Such a cute little spot- love their garden outside. It can get really chilly at night so bring a sweater or can wait for a table inside. All employees were super nice! Street parking and small parking lot. We got the Bangkok Duck and the Shrimp wonton soup. - The duck was so good- the sauce was sweet enough and enough tart to balance. Love the perfectly steamed veggies. 10/10 would order again! - the shrimp wonton soup was a clear broth- beautifully seasoned. The wonton was decent and good amount of veggies! For dessert - we got the mango sticky rice. Perfect in season mango. The cream was very good with the blue sticky rice! read more

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My food from zab zab has been lacking lately. I've been coming here since I was in college and it used to be my favorite Thai spot. Now-- not so much. For the pad Thai, the noodles were broken and the sauce was very one note. My tom kha fried rice was really yum, though the portion felt small for the price. Unfortunate. I will definitely have to give it one more try, but after 2 negative experiences, I'm skeptical. read more

$17+tt 2 item lunch bento. Grilled salmon panang curry was very good but the salmon was overcooked and a little dry. The red curry sauce was excellent. Pad Prik Khing (tofu) was good. Cash price makes this reasonable. 4 stars and ties for the best available local Thai spots. Good ambience. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - 2 item lunch bento special - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

Thanks so much. Delicious food! We really enjoyed the food The menu has lots of variety. Parking is easy

I would say their lunch weekday specials are great but had a not great experience for dinner. My dish came out at least 15 minutes later than my friends' which was awkward because they were almost done by the time I got to start eating, and also a few pieces of the beef were too chewy (and I'm usually not fussy about that). Aside from that it's a good restaurant, just not consistent with service and food. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Lunch box soup and Thai tea - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

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Food was pretty good. We ordered the Naamtok, which had great flavor, but we wished the beef could have been cooked a bit less. The Basil Duck was decent, but we also wished the duck could have been cooked a bit less. The Trio Fish was very good and had great flavor! The service was great and the ambience was cute. A nice spot in Monterey that does not feel touristy. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Grilled Beef Naamtok - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

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This place is a little hidden gem in Monterey. There is an outdoor seating area that is perfect for enjoying your food and keeping your pulse on the going on around you. The lunch menu is generous and offers enough choices that two people could share. The soup was savory and delicious. The lemon grass chicken was cooked to perfection. The yellow chicken curry was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The service was fast and friendly. If you like Thai food don't miss out on this place. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Lunch special spring rolls, yellow chicken curry, lemon grass chicken. - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

Yummy Thai food. Everything is tasty and delicious. I want to try something different, the beef curry dish was a new surprised, recommend. Overall portion could be a little bigger. Service was good. Menu price is cash price, if you pay with card you will be charged additional charge (3% I think ) I totally missed that fine print again in the menu, I guess this is a new norm now for the area now. read more

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If you like a saucy sweet pad thai this place is for you. luckily I love it like that and it really was delicious. We also got the pra era prow with pork and it was also banging over some rice. This was a great thai spot with limited seating but good if you call ahead for a reservation. Not the absolute best thai food I have had but you 100% will be satisfied when you leave read more

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I'm rounding up to four stars because this restaurant has a really wonderful outdoor dining area. It's right on Lighthouse Ave, and you can watch people walk or drive by. It's well decorated and nicely set up. We went for a Saturday night dinner, and it was clear walking in that they were a bit busy. We were seated right away, and it didn't take too long for them to take our order. But I could see people grumbling that their food was taking a while, and also there were a lot of people picking up to-go orders. The staff did seem friendly, if not a bit hurried. The food was pretty good. The green papaya salad was pretty bland, though, despite being described as spicy on the menu. I did like the tom yum soup. There are two serving sizes "bowl" and "fire pot" and the bowl was pretty large, at least 4-5 cups of soup. The Prik Khing was good. Nothing seemed spicy to me - I suppose, "bowl" and "fire pot,e you can ask for it to be spicier. read more

