Pescatarian. So his options are limited. I am thankful that my options are limitless. However, I do have to concede on a few things if we are to share an appetizer. Oh well...I'll make due. We choose a dish I believe is called Veg for You or something like that. It is like a sampler of sorts. It had the Fresh Spring Rolls, Somosa, and another item I just can't place right now. But everything was delish. I would easily get that again. I also order the Shrimp Cakes. After all it is his birthday so let's Fish it up. Onto the main course. A dish catches my eye not for me but in general because of the name and the location on the menu. I know that my buddy would probably enjoy this dish if it fits his dietary requirements. So when V comes back we ask what exactly is the Vegan Duck Curry. Completely serious she says that they feed the duck only vegetables for 12 months and then waits for the response. Wow...funny! She says she is kidding and explains that it is a vegetarian protein...yada yada yada. So he chooses that and because I want to try something new I ask for suggestions. She gave me three and I settle with the Garprow Lad Kao (I just called them to find out the name since it is not on the online menu). Say that 3 times fast. It had two cooked over easy eggs on top. She asks both of us the level of heat we would like to have 1-5. 5 would be the typical Thai Hot that I am used to. I usually get that and then ask for more powder to up the level of heat. V then says Thai Hot? No refunds? Now that gives me Pause to think. I have been to several places and gotten Thai Hot. I have always added more heat at the end...Can this place be so hot that they are like No refunds? What do I do? I say what the heck! If it is too hot then I deserve that. I order Thai Hot and she also gets us the Sauce tray. Why not right? Everything was so good. The sauce tray was a nice added touch and I did still add some more heat. I found out that she could have done a 6 Level of Heat! Maybe on my next trip. Now it is time to find out if I can surprise my bestie with a Birthday embarrassment. It would only be the second time this weekend. V is more then happy to oblige. She comes out with a nice Pumpkin Curd and a candle and of course we sing and embarrass him. The curd was also amazing like the rest of the experience. Thank you V for helping me make this time special. Thank you Nikki's Thai Kitchen for just having the right atmosphere and food to match. Anyone who is planning a trip to the Burgh make sure you add this to your visit itinerary...ask for V she is delightful. read more

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Consider the price, service and food quality. I would not recommend you spend that much money and 20% auto applied tips for this service and food! read more

We have been wanting to try Nicky's Thai Kitchen, and boy were we glad we finally did. I had the tofu pad thai and my husband the Gaprow Lad Koa with beef. They we DELICIOUS! The portions were very large, easily two meals. Will for sure be eating from here again! read more

Delicious Thai food in a gorgeous, ornately decorated setting - with authentic spice levels! Thai salads & noodles have all been good. Personal recommendations: grilled mint beef salad, panang curry, and basil chicken! read more

The chicken so dry it tasted like sand. Asked for medium spiciness and received with no spiciness nor taste. 2022-05-14 visit store at North side Pittsburgh. read more

Due to reports of rodent infestation I will not eat here ever again! Their service is not very good. If you want to substitute an ingredient, don't. They will not help you. The manager was rude for any problem. ! read more

Finally, Nicky's. Where your cup runneth over with... water. Seriously, every time I reached 90% empty, REFILL! I tried to make it a game to see if I could empty my cup before it was filled again, but decided I didn't want to pee myself. Anyways, I was pretty impressed with Nicky's; It's hard to distinguish between the two, for me at least. The service and quality of food at both were on the same level - excellent. I mean, the service alone was just outstanding. Super attentive and very accommodating. On top of that, the most important thing is obviously the food. I'll admit the only entrée I've had each time I go here is the curry. It comes in this great metal bowl with a side of rice. For me the flavor is a 10. I usually get around a 7 on the spice level. I got 9 once and my face hurt, and certain parts of the next day weren't pleasant. But. If that's your thing, go for it! I've also had the thai toast appetizer, which are yummy little bites of fried pork served with a vinegary sauce. And the thai tea, good strong flavor, no complaints. Last time I went, I was with someone who is obsessed with thai food, and he said it was on his top two thai places he's ever had, so I'll take his word for it... can't wait to come back! read more

