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Pailin Thai Cafe

4.0 (301 reviews)
ModerateThai, Noodles, Soup
Updated over 3 months ago

Order Pailin Thai Cafe Takeout or Delivery

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PAILIN THAI CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Pailin Thai Cafe

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4. Cashew Nuts
Griffen S.

In Bernardo center there is a row of restaurants, amongst them is Pailin Thai cafe. The inside is very quaint, and the service started out attentive. We arrived for lunch and ordered off lunch menu, Tom yum soup and the cashew chicken. The prices for the lunch were very reasonable, and the food was tasty but the lunch portion was very tiny. Once the food arrived all the wait staff disappeared and until we stood up and found someone we'd have never left. Although good the tiny portions and the service made this place an okay place to check out.

Richard A.

Wanted some Thai food for guests from WA. Was in Poway and thought of this place. Lunch special like $14. Soup salad small, egg roll and won ton plus main dish. Three of us had Pad Thai and one fried rice. Spice level 0-5. Was very tasty and filling. Roast pork and duck was very good. Recommend

12. Spicy Noodles 1. Thai Spring Rolls Jasmine Hot Tea

This is a restaurant that I have had the pleasure of enjoying for the last 15 years! This was my first introduction to Thai food as a child! I loved that their options cater to vegetarians, since I have a meat intolerance. Give the place a try (:

Orange tofu
Jeffrey C.

Trying out a Thai restaurant not in our usual area. The food is okay. Hubby had the veggies with mock dock and peanut sauce. There was a nice assortment of veggies. The peanut sauce was good. The mock duck was just okay. I had the orange tofu. The orange flavor was lacking. Would have preferred a battered tofu that was deep fried. We shared the crispy fried rolls. Hubby enjoyed them. I thought they were lacking in flavor. The dipping sauce was good. The prices are reasonable. The restaurant is clean. The staff is friendly. With so many Thai restaurants in the area, not sure if the food was good enough for our taste to bring us back.

Mixed Veg with Shrimp in Red curry - Flavorful
Nikhil U.

Another solid dependable Thai place. Food was nothing that wowed us but it's good Thai food to keep in rotation. The ambience of the place is really nice. The food is good enough that I would take someone here just for the decor and service. Thai dumpling appetizer - pretty okay. Tom kha chicken soup - less sweet /coconut milky than you usually get. Felt like a dash of Tom yum in there which was a pleasant change. Mixed Vegetables with shrimp in red curry - Flavorful curry with generous shrimp portion. Eggplant with steamed fish - I expected it to be more spicy but maybe I ordered it less at 6/10. It was very flavorful and the eggplant and fish were cooked perfectly however this was unexpectedly a little sweet.

Dinner Specials
Emma S.

OMG the dinner special of the Pad Thai is exactly the portion that I wanted. Most places I go don't offer a smaller portion and I can never finish it. The Pad Thai that I had was very tasty (I got mine with tofu). The gentlemen working the evening that we got to go at Pailin were so nice!! I loved the decor of the restaurant and would definitely go back when I'm in town .

Dining area
Edith S.

I came here on a weekday to meet up with past coworkers. It wasn't crowded and there was plenty of parking. The restaurant was neat, had nice decor and properly staffed. I had the Yellow Curry with Chicken and requested it to be mild. Their mild for me was a little spicy. If you can't handle a little spice, I suggest you request NO SPICE. Their baseline is different from other Thai places. Overall, their food was excellent and tasty. I would prefer more rice but it was sufficient.

Spicy noodles with shrimp
Allyson R.

Paid by card. Pailin Thai is located in the same plaza as DaBoba and Hoorah and offers plaza parking. I've ordered pick up from here a few times during lunch on weekdays and it's usually packed. Sometimes the lunch takes 20-30 minutes before it's ready so plan ahead. Lunch specials start at $12.95 and come with a dish, wontons, soup, and salad. (Not really a fan of their soup but everything else is good.) The servers/ cashiers are nice but they seem understaffed. I've gotten their spicy noodles with shrimp, green curry with shrimp, and see eyew noodles with chicken, level 7. So far I think the spicy noodles and see eyew noodles have been the best. The chicken was a little dry though and the green curry was lacking enough veggies. Portions are OK sized and I can eat a whole lunch special in one sitting. Overall I'd recommend this place and would go back and try more lunch specials.

