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    Smiling Banana Leaf

    4.1 (625 reviews)
    ModerateThai
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    Order Smiling Banana Leaf Takeout or Delivery

    Smiling Banana Leaf Photos

    Business Info

    SMILING BANANA LEAF ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Smiling Banana Leaf

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    Half an order of pad see ew

    I've been coming here for six years and was loyal as I thought it had the best Thai food. I ordered the same thing that I always get. I get home and the container is half empty. I called them to ask what happened and they tell me they started using larger containers..... I've been getting Thai food for a very long time and specifically from this restaurant for six years. It is the same exact container that they've always used and that most Thai restaurants use to which they said we have new owners...cheating Someone out of what they paid for is absolutely unacceptable.

    Mango Talapia
    Carlie H.

    Smiling Banana Leaf is a solid gem in the Highland Park area and easily in my top five local Thai spots! I've ordered from here multiple times, both for pickup and delivery via UberEats, and it consistently delivers on flavor and quality. While I live about 30 minutes away, I don't mind the wait--though delivery typically takes about an hour. That said, the food always arrives warm and well-packed, which I appreciate. My usual go-to dishes are the Pad Thai with chicken (zero spice level) and the Mango Tilapia dish served on a bed of mango and veggie slices. Both are delicious and hit the spot every time. The Pad Thai has a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, while the tilapia dish is a standout with its crispy texture and fresh, tangy mango complement.

    Alexa C.

    My friend and I stopped in for an early Sunday dinner after a long walk around Highland Park and enjoyed pork shumai, chicken pad thai, and tofu pad see ew. The portions were beyond generous, and there were so many options to choose from across the menu. The indoor seating area is much smaller than I remember, with maybe 3 total tables currently available. They seem to do a high volume of take out orders, however this did not impact the quality of our service and/or food. I'll be back!

    Pad See Ew
    Michael S.

    So upset that when I had it at the time it was takeout only. When trying new places I make sure to have it fresh. Well it was snowing and I made sure I was having it fresh. Ate it outside at the table and was beyond worth it. And no I wasn't going to my car. I WANT TO FULL EXPERIENCE AND SO SHOULD YOU. Phenomenal flavor, low cost, ready super fast and the man who checked us out was very polite Top 3 Thai spots in the city by far. Defo recommend it Get the Tom Kha. I can drink it by the gallon

    Fried Dumplings
    Steven H.

    This was one of only a few restaurants open when I was looking for some takeout on Labor Day. While it is a bit out of the way for me to be a regular here, I was impressed by the quality of the food. I ordered the see ew chicken which was delicious, just the right amount of spice for me at a 4/10. I also ordered the fried dumplings appetizer which were great dipped in the included sauce. My wife ordered the mango tilapia and enjoyed it as well. We ordered to go, and it seemed like the inside seating was shut down anyway. They were very busy, probably because they were one of only a few places open on Labor Day. Despite being so busy, they gave us an accurate timeline for our food (45-50 minutes) and it was ready and fresh when I arrived to pick it up. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for takeout from a reliable neighborhood Thai restaurant.

    Crispy Pork Spring Roll
    Xin F.

    Finally checking this place out. My friends have been raving about it. After trying their food, I find them underwhelming. Tried their spice level 8 out of 10. They do live up to their spice level. Ordered: 1) Pork Spring roll- Crispy skin and good flavor 2) Green curry with tofu - decent 3) Pineapple Fried rice - didn't taste much flavor except chili 4) Sago with black beans and coconut cream - expensive for a small portion For now, they do takeouts only but the do have some outdoor seating.

    Panang Curry
    Samantha R.

    I have never had food from here but today I ordered takeout and it was DELICIOUS! I got the pineapple fried rice and panang curry with both a level 4 spice. The fried rice was sweet and had dynamic flavor with fresh veggies and tasty rice. The panang was the perfect balance of spice and coconut cream. The peas were a nice change of pace which I'm not used to in my curry. Overall, I can't wait to go back and try more food from here.

