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    Sala Thai

    4.0 (470 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Noodles, Soup
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Sala Thai Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    SALA THAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Sala Thai

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    Reviews With Photos

    Peanut Dish
    Lilith F.

    A really cute, reliable local thai spot. This place is an absolute go to in Santa cruz. Their pumpkin curry is amazing, they have a solid collection of stir fry noodle options, mango sticky rice, and even pho. The inside decor is super cute too, with a faux thai roof overhanging part of the seating. Service is always efficient and friendly. Word to the wise: If you get the Papaya Salad, get it with no spice at all! I am a person who can handle spice, even visiting Thailand I got really spicy dishes and enjoyed them, but the medium spicy on the papaya salad was really overpowering, leaning to unpleasant. All in all, absolutely recommend as a date spot with with some XL singhas!

    Family style- Pineapple Fried Rice, Tom Yum (Pot), Pad See-Ew, Pad Thai Noodles, Yellow Curry, Papaya Salad
    Liann A.

    Ordered via DoorDash while staying in Santa Cruz for bachelorette. We under estimated the spice when people wanted medium, I probably should have ordered some mild items. But everything was SO good! We got papaya salad, to yum with prawns, pad se ew with beef, pad Thai with seafood, yellow curry with chicken, pineapple fried rice with mixed vegetables, and a jasmine rice to eat with the curry. We devoured it, our order came fresh, quickly and hot. The flavor was there and pretty authentic. Service was quick as we ordered via DoorDash and it came timely.

    Inside area. The food here it's delicious!
    Camilla R.

    We love this place extremely great food! We eat here all the time. Delicious food and service!

    Jessie J.

    Everything was so delicious! We especially loved the fried sweet potato, pad see ew (best we've ever had), and pumpkin curry. The green papaya salad was very spicy, but really good- everything else was perfectly medium, as we requested. Plenty of vegetarian options for our one vegetarian diner. Also loved the lush plants and peaceful ambience. Can't wait to return!

    Pad Thai  Tom yum

    Pad Thai is good Tom yum soup is on point Nice of them to have a bowl option wouldn't have finished a pot Good service Would come again

    Panang Curry with chicken
    Annie T.

    Mmmmm mmmmmm good! I mean, mm mm GREAT! I've gotten takeout from Sala Thai numerous times with my teen and adult kids who also love Thai food. And today, we dined in, and we were happily rejoicing in the warm customer service (ie, quick seating, prompt ordering, water refilling, table checking). No one seemed rushed and everyone was courteous, even though there was a CONSTANT STREAM OF CUSTOMERS on a Sunday night, all the way til a few minutes before closing. I was astonished how busy they were, when other food establishments will show a trickle of fewer customers as it gets closer to closing time or close their kitchen an hour early. Not Sala Thai. It was clear people in Santa Cruz County and the vicinity know how good the food is here, like we do! Check out my photos! If only you can taste what we tasted. Our tummies were soooo happy! We hope Sala will stay here for a long time and never change their menu or way of doing business. In terms of ambiance, Sala is more of a cozy, warmly decorated restaurant than a fancy, overly-ornate Thai place like some I've seen. I appreciate the high ceiling and wood beams. The multiple items hanging off the ceiling makes the venue feel like a Thai restaurant in Santa Cruz... which it is. Haha. So it is perfect.

    Matt V.

    Had a great experience here! Our waiter was super friendly and helpful, making the whole visit feel welcoming from start to finish. The decor is absolutely beautiful--every detail is thoughtfully designed, even up to the intricate ceiling work. Food-wise, the Pad See Ew was delicious. The noodles were perfectly cooked, still had a nice chew while being tender and soft. The meat was a bit on the tougher side, but the flavor made up for it. The roti was quite oily, but the thin, translucent layers gave it that satisfying, flaky texture you want. If you're into heat, be sure to ask for it spicier..this isn't traditional Thai spice level by default, but they can turn it up if you're up for the challenge.

    Lili M.

    Came here with my family during a trip to Santa Cruz because we absolutely love Thai food and had never been here. We were seated quickly and there wasn't a ton of people in the restaurant when we came for dinner. We ordered drunken noodles, papaya salad, and yellow curry. The food was good and filling. I'd recommend the curry and I'd be interested to try to other curries too. The restaurant is beautiful and by the boardwalk which was one of the reasons we also came here so we could walk around after.

    Papaya Salad and Thai ice tea.
    Sofia S.

    The place as you walk in is homie fill with beautiful flower lamps and cultural references. Our server was sweet and was wearing a unique outfit that made this place feel special. As my first time coming in to eat, I would always get their Thai tea, which is delicious. Food wise it hit the pot with everything tasting very good!

    Salmon dish

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    1 month ago

    Love the green house feeling at this place. Good food and service... wish they had boba in Thai tea though.

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    22 days ago

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    11 days ago

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    1 month ago

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    29 days ago

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    10 days ago

    Friendly efficient service, beautiful tropical setting, and wonderful selection of dishes

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    22 days ago

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    8 hours ago

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    17 days ago

    Great food, fantastic service and amazing ambiance. We keep coming here over the years and it's the same fantastic!