Pad Thai with BBQ pork
Swan L.

I stopped by here when I was in the area to pick up a quick Togo weekday lunch. Luckily I was able to place an order online ahead of time. I ordered a pad Thai with BBQ pork. The online estimate was about 30 minutes until the order was ready. I got to Pailin maybe 15 minutes early and thought I would just walk in anyway to wait. I saw a bagged order with my name waiting at the hostess stand already. It's good that they were fast, but would have been nice to also be a bit more accurate in the estimated time. Flavor wise, it was ok, the pad Thai was this weird orange color and was generally bland. There were very scant pieces of BBQ pork and it was dry. The texture of the noodles were fine though.

Wifi
Brandon B.

Food was delicious and good sized portions for the price. We did the lunch special Spicy Noodle and Pad Thai, both with chicken. They came with coconut soup, salad, egg roll & sauce. Everything was really good across the board. Service was good. Things came out quickly and server stopped by often. Ambiance was relaxing. Lots of Thai touches like soft background instrumental music, umbrellas, wallpaper, shelf decor. Also free wifi is good to have if needed.

Welcome to Pailin Thai Cafe!
Genevieve S.

Thai culture is never short on service and 27-year-old Pailin doesn't disappoint. I was immediately welcomed by the owner with a smile and greeting. He seated me within a couple of minutes and in an instant I had a refreshing Thai iced tea while I enjoyed an e-book. I love the inside of this restaurant. Golden art, brightly colored umbrellas and Thai furniture transport you into what you would imagine could easily be an eatery in Thailand. I ordered the coconut milk-based Tom Kha, which had a lot of mushrooms, chicken and flavor. A generous helping, I highly recommend ordering Tom Kha at Pailin. The crispy Thai rolls were the right side to have with the soup and especially yummy when dipped in the accompanying sweet sauce. (I really wanted to stop eating them so I wouldn't get so full , but they were THAT delicious.) After dinner, I would have sorely regretted it if I missed the restaurant's bestselling Rainbow Ball dessert. Soft mochi-like balls in warm coconut milk were the perfect way to end the night. Living in East County, I don't come up to Poway very often, but Pailin presents a delicious reason to venture north.

Spicy Thai Fried Rice
Nupoor B.

Pailin is a family favorite! We have been coming here for years and love the food. They have plenty of vegetarian options and great lunch specials! Extra love for the spicy curry noodles that have been my go-to for years. Also, they are accomodating for my mom's food allergies and are receptive to any changes you may want in the dishes.

Mango with Sweet Sticky Rice

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Thai food is one of my favorite food. Red or Yellow curry the best. My to go places the atmosphere is very cozy. Live it

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Ask the Community - Pailin Thai Cafe

Is it dine in?

Yes, it is. Nice restaurant!

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4.2
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Located in the same Convoy plaza as Yun Tea House, the parking here is absolutely horrible, and we…read morehad to wait about 10 minutes to be seated--but the food easily earns 5 stars! They have a super easy online ordering system right at the table which makes things convenient. We ordered the spicy lamb biang biang noodles and the non-spicy beef pulled noodles, and both had the perfect chew and incredible flavor. We also ordered the garlic green beans, but they came out so late that we were already completely full from the noodles, so we took them to go. Thank god we did, because they turned out to be pretty salty on their own and really needed to be paired with white rice at home. Overall, an amazing spot for authentic noodles! Absolutely love this place and will be back.

We came right before the dinner rush and I can definitely see why this place got packed so quickly…read more It isn't huge inside but there is ample seating, we were sat right away and the menu was fully online. Something I didn't love though, you order and pay through the online menu. Considering you leave a tip I don't fully understand how it works when we did this whole process ourselves. I also noticed other tables getting plates and bowls which we had to ask for. Overall, I felt the servers weren't too friendly either and seemed to rush through our table despite them standing around not seeming too busy. The food was excellent though! The soup had a great spice to it and super flavorful. The beef and onion was so juicy and addictive, the green beans were good too and had a slight kick to them.

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Hom Mali By The Nood Bar

Hom Mali By The Nood Bar

4.3
(507 reviews)
17.6 mi
$$

I love that it's a family restaurant and they always have good service. I loved coming here before…read morewhen it was called Nood bar too. It's more the mom's dishes now on the menu which I have enjoyed. The ambiance it's also nice and I love the decor. So definitely will be back.

