The Royal Thai Cafe
78-6831 Alii Dr,Ste 402, Kailua Kona, HI, 96740
The Royal Thai Cafe Menu
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Address :
78-6831 Alii Dr,Ste 402
Kailua Kona, HI, 96740 - Phone (808) 322-8424
- Website https://www.royalthaicafe.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Kimberly M.
Truly deserves 5 stars. The food was extraordinary and the service was outstanding. They are so nice and really take care of you. They are super nice and help you find what fits oh best on the menu. Highly recommend! Food is SPICY so if you don't like spicy food ask for a ONE (out of five). And if you like spicy, ask for 5 and you'll get "run around the parking lot spicy". 2 was perfect for us. Favorites: Tom Kah Papaya salad Mussels appetizer
(5)Timothy H.
Came here on the recommendation of our tour guide, who said the Thai food was good and clean, and since the restaurant was in the plaza very close to the resort we were staying we decided to give it a try. The food was pretty good. The portions were on the small size and the flavors of the dishes were all a bit sweeter than we were accustomed to but there isn't any thing I can really complain about, but the food wasn't particularly memorable in any way either. Dishes: wonton soup: really great garlic flavor in the broth with lots of veggies. Only came with 4 wontons though. Papaya salad: it was really cold, and I'm pretty sure parts of the middle were frozen :/ disappointing Pad Thai: meh. It was okay pad. Probably try something else. It was recommended by the waiter as he said it was their most popular dish but I'd take a chance that something else is better Red curry: very liquidy, pretty sparse with the good stuff, but good flavor. Just wish it was thicker Royal 4 something... Forgot the actual name of this but it came with shrimp, beef, pork and chicken with vegetables on a hot plate. This was also just okay, as the veggies were the exact same vegetables that we had had in the soup and the flavor was reminiscent of a sukiyaki sauce. Service was great and the food came out quickly.
(3)Mark G.
Tasty food and very attentive friendly service. Had green curry with mahi mahi. Mildly spicy. Brown rice its 2$ extra for some reason. The inside is traditional Thai worth high ceilings. Thai music plays in background. Good air conditioning on a 93 degree day. Also has outdoor seating. In a mall near movie theater. Papaya salad nice fresh starter. Would be five stars if food was a little spicier.
(4)Graham H.
Awesome Thai restaurant. A must try when in Kona. I look forward to this place every time I'm in the area. Pineapple fried rice is outstanding and so is the shrimp fried rice. Great family owned friendly business.
(4)Mindy N.
Delicious food, we ordered an array of options for our table of seven, everything was SOOO good. The service and staff were so kind and on point with their service.
(4)Neal C.
3.5 stars? Give me a break! This place just gave me and my son the best Thai food, and the best overall restaurant experience ever. Cheerful, sharply-attentive servers, obviously a family-run joint. Beautiful, matched by an outstanding flavor!
(5)Steve A.
Great service, excellent atmosphere, but truly let down by the food. Pad Thai was really flavorless and spicy mint noodles and spring rolls just slightly better. We went on a busy night and I was really impressed by the flow and service but we spent over $60 on very average food.
(2)Song G.
The tomkah soup and Pai Thai noodle, and the seafood combo are awesome! Will come back to enjoy this food again!
(5)Samantha G.
Best Thai food in Kona! Love the pad Thai! Their hot scale is insane! I thought I would be safe with a 2 because I like spicy but not very spicy. #2 was unbearable for me.... Don't even want to imagine how hot #5 is! Great customer service!!!
(5)Joshua Lee B.
Top 2 Thai Resturaunts in west Hawaii!!! My wife and I go here once a month. We order half the menu every time!!! What an explosion of flavors!!! Man Thai is good! We never miss the Thai iced tea, we order 4 straight away, just so we can be sipping them when they come to refill the first two... Thai need salad here, spiced medium to hot is our favorite. Then the spring rolls, not just fresh, not just artistically put together, not just amazingly delicious but a can't miss!! Then we go for the pineapple fried rice w/chicken! Stelar! The crispy, spicy volcano duck!!! The panang curry, and pad se Yu By the time we finish half, we are stuffed, but 50% of our plan was leftovers anyway!!! Great authentic Thai family runs their establishment well!! Friendly, curious and accommodating. Don't miss this one!!!
(5)K W.
Love it. Came here on a whim and had a great experience. Food was great and had generous portions. Family operated restaurant and were very easy going. Nice ambience too. Service was on point, you can customize spiciness of the food. They have several dishes for vegetarians as well.
(5)David H.
Stopped hear for a quick bite to eat while vacationing in Kona. Service was very fast - meal came out in minutes. The chicken satay was average - very dry chicken, over-cooked, but an interesting peanut sauce some what redeemed the dish. The green curry tofu was watery and nearly devoid of coconut milk. One of the more bland green curry tofu dishes I've ever eaten. The tofu was not pan or deep fried and had very poor texture. Not terrible, but wouldn't go out of my way to come back here.
