Lot's of delicious options to choose from...! Favorites are Fried Water Cress, Tom Kar Soup (spicy), pineapple fried rice with beef (spicy), and chicken panag curry (spicy) read more

I've never had anything here that isn't amazing. The staff is quick and friendly, the food is incredibly, and the prices are great. Parking is a bit of a frustration, but that's literally the only complaint I have--and it's not enough of a frustration to keep me away. They don't take reservations and can get pretty busy (because the food's amazing), so it can help to come early or later in the dinner window. Get the crispy basil duck or any of the curries. read more

This is some of the best Thai food I've had since moving here from Chicago 4 years ago. The inside is nothing spectacular and the servers tend to be on the quiet side, but the food is fantastic. The servers are very good about suggesting vegetarian options and modifying dishes. read more

I've definitely had better, but for the price it's ok. They need to step up their customer service game now that they expanded or I won't be back. read more

Heard alot of great things about Ruan Thai so I finally got a chance to try it out. Unfortunately the experience was not so great. The service was below average, restaurant was nearly empty and server only came by twice to fill my water (and I was having some SPICY drunken noodles). The chicken was not cooked today, it tasted like it had been reheated (I am one of those weird folks who can taste when chicken or turkey was cooked, then reheated before serving. Finally the portion was quite small...maybe this should be a positive, since the food was so bad. Sorry, I really wanted to like this place. read more

yumyumyumyummmm. 1st of all- yes, do not park next door even when it's late at night bc they WILL tow you. Found out the hard way. Ok to the food... Been here twice and loved it both times. I must've been lucky b/c I've gotten pretty good service. I agree that this place is a bit run down (not necessarily a place you take a new date unless they are a foodie). I'm not a huge fan of lemongrass but I tried their curry (the one w/o the coconut milk) and it was DIVINE. Tons of seafood and I ate a bunch of rice so i could spoon the soup over it. The duck was a bit fattier than I would've liked but still great. They also have a shrimp & watercress appetizer which was really really good. Thought it was better than the stuffed fried chicken that others recommended. I don't have a lot of go-to places for a specific type of cuisine but Ruan Thai hands down tops my craving cure for Thai food. read more

We go here every week and love it. The service is great, and the food is always delicious. We're simple pad thai people but the green curry and yellow curry are amazing too! The reason I would give this awesome place 4 stars is because I have seen the ugly tow monster at its finest. The restaurant has signs all over that if you park in the adjacent lot "you will get towed." However, about two weeks ago we actually saw a pregnant lady who had unfortunately parked in the other lot and got her car towed. It kind of ruined our Sunday "date night" to see such a sad scene go down. Even though it wasn't Ruan Thai's fault...the ugly tow monster needs to somehow be controlled. read more

I had the pleasure of coming here for lunch and enjoying a lunch special. It led off with a spring roll, which was quite tasty. Fresh flavors and nice, sweet duck sauce are always good. Then, my Penang Chicken came out for me to eat. Given the amount of Penang I eat, I have learned to assume that Penang Curry is supposed to be thicker in consistency than red or green curry. Sadly, the Penang Curry was quite watery, and that was a downer. This is not a great place for Penang Curry. But, at least the price was right, the spring roll was tasty, and service itself was nice, curteous, and quick. And for that, this place gets three stars. read more

I love this restaurant. Every time I've been there, I've been blown away by the flavors. That's what makes tonight's visit such a surprise. The Yum Watercress was great. The seafood was lightly fried but still wonderfully tender. My wife's Penang curry tofu was ridiculously tasty. I got the Mhoo Korb Kha Nha, stir-fried crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli in an oyster sauce. My dish tasted like they bought chicharonnes from 7-11 and they added the broccoli and sauce to it. Technically, it was exactly as the dish was described, so I guess my expectations were off, but I will definitely not be ordering this dish again the next time I go. Yes, there will absolutely be a next time. This restaurant is too good to let one experience turn me away from it. read more

Great, great Thai food. #37 w beef is phenomenal. Would have given them 5 stars but the parking sitch sucks.

Terrible service! We had dinner there and during the meal I placed an order for Beef Pad Thai to go. I waited 30 minutes after paying for dinner the Beef Pai Thai to go was finally ready. The food was good. read more

This place is so amazing. After I went there the first time, I was back like a junkie looking for a fix. I'm all about the curry chicken. All of them are good. You've got to park at a meter on the street, I have never once been lucky enough for one of the two spaces they have out front. Apparently the business next door tows aggressively, so park on the street. read more

Love this Restaurant, Food and drinks are excellent. Service is almost always on point. I love to enjoy a Thai Iced Tea with Spicy delicious dishes. Yum watercress is killer. They do get busy and the parking is a bit of a pain, but that's to be expected when the food is this great. read more

