After reading some Yelp reviews I knew I had to be brave to try this place. I heard the neighborhood was a Cholo , roach infested area. ( but why do they care when roaches , waterbugs, and grasshoppers are extremely common to eat in Thailand. ) So I went - alone- a slender ,single, sexy girl. But I was incognito i wore baggy pants , a hat , out of date sunglasses and I stooped like a little old lady with a bad leg to not attract attention. Did I really go thru all of that to try this place? yes. Am I an Idiot? no way. No one paid attention to me but I paid attention to that first bite. Really exceptional but was is offset by an OUTSIDE bathroom. Hello- this is america. ! Id love to have a girls nite out but I am new to area and dont have many friends yet . By The WAY I woud NOT go here for girls night out unmlesss everyone was willing to do what I did - or we had some body guards Personally? i will go and do #1 at an outsite toilet to get to this food. It was an adventure
(4)
Paula L.
I went here for the first time yesterday and found the food absolutely delicious. This place has many 'Isan' dishes. Isan food is distinct from Thai and Lao cuisines, but they all have similarities. Sticky rice, som tam (papaya salad), larb (meat salad) are some of the common Isan dishes that can be found, made especially yummy, here. The beef jerky and the sauce that it came with was beyond good here. If I am in the area, I would definitely come back for more. This place is a little hole in wall, but boy, the food makes up for it. mmm...mmm...good.
(4)
Derek R.
This place delivers fast, and is a very good value. For the price, you get A LOT of pretty good thai food. I deducted a star because both the noodles and the soup are oilier than I like.
(4)
stacey z.
We are very happy with our food. We ordered Curry duck Curry shrimp sprouts and tofu Thai tea Pro: The quantity of food was big. One plate is enough for two people. We(2 people) ordered three dishes because the price were cheap, but we got too full because we could not stop eating. The sause they made was exactly right, not too salty, not greesy. The service was great. There were two cute Thai girls serving us. They were prompt and friendly, and they asked us how spicy we would like for our food, and if we would like steam tofu or fried tofu. The food came quickly. Con: The place was a little bit noisy. It seems it is a family restaurant,so the family member made a lot of noise. They put a big sign of letter C for health inspection rating, which probably would scare people away. For the price and service, we think it deserves 5 stars
(5)
Kathy C.
Love this place! Granted the area is a little sketchy, the parking lot is super small, and the bathroom is outside, I still love going here...in the day time. I love the deep fried pork jerky w/ sticky rice, the som tum (papaya salad), tom yum koong, and chicken larb, which comes with all these veggies. The pad kee mao is okay...The prices are excellent and the portions are large. One dish can feed two people, but I always end up ordering 3 or 4 and taking the rest home.
(5)
phiya C.
This place has the best Isarn food. If you're into papaya salads, thai jerkey or beef salad(nam tok) this is the place to go! best in LA.
(4)
Meiling L.
I've been coming here since I was a kid and it's gotten better over the years Totally recommend it
(5)
Steven H.
Service was decent. Food wasn't as good as I remembered but that was 4 yeas ago. Papaya salad was wayyyy too sweet. Pork jerky was really good!!!
(4)
Tiffany L.
LOVE. THIS. PLACE. It's become part of my regular rotation to come here, and when I just want some non-fussy food that I know is going to be killer, Khun Dom is where I go! Tom yum soup, pad thai, pad sew ew are all winners. I tried the crab fried rice though, and wasn't as crazy about that (I love seafood, but the essence was a little too seafood-y). Thai iced tea is solid, my husband and I typically get the large to share (we refer to it as the "bucket-of-tea") and egg each other to get one to go whenever we're in the area. Take out is extremely reliable (they've always had my food ready by the estimated time, 10-15 min) and they package up the food well so there's not much chance to spill (there's tape over the iced-tea straw hole and over the lid - I appreciate that!).
(5)
Niikkii G.
If you want to eat great lunch or even dinner come here. The food is amazing. I highly recommend this place. And the staff is very friendly.
(5)
blakes n.
Had the spicy Thai curry and it tasted almost like mom used to make! The staff was nice and the location seemed kinda sketchy for Hollywood. The place was kinda greasy spooney, that is typical of Thai places here and gives it a hole in the wall kind of vibe.
(4)
R C.
classic hole in the wall that does really great home style cooking. I had the curried catfish. Fresh (definitely not frozen) filets of catfish are pan fried in a spicy, oily (in a good way) sauce of basil, galangal, red and green peppers. You have to pay for rice so I ordered a small one to compliment the fish. Totally recommend and will be back. Also restaurant had great energy from the people working there.
(5)
Christina G.
Favorite thai restaurant in LA! Seriously. Good quality, reasonable prices, manageable street parking... all definite "pluses" with respect to food. We ordered their deliciously piping hot crab fried rice, wings of angel (chicken wings stuffed with noodles and other delish ingredients), and a classic pad see ew. The portions are huge! I cannot vouch for their curries, as we steered away from those on the grounds that we could replicate a home-cooked version reasonably well. (It has been done).
(5)
Juan C. P.
Omg! This is the best chicken curry I had tried so far! The food is well done and the atmosphere is very welcoming, the waiter is just a sweetheart! I will totally eat here again; that just means that I have to drive 20 miles for Thai food!
(5)
Kristie G.
I seriously can't believe all the high reviews. I gave 2 stars so I can save 1 stars for bugs or really nasty stuff. I had tofu yellow curry and added mushrooms and broccoli. The mushrooms tasted canned, the potatoes were dry even though they were in curry. I love yellow curry and it was probably the worst I've had. My tip? Keep driving!!
(2)
Sarah T.
cheap, authentic, huge portion great larb - namtok also try their crab fried rice! caution: if you are sensitive to MSG -- make sure you tell them "NO MSG" otherwise your symptoms will arise even before you leave the restaurant
(4)
Bryan D.
This little gem is fantastic. Ordered pad see ew beef, pad thai chicken, and pad kra pao pork to go for me and my wife to split and they hooked it up. Items are fairly priced and food was ready in decent time. Everything was flavorful and the pad kra pao had some good spice to it which I love. Will definitely go back as i go to lacc.
(5)
Gema S.
My friend and I were on a mission to have some good Thai food, so when we drove to Spicy BBQ and realized it was closed, we drove back to Khun Dom Thai that we passed along the away. This place is super divey and small which doesn't really bother me except that the smell when we first walked in was definitely suspicious. We ordered the Pad Thai with fried tofu, the Spicy Shrimp Soup, and the Papaya Salad. The Pad Thai was delicious and the fried tofu did not leave me wishing I had ordered beef or chicken instead. My friend was not as crazy about it as I was, and said the noodles were too oily. The Spicy Shrimp Soup was very flavorful although lacking in shrimp for the $11.99 price tag. I didn't really try the Papaya Salad but my friend who is crazy about Papaya Salad barely touched it and said the taste was off. My overall experience was a pleasant one but a little more upkeep of the place wouldn't hurt.
(4)
Trice H.
I keep trying to like this place but no. It's just not good. Flavorless and all. Good portion sizes and nice staff but not so good food. I just can't try it again.
(2)
Tony S.
This place rocks. I love the beef jerky, and the number tok. Arroy mak mak! Delivery available
(5)
Vahagn K.
The service was very friendly. I got the seafood special and it seemed fresh and delicious. The atmosphere was relaxing and there wasn't crappy pop music being blasted in your face like at so many other restaurants these days. Great spot for lunch. Highly recommended.
(5)
Ana S.
Amazing food! Loved it! We eat thai food a lot, and this by far has been the best. Great service and affordable prices for what you get! We had it delivered so I don't know what it's like inside. But this was some damn good food!
(5)
Elaine T.
The food is good, but the problem lies with the online pricing. Both all menus and grub hub have their menu but if you are ordering delivery, understand that the prices advertised on both websites are incorrect. Both dishes were advertised online as $5.95 and turned out to be $7.99. Not sure if all items are priced incorrectly, but their menus should be updated.
Best seafood soup I've ever tasted also the fried rice with shrimps is delicious...I've been coming here for 5 years already.. Even though I have to drive 6 mi to get here but it's worth it..
(5)
Milton C.
In my last review, I complained about "smaller portions". On my most recent visit, I received approximately the normal portions I am used too. The food was delicious as always. The "no ice" is still there. Overall, I had a good experience and I'm adding a star. I would love to give 5 stars, but I can't get over that "no ice" fee. It really seems like a cheap move to save money/make money off the costumers.
(4)
Sam P.
The traffic favors Melrose Avenue to get to and from the 101 from West Hollywood over Santa Monica Boulevard. So I pass by this little Thai restaurant regularly. I should have kept passing it by. It looks a mess. The floor tiles are chipped so that they look like they have trash on the floor. Some tables have dirty dishes stacked up on them. Isn't there someone busing the tables? The service sucked. I walked in and the guy looked at me and then turned away. Another lady pointed to the stack of menus and told me to sit anywhere. When the waitress came, she looked like someone just farted. Aren't Thai restaurants supposed to be known for their good service? Someone should tell them that it's okay to smile every once in a while. A sign on the wall says that they will not serve hot tea to tables that have small children. Somebody obviously got burned. The food was nothing special. It's like eating just to eat. The sauces that they leave on the table were gross. They watered down the hot chili sauce so that it would last longer. When I was a kid my mom would put some water in the shampoo bottle to make it last longer too because we were so poor. Straight up ghetto.
(1)
Wii K.
Delivery or Take out for togo its good way to eat here. Its just Because so hard to find parking space with super tiny parking lot! I hate drama on the street! Recomended "Roast duck thai red curry" is buttery, mellow out in my mouth. Its some sort of good texture entertain my palate. Frankly, i'm not big fan curry and coconut milk but this place its quite greatest homemade curry in town. Plus coconut milk super rich and fresh! You should try, You'll not regret this! Service - 2.8 stars Parking - 0.0 stars Clean - 2.0 stars Food - 3.3 stars
(4)
Desiree B.
This place is AMAZING! And oh so very tasty and flavorful! Me and my friend staying at the historic hotel of Hollywood down the street from khun dom decided to order some thai Food in since they deliver. The order didn't take too long about 30mins. I got the beef with chili garlic and my friend got the chicken pad thai. And lemme tell you guys I FELL IN LOVE! Make sure to have a lot of water close by and some sticky rice close by because the dish is very spicy! But it's so good you just keep eating it! The pad Thai was one of the best that I've ever tried. So if you're ever in the Hollywood area or staying on melrose and craving some Thai. Check out khun dom. You will not be disappointed!
(5)
A W.
