I've lived minutes from Ruan Thai for years and never tried it. I saw a featured review recently and we decided to do carry out for lunch. Based on the all the reviews we ordered the Yum Watercress and the Chicken Satay plus extra peanut sauce and cucumber. The chicken satay was pretty standard, a little dry and the peanut sauce was way too sweet for my taste. Rich ended up adding a little Sriracha to it. On the other hand the cucumber sauce was fresh and crunchy and tasty. The shrimp and squid in the Yum Watercress were delicious. The shrimp were light and crunchy. If we order again I would skip adding the dressing. I didn't think it added a lot. But those shrimp were pretty addictive. Might try another deep fried dish next time. read more

We stopped by here due to a recommendation from family. The curries are good, the Tom Ka soup is decent (though a bit too sour from the lemon for me), and everything else we tried was... sub-par. Particularly the crispy pork belly. I would say it was more like pork rind, not pork belly. I probably won't be coming back myself. read more

I ordered take out last Monday (June 9th.) and went to pick it up with a close friend visited us from a business trip in NYC. He lives in Europe. And we traveled in Thailand. I told him the food there was great. And it was very good actually (I would give it 4 stars). Me and my family who live nearby have dined there at least 50 times. Unfortunately this time we had a terrible experience when the hostess (whom I had not seen before) refused to give us more than 3 of those super tiny hot sauce containers (they have 4 kinds). She said it was one per dish. We said we needed more and she said she would not give more in a very unkind way. At one point she said we would have to pay more. I asked if that is how they treat customers who are eating in, pointing at the serving bottles that have plenty of sauce in them, to what she said that it is only for seating customers. We asked for the manager and she said, with an 'I couldn´t care less attitude', the manager wasn´t there. We left fuming and frankly humiliated, and it kind of ruined our dinner despite the good food. It is sad that Ruan Thai does not seem to have competition in the area any more and have started feeling like one has to beg for their service. read more

Leaving review before even tasting food. ordered pickup online and was given a 95min wait time. It's Mother's Day, so I excused it and didn't immediately cancel. I should have because we had to wait another hour on top of that. 2.5 hrs! After all of that, their only compensation was extra egg rolls and some random slices of toast. They should not have accepted an order they could not fulfill in a reasinable time, and they should have compd at least part of the order. To add insult to injury, for the price, the portions are inadequate. Will take my business elsewhere. read more

Went here tonight with a friend for dinner and it felt super safe with Covid protocols. There were only a few tables and masks were required. Luckily, we walked from my house as their parking lot never has spots. The food was yummy! We got chicken skewers and peanut sauce for an appetizer and it was great! Would love to have the peanut sauce on more foods! For my main dish, I got drunken noodles. They were really good and quite spicy which was nice! Sometimes a Thai place will say it's spicy and then it's not so that was awesome. Finally, I got mango sticky rice and that was the perfect ending to the meal. Our waitress was also super attentive and nice; always coming by to check and do refills. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Amazing basil fried rice if you want to cry and clean your nose. Sites are great. Get it only medium spice to really enjoy it. Lots of seats The people are nice but English is their second language but still ok. 8/10 customer service. These are facts :) -CL read more

I gave it a second go a long while later to see how I felt about it. This place is consistently outstanding on all levels-from authenticity to pricing. Why it isn't EVERYONE's top choice is mind boggling. I can eat phal curries and not cry during the meal, even if I'm doubled up later during the digestive process so my wife was taking food to go and gave them the speech. Something like, "no really, please make this as hot as you are able" They delivered, and added a side of chilis which I tossed in without even tasting yet. It was legitimately native strength, and the hottest I've ever eaten in an American Thai restaurant. Customer for Life They have something for all folks, and their watercress appetizer is still the best thing in the local area for unusually good dishes that aren't offered in many places. I ALWAYS get that, and the extra hit Penang duck curry. Ressssssspect read more