I finally went back to NIcky's after almost a year! Time flies when you're having fun. Or taking time to eat my way through Pittsburgh. Irregardless... I believe the last time I was here I sorta wanted to be impressed more. This time, I was! I went all in and swayed from my usual Pad Thai and get crazy with another menu choice. Okay, I admit it wasn't super crazy. It was still a noodle dish, but hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? I ordered the Phad See Eaw, which is rice noodles with stir fried broccoli and sweet soy sauce. I 'm always into the shrimp, so I had to add some into the dish. And you know what? It was awesome! Maybe better than the Pad Thai. Wait, it was better than the Pad Thai! Huge portion, enough to enjoy the next day. Now I'm excited to go back and try other dishes. Since there's a new location downtown it will give me that much more of an excuse to head down there to "try" the new joint out. Hot Tip: BYOB and they do take reservations. We went on a Friday night and it was packed for such a tiny place, so remember to plan ahead! read more

Nicky's Thai Kitchen saved the day. We arrived here on a snowy Saturday afternoon in bad moods. I was not happy about leaving this amazing city and flying home to a city I've grown to loathe, and our attempts to eat in the Strip District had been thwarted by crowds, traffic and a restaurant who refused to serve us. We walked into Nicky's and it was warm, it smelled great and the staff actually smiled at us. Honestly, they could have served us dog food at that point and I would have been satisfied. The fact that they actually served good food was a bonus. The lunch special, somewhere in the vicinity of $6.99, was a bowl of chicken and rice soup and an entree. I got Chicken Pad Thai, and it was delightful. It's not the best Pad Thai I've ever had, but it wasn't too sweet and it filled me up. With drinks, the two of us got out for less than $20. Nicky's was the last meal I'd have in Pittsburgh, and after loads of sandwiches stacked with french fries, possibly the best. It'll always have a special place in that cold dark place that resides deep in my bosom. read more

I have resisted writing a review of Nicky's for a long time since I've tended to view this place as my own for the last 5-6 years. I've only ever recommended it to my closest friends in an attempt to keep the crowds down and to preserve this as a special, hidden gem for only MY use. I've taken friends there to introduce them to the pleasures of a truly great dining experience and EVERY ONE of them has been blown away. Alas, when the Pittsburgh Magazine list of top 25 restaurants included Nicky's, I knew it was over. Now I have to share this place with the great unwashed who haven't grown up with it like I have over the last several years. It pains me. Simply stated, this is WAY better than top 25. It might be top 2 or 3 in Pittsburgh. It's THAT good. But you won't like it so don't bother to go. (Will that keep you away and restore my own private relationship with Nicky's to what it used to be???) First off, the appearance from Western avenue is not very inviting. You walk into a somewhat decrepit looking building down a hallway to the hostess station. You can see into the kitchen and all the activity and smells that emanate from there are assurance that you've come to the right place and that this is gonna be GOOD! You don't know the half of it. Seating options are inside or out. Outside is a magical garden filled with plants I didn't know could exist on the Northside. How they keep the appearance of an urban jungle is beyond me - but the atmosphere is instantly relaxing and soothing. A host of Thai-related accents, umbrellas over the tables, brick walls - all take you so far away from the Northside you can't even imagine you aren't in Southeast Asia. With a no corkage fee (except on weekends) policy it's one of the best places for BYOB in the city. So bring some wine or champagne and feast your eyes on the menu. Oh my. If you can read through that without needing to wipe the drool from your mouth you need to have somebody check your pulse I've eaten here probably 35 times or more and have sampled so many things - not one of which I didn't rave about or wouldn't order again. The flavors are unlike anything you'll see anywhere else. Thai food is one of my all time favorite cuisines and Nicky's tops the list! And don't associate Thai food with HOT - it isn't unless you want it to be. I always do - on a scale of 1-10 I always order "Thai Hot" which is above 10. But the flavors? The curries, noodles, spring rolls, pork/chicken/fish dishes, the soft-shell crabs - all filled with amazing sauces and flavors that you want to savor every bite. My mouth is watering even now as I think about it. Amazing. Plus, if you're a vegetarian, you have a huge selection of entrees that will knock your socks off. Service is always excellent and attentive. Specials are so tempting and the price is right. I couldn't recommend it more highly. I could eat there several times a week. Wonder if they have a meal plan???? read more

