Siam Restaurant
1639 E 55th St, Chicago, IL, 60615
Siam Restaurant Menu
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Address :
1639 E 55th St
Chicago, IL, 60615 - Phone (773) 324-9296
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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I can NOT say I've had a ton of dishes from Siam but I have had 3. Basil chicken, green curry chicken & massaman curry chicken. I went with a good friend once and tasted her yellow curry chicken.... yummy!!! I don't eat in often but don't mind the atmosphere. It isn't trendy or upscale but I don't need that type of environment to shovel food into my mouth. I usually order for pick-up because it's right down the street. They're fast and polite and I appreciate that. I do intend to try other dishes but those 3 keep calling my name!
(4)Marley D.
I have tried all the Thai places on 55th and this place takes the cake. Favorites that I order: for a salad: Nam Sod , soup: tom yam koong or tom yum , entree: basil chicken . YELP HAS OLD MENUE listed - owner is super nice ! Can't go wrong here
(5)Fei S.
I like this place. It's small, family-run business, so you'll have to expect longer wait time for service during peak hours. The furnishing and decoration style there is old school and exotic. The people there are friendly. I like the roast duck and shrimp dishes and most of the noodle dishes are tasty too. And the price is very reasonable. My favorite place for lunch in Hyde park now.
(4)Marie F.
What else to do on a Saturday night when you're feeling ill (no, really... pain meds make you loopy & your stomach less than happy) then venture out for some soup? Glad I decided to call this local gem for some wonton soup. I was extremely happy when I called seeing as though it was -20 minutes before closing & they were happy to take my order. I've called other places before & have been turned away since it's close to closing time - hey, I get it, everyone's gotta go home, but sometimes you just need something simple & quick without breaking the bank. Within 15 minutes (including the short walk over), I was greeted by the guys behind the counter who've remembered me from the past 2 visits, & warm container of goodness. It was my first time having their soup & I wasn't disappointed - I had wished I got the large because it was THAT good. While the wontons could have been bigger, I appreciated the bean sprouts & BBQ pork. The broth was perfect & my *currently* sensitive stomach couldn't be happier. Other visits I've gotten crab rangoon (YUM), bamee noodles no broth (very good), & pad see ew (spot on). Definitely worth a trip over!
(4)Roscoe N.
BEWARE DELIVERY!!!! They told me 40 minutes when I called. It is now over 1 1/2 hours later and the food still hasn't showed up. They told me it was on its way when I called when it hadn't shown up after an hour. Still waiting!!!!!!!!! Update: now it is almost 2 hours. Still waiting. Shame on you. We are very hungry.
(1)Gino W.
My first sampling of Thai food that I really liked was from Siam Restaurant years ago when I lived in Hyde Park. There were and still are three Thai restaurants on the 55th Street stretch and I rotated my visits among the three. Having not been to Hyde Park in quite some time, I returned to Siam Restaurant. The owner who was there when I used to go was still there. And he remembered me enough to remember than I had tried to learn Thai by ordering food. I still got through much of the brief conversation in Thai. Potstickers. Yellow curry shrimp. Thai iced tea. There was a reason why Siam Restaurant had a draw more than the other two nearby Thai restaurants. The potstickers were not al dente and the yellow curry shrimp had a hearty gravy as opposed to a thin base. I loved the smoky flavour of the Thai iced tea. There is no attention to decor and that is all made up for with some of the best Thai in the city. I'm sure that the next time I go back to Hyde Park for some food, it will be to Siam Restaurant. Kab kun krab.
(5)Teschia B.
Love these guys. I only order carry out and have not had a bad meal yet. The pick up is never wrong and the food is pipping hot at each pick up. I always get the combination fried rice and basil beef. Always good. I was able to try one of their soups and it was amazing. I never had a chance to dine in, but pick up is legit. Ordering from them now.
(4)Katie L.
I LOVE Siam. Easily, best Thai in Hyde Park. I've been here so many times, I've eaten in, I've taken out, I've ordered by phone, I've ordered by GrubHub, in winter, in spring, in summer, in fall... this place really hits the spot. The BEST thing about Siam... well, they are numerous. First, this place has an incredible lunch and dinner special -- rice, soup, egg roll, your dish, for $8-$11. The choice is limited, but there are great things. The curries (panang!) and the basil chicken are good. Second, this place introduced me to kai tom kha soup. If you have never had this soup before, get it. It is delicious. You will be inspired. Third, the panpipe Titanic music on repeat. That is the definition of ambience. Fourth, this place is kind of a hidden gem. For some reason, except for the people who live nearby, most of Hyde Park doesn't really know about or come to this place -- they all frequent the more popular Snail and Thai 55. Fifth, I had Thai iced tea for the first time here. Now I am a junkie on sweetened condensed milk and have ventured so many times to try to make this stuff myself, unsuccessfully. The outside looks a little bit sketchy, and honestly so does the inside. It looks like you're sort of inside someone's house, if it were restaurant shaped and maybe a little sparse. I consider this an authenticity bonus, but you do you. There's stuff all over. But there is enough space for a lot of people to come in even without a reservation. While many of the dishes are really great, I've had a couple things here that are genuinely gross (one of them was the roast duck soup; sounds good in theory, not so good in practice -- though I had a friend who LOVES it, so who knows). Look out for these in the reviews -- I really do think that the mixed reviews on Siam come from people who chose poorly. If you order well, this place is amazing. It's BYOB, and if you bring your own beer or wine, they'll help you open it and give you glasses and no sass. Lost a star for the occasional gross dish, gained one for BYOB. Classy joint.
(5)Sarah G.