(2)Christopher J.
I have eaten here about a dozen times. Food is excellent, this is our favorite Thai restaurant in Kona, service is fast, prices are unusually good for lunch and about what you'd expect for dinner. Decor is nice and the vibe is quiet. This is an excellent choice for Thai food.
(5)Sterling B.
Son's Chicken Satay disappeared swiftly, with good results a.k.a. full. My wife had the Chicken Ginger, and I had the Basil Pork. Both were tasty, with a lovely sauce. Rice was Jasmine, beer was cold (Singha), and there was no discussion of spice heat, so presumably they start with mild and you can request to ratchet it up. We have been coming here for years and the food has been predictably good. A warm glow pervades...
(4)Caroline P.
Good food!!! Vegetarian selections were nice. Casual and sweet. Lighting was dim. Boyfriend and I split spicy tofu. Red curry vegetables and a bottle of mark west Pinot noir. He also ordered some chicken satay. We spent 68 bucks. Not too bad!! Veggies were fresh. The restaurant is in a strip mall but don't let that detour your instincts. Nice authentic Thai food with chillax servers.
(4)Mark C.
We walked in at 615, no reservation. There was a table for six, and they said they wouldn't seat us. NOT that we could wait, or that it would or might be 30 minutes. Just, "thank you, goodbye" I've eaten here several times before and the food is good, but c'mon... this was plain wrong. I told them so, said I was going to post this on Yelp, then they said we could wait. I asked for their name, and they said, "why you have to be so mean? Get out" So, I did. No raised voices. I just genuinely hate to be disrespected. This is one of those perfect yelp reviews, in that I've been here many times and feel like I have a fair overview of the place. Truthfully, the food is good to very good and the service is rarely good. This time was exceptionally bad. They sincerely make little or no effort at good service and suffer the arrogant malaise that comes with having no nearby competition. If they cared and were honest with themselves, they would realize they have a lot to work on. Unfortunately, I can guarantee two things: 1. They would never bother reading a yelp review, and, 2. If they were presented with this review, they would convince themselves that I was a jerk and they were busy.
(2)Konascene.net K.
Meager portions, not authentic, poor presentation and severely overpriced. I could go on and on but really that sums it up. Stay far away from this trap there is nothing royal about it accept maybe the price you pay for crappy food.
(1)Robert T.
Unexpectedly good. Have tried other ethnic foods on the Big Island and so far this tasted most authentic. They're not shy on spicy options either.
(4)Deborah N.
So good! Cold beer, great food & service, good dining environment. I've never been disappointed about anything at this restaurant! If you're in the Keauhou area of Kailua-Kona, it's worth a stop for sure. Located in the Keauhou Shopping Center at the end of Ali'i Drive, south of town. Enjoy!
(5)Iona R.
Every time I've gone in to Royal Thai, I have had a great experience. The food is amazing, the service is fast and efficient, and the restaurant has a nice, quiet atmosphere. All the servers and hosts are friendly and to the point, which is what we all want when going out to eat, right?? If you're looking for Thai food in Kona, this is one of the best options.
(5)Megan M.
My husband and I live on Oahu and are here for a vacation. When we first came in the place seemed nearly empty. We were greeted right away by friendly server. He made some good suggestions on what we should order my husband ordered the pineapple curry and I got the pineapple fried rice. Our food was out in less than 10 minutes and the presentation of the food was gorgeous. I have never seen curry severed on a plate so I thought that was interesting. I like to think of myself as having a pretty good appetite, but there was SO much food. Neither one of us could finish this filling meal. I would definitely recommend checking this place out if you are close by and like Thai food.
(4)Laurel C.
Ate here tonight with my husband, and found some nasty hair in my dish. I try to always give a service establishment the benefit of the doubt, and I did again tonight. I pointed out the hair and asked for a new dish. They took it from my table, went to their kitchen, and then brought it out again to me, telling me the hair was mine. For what reason? And my hair is not black? It was so obvious what they were doing. Do NOT eat here. I never give bad reviews, but I left this place starving, and disgusted.
(1)Raymond L.
