The best Thai restaurant in the city of Madison is a multi generational restaurant with wonderful ambiance and excellent service

Excellent, authentic Thai and Laotian food. Best I've had in years. Been back three more times and each time had another tasty entre. Small place with small friendly staff. Seems family run. You have to try it. Great food, cozy atmosphere and very reasonable prices. You won't be disappointed! Highly recommend read more

I love Sala Thai and can't believe I haven't reviewed it yet. I have been a customer for over 15 years and I believe it's some of the best thai food in the city. It definitely flies under the radar. Fyi.:.they only accept cash or checks and with no ATM on site so plan accordingly. We started off with chicken satay-perfectly grilled chicken skewers. The peanut sauce is outstanding and the cucumber salad bringing in the acid to help round things out. For entrees, we ordered Tom Kha soup along with squash curry. They were both extremely good. The soup was perfectly balanced and was chock full of mushrooms and chicken. It wasn't overly sweet with the fish sauce helping cutting through, The curry was rich and velvety-amazing depth of flavor. Service was friendly and quick. Just a jewel of a restaurant. Highly recommended. read more

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This is a quaint little place that has been well appointed in Thai fashion. This local dig is a must try when in the Fair Oaks neighborhood! Please remember it's CASH ONLY! This, I believe, helps to keep their prices very reasonable! It's excellent service but it also appears family ran, so don't be surprised if you have to wait a bit for some attention if it's busy. The jasmine tea was a perfect blend of sweet floral that came through on the nose and mouth. Egg roll was fried to perfection accompanied by an amazing Thai ginger sauce with a bit of heat that was appreciated. Chang beer was recommended and served with a frosty glass. It was a champagne light beer that had great taste. Pad se ew was cooked perfectly and served with a creamy soy sauce that had a hint of sesame/peanut flavor coming through. Veggies were al dente (yum) and chicken was tender. read more

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They have stopped taking checks. They also do not take cards. Food is still excellent :)

Hearty portions! We two noodle ordered via UberEats and the quality and quantity were excellent, although the Drunken Noodles were too spicy for me! I wasn't able to see where adjust the spiciness level on the UberEats app, but I'm sure if you are in person in the restaurant you could ask to downgrade the spice level, if needed. The Pad See Ew could have used more vegetables. I'd added the $3 veg upgrade, but it wasn't enough. Tasted great though! read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - Spring rolls - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Booo. I've been searching for a good Southeast Asian restaurant ever since Bahn Thai closed. While Lao Laan Xang comes close to filling the void, I can't justify the prices they charge (ever since they stopped serving lunch). While I will give an extra star for having many vegetarian options (while giving the side eye to Monsoon Siam), I'll have to continue my search. My dish, a vegetarian option with cellophane noodles, was too salty and just tasted like soy sauce. It didn't taste like Thai food at all :(. I'd be willing to try one more time, but a different entrée. Otherwise, the inside was cute. read more

The taste was off even though the food looks good. The pad Thai was way too sweet we couldn't even finish it. Same with the Thai tea, way too sweet and tasted off. The crab rangoons were okay. They are cash only. The woman serving us was great. read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Second time here. This time was even better than the last. If a restaurant can survive in 2025 without taking credit cards they must have dang good food! Bring cash! read more

Came here for dinner with a friend, and we both found our curries to be a bit sweet for our tastes. We'd also ordered mango sticky rice, which they'd forgotten to bring out until we asked (at which point we just took it to-go because we were in a hurry). Service was a bit slow, but they did seem short on staff (so it's understandable, just be aware). Overall, the atmosphere was really nice and the food was decent, but not sure how keen I'd be on coming back. read more

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Stopped in for a quick to go order before an art class nearby. The staff was super friendly and quick. I ordered a Thai iced tea and the fried chicken egg rolls. They were soooo good, loved the dipping sauce. I want to return to have a full meal here soon! read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - a woman sitting at a table - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Im sorry but I have to complain a little. My partner and I both got the chicken pad thai and the portions were tini, there was hardly any chicken in it and the sauce was way too sweet and peanuty. The service was slow we went on a slow tuesday night and it took nearly an hour to get our food. Our server was nice though. Its cute inside but I would not come back unfortunately. read more

Is a great place. Staff is friendly and survive is grea. of course the food is the best to.