Was in the area with friends and thought to eat here trusting yelps review. Was I wrong! I got yellow chicken curry and the waiter said their food is usually really spice so I got a mild instead of the usual medium. The dish came out white as the napkin. It was basically a very salty coconut milk with chicken. No curry, no spice, and way too salty for yellow curry. My friend's spicy shrimp noodles looked good and tasted pretty good too...until we found TWO hair in it
(1)
Corey K.
This place is legit. Apparently they're known for Esarn Thai so if you know your way around their huge menu you'll be fed well.
(3)
Jonathan M.
I've eaten here a few times now so I decided this would be a good time to write a review. I'm still unsure how to grade this restaurant. Some of the dishes I've tried have been very good and a couple haven't. For example my standard Thai dish is Pad See Eu with pork and american broccoli. I figure if a restaurant can't get this dish right then it's not worth going back. To their credit it was done the way I like it. I've had the angel hair stuffed chicken which I haven't had in a long time. It is prepared very differently from what Im used to - it wasn't wings but a larger piece of chicken. It was delicious, especially with the dipping sauce. The portion was also huge. In fact this would be a whole meal. I also tried the Thai salad and the peanut dressing was tasteless. Because it had no taste it was like putting unsalted watery peanut butter on top of a salad. Yuk. Same thing with the chicken satay (I wanted pork but they were out). While the chicken was good the peanut dressing was awful. Would it kill them to add some spices? Another downside is that they have no dessert. No coconut ice cream which I sometimes like to finish a Thai meal with. They give a fortune cookie with the check and honestly to me that's kind of a turn off. It reminds me of the old style Chinese restaurants my parents took us too growing up. The rest of the menu looks interesting and surprisingly quite large and varied. The decor is comfy, diner style with booth seating. Nothing special and I like it because the lighting is good for reading a newspaper. The staff is kind of friendly but a little bit standoffish even though I've been there a few times. Jaime, the manager is very nice and is willing to listen to suggestions. I'm keeping Khun Dom as one of my regular stops. Updated May 16, 2013: I've become a regular since I posted my review and I am upgrading it to 4 stars. The angel wings are still delicious and so is the fried tofu and the beef jerky. The staff have become a lot friendlier as we have gotten to know each other and we're now on first name basis. It's a comfortable restaurant that I enjoy going to. '
(4)
Linda T.
Authentic, Convenient, Delicious & Friendly Staff! The jerky beef was an interesting try, it was good but I probably wouldn't order it again. A little too tough for my taste but the sauce delish! The duck salad is to die for, I also love that they serve sticky rice. I didn't care to much for the coconut shrimp soup tho. I took off a star because of comfort, I feel like the restaurant is really cold all the time and the tables are SO high!
(4)
Joshua P.
This place is one of those places that you always hear about I've been going here for many years and never been disappointed I love this place
(5)
Joshua B.
The place looks low-rent but clean, and the menus are so professional that I was expecting much more from them. They have a huge range of dishes. Stay away from anything fish, since the cooks have no idea how to prepare it. Instead of filleting or at least pulling the bones out, they just laid the fish on the counter and chopped it, leaving the spine and every bone right in. Then it was slightly overcooked, and wildly overspiced. When two people both ask for medium and one comes back mild and the other 5-alarm fire, the cook sucks. It actually screwed up part of my day and my whole next morning, the spice caused so much gut pain, which I've only experienced before at one Thai place in Portland (after ill-advisedly asking for extra-spicy). Not what I signed up for, and largely why it's 2- instead of 3-star. They do get some props for allowing substitutions for a very minimal price; we asked for a yellow curry with shrimp and tofu instead of meat, and they were happy to substitute for only a dollar more. While they only gave 4 shrimp, they loaded up the tofu. That dish was especially good, and was large enough but didn't make up for the catfish disaster. I'm not one to reject dives, but be mindful that this is a dive, big-time. The inside is plain and the bathrooms are outside around back, but they are clean, and tranny hookers walking around outside. Since the quality is lousy, they make up for it with huge portions at a low price: Huge curry, huge sticky rice, huge thai teas (the small is 24 oz and the large is 40 oz, way more than I could drink, and given in a styrofoam soup bowl with the lid cut open). Overall I'd go for curry again, great value for the money, but skip anything in the seafood section.
(2)
Arlan C.
Their beef jerky is the best!!! I've been going here for years I truly love their food and service.
(5)
Rebecca L.
Love this place I have been coming here since I was 6, this is a family run restaurant very friendly staff. The food is good and they have a decent portions for the piece which everything is less than 10$ my favorite is the rice combination the only the that is a con is the place is a bit run down and the location it is. I used to live around there and it was not how it is now.
(5)
Les R.
Not the best. Hole in the wall place. Food did come quick so one star for that. Prices are fair; one star for that. The hot sauce was watered down to the max. Not the best quality of food. Definitely won't be going back.
(2)
Vanessa L.
I LOVE Thai Food.. I've probably tried over 20 different Thai restaurants and without a doubt, this restaurant offers the best. I'm in love with the Seafood Pad Thai and Chicken Pad See Ew. Their dishes contain an authentic flavor to perfection. Every dish I've tried thus far is absolutely delicious. Can't forget the tasty Thai Tea! I would recommend this place to anyone looking for authentic Thai cuisine!
(5)
Enjella L.
Whatchoo think this is a game? THUG LIFE! aka Thai Life! Unless you are a masochist or a Thai person, you can't handle this. TRUST. I THOUGHT I knew what Thai food was all about. This is Issan Thai - different from the Thai food that most Americans know. This is exotic Thai food that is spicy to the exponential power x infinity. Yeah, It's LIKE DAT. It is so spicy that they should make you sign a waiver before you eat the food. Every dish (and I kid you not but the mild dishes were ordered) packed so much heat from the tiny little peppers (aka rat sh*t peppers). Not only do these puppies leave your mouth numbing senseless, when it hits your stomach - TKO. I felt my stomach palpitating and throbbing and probably slightly swelling up. Ow! When I tried to wash it down with a drink - it hurt even more. (The Thai Iced Tea and Coffee was what I enjoyed the most). I came, I ate, but it was I who was conquered. (So much so, I immediately went to the the liquor store next door and got a pack of Rolaids.) I am weaksauce. I am Beavis. * * * It's a COMPLETE UTTER DIVE hole in the wall joint. It's in a tiny strip mall (very sketchy) with its own parking lot. The restrooms are located outside the restaurant - which they give you a key to unlock. It ain't the prettiest, but a step above a porta potty. Peep the pix
(1)
Michelle P.
Just went here for the first time last night and after sampling the nam kaow tod I am a KD convert. No need to trek over to Renu Nakorn anymore for Issan treats. The papaya salad was a tiny bit rubbery and the sticky rice was a tad dry, but I was willing to overlook all of that with the succulent pork/crispy rice concoction. They also bring you a plate piled high with fresh cilantro, Thai basil, long beans, cabbage, lettuce and several other Thai herbs I have yet to ID. I will definitely be back to sample the larb. Note: Seating is limited so be prepared during peak hours. Open 7 days a week 10a-10p UPDATE Just returned from Thailand/Laos and I can vouch for the authenticity of the nam kaow tod here.
(4)
Mareesoul E.
Absolutely amazing food! I have been coming here with my family for years. We walk in and they already know that we need soup!
(5)
Max M.
i will never order from this place again, my wife usually orders from here. we ordered the chow mein rice and orange chicken, the only reason why i am giving 1 star is because the orange chicken wasnt orange chicken it was sweet and sour chicken, i called the restaraunt back to let them know they messed up on my order and they said that is there sauce for the orange chicken, so since my wife usualy orders from here i passed her the phone so she can tell them that it isnt orange chicken, they didnt want to change the order or bring us a new order and we only live 2 blocks away, plus the "orange chicken' was nast we didnt even finish it...sucks to say i will never order from here because of bad customer service! satisfy your customers!!!!
(1)
Michael P.
I'm not here to act like an expert on authentic Thai cuisine. But your taste buds will be impressed. Easily the most potent and flavorful Thai I have ever had. I tried the Wonton (I know I know it's not Thai-- it was for my gf) and it was too, the best and most flavorful Wonton soup I have ever had. Enjoyed the family run enterprise. It was strange, however, to see the old lady bossing the old man around and not the other way around like you usually see.
(5)
Allen C.
PART I: According to my coworker, it was hard to make out what she said with her strong Thai accent, but the lady at the restaurant either said it was "Steak Salad" or "Beef Salad". She recommended it herself. It's the one with strips of beef on a bed of lettuce, doused in fresh liquid goodness made of cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce? (or maybe vinegar?), pepper flakes, red onions, and all that--at least from what my eyes and palette could make out. SOOOOO EFFING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!! So good! I have found my ambrosia. PART II: Went back, got the beef salad. It's definitely called "Beef Salad". My god, the cilantro. If you knew the sounds that come out of me when I eat this shit, you would be pretty scared. In fact, very scared.
(5)
Erich B.
Great booth-style seating around the sides, huge windows so great for people/car watching on Melrose. Super awesome curries - and though it's not listed on the menu, you can get most (I think) of them made with veggies & tofu instead of the listed meat options. You get a lot of food for your money, and very nice wait staff. Only wish (which i'm sure is shared by the staff) is that the bathrooms weren't around the side of the building.
(5)
Sarah W.
Khun Dom was a discovery I made with a friend. I moved from Connecticut to LA and had difficulty parting with my favorite Thai restaurant from home. Khun Dom thankfully makes me favorite dish, chicken with glass noodles! It is so delicious, especially with their hot chili sauce. Their appetizers are so yummy including the egg rolls. I can't stay away from Khun Dom and highly recommend it to anyone in the area. Try my favorite or the spicy beef with chili and onions (my guy's favorite)!
(4)
Cahaya S.
I have to confess, I usually only swing by here on a quick stop in between driving around for work -- to do take out and keep me going for the rest of the day.... and have only ever ordered the pad thai -- which is super-yummy-gramma's-style-cooked-with-love and so generous with their cameroons :) -- nice plump, juicy fresh shrimp. and the noodles are just so perfectly sticky and yummy, if a tad bit on the sweet side. It's goodie. I'll re-review when I try some other dishes over there one day. Right now it's a tiny little shack with quick and pleasant service that I'll frequent when I'm running around the city ravenous and craving for gramma's home-cookin'.
(4)
Vincent L.
Food here is pretty awesome, everything from their house speciality Beef Jerky to the sweet liver is amazing. Though I would steer away from their Crying Tiger. As for the location ... don't come too late. This place is Horrible and the bathrooms are outside and around back. Come during daylight time only =)
(4)
L L.
Nothing against hole in the walls, but this place needs to improve pricing. Other suggestions: more flavor and less salt in the spicy shrimp soup (um, it would be great if you could de-vein all my shrimps all the way next time), and be more upfront about the actual menu photos....like, don't show photos for items you don't carry!
(3)
Anthony C.