I love me some Thai food. Really I do. In particular I have a slight obsession with curry, so it is always really really hard for me to not order curry whenever Thai is on the menu for dinner. I tried this restaurant recently as a large delivery order, so perhaps things are different if you eat there, since some of the pictures on here make the curry seem more like what I love--thick and yummy and flavorful. The curry we got--one order of green and one yellow--was just kind of watery. Some of the good curry flavor was there, but I love having some brown rice or fried rice or even some extra rice noodles to mop up tasty curry. There is something about how curry can soak into rice that makes me so happy inside, but this place just didn't quite take me there. That said, the egg rolls were pretty good and their noodle dishes--we got a few--also were pretty tasty as well. The crab rangoons were so so and their spiced orange chicken type of dish also was so so, but I do appreciate the amount of cashews in some of the dishes we ordered. So all in all, this place was good, but not amazing, but it is super affordable delivery and they clearly can handle large orders as well, so decent spot!
(3)NuttyKnot P.
Still the best authentic Thai restaurant in Hyde Park. Their roast duck basil is to die for. If you can take spicy, ask them for special "Thai chili" version of that dish. The fish cake is okay.
(5)Sangwoo K.
Reviews say that this was the best Thai food in Hyde Park, and I completely agree (feel free to read my reviews of the other places). I came here and got the drunken noodles and panang curry. First of all, they have very good portions. The drunken noodle was pretty good - although I wish it was a bit spicier. The panang curry was thick and pretty delicious. I actually took some of the leftover curry home, watered it down a bit the next day, and added some noodles to it to have a second meal. It seems like most people like this place's curry, so definitely give that a shot. Next, the food came out pretty quickly, which was good because I was starving. The servers here don't really wait on you, so if you want that kind of service, I would try one of the other Thai places. I personally like being left alone during a meal, so I thought the service was perfectly fine. Overall, if I crave Thai food, I'll be coming here.
(4)Shannon C.
My mom and sister went here a couple of weeks ago and thought I'd like it, so we all went today. I read all the Yelp reviews and wasn't exactly sure what to expect since they varied so vastly. I LOVED IT. We came in at the same time as a group of about 10 people, and the waiter sat both groups quickly, and took our order first (he implied that he knew it'd take the other group a lot longer, so he wanted to expedite our order). We ordered the fried squid for all of us, my mom had the shrimp lard nar, my sister had the baby clam chili, and I had the basil mussels and beef pad siew with beef. I've been eating at Thai food spots before they became really popular in Chicago, and I often lament that restaurants no longer pan fry the noodles (to get some texture and flavor on them) before adding the sauce, which makes the noodles really soft with tons of gloppy sauce. This was the opposite. There wasn't a bunch of sauce and the noodles were al dente and flavorful. My mussels were also wonderful; I could just eat the veggies, sauce, and rice from that dish any day. The fried squid was cooked to perfection as well. Our waiter was very nice, attentive, and even lamented the drastic changes of weather with with us as we left. I can't give it all 5 stars since I've only been once, but I will DEFINITELY be back.
(4)Far K.
Ordered the Bangkok chicken it was alright. And it came with plain rice. It tasted like sweet and sour chicken. It wasn't that bad but nor was it that great. I might try something again from this place in the future. For now, it's just okay. I'm still searching for the perfect Asian restaurant in Hyde Park!
(3)Nick G.
This place is alright. I honestly don't know how it's still in business considering there are two other Thai restaurants on the same street (one being next door). We had really slow service (actually had to get up and get someones attention to get the check.. the place was empty apart from us and one other couple) and the place generally seemed dirty and very cluttered and disorganized up by the register. I'll stick with the two other places.
(2)M. N.
I'm a big fan of late lunches and love Siam's lunch specials which are served 'til 4pm, come with soup+egg roll, and total under $10 with tip. Typically my belly and I leave feelin' good. The atmosphere is not gonna win any awards but they serve nice dishes quickly and have the best collection of pan-flute elevator music you'll ever hear ;)
(4)Matthew G.
I read the reviews and decided to go out on a limb. The food was just mediocre, and I'm saying this while keeping Hyde Park in mind. I ordered the spring roll, Bangkok Chicken, and beef Lad Na. The spring roll was made with a thicker wrap than I'm used to. That, not the flavor, was what stood out most to me about this appetizer. The Bangkok Chicken was fried and sweet but not noteworthy. I can't comment on the beef Lad Na because we received the shrimp version. No big deal, just check your order carefully before walking out the door. This was the best dish of the three. The best thing about this dish is the price when compared to neighboring restaurants. I ordered carry-out. I don't think I could have eaten here. The decor is a major turn off but it was the smell that was a deal breaker. Sometimes restaurants have that bathroom smell. Not the foul, just used bathroom smell. The smell that public restrooms take on over time. Maybe this was one off occurrence. I don't know but I will forever associate food from here with that smell.
(2)Jill M.
Siam isn't very good, but I will definitely give it another shot. Why? I waited while they actually cooked my food to order. A giant plate of food for $7.50, and a giant thai iced tea for $2.50. Both were waaaaaay too sweet, and the sauce on the pad thai was definitely non-standard, but I would go back and try a curry. The ladies working there seemed pretty serious about the whole thing, as well.
(3)Macy W.
I heard this was the best place for authentic Thai food, but I think I must not have had the right dish. It wasn't that great, but I'm willing to give it another try, maybe with someone who knows what to order. They've got GREAT egg rolls. I've returned a few times just to have them.
(3)Dee C.
I have been to Siam several times and have been pleased every single time. The food is fresh and well seasoned and portion size is generous. When dining in, the service is friendly, attentive, and efficient. With take-out service, your order is ready when they say it will be. If you need fancy up-scale decor, this may not be the place for you. If you're looking for good Thai food at reasonable prices, check out Thai.
(4)Courtney G.
Massaman curry rocked my world here. Quick delivery. Cheap and you get very large portions. No complaints. Will order again!
(4)Gladys M.
i am wrong about this place!!!.delivery is horrible and this is the 3rd time that they have made errors in orders. do not give customers the option of making changes in an order and getting it wrong every single freaking time~!!..and rude about it too!!!
(2)Yang Y.
I live around the Hyde park and this restaurant is my weekly must-go place. The boss and the waiter are very friendly and nice. Most of all, they cook the best Thai food around here! Not even the other two Thai restaurants on the same street can beat it. The Tom Yum Koong soup is the most authentic one I've ever had among so many places! And the Shrimp in Hot Pot, Chili Scallop, etc are so tasteful, too! Last, UChicago students could get 10% discount, based on this already extremely cheap price!
(5)Ella J.
This is a long-overdue review of the worst meal I have ever eaten outside of an Army DFAC. The Snail was closed. Thai 55 is terrible. We decided to role the dice on Siam. I ordered a chicken stir fry. What I got was, very clearly, a can of upended stir-fry vegetables heated up with pieces of slightly overcooked, plain, unseasoned chicken breast tossed on top. The water from the can pooled on the plate. It was as awful as it looked. I see that other people have reviewed the food here as good. Maybe it was an off day. Maybe I ordered the wrong dish. All I know is that I'm an easy-going person (check out my other reviews) and I'd never been actually insulted by a plate of food set before me before my trip to this restaurant. If a heated Healthy Choice meal is twice as appetizing (and about 1/3 the cost) as your chicken stir fry, you got some serious problems. Never Again.
(1)Andrew C.
Great for take-out, Basil Chicken is delicious & the staff is always very attentive!
(4)Vj A.
Great food. Best Thai ice tea in the city, recommend to anyone interested. Lunch special hits the spot every time.!
(5)T L.
Best Thai food in Hyde Park and the best I have found in the city. Try the Basil chicken, crab ragoon, and soups.
(5)Kelly L.
Huge portion of pad thai! It was a little on the dry side for my taste buds but this place is great to satisfy my thai cravings! Excited to try other dishes here!
(5)Mark L.
The lad na is so amazing here! My wife and I go out of our way to get it! Homemade thick (really thick) rice noodles fried to crunchy gooeyness with a yummy brown sauce and broccoli. Hard to find anyone who makes this right anywhere.
(5)Julianne Z.
I feel bad for this place because it is just surrounded by Thai restaurants. I have to admit, the environment isn't as cute as Snail's restaurant and the service can def be pretty bad sometimes because there is just one waitress. I do really like their food though and they have some great curry dishes and the Bangkok chicken is amazing! I am sad this place has bad reviews because the food is very authentic and maybe if management changed up their techniques and spruced up the place a bit, it could be more successful.
(3)Vincent B.
The spunkiest Thai places on the block! If décor matters for you, go to Snail down the block instead, but come here if you want a great meal from the charming little guys. Well, I guess also go to Snail if you're looking for a noodle dish, this place has great curries but there's something off with their pad se ew. You can have a fantastic dinner if you make it your go to place and learn their strengths. Its BYOB with a fantastic dinner special (appetizer, soup, salad, and entrée for $12), so bring a bottle of cheap wine and feel like you're on the town for less than $15 per person. The kai thom kha soup is fantastic (and often included as the dinner special soup). 4 stars because I like supporting the little guys and it's a great place to become a regular.
(4)Tristan U.
This is my favorite restaurant in Hyde Park. Disregard the snobby reviews that criticize this restaurant based on the decorations. It seems that these reviewers don't understand the concept of "hole in the wall." Some will find the place tacky. Some will find it charming. The food here is excellent, so crying about the decor is akin to complaining about a great gift because you didn't like the wrapping paper. I suggest just calming down and focusing on things that matter more. Among the excellent dishes, I especially recommend the panang curry, massaman curry, and drunken noodles. However, I've enjoyed basically everything that I have tried. It is important to note that the service is wonderful. This is a small, family-owned restaurant. The owners are warm and friendly people who work hard to satisfy their clientele without stooping to the mawkish displays of enthusiasm that typify American restaurant service. They're just good-hearted people.
(5)EDILSA E.
Don't get me wrong about the one star, their food is good but.... I called 7/28 for a delivery and paid with a credit card over the phone. My coworker and I enjoyed a rice and noodle dish. I won't down their food because it is good. What I will say is after my coworker and I finished eating we cleaned up and noticed the restaurant ticket order on the bag. What was on it???? My entire credit card number!!!! Not just the credit card number but the expiration date also. I was very furious! I called immediately to find out why my number was written on ticket. He explained that EVERY SINGLE time he gets a phone order and it's paid with a credit card he writes it on the slip...this slip has a carbon copy!!!!! I asked why? He said he can't remember credit card numbers and the credit card machine is on the other side of the phone so he has to write it down to run the card. I told him this practice was dangerous. This slip was shipped around with the driver. This slip doesn't stay put. A number of people come in contact with it. I told him this was wrong! He didn't apologize. He continued saying my card was safe. How is it safe if it goes from the one person I made the order with, to the kitchen staff, and finally to the driver. I will never order from here again. There's absolutely no credit card security.
(1)Carmen G.
I just went back to this place after a long time of not eating here. The wait staff has always changed but this time it's the kicker. There one man who is there who is pretty rude. The other lady is very courteous to us, which kind of makes up for the other guy. But I will caution to go here again if this person is still there. The food is very good but they have gone down on their portion sizes. I will try again in a couple months (maybe a year). :(
(2)Covert W.
This is the kind of place where you have to know what to order and what to avoid (usually from experience or word of mouth). For example, I always get the baby clam chili from here but never pad thai. Other good dishes -- the tom yum koong, basil fried rice and pad siew (usually).
(3)Aaron B.
I found Siam to be a fair value, but below-average Thai faire. Spicing was subdued, perhaps to cater to midwestern tastes. Prices fairly reasonable, around $8/dish, but even at this price, I'd expect more.
(2)May Y.
Most authentic Thai food in Hyde Park! I came to Siam with a friend on Independent Day, since most restaurants in downtown and Lincoln Park are closed were and Siam is close to her college. I am thankful that Siam is opened every day, including Sunday and Monday, and most public holidays. Although the decor of Siam is not as nice as that of Snail and Thai 55 on the same street, the food of Siam is the best. There are many authentic dishes in Siam, which are not provided in the other two restaurants, including Papaya Salad and Coconut Banana. Compared to most Thai restaurants, Siam adds relatively less MSG, which is good news for people suffered from many food allergies like me. The Papaya Salad is very well-made. It is neither too spicy nor covered by too many peanuts. The papaya remains as the center of attention here, which makes it a successful dish. While there were many people in Siam that evening, my friend and I had a two-hour girls talk, and the waitress neither complained nor tried to kick us out, which I considered her exceptionally nice. Since Siam is very close to Lake Michigan, my friend and I were able to get a good view of the fireworks within a twenty minute walk. The Lake Shore Trial is definitely less crowded than Navy Pier. Siam, thanks for a memorable Independent Day! If you are in Hyde Park, you should definitely stop by Siam! Food: 3 Service: 5 Decor: 2 P.S. Siam, Thai 55 and Snail have the same owner. Here's how I would rank them A) Decor: 1) Snail 2) Thai 55 3) Siam B) Food: 1) Siam 2) Thai 55 3) Snail It seems that there is a negative correlation on the food and decor here. Also, unlike Thai 55 and Snail, Siam does not accept foreign cards for delivery.
(3)E W.
Three months later I gave it another try. My experience was significantly better this time. I ordered a meal from the lunch menu (which I noticed had increased in price) and a Thai iced tea. The food was simple but delicious. There was nothing extra or outstanding about the meal, but it was satisfactory.
(3)Anny L.
completely don't understand why some comments favors Thai 55 or Snail against Siam. Come on, I mean, Siam is definitely the BEST THAI FOOD wi/ best price in Hyde Park, isn't it?! The food is definitely fresh and yummy. I LOVE its ambrosial curry dishes and extremely fresh seafoods. Let alone the palatable soups e.g. Tom yam Kong or Potak. You'll also never go wrong with Basil Chicken or Basil Mussel/baby clam. As a Hyde Park resident, I feel very sad that some comments here are REALLY misleading. Doubt whether they are sent by competitors to bring shame on Siam...If you live here and tried all three Thai places before, you know what I mean.
(5)Y C.
An hour and 20 minutes to make a neighborhood delivery, food that's mediocre... yeah, go with Thai 55 or Snail.
(1)Keerthana K.
Worst thai food in hyde park. Probably worse than microwavable meals. I just had the pad thai with tofu and it was almost flavorless. Order it if you want to know what bland really means. Is it stil pad thai if it's just noodles and crushed peanuts? My friend got the vegetable seafood dish, which came with 3 small shrimp pieces and mostly lettuce in a gross brown sauce. She ate the 3 pieces of shrimp and threw the rest away. At almost $10 for this dish, it was even more disappointing than the pad thai. Do yourself a favor and eat at Thai 55 (or even The Snail), or basically absolutely anywhere but here.
(1)Chloe Z.
I highly doubt that Siam has traded down to a lower chef I used to love this place 3 years ago. Recently I hit the place again with friends, confident that we'd have some decent Thai food in Hyde Park NOT ANY MORE! The first omen was the odor when we stepped in. Smells like the place has been shut and steam got mixed with dusts and leftovers. Undeterred, we sat down and ordered Tom Yum, yellow Curry, etc. Common, these are standard thai dishes that every thai chef should master if they are worth their salt! Yet we were just outright disappointed. The tom yum was toooooo spicy with white pepper (fyi, I grew up eating Sze Chuan dishes , so when I say spicy, it IS spicy). The curry was swamped with coconut milk and just ruined the flavor Sorry to say this, but among the trio Thai places on 55th street, I can tell which is going down fast
(1)Tori B.
Wow. Please take it from the other 1 star reviewers and NEVER order from Siam Thai. Their customer service is horrendous. I ordered a Tom Kha and instead got the Tom Yum, so I called the restaurant. The guy manning the phone spoke horrible English. However, after a lot of extensive explaining, they said they'd talk to the kitchen and refund me tomorrow. About an hour later I get a call back from the restaurant and the guy told me to "listen very close" and that I could "never order from Siam again". He furiously told me the kitchen swore they made the right thing, and that I "LIED"! He threatened me, saying he had my address and that they would never deliver there again. Well, after that encounter, GOOD RIDDANCE. I'm never eating there again whether they like it or not. I'm not deviating from Thai 55 again--take your business there instead. And as for my delivery address? It's a building full of 800 hungry college students. Have fun losing business!
(1)Manas N.
I actually couldn't believe it: the level of service was only matched by the equally crappy dessert that we received. Let me set the scene. Raining evening in Chicago. Friends and I decide we want to eat out. We are the first and only people in the restaurant. We are allowed beer, which was one of two things possibly - though in the end not - redeeming about this place. We get places by the window, presumably to advertise for the place, to make it seem like the place is a little fuller. Fine, and three larger groups came after us, so it probably worked. Our waiter - if I could call him that - is inpatient, unhelpful, and unorganized. Not just for our group, but I notice he's taking his time with other parties as well. My appetizer order is wrong - tom yum with a meat not of my choosing. My friend has to chide them to make me the correct soup. My rice entree was good- the second potentially - yet not - redeeming thing about this place. When it comes to dessert, it was just plain awful when it could have been exactly the opposite. The fried banana in coconut milk started out well, but the banana pieces were completely frozen on the inside. Are you kidding me? We didn't finish, and we didn't bring it up because we were tired of having to micromanage. They just simply didn't have the manpower to handle even one group of people on a Saturday night - I know, makes no sense to me.
(1)Andrew C.
I don't see why anyone goes here when the Snail and Thai 55 are down the street. The curries lack flavor, and the staff have a poor command of English. Siam's main attraction used to be that it sold beer, but that ceased in 2010 when they opted not to renew their liquor license. I predict that this business will close in the next 5 years.
(2)Allyce B.
Between Siam, Thai 55 and the Snail, Siam WAS my restaurant of choice. After my last visit, I know I'll never go back. To start, my waitress was horrible. I have never had someone roll their eyes at me for ORDERING FOOD in a restaurant. I am told that this waitress has since been fired, but she should never have been hired in the first place and that just shows how much the management cares. I ordered my usual Pad See Ew and a banana bubble tea, but I decided to be unusual and get a shrimp appetizer. The waitress took my order, with a lot of unnecessary attitude, and came back later to tell me that they were out of the appetizer I wanted. I was perfectly fine with that and decided to just have pot stickers instead. Literally 10min later, a man walks in and orders the same shrimp appetizer I wanted and he gets it....So I'm wondering why he got the appetizer and I didn't, but I let it go. Then the waitress doesn't bring my friends any rice to go with their dishes. I had to ask her 3 times to bring out rice as if it wasn't sitting right behind the counter in a rice cooker. That should have been the first thing she brought out considering it's a restaurant where almost everything comes with a side of rice. Asking 3 times for something that is already cooked and sitting a few feet away is unacceptable. Then there was my banana bubble tea. It never came. I asked the waitress several times where it was and she said each time that it would be "right out" The final time I asked she said with more attitude than ever "the manager doesn't feel like making it, okay?" There was no apologetic tone or offer for another type of drink. Nothing. That was it. BEYOND RUDE. My friend, then outraged, demanded to see the manager. The waitress went to get him and then came back saying that the manager didn't feel like coming out. My friend then got up, walked to the counter and looked into the kitchen where the manager was standing and they then got into an argument ending with the manager saying "Who do you think you are? What do you want from me?" and my friend replying with "I'm the customer here and I want you to give me and my friends the food we ordered when we order it. That's your job!" Needless to say, we paid (with NO tip), left, and never looked back.
(1)Kevin C.
Ahaha. No. If your idea of a pad thai is supermarket plastic bags sliced into strips, then mixed with chicken dried to the texture of ash, then this is the place for you. If you like your food to be edible, patronize elsewhere.
(1)Emily C.
I LOVE this place! Great taste and really good price. All kinds of curry dishes are amazing. Soups are also good! Though the environment doesn't look attractive from outside comparing with other Thai places on this street, which to me don't have food as fresh and tasty as Siam, it definitely worth a try to sit in and enjoy the atmosphere here.
(5)Alexandra D.
The folks here are lovely. The ambiance isn't as nice as the other thai restaurants around, but there is always space to sit, and you can always hear your dinner companions talk. The crab Rangoon and the massaman curry are excellent!
(4)Jackie M.
I usually order the beef pad-see ew because the noodles are so silky and tasty. The beef can be hit or miss. Recently, it was really dry and overdone. PRO: they offer delivery ($3) to my workplace, which is very convenient and fast service!
(3)Dennis T.
I basically live across the street from this place so I eat here at least once a week. The food is pretty awesome and the portions are huge, though I usually stick to the Pad Thai, the Pad Kee Mao, basil chicken, and the yellow/green curry. The pad thai is among the best I've had. It's not overly greasy or sugary and you get a choice of meat or tofu. The basil chicken is my go to if I can't think of anything else, ground chicken stir fried with basil, garlic, and bell peppers. The curries are balanced without being too sweet, rich, or spicy. If you're not in a rush, ask for the fried butter fish in a chili sauce. It takes a little longer than anything else on the menu but it's worth the wait. The decor isn't all that impressive and it feels a bit dated. It's not exactly the place you would take a date if you want to impress them with the ambiance. The owners sometimes have difficulty understanding me when I order through the phone but it's not much of a problem. The service in the restaurant itself is pretty average, no complaints. And they have an awesome lunch special which includes an entree, a vegetable soup, and an egg roll for under 8 dollars. If you don't mind the decor, definitely stop by for the awesome food.
(4)Roetta C.
I am spending the summer in Chicago and just had the Basil Chicken at Siam Thai Restaurant and all I can say is that it's slamming! I have been back four times so far and I am unable to try anything else on the menu -- I gobble it down as if I have never eaten food before! I promised myself that the next time I want Thai food I will try another Hyde Park Thai Restaurant, but I seriously doubt it!
(4)Mario S.
I was in the Hyde Park neighborhood to see the Dr. Seuss exhibit about two weeks ago. And I was told that Siam had great food and service. So my Fiance and I decided to go eat there. Food was not bad for the price. They could improve on portions my Fiance's pad thai was good but my pad see ew was like a third of the plate while my Fiane's was completely full. But what ruined my day was the service. The man was rude. He didn't greet us he practically threw everything on our table. And he only came three times, to take our order, throw the food on the table, and slam the check on our table, and ten minutes before we left a couple came in and he was laughing, and pretty much kissing up to them and coming back like 4 times asking them if they needed anything! Wtf? I get better service at a drive thru.. I hope they read this and consider getting rid of him or if he's the owner. Please just get a waitress. I'm going back to Hyde Park next week and I'll be trying the place down the treet Snail Thai...
(1)Barry I.
Last Monday,after visiting the Museum of Science and Industry,I had the privilege of eating excellent Thai food at this restaurant.I took advantage of its excellent evening special dinner which included an excellent salad,a wonderful Thai Chicken Soup,and a tasty Penang Curry with Jasmine Rice.I paid $11.95 for this delicious food.The wait staff was very cordial and efficient.
(5)Amy V.
I am soooo very disappointed. I used to love Siam and swear by their Green Curry Tofu. Today I ordered the lunch special (which is a good price) with the green curry tofu and was only able to consume the soup and eggroll from being full. Later I opened up my dish and it was curry chicken! Not at all what I asked for. I rarely eat meat and the chicken was rubbery and disgusting. Worst part was...I called and was insulted by the man on the phone. He chastised me for not calling immediately and said that I was stupid not to check my order. I argued that I didn't think I had to assume it wouldn't be wrong. He then raised his voice and said that he didnt know why I was calling him because he was not the one who took the order (a different shift did). Uhhhh hello!! Do you work there? I am usually a very calm person. I don't lose my temper but to have someone mess my order up, yell at me, insult me just about pushed me to the bring. Goodluck ordering with this jerk working the phones. Make sure you check your carryouts as well because apparently there are no apologies or replacements here. I
(1)V G.
Their curry s are amazing, and Lunch specials are extremely affordable. The owner is really nice, sweet and accommodating. The store opens at 11, yet if I called in around 10 and she was in the restaurant, she would still take my order and have it ready before store hours. Made me a loyal customer.
(5)Unhappy C.
I ordered delivery from this place. It never came. I called them to ask why after an hour and a half and was on the phone for 20 minutes with a man who yelled at me. Utterly ridiculous. Save yourself the trouble and order from anywhere but here.
(1)J W.
This place sucks! Out of the 3 this is the worst on 55th.
(1)Jason P.
Good prices and great food! The decor is nothing special but easily overlooked by relaxing music delicious food!
(4)J J.
This used to be my go to spot in Hyde Park for Thai food. I haven't been back for a couple of years until today. Now I remember why I haven't been back. I used to order two dishes religously, the "baby clam chili, and roast duck". For some reason I think they changed chefs awhile back because the dishes that I always order tasted different. The baby clam chili dish used to be very very spicy (which i love) and not as oily. This was the only place that I could find baby clam chili and they fucked it up. The roast duck used to be very tender, I'd say the best in the city. It used to be sliced very neatly. Now it seems they just chop it up and throw it in the container. I'm mad that I used to love the food and now it's just BLAH!!!! It's probably good if you've never been there before but for someone who knows how it used to be, me thinks not.
(1)Seferina B.
As a New Yorker I look for the equivalents of my favorite neighborhood restaurants in every new city I am living in and in terms of price and quality of their food, Siam has become my go-to. - They are reasonably priced - an entree is around $7 - They give a 10% UChicago student discount - You can call an order in, eat there, or get delivery - Their service is pretty quick for the restaurants around here. The staff is polite and helpful. It takes around 10-15 minutes after ordering for food to come - I have usually dined there with around 1-3 other people, but have seen them entertain larger groups with no trouble. They have actually recently added a dining room for large groups (looks to seat around 20+) but keep it closed off from the other diners. - Their food is delicious and well-seasoned. I am not a fan of their Pad Thai sauce - it is a little sweet for me - but their Pad See Ew is fantastic as is their Green Curry. For appetizers, their Chicken Satay is a classic winner. - They are really easygoing about taking food home with you after your meal I've been eating there for 3 years and have never had a bad meal.
(4)Izzy N.
4 stars for this place? Shame on all of you. My pad thai was bland and gross. I couldn't even finish. This place isn't worth it so trek a little further into the city for some decent thai OR make some top ramen. Because it'll be better. oh and you're welcome.
(1)Amy Y.
I ordered the curry from here once. I was disappointed. The chili sauce was not spicy at all, too watery, and worst of all, they use canned mushrooms!! How hard is it to use fresh mushrooms? The dish was sloppily made too without balance in flavor. Will not order from here again.
(2)Klakow A.
This is the best Thai restaurant in Hyde Park area. It serves authentic Thai food at a very good price. Other Thai restaurants around Hyde Park don't serve as authentic and tasty Thai food as Siam. I highly recommend this place. The only drawback is that the service is slow sometimes. Yet, the good food from this place is totally worth waiting.
(5)Julie M.
Awesomely good, and awesomely cheap! We were looking around for a place to eat after going into First-Aid Comics one Friday night and this place got suggested. It was not too crowded but started to fill up after we got there, but it was still fast service and yummy food!
(5)Chris L.
The food here is just gross. The dining room is dirty. The staff is inattentive. I do not recommend this restaurant. There are two other Thai restaurants on the same street with superior food, staff, and environment.
(1)Don A.
I like each of the restaurants on Thai row for different reasons, but I frequent this one the most. The atmosphere is better at the Snail but I find the food here just as tasty and noticeably cheaper. I typically call for take out and by the time I walk there from my apartment (no more than 5 minutes), its ready to go. Service was always fast and friendly. The Bangkok Chicken is my favorite and is enough food for two meals. I wouldn't go here on a date, but its great for a group of friends and especially for take-out.
(4)Matthew S.
As I keep noting, I just moved back to the city. I wandered around, and ended up in Hyde Park. I was hungry so I decided on going to Siam. It was OK. I have to admit, as a North Sider, I wasn't super impressed - but the food was good, and was ready really quickly. I had Pad Siew with beef, and banana dumplings. The pad siew noodles were super fat, and pretty tasty. I could have done with some extra peanut sauce though. The banana dumplings were really sweet and tasty, if not a bit gelatinous. Not what I expected, but still plenty good. It was more food than I could eat. The place was very simple, and I did go kind of late. One of the waitresses daughters was running around the place with a broom, she had to have been about 4. When I smiled at her, she smiled back and then promptly stuck her finger up her nose. Wonderful. I would go back if I was in Hyde Park again - but wouldn't actively tell people to "check it out". Cheap eats, filling, OK atmosphere.
(3)Brinley B.
We were on our way to The Snail Thai Cuisine because although other reviewers said this food was better, they also said it was a grungy hole-in-the-wall with terrible service. However, as we passed by, it didn't look grungy to us. The Snail may be good too, but I don't know because Siam was wonderful. We got the chicken curry and the cashew chicken and both were very good. The Thai iced tea was also very good. Sure, the floors looked old, but it wasn't dirty. My only complaint is we waited a while to pay the bill, and finally had to go up to the counter. But perhaps we were expexted to do that and just didn't know. Also, interestingly, they had the classical radio station playing, which we enjoyed.
(4)Elisabeth C.
Update: I recently moved away from Hyde Park, and will miss my Basil chicken! It's slightly inconsistent in the spiciness, which is fine since I love spicy food, and occasionally gets a little greasy. But it's still the best around!
(4)Katelyn S.
The service here is absolutely terrible. Like, unbelievably bad. The waitress flat out forgot to submit my order. I didn't get my food until an hour after the other people at my table. I had to ask her repeatedly for my food, and she kept telling me "they were working on it". And, this was clearly not an uncommon problem. The people waiting for take out were there for over an hour as well (and were yelling at the waitress/cook), and when I left after two hours, the people who had arrived at the same time as me were still waiting for my food. Terrible service, incompetent workers. The food wasn't even that great. Anybody who wants Thai food in Hyde Park should really just go to the Snail. It's literally next door. It's equally cheap, the food is better, and you won't have to wait for hours for your food!
(1)Rachael B.
This place... Jam good. Jam freaking yummy delicious good. And straight forward! And in Hyde Park, and the curry, for my palette, is perfect (and curry is hard to get perfect). I heart you Siam.
(4)Zhiyou D.
edible food, don't like the environment much.
(3)Ben V.
Ordered delivery online, arrived promptly. Food was very good for the money. It's not high-end, but it was good. We will order again.
(4)Jay K.
Ordered online at foodonearth.com with their 5% off promo going on while on call. Looking for something different from the usual Thai55. Some dishes were pretty good, others fairly weak: Pros: 1) Shrimp Pad Wun Sen (mung bean vermicelli, veges & large shrimp) - was very impressed with the size of shrimp used - bigger than Thai55 and a fair number (5). 2) Basil Chicken - not as finely ground as Thai55, but certainly has quite a bit of heat; One of our Indian docs actually couldn't take the heat. Smaller in size than Thai55, but less vegetable filler. 3) Cheaper than Snail or Thai55 Cons: 1) Pad thai was unrecognizable, noodles too wide, bland and dry. 2) Fried chicken wontons had too little filling which consisted solely of some crumbly dried ground chicken 3) Beef salad was chock full of beef, but the salad fixins were weak - a few slivers of cucumber, smattering of julienned carrots and a few large leaves of iceberg. 4) Kai Yang - Thai Grilled Chicken was incongruous satay spice from a pouch and exceedingly dried out. Accompanying "sweet" chili sauce was horribly sour - they definitely did NOT give us the sauce which is supposed to accompany this dish. 5) Steamed rice is the same-old bleh you get from most takeout joints. 6) Stirfried mixed vegetables was a mix of bland, large chunked ends (nappa stems are filler... not food) 7) Pad Ped Talay - faux-scallops, tough squid, overcooked shrimp, coarse vegetable filler, bland for a red curry Looking forward to trying their Bamee, Roast duck on rice, Yen Ta Fo, Shrimp in Hot Pot, Butterfish and Curry fried rice. PICTURES AS ABOVE
(3)Michael D.
Soooooo cheap in terms of price. Usually I shoot over to Thai 55, but headed here last evening due to 55 being remodeled. I appreciate a few things about this place: 1) I love the feeling of the interior - it's very much a bare bones kind of place - no booths or anything, just one room with a bunch of tables of chairs. Adds to the neighborhood vibe of the place. 2) The appetizers are fantastic - try anything with crab 3) The folks running the joint are sweet - the kids of the owners or something also were kind of chilling there when we ate at the restaurant, so that was a cool vibe for a neighborhood restaurant 4) The mango smoothie I had was pretty damn tasty 5) The food is spicier here than at 55, and I like my Thai food (specifically my yellow curry) to be a little on the sassy side.
(4)Yaniv K.
I came here after hearing they offer a 10% discount for UChicago students. I also came here exactly one day after going to the other Thai restaurant a block west. After ordering the same dish, a traditional Pad Thai with Tofu, I will never come back to Siam. The pad thai was tasteless, insipid and unnecessarily soggy. Its accompanying tofu was seemingly never dried. But there was nothing worse than the service. The owner and his waiters treated me carelessly and without the slightest modicum of attention and courtesy. If you want great service and better taste for what it's worth, go to Thai 55, definitely not here.
(2)Nicole B.
As other reviewers have mentioned, Siam is the best Thai restaurant in HP. I would know-- I've been living here in HP for 8 years, 5 of which have been spent living right across from "Thai Row". Siam is a grubby hole-in-the-wall, but their food is quite delicious. Try the basil chicken-- it's my favorite!
(4)Jim M.
Being a Thai restaurant on a street with three Thai restaurants on two blocks is a tough gig. I'm not really sure how Snail, basically next door, became more popular. Not only more popular, but somehow has developed the reputation as being the better food of the two. Maybe they just do a better job of presenting people what they expect to see. I don't know. For some reason, Chicago area Thai food restaurants seem to heavily feature a very wide, flat noodle style more than I've seen anywhere else. And that happens to be something I don't prefer. But that's just a matter of taste, not quality. If you've a reason to be in Hyde Park, and let's face it very few people do, and you like Thai food, try Siam before you try Snail or Thai 55. Some will disagree, and some will insist maybe I just don't know much about food, or about Thai food. Try Siam first. You'll find I'm right.
(4)Vanessa B.
Canned mushrooms?? I hope this is not actually the best Thai place in Hyde Park, or else I'm in for major disappointment when I try the others. My friend got a noodle dish and it was tasty, just as good as I've had at other Thai places. But my dish, Basil Shrimp, was just ok. The first thing I noticed were the decrepit-looking mushrooms. If these things didn't come from a can, they were extremely, extremely overcooked. And I came craving mushrooms! They had no taste! :-( The dish also had a sweetness I don't like, but the spiciness was just right. Price was good too. I appreciate the student discount. I will go to the other Thai places before returning here though.