I decided to give this place a try on my way back to the Kona Coast Resort at the end of the day. I didn't have the energy to sit in the restaurant so I decided to order take out instead. They were quick to fulfill my order and were prompt in their service. The food was all neatly packed and the fried tofu I ordered was in a box with a hole cut in to vent the excess moisture and heat. It seemed like the packing was done in careful consideration of customer. The restaurant made sure we were okay with plastic utensils and necessary plating before leaving. We were packed 3 small bowls of rice, which may have come with the entree, I'm not sure, but I was surprised because I ended up getting more than what I expected. It turned out though that I didn't have enough rice. I would suggest the restaurant ask us if we needed rice or anything else we could be forgetting the next time they have a customer order take out. The food was amazing. I came to write a review after an amazing take out, which usually isn't the same quality when you eat out of a styrofoam box. Our party of 6 was surprised at how delicious the food tasted and decided that we will probably order from this place again as it was well liked. I read some of the other reviews when I found their yelp page and saw some reviews regarding how poor their food tasted. I didn't think the food tasted bad at all, it was really good Thai food. Either this place is a hit or miss experience, or the reviewers don't know that they're talking about. Having spent some time in Thailand myself, this place is a good find on the big island.
(5)Bee J.
Just okay. We are visiting from California and needed a quick snack. Ordered the fried rice and egg rolls. They were do-able. The real test was in the form of my kid's palates. They weren't into the food.
(3)Christopher R.
Delicious chicken chow mein and fried plain chicken wings. Not enough jasmine rice on the side. Food was slightly watery but still good. Spice level was light... 3 star like a 2 star. Went back next night because kids enjoyed meal, when asked to sit at only table of six, we had four, they said no but that we could sit at the BAR with our kids, high stools and all. Even when the table was downsized to a five top due to another table borrowing the setting and chair, they would not let us sit there. We order 4 complete meals and told them we would - still the bar was the only option until a four top was open. Needless to say only go if it's not busy. It's not that great despite the pretty decor.
(1)Jena O.
I have only great things to say about all dishes on the menu. Fresh, quick, clean with efficient and happy staff. Dine in or take out this is the best Thai on the island and quite possibly the best Ive ever had!
(5)Kathy O.
I loved this place. It was clean and we were greeted at the door. The food was delicious and made me feel as though I was back in Thailand. Great ambience and the largest spirit house I've seen outside of S E Asia. Highly recommended.
(5)Kyle M.
Solid Thai cuisine. Pleasant atmosphere. Friendly staff. Yellow curry was great. The menu could use better descriptions of the entrees... Although they have plenary of variety.
(4)Sarah J.
Last night we throughly enjoyed my sons 24th birthday here ...we ordered just about one of everything on the appetizer list... the gang especially loved the mussels, the chicken satee was moist & delicious, way better than mine ! Seven of us ate family style, a variety of items, from curry to duck to lob to pad thai ....enjoyed it all, a lovely & clean restaurant with very gracious servers. If your looking for Thai food today find this place, we will definately return soon !
(5)Lina P.
The first time I came here, I wasn't impressed. I've gone in a couple times now, and went in the other day to give it another try since my friend swears by them. Well, I can't believe how good it was! It just dawned on me to try the chicken satay, and it was SOOO good. It was moist, tender and seasoned with yellow curry. The peanut sauce was thick and sweet. I also ordered the yellow curry with potatoes and carrots. The potatoes where cooked perfectly!! They were soft and flavored evenly the whole way through, just how I love them. Fried rice was good too.
(4)Ryan B.
One of my favorite Thai restaurants to frequent in kona. Big fan of green curry and this is one of my favorite places to get it. The pineapple fried rice is a nice tropical dish cooked inside of a half pineapple shell. Also their tapioca dessert is very authentic. Fair prices and very polite and fast service. I wouldn't say it's the best thai place on island but as far as location, service, and being pleased every single time I've gone there, it gets the most of my business. A-
(4)Taco N.
Spiceless Thai? I have eaten a lot of amazing Thai food, and this was completely forgettable!!! Even the spicy basil chicken had 0 spice to it.... ZERO!!! This is retirement home Thai food by how bland everything was!! Seriously ?!!? It was really strange!!! We wont be returning . The owner was nice, but that isnt enough unfortunately! Fix your food!!!!!
(1)Jennifer A.
