Been coming here for 10yrs. The owners are very friendly and interactive, as well as the staff. The only thing I wish they'd do is add more of a variety on seafood and duck entrees. Other than that, this place has a special place in my heart where I've had many great memories ( ^^)
(4)
Tony J.
Red curry and pad thai are about the only 2 thai dishes I particularly eat. First time I ate here for lunch, I ordered the pad thai. I've been getting the same over and over. Their pad thai is just eally good. The flavor was so balanced, not too sour nor too sweet nor too spicy, overall it just taste great. Portion is pretty big as well and if you had to take home some, warming it up with a quick pan fry still makes it an awesome meal. I didnt care much for their curry though, exotic thai in terrehaute serves much better red curry dish. But hands down I give this place kudos for their pad thai.
(4)
Chris C.
Very tasty Thai food for Indianapolis. They have great lunch specials and very quick and friendly service.
(4)
Emily M.
My husband and I finally found a place in Indy that tastes like my Thai mother-in-law's cooking. Down to the decor and the dishes, this place is like home. The food has a great flavor and is very fresh. My husband always orders the "Thai hot" on the spice meter and it never disappoints. The pad thai is great, just like "Mom Mom" used to make. The noodles we always have had are the authentic Thai rice noodles, so not sure what one reviewer was speaking about, unless maybe they were serving something different that day. It's a great place and the staff and service has always been great.
(5)
Ann L.
We go here regularly and the food is consistently good. All of the noodle dishes are great, as are the curries. They will make the food whatever spice level a diner would like including "no spice" for those who don't even want the mildest level of spice. Servings are big, but I like leftovers so this is not a problem! I love seeing family owned businesses do well given the dominance of chains in Indianapolis!
(4)
Jennifer L.
I don't know what they put in the soup, but I think it might be part Heaven, part crack. I was craving Thai today, and recently moved from DC where there was a plethora of choices oh Thai food. This is comparable to the best I have found . The Drunken Noodles are wonderful. This was just lunch. I am already thinking about dinner. The only thing that surprised me is that they didn't have mango sticky rice. But hey, tapioca is pretty amazing, too. Also, they were probably the nicest people I have met. And this is Indiana. That's saying something.
(5)
Mark L.
We have been eating for here for many years and the food and service is always the best. One of our favorite places to eat great Thai cuisine.
(5)
Patty B.
This place was delicious. I've been to a few different Thai places in the Indy area and haven't found one that satisfied my Thai craving until I went here last night. The Massaman curry was delicious. The sauce was thicker than I've normally had but the spice and flavor was excellent! I love that when they ask you the spice level, it actually lives up to it. I like spicy food and I ordered one step down from Thai Style and it was indeed Hot, but not crazy crazy spicy! Also, the atmosphere is very quaint and authentic and the owner even came out to ask how everything was. I was eating here with a friend I hadn't seen in a while so we ended up staying over an hour after we finished dinner and paid our bills. The owner said not to worry at all about that and encouraged us to stay as long as we'd like and even bought us both a glass of wine on the house. When asked if he was the owner, he replied "I work for you!". He was adorable. Definitely try this place! Thanks Sawasdee for a great dinner!
(5)
Bruce P.
we went there for my wifes b-day.. the food was good but not as good as we hoped for... the portions were large and priced good...good service... nice atmosphere for a friendly gathering...
(3)
Bihl B.
Indianapolis is not a place I think of for Thai so was pleasantly surprised with Sawasdee. The staff was gracious and the food as good as I've found in the city. The serving size was ample, without being too large as many Midwestern restaurants provide. I loved the Tom Ka Gai soup and the Masman Curry especially. Will definitely be on my favorite list for Indy!
(4)
Rebecca O.
I will try to give the short version of my horrible restaurant experience here. In my first review for this restaurant I gave it two stars for less than average food. Today I would give it no stars if it were possible. The crab rangoon had very little filling, mostly just crispy wrapper. Not that I would have wanted more filling anyway because I believe they replaced the crab portion of the rangoon with black pepper. My boyfriend said it wasn't bad just odd to have pepper (or at least *that much* pepper) in crab rangoon. Personally, I can't stand black pepper and couldn't eat it. They replaced the order with fried tofu which was okay for what it was. For the main dish we shared pad thai. That was a poor choice. It came out looking white, no coloring to it and consequently no flavor. We determined there were no peanuts in it and suspect there was no tamarind, palm sugar, or fish sauce either. It had spices but the dish didn't resemble pad thai whatsoever. The owner came out and apologized very profusely and promised they would have a meeting later about the poor quality of the dish. The second round of pad thai was no better. They overcompensated for the lack of soy sauce by saturating the noodles. We could only stand to eat a few bites before feeling overstuffed and bloated from all the sodium. They asked if we wanted a box and we said all we wanted was the check. They didn't take off/reduce the price of either dish or say anything more about their first two (now three) screw-ups. Suffice to say, we will not be returning again. I was thoroughly dissatisfied with the epic proportion of their culinary failure. *end rant*
(1)
Laura S.