(2)Alysson L.
I'm a big lover of Thai, so when I first arrived in Hyde Park, I systematically ate at all three of the places on 55th (and Noodles Etc. eventually, although I consider them Pan-Asian), and my initial choice of a Thai restaurant was Siam. Their Thom Kha Gai is possibly the best on the street, their prices are the lowest, and they're often empty, leaving me free to enjoy all of the available service. But you know what? The curry at The Snail is spicier. The decor is undeniably better. The prices aren't that much higher. And one time I walked into Siam Restaurant looking to sit down and enjoy myself, and was told that they'd had a large group in earlier and were out of clean silverware, and so they would only offer me take-out. I saw two girls in the corner attempting to eat noodles with their fingers, and I took my food to-go. Ever since that experience, I've skipped on by Siam and headed for The Snail.
(3)Crelatia K.
I don't go to Siam for the atmosphere...I go for the basil chicken, basil fried rice (I like the veggie basil fr) & the bangkok chicken. The service is very hands off, meaning you often have to ask for your check, but they take your order and get your food to you fast. Also it's BYOB & usually when you pull out your beer, the owner will immediately bring you a lovely frosty mug to pour your beer in (& no corkage fee). If the mango & sticky rice dessert is available-- go for it--it's the owner's favorite & the mangos are always perfect.
(4)Paul S.
Rough looking place but food was decent and service was regular. Chicken pad thai was plentiful and the bill was light on the wallet.
(3)Elizabeth R.
Best Thai food I have had in the entire city, and it's in Hyde Park, hiding next to the unfortunately more popular Snail. I make everyone I can come with me here at least once. It's a rather unassuming place, and very affordable even on a student budget. Their lunch specials are indeed generous and leave me with leftovers. The panang curry with tofu is mmmm, but my favorite dish I've ever had here is the pad see yu (the pad woon sen is lovely too). You'll need to like thick rice noodles, but the sauce is just amazing. The kind owners brought us free beer (tsing tao, which I love), and peeled orange slices so we could continue happily chatting after we'd finished dinner. I could go here at minumum, weekly. Oh, and try the thai coffee or a green tea shake! ETA- I adore the massaman curry with tofu as well. My husband recommends the tom yum soup and the seafood soup.
(5)M L.
I came here with a group about an hour before closing...we ordered, we ate, the food was decent. Then comes the check. We split it up among ourselves, we pay... ...and the proprietor (I think she was the proprietor anyway) comes back saying we paid $20 less than we owed. Which is patently ridiculous, because we freaking COUNTED OUT the cash before we tucked it into the little tray. So we do a search to make sure the 20 wasn't dropped somewhere by accident, but no luck. 30 minutes of searching/arguing/re-counting later, we finally pony up the "missing" $20. And then the lady has the gall to say we didn't tip enough! We tipped a good 20%, and SHE'S the one who freaking lost our money. Or pocketed it, for all we know. I am NEVER going to this restaurant again.
(1)G M.
super cheap, especially during lunch time. A great family owned restaurant. Love their basil chicken and curries.
(4)Poof A.
I keep going back here for the $6.95 lunch special (so much food for your money!) but really, it's not great. There is rarely a veggie soup option; the spring roll (which costs $1 to substitute for the egg roll) is always absolutely drenched in overly-sweet sauce; and the mains are just ok. The decor is really meh, and the service leaves a lot to be desired. Head to Thai 55 instead.
(2)Joel H.
If you've been to a Thai restaurant in this part of Hyde Park, it was probably Snail. Little did you know that the best Thai food in south Chicago was being served next door at Siam. Some might compare this place to a hole-in-the-wall, but I like to think of it as unpretentious. The food is inexpensive and the service is always fast, although none too chatty---the way I prefer it. Many academics from U Chicago go here, so you can often overhear some bizarre conversations about things like archaeological digs and/or quantum physics. I highly recommend the tom yum chicken noodle soup (with wide rice noodles). (8.16.2008): Still Great! I will miss this place. Maybe I can beg them for the recipe for tom yum chicken noodle soup.
(5)Adam S.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways: 1. Chili chicken -- it's chicken and vegetables and it's spicy and all-around tasty. 2. Basil chicken -- chicken and basil, better tasting than such a simple-seeming combination has any right to be. 3. Lunch specials -- reduced price and it comes with soup and egg roll. It's available on both of the aforementioned dishes and is a fantastic deal. A cut above Thai 55 and the Snail for Hyde Park Thai.
(4)Joe M.
Great food at a very affordable price. I have to admit that I have only done take out, but in general its great. Tasty noodle dishes and fresh veggies. Also, I second the appetizer recommendation: anything with crab.
(5)Katrina B.
I've only been to this restaurant once, but it delivered a solid performance. Service is slow, but the food was tasty and definitely worth the price. The decor is sparse, but the staff is warm and friendly. Definitely hangs in there with the rest of the 5th St. crew.
(3)Zach H.
Unassuming and a little divey, this is the best thai place in Hyde Park. The curries are usually great, as is the pad thai, pad si ew, and those other standards. The other thai places down the street are going to be more packed and their restaurants look nicer, but the real treat is here. The portions are nice and the staff has no problem making any adjustments to your order you might need (I went here often with a vegan friend who had no problem getting a full meal tailored to his dietary needs).
(5)Bridget G.
Not the best Thai I've ever had, but I can walk in, order pad thai for carry-out, and be out the door in no more than 7 minutes- sometimes quicker. The best of 55th street thai places.
(4)Alan M.
We had red curry catfish and pad thai. Both were good.
(4)jaime m.
i just had the rangoon & green curry ( my fave thai dish) delivered and i am pretty dissapointed. one word: FLAVORLESS(or odlly flavored maybe). insert sad face here
(2)