I'm so glad that my husband and I stumbled across this place in Lake Forest as we were looking for a place to eat nearby. This isn't your ordinary Thai resftestaurant, it's so much better than that! Not only is the food amazing but the owners are one of the kindest and most welcoming people you'll meet. Since discovering this place we've been dining here almost every week trying all a new dish each time or sticking to our favorites. As for favorites, that's hard because we love it all. Every dish is so fresh, flavorful and delicious. However, if I have to narrow it done here's a list of must tries: Appetizers: Chicken Satay Crispy Chive Cake Soups: Chicken Coconut Soup (my husband's fave) Zap Braised Beef Soup (my fave) Main Dishes/Salad: Grilled Steak "Naam Tom" Crispy Pork Brussel Sprouts Shrimp Pad Thai "Sen Jan" Green Chicken Curry "Ka Nom Jeen" Drinks: Fresh Lime Thai Tea (Refreshing non-dairy approach, it's like a Thai tea Arnold Palmer!) read more

Best Chicken Rice I've had in socal. Comes with the proper rice cooked in chicken broth, chicken is juicy, skin is bouncy and the dipping sauce is just right. Place is fairly new and staff is very friendly and service is great!! read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Best chicken rice in socal. - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

10/10 recommended - amazing food, attentive service, and affordable We came for the 1st time today and ordered the plern signature, crispy pork brussel sprouts, greeny chicken curry, and salmon lemongrass soup. Food came out very timely, was piping hot, and so flavorful! I'd definitely get all of those dishes again. I've probably been to over hundreds of Thai restaurants, but this is one of my new favorites. Service was very kind and attentive. I rarely leave reviews but Plern Thai Cafe definitely deserves one, can't wait to be back! read more

Always enjoy the food here and get it mostly to go. No A/C so never attempted to eat at location. Tried their curry, always good. My favorite is the steamed chicken with rice. Garlic sauce is just ok, on the salty, fishy side. Just wish there were more protein options for the pad Thai. My wife isn't into the shrimp so we ask to add more tofu, but somehow we receive less?! Happened on multiple occasions, but it's not a knock. We will figure it out one day! Definitely returning read more

Food was amazing! This place is so unique and shows a different side to Thai Food. The Plern special is especially amazing and the staff are very friendly. Highly recommend! read more

Delicious food, clean and healthy. Friendly staff. One of the best Thai food around the area.

Finally found a good Thai food. The pad Thai is delicious chicken curry is amazing and also liked the wagyu beef. This is my third time here and they are consistently making it well. read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Wagyu beef - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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I was very impressed with this place. A small but very unique menu filled with flavor. We ordered 4 entrees and two sides as well as Thai tea to share family style. I'm definitely going back and trying the rest of the menu. We ordered Sate - crispy chive cake - Crispy chicken rice - Plern Signature - Shrimp Pad Thai - I can't wait to try the rest of the menu I still haven't tried. *While writing this review we called in a second order for friends and family to try.* read more

Oh my, was in the area because a friend was having a medical procedure. I grabbed a bite to eat here...Don't! The service was good the food was not. I eat Thai on a regular basis and this was not good Thai. Watered down favors no Thai or Asian folks eating in or taking out. Usually an indication.. although I took my leftovers (or at least a portion of my servings) I'm pretty sure they kept most of what was left on the serving platters judging from the size of my Togo containers. It was probably to serve to you in the dinner hours.. yuck lol. Anyway, I couldn't bring myself to to take the leftovers home and left it on top of a dumpster in case someone was hungry. Little over $40.00 for two entrees at lunch and a soda pop.. iif the food were delicious, IF IT WAS.. I'd have no problem with that.. but the reality is I should have picked somewhere else. Lesson learned. I will never eat here again.. I wish them well. read more

I just move to Irvine 6 months ago and looking for some good thai food.! Finally found one. I highly recommend Pad Thai with Shrimp! It was Amazing and very authentic! And Grilled steak is so good. read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Grilled Steak (Naam tok) Sooo good! - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I tried the delicious beef salad with arugula. The steak had a good grilled taste and was nicely sliced. Love the lime, chili and cilantro dressing! Fresh arugula! read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Delicious beef salad - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

First time here. Restaurant is very clean, minimalistic which I appreciate. We ordered sate and crispy chive cake for appetizers. Shrimp pad Thai and Chicken Rice for main courses. All the food came out quickly and delicious. I especially love the chicken rice as it reminded me of Hai Nan Chicken Rice with Thai style ginger sauce. The chicken was deboned and still good amount of chicken in the plate. I loved it! I would definitely come back even order for delivery if I can not physically go to the restaurant. read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Chicken Rice - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Lake Forest's newest Thai restaurant does not disappoint. They have a very unique menu not what I expected when I walked in. It feels like a fancy little cafe with boutique style Thai food. The costumer service is awesome and you can tell the chef has put their heart and soul into creating all of the dishes. read more