My parents and I went here for dinner since it is very close to their timeshare. We wanted to grab a quick meal after a day at the beach, and were looking forward to a nice meal. I should have known something was amiss when we arrived and the place was nearly empty, with all the dining room lights turned out. But my parents had both eaten here before, and it was still fairly early in the evening so we ventured on. Boy was that a mistake. The service was prompt, and the place was clean, which is all good and well. But the food... dare I say it, despite one small ray of light (by way of the crispy spring rolls, which were actually pretty tasty), the food they deigned to serve at this restaurant was by far the absolute WORST Thai food I have ever had in my life. Like, ever. Now, here's the deal: I may not be a professional food critic, but I know my Thai food. I love Thai food. Seriously. Even most bottom-of-the-barrel-garden-variety-mall-food-Âcourt bad Thai takeout normally gets a pass from me, because hey, Thai food. That being said, the Royal Thai Café served up a royal hot mess of a meal. We ordered several items, so let's just go down the line, dish by dish, and I'll grade each one as we go, shall we? Yes. Let's. Spring Rolls: This was the only good thing we ordered. As I mentioned before, they were actually very flavorful and had great texture without being greasy. The accompanying dipping sauce was sweet without being cloying or tasting like it came out of a bottle. They weren't anything special, but they came out promptly (and were piping hot, which in my opinion is the only way to serve these types of fried delicacies), so I don't have any complaints about them. Overall grade: A- Thai Fried Chicken Wings: These weren't awful, but still very disappointing. They were seriously lacking in the seasoning department. It tasted like they took a pack of chicken wings out of the freezer, dropped them in the deep fryer for a couple minutes and then slung them haphazardly on a plate. It's pretty hard to mess up chicken wings, or so I thought, but alas I stand corrected. After an ample dousing in soy sauce, they were edible, but certainly not good by any stretch of the imagination. Overall grade: C- Chicken Larb: I'm a HUGE larb fan, so I was very excited to see that they offered it on the menu. Our waiter asked me if I wanted it spicy, and I asked if he could make it "medium" spicy, to which he replied, "No problem." Well, apparently spice level at the Royal Thai Café is extremely subjective. Eating this larb was reminiscent of what I would imagine would be the culinary equivalent of licking the surface of the sun. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of spicy food, and I like to think that my tolerance level is pretty high when it comes to hot dishes. But this was overkill. I was practically breathing fire after two bites, which, in turn, completely overwhelmed the other flavors altogether. Maybe this one was my fault and I should have just asked for it to be mild, or maybe it was the chef's fault for overestimating what a "medium" level of spice should entail. Either way, it totally ruined the larb, and I was bummed. Overall grade: C- Pad Thai: NO. JUST NO. This was the real kicker for me, and the main reason that I'm writing this review. The pad Thai here was utterly inedible. The sauce, no lie, tasted like someone mixed cough syrup and liquid smoke together. The noodles were mushy and overcooked. The chicken and shrimp were rubbery and bland. It tasted as though it had been sitting out for days. All three of us took one bite and immediately knew it was an absolute no-go. My mother nearly fell ill after eating it. When we brought this to the waiter's attention, he was indifferent, stating, "Oh yeah, that's just the sauce." Pad Thai is one of those things that should just be a given. Normally it's the safest bet on any Thai restaurant. Even if everything else fails miserably, the pad Thai is typically something you can count on. Well, at least that's what I thought until this evening. This was just bad. It was beyond bad. It was terrible. Overall grade: F- (I don't even know if an F-minus even exists on the grading scale, but for all intents and purposes here, it does now) Tofu with Spicy Garlic Sauce: This dish was another dreadful flop. First and foremost, it was unappetizing even to look at when it arrived at the table. The tofu's texture was crispy on the outside and fairly creamy on the inside, which would normally be a good thing, but it was completely devoid of flavor. The garlic sauce (which was watery and bland at best) provided a short-lived respite, but overall the dish left much to be desired. It was supposed to be served over a crisp bed of fresh romaine lettuce, but instead was presented over a handful of sad, soggy iceberg lettuce leaves. Overall grade: D- In conclusion: save your money and go somewhere (ANYWHERE) else.
(1)Lydia H.
Disappointed with the other reviews, but maybe this place is a hit or miss. I have always had good experiences here. The waiter kind of disappeared a little bit when I was there in February, but the food is yummy! I love the Pad See Yew and eggrolls.
(4)Nova L.
Just barely edible, the dishes had few vegitqbles the coconut soup looked wa
(2)Jaida F.
Delicious sea food curry. Level three of five spiciness was not very spicy. Sticky rice was good too.
(5)Paul W.
The food wasn't very good and our waiter seemed to be indifferent about the food. I have eaten here before and the food was pretty good but the meal this time was poor quality. With the many restaurants in this area this is one I will not be going to again.
(1)Bob V.
Some of the best Thai food on the island, especially if you're in the Keauhou area! I love their green curry and I always ask for extra veggies. I wish they had brown rice though.
(4)Gary W.
First night on the Big Island and picked this restaurant by chance. It turned out to be one of the most delicious meals of my life. I had the Crispy Duck with sweet and sour sauce. The duck was tender with a thin crispy crust. The vegetables were cooked perfectly and not over-powered by the light sweet and sour sauce. The meal was so delicious I had to personally shake the chefs hand afterwards. What a way to begin our Hawaiian vacation!
(5)Cue T.
Excellent fresh Thai food. I sometimes don't understand yelpers. Eat it and enjoy a Singha aloha
(5)Kenny D.
This is the best place for Thai food I've had in Kona and will be back time and time again. I came for lunch and the food was so great I had to make it a point to come for dinner soon and I did and absolutely enjoy everything about this restaurant absolutely GREAT!
(4)Cheryl S.