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    11 months ago

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    2 days ago

    Great decor & ambience, hard working staff, and great assortment of food! Looking forward to checking this place out again :]

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    1 year ago

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    2 months ago

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    17 days ago

    Seated quickly, great atmosphere, and attentive waiter. The green curry looks delicious

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    4 days ago

    Great ambiance and excellent service! The tom Kha was very good, Will definitely come again!!

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    1 year ago

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    27 days ago

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    2 months ago

    We had Pad Thai, Papaya salad with prawns, fried rice with lamb and BBQ chicken. Everything was good except Chicken BBQ, it was so dry.

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    3 months ago

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    11 days ago

    The pad thai and mango sticky rice were amazing. If you're passing by Santa Cruz, I highly recommend.

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    1 month ago

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    13 days ago

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    10 days ago

    The food is really good, it is much to my liking and reminds me of Thailand. Their service is nice and caring and gave us suggestions.

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    1 year ago

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    2 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Amazing I love it here. I recommend the spice Thai drunken noodles. The papaya salad is good too.

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    16 days ago

    Amazing service, food is amazing too! I immediately loved the atmosphere, everything here was incredible! 10/10!

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    Page 1 of 12

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    My husband and I live in Santa Cruz and finally gave it a try. I was a little apprehensive at first…read moreone because of mixed Yelp reviews, two because the exterior signs suggested it's both a pho house and Mexican spot, and also because the inside was empty on this Friday night around 6:30. We decided to give it a try and are now so happy we did. I got the veggie pho and my husband got the rare steak, meat ball, tendon pho. The veggie pho included tofu, mushrooms, bok choy and green onion, as well as a healthy portion of noodles. The full-bodied broth was absolutely delicious (I did add the accompanying spice from time to time). My husband was super happy with the bowl he had too. I haven't seen him get so excited since he last had pho in Seattle. The service was also wonderful. The younger cashier that took our order, brought us water and served our bowls of pho was super friendly and attentive. Additionally, my husband initially planned to order the vegetarian pho with meatballs added. The cook (possibly owner) came out to ensure that's what he wanted. He instead recommended the dish my husband ended up ordering and commented that it would cost us a little less money as well. I felt that said a lot about the establishment and its workers. The restaurant was clean and really large. I noticed some coming in for pick up orders but my husband and I were the only ones dining in at the time. I was sad thinking about all the restaurants that came before it in that exact space that eventually closed. Given the great service and delicious pho (best I've had in Santa Cruz), I highly recommend trying it out. This spot deserves our business!

    A-ok. Went for pho…read moreand got pho. The basic pho wasn't bad. Not San Francisco pho but it did the job. We also got a spicy noodle soup which was decent. Definitely spicy but not overwhelming Can't say anything wrong about the egg rolls. They also have a Mexican menu... a bit strange of a cuisine combo. Didn't try anything on it, but a good thing to know for a family with mixed tastes. They do have TVs, so my children just stared at them the whole time, but also sometimes this is a plus?? Depends on the day... Very empty on a Wednesday.

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    Sesame Korean Grill

    Sesame Korean Grill

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    Ohhhhh am I glad I found Sesame Korean Grill! They not only serve Korean BBQ food, but also they…read moreserve Japanese food too! I was happily surprised to see a katsu menu (even a plate of mixed katsu), ramen (even Cheesy Ramen), and sushi rolls. I came with friends because we were craving classic Korean BBQ dishes, like spicy hot tofu soup and Dol Sot Chicken Bibimbap (clay pot with sizzling rice at the bottom - yum!) and soju (Korean wine), but we ended up also getting Japanese dishes, like unagi donburi (fresh water eel). Plus, as a classic Korean BBQ place, Sesame served the little dishes of Korean goodies, like kimchi, and they were so refreshingly tasty and obviously homemade! You know it's a good place when you are thinking about what dishes you want to order the next time you come, whom you want to invite, and where the takeout menu is! Service was okay: we were seated quickly and food arrived at a good pace. We had to ask for a few things, like remind them of our drinks, and wasn't checked on, but our server was easy to find and we had no complaints because we were too busy devouring our food and toasting with our pomegranate soju. Other things to note for first time customers: - Parking can be a little tricky because the lot in front of the restaurant is limited to about 5 cars only! Try across the street! Also beware that street parking meters are strictly enforced. - Drinks are delicious. Get them. - The place is spacious, so it's food for large groups. - Ambiance is more of a family restaurant (nothing fancy). The most important takeaways are: the food was delicious and the prices were reasonable!

    We came in for lunch here and were pleasantly surprised with the food here. I love the sides that…read morecome with the meal (which they will keep refilling if you run out). Probably the best kimchi I have ever had. I also love how everything packs a spicy kick. The fishcakes were cooked perfectly, and the sauce they were in was delicious. I also got the Gimbap special and I found it to be made well with fresh and crunchy veggies on the inside. I like how the food here seems to be authentic Korean recipes, and is made with a level of quality and care not always found in more specialized dishes. Service here is also top notch! This is a great spot to go if you are craving Korean comfort food.

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    The busy kitchen and takeout order area
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    Sala Thai - thai - Updated June 2026

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