This place redeemed Thai food for me. Before eating here, I had only had Thai food once at a different "Thai" restaurant that was absolutely disgusting. I refused to go near any Thai food for several years until a colleague of mine suggested we try this place. He offered to pay for my lunch if I didn't like it, so I figured I didn't have anything to lose. The employees were all very friendly and polite. The restaurant was busy since it was the usual weekday lunch hour rush, but the restaurant didn't seem overcrowded and noisy like some places can be. I ordered the Kao Padd with shrimp and my colleague go the Padd Thai with chicken. Both lunches came with a lemongrass type broth soup and a spring roll, and the soup and spring roll were very tasty. I ordered my Kao Padd medium as I like spicier things and it was delicious. The rice was cooked perfectly and the food came out very fast. I have since been back here and have had the Pad Kee Mow with pork. These were also tasty and the noodles tasted homemade. I will be eating here again in the near future.
(4)
Cassandra W.
I think I've expressed this before in the yelp world but, I'm a thai food snob. I really like it. I've eaten thai food more than any other food (mexican is a close second) and it hails from one of my favorite places to visit, THAILAND. Can you review a country? I should. I love Thailand. Anyway, Sawasdee was just okay. Maybe I'm spoiled by NYC thai restaurants where they go to Chinatown to get freshly made broad rice noodles, rather than bringing them from Chicago on a truck in bags and 're-constituting' them... or maybe I'm secretly hoping Indianapolis will create it's own Chinatown to further legitimize itself. People have recommended Sawasdee to me over and over again. I went. There is nothing to really complain about, its.. OK. I felt like the Pad Kea Mow was too busy. Not enough noodles, too many veggies and such. It was also overspiced- It is usually a dish with some heat, the kind where you need to have an Thai Iced Coffee along with it just to calm down your taste buds. This one was --- stomachache inducing. I should qualify myself a little. I've had Kea Mow in 3 different provinces of Thailand. I've had it in over 20 Thai restaurants in NYC. I've had it at every Thai restaurant in Indianapolis. Okay- end of rant. It wasn't the end of the world. It was just ok.
(3)
Jennifer S.
Very good - I've both done take out and eaten in several times. The Pad Thai is my favorite!
(4)
George N.
Very weak Thai food. Ordered Red Curry, with cabbage salad and Hot/Sour soup. Meat was bone dry, no veggies, no basil, very lame. Cabbage tasteless, soup tasted old. One and done. Plus, ordered beer and they forgot to bring it!
(2)
Sok L.
When I'm at any Thai restaurant, I always test two dishes: pad Thai and papaya salad. Not the best but the ambience is great.
(2)
Byron W.
Nothing particularly wrong with my experience, but nothing to rave about, either. I got chicken, steak and shrimp over fried rice and it was quite bland until I got an idea to pour the "sauce" over the dish. It was not an easy task, with only a small spoon. Not sure how they expect diners to accomplish this. Why not bring "a side" of the sauce in a small pour with which to pour, if they know the food has no flavor of its own... If I was in the neighborhood again and hungry, with no other options, I would probably go again. Too bad for my friends and I, we drove quite a distance for some good Thai food and left disappointed...
(3)
Jennifer P.
One of the best Thai places in Indy! Have been here several times and they never disappoint. The service is excellent, the food quality and quantity is great, and the prices are good as well! Couldn't ask for more! My fave is masaman curry, if you are a curry fan, you should check it out!
(5)
Jennifer B.
I've been here twice in two weeks.. the first time I started with the Tao Hoo Thod appetizer, it didn't disappoint nor did the peanut sauce. Nom nom. Follow up was the Red Curry ordered super Thai Hot. It was delicious but didn't quite burn my mouth off.. Tonight I went with a group of friends and ordered the Pud Prik King with Tofu extra super spicy Thai hot and it BURNED my mouth off! My four dinner guests were afraid of trying it and only two of them dared, one bite and they were out of the game. I'm amazed, in all my years of eating out at Indian, Thai and Chinese places I've never had someone try to kill me when ordering that hot before. I think I officially love Sawasdee! I'm not usually one to splurge on dessert but I had to follow up with the Mango Coconut Sticky Rice dish just to save my mouth. They also refilled my water glasses like a zillion times without asking. I swear our table had a rotation of five people just filling our glasses. I'm going to go upload a photo of the spicy dish I devoured tonight, you can practically feel the burn through the imagery. For the record, the egg rolls are melt in your mouth delicious and my friends all loved their Pad Thai and ooh man that Thai Iced Tea is kind of like the Starbucks Green Tea Latte/Frap if it were orange colored.. I'm also going to upload photos taken in the ladies room for the simple fact that I feel its tragic that the male gender will not be exposed to its elegance otherwise.