God bless my thai girlfriend and her awesome aunt and uncle for introducing me to this place. To the negative reviewers coming in and thinking this is your typical "pad thai" "drunken noodle" joint and thinking that's authentic thai, go elsewhere. This thai food is north eastern thai food and it will blow your mind. To the moron who talked about the fish not being filleted, dude, you obviously have never gone out of fresno, 99% of asian fish is served BONE-IN and every piece including the eye balls are eaten. I've been to thailand 3 times, and have never had food this authentic in the states, except here. Beef/pork jerky with sticky rice is phenomenal, papaya noodles, next level, fish cakes, delicious. You can't go wrong here. If you're looking for boring pad thai with chicken satay, go elsewhere. I'll keep this secret myself.
(5)
carina l.
I don't claim to KNOW Thai food and be a connoisseur, but I am Southeast Asian, grew up around other SEAsians, ate different SEA foods growing up, and even traveled to SEA; and what I had on Saturday was disastrous. My story: I am craving Lao Style Papaya Salad (Som Tom Lao) and some yelpers rated this place with 4 stars. Some even said they'd been going to this spot since they were 1 years-old. A student of authenticity, I confidently called to order Som Tom Lao. (BTW, previous yelpers said they got the Lao style from there before.) I realized that this is a hole-in-the-wall family-run restaurant that has a 'C' grade on its door! (Oh hell no, C? Naw, never. Read on.) Lao PS is made with fermented shrimp/fish paste (as opposed to fish sauce in Thai Style) so the sauce would be blackish and flavor is pungent sour and spicy. However, my PS had a clear sauce. When I bit into it, it tasted like someone poured salt on it. I think they don't have the ingredients for it, and faked it by pouring a gang of salt on it. Oh no, homie. Make it real or say you don't know how to do it! Additionally, I ordered Thai sausage, which is my favorite dish to have with some spicy Lao PS. But their sausage had hella FAT in it, was too salty, and tasted really old. I went inside Bev Ctr real quick, while my car was parked in the lot, and when I came back, the sausage smelled spoiled! The worst part is that I complained to the restaurant and got a new PS. This time I ordered a straight up Thai style one thinking they couldn't F that up. But when I brought it home, it was still hella wack. I have been to wack Thai places that are watered down in flavor because they serve white folk. But I have NEVER been to a Thai restaurant where the food was so wack it's not edible and DOESN'T TASTE HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO. It baffles me. How are you in business? I went to Palms that night and for the same price, the food is much better. For guaranteed Thai goodness, here are some suggestions: Torung, Ord Noodle, and Palms (all on Hollywood Blvd.).
(1)
Joel M.
I was in a rush to see my friends band play down the street, but hadn't eaten in 8 or 9 hours. I ended up just getting frustrated looking for a decent place in the area and pulling over when I saw "Thai food". I parked on the street and as I walked up the dimly lit sidewalk, I started to question this shot in the dark. I hesitated to go inside and damn near went back to my car, but despite the building looking like an old beat up burger joint, they had an "A" health rating and a good review from a news paper in the window. I entered and was seated by a young woman in her late teens or early twenties; looking behind the counter, the age gap between the employees made it clear this was a family run operation. I looked over the menu and decided to play it safe and order from the vegetarian section, which had ten to fifteen very fairly priced meals at or around $5.95. I assumed they would be small portions and considering how hungry I was, I ordered 2: the sweet and hot soup as well as the Pad Thai with tofu. I was wrong about the serving sizes; they were incredibly generous. The soup came out in a hot pot and the waitress lit a fire underneath it. The Pad Thai was piled high with very tasting tofu (which is rare). Both dishes were delicious, surprisingly, probably the best Thai I've had in the LA area. The service was great, the family who runs the place was charming and the food quality and price I don't think can be beat in LA. Five out of five for the food and value. The only downside is this area is run down and the restaurant itself fits in with the neighborhood. It's unfortunate I have to suggest not bringing a date or new acquaintance here unless you just happen to be in the area. It's just a bit too sketchy looking and maybe doesn't make the best first impression. Though, I guarantee the food will leave you satisfied. So maybe taking a date here isn't terrible. You may learn a lesson about not being to hasty with judgments and that sometimes taking a chance on something not so promising can have a wonderful outcome.
(4)
Alessandra L.
Super freaking good everything.
(5)
Jill L.
My parents and aunties, who were born and raised in Thailand and also have worked in/owned Thai restaurants, love this place. And that's all I need to say.
(4)
Zedar B.
Good value. The spicy noodles with chicken made us fans, despite no brown rice, a missing rice order as well as bland and mushy carrot mushroom rolls. We didn't have a menu, so we thought Khun Dom would send one, but it did not. Also, we had to meet the driver on the street because he could not find our place.
(3)
Juan F.
Don't let the decor or surrounding areas deter you. Say that over and over again while you find a place to park. I would have never thought of eating here but it's a very popular Thai restaurant with high school students. You know, those kids can spot a trend. The food was delicious and the service was very homey; meaning don't come here if you are in a rush. We came for an early lunch, so I don't think they were ready for us just yet. Khun Dom Thai also takes lots of phone orders so at least you know the food is fresh. We had the usual, so pick something and enjoy.
(4)
Arch T.
Cheap, local, good thai food, friendly staff if you don't wanna be bothered by thai Elvis imitator (i'm not saying that Thai Elvis is a bad thing but if you just want peace and quiet and good food then you should come here. My favorites: BEEF JERKY (Make sure to have this cut in little pieces when you order, otherswise ask for a knife) Thai iced tea Garlic pepper pork Papaya salad Tom yum gong shrimp cakes crab fried rice B-B-Q beef squid salad The young ladies that work there are very pleasant, friendly and attentive. I particularly like two of them, i think they're sisters. There's a much older lady (probably 40's) that works there during the week that's a bit nasty, she might be the owner but i haven't encountered her in a while. Parking is not that bad. The place could use a little remodelling but if the price and quality of the food might be compromised to offset the cost of remodelling then i prefer they don't.
(4)
Angelica D.
i came here after studying because i was hungry. practicing test questions and reviewing them after for 4 hours drains you. anyway, tried it for the first time even though my friend texted me late on suggestions, so i went safe and easy with pad thai chicken and thai iced tea. loved it. pad thai was good. chicken was moist, noodles at that perfect soft, chewy texture. and the thai tea perfect! of course this place is in what i would consider ghetto. i've passed by this place many times and thought, ugh, so dirrrrrty! well, pretty good for the first time, and will come back to try the suggestions that my friend texted me.
(4)
Eddie K.
We just discovered this place. The food is pretty good, the portion very generous, and reasonably priced (cheap!). But it's a real hole in the wall, mom and pop style, so don't expect much in decor. The dish that we really like is Jan Pu, basically jan noodle, a special kind of rice noodle that has more texture to it, panfried with crabmeat. It's similar to Padthai, but way better. Traditionally Padthai should be made with jan noodle, but rice noodle is cheaper and easier to find, so sometimes it's used in place of jan noodle. Everything else is good too, the grilled beef, papaya salad, spicy mint chili chicken, more to report later. Thumbs up for me. Parking is a bit small and crowded. So grab the first street parking that you can find before turning into the parking lot.
(4)
The P.
Great place to eat. Prices are affordable and you get so much food. I will be a repeat customer. Super friendly staff.
(5)
Chong L.
Sure, the location ain't nice and the bathroom is in a shack outside the back of the restaurant. But I came to eat. I ordered their Beef Salad after reading yelp recommendations. It was EXCELLENT! Cilantro! Tangy! Perfect mix of Sweet, bitter, sour, salty. It was amazing. I also ordered Red curry which was fine. Yelpers, go try their beef salad!
(5)
Indira V.
Love the food!
(5)
Irma E.
One afternoon, I had decided to take side streets in hopes I would... 1) Bypass traffic 2) Find a good hole-in-the-wall restaurant for take-out I accomplished 1 of 2. Not only did the traffic occupy both freeway AND streets but I also managed to get lost w/ a GPS. Thanks Tom-Tom. Anyways, I accidentally found myself on Melrose. It was a blessing in disguise. With the trendy shops to my right and Khun Dang Restaurant a few miles to my left. Bumped into a lil' shack in the tiniest strip mall with a big sign that read "Thai Food." Just had to try. So I parked, went in, ordered and waited patiently. Khun Dang doesn't have all that jazz but sure does make up for it in taste. The food ordered: 1) Pad Thai (Shrimp) $6.95 2) Shrimp (Pepper and Garlic) $6.95 The Pad Thai. A dish my husband tries at every Thai place we go to. It's his favorite. He likes to see which place makes the best Pad Thai and is freshest in taste. Based on my observation, he seemed to like it. I mean, c'mon who finishes their dish in 5 minutes? My husband, that's who. The Shrimp (Pepper and Garlic). Was a dish I read off the menu which seemed like an entree w/ rice topped w/ garlic and pepper. Upon arriving home and ready to eat - - I open my container, and voila, it's a salad? I had thought to myself, I didn't order off of the "Salad" section. I ordered off of the "Seafood" section. Must have been an honest mistake. So, decided to proceed and eat. Oh yummy! Green leaf lettuce, drizzled with some unknown sauce, topped with fried shrimp smothered in garlic and pepper. It was the best thing I've eaten at a Thai spot - EVER! I cannot explain, the taste and the freshness. It just goes to show, that mistakes, blessings in disguise and/or misguided adventures can sometimes lead you into a world full of surprises. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ 2/5 Ambiance - The mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere. 3/5 Service -Helpful, accommodating, efficient, delivery and speed? 4/5 Food / Merchandise - Quality, taste, presentation. 4/5 Price - Reasonable, inexpensive, high priced? (Based on Irma's review rating rubric - static.px.yelp.com/photo… )
(4)
e b.
This is the best thai restaurant in LA. I haven't been anywhere else that even comes close, and I've been living in thai town for 5 years. But you gotta order the right stuff ... there are some chinese-type dishes on the menu that are awful. Check out the "salad and thai style" section of the menu for starters. Bamboo shoot salad is hardcore. If you are insane, you can try goy soy. It's a patty of dried blood. The gang kee won is great, shoot, there are so many good things, you just have to go. Just know that this is the real deal, people who eat at thai-elvis restaurants aren't going to like it.
(5)
Tak K.
When you hear Thai food, you'd expect some degree of authenticity. Well, the front sign didn't lie: Thai-Chinese cuisine. For someone who hasn't eaten good Thai food for almost a year, this place was a bit of disappointment. Don't get me wrong, food themselves were not bad. The best part was seafood soup, with nice sourness from lemongrass. Everything else was ok. The jerky which supposedly was this store's specialty, to me, didn't taste much different from jerkies I'd get at stores. The fish was interesting. What's annoying was that the bathroom was outside. It was a night time in the rainy winter, and you wouldn't want to go outside while eating.