    Spicy Green Beans
    Marla C.

    It was good but I've had better. The pad Thai was kind of dry. Compared to others I have tried. The fried rice was good. I also got the spicy green beans and that was good as well. They only have take out. They do have tables outside if you want to eat there.

    Thai Iced Tea
    Ulyana K.

    Excellent Thai food in the Highland Park area. I've heard great things about this spot and it definitely lived up to the hype! I ordered the Pad Thai with chicken, pork spring rolls, Thai custard with sticky rice, and Thai iced tea. Everything was (mostly) excellent. Oddly, the Pad Thai itself was not the greatest. I'd give it a 3.3-3.7/5. The portion was excellent. Bowl itself isn't big put they pack the noodles in there. A few vegetables, like green onions, are in there too. Fair amount of nuttiness and peanuts. My main issue? It is too dry. I like Pad Thai that is saucy and has an excellent quality sauce. Here, the noodles themselves are good, but the dish is still somewhat bland without the sauce. There's a fair amount of chicken and it was cooked well. Other than that, this place is basically flawless. Thai iced tea is sweet and a bit creamy, too. You can taste the original blend of tea as well as the condensed milk. The price of $3 is very fair. Pork spring rolls are insanely good! They taste a bit like pork dumplings/pelemeni stuffed inside a spring roll wrapper. Crunchy, meaty, and great sauce. Dessert was excellent, although a bit on the expensive side ($7). I even forgot to take a photo; thats how quickly I ate this custard. I like that they are somewhat liberal with the coconutty sweet liquid on top. Overall, a great spot and fair prices with great portions. The Pad Thai was the only slight disappointment, since it didn't have much sauce.

    Som Tom salad

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    Page 2 of 16

    Ask the Community - Smiling Banana Leaf

    Open for dine in?

    This restaurant does not do indoor dining. There are a few tables outside, on the sidewalk. It the weather is inclement as it was when I went, your only choice is Take Out.… Read more

    Their website recommends reservations. Are they really that busy? Is it possible just to walk-in for lunch?

    I think for lunch you would be fine to walk in. Unless you have a larger party the waits are not too long for dinner either since they move fast!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The best Thai food I ever had. Made sure to come back on my return to Pittsburgh. Food is a bit…read morepricey but the flavor is really good. Green curry with tofu. 100% hit the spot!!

    Seated via Phone Call (Dinner option only). Food allergy: Nuts…read more Food & Drink: - Mixed Drink(s): 4 / 5 "If I was a cow, I would tell all the other cows that this flower is toxic, so that I could keep it to myself." - My favorite distraction Presentation is everything when it comes to the drinks ordered at Nicky's and I absolutely love it. Not only do they look great, they taste great. It's always great to find a location that takes pride in their mixed drink selection. The only flag I have is if you order the Honey Bee Martini be prepared to feel like a bee is stinging you every time you take a sip. I enjoy spice, but even this had enough kick to make me savor it periodically. Disclaimer: Taste the flower at your own risk. Remember the saying, "Curiosity killed the cat". - Food: 4 / 5 Appetizer - When you think American cuisine, what do you picture? A hamburger? Hot dogs? An American Flag on the back of a Ford F-150 with a bald eagle in the driver seat? Even though all those can be true, I think of Crab Rangoon. Even as a non-crab person, I do enjoy popping one of these bad boys into my mouth after dipping it in the provided sauce. Nicky's uses a homemade pineapple sauce that adds just a slight tang on this small delight. Entrée - Bread wasn't the greatest creation of mankind. Actually, it was spice because that allowed Thai food to flourish. It has always been of my opinion that if you know how to use spices, then you can make any dish pop. We had the Pad Phet and Basil. Both dishes were absolutely flavorful and made each bite as enjoyable as the last. If you get a box, make sure to get two and a paper bag for reinforcement because if you have sauce left, you are going to want to pour that over your leftovers. Dessert - The sticky rice mango is definitely an interesting dish, but it had something in it that tasted like half and half and ruined any flavor that the mangoes held. The ice cream saved that sweet taste, but the sticky rice that lay below reminded me of a Rice Krispie treat that you found in a corner of your kitchen that was there for months and a friend dared you to take a bite. Disclaimer: You cannot eat the banana leaf...don't ask how we know. - Service: 4.25 / 5 When dining with someone who has a food allergy, you always worry about cross-contamination. Luckily, at Nicky's, even without disclosure, we had no issues at the end of the night. However, as the restaurant gets busy, the service definitely becomes slower, but if you have a great companion you honestly don't notice it. Nicky's also does a great job of not rushing you out the door as soon as the dessert has been finished and it seems each server helps the other servers if it becomes really busy, which isn't a bad system. It's worth noting there are standard charges including a pre-calculated tip, which is fairly common for restaurants of this style. - Vibe: 5 / 5 Nicky's is the exact reason why I started doing food reviews. By that, I mean I wanted to find interesting restaurants where you could sit down with other people, have a great conversation, enjoy some good food and just relax in the unique ambiance. - Overall: 4.25 / 5 My momma always said, "Thai food is a great indicator for a vibe check" and for my own personal add-on, "Great Thai food is how memories are made". If you are ever on the fence about certain people in your life, take them to Nicky's. By the end of the meal, you'll know where they stand. Recommend? Why is this even a question? Of course!

