Love this restaurant! The drunken noodles are a favorite! It can be pretty spicy, we order at a lower level than we have at other places. The atmosphere is great too! read more

Got take out not too long ago. Got food in timely manner. And everything was so good! Got the Massaman curry with chicken and crab Rangoon. Delicious! Would deff get from them again. read more

I've eaten here three times and each time it's been great. The Masaman and Panang Curry are both delicious and full of flavor. I also love the crab rangoons. They're done perfectly and not overly battered. read more

Had the green curry for lunch a few days ago. It was actually really really good, very unique and more sweet and rich than a normal curry. It was definitely spicier than what I was expecting but it really worked. The only thing I felt lacking was the portion size-I ate it all and didn't have any leftovers, which is strange for Thai food but I guess you can't overdo quality! read more

Where has the Red Orchid been all my life? Absolutely delicious! We came here on a random Sunday and I'm so glad we did. The space is nice and they have a few tables for outdoor seating. We were seated right away. The staff is very friendly and efficient. They have a full bar with an ok selection. Nothing crazy craft brew wise, but I good choice of wines and beer. You can still BYOB but there is a service fee. We ordered the fried vegetable spring rolls to start. They came out quickly and we're really yummy. I got the drunken noodles with shrimp. Spicy level 5. It had a nice kick and got my nose running which is exactly what I want. My fiancé got Pad Thai with chicken level 3. He doesn't dig the heat like I do but he really enjoyed it. I took a taste and it was great flavor. (I of course would have asked for it hotter, but everyone has their own preferences. ). This is a great spot. Would be great for a group. There were a few families there so kids are welcome. Definitely drop in and get some amazing Thai food. read more

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My husband & I haven't had Thai food in a while and had yet to come to this place even though we live so close! I have to say I was completely won over at the first taste of the Tom Kha soup. The broth was amazing and you could request how spicy you want it. Because it was our first time there, my hubby and I asked for level 5 for all our dishes. Five was a little too spicy for us with the soup hubby got Tom Yum w/ Shrimp, but seemed fine for our entrees (Yellow Curry w/ Chicken and Pad Thai Shrimp). Our waitress was very helpful and recommended the proteins for our soups based on how they are typically prepared in Thailand which I appreciated bc I enjoy learning what is custom for the culture. I did request more variety of vegetables in my curry and I definitely got plenty. I could barely eat 1/3 of what they prepared so I have awesome leftovers! Wish I had taken pics. They have applied for a liquor license so no drinks yet but you can BYOB with a $5 corking fee. Also, it used to be a very small place but they have expanded and have a nice, spacious, eclectic dining area. Go...you won't be disappointed. read more

Food is good but the service is really poor. Place is byob but has one of the highest corkage fees in the area. The staff is not friendly and come across as rude and condescending. Advice - avoid dine in and do take outs! read more

Overall good. Wild curry tofu was not coconut based- this was good for a change. The lad nah was good- noodles were thick and tasty. However, the pad Thai was sub par. Service wasn't bad either. read more