LOVE Sala Thai. They're my neighborhood Thai/southeast Asian restaurant and have a lot of good offerings. First things first, it is a cash only establishment so make sure to hit the ATM before dining in or picking up your order. My go to is the combo curry. I have tried many times to recreate this recipe at home and just cannot. It has so much fun flavor going on with the pineapple and a bit of cinnamon I really can't explain it but trust me, it's my favorite takeout curry dish in town. Their wonton soup is also my favorite of its kind in town. It's not your basic wonton soup, they really spruce it up with sesame oil and fresh green onion and the wontons are delish as well. The fresh shrimp spring rolls are fine but not my fav. It feels like they're missing something. It's hard for me to pass up a spring roll but there are plenty of other things on their menu that are better in my opinion! The potstickers are probably my favorite appetizer. I've had their Tom Sam guy Yang which is delish and a nice fish sauce dressing, can be a bit surprisingly spicy. Their stir fry's are also tasty and I haven't had a bad one! We had a beef and mushroom stir fry last time we dined in that was just delightful. If you love southeast Asian fare definitely check this place out! They have a good sized dine in area as well with great ambiance (a little hot in the summer) and is worth a visit! read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - Vietnamese Spring Roll Pot Stickers - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This is the quality of Thai food that I've been craving, but have not found, since moving to the Midwest. They are take out only currently. I ordered Pad Woon Sen. the portion looked small in the take out container but once I took it all out there was quite a bit. The thin class noodles were coated in the most wonderfully savory, tangy sauce, and they didn't skimp on the shrimp or chicken. This was the rare dish that was both spicy and flavorful enough that I didn't feel the need to use any hot sauce. My wife was equally happy with her pad see ew. Our food together was less than $25 after tax, and neither of us were able to finish our meals. I will absolutely be back, probably frequently. read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - Pad Wun Sen - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Food is very mid. I really wanted to like this place bc it's so charming on the inside and authentic. But they ruined it...they skimp out on all the basics; adding stems of mushrooms, old dried out basil leaves, minimal proteins. Probably look to Ha Long Bay if you're looking for good Thai. read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - a container of salad and a bowl of sauce - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I had no idea Sala Thai was even there until I did a Google search for a new Thai place in the area. It had good Yelp reviews so I figured I would try it since I actually happened to have cash on hand (they don't take cards). I ordered the pad thai with chicken along with some thai chicken egg rolls. The egg rolls were delicious, a great flaky outside but not so thick that you can barely taste the inside. Some places deep fry so much the outside can taste like something I might get at a county fair. These, however, were great. And the contents inside were plentiful, and were not overshadowed by the crust surrounding it. I would highly recommend trying them. The pad thai was not bad (I ate the whole thing even though it can serve more than one), but I don't know that I'd order it again. It was somewhat dry, and the peanuts were abundant and overtook the taste of everything else in the dish. I usually scrape most of the peanuts off my pad thai dishes, so if you're into that, this very well might be right up your alley. The chicken in this dish was practically non-existent, which was a bit upsetting. I could probably count the (very small) pieces I found throughout the dish on one hand. So, while this dish was underwhelming, I would definitely return again and try something else. Seemed like a neat place to sit down and dine in once the COVID leaves us. read more

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Sala Thai has been my favorite Thai place in Madison for the past 8 years. The food is mostly delicious and there's a great variety. But I'm sorry to say I will not be back. The service has simply become too slow. Tonight it took an hour and fifteen minutes from order to service. The last time I was in for takeout I was told it would be ready at 6:30, and did not get it until 7:15. Both times no apology was offered until I complained, and then I was told there were only two cooks. If they can't keep up with the house orders and to-gos there should at least be a warning. I sat in a full dining area tonight and saw no dishes go out for 30 minutes. Our server was trying her best, but the kitchen was at a standstill. So I will not be back until I hear they've gotten the back of house together. read more

My goodness is this place delicious! I am angry at myself for living in Madison for so long and never trying this gem. Recently moved to the east side and have been exploring restaurants within biking/walking distance. Sala Thai is cash only, just a heads up/tip. I have been here twice in two weeks because it is so good. You want fresh food-check, spicy level as hot as possible-check, friendly service-check, amazing flavors-double check! It's clear this is a family locally owned business that takes pride in their food and customer service. I am absolutely in love with how tasty the food is and have already decided this will become a regular dining spot for my partner and me. Dishes I have tried and love include: Crab Rangoon: So much crab in the filling, cream cheese is great and all but I am here for the crab. Pork Pot Stickers: These were super crispy and the ginger inside was fragrant and fresh. Yellow Curry: Rich and tasty, the chicken was so tender. This is my favorite dish so far. Panag Curry: So thick and creamy! Very excited to try more dishes here! read more