We have been here quite a few times, and I've tried quite a few of the vegetarian dishes and everything has been wonderful. Service has always been fast, and the portions are also quite large, enough for lunch the next day. The parking lot is tiny, but street parking is plentiful and the walk is only a block, if that. read more

Great Thai food, among the DC metro area's best. Be careful about parking - if you park in front of the other businesses your car will get towed - mine was a few years back. There's plenty of street parking that free after 6PM. read more

We thought we'd give Ruan Thai a try after reading some of the reviews but were disappointed. I've been eating at Thai restaurants since the first one arrived on Conn Ave many moons ago so I think I have some knowledge of Thai food, American style anyway, and this experience was not a good one. The ingredients were OK but the cook apparently had no knowledge of thai spices and herbs, very plainly cooked in other words, indifferent might be the word. Service was fine. Ambiance nothing special. Parking cramped but we managed. In the Wheaton area I think Dusit Thai is one of the best. read more

Extremely watered down curries Pricy for University Blvd location (its not Bethesda..for crying out loud) Lousy Service I had terrible stomach ache after eating here..it was so bad that I was sitting in pain holding my stomache from 7am until almost 1pm. And no it wasn' the spicyness...rather some bad combination of MSG, old string beans and mushrooms. Avoid, and go to Nava Thai across the street..much better food. read more

I have been here several times the food is good and the renovations are complete so there is now plenty of seating inside. Lunch is kind of pricey for Wheaton about $8.95 but you get a soup or spring roll with your meal. The food didn't take long . The parking is horrible though so you maybe better off paying for street parking read more

GREAT FOOD! drunken noodles and catfish were great!

My only complaints are the lack of parking and the somewhat slow service. The food was great and better than the other famous Thai place in Wheaton. I had the chicken panang and my husband had the yum watercress appetizer from the WaPo 40 dishes to try in DC (he loooooved it) and the pork lam na (which he really like, but would have used less broth). Prices are reasonable, there is ample seating inside, but the service is noticeably slow but not outrageously so. We went at 6 pm on a Friday and were seated right away; on our way out, there was a long line. Best to go at off peak times. Good luck finding parking! Their lot is so tiny... metered street parking is probably your best bet. read more

Really tasty food at reasonable prices. Parking is tricky, but you can usually find street parking.

Love this place! The panang curry, duck appetizer and tom kha soup are delicious. Food is reasonably priced. 1/2 carafe Wine with dinner is a bargain. Service is fast and friendly. read more

The only reason why I gave this place a 2 star was because the food is good. Unfortunately the service was AWFUL. I ended up calling 4 times to try to order for pickup. Didnt get through the first 2 times but the 3rd time they immediately put me on hold for 10+mins and then finally hung up on me. When I called back for the 4th time the lady was rude and just constantly giggling not paying attention to the order I was trying to give her. I finally said forget it and she giggled again and said OK. I usually can deal with half ass service when I enjoy the food, but this is the second time I have received this awful service from them. read more

I moved away from Wheaton a year ago and I still drive all the way over there for all my thai food needs, because Ruan is soooo good.

Went for dinner last night. The wait staff were very friendly. The pork satay skewers appetizer was very delicious. I got the Panang curry with beef. The sauce was good and just the right amount of spiciness, however the beef was very tough. Parking is very limited close to the restaurant so may have to walk a little. read more

Been here twice. First time, food was ok. Nothing fantastic or terrible so I didn't bother reviewing. This time I came back and it was great! The waitress/er were really polite and gave good service. We ordered some fried squid with lime dressing, fried fish pieces and shrimp tom yum soup. Very little rice but another bowl was $1.50 so it was somewhat reasonable. I loved the tom yum soup. Much better than other places I have tried. Only bad thing is parking but I'm sure everyone knows how bad it is. 3 spots in front for a whole restaurant. Lucky you get a spot. If not then park on street. The food makes up for it so it's all good. I'll be back soon! read more

Ruan Thai is delicious and the best Thai food in the area. Pad thai, curi, and the chicken are all great choices. I eat here a lot and recommend it to everyone. read more

I came here with two of my friends to satisfy my craving for some Thai food. I came here after some reviews that said that this place is pretty authentic. I think that they definitely serve similar authentic style food, but the taste can't match the authenticity in Thailand. However, the food was really good. We got Thai fried rice with chicken, grilled salmon, and pad thai. I also love that they have chilli sauce there (fish sauce with red chilli). read more

Exceptional! Ordered as takeout, & everything was hot & ready to go. The portions are generous, the vegetables crisp, & the meat lean.