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We stopped by Zab Zab Thai Cuisine recently for dinner and it was an alright experience. The restaurant is centrally located and they have a parking lot in the back. We were able to find street parking pretty easily and we walked in without a reservation and were seated quickly. The restaurant is simply decorated and has a lot of natural light due to multiple windows. They also have outdoor seating available. The restaurant was fairly busy. It took a while to order our food and the restaurant did seem understaffed, but customer service was friendly & adequate. We ordered some spring rolls and a papaya salad to share. Both items were good, but nothing to rave about. We also ordered a tom yum soup with shrimp along with a fried fish curry dish, basil fried rice with tofu, and a yellow curry dish with shrimp to share. The tom yum soup was a favorite, and had a good amount of veggies and tofu, we had asked for medium spicy, and it was spicier than expected and made my eyes water. I enjoyed it though, but should've ordered it with mild spice. The thai basil fried rice was good, but tasted slightly burnt, and the curries were pretty average, but flavorful. Considering the cost per dish, the portions were smaller than expected. In addition, the meal took much longer than expected, due to slow service and staggered arrival of dishes. I may return to try additional dishes in the future, but overall, Zab Zab Thai is a solid, slightly expensive spot. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Zab Zab! Fresh Spring Rolls - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

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Pad kee mao (drunken noodle) was good but oily. We wanted beef, but had to pay an additional $4.99 and literally got less than 10 tiny pieces of beef (I should have taken a picture). Pad Thai is ok - on the sweet side than regular (we eat pad Thai everywhere). Small portion. Chicken satay is good, but the portion is small. Service is neither good nor bad--nice waitress, but no one refilled water until we called at the end of the visit. I asked for chili, but I had to ask 2x and it came about 15 minutes later when I was almost done. There is 3% charge if you use CC. Overall, it's okay, but we won't be back. read more

I loved this cute little Thai place in Monterey that had really good options for vegetarians. I specially enjoyed this soup which was like comfort food for the weather. The ambiance was so cute with flowers all around the place. Their service was very quick too read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Vegetarian Thai Sweet & Sour - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

Authentic delicious food. Outside is dog friendly, and they even gave me dog friendly chicken for my fur babies. The heater keeps you warm even on a cold evening. Ample street parking. Don't head to the water for touristy places, come here instead. read more

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Had a one time experience of dining in on a weekday noon time. There was a group of three people when we came, another group of three arrived just before we left. We had pad thai tofu, curry and sticky rice with manggo. We liked what we had. Restroom tidy. Ambiance itself is nice, other than theres mosquitoes that visited us inside. Staffs were great. read more

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Authentic Thai flavors done right. We ordered spring rolls and Tom Kha soup with tofu, and both the quality and quantity truly stood out. The balance of flavors was excellent, with the perfect level of Thai spiciness. Service was attentive and pleasant, making the experience even better. Definitely a place worth coming back to. read more

Great thai place in the Monterey area! Delicious food and great service. It's a small place though that fills up quick so get there early or be prepared to wait! When: New Years Day lunch 1pm, 4 people dine in Overall: 4.7/5 Food: 4.7/5 - we ordered chicken green curry, pork pineapple fried rice, chicken thai fried rice, chicken pad kee mao and chicken tom yum fire pot. It was all soooo delicious! Especially loved the tom yum soup and pineapple fried rice. You really can't go wrong with anything here. Service: 4.7/5 - there was only one server on new years day serving over 15 tables. What a champ! She did it all very well herself and kept a smile on her face despite all the stress. Everyone was understanding with the slower service being a holiday but she got everything we needed and all correctly :) Vibes: 4/5 - inside what looks like it used to be an old home. Small and tight inside but cozy. Outdoor patio seating too! Nothing crazy from this place. Other: free surface lot in the back of the building read more

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Came by here yesterday to grab a few deserts to go and a Thai Tea and Thai Coffee. I ordered the Fried Banana with coconut Ice cream and the sticky rice with mango. The service was excellent. They gave me a nice box to carry everything in. As I was putting the food in my car the lid fell off the Thai tea and it spilled. I walked back across the street to order another one and they gave it to me for free after finding out what had happened. I wasn't expecting that at all. It was very nice. Food was great, my friend and I enjoyed everything very much! I'll have to come back and eat at the restart time. It's a very cute little home converted into a restaurant and is very quaint and cozy looking. Give them a try! read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Full Menu outside - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