I found out about this place last summer, and I gotta tell you. This place SLAPS. There are lots of good restaurants in Madison, even lots of good Thai places. For me, Sala destroys them all. The Panang Curry is the king there, the absolute daddy of all their offerings. It's creamy, and nutty, and savory. A little bit spicy. It's just the best curry I've ever had and I can't stop glowing about it. In the past I've also gotten Mussaman Curry and it's also great. We got the Panang and Pad Se Ew last night with an order of Crab Rangoon and the total came to $29.50 before tip. Only down side is that this place is cash only, but for me that really just means if I have paper money and want some kind of Asian food, my first choice is gonna be Sala. read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - Pad Se Ew - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Probably the most authentic Thai restaurant in town. Quaint space. Seats maybe 25 people at most. They mean serious business about their spice. I ordered the beef laab. For being "mild" its got a kick that you don't see coming. My brother was sweating from eating it, but he is kind of a wuss. If you LOVE spice, this is the place to go. He ordered the som tam gai Yang. Personal preference: I've never been a huge fan of papaya salad growing up. You could definitely taste the fish sauce, so if you're not into that, I don't recommend it. The chicken on the side was packed with flavor (similar to a sate seasoning) and not dry. I've previously had their curries here and they are so delicious! Probably my favorite place in town for it. What are the downfalls here? Service is soooooooo slow. I came here on a Wednesday right after they opened for dinner hours. For some reason, a group that sat down after us was served their food first. This isn't my first time encountering this either. My recollection of my last visit here (which was well over a year) was having to order after a group that was seated after us. If you're pressed for time, this is not the place to go. Cash only but they make that pretty obvious. read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - Som Tam Gai Yang - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Normally our go to place for Thai would be HLB but we decided to check out Sala to see how it'd compare. One dish that I always get for a first-time assessment of any Thai restaurant is the Pad See Ewe noodles. So of course, that is what I ordered with Pork and made it a 2-star spice level. We called ahead to place our order and the estimated wait time was pretty spot on (~35 min). Overall the take out service and pricing was very reasonable. I did find the pad see ewe dish to be VERY different than most; it was a little tangy and saucy (like sweet and sour flavor), but I'm not sure if that was because I added "spice" to it. Though the classic noodle dish was not what I expected, the dish was still enjoyable and my husband was very pleased with his Pad Krapow - Beef. read more

They couldn't do the most simple thing i didn't want mushrooms in my food but they told me they are already in there sounds very lazy excuse i should have walked out they should be more respectful to their customers read more

One of Madison's many hidden gems. I personally believe this is one of the best Thai options in the area, all things considered. The portion sizes are generous and reasonably priced. The chicken pad Thai was wonderfully seasoned and was the best I have had in a long time. My only complaint is I asked for the dish to be prepared spicy, and it seemed as though the waitress didn't think I could handle it and thus blew the request off. The dish was served mild at best, which I thought was odd. However, the dish was extremely flavorful and enjoyable, and I would definitely come back just to eat it again. read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - Pad Thai (Chicken) - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

By far the worst Thai food I have ever had. Thai food is supposed to be savory, and this is far too sweet. Additionally, the portion sizes are about half of what you would expect at a normal restaurant. Completely unacceptable. I'm glad I live 6 hours away so I never have to drive by this place again. Avoid at all costs. read more

Excellent food, the service was above average, the meat was cooked just right, the ambiance is much more pleasant and cozy than most other restaurants I've been to, the lighting was soft but not too dark, and I love all the art work. The plants all looked very happy and well established. Also everything was very clean. We came for Mother's Day but it would also be a cute date place. We had the squash curry, catfish dish, papaya salad, chicken appetizer, and pad see ew. My mom is a picky eater and even she said this was a 5/5. read more

I adore this place! It's a small restaurant with beautiful and authentic Asian decor that gives you a glimpse into their culture. They only accept cash and the dining room is no longer open but they're friendly, fast, and the food is freaking delicious. There's no parking lot so I'm sure it can be hard to find a spot sometimes but I visited around 5:30 today and it wasn't busy nor was it difficult to grab a street parking spot right in front of the shop. I ordered the Thai Pork Spring Roll, Tom Kha Soup with Tofu, Crab Rangoon, and a Foco Guava Juice. The sweet & spicy rangoon sauce has a unique citrus flavor, the minced pork inside the spring roll is very flavorful and isn't fatty, and the tom kha had just the right amount of spice to give you the sniffles without making your nose run. My meal was absolutely perfect and I'll definitely be going back. read more