HOM MALI BY THE NOOD BAR... update on update (4 stars)…read more Send me the noodz! The new-new nood bar called Hom Mali. - FOOD: delicious - PRICE: fair (their website shows outdated and cheaper prices) - SERVICE: good - AMBIANCE: nice updated esthetics It's been awhile since I've ate here and the last time I did it was just The Nood Bar now known as Hom Mali but still shows as The Nood Bar. They updated their decor and like it much better with its refreshing white and green interior giving south-east Asian vibes. The menu has quite a lot of good offerings it was hard to decide but feel not matter what you order here it's going to be delicious and authentic. They did keep several items from The Nood Bar! :: ORDER :: RED GUAVA ICE TEA ($5.95) - Oh my goodness, so yummy and refreshing. I'd say the caffeine level is very light on this one and I am ok with that. After stuffing my face I took a nice nap for someone who is caffeine sensitive. HIGHLY RECOMMEND GARLIC BUTTER NOODLES {$20.95) - Grilled lemongrass-marinated pork shoulder served over steamed soba noodles tossed with soy sauce, fried garlic, garlic oil, and butter alongside steamed botchy, finished with cilantro and a side of plum sauce. THIS WAS SO FLAVORFUL and yummy. I don't often eat garlic butter noodles so any garlic butter noodle is delicious to me. I did NOT see any fried garlic in my meal and felt it was only garlic oil that was present with the garlic profiles. The noodles were very garlic-y and butter-y. The pork shoulder was also perfectly marinated and dipping it in the plum sauce which was a mix of sweet and tangy paired well with the marination of the meat and butter-ness of the noods. It also came with ONE bakchoy sliced in half to appear as two. And I wish they some how incorporated the cilantro and carrots more into the dish instead of garnish to give some more herbal flavor. Even though, this dish was spot on. HIGHLY RECOMMEND Service was great! Did feel awkward when they handed me the machine to tap my card and leave a tip... they stood there watching you press the buttons. No being discreet picking up plates or looking away... just looking right at you. I know it's a thing with many restaurants now but it's awkward and don't feel like I have privacy. I will def be back! So many yummy dishes on the menu to try. Until the next slurp....

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Oodles By The Noodbar

Oodles By The Noodbar

4.5
(273 reviews)
17.7 mi
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I came in person recently with 9 friends. They were able to accommodate us even though we were just…read morewalking in. The woman was super friendly even though it was a little chaotic. At first, she said the order only could be done on 1 bill. And then later she compromised with 2 bills, 5 people per table. That was nice of her! I just had 2 coffees before entering so I decided to skip ordering Thai tea. But they had a large drink menu, of fruit teas and more. My friend had the lychee tea which was very large and looked super refreshing! They also came by often to top off our waters which was nice. To eat, I ordered the $16.99~, Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with White Rice. It came with onion, green onion, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, and cashews. The carrots were beautifully cut, but a little too crunchy for me to properly enjoy in the stir fry. Everything else was delicious! I think this could definitely be shared between 2-3 people. It was a lot for me, even after a large hike. The sauce was flavorful and not overly salty. I didn't ask for any spice level, but I think I'd choose mild or medium next time. My friends ordered-- - $12.99, Dirty Fried Chicken: This had a blitz coating of lime, mint, and spices. And it was decorated with thinly sliced green onions with a side of sweet chili sauce. The chicken was hot and plump, not dry, and very much mouthwatering! Would recommend. - $14.99, Thai Grilled Chicken Salad: Grilled Chicken Breast on a bed of mixed green salad, carrots, and cucumbers with peanut dressing. It reminded me a little of chicken satay~ it smelled and looked incredible. I think I might order it next time, when I want something light and fulfilling after a hike. - $11.99, Cream Cheese Avocado Wontons (6PC): These came out piping hot and when you took a bite they were oozing. It was very creamy and when you dip into the plum sauce it's a delectable bite. A nice appetizer to share with the table. - $16.99-$19.99 (depends on what protein you get), Pad Thai: This proportion was manageable for one person. The restaurant used thin rice noodles, but it didn't clump excessively compared to other restaurants. The prices are what you'd typically see at a Pan-Asian restaurant, a few dollars more than what you'd want to spend. But these kinds of restaurants, in my opinion, are for enjoying with others. So, if you're sharing food and all that-- the price is worth it (esp with the quantity that is given). Next time, I would probably order one of their noodle dishes rather than rice. Oodles by the Noodbar has such a large and diverse menu so I would highly recommend coming in to try them out.