(3)
DJ M.
Damn if you want an inexpensive authentic thai dinner go here this place is so good. plates range from 5-8 bucks and soups from 6-11. the best things i can suggest here is passe-eew with chicken, Sticky rice, Beek Jerky which this is the only place that has it, oh and tom kai ka soup... so far this place is the best i have tried i know there's others but not as tasty. I love there peanut sauce if you get what i mean...
(5)
Beverly Y.
Sometimes I think that this little section of Melrose didn't get memo that Thai Town is thatta away. Walk down Melrose between Western and the 101 fwy and it smells like pad thai, roasted duck and lime. Yum! Khun Dang is right on the corner of a little Thai strip mall and right in from of a water store. I was stuck in traffic so decided to kill time with the boy. We walked in and were surprised how busy a little place like this was. The clientele was a healthy mix of neighborhood Thai families and hispanic/latino folk from the area. A true testament to the diversity of East Hollywood. We were seated promptly and pretty much knew what we wanted-- good ol' plate of pad thai and a healthy dose of yellow curry. The curry was good, a bit watery to my liking but I did enjoy the big hunks of potatoes in there. I got mine with chicken, but the chickens were outnumbered by veggies. Not necessarily a bad thing, but hey, I payed extra for a lil' more poultry. The pad thai wasn't the best I've had, but it was good. Not run of the mill type stuff either. I liked it, good amount of tamarind flavoring. And just the right amount of peanuts. Oh yes, can't forget the rice. Kinda smooshy. But there was a lot of it in one order, so one's good to share. Parking is tight 'round these parts, remember that you're dealing with Melrose before the 101. But the turnover rate is pretty good, people are always getting their dinner to go.
(3)
Naamah A.
This is the most delicious and authentic thai I've had in the United States !!!!
(5)
Vanessa L.
Very well-prepared food at excellent prices. They were very accomodating to my double stroller and the rest of my party. Friendly service and prompt to boot.
(4)
Doug B.
Our favorite Thai place, Prael, was closed this evening without notice (note: it will be closed until Wednesday) so we opted for Khun Dom because we were walking and it was across the street. We were greeted and seated immediately and we had pleasant service the whole meal. Water glasses were refilled promptly. Thai iced tea was very sweet - as I like it. The table came fully stocked with an array of spices, none of which I could use because my duck curry was already properly spicy. The duck and pineapple was plentiful and the portions were very large. I barely ate half - and I never only eat half. The egg roll appetizer was six pieces and just the right amount of crisp. In all, the meal was a nice surprise and I look forward to eating here again. They do free delivery also, and the leftovers are absolutely delicious as well.
(5)
Charlie C.
Khun Dang is a place close to my heart, they have been satisfying my E-san style thai cravings since i was a wee one. It has been there as long as I can remember must be 20 plus years now and is located there due to its close proximity to Bangkok Market (also on Melrose, I believe the first Thai market in LA). I have been going over there since I was 8 and I am going on 29 now and have gone through a few owners but the food have always been excellent. Now no offense to Beverly but Pad Thai would be last on my list when I order my spread . I think by law every Thai place is require to have it on their menu. I always start off with the Neuh dad deu(Fried sun-dried beef Jerky) this is marinated beef or pork dried in the sun or briefly dehydrated then fried to perfection. Every restaurant that serves this dish always have their own dipping sauce that you can dip the meat or the sticky rice that so often accompanies the dish. Along with the Jerky I always order the Beef salad (Neuh nam tok) or Larb (chicken, pork, or beef). Either an order of papaya salad (som tam thai/som tam lao) or bamboo shoot salad. Theses dishes are served with an assortment of greens (long beans, mint, cabbage, etc) and the required order of sticky rice beats the heck out of any Pad Thai.
(4)
Diana S.
My parents love this place. We debate all the time who has the better Thai beef jerky. My dad thinks Khum Dom wins, I say its Palms Thai. You be the judge! I can't remember the other dishes I've tried so this rating is strictly based on Thai beef jerky which I love oh so much and can rarely find at a good thai restaurant.
(4)
Oak M.
Love their pad see ew stir fried noodle the most, the flavor is pretty authentic alike street food cafe in Thailand.
(4)
Jay J.
I absolutely LOVE this Thai restaurant! The first time I came here (like, 10 years ago), my good guy friend noticed that the waitress was totally checking me out (I'm straight), and then it became totally evident when she took our order and only looked at me the whole time. BUT, that's not why I LOVE this place, lol...the food is pretty good and the prices are rather inexpensive, PLUS they give you AH-LOT of food, so it's highly recommended to do it family-style and share :). Fast forward to the present. I went there ah-gain with another guy friend, and the same waitress was there, and she was still checking me out, hahahahahaha.... The food is STILL very delicious and who can't resist having fun with the NAME of the place?!?
(4)
Joe S.
I've been driving pass this place for the longest time because one of my rental property is right down the street from this restaurant. I decided to give this place a try today and I wasn't disappointed at all. The Padthai was awesome. One of the best I had in a long time. Now I'm hooked and will be coming in on a regular basis to try out the rest of the stuff on their menu.
(5)
Gene B.
I had the pineapple curry (5 level spiciness) and the Thai sweet tea. Both were wonderful, filling, and well-worth the price. The service was excellent and friendly. The tea was perfectly sweet and flavorful. I'm eager to come back.
(5)
Nanthawat J.
Tons of MSG
(3)
bran p.
Located on that seedy stretch of Melrose, near the dreaded 101. But what it lacks in ambience (REALLY, this is TAKE OUT FOOD) with those old musty orange seats that prob haven't been cleaned since Eisenhower, however it makes up for in pow wow spiciness. Thai chicken coconut soup sans chicken, sub in tofu = closest you'll get to authentic. I know this because my gf is Thai! We also had the beef salad, which was spicy, spicy, spicy with roasted rice with lots of veggies on the side. This is non white-ified Thai food. Leave the alcoholic fried rice to the homeless dude on the corner, just have the beer!
(4)
Stayshuhh G.
Great thai food! My yellow curry was perfect and the phad thai was huge with the perfect combination of sweet/spicy. Their appetizers are nuts... super big and delicious. CHEAP also! $5.95 for yellow curry that will feed me for days. Awesome staff, weird location.
(4)
Katie D.
This place now has an A rating so no more of those pesky worries about food poisoning. The decor isn't all that amazing, but the food, what matters to me, was really good and the serving sizes were HUGE, like could feed a small family huge. I got veggie Pad Thai and it was fun because there were vegetables hidden throughout the noodles making it a search and discover mission. If you're around the area and not looking for ambiance, definitely go here.
(4)
Hahnmade H.
are you like me? too many thai places to choose from?? well, if you're in l.a. near melrose, check out khun dom. grant it, the name has funny sound, but food is authentic and cheap! the place was recommended by a thai person so i knew i can trust the flavor. i usually get spicy fried rice (try the vegetarian version -- fried tofu and veggies) and it definitely hits the spot! also, any type of noodle dish is good too. the place is ghetto and service is decent to good, but the price and flavor are out of this world, this is one of my favorite places in l.a.! WARNING: the restroom is located OUTSIDE in the back of the restaurant, and i'm bit cautious at night. so try to hold it if you can.
I am far more interested in eating good food than eating atmosphere. The food here is excellent, fresh, and delectable. The wait staff is friendly and fast! There is NOTHING pretentious about this place... It is small, dark and a little grungy on the outside.... but the FOOD is why I go out to eat... and I LOVE the food at this place... the KING PRICK long green beans with meat of your choice and STICKY RICE is wonderful... as are the Panang curry and squid salad... all the soups are excellent and for a VERY moderate price... shhhhh lets keep this place to ourselves!!!
(5)
Mari A.
For Thai, it's in the hit or miss territory Hit: Panang Curry (extra spicy) -absolutely delicious. You can taste all the spices and herbs they used to make the curry. Kaffir lime peel thinly sliced, flecks of chili and ginger, holy basil, and ultra rich coconut milk to soothe it all the way Miss: Massamun Curry -you would think that they would have excellent curries by the taste of their panang but the massamun was bland with too many peanuts cluttering it Hit: Pad Kee Mao Miss: Pad See Ew Hit: Duck Noodle Soup Miss: Bar B Que Chicken Hit: Thai Iced Tea Hit: Delivery Hit: Prices & Portions Miss: Delivery wait time approximately 45 min to an hour ON AVERAGE So, as you can see, the hits outweigh the misses. Their panang curry is unfortunately worth the excruciatingly long wait for delivery and an extra large thai iced tea for $2 bucks makes the blues go all away.
(3)
Lia R.
I would give it a 5 if not for the location and the place itself. I'm sorry, but it is hard to get enticed seeing it from the outside and in...and knowing that the bathroom is not exactly people-friendly. But get food for pick-up or delivery and you will not be disappointed. A couple of favorites: crispy pork with Chinese broccoli (with really crispy, roasted pork and a garlicky sauce), beef or pork jerky (pick your heart attack of choice), beef salad (fresh, well-balanced), beef tendon soup (tender pieces of tendon over hot steamed rice), spicy panang, beef BBQ Thai style (a MUST TRY), orange chicken (a deviation from the usual with crispy battered pieces of chicken that stay crispy because sauce comes on the side)...and i can actually go on and on on. As you can tell I do order from them way too often, FACT: so often that the delivery guy knows where I work AND live that he gives me free Thai iced tea as soon as he finds out he's on his way to deliver my tummy-filler. I do risk getting a stalker but if he has a brown bag for me...stalk me everyday Khun Dom.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Julie K.
After reading some Yelp reviews I knew I had to be brave to try this place. I heard the neighborhood was a Cholo , roach infested area. ( but why do they care when roaches , waterbugs, and grasshoppers are extremely common to eat in Thailand. ) So I went - alone- a slender ,single, sexy girl. But I was incognito i wore baggy pants , a hat , out of date sunglasses and I stooped like a little old lady with a bad leg to not attract attention. Did I really go thru all of that to try this place? yes. Am I an Idiot? no way. No one paid attention to me but I paid attention to that first bite. Really exceptional but was is offset by an OUTSIDE bathroom. Hello- this is america. ! Id love to have a girls nite out but I am new to area and dont have many friends yet . By The WAY I woud NOT go here for girls night out unmlesss everyone was willing to do what I did - or we had some body guards Personally? i will go and do #1 at an outsite toilet to get to this food. It was an adventure
(4)Paula L.
I went here for the first time yesterday and found the food absolutely delicious. This place has many 'Isan' dishes. Isan food is distinct from Thai and Lao cuisines, but they all have similarities. Sticky rice, som tam (papaya salad), larb (meat salad) are some of the common Isan dishes that can be found, made especially yummy, here. The beef jerky and the sauce that it came with was beyond good here. If I am in the area, I would definitely come back for more. This place is a little hole in wall, but boy, the food makes up for it. mmm...mmm...good.