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I called my order in, drove to pick it up and .... Remember they are cash only.... I ordered the eggplant stir fry, their Saturday special.... It was sooooo delicious! Great service, great price and enjoyed eating it all! read more

Not too much to add to other reviews here. Yes, cash only. Yes, small space. Yes, service a bit on the slower side. Great ambiance with lots of gold and such. Friendly wait staff. Cozy. BUT! Lots of vegetarian options and these were also very well identified on the menu. And the mango sweet sticky rice was awesome! The Thai food was delicious (I had pad see ew with tofu and also tried the spring rolls). Be aware: They don't like to sub stuff on the menu. read more

Sala Thai Restaurant - suggested items for first time visitors - Thai Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Sala Thai just might have to be my new go-to Thai place in Madison. Their Pad See Ew is the most flavorful I've ever had and the curry is out of this world. Super reasonable prices along with quick turnaround times, even on a Friday evening! I mean I called and got my food all within 20 minutes, and despite being near closing time, the food was hot and fresh! The portions are also huge, I managed to get 3 meals out of one dish! The staff has always been so nice when I go to pick up my order. Don't forget that they only accept cash. I'm so excited for them to open their dining room because the decor looks beautiful!! read more

Loved it. Chicken Egg rolls were excellent. Great flavors. Service was friendly and very attentive. Atmosphere was an authentic hole in the wall but so well done. read more

Honestly, my favorite Thai spot in town! Thai flavors are strong and spice-level is there (and optional). Portions are good for the price and dishes are visually stunning, especially being plated on their Thai dish ware. Recently, we ordered: Chicken Thai Eggrolls, Pork Potstickers, Lao-Style Beef Laab and Pla Som Rot. The eggrolls and potstickers came out quick: hot, with the perfect crunch and sauces! We asked for extra spice in the laab and we definitely got it! Fresh Thai chili's made me feel at home and that flavor and grittiness made the dish legit. Best restaurant-made laab in town! And it came with sticky rice, packed in a bamboo/straw container. The pad Thai was my least favorite--decked with a total of five large shrimp, it was too sweet and peanut buttery for my preference. This was the first time we tried their Pla Som Rot (fried catfish with veggies in a tangy sauce) and not my last! I freaking LOVED it. It reminded me of the perfect General Tso's--tangy with crunchy edges--but it was fish, and you could barely tell with that light, sticky, and flavorful sauce. So yummy!! Table service was average. I deducted a star for the following reasons: 1) There must be no AC (or maybe broken?) so the door was open the whole time. So while we ate dinner, mosquitos were also eating away! 2) A pitcher of water was left on our table but no ice, 3) It is cash only, 4) Only street parking, so it's limited. read more

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The food is amazing but service was awful. Going on a Friday night, I know it will be busy, but I waited over 2 hours for my food because they were only filling take out orders for the first hour I was there. For an hour, everyone in the restaurant sat there with no food. Unacceptable. Wait on your patrons that make an effort to come out to your restaurant first. read more

One of the better, if not the best, Thai restaurants in Madison. Ordered the laarb, pad thai and mango sticky rice. Laarb was well seasoned with a nice kick at medium spice. Probably the best pad thai here in Madison. Also, one of few places with mango sticky rice as a dessert. Currently, cash only and no dine in options and some menu items weren't available (bummer because wanted to order more). Hoping to see it thriving again so can dine in and enjoy the rest of what they have to offer. read more