Red Orchid - Thai Iced Tea- Yum! - Thai Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I have been to Red Orchid once before, and it was really good - but the spice levels are quite humbling. A spiciness level 3 at Red Orchid is another Thai restaurants level 8 or 9. Beware, or be prepared to be humbled. I can confidently say that tonight's visit ranks as the weirdest of bizarro restaurant visits I've experienced in my 20+ years of restaurant dining. We sit down, and I order a Thai iced tea and him, a water. We order two Tom Kha soups, mine with shrimp at a spice level of 3 and him a chicken with a spice level of 5. When they arrive, mine is the level 5 and his is the level 3. So we send them back. This time, they arrive and mine is correct but his is shrimp, not chicken. So we send his back...I eat my soup and by the time that his soup comes, our entrees are in hand too. He has the drunken noodles with beef, and I have the chicken noodle soup. His entree is perfect, prepared properly and exactly what he asked for. My chicken noodle soup on the other hand, is rice noodles in water with white chicken, scallions and cilantro. Utterly flavorless, short of what little flavor that the chicken meat offers. So I'm trying to eat this chicken and noodle water with vegetation, because I didn't want to further embarrass myself by sending this soup back after the Tom Kha fiasco. Unfortunately, I couldn't take it so I asked for some chili pepper oil or something. So she insists on taking the soup back to have some soy sauce or salt mixed in, which I agree because just want to eat my dinner in peace. She brings it back and it's not any better. So my waitress comes back and asks me if I want something else. I resist, but she insists, so I opted for the drunken noodles that my husband had. She brings that to the table a few minutes later, asks me how it is - I was thrilled!!! She then tells me that the boss is yelling at her, and motions toward an angry looking woman who is crossing the rear of the restaurant. I smile, and tell the woman that the drunken noodles are amazing and that I'm very satisfied. After a little bit, I ask her to box up the noodles since I want to take the rest home. I ask about the mango sticky rice and she said that the mango is giant eagle because they're out of season. She encourages me to try one of the more seasonally appropriate desserts even though the mango sticky rice is one of the specials. I order a thai pumpkin sticky rice and she tells me that she's going to charge me for half of the soup I sent back. We balk at this since we learned this after she insisted that I ordered something else, and after I've eaten the new dish. My husband becomes annoyed and speaks up - the waitress informed him that if we don't pay for the dish, she has to. We weren't understanding this concept, and a second waitress is attracted to the situation in the quiet restaurant. I'm so embarrassed I want to disappear, when a third waitress comes to the table and informs us that the "boss" charges them for their mistakes and that the waitress was going to have to pay for the two original tom kha mistakes. I'm flabbergasted by the injustice of this knowing that it is against the law for them to do this to an employee since situations like these are the cost of doing business, and also horrified that we're being bullied into paying for something that wasn't our fault, simply because we feel bad for our waitress. It's not her fault that she's not great at her job, but that's not an appropriate source of cost recovery. We will think twice about eating there again, and maybe you should too. Monday, I will be contacting the Pennsylvania Bureau of Labor Law Compliance and the U.S. Department of Labor to report that the "Boss" is doing this to their employees. My waitress goes back to the kitchen to put in my dessert order, and I can hear the boss screaming at her from two rooms away. It was not a good situation to be in. What's pretty on the inside isn't always pretty in the kitchen. Buyer beware. 14 hours later: my husband and I have been sicker than a dog since our visit. We won't be returning. read more

Eh! I'm not too impressed. The service was pretty blah and it didn't seem like they paid attention enough. Customers at the other tables appeared unhappy with the service. And another customer was having problems eating her food because it was so spicy. I ordered my spice level at a 1, so it wasn't spicy. The food was ok. I ordered the Crab Rangoon and it was absolutely delicious. And the Pad Thai was just ok but not bad at all, the portion size was nice. If I do come back, it would definitely be for more of the Crab Rangoon and will probably just get it to go. read more

I just got back from spending a few months in Thailand and was looking for a good Thai restaurant in Pittsburgh that would live up to the amazing food I had abroad. Red Orchid is the place! Not only is there a nice vibe and great service, but the food was very authentic (and delicious!) -- just like what I had in Thailand -- and there is a fun gong that you can hit if you like the food. I have only been here once so far but can say that the Green Curry and Pumpkin Curry are great! Can't wait to go back. read more

I am a born and raised Pittsburgher and I lived in Thailand for 2 years. The food I ordered here was fantastic. Yes it is a little spicy, news flash: Thai food is spicy. But they cook the chilis in with the food instead of adding red pepper after its done. Much better flavor, much spicier. I got the Pad Kra Pao. Its a basil pork dish and it was authentic. I asked the server if they did it as they do in Thailand and she said that it was because they eat what they make in the restaurant so it has to be. I have worked in Thai restaurants in PGH and have sampled many others and this is up in the top of my list for authenticity and excellence. read more

Amazed I have yet to write a review considering that I've eaten here about 50 times. It is my favorite Thai restaurant and could be the best in Pittsburgh. I've been to silk elephant and a couple Thai restaurants near West Penn hospital as well. I just think that the food is very flavorful, staff is very friendly and attentive, and as of recently they started serving alcohol. The food is inexpensive. Unlike some of the Indian restaurants this place is very spot on with the desired spice level. If you ask for 10/10 it will be spicy. It is one of the few places in my life for which I lack the frustration of not being able to order a dish very very spicy. read more

Repulsed...I was highly upset when I ordered my food and got some bland noodles with some lumps of tofu on the side...it truly looked like food that would be served in a prison or some kind of institutionalized food. I have come here before many times and was mostly pleased. We were one of the only tables here and got the worse service. Our server could have cared less if we stayed or left. We actually left because she never came back to check on us, give me my food, or even leave us a check... So maybe I was in an institution....perhaps? This really sucks because I was ecstatic that north hills had a Thai restaurant...now I have to drive all the way to Thai place in cranberry. read more