We have been longtime customers of Ruan Thai - we supported them through the pandemic, and have continued to go there. A few days ago, we ordered online dinner for 3 people, which we planned to pick up at the restaurant. No server or delivery person involved. We received this response: We regret to inform you that your order has been declined with the following reason: add tips for your huge order please , thank you Our order was for THREE people - it was not "huge". Also, we planned to pick up at the restaurant, so we did not think a tip was warranted. Had there been a delivery person or server, we would have tipped. Tips are OPTIONAL, and we've NEVER been refused service at any establishment due to not tipping (even when there WAS a server involved). We will NEVER go to Ruan Thai again - they have lost a long-time customer due to the fact that they expected us to tip for a PICK-UP order. Beware of this - I'd strongly reconsider where you order Thai food in Wheaton. Nava Thai is much better anyway! read more

Ruan Thai - Thai Near Me - Wheaton, Maryland

I've been coming here for over 10 years. This was my first Thai food experience, I was initially HOOKED. I've told friends about here and even got my job hooked on meals from here..... That said, the food and service have been inconsistent. My most recent visit, I ordered 2 Pad Thai, one spicy other regular. Both tasted like sugar. I tried to call, and they never picked up the phone. Additionally, when I did pick up my order, the (I assume) manager was simply rude. My card wasn't working due to a fraud issue (I didn't know) but she treated me like I was going to steal the food... I immediately regretted ordering and should have just canceled my order and gone home from the treatment alone. I used to LOVE place ....I will never come back. read more

10 + years that I've been coming here, and I'm now just leaving a review (talk about slacking on my part). Without a doubt, I've yet to have a bad dish. Every single dish I've eaten was delicious, authentic, and just a definition of home cooking. The chef will come out and greet some customers and ask how their food was. Wow! What a service. The waiters and waitresses were always so helpful. Acknowledge you when you come in and immediately sit you down at their tables. I've never felt ignored. They're on top when it came to refilling your drinks. Not much wait for our food either. Top notch service, and it's consistent! They make you feel like family and that you're all taken care of. I love that. Our first couple of dishes were the appetizers. I was honestly not hungry, but my stomach will automatically make room for Ruan Thai (magic, I know). My usual go-to is Chicken Satay. So freakin' delicious! I love the grilled chicken with a slight taste of turmeric (it just has that charcoal, earthy taste), and when I dip my chicken in that tiny peanut sauce it just takes it to another level. Earthy, sweet, peanuty goodness. Then bite into the pickled cucumbers with onions.. what a combination! Crunchy, fresh, tangy, and sweet with a slight hint of fish sauce. You'd finish this alone without realizing it. Don't get me started with Yum Watercress! O M mudda f'n G! This dish will satisfy everything your body craves. Sweet, Salty, Crunchy, Limey. Every bite gives you contrast in texture with the crunchy fried watercress and cashews, the crunchy outer shell of the squid, and the seafood being sweet and fresh. Love the addition of Cilantro and onions. It looks like a naughty salad. Everyone needs a naughty salad. My daughter devoured the spring rolls, and she wouldn't shut up on how good it was. It must be really good since she didn't share it. Our main dish was Lad Nah and Mooh Korb Kha Nah. Let's start with Lad Nah. Lad Nah is a wide rice noodles dish, and you can pick whatever protein you want in it. My mom picked chicken. This dish was so hearty and flavorful. It reminds me of stew because of the brown sauce. The sauce was thick and beefy. My mom mixed it with rice cause she said it was heavy (in a good way, of course), and plus, we're Asian so we eat rice with everything. Then my daughter ordered Mooh Korb Kah Nah. Its pork belly fried to crispy perfection sauted in chinese broccoli and oyster sauce. I love the broccoli and crispy pork belly ratio. Perfectly distributed. This dish tastes fresh with its broccoli, yet you have the salty, fatty, crispy pork belly such a nice contrast. Guys, please try this place out! Trust me, you won't regret it. read more