We got here not long before closing on last night (Friday). We had just checked into our hotel after a very long day. We had the spicy basil chicken and the pad thai. Both dishes were excellent. The food came out within minutes of us ordering. The service was very attentive. They moved us away from a noisy party, and made sure our water glasses were constantly filled. The prices were very reasonable too - our bill was about $25 for two. We'll probably end up back there this week!
(5)Rose S.
I loved this place! I had the Basil Spring Rolls as an appetizer, and Vegetable Curry as my entree. Both were delicious. If you're looking for greasy, fried food this is not the place for you. The vegetables were surprisingly fresh and the sauces were all very tasty. They do not overlook the vegetables which is a huge plus to me. When any food is cooked too long it loses its nutrients. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and always had a smile on his face. Food and service was excellent. I will be coming back.
(5)Donna s.
We stumbled across this restaurant while visiting the coffee festival. What a find. Everyone in our party loved their food. It was so good, we made sure to eat there a second time before our vacation was over. We had several different dishes and appetizers and everything was delicious.
(5)Miss J.
So sad... I've been 4 times and they were all great... This was, until about an hour ago, my favorite place to eat on the island... And then there was tonight. Fifth times NOT a charm. All I can guess is that they get their delivery on Friday and if you eat here on a Thursday you're shit out of luck. The basil spring rolls are normally awesome- this time they were wilted. Weird. Ok on to the next dish. Got a great pot of coconut soup, which was the only good thing I ordered. Next my beef with broccoli shows up with a cockroach on top of it. I just.... Looked at it. And the waiter saw the look on my face which must have been priceless and came over and looked, and he says "oh it's a fly" and I'm like dude, that is no fly. He picks it off with a fork and takes it over to the light and realizes it's a roach and goes to make my food again with a quiet apology. It comes back, and I'm reluctant to try it. Well I was right to be worried, the meat is pretty much rancid. I spit it out and just sullenly stared at my plate for the next 20 mins because I didn't have the heart to tell my husband that my food was bad (id been asking to come here all day)... So here I am. Hungry, but still worrying about what might happen since I did eat some of the veggies on the plate. Not the best feeling. Sugar on top? We still paid full price. Fail. Never again.
(2)David W.
Sorry, but I and everyone I know who lives here in Kona and has eaten here thinks this is not only the worst Thai restaurant (try Taeng-On Thai, the Orchid, Original Thai or the Bangkok House instead), but one of the all-around worst restaurants, period. How about ordering chicken curry and when you mention there is not a single bit of chicken in the dish, the owner laughs in your face? I think the food is tasteless. The restaurant is usually empty, even with the busy theater a few steps away. There's a reason. In general, locals don't eat here. I don't like to beat on restaurants, but I hate to see visitors disappointed.
(1)Alaine A.
Just had an enjoyable dinner at Royal Thai. I was a little hesitant to try this place based on the mixed reviews, but have to say it was very good. I had a stir fry with fresh ginger and veggies; it was flavorful, not at all greasy and the veggies were very fresh and cooked perfectly. My boyfriend got the pineapple fried rice, which was very tasty and had a festive presentation. For dessert, we had mango sticky rice and I loved it! When I've ordered this at other Thai restaurants it has been too sweet for me, but this one was excellent (my favorite dessert on the BI - and I've been eating lots of dessert!). While this wasn't the best Thai food I've ever had (didn't come to Kona for the Thai food...) it was very tasty and conveniently located to my south Kona lodging. I think we will go back for one of our two remaining nights here. I should also add that the service was very prompt and friendly, and the place was very clean.
(5)Stephanie M.
For us the food was great and the service was excellent! I got the Red Curry and wasn't disappointed. There were lots of vegetables on my plate and I left feeling very full. Definitely try this place!!
(5)Smy D.
Royal Thai is right about par. Won't blow your socks off but it's good. 3 stars cause prices are a little high and they only bring you a tiny scoop of rice for your curry and it's $2 for each additional tiny scoop!# Other Thai restaurants like Original Thai on palani st give you a large bowl that is actually sufficient. Don't be so cheap, rice costs nothing! Service was good tho and I'll go back since I live close ..but I'll bring a stash of rice in my wife's purse
(3)Thomas C.
I am truly baffled by the reviews. This the most bland if not weird Thai food I have ever had. The green curry was watery and white and flavorless, like maybe just maybe they forgot the curry part. Other dishes were just as mediocre. The cucumber salad was coated with a unpalatable peanut sauce, really downright awful. Would never go here again, nor recommend to a friend, or anybody.
(2)Heather M.
Here's the thing about this place. The thai food is expensive... unless you go for lunch. If you go for lunch they have about 7-8 lunch specials for $7.50. I ordered the red curry and soup, my partner got the pad thai. I also got a thai iced tea since it was very hot out. My tea was delish! The soup that came as part of the lunch special was good too. My red curry was amazing. Not only did is taste fresh but it had a bunch of vegetables in it, which made me feel better about ordering curry. Hehe My partner's pad thai was okay. It was sort of sweet, which was weird. However she seemed to enjoy it. The wait staff was very friendly and the food came out pretty fast. All in all, I would definitely come back for lunch the next time I'm in Kona!!
(4)Rahul P.
I would say this place hovers around 2.5 stars. As with most Thai restaurants, your food is in front of you in like 2 minutes. Had only two dishes, the chicken satay and penang curry with chicken. Chicken satay had a rubbery texture but it wasn't terrible when covered in the peanut sauce, and the penang curry was watery with slightly overcooked chicken and veggies - the portion was large and I guess it wasn't totally awful, but not really good either. The only thing I liked was the presentation was pretty nice with lots of kafir lime strips all over. Its a quick place to eat and pricey.
(3)Andrew T.
Below average. We were hopeful because of the local magazine reviews but were disappointed. The yellow curry was good (very small bowl of rice and $2 for an extra very small bowl) but the Pad Thai noodles had an excess of fish sauce and were inedible. Also, the local magazine quoted lunch menu prices from $7-9 but the menu prices were $9.95 and up for lunch. Would not recommend.
(2)Doug T.
We found this place by accident. It's rather hidden but a real treat if you are looking for great Thai food in Kona. The service was incredible. I think our food came in about 10 minutes. The waiter was very attentive to water refills and checking to see if all was ok. The seafood was fresh. The pineapple rice was a treat. Highly recommended! I don't drink so I don't remember if they had cocktails. I think they had wine.
(5)Jessica Z.
We came here for a family dinner and got the pad Thai, spring rolls, pineapple fried rice, and pineapple curry. Much much better than a lot of Thai places I've eaten at in the Los Angeles. Each dish had a unique flavor and nothing was overly sweet!
(5)Kevin A.
Great Thai food. Good prices and service.
(4)Laura S.
Stopped here after a day of snorkeling. Delish! Fast friendly service. Delish food!
(4)tylor v.
Tasty Lunch topped off with delicious fried banana and coconut ice cream. The servers were attentive.
(4)Ryan I.
Given that I'm used to great Thai restaurants in Honolulu (Bangkok Chef, Phuket Thai, etc.) I wasn't expecting too much from a Kona Thai restaurant, but it was pretty good. The price for the lunch special (about $7) was decent, and the quantity was decent too. I had the tofu red curry and it had a lot of vegetables, which was filling and good for a vegetarian. Don't know that I'd crave going back to this place but it was good.
(3)Frank K.
Best Thai food in Kona. Regular visitor to the island and I always make it a point to eat here. Pineapple fried rice is my personal favorite.
(5)Angela C.
Our first night in Kona we didn't feel like venturing far from the resort. This place is inside a little strip mall with a drugstore and next to a Mexican fast food place. We ordered the fresh spring rolls and a green curry. The spring roll was nasty and not worth the money, however the green curry was full of flavor, a large plate and came with a lot of veggies despite the order being chicken. The curry was made to order and come out fast. So we were pretty happy with that. The staff seemed friendly and tried to give us directions around town.
(3)Fred D.
Solid Thai food. I enjoyed gai yang and a beer. My wife had a spicy seafood salad (I helped her finish) and som tom with a cha yen. Located in the shopping center close to the Sheraton Kona so easy to get to for a change of pace lunch or dinner. Service was good. We were eating at an odd hour. Way past lunch but not quite an early dinner (3:30 -4 PM) and there were several tables filled with customers, which is always a good sign. On the pricey side.
(3)Liz H.
Best Thai we found on the Big Island! We had Pad See Ew beef and Vegetable Curry, and both were awesome. Friendly and fast service.
(5)Sandra R.
We were trying to find a place to eat and the reviews didn't seem all that great but they were near by so what not?! I ended up with the whole fish with garlic sauce. Tasty but a smaller fish than I was expecting, so not a lot of meat. BF had the beef basil spicy something, I have no idea what it was called. The food was okay, spring rolls were $8.95, a bit pricey for rolls; but you are on the islands, so that figures. Décor was lacking, not that I usually care because to me it's about food and service; but compared to other places I've been I couldn't help but notice during the wait that they could definitely do a little more. The service was very friendly. We had to take food home and asked for the beef to be wrapped up. They ended up including the fish skeleton! LOL! I thought that was pretty funny.
(3)Janet O.
It was a long day after backpacking and we decided to nourish our body with some real food after eating mostly dried food. Yikes! This restaurant is first of all pricey. I had the spring roll( I have more spring roll story) and Kutas had the Papaya Salad. We washed it down with a coke and a Thai Iced tea. Total price? $40+ the tip of course. The place stank of something. I guess it was a vent problem?