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    Kiin Lao & Thai Eatery

    4.2
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    2.6 mi
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    This was our last stop on a little weekend getaway and it's the truth when they say to leave the…read morebest for last. We had a horrible culinary experience the past couple of days driving through West Virginia, Ohio, and western New York. Pittsburgh was our last stop before heading home and Kiin Lao and Thai Eatery made up for all of the culinary disappointment this weekend. Let's talk about the ambiance first. Everything about this restaurant was quite beautiful. When I say beautiful, I don't mean it in an elegant way, but an artsy street vibe way. It is hip, clean, and we'll put together. You can tell a lot of love went into the decorations and into every piece of art on its walls. The service was pretty good. The server herself was attentive when needed and left us alone when needed. The food was AWESOME. We got the papaya combo with the Thum Mak Houng option, curry puffs, grilled pork shoulder with sticky rice, and Pad Gra Prow Street Style. The papaya was "lao-style" made with fermented shrimp paste. If you love deep umami flavors, this is it for you. The papaya salad was pungent and sour and savory spicy and just so satisfying. We asked for a 6/10 spiciness and they came with the heat. The chicken skewers that came with it was flavorful too. A little bit of char on the chicken would've brought it over the top. The curry puffs were so comforting and had that south Asian flavor profile that was very welcomed. The curry and spice blend did not overwhelm the potatoes. Instead it enhanced the earthy potato flavors in the best way possible. The menu said that it came with a cucumber sauce but I don't think we got that. What we got was a more like a honey sauce. The sauce was good in itself but didn't pair well with the puffs. The grilled pork shoulder was delectable. The meat was tender and it was seasoned perfectly. Again, more char on the meat would've brought it to a new level. The only gripe I have with this order was the sticky rice. The amount of sticky rice you get with it was so small I thought it was a joke initially. Nope, it was not! I thought the Pad Gra Prow Street Style was OKAY. I would've made it a little saucier. Despite this, my significant other absolutely LOVED it. Pad Gra Prow was my significant other's favorite dish when she lived overseas. She said that this was the best Pad Gra Prow she has had on this side of the world. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. We would definitely come by again when we are back this way.

    What a great lunch we had at Kiin Lao on this past Saturday. It's a relatively smaller place that's…read moretucked away on the upper floor of a building in shadyside. Overall, the food and service was good. We had red curry, massaman curry, and pad kee mao. I think the red curry was pretty good. We order spice level 7 and probably could have gotten the 8. I'd go for 8 if I ever visit them again. Yeah, it was just a good and decent meal with good service and all. Not very crowded, so I urge people to go if you are in the area.

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    Smiling Banana Leaf - thai - Updated July 2026

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