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I'd been wanting to try this place for a long time, but kind of forgot about it until recently. The food was really good. I had tom kha with shrimp soup, yum tuna salad and Thai iced tea. The soup was flavorful, with spicy and sour flavors. It had several jumbo shrimp and lots of small mushrooms. It cost $7.95 because of the shrimp. The yum tuna was also $7.95. It had flaked tuna, ginger, peanuts, red onion and spicy lime dressing. This is an appetizer, but could be enough for two or your own main meal. I also tried a bite of drunken noodle. It wasn't too oily and full of flavor. The service was quick and attentive. The food arrived under 10 minutes (with another dish, not included). The place was clean and friendly service. Prices are reasonable and portions are good. Order from here if you haven't! read more

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I remember Ruan Thai being fantastic, but this time it was pretty horrible. Almost every dish was greasy with too much oil, and it tasted old, like the oil had been reused for too long. It made my wife sick. read more

Update - May 2020 Take out only during the Covid19 outbreak. They do offer curbside pick up during slow time periods. We came here to order take out recently. They still offer carry out. Employees here do take precaution such as gloves and masks. Appears to be clean. We ordered their fried Watercrest, Tom Kha soup and pad Thai. Their pad Thai was pretty good. Fresh noodles with tons of toppings. Good portion for two people. Their Tom Kha soup is really good if you like acidic food. Recommend putting rice into the soup. Makes it a better pair. The fried Watercrest is really good as well. Best appetizer on their menu. Be sure to squeeze the given lime wedge into the dish. Also it comes with a sauce on the side too which helps makes the Watercrest softer as it's already deep fried. If you are in need of Thai food, this is a decent option in the Wheaton area. At the moment, only carry out option is available. read more

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We just had a most awesome dinner here! We started with the Yum Watercress - wow! Just so good! A big serving of fried watercress with shrimp, squid, onions & shallots, topped with cashews & tossed with a spicy lime dressing . We paired that with Yum Sam Krob- fried squid with small dried shrimps, cashews & spritzed with lime juice. This was very ! We also ordered Ped Pad Kha Prao - stir fried boneless duck with hot chili, fresh basil leaves and bell pepper. This was our favorite! Scrumptious!!! We added Mooh Korb Kha Nah which was crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce- another winner! We wanted noodles so we ordered Pad Sa Ew - wide rice noodles sauteed with Chinese broccoli, soy sauce, egg & we opted to add pork in it. Perfectly delicious! Everything we ordered were well prepared, well seasoned and satisfyingly delectable! My mouth is watering just writing this review This is definitely our go to Thai restaurant from now on. Our server ( I think Greg is his name) was also awesome! Just go and eat there! You can thank me later Be advised, parking can be a problem as this is located in a mini strip mall but there's street parking across the road. read more

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I've always found Wheaton to be a destination worth traveling to for good oriental food. So to be considered outstanding in the area takes some work. Ryan Thai has a long history: cooking for the King of Thailand when he was in Washington. Bottom line is that the food is good. Spiced a bit more than others. Great smells. Served by hardworking friendly people. Best to call ahead or waits are longer. If you want authentic Thai, it's worth the trip. read more

Delicious and authentic Thai restaurant in Wheaton. I heard a lot of great things about this place, it's well respected within the community. I quickly realized why! The service is great and fast. The tom yum soup was delicious, enjoyed it very much. I also had the chicken pad thai which was very good as well. My friends had the stir fried egg plant and the chicken curry, both of which were amazing as well. Overall this place is awesome and I will def be back! read more

Ruan Thai - Thai Near Me - Wheaton, Maryland

Discovered this mom and pop shop when looking for local Thai spots! We stopped in during the week for dinner. It was about an hour and a half before close and there were about four tables still ordering/ eating. We decided to order family style and got a few dishes to share amongst our group. We opted for the whole fried flounder, pineapple fried rice, pad Thai, the duck, two appetizers and the green curry. Overall, the food is very good and their sauces are to die for. The duck was not overly fatty they even offered us a discount on the fish since it was smaller than market value. Their dishes are around ~$12-20 depending on the protein. Fairly priced compared to the nearby Thai restaurants. Additionally, they offer beer and wine options, Thai tea and some classic Thai desserts. The restaurant seems very casual in case you were expecting fancy decor and silverware. Dropping one star because they were a bit hasty to get their patrons out on this particular day. Also, they are located in a tiny strip mall which requires you to street park. read more