Nicky's Thai Kitchen - Pork Jalapeño. Delish!!! - Thai Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Best. Thai. EVER. This small, neighborhood delight is unassuming at first glance. Make no mistake about it, those chefs in the kitchen you see upon first walking into Nicky's are hard at work, creating not only the best Thai food in Pittsburgh, but perhaps anywhere. The dining room is small but nice enough, but the real treat occurs when the weather is nicer and you move your dining experience to the patio. Beautiful foliage, babbling fountains, subtle twinkling lights, glass top tables with protective umbrellas...it's what I imagine dining in a secret garden would be like if Buddah was watching. And then, your food arrives. The spring rolls are light, tasty, with just a hint of crunchy peanuts. They are served with an amazing sweet dipping sauce. The samosa are incredible, lightly fried, and in addition to the traditional fillings such as potatoes, peas and carrots, they have added a very welcome layer of...pumpkin. Any samosa I've had since trying these treasures has fallen way short. Now, I'm the kind of girl who orders Pad Thai pretty much everywhere I go. I can't seem to stop myself. Nicky's Pad Thai is in a whole different league. The plate that is presented to you is vibrant, fresh, the tofu is always perfectly cooked, beautifully sauced, and the portions are definitely enough to provide lunch the following day. After trying the Pad Thai, it took me probably 5 visits to Nicky's to finally branch out and try something else on their ample, tasty menu. Other standout dishes for me? Definitely the yellow curry, the spicy noodle dish (rice noodles, cabbage and a yummy spicy basil sauce), the kao soy (yellow curry remix with rice noodles, pickled cabbage, tofu. My new go-to dish). There is another Nicky's location in Verona, and we have gotten take out from here on a few occasions. The menu is the same. The quality and consistency of the food, however, is not. It's decent Thai food, but certainly not what I've come to expect when I think of the extraordinary flavors of Nicky's. This is a special, wonderful restaurant. The service I have had here has always been nothing short of stellar. I will continue to frequent here and hope that they continue to be successful. I just hope with all the new people that discover this North Side gem, there continues to be a table on the patio for me. read more

Nicky's Thai Kitchen - Nicky's on Western - Thai Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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The food's pretty bland. First time I went there, I asked for my curry to be "Thai hot" (meaning make it like you're making it for someone Thai, not watered down for American palettes). There was no heat. Next time I went, I told the waitress that last time I ordered, I said "Thai hot" and got bland. She seemed surprised and well, maybe the last waiter just didn't hear me? Ok, so, just in case the last waiter didn't hear me and they actually do know how to do something other than bland, I told her an 8 out of 10 on the spice scale. Yeah, no. I poured in some chili powder and ate it. I usually order medium spice at my local Thai place in Maryland. Nicky's hottest setting is like eating ramen noodles by comparison. If this is the best Thai food in Pittsburgh, I'm really glad I don't live in this city anymore, because clearly Pittsburgh doesn't know Thai. read more

Food was prepared fresh but much too salty and somewhat dry--both the red snapper with red curry and the Paht Thai. Service was okay but not great. On the plus side, the food was seasoned and spiced to the heat levels we requested. No alcoholic drinks are on the menu but there are other places to get those. Not as good as most Thai restaurants I've visited. read more

Hands down my favorite thai restaurant in Pittsburgh! There is nothing on their menu I don't like. Their pad thai with shrimp is EXCELLENT, and they make my favorite curry--mango curry and I always get tofu in it. The spring rolls are delicious. Be warned, the spice levels here are high. If you want just a little kick, don't order higher than a 2. There are some complaints about the service here, but I have never had any problems. read more

I usually don't complain and am easy going but what happened to me at this place was absolutely unacceptable! I had a reservation for 3 at 7:15. We weren't seated until about. 7:30 and placed out order around 7:45. At 8:40 we asked our waitress where our food was and she said she'd check. Came back a couple minutes later saying it would be just a few more minutes. Come 9 we still had no food. In the meantime I watched 2 other couples be seated AND get their food while we had nothing. The manager was a spineless guy who was so uncomfortable with confrontation I almost felt bad for him. Anyhow at 9 we got up and left. They offered us our meal for free but considering it still wasn't ready we just left. I almost feel bad writing a negative review because the food may have actually been good, however, we never got any but the horrid service forced my hand. We called up Pusadee's and they were sympathetic and were more than willing to take us even at 9:20 (considering we had to drive there from where we were at). read more

This is the BEST THAI I've had in a really long time! When we got there, we had to wait about 15 minutes even though we had a reservation. It was well worth the wait though! The dining area is really small but the restaurant is authentic and the atmosphere is relaxing. Ordered the Thai Toast for an appetizer - they weren't crunchy or soft. Perfect consistency and they came with a wonderful cucumber sauce which made the dish complete. For my entree, I ordered the Shrimp Red Curry. This was my favorite dish of the night! We got a spice level of 5 and it was perfect. YOU MUST GET THIS DISH! My boyfriend got the panang curry, which he also loved. The service was excellent. Can't wait to go back to Pittsburgh so I can go back to Nicky's Thai kitchen!! read more

For a man who claims to love Panang curry as much as I do, how on earth did I resist their special of softshell crab panang curry? I can totally see why this place has gotten the high reviews, it's cozy, the service is good, and they even have an elderly Thai woman working in the kitchen (can't get much more authentic than that)! Instead of the softshell panang, I went with their "signature" mixed seafood pad thai. As soon as I saw it.....smelled it, I immediately regretted my decision. When you think of ideal seafood, you might think of pristine scallops and shrimp, and crabs gently plucked out of the crystal blue waters surrounding, say, Fiji. The seafood in this Pad Thai looked like it was dragged in off the coast of New Jersey, pulled up in oily nets and left to sit in the smog filled air. It was not good. To be honest, the shrimp wasn't even edible, and the pungent taste kind of scared me off from the rest of the large white "seafood" chunks on my plate. The rest of the flavors were decent, although I got absolutely NO heat from my medium spice preference. Don't get me wrong, I'd definitely come back to this place, and I'm sure it's great, just avoid the seafood pad thai. read more

The best Thai in the Burgh. I was first turned on to Nicky's last summer before I moved back to Pittsburgh and it has become a regular go to for dinner and I always need to bring out of town guests here. Great food, great service, BYOB (which I love), and beautiful surroundings (love their garden patio in the back). I will continue to venture to this hidden gem :) If you have not yet been here, it is highly recommended! read more

For the best Thai food in Pittsburgh, enjoy a taste of Thai flavors at Nicky's Thai kitchen. I've frequented both this location and downtown. I like the decor both indoor and outdoor of this location. So when I crave either the spring rolls or Pad Thai, this is the restaurant that best satisfies my taste buds. read more

Delicious Thai food that's super reasonably priced! Lots of items are around 10 dollars, and there are many options on the menu. FYI, the Thai ice tea and desserts are absolutely delicious too. We are planning on coming back to try out more items! read more

I've been here for three times but I haven't been to the patio yet. I'm really looking forward to come here again and enjoy their outdoor seating! As for food, I think it really depends on what you order. For the first two times, it was good but not great. The third time, I came here with a few friends who really loved this place. We had the spring roll and papaya salad as appetizers. Both of them are pretty good, the papaya salad was really fresh and tasty. The texture of papaya combined with a little bit vinegar and peanuts stimulated my appetite. As for entrees, we had tom kha hot pot, soft shell crab, duck curry, crab fried rice, Spicy Basil Fried Rice, and some kind of tofu(?). The tom kha soup seems simple, but it's tasty if you like coconut. The spicy basil fried rice was so good that though I tried not to eat carbs, I still had quite a lot. Soft shell crab was a must for my friends, and they are good. read more

The outdoor seating area at Nicky's Thai Kitchen puts it a notch above the rest. The patio makes it possible to enjoy the warmer months even in this unpredictable Pittsburgh weather. The one complaint was the bold birds. One flew so close to my girlfriend's head, it left her hair tousled. We understand there are some things out of the restaurants control, but just a friendly suggestion to seek ways to ward off these little creatures. The food was as expected with Thai, full of complex flavors of sweet, sour, and spicy. The salad portions were a bit small but could be a great appetizer. Overall, a positive experience and we will be coming back. read more

