First visit after picking up parents from the airport for Thanksgiving. Dived in on the (not-so) Secret Thai Style Menu to find more regional/less-common dishes to enjoy. Recommend: - crispy fried mussel pancake $12.50 - with great dipping sauce - spicy beef tendon soup (it is spicy, but you could ask them to tame it down. But then you could just order the more common beef noodle soup) - $12.75 - jungle curry - $12.75 (more soup-like rather than a cream based curry) - this will be spicy as well and beware of consuming too many peppercorns at once - three-flavored deep fried fish - I think it was tilapia, ask for the whole fish. The small bones are fried crispy and easy to eat, leaving only the large bones to eat around Dining in is the only way you're going to get the best results here. I think including tax+tip, it was $70. Dang...no photos! read more

We had a great dinner here. Service was excellent. I loved their Classic Papaya Salad and ordered it spicy rating #2 (on scale of 1-10). The spicy #2 is quite hot and should be a #3 (on a scale of 1 to 3) so be warned. I like spicy but wasn't expecting my salad to result in teary eyes. Their Jungle Curry with Beef was very good. I will return to sample their Pad Thai and will try other Curry dishes. read more

Real Thai Restaurant - Papaya Salad - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Found this place on yelp and it lived up to its ratings. There are menus on the outside door with a sign..take one. We were not sure if this also applied to indoor dining, but we took one. It was a Thursday evening around 6 p.m and more than half of the tables were filled. The tables are spaced out , not sure if this is still because of Covid . There was one waitress, but she was attentive and nothing was delayed. Overall, the food was very good. The potstickers stood out. They were lightly fried, which added a slight crunchy, but maintained moistness. The entrees included a side of rice which was appreciated , because often it is not. The cashew chicken was spicy as indicated, but the chili peppers did not overpower the chicken. The food is served on lovely china, which added to the atmosphere. They did not include hot tea, like most Thai restaurants do, and they do not offer American Ice Tea. However, the food was good enough for a return visit. read more

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Just leaving a note that Real Thai continues to be our go to Thai restaurant for delivery. Fresh, solid dishes, and the friendliest delivery guy! I love the lil ribs and the great sauce that comes with it. My daughter loves the pot stickers. The tom yum noodle soup hits the spot in the Chicago winter. read more

I called to make an order and asked about gluten free items and they said nothing at the restaurant is gluten free. That's a very odd thing for a Thai restaurant so it's disappointing that they aren't making any effort to identify gluten free items. read more

A friend suggested this place since our "regular" Thai spot closed last year. The staff are very friendly, the restaurant is clean and the food was very good and nicely presented. We had the vegetable rolls and chicken satay for appetizers. The satay was a bit different than what I've had in the past. It almost seemed like it had been dipped in a flour mixture before being seared. The wonton soup was delicious. The wontons were much lighter than you'd typically get. I ordered the spicy basil for my main entree and my husband had the Jungle Curry. I liked that they asked from 1 to 5, how spicy we'd like our entrees. Everything was very fresh and we really enjoyed it. Want to come back and taste the Pad Thai. Overall we really enjoyed it. read more

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Finally some delicious authentic Thai food - literally can't wait to go back! I got the basil chicken, green curry and spring rolls. We were drinking the curry like soup! So good read more

Heard many good things about this Restaurant. So I had to try it for myself. The Restaurant was Open for take out & Delivery. Everything was very clean inside. I ordered through there web site on yelp to save the extra 10%. Every little bit helps during this time. I went with the Crab Fried Rice (great portion size, & plenty of crab meat), Crying Tiger Beef (was a bit dry but still enjoyable), Garlic Pork Ribs (one of my childhood favorites), Papaya Salad with Fermented Fish & Crab (loved the flavors salty, sweet, sour & spicy), & the Corn Salad (my Absolute favorite. Can't find this anywhere else in Chicago unless you make it yourself). The Service was on point. Bee was very nice & brought the food out to my car when it was finished. Will definitely, be back to try more items on the menu!!. read more

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Overall my experienced was not a pleasant one at all. I tried the veggie fried rice spicy and the classic papaya salad. The veggie rice was just ok, nothing special about it. Unfortunately I ended getting really sick, since the papaya salad was labeled incorrectly as being vegetarian. Upon calling the restaurant and finding out that the house dressing for the papaya salad was made with fish sauce. I understood why I was not feeling well at all. The restaurant apologized for my allergic reaction, and said that it was grub hub that labeled it incorrectly. The restaurant said that in the future to call ahead and advise them of any allergies that you might have in order for them to take precautions when preparing the food. read more

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This is our favorite Thai restaurant on the northwest side. We order pretty much the same thing and the staff already know our orders every time. They are friendly and super accommodating with any changes we want to make to the dishes. Very authentic food, actually spicy when it says spicy. All very flavorful. My recommendation is definitely the drunken noodles and I add a side of chili vinegar. The restaurant is moderately sized. We typically go for lunch and they tell us to seat ourselves the majority of the time. Highly recommended!! read more