Ruan Thai - Thai Near Me - Wheaton, Maryland

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I've been here twice over the years and both experiences were really disappointing. I went this weekend and ordered a Tom kha soup and a veg/tofu panang curry. The soup came out made with just coconut milk. I was confused and thought maybe it was extremely light in flavor, but the waiter said it needed to be mixed and that the sauce was at the bottom. I mixed and mixed and there was nothing but coconut milk. He took the bowl and offered to help, but I said I would just take it off my order, and he later apologized, presumably because there was no flavoring sauce in the soup. Then the panang curry with veg and tofu. I was very hungry, which usually means I'd be happy with any decent meal, but the flavor on the curry was so weak - it was like eating flavored coconut milk. I wondered if maybe it was because I asked for it to be mild, but I've had panang many times from other places, and I always ask for less spice. I left wholly unsatified, and alas will not be back. read more

I walked in to make my lunch order, it was ready in 10 minutes. Fast, friendly service. Food was very tasty! read more

I've been a patron here for almost 20 years because they're so close to my home. The food is ok. There are better Thai places in Montgomery County. A member of our party sent a dish back to the kitchen because it was too spicy. The replaced dish was just as spicy. For parties of more than 5, they add 20% to the bill. I think 20% is too much tip for how slow the wait staff is. There were patrons at only 3 tables so I don't understand the slow service. I had ordered a couple of items to go, and they charged me 20% tip on those too. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe tips should be earned. read more

this is my favorite thai place period. the food is just amazing. the space is small but cozy. highly recommend!

We enjoyed a delicious meal served by staff who were friendly and followed safe COVID rules. The Yum Watercresswas exceptional- variety of textures and flavors Burt into my mouth. Their drunken noodle with shrimp was very good. And their specialty at fish dish is so yummy and very spicy. Highly recommend this family restaurant. read more

Ruan Thai - PLA PAD PED- fried catfish filet+... yummy and quite spiced - Thai Near Me - Wheaton, Maryland

Went out to dinner tonight with some friends and found the food to be disappointing. Ordered the drunken noodles and found it to basically be tomato sauce with A LOT of sugar in it. So much sugar it boarder lined cheap ketchup. Overall, the food was just okay. This place also seems understaffed as there was only one person working the floor for at least 5 tables, so it seems like they could do with more waitstaff. The big thing I want to stress about this place is what happens with the bill! READ YOUR BILLS WHEN YOU GET THEM! I found when I looked at my recite that you will be charged with a substantial charge: a 20% service charge is included into your bill. Then it will ask you for gratuity (a tip) and the suggested is another 20% which if you're willing to pay almost half of what you've ordered go ahead. I think a tip should be given if the service and quality of food is great, but it's not fair to force people to fork over a substantial part of their bill and then ask for even more. I also just noticed when looking through the photos of my receipts (I'm REALLY glad I took photos of this), your bill has a different set of gratuity suggestions that are LESS expensive than the ones you'll get on the receipt you sign later. These people are literally trying to get you to PAY MORE MONEY for your meal. It's 5 DOLLAR DIFFERENCE. NEVER COMING BACK HERE! THESE PEOLE ARE PLAYING YOU! read more

Ruan Thai - bill - Thai Near Me - Wheaton, Maryland

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Thank you for saving our Valentine's Day!!!! We found Ruan Thai after another restaurant didn't honor our reservation and made us stand in a line outside in the freezing cold. They had plenty of seating available even though it was dinner time on Valentine's Day and everywhere else was booked. The staff seated us right away and the food came out super quickly. Everything was delicious! The soy sauce that came with the dumplings was so good. This restaurant saved our Valentine's Day and we are so grateful for the good food and good service! read more

Ruan Thai is our regular go-to for Thai food in North Kensington. It is not a fancy place but it is clean, comfortable and has fast friendly service. In more than 20 visits over the years, the food has consistently been well prepared, spiced to our taste, and reasonably priced. I love the green chicken curry and spring rolls, and my dining companions have always been happy with their choices. read more

Decent Thai food especially for the price and if you ask for no spicy they will do it!

