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    Thai Dara

    3.6 (415 reviews)
    ModerateThai
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM

    Order Thai Dara Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    THAI DARA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Thai Dara

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    MaDonna W.

    Trying out a different Thai restaurant for us was a little bit of a challenge. The parking above the restaurant is called the row. It's one way in and the same way out. It's a little bit difficult. The restaurant is very tiny but it's also very popular. Lotta people love coming here. We enjoyed the chicken pad Thai we had the Tom Yum shrimp soup unfortunately it was a little bit too fishy. The service is very good. They do aim to please.

    Jus S.

    Last-minute food choice, which turned out to be an amazing food choice. I hadn't had Thai food in a while, but speaking to a friend over the phone earlier in the week brought it to my attention. So when finding myself close to a Thai restaurant, I said why not. Love the tea. The ambience, was low light, soft music, and serene. Highly recommended

    Estefany B.

    Very cute decorations and cozy. Had the yellow curry with a side salad that came with a sweet vinaigrette dressing. The yellow curry was delicious it had a bit of a kick to it but I promise it's not bad at all. It came with egg rolls on the side and they were delicious. The staff was quick overall good experience Paid $14.55

    My son, who is six and has an aversion to spicy food, said this place was "bigger than next level." He assured me that was a good thing! He loved the beef with broccoli lunch special. My wife and I both had the spicy noodle lunch special. All three were fabulous deals, and we thought it was the best meal value of the entire trip to Southern California. The service was also excellent. My water was refilled no less than four times, which is the sign of an extremely attentive and friendly waiter!

    Jie G.

    Great food in a very tiny restaurant! We ordered a bunch of food including salad, Massaman curry, beef glass noodle and pad Thai. All dishes are delicious! They also brought a big bowl of rice to share for the table, which is convenient rather than having individual bowls. The tables and the restaurant itself is on a small scale, so you would need to be a bit cozy

    Tom Yum
    Richard T.

    Awesome Thai food! Good portions Nice restaurant get there early as seating is limited. To go orders also hit the spot! Parking available nearby. Enjoy the great service too!

    Top: Eggplant with Fresh Basil (with tofu) bottom: Pad Thai veggie style
    Charis R.

    Though this place is right around the corner from us, we avoided it for so long due to poor reviews. Well I'm glad we finally gave in because this has been our go-to spot for Thai and it hasn't disappointed yet. One thing I've noticed is how fresh and flavorful their ingredients are. I've had their Thai spring rolls (egg rolls), yellow curry, pad see yew, eggplant basil and pad Thai - I would order all of that again! We've only done take out but they have a cutely decorated cozy interior and outside patio, perfect for dining in. Another testament to this place is a mutual friend of ours in passing talked about how amazing their Tom Kha is and regularly visits this place. He had no idea we also recently fell in love with the restaurant. Best of all, it's right on PCH and a few blocks away from the beach. Take your food to go and eat on the beach or in the harbor!

    Pad Thai w/ Beef

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Consistently good Thai food, curry and cashew chicken are very good. Always great for take out

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    2 years ago

    Everything about this place is amazing. The staff is friendly, and the food is so so good.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Pretty good food. Good variety and the service is quick. Pad Thai was good as was the Thai fried rice

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Awesome staff with quick and friendly service. They are vigilant and the food is absolutely amazing!

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    2 years ago

    Delicious. My go to!!! The pad thai is yummy and the drunken noodle is my favorite but that mango sticky rice is delicous

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    2 years ago

    Food was amazing. The service was so kind and the Ambience was casual. Would come again thanks!

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    Page 2 of 11

    Thai Dara Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Thai Dara

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    Thai This

    Thai This

    4.6
    (221 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    What I got: Red and…read moreGreen Thai Tea Chicken Satay Calamari Tom Kha Seafood Noodles Crispy Duck Beef Salad authentic Thai cuisine made with the freshest ingredients, traditional recipes, and amazing customer service. Ambiance is cute and has plenty of seating inside, they also have a little bar. Service is amazing, they cater to their customer really well. Food comes out fast and really tasty. There's plenty of options to choose from, I love all the food, very tasty and the duck stand out the most. We definitely enjoyed dining here with my girlfriends, and it's a good Thai food near the beach!

    This is a hidden gem! I was at the farmers market and wanted to grab lunch before heading home…read more Thai This is within walking distance from the Dana Point Farmers Market. I ordered the Thai iced tea and green Thai iced tea. They're both on the sweeter side. However, the spice level is "Thai spicy" (iykyk), so the tea is a wonderful compliment to the food. For appetizer, I ordered the calamari and the summer rolls. I also got the Yum Yai salad. It was so refreshing and delicious! I recommend this salad!! For entrees, the Pad Talay (my personal favorite) and the chef special: seafood noodle. Dessert: mango sticky rice. You have to make room for the mango sticky rice! I loved the vibe here. I feel like this place should get more love. - It's a family owned business. - The food is delicious. - The restaurant is clean and quiet. -The service is impeccable. I highly recommend you check it out.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Crispy Duck
    Crispy Duck
    Homemade coconut ice cream with mango

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    Homemade coconut ice cream with mango
    Thai Bite

    Thai Bite

    3.9
    (661 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $$

    Dined for lunch. Fast friendly service. Large lunch menu…read more Booths and tables available. Very well laid out dinner restaurant. Not too bright. My coworker and I both ordered Crying Tiger. It was his first time and he said more than once how good it was. I always order it if I see it on the menu. No two crying together sauces are alike. Everyone makes their own recipe. This one was green , sweet and spicy. The beef steak was grilled perfectly medium and the veggies were fresh. The peanut salad dressing was also very good. Next time I'm in the area, I will eat here again. Great find.