(4)Derek R.
This place delivers fast, and is a very good value. For the price, you get A LOT of pretty good thai food. I deducted a star because both the noodles and the soup are oilier than I like.
(4)stacey z.
We are very happy with our food. We ordered Curry duck Curry shrimp sprouts and tofu Thai tea Pro: The quantity of food was big. One plate is enough for two people. We(2 people) ordered three dishes because the price were cheap, but we got too full because we could not stop eating. The sause they made was exactly right, not too salty, not greesy. The service was great. There were two cute Thai girls serving us. They were prompt and friendly, and they asked us how spicy we would like for our food, and if we would like steam tofu or fried tofu. The food came quickly. Con: The place was a little bit noisy. It seems it is a family restaurant,so the family member made a lot of noise. They put a big sign of letter C for health inspection rating, which probably would scare people away. For the price and service, we think it deserves 5 stars
(5)Kathy C.
Love this place! Granted the area is a little sketchy, the parking lot is super small, and the bathroom is outside, I still love going here...in the day time. I love the deep fried pork jerky w/ sticky rice, the som tum (papaya salad), tom yum koong, and chicken larb, which comes with all these veggies. The pad kee mao is okay...The prices are excellent and the portions are large. One dish can feed two people, but I always end up ordering 3 or 4 and taking the rest home.
(5)phiya C.
This place has the best Isarn food. If you're into papaya salads, thai jerkey or beef salad(nam tok) this is the place to go! best in LA.
(4)Meiling L.
I've been coming here since I was a kid and it's gotten better over the years Totally recommend it
(5)Steven H.
Service was decent. Food wasn't as good as I remembered but that was 4 yeas ago. Papaya salad was wayyyy too sweet. Pork jerky was really good!!!
(4)Tiffany L.
LOVE. THIS. PLACE. It's become part of my regular rotation to come here, and when I just want some non-fussy food that I know is going to be killer, Khun Dom is where I go! Tom yum soup, pad thai, pad sew ew are all winners. I tried the crab fried rice though, and wasn't as crazy about that (I love seafood, but the essence was a little too seafood-y). Thai iced tea is solid, my husband and I typically get the large to share (we refer to it as the "bucket-of-tea") and egg each other to get one to go whenever we're in the area. Take out is extremely reliable (they've always had my food ready by the estimated time, 10-15 min) and they package up the food well so there's not much chance to spill (there's tape over the iced-tea straw hole and over the lid - I appreciate that!).
(5)Niikkii G.
If you want to eat great lunch or even dinner come here. The food is amazing. I highly recommend this place. And the staff is very friendly.
(5)blakes n.
Had the spicy Thai curry and it tasted almost like mom used to make! The staff was nice and the location seemed kinda sketchy for Hollywood. The place was kinda greasy spooney, that is typical of Thai places here and gives it a hole in the wall kind of vibe.
(4)R C.
classic hole in the wall that does really great home style cooking. I had the curried catfish. Fresh (definitely not frozen) filets of catfish are pan fried in a spicy, oily (in a good way) sauce of basil, galangal, red and green peppers. You have to pay for rice so I ordered a small one to compliment the fish. Totally recommend and will be back. Also restaurant had great energy from the people working there.
(5)Christina G.
Favorite thai restaurant in LA! Seriously. Good quality, reasonable prices, manageable street parking... all definite "pluses" with respect to food. We ordered their deliciously piping hot crab fried rice, wings of angel (chicken wings stuffed with noodles and other delish ingredients), and a classic pad see ew. The portions are huge! I cannot vouch for their curries, as we steered away from those on the grounds that we could replicate a home-cooked version reasonably well. (It has been done).
(5)Juan C. P.
Omg! This is the best chicken curry I had tried so far! The food is well done and the atmosphere is very welcoming, the waiter is just a sweetheart! I will totally eat here again; that just means that I have to drive 20 miles for Thai food!
(5)Kristie G.
I seriously can't believe all the high reviews. I gave 2 stars so I can save 1 stars for bugs or really nasty stuff. I had tofu yellow curry and added mushrooms and broccoli. The mushrooms tasted canned, the potatoes were dry even though they were in curry. I love yellow curry and it was probably the worst I've had. My tip? Keep driving!!
(2)Sarah T.
cheap, authentic, huge portion great larb - namtok also try their crab fried rice! caution: if you are sensitive to MSG -- make sure you tell them "NO MSG" otherwise your symptoms will arise even before you leave the restaurant
(4)Bryan D.
This little gem is fantastic. Ordered pad see ew beef, pad thai chicken, and pad kra pao pork to go for me and my wife to split and they hooked it up. Items are fairly priced and food was ready in decent time. Everything was flavorful and the pad kra pao had some good spice to it which I love. Will definitely go back as i go to lacc.
(5)Gema S.
My friend and I were on a mission to have some good Thai food, so when we drove to Spicy BBQ and realized it was closed, we drove back to Khun Dom Thai that we passed along the away. This place is super divey and small which doesn't really bother me except that the smell when we first walked in was definitely suspicious. We ordered the Pad Thai with fried tofu, the Spicy Shrimp Soup, and the Papaya Salad. The Pad Thai was delicious and the fried tofu did not leave me wishing I had ordered beef or chicken instead. My friend was not as crazy about it as I was, and said the noodles were too oily. The Spicy Shrimp Soup was very flavorful although lacking in shrimp for the $11.99 price tag. I didn't really try the Papaya Salad but my friend who is crazy about Papaya Salad barely touched it and said the taste was off. My overall experience was a pleasant one but a little more upkeep of the place wouldn't hurt.
(4)Trice H.
I keep trying to like this place but no. It's just not good. Flavorless and all. Good portion sizes and nice staff but not so good food. I just can't try it again.
(2)Tony S.
This place rocks. I love the beef jerky, and the number tok. Arroy mak mak! Delivery available
(5)Vahagn K.
The service was very friendly. I got the seafood special and it seemed fresh and delicious. The atmosphere was relaxing and there wasn't crappy pop music being blasted in your face like at so many other restaurants these days. Great spot for lunch. Highly recommended.
(5)Ana S.
Amazing food! Loved it! We eat thai food a lot, and this by far has been the best. Great service and affordable prices for what you get! We had it delivered so I don't know what it's like inside. But this was some damn good food!
(5)Elaine T.
The food is good, but the problem lies with the online pricing. Both all menus and grub hub have their menu but if you are ordering delivery, understand that the prices advertised on both websites are incorrect. Both dishes were advertised online as $5.95 and turned out to be $7.99. Not sure if all items are priced incorrectly, but their menus should be updated.
(3)Vanessa B.
Fast, affordable, and delicious!!! We ordered a combo Pad See-Yu which had a unique grilled quality, Duck Curry which was creamy and comforting, and the winner...(so cliché)... Shrimp Pad Thai. I could eat it for the rest of my life. Do yourself a favor and enjoy! Super friendly service to top it all off =)
(5)Carlos L.
Best seafood soup I've ever tasted also the fried rice with shrimps is delicious...I've been coming here for 5 years already.. Even though I have to drive 6 mi to get here but it's worth it..
(5)Milton C.
In my last review, I complained about "smaller portions". On my most recent visit, I received approximately the normal portions I am used too. The food was delicious as always. The "no ice" is still there. Overall, I had a good experience and I'm adding a star. I would love to give 5 stars, but I can't get over that "no ice" fee. It really seems like a cheap move to save money/make money off the costumers.
(4)Sam P.
The traffic favors Melrose Avenue to get to and from the 101 from West Hollywood over Santa Monica Boulevard. So I pass by this little Thai restaurant regularly. I should have kept passing it by. It looks a mess. The floor tiles are chipped so that they look like they have trash on the floor. Some tables have dirty dishes stacked up on them. Isn't there someone busing the tables? The service sucked. I walked in and the guy looked at me and then turned away. Another lady pointed to the stack of menus and told me to sit anywhere. When the waitress came, she looked like someone just farted. Aren't Thai restaurants supposed to be known for their good service? Someone should tell them that it's okay to smile every once in a while. A sign on the wall says that they will not serve hot tea to tables that have small children. Somebody obviously got burned. The food was nothing special. It's like eating just to eat. The sauces that they leave on the table were gross. They watered down the hot chili sauce so that it would last longer. When I was a kid my mom would put some water in the shampoo bottle to make it last longer too because we were so poor. Straight up ghetto.
(1)Wii K.
Delivery or Take out for togo its good way to eat here. Its just Because so hard to find parking space with super tiny parking lot! I hate drama on the street! Recomended "Roast duck thai red curry" is buttery, mellow out in my mouth. Its some sort of good texture entertain my palate. Frankly, i'm not big fan curry and coconut milk but this place its quite greatest homemade curry in town. Plus coconut milk super rich and fresh! You should try, You'll not regret this! Service - 2.8 stars Parking - 0.0 stars Clean - 2.0 stars Food - 3.3 stars
(4)Desiree B.
This place is AMAZING! And oh so very tasty and flavorful! Me and my friend staying at the historic hotel of Hollywood down the street from khun dom decided to order some thai Food in since they deliver. The order didn't take too long about 30mins. I got the beef with chili garlic and my friend got the chicken pad thai. And lemme tell you guys I FELL IN LOVE! Make sure to have a lot of water close by and some sticky rice close by because the dish is very spicy! But it's so good you just keep eating it! The pad Thai was one of the best that I've ever tried. So if you're ever in the Hollywood area or staying on melrose and craving some Thai. Check out khun dom. You will not be disappointed!
(5)A W.
Was in the area with friends and thought to eat here trusting yelps review. Was I wrong! I got yellow chicken curry and the waiter said their food is usually really spice so I got a mild instead of the usual medium. The dish came out white as the napkin. It was basically a very salty coconut milk with chicken. No curry, no spice, and way too salty for yellow curry. My friend's spicy shrimp noodles looked good and tasted pretty good too...until we found TWO hair in it
(1)Corey K.
This place is legit. Apparently they're known for Esarn Thai so if you know your way around their huge menu you'll be fed well.
(3)Jonathan M.