So happy to be able to enjoy the food eating at the restaurant finally. The food is amazing in every aspect will not disappoint a diamond in the rough!!! Love this place especially now that I can enjoy the food eating in!!!! read more

Real Thai Restaurant - Basil fried rice - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is my go to Thai restaurant! I love their salted crab papaya salad, Tom yum and pad khee Mao. Just be mindful that their spicy level is no joke! read more

There is a Thai cook in the kitchen. An outstanding and authentic place to get Thai'ed up! They serve fried mussel pancake, a rare item in Chicago. ALL Thai dishes are excellent here. Real Thai spice levels. Great variety. Get over there today. read more

authentic spot near hip mall for thai food! we ordered the pad thai with tofu and the papaya salad with salty crab. the noodles in the pad thai had great texture and wasn't too soft. i do wish it was a bit more sweet and had more peanuts but that's my preference. the papaya salad was refreshing and well-sauced. we got level one spice for both and it was a good choice. the papaya salad got spicier every time you took a bite but we could've gone higher for the pad thai. we ordered for takeout and everything was wrapped nicely! they wrapped the salad by itself to ensure that it wouldn't spill. the interior was clean and pick up was easy. if you order directly on their website, they have a coupon code for 10% off. a solid spot for thai food and i would come again to try other items! read more

Real Thai Restaurant - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Pad Thai and crab Rangoon was so yummy! The place was nice and relaxing. I think the seats and tables could be better as the table was a little small but overall really good food, a hidden gem in the neighborhood read more

Everything was delicious!! Will order again. Loved the fresh vegetables and the whole order!

I've been to plenty of Thai restaurants, it's just something that draws me in and real Thai did the ambiance is a very quiet and low lighting place there place has friendly customer service. I started out with the Thai ice tea.taste of the tea is very different from a normal Thai ice tea, a bit sweeter with lack a taste of tea then we go on to the pad see ew (chicken) my go to dish! The vegetables are crunchy and the noodles were soft and sweet but the chicken left me with a lot to be desired, very dry like it was overcooked. Lastly I got the taro pearl in coconut cream the coconut cream was the right amount of flavor but the taro pearls were way more glutinous than I expected not my type of taste, but good overall! Next time I come here I might try pad see ew with different type of meat read more

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Great food, the flavors were amazing! Quick and friendly service. Visited while on vacation, wish we were closer.

We ordered takeout but will definitely come back to dine-in. We had veggie pad Thai noodles, chicken satay and papaya salad which was great. The seasoning was delicious and the food was authentic and well prepared. We'll be back for more! read more

I went because I read another review said there were gluten free options. This is not the place to go for GF. My mistake for not calling before going. They were only able to provide me rice and steamed veggies since all of their meats are marinated (with gluten or egg) and they do not use/have GF soy sauce. Needless to say, I won't be going back. I'm really sad because many Thai restaurants can usually accommodate. read more

We ordered take-out today and I decided to try the pad Thai since it was rated a Popular item on the menu and it was awful the taste was like pure egg and dry no sauce no flavor. The service is no good don't recommend this place. Highly disappointed wasted $50.00 in the trash. read more

Rice was super dry and I asked if they could use brown rice and they said it wouldnt taste good and the white rice was super dry and didnt taste good either.. it was so dry it was clumped together read more

Real Thai Restaurant - Rice was super dry and didnt taste good - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ok so this place is a must. They are good the food are all good. It's taste just like the food that I got in Thailand. This is the best place read more

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Spontaneously bumped into this place on Yelp and decided to give them a try based on the reviews, the moment we finished our take out I knew I had to write a review. Thank you Real Thai, the food was impeccable, super fresh, and actually nice and hot! The sauce was perfectly spicy and food flavorful. We look forward to ordering again. - Nelly read more

Real Thai Restaurant - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Our favorite is the Thai chicken basil & pho! A bit pricey but def worth it. I would recommend to anyone

One of the best papaya salads I've had in Chicagoland. It's very traditional. I go here because of that.

We went here for a late lunch (around 2pm) so there was only one other family was eating. Service was fast. We got the papaya salad, panang chicken curry and chicken pad see ew. The papaya salad was not as tart as I liked so we requested some extra lime which they were really nice to accommodate. After the extra lime, it was perfect! The pad see ew was delicious. The noodles had a perfect chewiness. The curry was a bit watery but still good. read more

Hands down best Thai food I've had within 30 minutes of my house. Ingredients are always fresh and flavorful. Food is ready when they say it will be. They are very fast but don't forget anything in the orders. Super friendly people. I suggest trying some of the special dishes further down the menu. read more

Great authentic Thai food. We went for lunch . Ordered several dishes. Friends love papaya salad and Pad kee mao beef. Overall, we will be back soon! read more

Really great food, nice flavors and great healthy options! The vegetables were really fresh and not over cooked at all. We had chicken Rama and mixed vegetables. Delivery was super fast and friendly as well. read more