Best Thai in Pittsburgh hands down. I've been here several times with my girlfriend and I've had a different thing from the menu every time I went and have yet to be disappointed. Their Pad See Ew is the best I've had anywhere and their various curry dishes are top notch. Service is great and both the indoor and outdoor seating are very quaint and not overdone. My only issue is that prices tend to be a bit higher than other places I've seen for Thai, but if you're in Pittsburgh and are looking for a good Thai place, don't pass up Nicky's. read more

This is a bittersweet review: The food is excellent, and I highly recommend the spicy noodles and the steamed dumplings. The service was good and the place was quaint and clean. However, be very careful here because I paid with a credit card that I had not publicly used in a very long time, and the very next day fraudulent charges were on the same card. Luckily the credit card company caught it and alerted me ASAP. I have to assume an employee at Nicky's was the culprit considering I have not pulled this card out of my wallet in 6 months. I could be wrong, but be wary. read more

Their pad see ew is so tasty! And make sure you order the crab rangoons. They are homemade and definitely not like most you would find at a chinese takeout. read more

What an oasis! We went into Nicky's Thai Kitchen on Friday and due to the small entrance of the restaurant I looked skeptically at the waiter who was going to bring us to outdoor seating. Lo and behold a minute later we found ourselves in Thailand. There are a lot of props around you but it adds to the experience. A con was that we were seated at a table for two with the table umbrella exactly in the middle, which was cemented to the floor tho we just shifted our seats over. Food errs on the cheap side for dinner generally speaking - $10 - $20 for entrees and under $10 for apps. Nicky's Thai Kitchen does not skimp on the portions. We ordered fresh rolls and I ordered the Beef Phad Phet. Delicious. Waiter was friendly and checked in on us periodically. I would be back to Nicky's Thai Kitchen though will be bringing back some wine. read more

They should add a tagline to Nicky's Thai Kitchen as Thai food heaven. If you are from out of town (like me), don't be fooled by the entrance of this restaurant. Once you go it, just ask for a table outside and you would be surprised to see the decor and the Thai cultural design of their outdoor seating. My wife and I visited the National Aviary which is less than a mile from this restaurant. We spent almost 5 hours at the aviary and wanted to eat lunch at around 3PM. So, I looked up nearby Thai restaurants on Yelp and Nicky's shows up first on the list. Quick look at the reviews and menu on my phone and we were on our way to check this place out for ourselves. Luckily found metered parking right in front of the restaurant. We entered not being very sure how much longer the restaurant will be open for lunch. There were hardly any people dining inside the restaurant. My wife asked to be seated outside even though it was around 90+ degrees heat. When we walked out through the wooden structures and plants and golden buddha statues and entered the outdoor seating area, it was 75% occupied and the Sun didn't even seem to bother any of us. The menu is extensive with all the traditional Thai dishes. We ordered a veg fried rice and a eggplant stir fry with tofu. Both the dishes came with a choice of soup or salad. Everything tasted real good and the staff service was very nice. We clicked a ton of pictures of the place as it was very beautifully done with waterfalls and statues and wooden wheels etc. When the bill finally arrived it was less than $20 for a heavy meal with excellent service and ambience. read more

I went to Nicky's Thai Kitchen last night for the first time. My friend was in town visiting from Cleveland and we both wanted to try somewhere new. Upon entering the restaurant, it was full of people in the hallway. Our reservations were at 8:00pm and we didn't get seated until 8:30pm. It seemed like a common problem on a busy night, but we weren't in a hurry and didn't mind waiting for our table. We started with the fresh spring rolls which were all fresh vegetables wrapped in rice paper with a peanut soy dipping sauce. They were delicious. I felt like it took the place of a traditional salad before dinner. We also got the fried tofu which came with a sweet and sour sauce. That was also amazing. I would order either of these appetizers again when I go back. For our main courses, I got the Pad Thai with shrimp (I figured I'd try their signature dish since it was my first time there) and my friend got the Yellow Chicken (Chicken curry) with potato dumplings. I did have a bite of that and it was a little too spicy for me, but other than that really good. For dessert we got a black sticky rice with pumpkin (we had two bites and couldn't eat anymore of it - definitely not a favorite) and the fried banana dessert which was amazing. Overall - I give it three stars. Thai isn't my favorite cuisine but this restaurant had great food. It's a very small room and you're sitting very close to the people next to you. I probably wouldn't recommend it for a first date situation because it is a little loud. Being BYOB makes it nice - we brought a red wine (a $5 corkage fee) and Rumchata (a $10 corkage fee). We were confused about the difference in price and the only thing the waitress could tell us was "$10 fee for liquids". Eager to sip our Rumchata over ice after dinner, we just went with it, but not sure why the difference. read more

Wow, a Thai restaurant that actually honors your spice-level request. This is the first thing I noticed when I went to Nicky's. Okay, that might be a lie. What I really noticed was a unique Thai restaurant in a converted Pittsburgh house that happens to have a very extensive menu which took me well over 10 minutes to analyze before making a selection. That in itself was quite impressive. The fun continued when the food came out: very hot, very spicy (as requested), and incredibly tasty. There are so many options to appease even the pickiest of Thai connoisseurs. You will not be disappointed. To be blunt, this is perhaps the best Thai restaurant in Pittsburgh, or at least in the top 2. It's really tough to say, I guess when you consider the awesomeness that is Smiling Banana Leaf. You really should do yourself a favor and check this place out. read more

It was my first time there with my mom recently. Decided to swing by because we were in the area that afternoon. Mom loved the atmosphere... Felt so zen and relax with all the Buddha statues around the room and the music was very soothing too. I ordered crab rangoons for appetizer and chicken penang curry spicy level 8. So good. Mom ordered the vegetable pad thai and she really liked that too. Every entree comes with a house soup or a house salad but by the time we came the house soup were out so we settled for the salad. Which is fine too bc the dressing was very good. Definitely will come back soon bc we loved the food and the service was very friendly. Wish we came a little earlier in the afternoon though so we didn't have to rush and eat (we got there at like 2:40) bc the lunch/kitchen closed at 3 then open back at 5 for dinner time. read more

Winner Winner REAL Thai Dinner. Anybody who has had authentic Thai can attest to the fact that Nicky's is hands down Pittsburgh's most authentic Thai food. Don't be swayed by the entrance or the shady North Side around it Nicky's is a diamond in the ruff. Nicky's does it right. What is right? Well ultimately it's subjective but my opinion matters damnit. Sooo soak this in. BYOB to begin with bottle and corking fees on the weekend, but completely reasonable and not at all minded.(.25 a bottle for beer, not sure for wine) AMBIENCE: Their outdoor seating area takes you outside "the city" and transports you to Phuket island...Not really. But its a lovely little atmosphere perfect for dates and what not, but certainly no good if it's a hot afternoon(in which case you should stay inside where it is air conditioned) It really does have nice ambience with water features and thai-ish decor. APPS: Now the important stuff. Apps are great. Crab Rangoon, Crunchy Spring rolls papaya salad. All perfect and not all that expensive. Each cooked to perfection and with the flavor and taste you ultimately are looking for in a good app with actual thai roots. Their chicken noodle soup is also delightful and garlicy with flat rice noodles. A nice twist on an otherwise 'american' soup. MAIN: For the main dish the Red, Green, Yellow blue whatever curries(had them all) are ALL great. Chicken, beef, shrimp or seafood you can't go wrong. The complex spices of indian cuisine collide in a blissful manor with the far east as Thai food is expected to do and you are presented with a delightful filling and delicious dish. Their spice scale is as you should expect and they are darn good and gauging how spicy you want something. Their "brown" rice is beautiful and purple and beautifully presented so don't be alarmed when you ask for brown and it comes out purple. Drinks: Well you can bring your own alcoholic beverages but their thai iced tea and iced coffee are made the real way, the way they do in Thailand and for a reasonable price since you'll want to have two most likely. Overall: GO HERE! it's great for dates and good for familys. The staff is friendly and forgiving of indecisiveness and alterations to your specifications. Compliments to the chef and Nicky for opening a great authentic Thai food restaurant in Pittsburgh. read more