I've eaten here a few times now so I decided this would be a good time to write a review. I'm still unsure how to grade this restaurant. Some of the dishes I've tried have been very good and a couple haven't. For example my standard Thai dish is Pad See Eu with pork and american broccoli. I figure if a restaurant can't get this dish right then it's not worth going back. To their credit it was done the way I like it. I've had the angel hair stuffed chicken which I haven't had in a long time. It is prepared very differently from what Im used to - it wasn't wings but a larger piece of chicken. It was delicious, especially with the dipping sauce. The portion was also huge. In fact this would be a whole meal. I also tried the Thai salad and the peanut dressing was tasteless. Because it had no taste it was like putting unsalted watery peanut butter on top of a salad. Yuk. Same thing with the chicken satay (I wanted pork but they were out). While the chicken was good the peanut dressing was awful. Would it kill them to add some spices? Another downside is that they have no dessert. No coconut ice cream which I sometimes like to finish a Thai meal with. They give a fortune cookie with the check and honestly to me that's kind of a turn off. It reminds me of the old style Chinese restaurants my parents took us too growing up. The rest of the menu looks interesting and surprisingly quite large and varied. The decor is comfy, diner style with booth seating. Nothing special and I like it because the lighting is good for reading a newspaper. The staff is kind of friendly but a little bit standoffish even though I've been there a few times. Jaime, the manager is very nice and is willing to listen to suggestions. I'm keeping Khun Dom as one of my regular stops. Updated May 16, 2013: I've become a regular since I posted my review and I am upgrading it to 4 stars. The angel wings are still delicious and so is the fried tofu and the beef jerky. The staff have become a lot friendlier as we have gotten to know each other and we're now on first name basis. It's a comfortable restaurant that I enjoy going to. '
(4)Linda T.
Authentic, Convenient, Delicious & Friendly Staff! The jerky beef was an interesting try, it was good but I probably wouldn't order it again. A little too tough for my taste but the sauce delish! The duck salad is to die for, I also love that they serve sticky rice. I didn't care to much for the coconut shrimp soup tho. I took off a star because of comfort, I feel like the restaurant is really cold all the time and the tables are SO high!
(4)Joshua P.
This place is one of those places that you always hear about I've been going here for many years and never been disappointed I love this place
(5)Joshua B.
The place looks low-rent but clean, and the menus are so professional that I was expecting much more from them. They have a huge range of dishes. Stay away from anything fish, since the cooks have no idea how to prepare it. Instead of filleting or at least pulling the bones out, they just laid the fish on the counter and chopped it, leaving the spine and every bone right in. Then it was slightly overcooked, and wildly overspiced. When two people both ask for medium and one comes back mild and the other 5-alarm fire, the cook sucks. It actually screwed up part of my day and my whole next morning, the spice caused so much gut pain, which I've only experienced before at one Thai place in Portland (after ill-advisedly asking for extra-spicy). Not what I signed up for, and largely why it's 2- instead of 3-star. They do get some props for allowing substitutions for a very minimal price; we asked for a yellow curry with shrimp and tofu instead of meat, and they were happy to substitute for only a dollar more. While they only gave 4 shrimp, they loaded up the tofu. That dish was especially good, and was large enough but didn't make up for the catfish disaster. I'm not one to reject dives, but be mindful that this is a dive, big-time. The inside is plain and the bathrooms are outside around back, but they are clean, and tranny hookers walking around outside. Since the quality is lousy, they make up for it with huge portions at a low price: Huge curry, huge sticky rice, huge thai teas (the small is 24 oz and the large is 40 oz, way more than I could drink, and given in a styrofoam soup bowl with the lid cut open). Overall I'd go for curry again, great value for the money, but skip anything in the seafood section.
(2)Arlan C.
Their beef jerky is the best!!! I've been going here for years I truly love their food and service.
(5)Rebecca L.
Love this place I have been coming here since I was 6, this is a family run restaurant very friendly staff. The food is good and they have a decent portions for the piece which everything is less than 10$ my favorite is the rice combination the only the that is a con is the place is a bit run down and the location it is. I used to live around there and it was not how it is now.
(5)Les R.
Not the best. Hole in the wall place. Food did come quick so one star for that. Prices are fair; one star for that. The hot sauce was watered down to the max. Not the best quality of food. Definitely won't be going back.
(2)Vanessa L.
I LOVE Thai Food.. I've probably tried over 20 different Thai restaurants and without a doubt, this restaurant offers the best. I'm in love with the Seafood Pad Thai and Chicken Pad See Ew. Their dishes contain an authentic flavor to perfection. Every dish I've tried thus far is absolutely delicious. Can't forget the tasty Thai Tea! I would recommend this place to anyone looking for authentic Thai cuisine!
(5)Enjella L.
Whatchoo think this is a game? THUG LIFE! aka Thai Life! Unless you are a masochist or a Thai person, you can't handle this. TRUST. I THOUGHT I knew what Thai food was all about. This is Issan Thai - different from the Thai food that most Americans know. This is exotic Thai food that is spicy to the exponential power x infinity. Yeah, It's LIKE DAT. It is so spicy that they should make you sign a waiver before you eat the food. Every dish (and I kid you not but the mild dishes were ordered) packed so much heat from the tiny little peppers (aka rat sh*t peppers). Not only do these puppies leave your mouth numbing senseless, when it hits your stomach - TKO. I felt my stomach palpitating and throbbing and probably slightly swelling up. Ow! When I tried to wash it down with a drink - it hurt even more. (The Thai Iced Tea and Coffee was what I enjoyed the most). I came, I ate, but it was I who was conquered. (So much so, I immediately went to the the liquor store next door and got a pack of Rolaids.) I am weaksauce. I am Beavis. * * * It's a COMPLETE UTTER DIVE hole in the wall joint. It's in a tiny strip mall (very sketchy) with its own parking lot. The restrooms are located outside the restaurant - which they give you a key to unlock. It ain't the prettiest, but a step above a porta potty. Peep the pix
(1)Michelle P.
Just went here for the first time last night and after sampling the nam kaow tod I am a KD convert. No need to trek over to Renu Nakorn anymore for Issan treats. The papaya salad was a tiny bit rubbery and the sticky rice was a tad dry, but I was willing to overlook all of that with the succulent pork/crispy rice concoction. They also bring you a plate piled high with fresh cilantro, Thai basil, long beans, cabbage, lettuce and several other Thai herbs I have yet to ID. I will definitely be back to sample the larb. Note: Seating is limited so be prepared during peak hours. Open 7 days a week 10a-10p UPDATE Just returned from Thailand/Laos and I can vouch for the authenticity of the nam kaow tod here.
(4)Mareesoul E.
Absolutely amazing food! I have been coming here with my family for years. We walk in and they already know that we need soup!
(5)Max M.
i will never order from this place again, my wife usually orders from here. we ordered the chow mein rice and orange chicken, the only reason why i am giving 1 star is because the orange chicken wasnt orange chicken it was sweet and sour chicken, i called the restaraunt back to let them know they messed up on my order and they said that is there sauce for the orange chicken, so since my wife usualy orders from here i passed her the phone so she can tell them that it isnt orange chicken, they didnt want to change the order or bring us a new order and we only live 2 blocks away, plus the "orange chicken' was nast we didnt even finish it...sucks to say i will never order from here because of bad customer service! satisfy your customers!!!!
(1)Michael P.
I'm not here to act like an expert on authentic Thai cuisine. But your taste buds will be impressed. Easily the most potent and flavorful Thai I have ever had. I tried the Wonton (I know I know it's not Thai-- it was for my gf) and it was too, the best and most flavorful Wonton soup I have ever had. Enjoyed the family run enterprise. It was strange, however, to see the old lady bossing the old man around and not the other way around like you usually see.
(5)Allen C.
PART I: According to my coworker, it was hard to make out what she said with her strong Thai accent, but the lady at the restaurant either said it was "Steak Salad" or "Beef Salad". She recommended it herself. It's the one with strips of beef on a bed of lettuce, doused in fresh liquid goodness made of cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce? (or maybe vinegar?), pepper flakes, red onions, and all that--at least from what my eyes and palette could make out. SOOOOO EFFING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!! So good! I have found my ambrosia. PART II: Went back, got the beef salad. It's definitely called "Beef Salad". My god, the cilantro. If you knew the sounds that come out of me when I eat this shit, you would be pretty scared. In fact, very scared.
(5)Erich B.
Great booth-style seating around the sides, huge windows so great for people/car watching on Melrose. Super awesome curries - and though it's not listed on the menu, you can get most (I think) of them made with veggies & tofu instead of the listed meat options. You get a lot of food for your money, and very nice wait staff. Only wish (which i'm sure is shared by the staff) is that the bathrooms weren't around the side of the building.
(5)Sarah W.
Khun Dom was a discovery I made with a friend. I moved from Connecticut to LA and had difficulty parting with my favorite Thai restaurant from home. Khun Dom thankfully makes me favorite dish, chicken with glass noodles! It is so delicious, especially with their hot chili sauce. Their appetizers are so yummy including the egg rolls. I can't stay away from Khun Dom and highly recommend it to anyone in the area. Try my favorite or the spicy beef with chili and onions (my guy's favorite)!
(4)Cahaya S.
I have to confess, I usually only swing by here on a quick stop in between driving around for work -- to do take out and keep me going for the rest of the day.... and have only ever ordered the pad thai -- which is super-yummy-gramma's-style-cooked-with-love and so generous with their cameroons :) -- nice plump, juicy fresh shrimp. and the noodles are just so perfectly sticky and yummy, if a tad bit on the sweet side. It's goodie. I'll re-review when I try some other dishes over there one day. Right now it's a tiny little shack with quick and pleasant service that I'll frequent when I'm running around the city ravenous and craving for gramma's home-cookin'.
(4)Vincent L.
Food here is pretty awesome, everything from their house speciality Beef Jerky to the sweet liver is amazing. Though I would steer away from their Crying Tiger. As for the location ... don't come too late. This place is Horrible and the bathrooms are outside and around back. Come during daylight time only =)
(4)L L.
Nothing against hole in the walls, but this place needs to improve pricing. Other suggestions: more flavor and less salt in the spicy shrimp soup (um, it would be great if you could de-vein all my shrimps all the way next time), and be more upfront about the actual menu photos....like, don't show photos for items you don't carry!
(3)Anthony C.
God bless my thai girlfriend and her awesome aunt and uncle for introducing me to this place. To the negative reviewers coming in and thinking this is your typical "pad thai" "drunken noodle" joint and thinking that's authentic thai, go elsewhere. This thai food is north eastern thai food and it will blow your mind. To the moron who talked about the fish not being filleted, dude, you obviously have never gone out of fresno, 99% of asian fish is served BONE-IN and every piece including the eye balls are eaten. I've been to thailand 3 times, and have never had food this authentic in the states, except here. Beef/pork jerky with sticky rice is phenomenal, papaya noodles, next level, fish cakes, delicious. You can't go wrong here. If you're looking for boring pad thai with chicken satay, go elsewhere. I'll keep this secret myself.
(5)carina l.