We went to Red Orchid on a Saturday afternoon for lunch, and I was really impressed with their food because the flavors and spice level were near perfect, and the portions and price for lunch were a great deal. To start off, we ordered the Red Orchid Combination Sampler #2 which comes with 2 summer rolls, 2 spring rolls (fried), fried tofu, and thai samosas with a few different dipping sauces. The samosas were unexpectedly sweet but delicious. The Red Orchid samosas are filled with sweet potatoes and spiced with curry spices and cinnamon accompanied by a cucumber dipping sauce. For my entree, I had the Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) with tofu - I had forgotten how much I love this dish and Red Orchid's version was the best that I've had in years - it is stir fried rice noodles in a spicy chili sauce with basil, napa, bean sprouts, and bell peppers. My partner got the Spicy Basil (Pad Ka Prao) with beef which he really enjoyed - the dish is stir fried with thai chilis, garlic, bell peppers, onion, bamboo shoots, green beans, and basil. Based on the quality and the tastiness of the food, we will definitely be back. Another attractive reason to come here is that there is plenty of open, comfortable seating where you don't feel like you are on top of the other diners, plus there is ample parking because the restaurant is in a small strip of businesses/shops on Babcock Blvd - a lot of other Thai restaurants that we frequent are nightmares for parking which is why we usually opt for take-out, so it will be nice to have a great Thai place to go to where we can sit down and enjoy our food right from the kitchen. read more

Everytime my girlfriend and I get Red Orchid we never dine in, only take-out, when taking this review into consideration. While the customer service over the phone is the usual "just tell me what you want" kind of attitude, the food every time is phenomenal! After the countless times we've ordered here never once have we ran into an issue with: the food being overdone/undercooked, finding anything out of the ordinary (hair, etc.,) the temperature (my girlfriend can't stand when food comes cold,) or even the portion size. The only trouble I have ran into was my "3" of the spicy green bean with beef was sometimes extremely hotter than the other times, but either way it was still good! I'd just watch out for the people who have sensitive tastebuds for the heat! I'd still recommend and will continue to order from here! read more

We get takeout once a week from Red Orchid!! It is the BEST Thai we have ever had. We've tried Nicky's, Pusadee's Garden, and many other Thai spots in Pittsburgh and this is the place to go. The dishes have the most flavor!! Our favorite dishes are green curry, spicy pad ka prao, and crab rangoons. Soups are delicious too. My sister used to get Nicky's and I recently brought her here and she now only goes to Red Orchid! Don't listen to any bad review, try it yourself. read more

Some of the best Thai food I've tried, and I've tried a lot! This is very authentic, flavorful and reasonably priced! Nice people too. Love their Pumpkin Curry, Drunken Noodles, Pad Kra Pao, Curry Fried Rice, and many more. Best Thai deal around. If they served larger portions of rice with the meals (especially the sticky rice) it would complete the experience! Small seating area, not really set-up for large groups, but seating is usually available. I have been a regular for some time, and always recommend this place highly to friends! Exceptional! read more

Very nice people run this restaurant . The food just isn't good. I've tried several times and come away with feeling a need to write this review. I've benefited from reviews from this community. read more

This place is tiny but you won't miss the neon red letters out front. We showed up around 6:30. My first impression when we walked in was, where are we going to sit? I found about a dozen tiny tables with very little space keeping them apart with a long bench up against the wall. The inside is not what you'd expect it to be, very modern and hip. Cute lamps above every table and lots of wood work that looked like it came from Thailand. Almost every table was taken, aside from three that had a reserved sign on them. The girl that received us removed the sign from one of the tables and sat us right away. As we were looking at the menu, people kept coming in, some where waiting for a table, some were ordering take out. I was thrilled, I knew we found the Thai gem of the North Hills. My husband ordered Thai Style Fried Rice and I had the Garlic entree, we also shared the Fresh Summer Rolls with tofu as an appetizer. The appetizer was light, not enough for my hungriness so I couldn't wait to get my entree. First time I go into a Thai place I like to order a typical dish, maybe because I want to compare it to other Thai restaurants. My dish was good, very good; it came with a side of white rice shaped as a heart. My husband wasn't so enthusiastic about his, he said it was plain; the rice was clean, it didn't taste over fried or greasy, but it needed a sauce. I didn't try it because I don't eat chicken. I give it a 3 stars because, although my dish was very good my husband's was not, and the place is too small. Regular size people may have a hard time getting past the opening between the tables to sit. I also could hear the conversation of the people's sitting next to us (you'll be that close to the table next to yours). Oh, and since it's BYOB we took two bottles of wine (one white and one red): $2.75 per bottle or per person, not sure. read more

We were looking forward to try some authentic Thai food, but we were disappointed. Food was just okay. The restaurant ventilation wasn't working properly, I was coughing because of cooking smell in the air. Not recommended. read more