In sum, lovely and cozy place tucked back into the North side. If it is nice outside you MUST sit at the outside patio. The food has been inconsistent between the two visits I had here. Sadly, that is not very encouraging. They do offer affordable lunch specials and I believe the scenery alone is worth a trip. I work in the South Side, driving over to Nicky's on my lunch break is easy peasy. What I really come here for is the unique outside seating. Sitting in an office all day long with very dirty windows makes one long for the sun and wind. I love all the pretty greenery on the patio at Nicky's, the large umbrellas to block the fierce afternoon sun, and enjoying the mini vacation while sipping on the most excellent iced Thai green tea. The service here is S-L-O-W. I am salary, I can bite this bullet from time to time. Yet, I wanted to put it out there if you are pressed for time, one might consider stopping elsewhere. In their defense, we always bring at least a party of 5. Perhaps, the slowness is due to the party size? The iced Thai green tea, if you are not familiar, if quite delicious. It is a yummy concoction of brewed green tea, spices, and milk. If I had to venture my best educated guess I would say I could taste a bit of star anise. Maybe ever-so-slightly a bit too much of it? Methinks the aftertaste is quite unmistakable. The milk is a nice touch, I think it might be condensed milk as the sweetness of the tea is something a little more than mere sugar alone could bring about. I typically do not take milk in my tea, but this drink has me reconsidering. Quite a refreshing beverage to drink on a hot, sunny summer day as it was today. I *technically* kept my word. I promised when I wrote my last Thai review, for The Smiling Banana Leaf, that I would something other than Shrimp Pad Thai- my go-to entree at any given Thai restaurant. Well, I did not order it, but I did order two appetizers I have already had before! Come on, it was lunch I did not want to overeat and go back to the office =) I choose the crab rangoon. Rumor has it, this is an island dish. Naw, I am not buying it. This totally sounds like a made in the U.S.A type of dish. Do not get me wrong I am a complete sucker for it and will order it when I see it on a menu. This rangoon was a bit disappointing. The filling was perfect, sweet cream cheese, scallions, and crab. But the wrapper needed another moment or two in the fryer. It was only partially crispy. I was bummed. For my other appetizer I ordered the soup. Another go-to Thai soup I love is Tom Kha soup. Now here is where it get very depressing. I never considered that one could scold coconut broth. However, after eating this soup today I am convinced this phenomena can happen. The shrimp was presence lacked in my opinion (two of them). The plus side, they were large shrimp. The fresh spices were sparse, for a medium heat level this was not medium. A lack of spicing took me back. I have ordered the Shrimp Pad Thai at a medium level before and I felt like a horse diving my head into a water trough the way I was throwing down glasses of water. I either caught this place on a bad lunch- else their standards have slipped since I came here last summer. The jury is out on this one... read more

Came here to say the crab Rangoon is the best I've ever had, by a mile. What sets it apart is it's not too crunchy to deal with. It is perfect. Had the red curry with chicken also, it was very good. But the Crab Rangoon. Mind blowing. read more

I always go for the Green Chicken Curry to see what a Thai restaurant can do. It's a dish easy enough to make if you're authentic and know what you are doing, and it is easy enough to screw up to reveal your true (non-) identity! Unfortunately, for this place, the latter was true... I want to give these guys a fair review, but I have to do this within the frame of my past experience. In that, I think 2 stars are more than appropriate: The entrance reminded me of how you get into those really cheap backpacker hotels. It is a victorian style house, with a stair case right behind the door leading upstairs. Downstairs, the probably once nice looking wood flooring is replaced with off-white bathroom floortiles. Walk all the way inside, do a U-turn, and then you are in the restaurant - in two rooms that were once sitting and front room of the house. The layout is not my problem, but it is the feel of the place. It really looks more like a day spa than a restaurant, and the floortiles everywhere are not helping. Also the scent candles don't help - especially since I nearly torched my jacket by one of them standing right next to my chair on the floor. Weird also is the staff. They appear to be locals that own the place, and they were definitely not Thai! The only people that look Thai were barely visible in the kitchen. But maybe they were not Thai. What do I know. But what do I know - maybe, I thought, this place looks odd, and the people are not authentic, but maybe they can cook up a storm. Well.... I ordered the typical serum of truth - Green Chicken Curry! And what did I get? A salmon colored vegetable soup with chicken! Dare I ask - I thought - and dare I did. Upon which a blushed response came that indeed, this was the green curry. Also the rice - not so good looking. However - and this is why I gave 2 stars, and not one - the food actually tasted pretty good! Also, the sticky mango rice at the end, not bad. Still, for San Francisco prices, with $10.50 for a curry, and no liquor license at this resto I am not sure it would be my recommendation... read more