4. Restaurants

Thara Thai

912 1/2 W Bloomington Rd, Champaign, IL, 61821
  • (217) 378-1986
  • Store is closed

Thara Thai Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

  • Ashley H.

    Don't let the looks of the building fool you. The food is fantastic. I have had amazing thia before and this ranks right up there with the places I have been in Atlanta and NYC. Calamari was amazing as was the pad Thai.

    (4)

  • Carolynn W.

    The food is great and among the top in the Champaign area. I like my food extra hot, and this place can make it the spiciest. I love Thai iced tea, but I their milk green tea the best. The staff are always really friendly. It's a quaint place but also small. I can't really fault them for it but the limited seating can make it difficult to get a seat during busy times.

    (5)

  • Rui W.

    Good

    (4)

  • Ashley L.

    One of my favorite thai food places in all of Illinois! Beef pho special, pad sayew and pad thai never disappoint.

    (5)

  • Ken B.

    Outstanding food with friendly, reasonably fast, service. Don't ask for hot unless you mean it. I love hot food and this is one of the few places that can make me sweat! The pad thai is the best I have had and the soups are always good but I think my favorite is the Tilapia in a chili lime sauce. Don't miss the crab rangoon!

    (5)

  • Cary W.

    I have lived in many place and have had some very good Thai food. This rates at the top. This family owned place was very busy however the family's team work made our lunch seamless. Everything tasted fresh. The flavors were great . I'll be back !!!

    (5)

  • Faith H.

    Updating the review to give 4 stars just because their veggie fried rice and pho are tooooo amazing for just 3 stars.

    (4)

  • Helen Z.

    Food is great! much better than Green street Thai. But.. we were charged $2 for a cup of instant hot tea? common..it should be free

    (3)

  • Jennifer B.

    The food was nice. Fresh lettuce and herbs on the yum salad. they use fresh ginger in the dishes! The beef was tender and moist. the tasty chocolate fortune cookies are a pleasant surprise.

    (3)

  • Angela C.

    This is my favorite Thai place in CU. mom and pop in the back, Chris, the son, out front with his sister. Everything is delicious! I get the see eiw pad Thai, Thai hot and I leave with a pleasant burn, which is hard to get in CU! We even ordered their food for our wedding celebration and everyone was ecstatic. They gave us a ton of chocolate fortune cookies, chopsticks and a whole bottle of sriracha too! The Tom yum and Tom kah gai are amazing too. Basically, you need to eat here again and again and you will still never have enough.

    (5)

  • Caci D.

    We really like their cashew chicken (Thai spicy - which can't actually be THAI spicy because I can eat it) and the pad see ew.

    (4)

  • Chaos M.

    This place is just ok. I have tried better Thai food in other cities.

    (3)

  • Tee P.

    The place is ok. I'm not going to do a long review about it since I've eaten at plenty of Thai restaurant and Laos. This place is good for what we have around in Champaign, but by far only somewhat a copy cat of authentic Thai food. The place is over price by a lot, for it being in a small town. I can't give it anymore better than a 3 star. When in all reality their food only get a 2 star.

    (3)

  • Jamie J.

    If you're in Champaign (for some really odd reason), you are in for a treat! I took my Thai stepmom here when her and my dad were visiting me; if she gives a Thai restaurant the "thumbs-up," you know it's good! This place is good. It's so good that I drive about 20 minutes just to eat here (which doesn't sound like a lot until you realize it takes only 5 minutes to get anywhere in this town)! I've been able to taste many items on the menu, and I have to say, my favorite is the Thai Green Curry! If you're a curry fan, you will love it. But, even if you're not, you will still probably love it... or at least something on the menu. Ask the waiter what they suggest - they will be able to give you a really good reference based on your other preferences! Now, that is service. Although I prefer take-out here, eating in is a good option. The décor is comfortable, and you can show up in any state (I typically go after the gym, he he). Taking a moment to talk about price, price is the one downfall of this joint. The food is rather expensive, and the portions are small. If I (little ole' me) can eat a whole Curry without feeling overly stuffed, the portions are small. Granted, I'm not a huge rice eater, but I know my Curry and I know small Curry. So, be prepared to take a little bit of a pocket pinch. Is the food worth the price? To me, obviously, because I keep going back, but to someone less desperate for some really good Thai food, maybe not. Myyy Myyy Myyy Thara Thai, oh how I miss you (be back soon).

    (4)

  • Pete E.

    I love thai food, probably my biggest crave is some good spicy noodles, a curry, larb gai, well pretty much everything at a good thai joint. I've eaten at every thai place in champaign urbana many times but none more than thara. It's not for ambiance, it's not for a wine list (sorry no alcohol) its simply the best thai food in town. Family run, mom's in the kitchen just plain great. If you like it spicy, or you don't, be warned they don't hold back, thai spicy is real thai spicy so choose your level accordingly. personally i like a good sweat and medium plus will get you there. full thai hot and watch out! enjoy!!

    (5)

  • Natasha A.

    2.5 stars rounded up to 3. I really hate to change my opinion of this place so drastically. Here's why.. This was my first Thai food experience, ever. I had nothing else to compare it to. After living in San Diego for the last 2 1/2 years and having Thai food at at least 2 dozen different places (including Thai iced tea) coming back here for a "friends reunion" of sorts was shocking. Shocking because the quality and taste of the food is not that great. Thai iced tea was awful and the food was subpar. The decor and ambiance are awesome, service is great. No complaints there. Unfortunately because of the food I will likely not return.

    (3)

  • Benjamin U.

    Great place with consistently great food and the staff clearly take pride in their work. This is what a 5 star review looks like everyone else! Wish they would deliver though.

    (5)

  • Angela T.

    Mama Thai Noodle Soup. Yum. These guys do everything well - never had a bad meal at Thara Thai. It's definitely a hole in the wall kind of place, but hands down the best Thai in CU.

    (5)

  • Grace S.

    The service was very slow from the time we got there until we left. We waited over a half hour for a table, it took the server at least 10 minutes to bring us water followed by another 10 until we ordered. Our food took an unusually long time to come out as well. The table next to us wasn't bussed for over 30 minutes, which was kind of unsightly. I was hoping it was worth the wait, but the food wasn't super amazing or anything. We ordered crab rangoon and fried pot stickers for an appetizer. The crab rangoon had celery or cucumber in it which made for a very weird tasting crab rangoon. The sauce that came with the pot stickers was too fishy for my liking. However, it paired well with the sauce that came with the crab rangoon. We ordered chicken pad thai for our entree. We ordered it medium I believe and it was a good heat level. It was tasty, but kind of heavy. In fact, our whole dinner was pretty heavy. I can order crab rangoon and chicken pad thai at other places and not walk away with that feeling. In my opinion the food was worth exactly 3 stars. Kind of tasty, but not anything amazing.

    (3)

  • Jake W.

    This is hands down the best Thai restaurant anywhere in the area - have not had better even in Chicago! My family and I have been eating here at "nice lady Thai" since they first opened up ~ a decade ago, and even though we now live several hours away we still go out of our way to eat there. This is a family restaurant - meaning the entire family is part of the business, and they are all great folks. FRESH - HOMEMADE - DELICIOUS - FRIENDLY Everything on the menu is good. They cook to order, so if you like it a certain way all you have to do is say so... and if you don't see it on the menu, you can bet that they can still make it as good as you have had it anywhere else. It is probably worth mentioning that they have expanded their menu a few times and because I love just ab out everything they make it gets harder and harder to decide what to order when I want to try the new stuff too... To Joe E, I have to tell you that Pad Thai(PT) is not the same dish as Pad See Ewe (PSE) at all - the only similarity being that they have rice noodles in them (yet still the type of rice noodle is even different). If you are a PT fan, the next time you go there you should ask them to make you PT with the wide noodles. Their PT is the best around, but it doesn't taste anything like the PSE as the former has peanut as a dominant flavor, while the latter is sweet soy flavor. Thara's PSE thai hot is actually one of my favorite standby dishes, with fresh wide rice noodles and chinese broccoli - YUM! I have yet to be able to make it better at home, although I have come close. A couple of my favorites here (and there are so many) are the shrimp/seafood soups (Tom Yum or Tom Kha) and the Panang Curry - all of which has the wonderful aroma and flavor of the Kaffir lime in them. We almost always order the crab Rangoon - which is not even in the same realm as the typical Chinese place stuff - this is fresh and delicious. My buddy loves their shumai, although that might be kind of an acquired taste as my wife is not fond of it.. A few folks commented on their high prices, but there simply is no substitute for good Thai food. The location is what it is, but they have never sacrificed the quality to stay in business. The fact is that even after they raised their prices you are lucky to get a table here in the evening or on weekends - they are almost always packed. This is a prime example of supply and demand economics at work. This is a real gem of a restaurant, and I love to support this great family. As long as they stay in business and keep making the food the way they do, they can expect to see us as often as we can make it there!

    (5)

  • Anthony P.

    We had asked one of our hotel staff members for his favorite local asian place, and this is the one he recommended. We certainly were not disappointed. The atmosphere of this tiny place is definitely nothing to write home about, but that didn't keep the dining room from filling up to capacity by 7:30pm anyway. We had the chicken satay and potstickers as appetizers. Both were delicious. I had the pad lard nar, and it was incredible. The portions were just the right size, too, where I didn't feel any regret from having eaten too much. If ever in town again, I would definitely return.

    (4)

  • Dawn H.

    My biggest beef: HIGH PRICES. The price point is extremely way off. Tom Kha = $13.99 Yellow Curry = $10.99 I've never had to pay more than $5.95 for Tom Kha nor over $7.95 for yellow curry....and I live in Chicago. I'm not sure who they think they are trying to cater to....the king and queen of Thailand? I know they have a picture of them hanging up in the restaurant, but they are not fooling me. As far as taste, the food was average. Not terrible by any means, but there is definitely better, especially for what you're paying for. I'm half Thai, so I have the authority to assess this. Not a fan.

    (2)

  • Garry W.

    Read the reviews and decided this was the place to go for great Thai food. Well, I must say I was somewhat disappointed. The place was super busy on a Tuesday night at 7 pm, which is always a good sign. The waiter and assistant were the only servers and actually did a good job, but that might explain why other reviewers talked about the slow service - they clearly need more help. I had the satay for an appetizer, and while I liked the lightness of the peanut sauce, the chicken had a bit of a whitish filmy coating - tasted good, but didn't like the looks and mouth feel of it. Ordered the basil stir fry with tofu - served warm but not temperature hot which you usually get when it comes right out of the wok - I'm thinking it sat on the counter a bit too long since they are understaffed. Nice and spicy as I ordered and the tofu was good, but was a bit disappointed in the veggies - really only green peppers and onions, nothing else. I couldn't taste the basil, but maybe because I ordered it hot. Overall, I liked it but didn't love it - have had much better in my home town of Minneapolis. It's better than a 2 star, but I can really only give it 3 stars at best. Hope others have a better experience.

    (3)

  • Jay B.

    Best Thai food around, prices maybe one or two bucks over average for the area but it is worth it. Family business great people.

    (5)

  • Ellen C.

    I usually go here because I have Asian foodie friends, and they say this is their favorite Thai restaurant in town. I have yet to branch out from pineapple or chicken pad thai, but they are really good. As other reviewers say, though, BE CAREFUL how much spice you order. The "mild" has definite kick to it, and is plenty of spice for me. My friends order "medium" and are big spicy food eaters---so anything more than that might not be a good idea! It is true, too, that it's kind of pricey. I consider it a splurge that is definitely worth it if you are a true Thai food lover.

    (4)

  • Vivian W.

    Hands down my favorite Thai place in CU. This little nook of a restaurant is surprisingly authentic - I believe it's run by a Thai family. The location is a bit sketch (in a motel parking lot), but the food is amazing and worth the trip out to bufu. The menu is traditional Thai dishes (none of that fusion nonsense), and if you ask for spicy they will deliver...It's a little bit pricier than the takeout/eat in Thai places around town and a bit farther from campus, but imho it's worth the trip out if you're serious about your thai food. My faves from the menu are the pineapple fried rice, the duck dish and the mango/sticky rice for dessert.

    (5)

  • Judy E.

    I love Thara Thai. My favorite dish is the Pineapple Pad Thai but their Pho comes in at a close second. I also love the Pineapple fried rice, the spring rolls (best peanut sauce in town), and the Curry. I usually call ahead and order carry-out since seating is limited but I love when we do go and sit down because I can always expect to have an enjoyable visit. I get Medium hot on many of the dishes as the spicy levels are definitely up there. Their prices are a bit higher than some of the other places in town but the quality of the food is so much better that I find it is totally worth the extra. I cannot express how fabulous the Pho is, I get it whenever I feel under the weather and many times during the winter just to warm my belly.

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    My favorite Thai restaurant in the Champaign-Urbana area! It's also one of the best Thai food restaurants that I've been to. My favorite dishes are the pho special and papaya salad. Excellent service as well! Even thought it's far from campus, it's always full of customers.

    (5)

  • Xavier W.

    The food is a little pricey for this area in my mind and for being situated in the parking lot of a motel. The food however I must admit is pretty good. This Thai restaurant has probably the best Thai noodle dishes in the area and whoever the chef is, really knows their way with a wok.

    (4)

  • Vivian M.

    I've been feeling deep on a certain level- one I can't explain. Maybe it's the fact that I work at a restaurant where my mother is the chef. Maybe it's how the potatoes in the yellow curry seem to take me back to the days when everything was free- my soul, my love for sweet thai tea, for cilantro and cabbage all wrapped up in a waxy sheet of spring time. Anyway, this place is dope. I haven't felt free like this since I was a boy and grammy made sweet curry that I would drink up with a straw after it had cooled. I want to drink up Thara Thai's curry too like when I was a boy and I didn't have all these dumb friends and stupid tattoos yet. But gammy is dead now. I love this place.

    (4)

  • Shawna O.

    Yummy food, and really helpful staff. We had the chefs' son as our waiter, and he was really helpful *and knew what vegan was!* When I asked for a recommendation for vegetarian food, he recommended his favorite, but then immediately pointed out that it had egg in the batter (the mock duck) so it wasn't vegan. This is the first restaurant in Champaign where that has happened :) Everything is freshly made in the kitchen, and they seem very adaptable. We had a really good experience :)

    (4)

  • Grace C.

    I'm mad at my husband.* So I've lived in Champaign for around 4 years now, and I hadn't been to Thara Thai until recently. Every time my husband took me out for Thai, it was to My Thai or Nitaya Thai. Every time I would say, "Hey, I've never been to Thara Thai, let's try it because I don't actually like My Thai that much" he would be like "Let's not because every time I go there with 40 other people for lunch it takes a long time. Let's just go to My Thai." So I finally went to Thara Thai with a group of friends. I can't believe I've been missing out on Thara Thai for so long! GRR HUSBAND*. The pros: FOOD. The food is AMAZING. I'm a fiend for eggplant dishes, but haven't found one that has knocked me out of the park at any of the other local Thai restaurants. The eggplant basil stir fry dish is phenomenal. I ordered a mild spice level, even though I like spice, just because I was afraid of going too hot. Next time, I'll definitely get medium, since I ended up dousing my dish with sriracha. The dish clearly took time and effort to make, and the result was phenomenal. The prices are on the higher side, but not unreasonable for a date night or special outing. I had a Thai iced tea, and it was very, very good. The service was great - very prompt, water glasses were filled, super friendly. The cons: The wait time can be long. Again, I recommend it for a date, or for a dinner where you might have some extra time to spare. I don't think it would be good for a business or mid-day lunch break, as you might not get done within an hour if you go with a group. Again, price is a little steep, but considering that the food is housemade and not just scooped from a vat of prepared food, these things are worth it. *Disclaimer - not really mad. May be taking some liberties here.

    (4)

  • Sid V.

    Probably the best Thai food in CU, taking a star off as it's a tad bit expensive and the waiting time for orders is a little too much.

    (4)

  • Samuel L.

    I went to this place on Sunday evening at 620pm. I ordered broccoli and tofu. Thats it. Stir fry brocoli and tofu. The waitress told me 15 minutes. I wanted until 7pm. Total of 40 minutes. That is unacceptable. It was not the waitresses fault (I don't think). She was the only waitress (or waiter) for a house full of approximately 30 patrons and 2 to go orders. I will not be going back because of this poor service.

    (1)

  • Patricia K.

    Full disclosure - I'm picky about my Thai food. Not just because I've had the real deal in Thailand but because I have a limited palette for spicy food and certain textures often found in Thai cuisine. When the server asked what level of spices (nothing, mild, medium, hot) I went with mild on my sweet and sour chicken. I didn't want anything too bland so I figured mild was a pretty safe bet. OMG, wrongo! Yeah, my lips were burning after only a couple bites. I will say, however, that it was mighty tasty and that I did my best to finish a pretty significant chunk of it. I also had a few bites of Mike's Pad Thai which he also ordered mild. His was very slightly less extreme as mine but still had a pretty powerful kick. Overall, I thought the food was great, despite their interpretation of "mild" heat. I think that by asking for no spice that I would enjoy it even more. My only other complaint would be that I had to flag down our server for water. There were only a couple tables full of people but I felt the server was MIA too often. And every second counts when your mouth is on fire!

    (3)

  • Katie A.

    Absolutely amazing thai food. I have to order it "super extra mild" and it comes what I would compare to other thai places as medium. They give you a choice of no spice, mild, medium, and spicy. But you can say extra mild so your mouth isn't in pain later. Be prepared to wait a while for your food, maybe 35-45 minutes. The first time we went, we were a little mad the table of 10 that ordered 15 minutes after us got all their dishes and were nearly finished by the time just me and my husband were served. We like that it is a family business and that they have a lot of vegetarian options for when we're not feeling like having meat. Tofu is cooked perfectly every time. The atmosphere isn't fancy, but the food is excellent.

    (5)

  • Jordan R.

    Totally legitimate Thai here, what a relief! It's very endearing to know that this is a family business -- Mom & Dad are cooking in the back and the kids are waiting tables. I love that they're not afraid to turn up the heat either - finally a menu with chili pepper indicators that mean something. My mussman curry chicken was very good - lots of "extras." Also, I thought the pricing was spot on. $11.99 - seems normal to me! I don't know why Chicagoans travel downstate and think things will be dirt cheap... Misnomer.

    (4)

  • Jamison R.

    I LOVE the green curry here! Even the mild is really spicy!

    (4)

  • Margie C.

    This is a tiny place next to an economy hotel. It's decor is cluttered. It doesn't feel clean but that could be because most of the tables sat full of dirty dishes. I ordered iced tea and basil chicken. The tea had that nasty old tea flavor. I specifically asked the waitress if it was freshly brewed. We waited way too long for our food after we ordered. 45 minutes. We had just discussed leaving when the food arrived. I've eaten basil chicken at various Thai places across the country. Never have I paid so much for so little. It was a small amount and when I tasted it, it tasted like any generic Chinese dish - not all all like I expected. The veggies were overcooked and soggy. And by veggies, i mean sliced onion. That's all there was. Onion and chicken. There were about 2 basil leaves, which imparted no basil flavor. I can't understand why this place has such good reviews. It was filthy and the food was bad and expensive.

    (1)

  • Melissa D.

    We are at U of I for Halloween and looking for a quick bite of Thai. We found Thara via Google maps and decided to give it a try. The staff was friendly and accomodating - we arrived in full costume garb and acted the parts (magician and bunny and three blind mice). The place was crowded and service was slow, so probably not a place to go if you are in a hurry, though they could have been under-staffed. However, the food was excellent. The Tom Kha soup was among the best I have ever had, the pad sie ewe thai was delicious (according to friends) and the spring rolls were fresh. A couple of call outs: they don't serve alchohol, it was a bit pricey, but we are used to Chicago, where there are thai places on every corner. Finally, when they spice things, they really heat them - if you want mild, really stress that.

    (4)

  • shiyi c.

    I am a big fan of Thai food, so i may have too high expectation for it. I feel the one is a little bit overrated, the food is ok, but not enough options, and the place is not really nice.

    (3)

  • Matthew L.

    4 star food. Love the food. You know it's good when it's full at 3pm on a weekday, and when lots of pan-Asian people eat there! For a typical Thai menu it has some good chef specialties like Pineapple Pad Thai, and it isn't overly cheap (most dishes are between $8-13), but the food is excellent. Ambience slightly weird, but it is clean and the service is quick.

    (4)

  • Andrew P.

    Amazing thai place, that serves more than simply thai cuisine. My favorite dish there (to be fair, I have never tried anything other than this same dish) is the General Tso's Chicken, which isn't a traditional thai dish. I always order my food "Thai Spicy" which clears up your sinuses, but it's exactly the way I want it. They are the only Asian restaurant I've found that will actually listen when I tell them to hurt me, spicy food wise. The place is run by a family. The server during the lunch is usually the son, who is extremely nice (he left the restaurant to help a guy in a wheel chair struggling in freshly fallen snow!) and the mom is usually back in the kitchen pumping out the food orders. They're quite a team! I've moved away for school, but am back in CU a lot and always make it a point to hit this place up when I'm around. During the dinner hours, as with many Asian restaurants the food isn't the cheapest (still, very fair for what you're getting) but the lunch specials are fantastic. My favorite lunch dish runs about $7.95, which is a couple bucks off the normal price. Little hole in the wall place that you'd never guess would be as amazing as it is.

    (5)

  • JEWELe M.

    This is probably one of the most delicious and authentic Thai restaurants I have been too! I went here 2x with my roommate! I introduced her to Thai curry and she loved it and wanted to come back here for lunch on our last day in Champaign! Our first time, we came here for dinner and ordered the pad thai, massamum curry, and the Satay Chicken appetizer! So yummy! For lunch we both ordered the red curry and I opted for the mild heat....which still caused me the sniffles! LoL. Oh and I absolutely love their milk green tea beverage! They brew their own green tea, add some sweetner, and whole milk in a cup of ice! Absolutely YUMMY! Not like that chalky Starbucks Iced Green Tea shhhcrap! Overall, I loved the food here and this was my favorite iEats spot in Champaign for sure!!!

    (5)

  • Robert M.

    Great Thai food. I eat there every time I come to Champaign. Beware when specifying the heat level: medium was quite fiery when compared to many Thai restaurants. Still, a wonderful place.

    (4)

  • Tim Y.

    I love this place even though it can be a little pricey. Super nice people, great service, and wonderful food! I generally get Tom Kha Gai there but I've never been disappointed with any of my dishes. Do keep in mind that they are serious about their spice levels. :)

    (4)

  • Jon H.

    One of my absolute favorite places to eat in CU. I've been eating there pretty much as long as it's been open and there are very few Thai places that can compare. The staff is always incredibly friendly. The owner and all her family are really friendly and always make you feel welcome. You might want to show up a little early for lunch as it can get very busy at that time. One thing you'll notice right away as you're eating are the quality ingredients which to me justifies the price of the dishes here. My favorite dish there is the Thom Kha Gai. At this point it is like comfort food for me. Whenever I'm having a down day or if I feel like I'm coming down with a cold I'll go in and order it. It has a lot of different levels of flavor that you just don't get anywhere else in town. There's just a lot more ingredients in the dish then most places and they blend perfectly. I never, ever leave anything other than an empty bowl. I usually get it about mild to medium spicy. The thing to remember when ordering here is that their spiciness levels can vary and almost always swing towards HOTTER than you might expect. So always get mild if you have any fear of getting too hot of a dish. I have yet to be disappointed by their curry, but my favorite is probably the Massaman curry. I'd also recommend their spring rolls and their pot stickers for an appetizer. Although I've never tried it, one of my friend's can't stop getting their Duck so that might be worth a try as well. I might steer clear of the Pad Thai here. Strangely it's the only thing I've never been 100% happy with, but frankly you can get a decent Pad Thai just about anywhere so it's more fun to branch out and try something new.

    (5)

  • Grimace B.

    This place is really small on the inside and it is difficult to find an open table if you want to eat in often, but the food is pretty good. Service, prices, and menu selection is all pretty good, and the food is well priced and portioned. Maybe prices are a little bit on the higher side. They have a knack for making everything really hot and spicy as well so if you want it mild or not spicy, MAKE sure you do. Even the mild is pretty spicy. I'm not crazy about this place, but I would definitely go again.

    (3)

  • Joey K.

    I really like the Thai food here and want to help them.

    (5)

  • Samantha M.

    Oh, delicious, delicious Thara Thai! I've tried many places in the C-U and none compare to Thara Thai. I don't know where they get those tiny little eggplants but they are tasty! Their curry is the bomb. Also, consider yourself warned about their spice levels... this is a THAI restaurant. That shit's spicy, son. I love spicy food and I order the medium... and its HOT. If you have a sensitive stomach you should also probably expect spicy poops.

    (5)

  • Anne W.

    This is a place that can be easily overlooked since it is at the edge of town. It's a mom and pop shop so don't expect any fancy decor. The service was pretty good with the exception of when we first walked in and were ignored for 10 whole minutes. But besides that.. the service was good. The food was terrific that I am dissapointed I didn't know about this place a little earlier! I thought I knew all the best places in town. I tried the Pad Kee Mao which was terrific and the chicken satay.. which was also fantastic. I tried their catfish dish which was okay.. but really not very good. I thought from the pic that the catfish filets would be deep fried not stir fried. The Thai Iced Tea was also good. And yes.. they have chocolate fortune cookies. Oh.. and they have Pho. And another good sign is that lots of Thai people frequent this spot. Always a good sign of authenticity.

    (4)

  • Kali M.

    Good food, great service. I could write a wordy review, but suffice to say that it's a solid Thai restaurant that's not likely to disappoint. Recommended.

    (4)

  • A M.

    I mistakenly ordered spring rolls instead if egg rolls but since no one came and asked me how my food was the entire time I was there, the waiter didn't know I wanted the fried rolls instead until he brought my bill. The mild yellow curry was excellent but it's not your average mild curry that's for sure and I had to ask for water three times....very poor service!

    (1)

  • Tim J.

    Horrific decor, terrible location, great food. Prices are a little bit higher than you would expect for fast-food Asian food, but this place's quality is higher than your standard fast-food Asian joint (though it looks no better). The Mock Duck dish is one of their best. FYI, mock duck is seasoned seitan, aka wheat gluten and is similiar to tofu in that it is a plant-based protein that is pretty flavor-neutral until it is made a part of a dish, but is different in that its texture more closely resembles meat and it seems to have more protein and fiber. I think that like many places, the takeout portions are larger.

    (4)

  • Jinho P.

    Get their special Thai Pho! The broth is not your usual broth from a Vietnamese Pho joint. It's a special broth that has a Thai influence with a Vietnamese tradition. It's spicy and you will enjoy all the fresh ingredients that come with. I know that some broths are served "dirty" not authentic (e.g. powder) but this one is authentic and unique tasting. I always come here either during a flu/cold or after a hard night of drinking to help the sobering process. The family that owns this places will notice if you are a regular and will do everything they can to make your stay a positive one. One time, they forgot my order, but comped me free soda. That's good caring service. I have yet to find a place like this outside of Champaign, IL but if not, please enjoy their Thai Pho for me.

    (5)

  • Sarah B.

    I'm a true lover of Thai food and coming from Chicago and having spent some time in San Fran have eaten at some truly amazing Thai restaurants. Not to insult the C-U area or anything but the restaurants are overall lacking in quality in this neck of the woods. Thara Thai has all the typical Thai dishes you would expect. This place is pretty traditional so don't expect the yuppy-ized all white chicken meat in the dishes, either. The curries, pad thai, and pad see ew are all pretty average. There's nothing amazing about this place but it is probably the best Thai food available in the area. I do have to say, don't bother with the veggie spring rolls or veggie potstickers, I'm pretty sure those are frozen. DO however check out the sticky rice with custard dessert. Pretty yummy.

    (3)

  • Marcus D.

    Best Thai food In and around the champaign/Urbana area. Curry, pad Thai, coconut milk soup, and papaya salad are all delicious! A must place to eat if you like spicy food!

    (5)

  • Brian P.

    i normally went to saigon for pho in this area but i tried this new place for once.. i really needed a good hangover soup and this definitely hit the spot. server is SO friendly and nice. this place got packed as soon as it opened up on a sunday.. this shows how good the place is! good water refills. thank you. wait was reasonable. only thing to be careful about is the spiciness.. medium is probably measurable to hot cheetos. yum! but this place is great for pho. it was different that what i was used to but i liked it. a lot. i'd definitely come here again.

    (5)

  • Sarah H.

    My favorite thai place in the area. The flavor is always spot on, and I love that they are the spiciest in town (definitely order one level lower than what you normally do!). The people who run the place are super nice too (it's family run).

    (5)

  • Heather T.

    I got red curry with tofu from two different places in one week! This makes my stomach very happy, of course, but the extra bonus was that I got to compare one of my favorite Thai dishes at two local restaurants. Thara Thai's red curry beats the bamboo shoots out of Basil Thai's red curry. That's not just a cute saying, either, friends. I don't know what they did to make normally-bland bamboo shoots taste so good. But whatever they did, just thinking about them makes serotonin leak out of my ears. The decor reminded me of a mix between a George Webb's and every other Thai restaurant in the world. The service was *awesome.* Our waitress had a winning smile and was taking care of the busy restaurant all by herself. The food came out promptly, water was refilled often, and we were happy. P.S. The Crab Rangoon also did not disappoint.

    (4)

  • Paul H.

    tl;dr- Good food, mediocre prices, decent service. Went here for lunch with a couple coworkers last week. The exterior (should have taken a picture!) is quite lacking in appearance, but the interior is authentically decorated. We got crab rangoon to start, and in my opinion it was not as good as the other Thai standout in the area, Siam Terrace. But it was still pretty good, I would get it again. I got the Thai iced coffee, and this was excellent, I would definitely recommend it despite the price. ($4) I got the massaman curry, which I took a picture of for yelp. It was good, but I felt the price was a tad bit high for lunch at $11 (they have lunch specials for red and green curries at $8), although this did include white rice on the side. My coworkers got red and green curries (lunch specials), and were happy with their meals. They offer you three levels of spiciness with your dishes, and there is sriracha on every table if you want to add a little extra. I got the mild, and my two coworkers got medium and hot. We were all happy with our choices, and the mild still had a little kick. I wouldn't recommend the hot choice to any but those who can handle a LOT of heat. The service was good at the start, but it was lacking a little at the end of our meal when the restaurant picked up. This was due to there only being one waiter for the restaurant, along with a nice elderly lady who brought out the food. Like some of the other reviewers commented, this appears to be a family business. Overall, definitely a good experience. I will be going back for lunch or dinner as an option to Siam Terrace.

    (4)

  • L H.

    Thara Thai is a clean,comfortable, friendly place that serves wonderful Thai food. There's a lovely young woman there who always waits on us and makes us feel at home. Favorites on the menu include the papaya salad, the cucumber salad, and the mussamon curry which is a stew made of chicken or tofu with potatoes and peanuts. I thought their pad thai was a little greasy, so I don't order that. They are quick with drink refills and service is very attentive. Prices are in the middle range-better come with twenty dollars to get a good entree, drink and possibly an appetizer.

    (5)

  • Zachary H.

    I like Thara Thai. My girlfriend does not like it, though she was biased going in. I've only ordered a couple of dishes and she ordered something I couldn't vouch for, so I don't think this hurts my rating of the restaurant. It is a little expensive, but I think it is one of the better Thai restaurants in town. Eat here and not Golden Wok (which is terrible) or Siam Terrace (which is ok).

    (4)

  • Rachel S.

    Since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in May, this place has been about the most accommodating restaurant for me. They know me very well and are always very pleasant. They understand gluten intolerance and even will make things with my own gluten-free soy sauce. Like I said, the only concern I have is that they tend to make things a bit too spicy. But they have been so good to me otherwise and are so much better than the other Thai restaurants in town.

    (5)

  • Aaron S.

    Solid mom and pop spot that makes their dishes SPICY! I had the red curry hot (as opposed to mild or medium) and it was perfect. Seems to attract quite the software developer crowd--what's up geeks? Now all Champaign needs is an Indian place!

    (4)

  • Tiffany A.

    I was visiting Champaign and heard from a lot of current students that this place was a good find. It was delicious! I am writing this from my hotel room and I'm full and happy after the meal. We had the Shumai to start--very good, but just a warning that the sauce is a bit spicy if you don't tolerate spicy well. We got the mongolian beef, pad see ew, and the pad kee mao. Everything was REALLY good. The service was great--the entrees came out little slower that my stomach would have liked but the appetizer came out quickly enough for the wait to be tolerable. We also added one of the noodle dishes after we got our entrees because the portions were smaller than we anticipated. The 2nd noodle dish came out pretty quickly though, so it was nice to see how responsive and quick the kitchen was. Overall--very good and there wasn't a wait at 8pm on a Saturday. If I come to school here, I will definitely (and eagerly!) come back to eat here.

    (4)

  • Scotty J.

    I would have to say this place is hands down some of the best Thai food. It is family owned which is great and nice to support. The seating area isn't very large so it can get crowded. A large group of us from work go there and all enjoy it. I generally call ahead and they can accommodate is with no problem. I've only ordered the vegetarian pad dishes and the curries. My favorite is the green curry. The service is very friendly and the food is great, I highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Christine G.

    So far every dish I've ever had here has been great but the real reason for the 5 stars is the papaya salad. I'm always on the lookout for a yummy papaya salad and it's definitely been a challenge being so far away from home. But the one at Thara Thai is everything I could want...fresh, tasty, crunchy, spicy. I've also tried the green, red, and panang curries. Delicious! The pad thai and pad see ew noodles are also delish. I've also tried their version of "pho" and it was decent but I'd rather just stick to the traditional Thai dishes at Thara Thai and get pho somewhere else (like at the new Saigon restaurant). I can't remember how fast the service is because I usually order takeout but I do know that the people that work their are extremely nice and friendly. The food can get pretty spicy...even a "medium" is sweat-inducing...so order with caution. My only complaint is that the prices are a little higher than what I'm used to back home. But you can get a great deal at lunch time. I'd still go there anyways because I think they're the best Thai food in town!

    (5)

  • David B.

    Delicious Thai at a fair price. Thara Thai is a small mom and pop establishment that has been going strong for about 9 years. Lunch specials are available 11a-3p and are very nicely priced for the frugal foodie.

    (4)

  • Teej T.

    "So where do you want to eat tonight, since you're the visitor?" Nathan asked as we piled into the car. "Um, I have no freaking clue," I said uncertainly. "How about Asian food?" "We could take you to the most decent Thai place in the area," Anna suggested. "Most Decent Thai? That's teh best name ever!" And so began a delightful culinary experience. Thara Thai (forever known to me as Most Decent Thai), is the best you're going to hope for in all of scenic Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. If you have scaled your expectations appropriately, you will appreciate it for the deliciosity that it is. We had panang curry, mock duck, and green curry, and all were tasty. They do make it terrifyingly spicy if you ask, so an ample warning served to keep my meal on the "hot" side rather than "San Diego Wildfire" (too soon?). The decor is a strange amalgamation between Thai restaurant and pancake house, which I am convinced it once was. Something vaguely Alpine/German lurks beneath the varnished wooden seats and gaudy Thai calendar images, I'm just saying. Well worth it for a food stop if you're in C-U, or if you end up becoming a graduate student at UIUC, which I am heavily, heavily considering doing....

    (4)

  • David S.

    Pretty good Thai restaurant in the middle of nowhere... It's literally by an highway exit, so my expectations were pretty low when I went there for dinner. They became even lower when I entered the place and saw that there were only two customers... on a Saturday night! But guess what: the food was actually pretty good. It bothers me a little bit that they have Chinese items listed on the menu when the owners are obviously Thai, but at the Thai food was good. I started with the fish cakes with sweet chili sauce: they were quite good and almost to the ones I used to have in the Bay Area. I then ordered the red curry with chicken, and it was also quite tasty. The service was also very friendly. Probably not the best Thai food I've had, but it was very decent. I do think, though, that it's a little overpriced: I think the entrees could be $1 or $2 cheaper. Still... I'll probably be back.

    (3)

  • Allan C.

    It's usually a battle between the two of us as to which Thai place we get to go to on our trips back to Champaign: Golden Wok or Thara Thai. This place has the best pad see ew I've had. Period. This even includes the cao he fun in Chinese places. Also, their spicyness scale is a bit skewed to the crazy spicy side, where even Medium borders the too spicy side for me. Service is relatively slow, so if you're meeting up with some people here, expect to spend a decent amount of time there. Even though this place is a bit more expensive than the other places in the area but it's worth stopping by.

    (4)

  • Jenn M.

    I had to head to Champaign for a couple of days while hubby did a presentation at the University. I was craving some Thai food and looked around to see if there were any good places. Finding a bunch of positive reviews for Thara Thai I lugged my 5-year-old into the snow and drove over to get some Thai yumminess. I have to say I was extremely disappointed. My son fell asleep in the car so I had to do take-out. I can't comment completely on the service but she was nice in that she came to the window near where my car was parked and let me know the order was ready. That's pretty much what the two stars is for. I was not at all impressed with the food. We ordered chicken satay, pad thai, vegetarian egg rolls and the vegetarian potstickers. The eggrolls and potstickers were so incredibly bland. The potstickers seemed to be deep fried instead of them being mostly soft with the outer crust on them. The pad thai was horrible. It was incredibly greasy and didn't have the classic sweetness to it. I ordered it mild but there was a pocket of some kind of chili peppers in the dish. I took one bite and almost passed out from the heat of it. The chicken satay... well, my son wouldn't even look at it and he loves satay. The meat looked almost grey and not at all appetizing. I took a taste of it and it was chewy and the flavor wasn't at all what I expected. I really wanted to like this place and am not at all a Thai food snob but this was just beyond bad in my opinion. The people were VERY nice though and I'm sure the service would be great.

    (2)

  • Ariella C.

    Favorite place to get pad Thai in champaign! My boyfriend and I have been all over town on a quest to find the best pad Thai, we agree that this is one of the best places to eat it in town!!! The other one we like is My Thai and Nitaya Thai isn't bad either. I've also had their drunken noodles which were delicious and the pho which is also pretty good. The building is small and homey and the people are friendly(mostly). It's at least worth a try!!!

    (4)

  • kate c.

    Have only tried the Pad Thai and Tom Yum Koong and both were excellent. Wait was a little long, but it was busy. Will return.

    (4)

  • A W.

    If I could marry the food at Thara Thai, I would. So many restaurants before it had trouble staying open in the same location, so what a relief that the service and food have convinced people to keep coming! The prices have gotten a bit higher since they first opened some time around 2003 or 2004, but it is worth it. There are no bad curries on the menu (Panang being my favorite), the noodle dishes are fabulous as are the pho options! And the papaya salad is such a tasty treat to be enjoyed on a hot summer day. I have lived in two metropolitan areas in my lifetime (Minneapolis and Chicago), and I maintain that Thara Thai beats out any Thai I've had in either area.

    (5)

  • Chris H.

    Could have four stars, yet I agree with a few critiques. Too pricey for Thai food. Food was good, not great, good. Soup, good, veggie dishes, good. Full, so I'd not eat more choices. 3.5 stars, 4 if less expensive.

    (3)

  • Lydia M.

    While this isn't the best Thai food in the US, is is the best in Chambana, and probably the best in any small American town. Yes, the food is pricey compared to certain restaurants on campus, but part of that is that they use authentic ingredients, which always cost a bit more. I'd rather pay the extra dollar fifty to get thai eggplant and bamboo as the veg in my curry as opposed to broccoli and zucchini at other places. You can get your food on a scale of spicy, from "I'm Thai or Mexican" on the high end, to "I'm white and super midwestern" on the low end. They will gladly tone it down if you cant handle the heat. I typically get the top or second spiciest setting and find it to be perfect, but I have a taste for chile. Most of my friends shoot for the middle. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the area, and I usually take out-of-town guests here.

    (5)

  • Matt L.

    Best thai food in Champaign-Urbana.

    (5)

  • Anna M.

    We decided to try this place due to all the great reviews, and just returned from our second trip a week later! Needless to say, I'm pretty depressed that I just discovered Thara Thai after living here for 4 1/2 years. The food was fantastic. Over both trips, we ordered the chicken satay (our 2 year old LOVED the peanut sauce and ate half of the appetizer), spring rolls (cold, not fried, came with a delicious sweet sauce. tasted very fresh), chicken pad kee mao (great variety of vegetables, ordered it medium which was very spicy - exactly how I wanted it), ginger chicken (excellent flavor, good veggies), chicken basil stir-fry (great flavor, good amount of sauce), and chicken pad thai (the best pad thai I've had around here. Most places go nuts on the peanut sauce with peanuts in it and topped with peanuts yaaaay peanuts, and this was much more mild on peanuts so it allowed the other flavors to ring through) Only negative is that the portions were a little small (with the exception of the pad kee mao which was massive) For the price I'd expect to have some leftovers. Service was just fine both times we went; we had a really friendly waiter who was quick to refill the water (important for spiciness!) The decor is a little tacky and dated and the surroundings are iffy, but seriously who cares about that when you just want to grab some yummy Thai food! We'll be back :-)

    (4)

  • Dorian G.

    Four or five stars? Very tough call. Five stars because it's the best place to get Thai food in Champaign but 4 stars because admittedly it's not the best Thai EVAR and the decore could use the kind of help that involves not a decorator but a bulldozer. Still, it's probably my #1 takeout and would be even if I didn't live nearby. My favorite things: yellow curry, pad se ew, papaya salad, and when I'm sick, Thai chicken noodle. Seriously, try the papaya salad. The owner/cook (it's a family restaurant) will even make it with the fermented (real) fish sauce if you ask. Yes, the food is spicy relative to typical midwestern fare. I'm not suggesting you order anything hot the first time unless you've been to southeast asia and understand that the bottle of Sriracha on the table is only the beginning in the journey to spicy. The family who works there has been really nice to me and they've been great about substitutions and diet restrictions etc. If you live in Champaign and you like Thai food and somehow you haven't been here, you are an idiot.

    (4)

  • A S.

    Thara Thai is one of the best places to eat in C-U. The building is small and outwardly doesn't look that interesting. Inside it has some wonderful Asian decorations and a cozy dinner feel. There are around 12 tables or something. I have seen groups of ten eat here but you should probably call ahead or expect a bit of a wait due to size. I believe it's family owned and the staff is always very warm and polite. The food arrives quickly and comes at a reasonable price ($10-12 for a meal). The food is delicious. Since this past winter, my boyfriend and I made it a habit visit Thara Thai ever few weeks and I get great pleasure out of eating there. Typically, this place is pretty full and serves a wide demographic. In short, if you are in the Champaign- Urbana area and want good Thai food or just something new. I full recommend Thara Thai.

    (5)

  • Tim H.

    I work close to Thara Thai, and eat here about once a week. The food is consistently good, and more reasonable than some of the other Thai restaurants in CU. The lunch menu is a great deal, and I've taken friends, family and coworkers here. I love it!

    (5)

  • Rishoo R.

    Definitely one of the best Thai Restaurants in Champaign. If you live in Champaign and have a thing for Thai food, this is where you need to go. I cant begin to tell you how much i love the Tom Kha (soup) here. I wouldnt say it is the best I ve ever had, cuz i ve had much better Thai food earlier in other cities, but within Champaign- Thara Thai is by far the best Thai cuisines available. One negative aspect that i ve noticed about this restaurant is that, it is often understaffed during busy lunch/dinner hours. I have often noticed only one or maybe two staff members trying to manage all the 8 -or so tables available, during peak hours. They sure can afford to hire more staff, considering the business they get and to serve customers more efficiently. I ve deducted one star solely because of the fact that they are understaffed, resulting in slow service.

    (3)

  • Kim B.

    Stopped here on our way to Peoria and glad we did! Food was great, atmosphere unpretentious, and staff friendly. Took a little long to get our food, but it was a hoppin Friday night. The green curry with tofu and eggplant (spiciness medium) was the perfect balance of hot, savory and sweet. Note that medium spiciness was quite hot; perfect in my opinion, but might be too hot for some. Veggie potstickers were a nice start to the meal. Look forward to stopping here again on our return trip!

    (4)

  • Russ C.

    A whole in the wall along the interstate, Thara Thai's atmosphere is wood paneling, mini blinds, situated between two cheap motels. The service was friendly and fast. The food was just average. Convenient for take out if you are passing through Champaign since it is right off the interstate.

    (3)

  • Eric P.

    i recently went on thai food kick around town... and to make the comparison fair decided to have basil chicken in several places... Thara Thai, Nitaya Thai and Basil Thai in campustown. the first one (Thara Thai) is probably the best. plenty of food, good taste, quite spicy -- be warned, their "medium" spicy would be considered hot in most other places. the chicken was good, but a bit dry, and the rice portion was small, hence minus one star. but those things may not bother everyone. in any case, probably the best place for Thai take-out in the Chambana area. as for dine-in, i don't know -- but the location itself (sharing a parking lot with some cheap motel) is somewhat less than romantic. i'd keep any first-dates away... update -- 1 year later -- recently, i noticed their rice portions have become "normal sized".

    (4)

  • Sarah L.

    Definitely for sure the best Thai restaurant in CU, though notice that it still only gets 3 stars for being worse than the worst Thai restaurant I ever went to in Boston. The staff is friendlier than at Siam Terrace by like 100x, and in critical addition to that the food is better and also cheaper. It doesn't have "ambience" like Siam Terrace does; it's just a family style Thai Cafe with a Pepsi machine in the back and big green Apartment Finder bins out front. Eating there I feel like I've become the long departed favorite cousin of a big Thai family for an evening, especially when I dig in to my mega heavy all coconut milk nice spicy red curry. Don't even compare this place to Nitaya. Nitaya is a non-entity in the discussion about what is the best Thai place.

    (3)

  • Rerra S.

    Kills me to do this, Thara Thai, but it seems you may have gotten a bit too big for your britches. The prices keep going up, to the point where I simply cannot afford to order nearly every week like I used to. Your service is always wonderful, and your food is delicious. But $8 for an order of fried tofu- JUST TOFU- is absurd. Why must you make me cry?

    (3)

  • jennifer k.

    where to begin... it was 8pm on a wednesday night and there were about 4 or 5 other tables of customers. the rest of the tables had not yet been cleared from previous customers. the service: the waitress cleaned one of the tables and seated us promptly. after being sat in a booth, we waited for menus and water, but had to ask for a menu. when we asked the waitress she curtly responded... "that's what i was just about to do." we also had to ask for water. i would say from the time we sat down to the time the waitress came to us to order probably about 15 minutes had passed. the food: the pad kee mao was actually pretty good. a little greasy, but the flavor was good. the green curry with chicken on the other hand... well, the potatos were so overcooked i could have turned them into mashed potatos on my plate with the tines of my fork. the curry was really soupy... there was no depth to the sauce. overall: it's difficult to assess the authenticity of this thai restaurant when there are several items on the menu that are typical chinese faire. i do understand it's in champaign, and probably needs to have a broader selection to accomodate a larger group of palates. i have to say this place was pretty average and the service made it below average.

    (2)

  • Francisca M.

    Been coming for years but tonight I brought my sisters from Los Angeles. Hands down the best Thai food just about anywhere. I have been to most top 20 Thai restaurants LA, Philadelphia, and Boston..... This is the best Thai food. Yes it is slightly pricier than the others in town, but when you can't even compare them you must come here!!!! Period. And you get a chocolate fortune cookie!

    (5)

  • Jennifer M.

    Though this is the best thai food in the area, as well as the best thai food I've had to date, I do not enjoy coming here because of the customer service. Unfortunately, the main server is not friendly, and you can tell he does not enjoy his job whatsoever and does not want to be there. When his sister was working there over the summer, the environment completely changed. She was warm and friendly, and even smiled. She even told us that her brother had not showed up to work two days in a row. I highly suggest coming here for the food - the chef (the mother of the family) is incredibly talented and the food is worth every penny.

    (3)

  • Jt N.

    Newly discovered this place, food has been consistently good, the price is a bit pricier than other thai restaurants in the area, but I guess the portions make up for it. Great place to eat thai food in chambana.

    (5)

  • Alysia B.

    The food is good, comparable to other Thai places in Champaign, but not great. Perhaps our expectations were too high due to the other reviews on this restaurant. With that said, the service was great. Servers were handling a very busy night with poise and were quite friendly. The stand out item on the menu is the spring roll--super fresh tasting with a great sauce!

    (3)

  • Stephanie C.

    We came in on a Sunday evening after seeing a movie and it got pretty busy as we were there. The wait staff were very friendly and I noticed that they held conversations with some of the other folks in the place, mentioning that they had not seen them in a while or asking about how other family members were. This place must have a ton of 'regulars.' We got the pot stickers as an appetizer. They were good, not fabulous, but good. We also got a red curry dish and pad see eiw. Both were medium spicy. The portions looked small for the price but when we ate, I realized how big they were! Two of us ate and took enough home for both of us to eat another meal too. The food was very good and very spicy (more than I anticipated). I left feeling full and with my mouth burning...in an awesome way!

    (4)

  • Alexander G.

    This is the best Thai Place in town and the second best Pho in town. I discovered it two years ago and have been coming back every chance I get. Quaint, little place right off prospect on Bloomington Road. You really wouldn't expect them to be this good just based on the curb appeal. I say give it a chance if you enjoy Thai or Vietnamese cuisine. You will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • SJ S.

    Came from Texas...and stumbled on Thara Thai...DELICIOUS and very friendly, their is only waitress and she is super awesome and courteous!!! I am for 2 months and I have been coming on the weekends...it's worth palate!!!! Enjoy...

    (5)

  • Sol K.

    The taste is 5 star. I love their Thai style pho! However, it's a mom and pop shop with unsystemized service. When there's too many people crowding in they don't do a good job of serving. If they would only hire ONE more server things could/would get better. Their combination fried rice is also good. Can't go wrong with that choice either. Stay away, however, from the spicest options. I can do spicy very well, but not their max spicy pho option. On Mondays and any random they of their choosing, the restaurant can be closed. So call before you go eat. ^^

    (4)

  • DJ S.

    My favorite Thai place in CU. Love their tom yum soup and papaya salad. Family run, a little more expensive than the other Thai places in town, but worth it. If you don't like spicy, be honest about it and order mild :)

    (5)

  • Mark C.

    Had one of their curry dishes and I gotta say it was about average. The service was fine. My entree cost $15 with tip.

    (3)

  • Elorie K.

    Yummy yummy in my tummy! Thara Thai is a small restaurant with a mom and pop feel. I say this because I saw a young boy sitting on the far side of the restaurant near the register playing on an iPad, it was pretty cute. The waitress, I'm assuming is his mother, was working alone, and handled all of the tables by herself (which was quite a feat, especially considering my table was of 10). I was really feeling some chinese broccoli, sometimes called Gai Lan. I know this was a Thai restaurant, but.. I was craving what I was craving ): But, I found a beef and broccoli dish with oyster sauce that sounded extremely appetizing! I was hesitant because I know what the 'beef and broccoli' dish looks like at Panda Express, and that was NOT what I wanted. Usually, when served with oyster sauce, you're going to be getting the gai lan, which is a popular dish served at Dim Sum. I checked a different dish that also had 'broccoli' listed as an ingredient and was paired with a picture, and I saw that it was indeed the gai lan, not regular broccoli. When it came out, it was not the gai lan, but the regular broccoli. I was sad. What was weird was that I found one single stalk of the gai lan in the dish, and every other green on the plate was broccoli. At least I got that one piece! The food itself tasted good. I opted for their spicy option (mild, medium, or spicy). The waitress even warned me, "Are you sure? It's really spicy!" But how could I resist? I LOVE spicy food :) It hit the spot in terms of heat level. She refilled my water as needed (which was a lot, because, y'know, SPICY!) My brother got their combo fried rice, which was really good. Very heavy in flavor, and was a HEAPING portion for the price. I'd probably only be able to finish a third of it! Mad respect for the mom and pops establishment making legit food. It's always nice to see the family owned places doing well, and it's a refreshing step away from the profit motivated corporate restaurants. I would consider coming back the next time I'm in town to try some more things off the menu.

    (4)

  • Jess C.

    Moved away from CU but have to say this is the best Thai food I've ever had. Smaller family owed store means better ingredients which also means slightly higher prices. Every time I pay a visit, every table is full so I don't think prices are stopping folks from getting quality and very tasty Thai food! Make sure to pay a visit when you are in the CU area. It's completely worth every penny :)

    (5)

  • Chendidi L.

    This place is a bit more expensive than those Thai restaurants on campus but it's better so there's a trade off. I love their duck noodle soup, medium spicy, and with extra onion. It tastes super Asian. Desserts sticky rice is warm and sweet with coconut milk. I like it better with coconut pie (sticky rice with coconut pie). The only thing I don't like about this restaurant is that the opening hours aren't exactly the same as the ones on websites. It seems that the owner doesn't open the door if he wants a spring trip once a while. I came here with my friend last time and they were closed. So I called ahead this time just in case.

    (4)

  • Casey D.

    Food is always on point! I stop in everytime I'm in town. Great friendly staff! A busy restaurant means its good!

    (5)

  • Aurora A.

    First time there today. Food is good but a little pricey for Thai food. Server was very friendly. Place is very cute and clean. The sticky rice with Mango is definitely a must-try!!

    (4)

  • Mike N.

    Dat duck curry though... Seriously great Thai food in a somewhat sketchy location. Seriously delicious and authentic food combined with great, friendly service that more then make up for the somewhat cramped interior. If you've ever wanted to feel like you've found a diamond in the rough look no further then Thara Thai

    (5)

  • Joe E.

    I hate how long it took me to find Thai food. I know that there are numerous thai restaurants in Chicago, but I had been limited to the suburbs and DeKalb, until finding Thara in Champaign. I love Thai food, i.e. grownup chinese food. It tastes better and fresher in my opinion. At Thara Thai, you will not be disappointed by anything. I arrived here with my brother after he had been raving about this place. The best Thai I had ever had was Thai Pavillion, located in DeKalb, Illinois. Sorry TP, you have been bumped! We got here around 7:50 on a Saturday night. The restaurant is located right off of 74, and could be easily missed. It's surrounded by McDonalds and gas stations. The exterior is not great, but the interior is calm and inviting. After being seated, it took a while to get our drinks, but after that, the service was smooth sailing. My brother ordered the Seafood pad thai. I decided on the See Eiw pad thai, which was a special. Basically, it is your standard pad thai, but instead of thin rice noodles, it came with wide rice noodles, which I prefer. We also decided to split the basil stir fried vegetable dish. Our food was promptly delivered in 12 minutes, which was a surprise because my brother had said on his previous visits that the service was a bit slow, but the food was very good. In my case, both were amazing! The basil vegetables were excellent. I was debating on whether to get Kee Mao as my main course, but by splitting this dish, all my taste buds were satisfied (Kee Mao is cooked in a basil garlic sauce, just like the vegetable dish we split). As for my Chicken See Eiw pad thai... simple amazing. The noodles were stirfried along with the veggies, and all were very fresh. I ordered my dish mild, because I'm just not a spicy guy. I would have preferred more chicken, but I would have received less noodles, so I was fine with it. My bro gave me a piece of his shrimp, and it was awesome as well (this coming from a guy who hates seafood, and I'm just trying to get over my fear of eating it). I will say that I was disappointed that my dish was not garnished with lime, carrots, or cabbage, which is usually a staple of the pad thai dish. But that's definitely not enough to take off a star. Our total was 44 and change. My bro went with a very expensive dish (10.99 + 5 for seafood). I had the 12.99 special, and we split a 9.99 entree. Not bad, but a little pricey for a budget. The lunch special looks like a good deal, and apparently it is the same size as dinner, so I would do that to be more friendly to my wallet! My new favorite thai place. Too bad it's 2 hours away! that won't stop me... As Arnold said... I'LL BE BACK.

    (5)

  • Abby P.

    The decor in here needs serious updating--it's gaudy. The quality of the meat in the meal (chicken) kind of freaked me out because it seemed awfully slimy or something. It just was a bit off. One dish was so spicy it was hard to eat, the other one was okay. I was excited to try this place, but I won't be back. I'm happier with the thai food that I can cook at home. Maybe I'll try other thai places in town, but I don't plan on returning here. Price was expensive too, considering location and atmosphere. I'd stick to Golden Harbor if I'm in the mood for Asian food, even if it's far different from Thai.

    (2)

  • Pat E.

    Went here with mom after she came down to Central Illinois to visit me! As a teacher...school is out for summer (as my principal sang on the announcements yesterday) so my culinary horizons will be expanding in Central IL. I love Papa Del's and Original Pancake House. LITTLE DID I KNOW THIS GEM WOULD BE AMONG my cannot miss list while in the area! We arrived and the restaurant was half filled. We got to pick where to sit (rather than have to wait like those who arrived as we were leaving). My mother and I noticed that we were in the minority (IE Caucasian). She was correct in her assumption that that is how "you know it's good". The restaurant was filled with 20 somethings eating their pho, pad thai, and other Asian dishes. I noticed that their prices are a little high, but their portions are GIGANTIC!!!!! Case in point: they have a list of appetizers like satay, shumai, and dumplings that are priced like other places. But their salads (we ordered a shrimp salad) and soups come in such large bowls that they are similarly priced to entree and noodle dishes. The bowls are gigantic. For you Seinfeld fans out there, soup is not a meal, so I knew we had some noodles in our future. I will say that this restaurant is located next to a questionable motel. Well, it is worth the "walk of shame", drug ring, or murder that is going on here while you dine. The restaurant is so small and unassuming. Well guess what!? Quality and flavor are not small here! I decided since I hate ordering the same thing as people I dine with (mom got the Pad Thai Chicken mild), I would go with the 13.99 priced Egg Noodle Pad Thai. It was very close to Chinese lo mein. It was delicious. If I could go back I would order what my mother had for $3 less. I ordered off the Thara Special Noodle menu while mommy kept it simple with her order. It was defintely spicier They also give you the option of mild, medium, or spicy which I thought was great. I stay away from fried food when dining out but this was fantastic! My only gripe with this place is the prices! With our salad, we asked for dressing on the side but I was an idiot and didn't even read the menu! The waitress came by and was nice enough to explain that the dressing was always made with the salad and there was nothing on the side. Oops on my part! So what if they charge a ton of money for gigantic portions? I couldn't believe how many Asians were in this place when we arrived. They must love how it is "close to what mom makes", which is what I asked a girl dining on her PHO! They must have to charge a little more for their specialty dishes to keep the drug dealers, hookers, and pimps out from next store. The second time I went back I went for the standard Chicken Pad Thai or Pad Thai Chicken (you can say it both ways...I specifically asked...hooray learning while dining). This is the best place I've found in Champaign for lunch or dinner. I love Papa Del's, but I'd take Thara Thai eight days a week!

    (5)

  • Melissa A.

    I don't eat at any other Thai place. I've been to most of the other ones in town and this is my favorite. Yes, depending on who is working or if it's busy it may take a while to get food here. It is a bit more expensive, but sometimes I think you all forget that people are trying to make a living here. It's family owned and this is all they've got. C'mon give them a break. I love the Thai iced coffee and the Thai iced tea. Chicken Pad Thai is my go to when I can't decide what to eat. I also love the beef pho. I always have them add meatballs to mine. I also like the Panang curry. I've never had a dish here that I didn't like. The appetizers here are not really my thing, but if you do get some, get the shumai.

    (4)

  • Drew H.

    The food was good and the service was decent. The staff was friendly, but pretty slow. I got the Nuea Numtok, which was a beef salad (I really liked this dish, better than "good" not quite "great"), and the Garlic Pepper Stir Fried with chicken which was good. I also tried some of the Basil Duck and Papaya Salad. Both of those dishes were good. Besides the Nuea Numtok, I described all the food as "good" because nothing was spectacular or amazing and nothing was bad either. The portion sizes were pretty decent too (better than a lot of other restaurants where I leave hungry). I think three stars is the perfect rating for this place. Nothing spectacular, but the food is good. If you're in the area and in the mood for Thai food, then definitely check it out, but otherwise there is no need to go out of your way to try this place.

    (3)

  • Ulrich Von L.

    This place is fire, but in all honesty it is wonderful. The portions are very generous and everything tasted great.

    (5)

  • Grace B.

    I've tried several dishes here, and every one of them has been wonderful! My favorite is pho, but I have also enjoyed the red curry and yellow curry too. They also have very nice lunch specials.

    (5)

  • Tanya K.

    Was in town on business and staying nearby and didn't want a chain, so I went here based on the reviews. I had a basil noodle dish and the portion was huge and excellent. I would go back here.

    (4)

  • Christy S.

    Had the pad kee mau - sort of a spicy noodle dish with veggies and chicken. I thought it was delicious. The place was quiet but the staff was very attentive and the food came out pretty fast.

    (5)

  • Marcus T.

    Very good food! I travel a lot for business and alway hit up local spots and this was a great find! The Shumai was the best part but the noodle curry was a close second. The medium had just enough heat. If you are in town go!

    (4)

  • CaramelD C.

    I moved away from Champaign to the NW Indiana area and have not been able to find a Thai restaurant with beef pho soup that's comparable to this place; get the red pepper sauce on the side though, it's very hot. The dumplings and Pad Thai are also two of my favorite dishes. Each time I return to the area, it's the first restaurant I patronize. On top of having great food, the staff are very friendly. Even though the restaurant needs a makeover, don't let it deter you from experiencing a great meal.

    (5)

  • MaryBeth B.

    This is the best Thai food I've had since leaving LA. The Tom Kha soup was outstanding! If you like Pad Thai but want to try it a little different without the crushed peanuts, order the See Eiw Pad Thai. I couldn't stop eating it. No rice needed. If you think you like spicy I would still get it mild as it packs a good enough punch.

    (4)

  • Tsubaki S.

    The food is always good. I always get the Beef Pad See Ew, and I love the spicyness of it. The service was okay, the staff was friendly, but the service was slow. Compared to other Thai restuarants in the Champaign-Urbana area this place is the best. The food was a bit over priced, but the portions are decent. I am leaving four stars because a couple of times I went, the order was wrong. The first time I asked for spicy and my sister said mild, but they messed up our order and gave me mild and my sister spicy. The second time I got Beef Pad See Ew take out (they charged me beef), but came home disappointed to find out they forgot the beef. Nevertheless, they fixed their problems, but it is quite time consumming to go back and wait for the food to be reprepared.

    (4)

  • Vedran A.

    Where do I start? The wait here is very long. The food portions are very small. The pricey of the food is extremely expensive. The quality of the meat, seafood is poor. The overall taste of the food is rubbish. I wish I tasted more for what I paid for but not. Typical food in this city. Overpriced. Over-hyped.

    (2)

  • Mit D.

    Sitting here since 30 mins. The guy doesn't even take a look. Told him that we are ready with the order and he doesn't even come back. Saw the reviews were good and thought of trying it out. I won't recommend this place of you have time constraint because it will be atleast 40-45 minutes before you come and get the order on your table. ---- Edited Had that experience just once. Has been a quick service there. My favorite is Basil Fried Rice!

    (4)

  • Kat H.

    The food is fine, but it doesn't warrant the high prices. I took one star off because even though the quality of the food is comparable to other casual sit-down Thai restaurants in C-U, the prices are about $3 higher per dish. The service was also a bit slow. I was here for lunch with a small group, with the restaurant nearly empty, and it still took around 30 minutes for our meals to come. I'm happy that all the food is made to order, but it seemed like a long time given there was such a slow stream of customers. I ordered one of my favorites, the green papaya salad, and it was totally fine, but not extraordinary enough to warrant the weirdly high price ($10 as compared to $7 or so at most other Thai places). The fairly generous portion made the $12 blow to my wallet a bit more palatable. I had the pad thai lunch special on my other visit, and though it was cheaper than the dinner price for pad thai, it was still around $8, which is closer to the dinner price you'd pay for the dish at most Thai places in town. They are good about adjusting spiciness to your preference. I like things pretty spicy, and they gave me pretty much exactly what I asked for. The staff was also very friendly, which is always pleasant.

    (4)

  • ChingHsing L.

    Sushi is terrible that it only contains sour flavor, no sweet taste. I hope I'll have chance to taste other food here since my friend would never visit this place anymore.

    (3)

  • Eric B.

    I have been to Thara Thai consistently since discovering it in January 2013. Their Chicken Pad Thai is OUTSTANDING in every way. It is a VERY generous portion as well, the dinner plate is enough for 2 meals! I love it hot, i am not sure if i am ready for thai hot just yet, soon though. I've had this dish all over town, and to me, this one is THE best.

    (5)

  • Thomas B.

    This poor place is suffering from an identity crisis. Situated on Bloomington Road next to a motel that's frequented by drug addicts and prostitutes, this place has excellent food and warm and friendly servers. But on the day we were there the servers were wearing old blue jeans and hoodie sweatshirts and yet the prices were above average for this community. It has the look and feel of a motel diner but the prices of an upscale cloth tablecloth place. And they lost a star for committing the cardinal sin of restaurants. They took over one booth near the door and used it as a workstation for the help. It was covered with McDonald's food, a deck of cards, a box of crayons, and a pile of receipts that they were apparently tabulating for their tax return. The food is excellent, but I wouldn't bring somebody there who you were trying to impress.

    (3)

  • Tony G.

    I've been coming to Thara Thai for the past 2 years. This is by far the most amazing Thai place in Chambana. In fact I'd go as far to say it's some of the best Thai food I've had period. My go to dish is the Panang curry (medium spicy). The house special fried rice is also really great. The food has always been on point and consistent. I love the mom and pop atmosphere of this place. The wait staff and family are very friendly. I'd recommend everyone give Thara Thai a chance, I promise you will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Susan H.

    Awesome Thai! I used to go to Schaumburg, IL just to get this amazing Thai food and now I can just drive 30 minutes! So good!

    (4)

  • Wendy Z.

    Tried red curry, fried tilapia,and rots duck curry . Love the place!

    (5)

  • Wonkyo J.

    Favorite Thai place to eat Pho!!! There Pho is the best Pho I ever had..

    (5)

  • Ian K.

    The Chicken See Eiw Pad Thai was wonderful, I went with Mild and it still had a hint of spice and was wonderful. I also had their pot stickers and those were delicious as well. I will definitely be going back again.

    (5)

  • Reza F.

    I ended up here for the first time tonight because both Golden wok and Nithaya were closed on a Sunday night. But I was delighted to discover another good Thai food in town. I had the special pad thai with basil, and it was pretty good. I'll go there more often. Edit: I like this place a lot. Nowadays I think it is the best Thai place in town.

    (5)

  • Andy S.

    Good food. Friendly family run business. Kid and family friendly. Location is a bit off the main road, so you have to look for it next to the big mexican place.

    (4)

  • Dan Z.

    great place~ occassionally you might need to wait a bit, but food and environment are both nice, except that it's located in a so-so place. Call before going .... had two times that they are closed --- those were around holidays, but not within their declared close days.

    (4)

  • sydney w.

    2 or 3 stars? family business, nice people. food ok, no beer/wine. was disappointed all the 4/5 stars. first time I have been steered wrong on yelp.

    (3)

  • Sarah I.

    Delicious and affordable. They have a lunch menu and I ordered the Ginger Chicken - mild. And it was very good. I had enough for 2 whole meals. My friends ordered the Pad See Eiw - w/ Chicken & Mild, I think I liked that even better. The flavor was soy but also sweet. Mmmm. And then...we got Chocolate Fortune Cookies...surprisingly pleasant, who knew?

    (5)

  • Carl G.

    Zero ambiance. Delicious food and friendly service. Plenty of parking. Great prices. Zero ambiance. I don't care about ambiance, and if you don't either, this is your spot, champ.

    (5)

  • Joan C.

    I love this place - it's a mom and pop hole in the wall. The owner and family are the nicest people and the food is excellent. I usually have green curry, basil beef or pad see ew. I try to come a little off-time from the lunch rush, as the place is a little small for its following and hard to get a table between 12 and 1. I find that mild is plenty spicy for me.

    (4)

  • Rachael H.

    Delicious. I was in Champaign for business and this was the closest Thai place to my hotel. I also looked up the reviews on yelp on this place first to make sure it was not going to kill me. The food was good. I had a curry, forgot the name of it but it started with an 'M' and it was very close to red curry. The portions were not as big a my fav Thai place in Schaumburg - Thai Garden - but was still good.

    (4)

  • Melissa M.

    By far one of the best Thai places in CU, though as the other reviewers point out, it is at horrendous location. It doesn't have the ambiance of some of the other CU Thai places, but I this place has the best flavor. The food is always wonderfully rich and spicy, especially the basil chicken with chile sauce. The service is also great and they will customize your dish if you ask nicely.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : No
    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

Thara Thai

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