(2)Michael S.
Great food!! Service was top notch. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the island.
(5)MIke S.
I love love love Thai food. We came here after a long day of being out enjoying the sights and adventures that the Big Island has to offer. As hungry and eager as I was to have Thai food, I have to say that this place was a bit of a disappointment. We had the Panang curry, fried spring rolls, garlic chicken and pad see ew and all of it was just ok. I wish I enjoyed the food a bit more because the people were nice and the service was great but the food was...well...just ok.
(3)Sarah E.
After seeing the reviews I was a little worried, but overall this place is pretty decent. It is overpriced (like anything in Hawaii), but if you get the lunch special, it's not too bad. The pad thai lunch special wasn't a huge portion, but it was enough to fill me up and it tasted pretty good. The red curry lunch special is excellent as well. Our server was friendly and was quick to refill our drinks. Next time I'm in town, I will definitely give this place a second visit.
(4)Vivek B.
Great food. Very tasty! Try the pineapple chicken in a pineapple! Also the green curry is great!
(4)Shohreh E.
Ugh very mediocre
(2)Ticia G.
We had just gotten to Kona and were about to go shopping but were too tired to actually do any cooking back at the room so we hopped into this place as it was open and in front of us. The service was very speedy, i would say that we were in and out in less than 30 min. I am also not saying that this is a good thing. There was only one other table there but I felt rushed. The spring rolls were too well done and too oily. Kenz really loved her garlic chicken however and my red curry was quite yummy. I don't think I would come back here if I lived in Kona tho when I see that a few other places got better reviews.
(3)Carmen D.
Stayed across the street at the Kona Coast so this place was convenient. I ordered take out. It was also suggested by my hotel. I ordered the chicken wing appetizer, Fresh fish broiled with the chili sauce, papaya salad and the pad thai. The best dishes were the pad thai and papaya salad I did get a side of Chili sauce to spice it up. The wings were good but good need more spice good thing I had Tabasco in the room. The fish with chili was the mahi mahi was a bit overcooked and dry. It was average Thai. I would try another place first before I would go back
(3)alan l.
Nice clean restaurant. Solid Thai food. Keauhou pricing. Fast service. We had salad rolls, tofu pahd thai, and chicken pineapple curry. I ordered my curry thai hot (5 stars) and it was nice to eat something spicy instead of pretend spicy.
(3)Marg L.
I like the location - near the Keauhou Cinema. This place has gone through a few changes. Very good then very poor and now again pretty good. Everyone should start out with their basil spring rolls. Very fresh and good flavor combination. Then I like to share their Thai salad - lettuce, cucumber, tomato and chunks of chicken breasts with a peanut sauce. For my entree I have their pineapple fried rice which is a complete meal with its chicken and shrimp as well as pineapple and I like the way it is served in a pineapple shell. My husband is celliac but they make him a nice plate of vegetables and he can also eat the basil rolls. A decent place to have lunch before a movie or dinner after.
(4)Elizabeth B.
I ordered take out and was very disappointed. I ordered spicy fried rice (not spicy at all) pad thai, salad rolls and beef and broccoli. The pad thai was ok. The others were not very good at all and to top it off each dish was $12.95 and the portions were small!!! Makes me so sad as Thai is my favorite!
(1)Mitch T.
Great service, friendly staff, and the Roast Duck was amazing. Try the Thai Iced Tea. Also lunch specials are great prices.
(5)Kate M.
Most mediocre Thai food I have ever had. The flavors were not blended, it was very bland. The dice sizes were very varied making it difficult to eat. I will stick to trader joes green curry. The service was nice tho the courses came a bit too quickly. No out of doors service.
(2)Victor K.
All I have to say is ewwwwwww. The food sucked, people behind me sucked, the only nice thing was the restrooms hah!!
(2)Jamey H.
I always order Green Curry with Tofu at Thai restaurants. I have been to hundreds of Thai restaurants across the country and lived in Thailand for a year--the Green Curry at The Royal Thai Cafe was the best I have ever had. There were lots of veggies in the curry and the flavor was incredible. They had both white and brown rice and the thai iced tea was great too. Service was quick and friendly. Being vegetarian, they told us we could order from 95% of their menu! I have been to most of the Thai places in the Kona area--this is the only one I will be going to from now on.
(5)Kaaren D.
This is a popular place, was crowded when Sis and I were there, but the food is only ok. The portions were much smaller than what I am used to, and ironically there was a better variety of veggies in Sis' curry than in my veg curry. Go figure. I would only go back in a pinch.
(3)Paul B.
All in all a very good restaurant for what it aims to be. Food is good, service is great, food served up quickly, beers are cold. So what if it's a little sterile and in a shooping center. This has become our go to place for Thai food.