At first glance, this is a tiny little shop off of fair oaks Ave, and I didn't expect much going in. Thai food is my all time faves, and having learned how to make many dishes from my son's grandmother from Thailand, I set the bar high when I go out to eat these dishes. Walking in, it is a very traditional setting placing high value on the history of thier heritage, which made it feel warm and welcoming. The decor is beautiful, having a few pa toong hanging from the wall and plants making it feel even more homey. The restaurant and bathroom was very clean and fully stocked which translates to me that they care about their clientele. I went for thier dinner and lunch menus, with dinner having the more extensive options available. I had the Gaeng Ped Gai, and it tasted every bit like my son's grandmother cooks for us when she visits. It was creamy, flavorful, and just enough spice to complement the flavors in the curry. My son had Pad Thai, and it has improved so much from previous visits. The first few batches we tried we're bland and lacking flavor, and they stepped their game up!! This time had bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and fresh cilantro. I was pleasantly surprised!!! For lunch on another visit, I had thier red curry dish, which came with a soup or salad of the day and I tried thier salad. The dressing on the salad had good flavor to it, being a little sweet but smoky. The curry came with a side of rice and had a wonderful flavor, making it hard to share with the other diners at the table because I wanted leftovers!!! I also had a glass of thier plum wine, and it is sweeter than most plum wine varieties I've tried. Good flavor, but not something you would want more than one glass from. I would recommend this place if you like to feel like you're walking in to a little piece of cultural history from somewhere else. read more

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Initial impression after a quick lunch - really nothing special. The lunch menu entrees ranged from $8-$11, with stir fry and curry options. The included side salad was very sad, and if the entree came out of a can I wouldn't have been impressed. The highlight of the meal was chicken egg rolls with some sort of plum sauce. Service was fine, I was surprised that two tables missed the cash or check only signs which are posted throughout the establishment; however the waiter handled the issue professionally. Bathrooms were clean, ambience was dated Thai, but cozy. read more

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My favorite Thai restaurant in Madison, and I'm sure I've tried most of them. Beautiful and small, the dining room is an experience on its own. But the food, wow:) My usual is green curry with sticky rice- I have that for take out at least once a month. Perfect amount of heat and coconut. When I do venture out of my regular, I have never been disappointed. Love this Updated review. So sad. First, they tell me 45 min and it takes close to 2 hours. Next, they tell me 45min and scold me for my food being ready. Luckily I was parked outside, waiting for the 45 min time stamp so I didn't have to wait. read more

We visited after reading online recommendations. While I appreciated the authentic cuisine and ambiance, there was very small amounts of protein (shrimp or chicken) in the 4 dishes we ordered. Lots of rice, noodles and sauce which would be ok if the prices were lower. We probably won't return. read more

Still serving great food! Hours are limited due to Covid, and they're takeout only. Squash curry is still my go to and the veggie spring rolls are a great appetizer. We also had the yellow curry and curry puffs past weekend. Food was excellent and the staff and owners are very nice. They have a beautiful garden behind their restaurant where they grow some of the food they serve. Even though they're only open in the evenings now, they're in the kitchen all day. Definitely a solid dinner pick. read more

I had originally intended to order carry out but when I arrived, I felt suddenly parched for a glass of wine ;o) I asked the woman at the cash register if it was okay if I just sat on their bench near the register with my glass of wine and maybe nibbled on my food a little. She offered one better and graciously invited me to sit at one of their dining room tables. This was 8:30 pm and dining room service had already been winding down. She set the table with a place mat and a cold glass of ice water, even taking out the already packaged to go container in a ceramic bowl and gave me a plate with utensils. I offered for her to take the clean plate away since I didn't want to dirty an unnecessary dish. She insisted I use the dish as "the food will taste better that way". She was so right! I ordered the green curry with to tofu, and the green papaya salad with a side of grilled chicken and sticky rice. I have been missing a solid green curry every since my favorite little hole in the wall near Woodman's West closed down and the one at Sala Thai is a great replacement. The curry was thick in consistency and aromatic in flavor. It came with Thai eggplants, bamboo shoots, carrots, green beans and basil. The portion was huge, and even as I ate to my hearts content, there was plenty of leftovers. Check out the photo of the papaya salad, it was a huge, delicious, saucy mix of green papaya, carrots, roasted peanuts in a tangy, sweet, chili sauce with a hint of fish sauce. The crisp shredded green papaya mingled with the simple and light sauce to bring together a taste worth seeking out for. The all white meat grilled chicken was lightly seasoned and grilled with a char flavor. Take a bite of the sticky rice, chicken and papaya salad all on one fork - it's the best way to enjoy this entree! One of the many great things about Sala Thai is their dishes! This may be a head-scratcher, but I really loved their dishes! They had these glossy, porcelain dishes and serve ware with beautiful designs, replacing the plain white plates you encounter in typical restaurants now days. It really makes the presentation value just as high as the preparation. I implore you to step out of your Willy St bubble and surround yourself with thoughtfully prepared, delicious Thai food at Sala Thai! read more

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