I don't claim to KNOW Thai food and be a connoisseur, but I am Southeast Asian, grew up around other SEAsians, ate different SEA foods growing up, and even traveled to SEA; and what I had on Saturday was disastrous. My story: I am craving Lao Style Papaya Salad (Som Tom Lao) and some yelpers rated this place with 4 stars. Some even said they'd been going to this spot since they were 1 years-old. A student of authenticity, I confidently called to order Som Tom Lao. (BTW, previous yelpers said they got the Lao style from there before.) I realized that this is a hole-in-the-wall family-run restaurant that has a 'C' grade on its door! (Oh hell no, C? Naw, never. Read on.) Lao PS is made with fermented shrimp/fish paste (as opposed to fish sauce in Thai Style) so the sauce would be blackish and flavor is pungent sour and spicy. However, my PS had a clear sauce. When I bit into it, it tasted like someone poured salt on it. I think they don't have the ingredients for it, and faked it by pouring a gang of salt on it. Oh no, homie. Make it real or say you don't know how to do it! Additionally, I ordered Thai sausage, which is my favorite dish to have with some spicy Lao PS. But their sausage had hella FAT in it, was too salty, and tasted really old. I went inside Bev Ctr real quick, while my car was parked in the lot, and when I came back, the sausage smelled spoiled! The worst part is that I complained to the restaurant and got a new PS. This time I ordered a straight up Thai style one thinking they couldn't F that up. But when I brought it home, it was still hella wack. I have been to wack Thai places that are watered down in flavor because they serve white folk. But I have NEVER been to a Thai restaurant where the food was so wack it's not edible and DOESN'T TASTE HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO. It baffles me. How are you in business? I went to Palms that night and for the same price, the food is much better. For guaranteed Thai goodness, here are some suggestions: Torung, Ord Noodle, and Palms (all on Hollywood Blvd.).
(1)Joel M.
I was in a rush to see my friends band play down the street, but hadn't eaten in 8 or 9 hours. I ended up just getting frustrated looking for a decent place in the area and pulling over when I saw "Thai food". I parked on the street and as I walked up the dimly lit sidewalk, I started to question this shot in the dark. I hesitated to go inside and damn near went back to my car, but despite the building looking like an old beat up burger joint, they had an "A" health rating and a good review from a news paper in the window. I entered and was seated by a young woman in her late teens or early twenties; looking behind the counter, the age gap between the employees made it clear this was a family run operation. I looked over the menu and decided to play it safe and order from the vegetarian section, which had ten to fifteen very fairly priced meals at or around $5.95. I assumed they would be small portions and considering how hungry I was, I ordered 2: the sweet and hot soup as well as the Pad Thai with tofu. I was wrong about the serving sizes; they were incredibly generous. The soup came out in a hot pot and the waitress lit a fire underneath it. The Pad Thai was piled high with very tasting tofu (which is rare). Both dishes were delicious, surprisingly, probably the best Thai I've had in the LA area. The service was great, the family who runs the place was charming and the food quality and price I don't think can be beat in LA. Five out of five for the food and value. The only downside is this area is run down and the restaurant itself fits in with the neighborhood. It's unfortunate I have to suggest not bringing a date or new acquaintance here unless you just happen to be in the area. It's just a bit too sketchy looking and maybe doesn't make the best first impression. Though, I guarantee the food will leave you satisfied. So maybe taking a date here isn't terrible. You may learn a lesson about not being to hasty with judgments and that sometimes taking a chance on something not so promising can have a wonderful outcome.
(4)Alessandra L.
Super freaking good everything.
(5)Jill L.
My parents and aunties, who were born and raised in Thailand and also have worked in/owned Thai restaurants, love this place. And that's all I need to say.
(4)Zedar B.
Good value. The spicy noodles with chicken made us fans, despite no brown rice, a missing rice order as well as bland and mushy carrot mushroom rolls. We didn't have a menu, so we thought Khun Dom would send one, but it did not. Also, we had to meet the driver on the street because he could not find our place.
(3)Juan F.
Don't let the decor or surrounding areas deter you. Say that over and over again while you find a place to park. I would have never thought of eating here but it's a very popular Thai restaurant with high school students. You know, those kids can spot a trend. The food was delicious and the service was very homey; meaning don't come here if you are in a rush. We came for an early lunch, so I don't think they were ready for us just yet. Khun Dom Thai also takes lots of phone orders so at least you know the food is fresh. We had the usual, so pick something and enjoy.
(4)Arch T.
Cheap, local, good thai food, friendly staff if you don't wanna be bothered by thai Elvis imitator (i'm not saying that Thai Elvis is a bad thing but if you just want peace and quiet and good food then you should come here. My favorites: BEEF JERKY (Make sure to have this cut in little pieces when you order, otherswise ask for a knife) Thai iced tea Garlic pepper pork Papaya salad Tom yum gong shrimp cakes crab fried rice B-B-Q beef squid salad The young ladies that work there are very pleasant, friendly and attentive. I particularly like two of them, i think they're sisters. There's a much older lady (probably 40's) that works there during the week that's a bit nasty, she might be the owner but i haven't encountered her in a while. Parking is not that bad. The place could use a little remodelling but if the price and quality of the food might be compromised to offset the cost of remodelling then i prefer they don't.
(4)Angelica D.
i came here after studying because i was hungry. practicing test questions and reviewing them after for 4 hours drains you. anyway, tried it for the first time even though my friend texted me late on suggestions, so i went safe and easy with pad thai chicken and thai iced tea. loved it. pad thai was good. chicken was moist, noodles at that perfect soft, chewy texture. and the thai tea perfect! of course this place is in what i would consider ghetto. i've passed by this place many times and thought, ugh, so dirrrrrty! well, pretty good for the first time, and will come back to try the suggestions that my friend texted me.
(4)Eddie K.
We just discovered this place. The food is pretty good, the portion very generous, and reasonably priced (cheap!). But it's a real hole in the wall, mom and pop style, so don't expect much in decor. The dish that we really like is Jan Pu, basically jan noodle, a special kind of rice noodle that has more texture to it, panfried with crabmeat. It's similar to Padthai, but way better. Traditionally Padthai should be made with jan noodle, but rice noodle is cheaper and easier to find, so sometimes it's used in place of jan noodle. Everything else is good too, the grilled beef, papaya salad, spicy mint chili chicken, more to report later. Thumbs up for me. Parking is a bit small and crowded. So grab the first street parking that you can find before turning into the parking lot.
(4)The P.
Great place to eat. Prices are affordable and you get so much food. I will be a repeat customer. Super friendly staff.
(5)Chong L.
Sure, the location ain't nice and the bathroom is in a shack outside the back of the restaurant. But I came to eat. I ordered their Beef Salad after reading yelp recommendations. It was EXCELLENT! Cilantro! Tangy! Perfect mix of Sweet, bitter, sour, salty. It was amazing. I also ordered Red curry which was fine. Yelpers, go try their beef salad!
(5)Indira V.
Love the food!
(5)Irma E.
One afternoon, I had decided to take side streets in hopes I would... 1) Bypass traffic 2) Find a good hole-in-the-wall restaurant for take-out I accomplished 1 of 2. Not only did the traffic occupy both freeway AND streets but I also managed to get lost w/ a GPS. Thanks Tom-Tom. Anyways, I accidentally found myself on Melrose. It was a blessing in disguise. With the trendy shops to my right and Khun Dang Restaurant a few miles to my left. Bumped into a lil' shack in the tiniest strip mall with a big sign that read "Thai Food." Just had to try. So I parked, went in, ordered and waited patiently. Khun Dang doesn't have all that jazz but sure does make up for it in taste. The food ordered: 1) Pad Thai (Shrimp) $6.95 2) Shrimp (Pepper and Garlic) $6.95 The Pad Thai. A dish my husband tries at every Thai place we go to. It's his favorite. He likes to see which place makes the best Pad Thai and is freshest in taste. Based on my observation, he seemed to like it. I mean, c'mon who finishes their dish in 5 minutes? My husband, that's who. The Shrimp (Pepper and Garlic). Was a dish I read off the menu which seemed like an entree w/ rice topped w/ garlic and pepper. Upon arriving home and ready to eat - - I open my container, and voila, it's a salad? I had thought to myself, I didn't order off of the "Salad" section. I ordered off of the "Seafood" section. Must have been an honest mistake. So, decided to proceed and eat. Oh yummy! Green leaf lettuce, drizzled with some unknown sauce, topped with fried shrimp smothered in garlic and pepper. It was the best thing I've eaten at a Thai spot - EVER! I cannot explain, the taste and the freshness. It just goes to show, that mistakes, blessings in disguise and/or misguided adventures can sometimes lead you into a world full of surprises. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ 2/5 Ambiance - The mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere. 3/5 Service -Helpful, accommodating, efficient, delivery and speed? 4/5 Food / Merchandise - Quality, taste, presentation. 4/5 Price - Reasonable, inexpensive, high priced? (Based on Irma's review rating rubric - static.px.yelp.com/photo… )
(4)e b.
This is the best thai restaurant in LA. I haven't been anywhere else that even comes close, and I've been living in thai town for 5 years. But you gotta order the right stuff ... there are some chinese-type dishes on the menu that are awful. Check out the "salad and thai style" section of the menu for starters. Bamboo shoot salad is hardcore. If you are insane, you can try goy soy. It's a patty of dried blood. The gang kee won is great, shoot, there are so many good things, you just have to go. Just know that this is the real deal, people who eat at thai-elvis restaurants aren't going to like it.
(5)Tak K.
When you hear Thai food, you'd expect some degree of authenticity. Well, the front sign didn't lie: Thai-Chinese cuisine. For someone who hasn't eaten good Thai food for almost a year, this place was a bit of disappointment. Don't get me wrong, food themselves were not bad. The best part was seafood soup, with nice sourness from lemongrass. Everything else was ok. The jerky which supposedly was this store's specialty, to me, didn't taste much different from jerkies I'd get at stores. The fish was interesting. What's annoying was that the bathroom was outside. It was a night time in the rainy winter, and you wouldn't want to go outside while eating.
(3)DJ M.
Damn if you want an inexpensive authentic thai dinner go here this place is so good. plates range from 5-8 bucks and soups from 6-11. the best things i can suggest here is passe-eew with chicken, Sticky rice, Beek Jerky which this is the only place that has it, oh and tom kai ka soup... so far this place is the best i have tried i know there's others but not as tasty. I love there peanut sauce if you get what i mean...
(5)Beverly Y.
