Food is really good and service is great as well. When we are craving Thai food this is our go to place since it's also close to home.

First time at this small but very cool place. Love the atmosphere and the service is very good and attentive. We will definitely come back and try some other dishes. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Mango Sticky Ricewith coconut sauce.. - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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8/9/21 - Horrible! So my daughters and I went to have dinner at Rao Thai this evening after getting our nails done next door. We ordered the Wonton, 3 oyster shooters, crispy chicken yellow curry, larb salmon. How in the world did i end up getting charged twice for one dinner? One in the amount of $51.77 and the other in the amount of $37.95? I was clearly charged for two meals here and didn't realize it until later tonight. I called the number listed on Yelp, but it was after hours so I left a message. I understand mistakes happen, but hopefully they'll have a resolution to this and be more careful so others don't get charged twice for one meal. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

We just tried Rao Thai Eatery for the first time last Monday. First of all, thank you for being open on a day most restaurants that are not chains are closed. I'm delighted we found this place; the food was excellent. I had the spicy eggplant in a garlic chili sauce with mixed seafood, while my husband had greenbeans with beef and a friend had the crispy chicken dish. We were all delighted with the quality and flavors of our food. The service was also good and I was surprised that it was close enough to our home we could do take out, in terms of time. I didn't think it was. The only things I could wish for that were better were parking near the restaurant as it's in a corner of a tiny strip mall with all parking near it either disabled or a green zone, and more tables with chairs rather than picnic style benches. It wasn't busy when we were there so we got a table with chairs. A larger group would end up with benches which can be a problem for those with disabilities and older folk. Still all in all, they've just gained new regular customers. read more

Absolutely blown away!! We moved back to Sacramento about four year ago and drive by this place nearly every day. We finally tried it and OMG, this is the new spot. I liked everything we bought! From the beef jerky to the rice, amazing I tell you! Great customer service especially during these COVID times! @raothaieatery you have just gained a customer for life! UPDATE: the owner is correct! My wife has been craving mango sweet sticky rice for a while now. Well, let's put it this way...I couldn't take a pic because my wife devoured it in about three minutes. It was amazing and I only forgot it because it wasn't mine. I had a bite and thought it was really good but my wife got it for her birthday. So, she killed it!!!! read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Curry Crispy Chicken - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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What I showed them Vs what I got, and that pic I showed them is another customers order and I asked them what it was because their was a couple green bean stir fry on the menu and I didn't know which one was the one they got but that I wanted the one in the pic and they said it was supposedly the Thai style basil but when it came out it didn't even look the same nor did I get the beans with it and then on top of that my egg wasn't fried like how all the other places I eaten at is fried like smh. I asked the server where was my beans and he said the chef say it didn't come with it but like I showed him the pic and asked for that specific dish and I didn't even get it, what a disappointment. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - What I asked for VS what I got - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

I order Spicy Beef Salad almost finish eating. I don't what to say the restaurant is not clean read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Spicy Beef Salad - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

I use to really like this place. Ordered from here all the time and eaten here as well. Generally, they are really good. Good flavors and decent size portions. This last time that I ordered, everything was good. The pad see ew was really flavorful and the stir fried egg plant was good. Pad Thai was basic. My disappointment came from the papaya salad. I was looking forward to the crisp crunchy texture of the raw papaya. But instead, I got mushy, ripe papaya. I was super disappointed. Id probably order from here again because I like to support small businesses. I just hope my papaya salad would be good next time read more

Thank you, Rao Eatery for restoring my faith in what quality food is! I ordered the Laos papaya salad and shrimp tom yum. I made a special request to make my papaya salad extra sour and extra spicy and man was that delivered. I'm definitely coming back! read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Laos Papaya Salad (extra spicy and extra sour) and Shrimp Tom Yum Soup - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

This is our pit stop when we're on our bike ride. Customer service are top notch and the food are great. Their boat noddles is a must!! There's only two places where I'd get my boat noodle and rao thai is one of the two.Don't forget to end your meal with the sticky rice mango desert. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Mango Sticky Rice - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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Haven't been in this area in almost 5 years and I decided to check out this place recently. Restaurant interior is nice. I like the paintings on the wall and the cool looking chair with the lights. Food is good, I liked how everything that was ordered was a little spicy. However if you are ordering family style, you'd need to order a lot because the size of each dish was really small. If I went by myself I would probably need to order at least 2 dishes to be full. Not only are the dishes small, but the print on the menu is tiny. They should give you a magnifying glass or make a new menu with bigger size font! I'd give Rao a 3.5 out of 5, rounding it up to 4 for the quality service but there is room for improvement. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