I love this place. It's one of the best Thai restaurant I've been to. The only dish I was disappointed was drunken noodle where the sauce was red and it didn't have the deep taste. Maybe their drunken noodle is how real Thai people eat. Everything else tasted awesome. I visited last week with a friend and we ordered enough for 4 people. I usually come here every 2 month or so when my boss feels he needs his fix. I just wish they are closer to my work/home. read more

This is a total gem in Wheaton. Their Pad Thai is perfection - the best I've had in this area. Their soups are very flavorful and tasty, and their drunken noodles are very good too, but honestly all their food is great. Service can be a bit slow when they're busy, but everyone is very polite and agreeable. A must when you're in Wheaton - don't be frightened off by the tight parking (and make sure not to park in front of the dry cleaners, you'll get towed. Terrible way to ruin a delicious meal). read more

This place is literrally a hole-in-the-wall but dont be fooled. I have been going to Ruan Thai from back in my 1980s college days and keep coming back. The food, especially Pad Thai and Sea food fried rice are the best I have ever had and I have been to several other Thai restaurants in the area. read more

Probably a 4.25-4.5 rating. A fan of Thai Square and had heard for years Ruan Thai is a worthy challenger to TS. Finally made it out there for dinner and it was well worth it. Our party of 4 ordered 4 appetizers and 3 entrees. For appetizers, we had the duck salad, papaya salad, yum watercress and chicken larb. The watercress and duck salad were the two best. The papaya salad was fine but I have had better. The larb was okay. The chef must be a huge fan of red onions as it was in at least 3 of the 4 dishes. For entrees, we had the green curry, pad see ew and pad kha prao with beef. The curry was terrific and sufficiently fiery. Probably only a medium for the spicyphiles but though the tongue likes it hot, sadly my esophagus and stomach cannot longer take it. The beef was also good with a strong basil flavor. The noodles were a bit too sweet but it was good counterpoint to all the spicy dishes. We finished it off with delicious mango and sticky rice of course. The bill came out to just over $20 per person. We didn't order alcohol but the wine/drinks list is very reasonable. We were commenting on the fact that it's unheard of nowadays to find a glass of wine for $3. Service was a bit slow but we were told they were shortstaffed that evening. It took awhile for the food to roll in but once we got it, they did all come at once and we didn't have to wait inbetween dishes. So even though service was slow at first, once the food started, everything was fine and most important, very friendly. They left us alone to chit chat way after we finished our dessert. Helpful info: They gave us a reservation for Sunday night but after our meal they mentioned that it was an exception and they usually do not accept reservations for weekends. They're also expanding the dining room so hopefully that will mean tables will be easier to come by. Ramen fans! Ren's Ramen has found a spot and it's right next to Ruan Thai! I don't know of the exact opening date but signage is up so there's no backing out now. read more

Went there with my son this evening. We ordered two appetizers (Chicken satay and spring rolls), one entree to share (Yellow Curry Chicken), and one dessert (Egg Custard with sticky rice). The spring rolls aren't great- won't order those again. The satay was tender and flavorful. The yellow curry chicken was very good- just the right amount of spice, chicken was tender and all-white meat. Only complaint was the potatoes were overcooked, but not bad enough to detract from the entree. The egg custard & sticky rice was good, but rice was too salty for our liking. We hadn't been there since their renovation. It's a much bigger space. There was plenty of seating. Service was okay. Our waitress wasn't very attentive, but I watched another waitress take great care of other tables. Overall, we like Ruan Thai a lot and will definitely go back! read more

At every thai restaurant I always get the padseeewww. The pad see ewe is pretty gooood

Definitely my favorite Thai restaurant in the area, everything I order always tastes amazing (this is coming from a Thai person, so you know it is good). My mother who is a native Thai citizen swears by this restaurant as well. The only drawback is that they get super busy for dinner, so sometimes there is a long wait and rushing around at the end for the check, but I would still deal with that just for how good the food is :) read more

Update! Very happy with the food and service at my most recent visit, the first since my previous review. Lunch special is a good deal and they give you enough for 2 people. I personally could've made a meal on that watercress appetizer.....damn good, lick-the-plate-clean type good. I think that as a meal and a small bowl of rice would make one heck of a tasty meal and there is a ton of food. Only knock was the spring roll was pretty lame. Parking is still a mess - there have to be hundreds of signs telling you where not to park at this place. Walk the extra 20 feet and park on a meter. You and I can both use te exercise, especially coming outta here! read more

Delicious Thai food that's reasonably priced. Friendly staff too! Parking sucks, but don't let that stop you from visiting this little gem in Wheaton. read more

Yum watercrest is awesome! Pork skewers w/ sticky rice are a must too. Whole fish, drunken noodles, curies also outstanding. The spicy duck dish with is so good, and I'm not a duck guy! read more

I had the #88, a ginger shrimp noodle dish, an iced tea, and the sweet rice/custard dessert. The noodles were a perfect texture, and the ginger was strong enough to produce a slight burn. The shrimp were excellent, too. The tea was not too sweet and not too bitter, although the serving was a little small for my taste. The caffeine in it is probably why I haven't slept, though... The custard was chilled and had a lovely coconut flavor, while the sweet rice was warm and quite sweet. The staff were attentive. The restaurant itself was not much to look at. All around, I enjoyed the food quite a lot. read more