(3)leo a.
Rude, horrendous service, and the food was even worse. Blatantly rude waiter. Don't waste your time in this place, bradda! How it get anything above one star is a mystery.
(1)Lisa M.
On our first night in Kona, 9-12-10, we were tired and hungry and did not feel like eating out. We drove to the Royal Thai Cafe which was about a mile from our resort. We ordered to go the fresh local fish with chili sauce, the green papaya salad, curry and rice. They were all really yummy. They served plenty with our order and we had enough to be part of another dinner later in the week. The staff was all really nice and the service was extra speedy. Out of all of the meals we had while in the Kona area last week, this one was the one that stood out the most as it was tototaly yummy! We will definately be back, a little on the pricy side, but for the area I would say comparable.
(4)Sy M.
Very fast service. And the owner walks around and is very nice. Great food.
(5)Karen B.
Delicious, fresh food. Started with fresh basil roll which came with 2 sauces. We then had pineapple fried rice with unique ingredients. There was enough to split for lunch.
(4)Jen S.
I feel like this should be closer to 2 stars but I'm giving the benefit of the doubt with the assumption that I'm spoiled with the cheap-but-gourmet Thai food that is everywhere in the Bay Area. The green curry was the color of melted mint chocolate chip ice cream. True story. I like mint chocolate chip ice cream, don't get me wrong. I just don't want shrimp and broccoli in it. One major gripe: this restaurant doesn't serve brown rice! I was taken aback. It's criminal. I concede it's not traditional but c'mon! The chicken larb could've used some work. It was okay, definitely edible, but lacking in flavor and spice. The pad thai was... pad thai. It was worlds away from the best I've had, but again it wasn't *bad*, just lacking in flavor. The service was okay. Nothing awe-inspiring. The restaurant was comfortable for the most part but the cheesy video running local advertisements was kind of weird. Oh yeah, and what's the deal with the colossal empty aquarium in the middle of the dining room? I'd not visit again as our meal wasn't worth the bill.
(3)Matt M.
I went here on a 'friend's' recommendation for some good Phad Thai. Unfortunately, when I got my to-go order home I found a dead cockroach in my food. Yup, seriously. Needless to say I took my order back for a refund and I will not be going back.
(1)Julie S.
We spent the month of January in this area and the Royal Thai became our favorite place. The food was consistently excellent. We were soon welcomed like family, thanks for the napkin folding lesson! Lunch is a bargain and dinner was always a treat.
(4)Nico N.
The fam and I ( one year old porker plus parents) ate here for lunch on our first full day in town. Mom got the basil spring rolls, dad got- as always- pad Thai. We also got the pineapple curry that mom seemed to want- she always says she isn't hungry then gets mad when we don't order her suggestions... So dad and I have learned it is easier to just act like we want what she does and order it. Additionally, I ordered the beef larb because I like introducing the rents to new things they would never order. As dad said after he tried it, "who knew it would be good when it is called "larb?"". The pineapple curry was a little sweet And could have been spicier for my taste but mom and dad loved it. The basil spring rolls were great- fresh and healthy with TWO dipping sauces instead of one. I love variety. Pad Thai was pretty standard and came with chicken but we had shrimp added. The larb was also good and the parents loved it. Would eat here semi-regularly if I lived here. The service was fast and friendly and prices were good.
(5)Jeremy V.
my first 4 star review EVARR! the only reason these guys got a star off is because my pineapple fried rice did NOT come in a half a pineapple like i was looking forward to. we got take out, so i can't really speak to the dining experience or atmosphere. what i can say is that the food was excellent - the pineapple fried rice i ordered was exactly what i was expecting (minus the pineapple bowl) and i was very pleased with the balance of saltiness and sweet. the shrimp were yummy and the chicken complemented it all nicely. we also ordered the vegetable fried rice (proclaimed 'best thai veggie rice of all time' by my fiance), and our friend had the panang curry which was also very good. fairly priced, great takeout food!
(4)R T.
Don't waste your time or money to eat here!!! The portions are very small for the price and the food isn't that great! A real disappointment! Bring cash....they won't accept a credit card unless it's over a certain amount! :(
(1)eli n.
Great Thai! We're vegetarians and were pleased that pretty much everything could be done with tofu. Had a great meal. It was quick and delicious. There is no view since it is in a strip mall - but it was super convenient to our hotel (Outrigger Beach Resort) and we loved it!
(4)Mae S.
Royal Thai is reasonable and reliable -- the basil rolls are especially fresh-tasting, and the spring rolls are good. The various curry sauces are tasty and allow a choice from mild to strong. The food is fresh, the servers are friendly, and the dining room is pleasantly decorated with Thai wood carvings. I think the new Lotus Cafe might give them some competion.
(3)