Thai is my absolute favorite. We've been going to Thai Chili for a decade, and they are great. However, Rao is a step above and this our new favorite restaurant in Elk Grove. I recommend their Drunken Noodles, Pineapple Fried Rice and Panang. Delicious!! read more

I am so glad I waited to write this review, and this is why. I will make this short and simple as possible. When I first had Rao I came with some friends and we really enjoyed the food everything on the menu did not disappoint. Customer service is good and their decor is super cool. The boat noodles, chicken skin, papaya salad and ahi tuna with fried wonton was my go to! I probably came here like 10 times bragging to family and friends that this Thai spot is a hitter in EG. Then came hell when I last went back in February 2025 with my siblings I had ordered the Pad Thai which I rarely get. I shared my plate with my sister and nephew they only took a few bites and I finished the rest. My sister already told me she seen a german roach in the bathroom but we ignored it. Back to the food though I kid you not 6 hours later I felt extremely SICK! Let's just say all the symptoms of food poisoning!! I had it all. I was about to admit myself to the hospital that's how bad it was. I was on the floor dying! My sister and nephew just had symptoms of diarrhea they didn't eat a lot like I did thankfully. I wish that never happened because I really liked that place but I'm just too traumatized to go back. I did report it because I didn't want anyone else getting sick. I wouldn't want anyone to go through what I did that was torture. read more

I ordered take out (Tom Yum Noodle Ramen) and Spring Rolls from here. They were so good! I will definitely order again. The three Stars is only because I ordered food for delivery and I didn't visit the restaurant in person, so I can't comment on dine-In Experience, however I will visit restaurant in person soon. read more

I live 5 minutes from this place so I have ordered take out a few times from here. Food did not stay fresh and hot when ordering delivery. Pad Thai was okay. read more

Came here on a Saturday, and it wasn't busy at all. Was able to get seated quickly; however, the service is horrible. The server kept delivering the orders to the wrong table, and the other worker was so slow at taking orders / providing water. We sat there waiting 10 mins every time just to ask for water / to order an item. The food was not that great. The menu, pretty much nothing stood out. I've been to plenty of Thai places, including homemade spots, and I can probably say even Thai canteen's Fried rice dishes / curry tastes better. I was looking for boat noodles also, but the picture of boat noodles in BROWN BROTH did not look appetizing. The portion for the 5 ocean was small, for almost $20. Moo ping was just ok. Overall, I was hyped about this place, but probably wouldn't be coming back any time soon. read more

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Yummy thai food. We love the drunken noodles and curry here. Appetizers are good. Overall one of the best thai place in elk grove/ sacramento area. read more

We like this Thai restaurant, outdoor dining n pet friendly. We went to have lunch. Beautiful veggies garden n seating at back yard, perfect weather n relaxing. Delicious basil pineapple friedrice big shrimp n group chicken, bbq pork kabobs with sticky rice. Yummy mango stick rice dessert ! Waitress very friendly! Definitely go visit again.. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Pineapple basil shrimp n chicken fried rice n Pork kabobs with sticky - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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I came to this restaurant in hopes of just grabbing a quick bite to eat, and was pleasantly surprised by the quaint atmosphere as well as food served by the restaurant. Since it was during COVID-19, I decided to just pick up two simple entrees, entrees that are easily the cornerstones of Thai cuisine - Pad Thai and Panang Curry. The service was extremely fast and I got my food within 25 minutes of placing my order. When reviewing the food specifically, I have to say that the portions were quite fair. For just 2 dishes, it was definitely enough to easily feed 2-3 people. Starting with the Pad Thai, I undoubtedly enjoyed the dish - especially the tangy sauce with its subtle hints of sweet, sour, and spicy notes on my palate. The pork - being the meat of the dish - was quite tender and I enjoyed the grilled flavor completing the chewy noodles and delicate tofu. If I had to give one criticism, I would have to say that maybe it was a tad too saucy. Although the sauce was indeed excellent, I could only handle 2 servings of the Pad Thai as it was quite a heavy dish. Moving on to the curry, I also enjoyed it, especially with the bold, nuanced flavors of a Panang Curry. The curry was extremely spicy with a surprisingly thick texture, a contrast to the more liquidy textures of most Thai curries at different restaurants. Overall, I felt, however, that this curry needed a tad more sweetness and perhaps a notch down with the heat. By the second bite, I was already reaching for mouthfuls of water, so maybe a tad less on the spice (however, if you like heat, I would definitely recommend!). In conclusion, I believe that Rao was quite deserving of a 4/5 star review. The service was excellent, the food was quite decent and I enjoyed my experience trying the Thai Eatery for the first time! read more

Nice little restaurant. Went in on a Sunday evening and it was pretty slow. Service was okay. Food was good. Had the Thai Boat noodle, not the best, but it was good. According to pictures, it was supposed to have pork rinds, but I didn't have any. It was also listed as $12.50, but somehow I got charged $15 at the end. Also got order of pad Thai and drunken noodle. Those were okay. Experience was good overall... until I saw that they overcharged us $15 for the Thai Boat noodle and they automatically charged us a 18% gratuity. Mind you, we were a family of five. Who chargers gratuity for a group of five? Was the food okay, yes. Will I go back, no. Shady business. read more

Pros: The restaurant itself looked clean. It's a nice small spot in Elk Grove. Cons: Our server did not ask us how we would like the the spice level of our food. We heard her ask all the other customers and most other Thai eateries do ask how you would like the taste of your food. We love spicy food. The crab fried rice was very bland and the cashew chicken was salty. My husband pointed out this it didn't taste fresh. The portion sizes were small. If you order a rice dish and stir fry dish, it will only be enough for two people. This place is more expensive compared to other Thai eateries in Elk Grove and the greater Sacramento region. After we received our food, we didn't have anyone come back to our table to refill our water (it was a really hot day) or ask if we needed anything else (chili sauce maybe?). It's so close to home, but sadly I don't think we will be coming back here. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Thai Tea - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

Very tasty Thai food! This place offers a close to authentic food with flavors that are similar to Thailand. Have tried a variety of items including the most common ones: pad thai, pad kee mao (drunken noodle), stir fries, curries, and other dishes too. These dishes aren't too bad but nothing special about them or sets them apart from other Thai places. I had better ones elsewhere. Some of my favorites and must try are the boat noodles, nam khao, and larb. These have great depth of flavor. Also, the thai tea and thai green tea floats are good. Portion sizes are not as big. Prices are pretty high for most dishes compared to other places. Definitely worth a visit or revisits. But do beware, this is not the place if you're in a hurry or very hungry! The service and food waiting times are always soo slow. It is not due to Covid as I have dine there before the pandemic and did takeout during pandemic without any noticeable changes. Not sure if they are understaffed but the many times we've been here it suffers. When time is not of essence, do give them a try! read more

Hubby and I came here after finding out they were participating in EG restaurant week! The location is in the middle of a neighborhood but I'm glad we found it! The decor is so cute with the hanging lights, instaworthy picture seating, and bar area. The service was on point and the food came out quickly. The drinks-Thai tea and Thai iced coffee were delicious. The apps were so so good! We ordered the moo ping and the crispy pork. This Filipina loves some crispy lechon, so it takes a lot for me to choose something else over it.... the MOO PING was so bomb!! Please try it, the tamarind sauce was delicious when paired with the seasoned skewered meat. Ugh, I'm coming back just for it! The pad Thai and shrimp curry were both delicious, loved how things are plated. The dessert- fried ice cream and creme brûlée cheesecake were such sweet endings but were so full we couldn't finish them. Thank you Rao, we'll be back read more

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Best Thai in town! Crying Tiger, all their Curries, all their noodles... so good. Great customer service as well.

I had the Spicy Hot Basil stir-fry. The actual entree was good. It was fresh and the veggies were crispt. The sauce was great and the chicken perfectly cooked. But, everything else was off. I waited over 20 minutes between ordering and being served my food. As I waited I kept thinking this is $9.50 so it must come with a starter of soup or side salad. Nope, I guess not. When my meal came out I took it for granted it came with a side of rice. All Thai places serve their stir-fried meals with a bowl of rice. Well, not here they don't. So I paid $9.50 just a bowl of stir-fry? Nope, I guessed wrong again because they tack on an extra $.50 because the ticket was under $15 and I used a credit card. So my lunch ran right at $11.00! I drove all the way across town to try this place. What a mistake! I can walk to K.B.'s Thai Hut and it is one of the best Thai restaurants ever. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rao-thai-eatery-elk-grove?select=zA-YnNqJHlvEaDRN23pfHA https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rao-thai-eatery-elk-grove?select=EAI5RaFPlNdXycDtzuotLg read more

It was recommended by a friend. Definitely spicier than I ordered for the family. Flavor was ok. Expected some of the ingredients (lemon grass and ginger) to be strained out of the soup like other Thai restaurants. Won't order again if for the family but maybe for myself just due to the spicy level. read more

I started watching a Thai cooking movie on one of those streaming services that rhymes with GetMix and it made me "Hungry" for some Thai food. I tried Thai years ago with my In Laws and I didn't know much about the cuisine but they liked it so I ordered curry which was the only thing I was familiar with. Unbeknownst to me, Thai curry utilizes coconut which I'm not a fan of but this Thai cooking movie made want to seek out a gem of a restaurant in my own neck of the woods...Elk Grove. I knew about Pad Thai but never knew about Pad See Ew which to me looks like Cantonese Chow Fun so I wanted to try it because maybe it has a flair of its own. I'd have to admit, when perusing Yelp for a place to go, the crispy chicken skin appetizer is what caught my eye and that in itself sold me! Chicken cracklins or chicharrones or call it whatever you want but deep fried chicken skins and I'm there! I decided to go family style and ordered several dishes for all of us to try. Some other Yelper raved about the tofu sticks so we had to try them and to me they were just okay. Next was the spicy eggplant and shrimp salad. The salad was delicious enough that the kid told us he'd come here next week on his own just for that. Then came the chicken hell and pad see ew. The waiter asked how much heat to put into the wings and good thing the kid told him a 6 on a range between 1 being low heat to 10 being the hottest. 6 left my lips burning and I don't think I could've gone any higher. Both dishes were delicious and the noodle dish was indeed much like chow fun. The wings came in a shallow bowl with a soupy sauce with green beans, onions, bell peppers and chili peppers for heat but there must've been something else to elevate the spice level. I should've ordered some plain rice to pour some of that sauce over.....next time. The restaurant was very clean and nicely decorated with amateuristic Van Gogh art of people's faces that could be family, friends of the restaurant or maybe just random folks. My only gripe is the water cups. I like having nice tall cups instead of little metal coffee style ones. I needed water to cool my lips down and got tired of refilling my tiny cup. Overall......Gochisosama!!! Totemo oishiikata! Arigato! Oh! After reading my review you may be thinking all that and just 3 stars? Well, I'd have to go back to try other things like the beer crispy pork that I over looked and then see if I should add more stars. Yeah.....you wouldn't like me as your stupidvisor on employee evaluation day! read more

I love their ramen noodles, they gladly add extra noodles in this dish for me & the sauce is seasoned to perfection. I also recommend the green curry & fried spring rolls. A hidden gem Thai food place in Elk Grove, CA. They have a really atmosphere as well, small but creatively decorated. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Drunken Mama Noodle - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

Went there for the first time and loved it. What makes this place special is not only its delicious food but also its modern interior design. Love the chill atmosphere and the service is read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Green Curry, Thai Ice Tea - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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I think this place could use more effort in service. Not very attentive and practically unorganized. Waiters could not get my orders right after asking four times and was still confused with what I wanted. When orders came out they were wrong... not sure what I missed if I pointed clearly what wanted. Food wasn't all great and lacked so much! I was told I'd be given a discount after all the orders were taken down wrong and how they were out of a lot of things that we requested for order. When my bill came I didn't see anything being given a discount and everything ordered was charged and even so I had to tell the waiter to remove the stuff that was never brought out. I think overall food and service was not the greatest. I would not recommend this place... read more

Their lunch combos are a good deal! About ~$13 for a smaller version of an entree, rice, small mushroom tom yum soup, and fried egg or tofu. Take out orders are picked up at a small window. Food tastes ok. Not my favorite thai place in EG, but it's not bad. read more

We ordered 3 dishes and all were way too salty. Very disappointing . We were here for my friend's birthday. Luckily I didn't chose the place. Not sure if we ordered the wrong items. Portion size is small too. read more

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Spoon is too small for noodle soup, can't scoop anything. Need bigger spoon. Noodle is good.

I'm a creature of habit so I usually just order the same thing: Crispy pork belly, papaya salad lao style (there is no other way), sticky rice, and a Thai green tea. The papaya salad is honestly PERFECT--perfect amount of sour, sweet, and stinky lol! They cut the papaya thick (I'm usually used to thin) and they have a small chunk of cabbage on the side. Both my mom and bf have said separate times they wish they had kapoon noodles with it too since there's only cabbage. I'm neutral about it as I mainly eat the papaya. I will say sometimes there are inconsistencies. Last week I ordered 2 papaya salad with 4 peppers each. I think they made the papaya in the same batch because there was an uneven distribution of peppers. When my sister and mom shared a plate, they both said the papaya was spicy. Meanwhile mine wasn't. I know this is something they can't really micromanage/control though. There was an occasion when I ordered to go and the pork belly was overdone, but I've ordered so many times after that, that most of the time it comes out crisp and perfect. Sticky rice is more on the softer side just to keep that in mind. I love that they have Thai green tea here as most boba shops don't carry that. I've had the fried chicken skin before and can say that it's bomb. This is also a family owned business I believe-- I spoke to one of the chefs a while ago and I think she said the family is from Thailand. Overall, I love the authentic flavors they have here when I want something with a kick (again, sweet, sour, stinky, and spicy!) It makes me miss my dad's lao side as they make bomb papaya salad that I've struggled to find in my area. The portions are a little small and expensive, but if I feel like treating myself to some delicious nostalgia I'll order here. I do think the pad see ew at Thai chili is better cause it's saucier and bigger portions. However, I'll continue going here because it's in my neighborhood and I love the papaya here. read more

Heard lots of great reviews about this so finally had the chance to give it a try. Great choice of food selection to choose from. We ordered the oyster shooter, Thai boat, stir fry dish, and papaya salad platter. The oyster shooters were delicious and my favorite. They were spicy, sweet, acidic, and garlicky. The rest of the dishes were so so nothing too amazing. - Thai boat was more on the sweet side -Papaya salad was bland -Did not try the stir fry dish -Sticky rice was overly soft Service was great. Received our food quickly. Food taste wasn't that great but would return for more oyster shooters. read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Thai boat, papaya salad platter, stir fry, and oyster shooters. - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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In search of some real food, I went here last week, not even knowing until that day that there was a Thai place in this part of Elk Grove. The restaurant is decorated nicely and although my order was for takeout, I'll have to eat here next time I'm craving Thai food after work to take in the decor and try a drink (I noticed some Moscow mule mugs hanging neatly in one corner at the bar). My food was good, I ordered yellow curry with tofu, fresh rolls and iced coffee. The fresh rolls come with shrimp but I had mine without, as I am not a big seafood fan, and they were delicious, along with the dipping sauce. The yellow curry was also good, and it comes with rice, which is important to me, as some Thai places do not include rice. The service was great, I ordered my to-go order online through the Yelp app and it was ready on time and I was asked if I wanted utensils, which was great because there is nothing worse than not being asked, going somewhere other than your house to eat your food, and realizing you don't have utensils! Friendly service, good food and a stylish yet comfortable restaurant have combined to make this a place worth checking out. read more

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My son and I finally tried this place over the weekend and we both absolutely loved it! He ordered the post skewers, which he dove into before I was able to snag a pic. Although it's on the appetizer side of the menu it does come with a solid side of sticky rice as well. Four skewers, rice, and a really flavorful sauce for only ten bucks! They were a bit fatty but I think that's to be expected often with pork. The dish I ordered was perfection!!!! The Lava Salmon was the best salmon dish I have ever eaten. It was cooked perfectly and was beautifully placed on top of grilled eggplant and an incredible green curry. My favorite part of this dish is that they even bring you a small gravy boat of extra curry so your fish isn't drowning in the curry and stays crisp. The plating was so thoughtful. I could eat this every single day!!! I love Thai food but this place really puts a more modern and thoughtful twist on Thai food. *The service is also wonderful!!! read more

Rao Thai Eatery - Lava Salmon is to die for!!!!!! - Thai Near Me - Elk Grove, California

BEST Vegetable Yellow Curry and the portion... FRESH, Crisp Vegetables, and not overcooked I can eat yellow curry for days and I did not leave hungry, even a little for later See you guys later read more

This use to be a great restaurant. Wonder if they have e a new chief. I was very disappointed. I order 3 dish that taste worst then what I could of made at home. read more

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Boat noodle was alright. The broth was salty. Nothing special. I prefer the one on Stockton blvd. Pad Thai was good. Salmon larb was also good. Service was slow and we were the only customers there that day. read more