It is nice to finally have some authentic Thai food in the North Hills! The appetizers are alright, but the tom yum soup and dinners were delicious! I have tasted the drunken noodles, panang curry, and chicken with mixed vegetables, and I would definitely order them again! The prices are decent - $11 to $13.50 for most dinner entrees, and $7.50 to $9 for lunch. It can be a little hard to find Red Orchid - it is on the corner plaza of 3 degree and babcock. I am looking forward to many more authentic Thai meals. read more

I frequent this place because it is soo good. I have turned many coworkers into Thai fans in the process! The duck noodle soup and drunken noodles are probably my favorite dishes! Never failing on my spice addiction! The crab rangoons are also a yummy way to start a meal! Very small inside so if you have a group it's best to order take out. read more

I will not come back to this restaurant anymore. Their service was super slow, and the waitress was kind of rude.The beef noodle soup I ordered was salty. read more

Dissapointed that they discontinued delivery (though still advertise they do. But the food is still great....Had the best soup to start with. I think it was the Tom Kai? The one with coconut milk. IT was the best I have ever had. Perfect balance of spicy sweetness. And besides the chicken had a good amount of crispy veggies. Also really enjoyed my Pad See Ew. Tofu was perfect, even after delivery. The fried springrolls were average. But they had a ton of types to choose from & I got shrimp. Just wished they had included a menu. read more

I've now given Red Orchid two chances, and have been disappointed both times. I ordered the vegetable pad see ew each time, and even with some spice, I can't say there was much flavor compared to others I've had. My biggest problem is that for the price, portions are rather small. ***Update: Against my better judgment, gave this place one more shot. Ordered online - got there 20 mins later as stated on my confirmation page, and my order had not been started...I was told it wasn't even received. I officially give up. read more

They ignored and then laughed about our food allergy concerns If you care only about the food: we had Pad Thai and fried rice. Both were ok though nothing beyond what you would find in the average Thai restaurant around. If you care about service or about people affected by food allergies, read on: Our child has a very severe peanut allergy, so we avoid eating it ourselves because of the risk of accidentally transferring it to him. When we go out to eat without him, we do go to Asian restaurants and never had a problem getting dishes with no peanuts in area restaurants. For ourselves, we're not worried about the risk of cross contamination. We just don't want to bring any peanut materials home. My wife and I (without our child) decided to try Red Orchid, which is small and family run with an open kitchen. I asked for Pad Thai without the peanut garnish on top, and explained twice to the server that this was very important. The kitchen staff heard it as well. The place was completely empty with no load on the staff. When we got the appetizers, I verified that they did not contain peanuts either. The main dish arrived and I asked again to make sure there were no peanuts and it looked fine without the usual garnish on top. Only after eating half of it did I chew on something hard and then found a cache of peanuts at the bottom. Not a single one that accidentally transferred, but quite a lot that were clearly put in there. Just to be sure, I asked the server to make sure these were peanuts, and she "wasn't sure", and went to ask the kitchen staff. Remember, this is an open kitchen. At this point, one could apologize for the mistake. Instead, I heard the cook muttering about ordering pad thai without the peanuts not making sense. This has never been a problem in any other restaurant, after all, it's just a garnish, it's not like I asked for peanut-free satay sauce. The server came back asking if I was allergic (why else would I worry about peanuts?). At this point I explained that I'm not, but that it was important to me to avoid peanuts because of my child. At this point, at least two of the staff BURST OUT LAUGHING. Life with a severely allergic child is difficult. No meal is relaxed. Travel and eating out is almost impossible. Certain cuisines, like Thai, are out of the question. You may feel that we are being overprotective. But ask yourself whether a customer who asks several times to ensure that a certain ingredient that is known to pose a hazard not be used as garnish deserves this treatment. If the kitchen staff is not interested in providing this variation, the server can suggest another dish. I will assume that the staff accidentally added the peanuts rather than willfully did so. But laughing about this? It's absolutely unacceptable. read more

I absolutely loved the drunken noodles. I ordered it with vegetables and it was loaded with peppers, corn, green beans, mushrooms, all kinds of veggies as opposed to just a ton of onions and a few sad looking veggies (I'm looking at you Thai cuisine). I got takeout and was amazed that my food was still face of the sun hot by the time I got home. The noodles were firm and perfectly covered in a sauce that was spicy enough to make every pore in my face sweat. The spicy basil beef was also good but not as fantastic as the drunken noodles. Be forewarned that if they don't ask you for a spicy level that it is going to make you sweat. So if a ton of heat isn't your thing, you need to tell them. Since this is so much closer to one of the places I work, this maybe become my new go to for drunken noodles! A quick note, check your bag before you leave. They forgot my samosas :-/ and partly my fault for not checking. The decor is relaxing and surprisingly nice for a strip mall. Indoors seats about 20 and they have a couple tables outside if you don't mind major car noise from the very busy Babcock. read more