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New Thai spot that definitely deserves more business. I went twice a couple months apart and the owner still recognized me! She is extremely kind and their dishes are extremely delicious. I always order the pork toro. It has an amazing texture and when paired with the nam jim jaew, it's heaven. The owner also gave us complimentary thai tea. The menu is a bit small, but the dishes are all great. I will be returning and you should check this place out too! read more

The place opened a few months ago and finally got to try it out for lunch. I'm adding this place to one of my top Thai restaurants. Overall good experience and will definitely come back for more. Food Taste: 5 stars - Got Salmon Lemongrass Soup which is like a tom yum soup was really good. It does have strong bold flavors if that's what you're into. Got the Shrimp Pad Thai which was also really good. It had 7 big prawns which was very much appreciated with that portion and it had thin noodles which was bouncy sticky texture that I do like. The Braised Beef Panaeng Curry with roti was surprisingly good where the beef was really tender. I will say this restaurant does not skimp out on the protein! Thai tea was good - strong and sweet. Food Selection: 4 stars - Definitely refreshing to not see a typical 10+ page menu. The 1 page menu was narrowed to specific specialities and for freshness too which I really appreciate. Hope to see the menu rotate to keep it interesting. Service: 5 stars - Staff was very friendly and attentive. They checked to make sure everything was good and refilled drinks before it was empty too. Food came out fast too. Location: Located in a good plaza with ample parking. Cleanliness & Atmosphere: First walked in, the restaurant had a strong fishy smell like fish sauce smell..but I guess that's how you know the food is good? I gotten used to the smell right after seating and it didn't bother me anymore since I love fish sauce anyways. But for some it may be too much or be bothered. Unsure if it smells like that all the time or if they're making/mixing fish sauce in the kitchen at the moment. Place is clean and atmosphere is nice. Price: Price is good for the quality of the food and portion you're getting. The food portion to me is just the right amount, where you can actually leave a clean plate and feel full/satisfied. To some it may appear slightly smaller portions than other Thai places but then you're left with food waste or leftovers that wouldn't taste the same later. read more

First time here. Overall good experience and willing to return to try a couple other dishes. Signature pern was really good. This is highly recommended. I am not sure if this a dish by the restaurant but I have not seen this at other Thai places. Penang curry was good. Roti is good. I really wish this also came with rice. $2 for an extra small bowl of rice.............. otherwise wasting all that curry? If it weren't for my ego, I may have just back down and just brought the curry home and make my own rice. See my other post where I gave an extra star just because I get an extra scoop of rice. Or is it not respectful to eat every drop of curry? Thai milk tea was too sweet for us even after adding some water. May try again but ask for less sugar. Service is good. You order the food at the register and they bring the food to your table. The cashier/food-deliverer was very pleasant. I like the serve yourself water. Price is a bit high for me but seemed average for Thai restaurants. Signature dish is worth it mostly due to its uniqueness. Other dishes I saw on the other tables looked good to try too. read more

SO flavorful and delicious! We ordered take-out from this place and loved all the dishes - the Plern 'signature,' braised beef penang curry, basil wagyu, and the pad thai. Can't wait to go back and try more, as well as have some repeats. read more

I had a great experience at Plern Cafe. I recommend the shrimp pad Thai. I also had some delicious Brussel sprouts. Very good food

We went for lunch today and it was a great experience! The service was awesome and food was amazing! Defiantly will come back again. Love their Thai ice tea!!! read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Salmon soup - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Amazing authentic Thai food! Favorite Thai spot on OC! Very friendly staff and service is amazing!

yummy yum and more delicious it's very flavorful and it's the people working nice customer service read more

This place does not disappoint. My wife and i drive from over an hour away to enjoy this place's take our thai cuisine. The colors, the flavors, the dishes set them apart from other thai restaurants we have tried throughout southern california. You can't beat the service. The staff are friendly and you feel very welcomed as soon as your enter the door. This place will not disappoint! And ... again... my wife and i drive over an hour a couple times a month... just for their food and experience read more

Third time around, first two times were done ins but I have to say the food is decent with certain entrees but the portions are small and the prices are kind of pricey. read more

Tasty and authentic Thai street food. Some of the best pad thai I've ever had. Fresh and flavorful! I also very much enjoyed the Plern signature dish with the tasty braised beef soup! read more