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Have to first share how incredible their customer service is. From putting a phone order, to entering their restaurant, they are just so damn delightful. This place was tied for our favorite Thai place California. But it may have taken the top spot...! The guaranteed items are the Pad See Ew with beef and the Pork Fried Rice. Anything else is an adventure. I will say that the duck was a bit dry. But everything else is amazing. One of two places we are guaranteed to visit when we come into Monterey! read more

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My family visited Zab Zab after my daughter ran the Big Sur Marathon. The food was excellent, the wait staff was attentive and it was a great experience overall. read more

Zab Zab was the first restaurant I ate at when I moved to Monterey eight years ago, and it's still my favorite Thai restaurant on the Peninsula. The food is always fresh and delicious, the service cheerful and friendly, and my takeout orders are consistently ready in time. Highly recommend! read more

I'm pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere is quite small but very cozy, the service is good, energy is efficient but not rushed and the food is delicious. The spring rolls were perfect and the peanut sauce is delectable (and that's pretty unusual to find), the Pad Thai is good (noodles were cooked perfectly). The basics were good, so definitely worth exploring other menu options. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

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It feels like you are eating authentic Thai food in Thailand. It is cute place on lighthouse street pretty close to cannery row. They have wheelchair access. It had both indoor and outdoor seating and a wonderful waiter Tong who is cheerful and always ready to vaccinated your wishes. We had vegetable Spring rolls, and vegetable stir fry with tofu. My husband ordered chicken satay., The taste and quantity was just right., Because I do not like sweet sticky rice, he substituted it with coconut ice cream without any issue. The sauce in the curry, the dip and the cream on the desert all tasted very different, fresh and authentic read more

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Cute, cozy, no-frills Thai restaurant with a super friendly staff and all your favorite classics dishes cooked to perfection. I visited Zab Zab for dinner after a long day of exploring the Monterey Bay Aquarium, so we were absolutely famished. We tried their tom yum soup, cashew stir fry, mango coco curry, and pad see ew, all of which were delightful. The tom yum was refreshing and creamy, with a great balance of coconut milk and spice. It had a generous portion of veggies and tofu, and the fire pot it was served in was super fun. My second favorite had to be the mango coco curry -- it was refreshing and fruity, yet perfectly savory and slightly spicy. It was a bit sweet from the fruit, but that helped balance out the other spices and flavors. The shrimp was tender, and I loved the chunks of mango inside. You also can never go wrong with a good cashew stir fry or pad see ew -- all of them were cooked well and tasty. I do think the pad see ew and, across a few dishes, the tofu could have used a tiny bit more seasoning, but it was still solid. read more

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Craving soup because it was gloomy and slightly rainy. We ordered online since we didn't want to dine in; it was drizzling, and we have a baby. Ordering was easy and straightforward The food was okay overall. The panang was extremely spicy-too spicy for me to enjoy, honestly. The tom kha soup, though, was delicious: rich, flavorful, and perfect for cold weather or if you have sore throat it will help to relieve it. Total comfort in a bowl! was really disappointed with the pad see ew. It tasted bland-not even salty-and the carrots were practically raw. The fried tofu was super crispy and nicely salty, though, so that was a win. One major downside: the pickup experience. The online order said it would be ready in 20-30 minutes, but when we arrived, we had to wait another 20 minutes. Very frustrating. They kept saying it would be ready soon, but it wasn't. Also, the prices are pretty steep for the portion sizes. Definitely not great value. read more

I would give 10 stars if i could. The ambiance is great, beautiful indoor and outdoor seating and THE BEST staff you'll encounter. I would stake my entire reputation on this restaurant. If anyone comes to Monterey this is the first place i recommend. We always get calamari, fresh spring rolls, tom yam fried rice, pad thai, thai, iced tea, and the mango sticky rice for dessert. All absolute bangers. Sometimes i will get the special and that too always blows my socks off. This time it was some seafood medley IN A COCONUT. Don't leave Monterey without trying this place read more

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The food was good, though not very authentic. It's probably the only Thai place near Cannery Row. FYI, there's a processing fee for card payments, and the suggested tip is calculated based on the post-tax total. read more