Yum Watercress is a must have appetizer. Had the spicy boneless duck entrée. It wasn't bad, but it didn't blow me away. I understood thanks to some really great advice from the server that the drunken noodles here are slightly different from other places. I noticed many reviews didn't like the drunken noodles perhaps because they have a different recipe. Thankfully the waiter was able to clue me in and send me in the direction of the duck. Overall I was very happy and I would return to try other foods. The service was excellent. read more

I have been waiting three years to go to Ruan Thai and it was worth the wait. The Yelp Luck Club, a monthly dinner club where we meet and share dishes visited Ruan Thai tonight. It is not often that you go out with a large group and you love what everyone orders. Tonight, was that night! My favorite dish, hands down, was the Yum Watercress. I don't know what they put in it, but it is absolutely mind blowing. It has a sweet and sour taste that is packed with lightly fried seafood(shrimp and squid),onion, shallots, watercress, and cashew nuts. I can't rave enough about the taste. We had Kanin jeeb, steamed dumplings with crabmeat and ground chicken that was heavenly. Then, there was stuffed chicken with crabmeat, ground pork, spring onion, and black mushrooms, in a red sweet and sour sauce that was Amazing. That was just the appetizers! Then, there was the shrimp and pineapple fried rice. It was exceptional. The grilled pork chop was dynamic. We ordered the pad see ew with chicken that did not disappoint. The red curry that was very good. The egg plant in black bean sauce was phenomenal! The gai yang chicken, which was light and crisp. I am so glad that I wore leggings. I could eat to my hearts content. This hidden gem is on Amherst street in Wheaton. Located a block down from the post office, this is a Hidden treasure that should not be missed. I promise you that you will be glad you went. read more

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This local Thai Restaurant is one of the best !! I order carry out often and try to sit down for dinner when I can. The staff are so friendly and my favorite on their menu is the Yum Watercress and Pad Thai. The portions are generous and my food is always fresh. I think prior food reviews are on point. Parking is a pain but street parking is available. They don't disappoint. read more

Ruan Thai - Thai Near Me - Wheaton, Maryland

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The food is fantastic, but I can't speak much for the in-house dining because we almost always get carry out. Like many Asian restaurants that focus on the quality of their food, the dining room is dirty or disorganized. It just seems utilitarian like it's main goal is to serve a good meal without a lot of frills. read more

I love the yellow curry that I got at Ruan Thai, it was delicious. Food came pretty fast, so I appreciated how timely their response was. My friend enjoyed the fried rice she ordered there. The portions were exceptionally generous. Unfortunately, they were out of custard sticky rice on the day that I came- would love to have tried it. read more