Sometimes I think that this little section of Melrose didn't get memo that Thai Town is thatta away. Walk down Melrose between Western and the 101 fwy and it smells like pad thai, roasted duck and lime. Yum! Khun Dang is right on the corner of a little Thai strip mall and right in from of a water store. I was stuck in traffic so decided to kill time with the boy. We walked in and were surprised how busy a little place like this was. The clientele was a healthy mix of neighborhood Thai families and hispanic/latino folk from the area. A true testament to the diversity of East Hollywood. We were seated promptly and pretty much knew what we wanted-- good ol' plate of pad thai and a healthy dose of yellow curry. The curry was good, a bit watery to my liking but I did enjoy the big hunks of potatoes in there. I got mine with chicken, but the chickens were outnumbered by veggies. Not necessarily a bad thing, but hey, I payed extra for a lil' more poultry. The pad thai wasn't the best I've had, but it was good. Not run of the mill type stuff either. I liked it, good amount of tamarind flavoring. And just the right amount of peanuts. Oh yes, can't forget the rice. Kinda smooshy. But there was a lot of it in one order, so one's good to share. Parking is tight 'round these parts, remember that you're dealing with Melrose before the 101. But the turnover rate is pretty good, people are always getting their dinner to go.
(3)Naamah A.
This is the most delicious and authentic thai I've had in the United States !!!!
(5)Vanessa L.
Very well-prepared food at excellent prices. They were very accomodating to my double stroller and the rest of my party. Friendly service and prompt to boot.
(4)Doug B.
Our favorite Thai place, Prael, was closed this evening without notice (note: it will be closed until Wednesday) so we opted for Khun Dom because we were walking and it was across the street. We were greeted and seated immediately and we had pleasant service the whole meal. Water glasses were refilled promptly. Thai iced tea was very sweet - as I like it. The table came fully stocked with an array of spices, none of which I could use because my duck curry was already properly spicy. The duck and pineapple was plentiful and the portions were very large. I barely ate half - and I never only eat half. The egg roll appetizer was six pieces and just the right amount of crisp. In all, the meal was a nice surprise and I look forward to eating here again. They do free delivery also, and the leftovers are absolutely delicious as well.
(5)Charlie C.
Khun Dang is a place close to my heart, they have been satisfying my E-san style thai cravings since i was a wee one. It has been there as long as I can remember must be 20 plus years now and is located there due to its close proximity to Bangkok Market (also on Melrose, I believe the first Thai market in LA). I have been going over there since I was 8 and I am going on 29 now and have gone through a few owners but the food have always been excellent. Now no offense to Beverly but Pad Thai would be last on my list when I order my spread . I think by law every Thai place is require to have it on their menu. I always start off with the Neuh dad deu(Fried sun-dried beef Jerky) this is marinated beef or pork dried in the sun or briefly dehydrated then fried to perfection. Every restaurant that serves this dish always have their own dipping sauce that you can dip the meat or the sticky rice that so often accompanies the dish. Along with the Jerky I always order the Beef salad (Neuh nam tok) or Larb (chicken, pork, or beef). Either an order of papaya salad (som tam thai/som tam lao) or bamboo shoot salad. Theses dishes are served with an assortment of greens (long beans, mint, cabbage, etc) and the required order of sticky rice beats the heck out of any Pad Thai.
(4)Diana S.
My parents love this place. We debate all the time who has the better Thai beef jerky. My dad thinks Khum Dom wins, I say its Palms Thai. You be the judge! I can't remember the other dishes I've tried so this rating is strictly based on Thai beef jerky which I love oh so much and can rarely find at a good thai restaurant.
(4)Oak M.
Love their pad see ew stir fried noodle the most, the flavor is pretty authentic alike street food cafe in Thailand.
(4)Jay J.
I absolutely LOVE this Thai restaurant! The first time I came here (like, 10 years ago), my good guy friend noticed that the waitress was totally checking me out (I'm straight), and then it became totally evident when she took our order and only looked at me the whole time. BUT, that's not why I LOVE this place, lol...the food is pretty good and the prices are rather inexpensive, PLUS they give you AH-LOT of food, so it's highly recommended to do it family-style and share :). Fast forward to the present. I went there ah-gain with another guy friend, and the same waitress was there, and she was still checking me out, hahahahahaha.... The food is STILL very delicious and who can't resist having fun with the NAME of the place?!?
(4)Joe S.
I've been driving pass this place for the longest time because one of my rental property is right down the street from this restaurant. I decided to give this place a try today and I wasn't disappointed at all. The Padthai was awesome. One of the best I had in a long time. Now I'm hooked and will be coming in on a regular basis to try out the rest of the stuff on their menu.
(5)Gene B.
I had the pineapple curry (5 level spiciness) and the Thai sweet tea. Both were wonderful, filling, and well-worth the price. The service was excellent and friendly. The tea was perfectly sweet and flavorful. I'm eager to come back.
(5)Nanthawat J.
Tons of MSG
(3)bran p.
Located on that seedy stretch of Melrose, near the dreaded 101. But what it lacks in ambience (REALLY, this is TAKE OUT FOOD) with those old musty orange seats that prob haven't been cleaned since Eisenhower, however it makes up for in pow wow spiciness. Thai chicken coconut soup sans chicken, sub in tofu = closest you'll get to authentic. I know this because my gf is Thai! We also had the beef salad, which was spicy, spicy, spicy with roasted rice with lots of veggies on the side. This is non white-ified Thai food. Leave the alcoholic fried rice to the homeless dude on the corner, just have the beer!
(4)Stayshuhh G.
Great thai food! My yellow curry was perfect and the phad thai was huge with the perfect combination of sweet/spicy. Their appetizers are nuts... super big and delicious. CHEAP also! $5.95 for yellow curry that will feed me for days. Awesome staff, weird location.
(4)Katie D.
This place now has an A rating so no more of those pesky worries about food poisoning. The decor isn't all that amazing, but the food, what matters to me, was really good and the serving sizes were HUGE, like could feed a small family huge. I got veggie Pad Thai and it was fun because there were vegetables hidden throughout the noodles making it a search and discover mission. If you're around the area and not looking for ambiance, definitely go here.
(4)Hahnmade H.
are you like me? too many thai places to choose from?? well, if you're in l.a. near melrose, check out khun dom. grant it, the name has funny sound, but food is authentic and cheap! the place was recommended by a thai person so i knew i can trust the flavor. i usually get spicy fried rice (try the vegetarian version -- fried tofu and veggies) and it definitely hits the spot! also, any type of noodle dish is good too. the place is ghetto and service is decent to good, but the price and flavor are out of this world, this is one of my favorite places in l.a.! WARNING: the restroom is located OUTSIDE in the back of the restaurant, and i'm bit cautious at night. so try to hold it if you can.
(4)Vanessa S.
Khun Dom has been on my Thai Restaurants To Try list for a very, very long time. I will confess that we tried to go to Pailin first (another one to try), but it was closed (we tend to have late lunches on weekends). We ordered pork jerky, beef nam tok, and Nam kaow tod, all Jonathan Gold recommendations. I was happy when a big plate of cabbage, lettuce, basil, and green beans arrived (something I love about Thai restaurants). The first dish, thick strips of deep-fried pork served with a smoky hot pepper sauce on the side, was the best by far. Have you tried chicharrón? More specifically, Peruvian chicharrón? Mmm... That's what I was reminded of, except that the pork jerky is previously marinated, and obviously includes sugar. The outside was crispy. The inside could have been a bit juicier. No matter. It was delicious. I didn't mind the fat bits either (more flavor!). The (not at all hot) sauce was ok. The meat stood on its own, however. The beef nam tok was very tasty. Who doesn't like grilled beef? Granted, it was not the best quality meat (it was chewy, and I bit into many a nerve). But serve it in a citrusy salad, mixed in with green onions, serrano peppers, and cilantro, and I'll devour it! There was an added crunch to it that I thoroughly enjoyed. Could it be ground toasted rice? The Nam kaow tod disappointed, which is a pity because this is one of my favorite salads anywhere. The first bit was pure crunchiness: deep fried rice, peanuts,scallions, green onions, cilantro, and ginger. But there was something missing. In fact, the salad was mostly ground pork (instead of minced sour sausage), which was strangely devoid of flavor. I am also not a fan of the boiled pork skin strips, though I know that they are a traditional ingredient. We ordered sticky rice (at a charge) to eat in between dishes. Based on the reviews here, I was wary of the neighborhood and of the restaurant itself. I did not find either any worse than most restaurants in Thai Town. Granted, I had zero expectations about the décor. My husband did sit on rice, but the booth was otherwise clean-ish. The restaurant was hopping, with Latino families enjoying a late lunch. Our friendly teenage server did her best to explain to us what the specials were (they were written in Thai). She pointed out that "it's mostly Thais who order them." Was that a warning? We were already set on our order, but maybe next time...
(3)Wood G.
I am far more interested in eating good food than eating atmosphere. The food here is excellent, fresh, and delectable. The wait staff is friendly and fast! There is NOTHING pretentious about this place... It is small, dark and a little grungy on the outside.... but the FOOD is why I go out to eat... and I LOVE the food at this place... the KING PRICK long green beans with meat of your choice and STICKY RICE is wonderful... as are the Panang curry and squid salad... all the soups are excellent and for a VERY moderate price... shhhhh lets keep this place to ourselves!!!
(5)Mari A.
For Thai, it's in the hit or miss territory Hit: Panang Curry (extra spicy) -absolutely delicious. You can taste all the spices and herbs they used to make the curry. Kaffir lime peel thinly sliced, flecks of chili and ginger, holy basil, and ultra rich coconut milk to soothe it all the way Miss: Massamun Curry -you would think that they would have excellent curries by the taste of their panang but the massamun was bland with too many peanuts cluttering it Hit: Pad Kee Mao Miss: Pad See Ew Hit: Duck Noodle Soup Miss: Bar B Que Chicken Hit: Thai Iced Tea Hit: Delivery Hit: Prices & Portions Miss: Delivery wait time approximately 45 min to an hour ON AVERAGE So, as you can see, the hits outweigh the misses. Their panang curry is unfortunately worth the excruciatingly long wait for delivery and an extra large thai iced tea for $2 bucks makes the blues go all away.
(3)Lia R.
I would give it a 5 if not for the location and the place itself. I'm sorry, but it is hard to get enticed seeing it from the outside and in...and knowing that the bathroom is not exactly people-friendly. But get food for pick-up or delivery and you will not be disappointed. A couple of favorites: crispy pork with Chinese broccoli (with really crispy, roasted pork and a garlicky sauce), beef or pork jerky (pick your heart attack of choice), beef salad (fresh, well-balanced), beef tendon soup (tender pieces of tendon over hot steamed rice), spicy panang, beef BBQ Thai style (a MUST TRY), orange chicken (a deviation from the usual with crispy battered pieces of chicken that stay crispy because sauce comes on the side)...and i can actually go on and on on. As you can tell I do order from them way too often, FACT: so often that the delivery guy knows where I work AND live that he gives me free Thai iced tea as soon as he finds out he's on his way to deliver my tummy-filler. I do risk getting a stalker but if he has a brown bag for me...stalk me everyday Khun Dom.
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