The food at @zabzabmonterey was incredible! I had the vegan chowmein with tofu and vegetables, and it was one of the best chowmeins I've ever had! So much flavor. I also treated myself to a Thai iced tea with coconut milk, also delish. And great and fast service. (instagram: jax.vegan.eats) read more

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5/5 - chicken and curry was super flavorful and authentic - lunch special combo super worth it. - service was very good and all the staff were very nice and welcoming - Papaya salad and Thai soup were also tasty and felt fresh - unexpected to find such good and authentic Thai food in Monterey - mango sticky rice very delicious and filling, took me back to Bangkok - I will be back thanks read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Mango sticky rice - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

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We visited this restaurant second time after few years. It is very clean and has friendly service. Most importantly best authentic Thai food! We loved it before, this time and will be back again when we visit Monterey next time. Highly recommended Thai food !!! read more

The inside of the restaurant is fairly small. They do offer outdoor seating in the front. Staff is so patient and sweet! We sat and talked for awhile and the staff didn't make us feel rushed (Thank you!!) Food is always a hit! The fire pot is my go to with a side of rice!! I get the Chicken TomKa Soup medium spicy! If you haven't tried the fried banana it's ...well perfect. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Fried banana with coconut ice cream - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

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Happy they could accommodate my request to modify my order with extra veggies. However with the amount of oil in my Tom kha soup. I truly could not finish it and had to throw it away. The film of oil was far too much to enjoy unfortunately. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Tom Kha with unnecessary amount of oil. - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

They're back!!! They actually reopened Christmas Day if I remember correctly. I know a lot of people missed them because the place was packed! Not to mention lots of people picking up their to-go orders. Tonight was a bit fast paced because of all the people wanting to eat in. But even with that we didn't feel rushed. We enjoyed our food at our own pace. Food is always delish! They're definitely at a different level! I don't even like ordering from ANY Thai restaurants because I feel like it's not going to be as enjoyable and will be a waste of money. Casual ambiance, clean, and good size restaurant. The staff are super pleasant and friendly! We love coming here for the food and energy! Say hi to Tong (I hope I spelled it right) when you come here! read more

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Discover ZabZab! Flavors to savor with ingredients ponder... could i ever make this ? I wont . Service is gracious always feels like Im welcomed in. Restaurant is in a House conversation- great parking in back Decor is beautiful and welcoming. Northern Thai is a new exploration in flavors. Im thrilled to keep coming back, exploring more astounding flavors. I find myself ordering the soup Kao Soi to go at the end of my meals .. because Im not done loving these beautiful flavors . Zab Zab happy read more

I've been here before a few years ago and so happy to find Zab Zab is still in business and as delicious as ever! Everyone at the table loved their food. I had the lunch special with green curry and papaya salad. Came with a small soup, white rice, and a salad. Perfect portions filled me up and were absolutely delicious. And of course I had to get the Thai iced tea too! Small cute place with limited seating inside and some patio seating. Great service. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Oick 2 lunch special with green curry & papaya salad - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

Just read about Zab Zab. Good food and service excellent will be going there again soon

It was a small cute spot in Monterey, and it had a nice ambience. We sat in the back and was served pretty quickly. I got a tom yum soup with noodles and chicken, and my friend got a pad thai. Both looked really good, and I loved my soup. I don't recommend getting the chicken in a soup dish though, because it was really dry and bland, but the rest of the soup was delicious. I would definitely come back and try other options. Parking around the restaurant isn't too bad either - I recommend parking on the street behind, as there are typically a lot of spots open. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California

We have been her at least 15 times! The food is always delicious, consistent, and they are able to adapt to dietary constraints. It is our go-to Thai restaurant when visiting Monterey! We have tried most of the items on the menu and have never been disappointed. As a matter of fact, we have been delighted with each dish. read more

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This small restaurant is located on Lighthouse Ave, not too far from Cannery Row. We ordered the Pad See Ew with chicken and it was perfect. It was delicious with just the right flavor and not too salty. There is a patio for those warmer sunny days. Would stop by here to try some of their other items if I'm in this part of Monterey again. read more

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The staff is very nice! And the pad see ew is to die for! Came during the night and the lighting is nice and dim. read more

Zab Zab Thai Cuisine - Shrimp Shoumai Gyoza Thai Iced Tea - Thai Near Me - Monterey, California