TL;DR: Misleading ingredients list, unapologetic customer service, somewhat flavorless dishes The food here is not vegetarian unless you EXPLICITLY ask for it, even if it is listed as all vegetarian ingredients on the menu. The drunken noodles with vegetables - not vegetarian, has fish. The country curry with vegetables - not vegetarian, has fish and smells very fishy (is how I was clued in to call the restaurant and make sure their ingredients were properly listed). We got takeout. I called to ask about their ingredients...learned that there was fish...and then complained that their menu was misleading and not clear and asked for some sort of fix. I was told there was nothing they could do about it and that I needed to call ahead and request specifically vegetarian dishes - basically, it was my fault and no responsibility on their end. Very rude customer service for a customer who had been misled by their menu and its lack of explanation about what specifically is in their dishes. (Yelp lists the restaurant as having vegetarian and vegan options...well, don't expect to find them marked in any way on the menu, apparently.) We can't eat $30 worth of food (about 1/2 our order) due to lack of specifics on their menu (why have an ingredients list if you don't list all the ingredients?) and on top of that, the customer service without a shred of apology or desire to make up for their lack of clarity....leads me to strongly recommend that you take your business elsewhere. Also...the food that we can eat, that is actually vegetarian (about 1/2 of our family dinner) is not especially to our liking...especially not for $14.95 a plate. We find the pad thai and tofu tod a little less than inspiring. (Maybe some side sauces or a bit extra spice other than "hot" could help?) All this taken together....I recommend customers go elsewhere! If a restaurant's food doesn't always taste so good, and they make ingredients list mistakes....I think they should have decent customer service that's willing to take the hit and make things right. We will still eat what we can of dinner, as we did buy it, and we are grateful that we have restaurants we can order from...but tbh, I wish I had ordered from a restaurant I knew was good (I have liked Charm Thai in the past), rather than take a risk and be let down by not only the food and ingredients lists -- but also the customer service. read more

Absolutely phenomenal food and service each time we go! We love going here and it's the only place my wife says that reminds her of home!

Low quality food. Poor presentation. We ordered the Tom Kan soup which was 80% coconut milk! Didn't eat. We also ordered vegetable pad Thai which had the same frozen bag veggies from the soup. The taste was subpar. We definitely won't be going back. read more

I came for a Yelp dinner club meeting and was blown away! Everything I tasted was so full of flavor, service was great, just a great place to come for Thai !! I hate they weren't super busy but we did come on a Wednesday evening. Service was quick, fast, and attentive. Drinks refilled and dirty plates taken away all in a timely manner. The best thing you must order is the Yummy Watercress. It does have 1 chili star for heat on the menu but it really isn't spicy at all. Everything is deep fried and full of flavor! I tried the staple dish of pad see ew with chicken and it was delicious. Fat noodles, chicken, soy sauce mixture and broccoli. Perfect for beginners of Thai food. I did try a Marsala curry and it's a coconut milk curry dish with shrimp and peppers served with rice. There was also fried rice which again, packed with flavor!! I'm happy to have tried this place out and would definitely recommend it to others! read more

Amazing food and service, but it is a bit pricey. This is my favorite Thai go to spot in silver spring.

Some of the best Thai food I've ever had. You have got to get the watercress salad. My mother in law still talks about it like a year later. It's delicious. Not a cute spot, but dear lord are they serving delicious food. read more

The menu is full of wonderful traditional choices as well as some tuned up items that are delish. All the appetizers are great and we've had them as meals several times. The service is efficient and accommodating. Food allergies are not usually an issue. This is a family owned, low keyed, little gem in the heart of Wheaton that is sure to please Thai food lovers. They even have 5 levels of "hot" for every preference. read more

Our entire experience at Ruan Thai was delightful. We ordered steamed dumplings (Kanye Jeeb), beef Guay Teow Pag Gai, Goong Ob Mor Din, and the washed it down with Thai iced tea. By accident, we chose a sensationally well balanced and scrumptious meal. Top, our server, made us feel welcome and at home. Run, don't walk to Ruan Thai for authentic and incredible Thai food! read more

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A really good spot for Thai food! I think this might be the best pad thai I've ever had, TBH. It's just the right amount of sweet and savory and their noodles had the perfect consistency. Other places always seem to miss the mark but they do this dish RIGHT. I've also ordered the yum watercress since it seemed to be a popular item on the menu. It is basically fried shrimp & squid with fried watercress, onion, shallots, and cashew nuts. I got the sauce it comes with on the side and it is so good - I believe it was called a spicy lime dressing on the menu, but it definitely seemed to have a vinegar base that complemented this fried appetizer really well. You can't go wrong with their crab pineapple fried rice either. It has raisins and cashew nuts in it which is definitely different but it just works. Pretty random location in Wheaton but worth the trip! It seems to be a local favorite, as the reviews speak for themselves. read more

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