We had three appetizers. The chicken satay, pot stickers, and shrimp rolls! All were "on point"! So glad we came in while in town. We now have a Thai place to go to when we're here. Staff is super friendly and very attentive. read more

We ate here when it first opened and recalled it as just okay. Tonight we decided to give it another go - and it was really good. We got the chicken pad thai and green curry (vegetables) and both of us really liked our dishes. The spice level was also hotter than I remembered (I'm usually between a 6-8), mine was a 7 and it was very spicy. Portion sizes were also good. read more

Pad Thai was very good. I like the noodles. I had another dish. It was good, but I would try to find something that would be my regular. This is a nice little restaurant. I will be back. read more

Went there for my first time and got take out. I ordered a range of things, (combination appetizer, spicy basil fried rice, tom kha soup) and they were all very good. I ordered a 5 out of 10 on the spicy range and it was pretty spicy, but still very good. I will definitely be back. read more

My husband and I ordered take out on a whim. He got the Chicken Basil, I got the Avocado Salad and we ordered a side of Chicken Summer Rolls. Our total was $30.00 which is no big deal for two meals and a appetizer but boy, I was surprised by the portion. The Summer Rolls totaled almost $6.00 and we had two small rolls in the box. I thought maybe the taste would make up for the portion but alas, I was also disappointed by the bland taste. My salad was a bit measly- store mixed lettuce, a couple tomatoes and slices of avocado. They weren't lying about the name, I will give them that. The dressing was the best part of the whole thing. It was a peanut butter based dressing and surprisingly good on a salad but definitely didn't fill me up. Also, I think I could have made myself a bigger portion for around the same amount of money- $9.00. My husband's Chicken Basil was indeed tasty but small. He asked for spicy level number 9 and they did deliver the expectation of spice. The chicken and vegetables were tender. I would like to give this restaurant another shot but perhaps sit in and explore the menu more. The interior design of the building is beautiful and is surprisingly big on the inside. Although I ordered some items that did not live up to my expectations(but maybe they are too high), I would still recommend. read more

Delicious and thentic Thai food with your choice of spicyness? East to find seats now that the dining room has grown. Fantastic pineapple curry. read more

Amazing combinations of flavor with fresh ingredients lovingly prepared by official thai people. This place is wonderful for the escape from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Not for the meat and potatoes guy. These delicate flavors require a more sophisticated palette. read more

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It's not like the way it used to be!!! I used to love the food here consistently, lately, the food cooking has gone down! The pumpkin chicken I ordered was hard as cardboard, I could not eat it, my friend ordered the pad thai and it did not have enough of whatever sauce they put in there, they still make great other foods like the green curry sauce still yum but some of the foods are not cooked enough, I hope they fix this!!!! Please be consistently good again!!!!! read more

Now we finally have a much-needed authentic Thai restaurant in the North Hills area! Unlike one of the other so-called Thai restaurants (in Wexford), this restaurant has great food, decent prices (you're not paying for pretentious decor, fancy lighting, and a trendy bar), and excellent service. Just tried it today (9/8/12) and found it to be very pleasant. Pad see eew was outstanding, pad thai and panang curry were also excellent. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Lunch specials are $7.50 and include soup or salad... nice presentation of the food. Pleasant restaurant environment and nice decor/atmosphere (very clean yet and nice Thai decor yet without the pretentious bells and whistles), although small interior so there's not a lot of seating. As mentioned by others a bit hard to locate (just south of 3 Degree Road intersection on Babcock, near Sherwin-Williams paint store), but once you find it you'll keep coming back. We will definitely be going there regularly. read more

Ate in restaurant once. Had takeout once. Food was delicious both times. Coconut soup and lemongrass soups were delicious, perfectly spiced. Beef with garlic entree on take out quite tasty, beef very tender, nice and hot (temperature) even for takeout!!. Thai basil chicken entree in restaurant perfectly spiced, but could have been warmer (temperature) when served (otherwise, red orchid would have received 5 stars from me instead of 4. Will definitely be a regular customer. Decor' is very comfortable!! read more

Red Orchid has some of the best Thai. My wife and I have eaten there numerous times and have tried many dishes. Each one was exceptional. We highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Red Orchid is delicious and the service is great. We've been there multiple times and we always have a great experience.