One word AMAZING! Myself and some girlfriends were visiting Chicago earlier last month and we were craving authentic Thai food. Myself being Thai, I am particular about flavors and the authenticity of certain dishes. Let me tell you...there are very few to none Thai Restaurant that prepares and serves Papaya salad the "E-saan" way/style. The papaya was the BEST one we all have had. We ate the entire thing and saved the sauce to dip our meats in. One of my girlfriends was even drinking the sauce HAHA! THAT GOOD. We also order seafood Tom Yum soup, Pad See Ew Chicken, Pad Ki Mao, Crab Fried Rice, and Spare ribs. Everything was so flavorful! Amongst the other things we ate the weekend we were there we still talk about the food here. Definitely will make visiting Chicago easier and we will be back and highly recommend! read more

I love their chicken Pad Thai and crab Rangoon and always order pickup. They are usually quick and accurate with my order.

I moved to Norridge a few months ago from Uptown and was depressed with the lack of authentic food options. I was about to accept the fact that unexciting food options would now be part of life until my husband told me that a new Thai restaurant was opening up called Real Thai. Hmmm but would it be "real" though? I was skeptical because it seemed like some of the ethnic restaurants around here would dummy down their flavors to suit their demographics (aka people who are weary of food that's too ethnic). So we order take-out the day after they opened, take the food home, start eating, and OMG the clouds opened up and the angels rejoiced! The food was so good, so flavorful, and so spicy. Real Thai is REAL and I thank them for that! We've ordered the beef salad, pad see ew, pad Thai, chicken Rama, and beef green curry and loved everything! What I appreciate even more is their secret menu that truly has authentic food options. I look forward to trying as much as I can! The owners are very kind as well! read more

I had the Salted Crab Papaya Salad and the Shrimp Pad Thai. The food was so delicious. The crab in the Papaya Salad comes in mini crab legs. They have to be peeled or bitten and the crab will come out. The shrimp papaya salad was really good. I squeezed the juice from the lime and added a little bit of the papaya salad, and it came out like fire. I would like to try more appetizers next time. read more

Real Thai Restaurant - Salted Crab Papaya Salad - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We ordered takeout and the food was amazing!! We ordered pad kee mao, papaya salad and pad thai. The dishes all have bold flavor and the spice level was on point (if you like spicy - go for 4/5 stars). I also love the pad thai since it has the classic tamarind (darker) sauce. Pickup was quick and easy. Staff was also very friendly. Check this place out if you're in the area. We will definitely order from Real Thai again! read more

The Thai burger was something I had never seen anywhere before. It was awesome. I had the Tofu version but they also have it with chicken etc. read more

Real Thai Restaurant - Never see Thai burger anywhere. This was awesome. I had the Tofu version but they also have chicken. It was really tasty. - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This seems like a very authentic Thai food with good quality. I like their basil fried rice with chicken. Actually the chicken didn't taste too good but the taste of the fried rice covered the ok taste of the chicken. The Tom yum soup was good with adequate amounts of ingredients.I would prefer it to be hotter in temperature. The taste was more on the sweet side than sour or spicy. The bathroom was very clean. They have many different types of cleaning supplies. I love a good clean place. Our service was very good and nice. If I do crave for Thai food, this place will be on my list. read more

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Everything is so delicious here!! I am Thai and I say this is one of the best Thai restaurants in Chicago!!! The Thai papaya salad is REAL Thai flavor. Crab Rangoon is amazing. I can go on and on about this place. The owner is super nice. I would love to dine in once Covid is over. Lastly, the price is very reasonable!! read more

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Opening up in a spot that failed and failed again when others chose to compete with already-established burger and pizza places, here comes Real Thai, literally; but not the average stuff, this is a freshly-created menu that has a lot of items to choose from. There's a lot of thought that went into this menu and it shows. Flat-out, we loved it from the first bite. We carried out the Real Thai Veggie Noodles with chicken and tofu set alongside thin rice noodles, sprouts, carrot, cabbage, and their special sauce. Delicate yet hardy, it could feed two, but I'm glad we both got our own. The veggie egg rolls (4 minis) are great and light. Some crab rangoon (5 in an order) was sweetness on top of fresh, fresh fare. The interior of the restaurant is nicely redone from the bar and space that was there before, but THIS time, it's a welcomed addition to within-walking-distance eateries around Harlem and Irving. It's a long menu, and we intend to try every plate. This is the healthy, groovy alternate to another burger, fries or pizza meal. There's a SECRET THAI MENU of items that are begging for trying; one look at their menu tipped us off that we're lucky to have them here. There are gluten-free items and vegetarian, too. You won't leave hungry, but if you're like we were tonight, you'll finish feeling sort of blessed. -Mark Braun, retired publishing guru Food Industry News read more

I came across this restaurant on Yelp, while trying to order lunch. I figured I'd give it a try, based off the reviews and pictures. I ordered the pad Thai with tofu and was not left disappointed. The flavors are balanced and the texture of the noodles and tofu are just right. The portion size for the price was great. Will definitely order again! read more

Real Thai Restaurant - Pad Thai w/Tofu - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois