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    Tara Thai Cafe

    4.0 (288 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Seafood, Noodles
    Closed 10:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    TARA THAI CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Fried Banana
    Susan U.

    Casual & Friendly Version: I live just a short walk from Tara Thai and have been coming here for years. The same owner has been running it for as long as I can remember, and the food is always delicious! Everything tastes fresh and full of flavor. Whenever I crave for mango sticky rice or pad Thai, this is my fave spot. The staff are super friendly and make you feel right at home. It's so nice having a spot this good so close by -- great food, great service, and super convenient location. Definitely one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants!

    Chicken Satay...tough and stringy.

    We ordered several items. Something was definitely off with the chicken satay. Chicken meat looked strange. Like it was very shredded looking and very hard to chew. Flavor was off. Wondering if they use Lab created meat. It was that strange! Chicken in pineapple fried rice was normal and very good. I don't think we will order it again.

    Yellow chicken curry
    Evan F.

    Had the always great shrimp wonton soup tonight. Excellent placer and wonderful presentation. A real treat to start a meal.

    Thai Tea
    Marcus G.

    My absolute favorite thing on the menu has to be the Thai Tea - I treat myself to one every single week! Since I'm lactose intolerant, I always get mine made with coconut milk, and it's perfection in a cup. Recently I finally tried the Chicken Pad Thai for dinner, and wow - it was incredible! I went with chicken and bravely chose the spicy option... and I'm so glad I did. It had the perfect kick: noticeably spicy but never overwhelming, just enough heat to elevate every bite. The flavors were on point, and they give you such a generous portion - easily two meals for most people. But after a long day at work? Yeah... I demolished the entire thing in one sitting and have zero regrets. Highly recommend if you're craving Thai that actually delivers on flavor and spice! Shawna is the best!

    Pad Se-ew Noodles
    Kendal S.

    Our experience at Tara Thai Café was fantastic. First things first - the waitress. She was amazing and honestly stole the whole show. Her kindness carried the entire experience. Just good vibes all around from her. We started with two traditional drinks: you can't go wrong with a cold Sapporo and a little sake to set the tone. To start we ordered the Tom Yum soup with shrimp. Now listen, they have a large size on the menu, but pro tip: you can ask for a small portion, which is perfect if each person wants their own. The spice level? Perfect. The flavor? On point. And they don't skimp either - five big shrimp in there. I mean, I wouldn't have been mad if they threw in five more, but hey--beggars can't be choosers, lol. Next up: beef salad - SO FIRE. The beef was actually mad tender (which, let's be real, is rare sometimes). You could tell they took their time with it. WHEW. Respect. (My bad on no pics, that's how fire it was) Then the spring rolls came out. Now spring rolls are hard to mess up - and they didn't. Light, crisp, just how they should be. Finally, the main event: Pad See Ew. Some might say this is a Mount Rushmore dish when it comes to grading a Thai spot. And if this was a test? They passed with flying colors. It HIT. Honestly, everything did. Big fan of this place. Great food, great vibes, and a small, cozy setting just a few blocks from the beach. And shoutout again to our server - she was just amazing.

    Wonton Soup.
    Jennifer B.

    After spending a fun 4th of July lunch and brisk walk by the shore with a couple of fur babies, Hubbers and I agreed we should pick up food for dinner. (We were dog sitting and we didn't want to leave the pups home alone as one of them is terrified of fireworks - and we knew they're gonna be going off all night.) The first Thai place we went to was closed due to the holiday. This was next to check if they're open. Luckily, they were! Hubbers and I went through the menu and ended up with a list of goodies to order. He stayed in the car with the pups and I went in. The weirdest thing is no one was tending to this whole place. I figured they were at the back somewhere. I said a few hello's and no response. I half yelled, and still nothing. I even tried calling (yes! Their listed phone number!) and nobody answered. So, I walked out. But while walking out, a lady walked in apologizing for the wait. For a few quick seconds there, I debated if I should stay and order or just keep walking out... ... but the idea of not leaving the pups alone to get food (even more especially) for 4th of July won out. Since there were no customers, I assumed the wait wouldn't be that long, so I put the order in and as I expected, I was walking out in no time. WONTON SOUP: Broth was tasty and had depth. The wontons were full of flavor. The veggies were good sidekicks. We liked it. CRAB FRIED RICE: My favorite of the lot! They were very generous with the crab. Each bite was guaranteed a piece or at least a taste. The aroma was enticing. What I find kinda odd was a quarter slice of tomato beneath the whole thing. (It's a filler, I know.) Neither Hubbers or I ate it. Otherwise, this dish was a meal in itself. BEEF PANANG AND LARB SALAD: These were Hubbers' picks and I wasn't really in the mood for either. However, he said he liked them a lot. THAI CHICKEN BBQ: Chicken was pretty juicy and tasty. But it's comparable to other Thai places, it has that familiar and common taste. But I liked this as well. FOOD: 4. SERVICE: 2.5. Someone should always be manning the front, right? Another couple walked in a few minutes after i put my order in, and like my experience, no one was there to welcome them in. (That lady took off to the kitchen to put my order rollin', but she was still gone too long.) VALUE: 3.5. PARKING: Private lot. OVERALL: 3.25. Yes, everything had to be reheated, but they turned out really good anyway. I'd return, if only for the crab fried rice... yum!

    Exceptional Pad Thai

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    The Tom Yum noodles were absolutely amazing! Big thanks to the wonderful staff and talented chefs -- you're the best!

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    1 year ago

    I order takeout often from Tara Thai. I love the food and the service! Great people and yummy food

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    Tara Thai Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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    Gomaichi Ramen

    Gomaichi Ramen

    4.6
    (123 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    I love the service here the young lady helping me was incredibly friendly :) even from the moment I…read morewalked in, she made the whole meal feel welcoming. The restaurant itself has a very clean, bright atmosphere that's perfect for a focused lunch or a relaxed dinner. But....The standout here is definitely the broth--it has an incredible creamy texture that's rich and velvety without feeling heavy. You can tell they put a lot of time into developing that depth of flavor. Every spoonful was perfectly balanced by the fresh scallions, and the slight heat from the peppers. If you appreciate a ramen broth with real body and soul, Gomaichi is a must-visit.

    A nice twist on a comfort food. I first heard about Gomaichi Ramen via Reddit. Gomaichi opened…read morewhile the whole plaza's exterior was being renovated so it was difficult to find without any signage. I'm glad I found Gomaichi as it's one tasty unique bowl of ramen. I've tried their tonkotsu ramen as well as their tan tan men, which was a unique flavor profile. It's sesame broth based. Today, I opted to have the Sung Hon ramen, which is hot and sour. The first sip definitely got me as I almost coughed. Ha ha. I was able to stay strong and devoured the whole bowl. I also had the gyoza which were also tasty. Overall, the food was good and the service provided by Deyanira was great. Deyanira was friendly, polite, and cordial. I appreciate her friendly demeanor and positive attitude. If you're in the area and want to grab a nice bowl of ramen, stop by Gomaichi

    Photos
    Seating & Mural   10-29-2025
    Seating & Mural 10-29-2025
    Vegetable Tempura Set
    Vegetable Tempura Set
    Gomaichi Ramen

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    Lotus Asian Grill

    Lotus Asian Grill

    4.3
    (275 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    We've been here multiple times. Service always good, and food comes out super hot so you know just…read moremade. They have happy hour for beer/wine all the time, hard to say no to a $3 sapporo or asahi. Started w veggie egg rolls Garlic noodles included w dinner went well with our entrees. We like the spicy eggplant and spicy crispy orange chicken, though both could have been much spicier. The fish in black bean sauce was well cooked. Enjoyed it and would recommend.

    We had gone to W's China Bistro years before and enjoyed it but never tried Lotus until last night…read moreand we are so glad we did! Our usual not-so-usual go-to for Chinese in the South Bay had been Seashore at Calle Mayor and PCH but I remembered the food being somewhat bland on the last visit several months back. We have also enjoyed Lunasia (for Dim Sum) and Ruiji farther east on PCH but it has been a long time (at least for Ruiji) and the reviews and pictures for Lotus looked really good. I also liked the All-Day Happy Hour! $3 house wines, beer and hot sake as well as the complimentary (and delicious) garlic noodles with $50 purchase ($11.95 value). We ordered the Crispy Crabmeat Cream Cheese Wontons ($10), Spicy Orange Crispy Chicken ($21.95), Kung Pao Chicken ($21.95), Sweet and Sour Pork ($20.95), Beef with Broccoli ($20.95), Mongolian Beef ($21.95) and Crispy Honey Shrimp ($25.95). Yeah, the prices, I know, but again the All-Day Happy Hour and the free noods! The food was a hit...everything was great, fresh ingredients, packed with flavor. The Crispy Chicken wasn't spicy so don't worry if that's not your jam...the Mongolian Beef was probably my favorite and the crispy honey shrimp was lightly fried "to perfection". I hate that phrase but it is appropriate here, truly. Service was excellent. The food came out very quickly and our server was fantastic. It was my 87 year old Mom's birthday and they brought out a cheesecake and candle for her too. We did have tons of left-overs so it will go a longer way which helps with the cost. HIGHLY RECOMMEND; they've definitely earned the top Chinese spot for me.

    Photos
    One Side Of The Restaurant.
    One Side Of The Restaurant.
    Pork Belly in Black BeanSauce
    Pork Belly in Black BeanSauce
    Hong Kong Style Crispy Garlic Lobster

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    Hong Kong Style Crispy Garlic Lobster
    Jiayuan Dumpling House

    Jiayuan Dumpling House

    4.3
    (388 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    I accidentally ended up here instead of a different dumpling house but just like me, it was a happy…read moremistake. I ended up coming really close to closing time but the service was still fast. Food was HOT & of course made to order. I did burn my tongue.... But it's okay I had a cold Thai tea to help suppress that burn. Thai tea 4/5 -- on the sweeter side for me. But still carries that robust Thai flavor to it. Spicy chicken 5/5 -- huge kick to it. Looks innocent... is deadly. I loved the spiciness. I'm all about spice so this was really nice to try. Shrimp fried rice 5/5 -- I can't believe a shrimp fried this rice... it's splendid. Uh-mah-zing. We love her. Perfect shrimp to rice ratio. Not too salty. Perfect amount of umami 12pc shrimp dumplings-- 4/5 oooo they were HOT. Flavor could be improved a bit, but otherwise texture and quality was delightful. Parking is in the plaza. It's a small place maybe 10 tables max? They have a single use restroom as well.

    We love trying different dumpling restaurants so we came here to eat! The staff was very nice and…read moreattentive. Seems like a small family business. This place has only 8 tables so either you come on a good day when its empty which we did but it can get filled up quickly due to a large party or families. We ordered the cucumber salad appetizer...pan fried nappa pork dumplings and pork scallion buns.....and They had nooooo FLAVOR. The cucumber salad was diced to oblivion ..we might as well have gotten spoons instead of chopsticks....no spice just drenched in water and soy sauce....no garlic...no szechuan pepper oil. The dumpling and buns had no flavors....no ginger...no seasonings... my wife had to put SALT IN THE CUCUMBERS! ....yes!.... SALT!.... Parking was plenty...

    Photos
    Jiayuan Dumpling House
    Steamed Buns of the Day- Pork and Green Onions
    Steamed Buns of the Day- Pork and Green Onions
    Outside

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    Outside
    RAKKAN Ramen - Redondo Beach

    RAKKAN Ramen - Redondo Beach

    4.2
    (954 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$
    Vegan friendly
    Outdoor seating

    Rakkan Ramen completely changed how I think about ramen…read more We first came here because I was craving ramen and wanted to try a place that specializes in it, and I'm so glad we did. Everything from the flavor to the experience just feels a step above. The (always-vegan) broth is rich and well-balanced, and you can really tell the focus is on quality. One thing I really appreciate is how accommodating they are with customizations. I usually ask for my ramen without nori (seaweed) and skip the egg, and they get it right every time. It might seem like a small detail, but it makes a huge difference not having to send anything back. The atmosphere is also a big plus. It's cozy and inviting, perfect for sitting down and enjoying a warm bowl of ramen. The first time we went it was pretty busy, but it still felt comfortable. The second time, we went earlier in the day and it was quieter, which made the experience even better. At this point, anytime I'm craving ramen, this is where we go. Consistently delicious, customizable, and a great overall vibe; definitely our go-to ramen spot now.

    Decent ramen and modern vibes…read more Went for a late night weekday dinner. Theres some parking behind the restaurant, but street parking was easier. Ordered their spicy garnet. I'm not a huge ramen fan, and this was similar to most. Was a little salty, but had the umami flavor and everything was cooked fine. Didn't really stand out was all. Might be back since their hours work out.

    Photos
    Healthy and Tasty, Our ramen is made with 100% plant-based broth. (QUARTZ Vegan)
    Healthy and Tasty, Our ramen is made with 100% plant-based broth. (QUARTZ Vegan)
    Vegan Gyoza are crunchy, crispy and packed with delicious vegetables like edamame, cabbage and carrots!
    Vegan Gyoza are crunchy, crispy and packed with delicious vegetables like edamame, cabbage and carrots!
    Kanikama Sushi Bites come topped with savory teriyaki sauce and crunchy fried onions!

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    Kanikama Sushi Bites come topped with savory teriyaki sauce and crunchy fried onions!

    Tara Thai Cafe - thai - Updated July 2026

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