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A must try! Everything I've had here has been delicious. So glad to have this place close by. I look forward to returning and trying more of their dishes. The owners and staff are very nice and always make sure to check that everything is going well. I highly recommend the pork toro plate and the coconut chicken soup! read more

So great to stumble on this cute establishment so soon after they opened. Customer service was perfect, polite, and on-point. The chef spent a moment checking in on the meal and answered a few questions I had on the tasty choice I made for lunch. I enjoy it when a restaurant doesn't try to have a little bit of everything and too many routine options but instead puts the focus on a handful of really delightful specialties that are made with care and attention. A well done single-sheet menu with great descriptions of the food and I was already trying to decide what I would have the next time, even before I had picked something today! I hope they keep everything just like it is as they get established and hope the high quality (reasonably priced) and charm keep their customers coming back repeatedly. read more

Good Thai food! Very friendly service. My favorites are the following: Green chicken curry Basil Wagyu Shrimp Pad Thai "Plern" signature read more

When you miss Thailand. You look for these street food dishes Kai Mun Gai,Green curry with noodle. One of my favorite Thai restaurant in OC. read more

Wow. The chef at Plern is totally killing it! Every single dish we had was fantastic and perfectly seasoned. Definitely found a new favorite Thai place. The hostess is also very sweet and attentive with water refills. The decor is simple but cute and cheery! Crispy Chive Cake - excellent crisp texture outside while the inside was soft and melty without sticking to your teeth. Basil Wagyu - a favorite among the others in my party. Braised Beef Panaeng Curry - flavorful and I enjoy that it comes with roti instead of the usual rice. Pad Thai - shrimp are large and generous! Crispy Pork Brussel Sprouts - I can only hope that when I make brussel sprouts they'd turn out half as good, but then I'd have to figure out how to make the yummy sauce the pork belly is in. ;) We all kept commenting as we were eating how delicious everything here is, you can't go wrong with whatever you order. Definitely going to be back to try the rest of their menu! read more

Thai Food unlike typical places you find all over Southern California. Shockingly, you won't find some of the standards you expect to see elsewhere. Instead, Plern features creative cooking that is Thai in style and absolutely delicious. I doubt anyone would call their "Crispy Pork Brussel Sprouts" authentic but they are delicious and cooked to perfection. The "Pork Toro" appetizer is something you need to try. The combination of grilled pork jowls with a dipping sauce may give some people pause but you should push past the hesitation. It is fantastic. There are some traditional favorites here. We also ordered Panang Beef Curry with Roti. Like everything else it was delicious. The place itself is not fancy but it is clean and presentable. Don't let that stop you from giving it a try. I look forward to our next visit. read more

Great food. All the dishes were excellent. Service was great as well. Definitely coming back again.

Delicious Thai food with friendly service. My hubby and I have been searching for a good Thai restaurant since relocating from Los Angeles where there are some really good restaurants. The restaurant is located in a strip mall. Had it not been for my brother's recommendation, I probably would not have found what is our favorite Thai restaurant in Orange County! We ordered the steak salad (Nam Tok). They give you a lot of tender steak with arugula, red onion slivers, and halved grape tomatoes. The Shrimp Pad Thai is delicious. I had the Iced Thai Lime Tea which was sweet and refreshing. We'll definitely return to try more offerings. read more

Small cozy BUT the foods and presentation are excellent ....VERY TASTY THAI fusion types of dishes, the soup the lightly burn edge pork the steak with green leaves ...OMG can't believe we found this place 4 minutes from our house in Lake Forest read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Menu - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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We live in SD and every time we head up to LA or Ventura county we make sure our travel coordinates with stopping at Plern. Best Thai food in SoCal and we have tried too many to count. read more

Wow I didn't think there's going to be such GEM in Lake Forest! But it did! This Thai restaurant is legit good and got all that yummy Thai flavor. I've visited Thailand quite a few times and can say this place is delicious!! The price is good too with good portion. read more

Plern's brings a welcoming comfort food to South OC with Thai Chicken & Rice. This simple dish is delicious, filling, and overall a joyous experience for your taste buds. read more

This place is excellent. The food reminds me of Thailand. I had the Plern Signature grilled pork with purple rice and Crispy chive cake. Very testy ! read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Food is amazing and very flavorful. Very nice server. Only reason I gave four stars is because there isn't an on-site bathroom and the restaurant was very warm. Otherwise it's extremely yummy! read more

Very impressive. Very unique and delicate flavors. Different than any Thai food in the area. Not very large dishes, in my opinion. But very well done and unique. I will be back. read more

Plern Thai Cafe - Thai green curry chicken - Thai Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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This is a great place to experience a fusion and new way of savoring Thai food. The choices are plenty but if you become a regular you definite will have your favorite and go to entrees read more