Highly recommend Oodles. I often get the fresh Salad rolls (the peanut sauce is exceptional.)…read more The service is friendly. The location is quaint but charming. My personal favorite is Dan Dan noodles with extra Dan Dan sauce. Noodles are exquisite and the meat is perfection. My only hang up is the price for the product.

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Tim Ky Noodle

Tim Ky Noodle

4.0
(757 reviews)
7.0 mi
$$

At around 12:30PM on a Friday, there was no wait…read more Got the: - Pan fried Rice Cake w/ Egg $9.49: came with a vinegar dipping sauce. Drier than what I'm used to, and thinner/crispier cuts of rice cake. Small portion, but good to try. I probably wouldn't get this again tho. - My Tho Clear Noodle Soup w Egg noodle and Dai Glass noodle $15.99: I appreciated that they were able to accommodate my request for 2 types of noodles, but the type of egg noodle had an aftertaste that threw me off (celeries in this also was not my fave). I liked the various sorts of innards: e.g. liver, intestine and other meats like xa xiu and shrimp. Wouldn't get again, though SO liked it. - Salty Fish w Chicken Fried Rice $16.69: unique, but the salty fish was indeed SALTY. Hard to finish as there were areas where the saltiness was especially concentrated. - Duck Leg Noodle Soup $16.99: flavorful broth, tender duck. comes with pickled young papaya. pretty good! - Beef Chow Fun (Dry) $15.99: I crave this, and it hit the spot. Wasn't oily at all! Found a rubber band in my My Tho, but I still finished it. The manager was going to take it off the bill but I already paid for it... so he hooked it up with an agar coconut which was nice of him. Service is fast and food is authentic. Parking was easy too.

WHOLE IN THE WALL (3.25 stars)…read more Asian soups come in with the cure when feeling under the weather. Was craving wonton soup and too lazy to make my own. But maybe I should have just made my own. Came here and the place is like a to-go spot for locals who crave authentic Asian food. It's a place where you see them old Asian parents customers that have no shame uncomfortably starring at you the entire time from their table. It's like there were always eyes just starring as I ate. On to the food... WONTON AND DUMPLING NOODLE SOUP ($14.79) - ordered my bowl with egg noddles. it came out generously and quickly. Presentation looked good. Flavor was good but a little too "shrimp-y" tasting for my liking. I counted about 4 dumplings - two normal me round and two oblong ones stuffed with mystery meat. Will I be back? Maybe. But not in a rush too as there are many other places to be had. Until the next review...

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OB Noodle House

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4.1
(4.5k reviews)
20.5 mi
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I've ate here once and it was good, but I'm really just here for the OG Skrewball shot TBH…read more Whatever is in it... Oh my gosh I love it so much. I know it's whiskey and other stuff but oh my gosh, I'm so in love. Hahaha. I don't even drink much at all. But like if I'm in the area (I live in the north county) I will definitely take a few shots! all the servers here and the people at the bar and everyone is just so friendly and efficient. The ambience is great... Super chill! of course, dog friendly. :) overall great vibes. I wish I had a photo, but I have a video of me taking a shot, but I accidentally deleted it. Anyways, this place is great.

I dined in here for the first time this past Saturday, as it was walking distance from a friend's…read moreplace and we were deciding where to go for dinner. Fortunately there was no wait even though there were a lot of people inside. I have gotten takeout here awhile ago back in 2020 for their beef dry noodles, and haven't been back since so I was excited to try some of their other dishes. My group of 3 shared their House special fried rice, 1502 special pho noodle soup, and their sizzling fish dish all with gluten free modifications. Service was very fast, and I appreciate how attentive they were. Everything was really tasty and decent sized portions for us to share. For almost $20 an entree, it is a bit steep in my opinion for Asian food. I would prefer going to Convoy instead, however being in OB this place isn't bad if you're in the area already and don't want to drive out elsewhere. I do appreciate how mindful they are with dietary restrictions and modifications compared to other Asian restaurants I've been to, so that is a plus. They also have a full bar available. Parking might be tricky as I think it's only street parking and it's near a few major streets.

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Pailin Thai Cafe - thai - Updated June 2026

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