    After being a monthly customer for 7+ years, I'm done with this place…read more Dining in person is frustrating if you like customer service. You literally have to wave them down for refills, or remind for sauces, etc. one time it took 15 minutes from when we asked for a check to get the bill. Then another 10 for them to pick it up, so we got up and took it to the front register. Ordering takeout is even worse. They hand you a receipt to sign and tip them for...well I don't know why they expect a tip. Every visit I ask for several types of sauces and or utensils, they are ALWAYS skimping out. If I order 3 entrees and I ask for hot sauce, I should be given enough hot sauce for my order. Skinny short haired lady hands me 3 ketchup size packets for 3 entrees max. The final straw was on a takeout order when I see the typical "3 sauces for 3 entrees" and I ask as usual for more sauces, the lady has the audacity to give me 1 more and then turns around not saying bye. I go to my car and per usual they forget all utensils. I go back in and the lady is visibly mad I'm back, I ask for utensils and she gives me 2 (bro I always order 3 entrees, it's for 3 people). I ask for one more and she scoffs but gives me the third. Then says "do you need anything else?" Yes ma'am, I need you to learn customer service if you're front of house. Every time I come in I'm angered by her attitude and service. NEVER EVER AGAIN!

    Photos
    Thai Bite
    Hot Basil Rice - Very good
    Hot Basil Rice - Very good
    Som Tum Thai

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    Som Tum Thai
    Talay Thai Kitchen

    Talay Thai Kitchen

    4.4
    (9 reviews)
    5.1 mi

    I hope and pray Talay makes another debut in June 2026. It far surpasses Studio which is overpriced…read moreand extremely disappointing. Talay is the best thing that ever happened at the Montage hotel in Laguna Beach. Please invite then bacckkkk.

    Laguna Beach, Ca. This will be my second time to be able to…read moreget a table here at this wonderful pop up located on the grounds of the Montage. I try to make it once a year; I had to skip a year because I was a bit late trying to secure reservations last year. I've nothing but good things to report about this dining experience, it is indeed special. I came here with my wife for her birthday this year, accompanied by our two young sons. The setting is outside as well as a mini kitchen and bar. A cool breeze was blowing off the ocean and the ad airplanes were passing over trying to sell stuff to the throngs of beach goers below. It was peaceful and a bit romantic. There is an unspoken ( For the Most Part) camaraderie amongst the patrons, we all know this is a treat not often offered. My suggestions are few but perhaps helpful: Get a first sitting reservation. It's easier and you get a lot of attention from the wonderful waitstaff prior to them getting really busy. Be a party of at least four people, you will be able to sample many more dishes that way. Bring a light jacket just in case the ocean breeze becomes chilly. The cushions on the bench seats are really comfortable, a great feature. The food, as I have implied, is delicious. Some variations on traditional Thai, but all were exquisite. Here is what we tried: Watermelon Temptation, a thirst quenching, not too sweet delight. Pretty too. Thai Iced Tea, a wonderful version Virgin Ma ka Ri ta, a superb creation Lobster Satay Toast, excellent. Crispy Pork/ Moo Tod Kluk Fhun, amazing, this one we had to order a second. Papaya Salad/ Som Tam Thai, great spices, fresh greens. Thai Dumplings, we are not typically fans of dumplings but these were awesome. Tom Kha Hed, most likely the best I've ever had. Be sure to order this no matter what. Yellow Chicken Curry/ Gaeng Ka-Ti, oh this is so good... Pad Thai Shrimp, wow, I loved this dish. Spicy Beef Pad Ka-Prow, this was a real winner, the short ribs are cooked perfectly. Thai Tea Popsicle, very nice. Coconut Ice Cream, perfectly tempered artisan treat. Mango Sticky Rice, I loved the ample mango slices that had been soaking in a very flavorful light syrup of some sort. Fried Bananas w/ Sesame Ice Cream , flavor infusion! Birthday Surprice, a white chocolate covered cake, applause all around. We attended the last weekend before the chef returns to his restaurant in Mexico. I am looking forward to being here next year!

    Photos
    Beautiful vibes
    Beautiful vibes
    Birthday Cake in White Chocolate
    Birthday Cake in White Chocolate
    Talay Thai Kitchen

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    Thai Dara - thai - Updated June 2026

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