(5)
Adrienne G.
This is a great Thai place tucked away in a strip mall near 86th and Ditch. I have been here more times than I can count, and every time I have left with a full belly and a smile on my face. The service is speedy without making you feel like they are trying to get you out the door. And I absolutely love that they bring orange slices at the end of your meal. What a nice touch! I think Sawasdee's spice level is hotter than Jasmine Thai, so if you don't like things too hot, be careful when ordering! I have no complaints about this place and will continue to dine here.
(4)
John J.
I had the Padd Thai(medium) and chicken satay for an app. The peanut sauce that came with the chicken was wonderful. The chicken was tender and very good. With the Pad Thai,you have a choice of beef ,chicken ,vegetarian and I went with the chicken. The chunks of chicken were very tender and the dish was very delicious. One word of caution, they don't have a lunch menu on the weekends. I had to order an entree which was enough food for two people. Service very attentive. Bathrooms need a little attention.
(4)
Susan K.
Super yummy Thai food with great service - probably the best Thai I have had in the city. I usually get their Glass Noodle Pad Thai, medium. I will say that the spiciness has varied from visit to visit, sometimes not hot at all and other times pretty hot. The Thai iced tea is delicious! And I can't forget the soup you can get with your meal. Soooooo good.
(4)
Sara L.
Sawasdee blows my mind like Franzia wine. The fish cakes here are off the hook. I love Thai food and will go to pretty much any I can find. After starting a job up around 93rd and Zionsville, I was pretty excited to be nearer to so many Thai places. I've tried a few, and Sawasdee is definitely one of my favorites. Their lunch specials are cheap and come with a truck load of food. Everything always tastes freshly made and prepared and the varying levels of hot definitely go up in heat without overpowering flavor. I've had their padd thai, green curry, fish cakes, Pho Pai Thod, Thod Mun Pla, Kra Thong Tong, and Kha Nom and Pung Na Moo and have always been very satisfied. This and Thai Spice are my two favorite Thai places in indy. I think they put crack or the wings of baby angels in their soup. I've had to restrain myself from pickin up the bowl and drinkign it. Souper good.
(5)
Bret E.
Happy hour made for a happy tummy. The sizzling rice soup and Hawaii roll were excellent.
(5)
Sally S.
Great service, great food, great value. We ran in at 2 minutes until close and asked Thai (the owner) if we could just get 2 orders of the glass noodles and they were very accommodating! So friendly even though they were staying late for us. Really fresh food like it was made up fresh for us! If you haven't been, you should try this place!!! Thank you Sawasdee!
(5)
Jeremy R.
I was looking for a Thai place closer to Broad Ripple that measured up to Thai Spice. This place hit the spot! I ordered the Pud Kra Prow with chicken Thai hot. This hot was much hotter than Thai Spice, but it still tasted great! It wasn't the type of hot that overtakes the flavor of the entire dish and leaves you only with pain and tingling of your mouth. There definitely was tingling and nose running, but I was able to taste the chicken, vegetables, and basil. I had half the spring roll and it was just so-so, but it's not my favorite thing to eat anywhere. I did order carry out and feel like the portion size may be smaller when you do it this way. The order was ready lickety-split, too. I did think it was odd that a young American guy answered the phone and when I actually tried to pronounce the dish, he got confused and just said "what number is that??" I can't wait to go back and try the drunken noodles!
(4)
Rachel H.
My husband and I eat here often and find it to be a delightful restaurant. The wait staff is helpful and never too far away and the food is absolutely delish. The only thing I would recommend is to be very aware that this is a Thai place and food is hot unless ordered mild or medium. Truly, even medium can be too much. The glass noodle pad thai is to die for. My husband really enjoys the green curry soup with rice. Whatever you order will be fantastic as well. YUM!!
(4)
Jannat A.
First time here. Very good service, friendly environment and quite busy. The owner is very friendly. The food serving is quite large so some may want to share one dish. The food is over all good and authentic but be careful what to order as some dishes taste may not suit yours (I order massaman curry and it was too sweet and peanutty for me). The pad seewee was quite good though!
(3)
Neal P.
Nice ambience. Extremely clean, both up front, and the men's room. Very tasteful but simple decorations/modeling in the men's room, not just a restroom; it added a nice touch of class. I had the Drunken Noodles lunch special, very good. It was served kind of quick, but it didn't taste like it had been sitting around. I ordered the -medium- spice level, and it was perfect for me, requiring just a little bit of water to drink. They seemed well-staffed for the lunch rush. This is a very popular place, and I can see why. This place is on par with the other upper level Thai restaurants in town. I'd say better than Thai Papaya, better than Thai Castle. On par with Jasmine Thai. On par with Thai Orchid (but not quite as fancy interior).
(4)
Marianne L.
Great authentic Thai food! My fiance loves to come here every time he's in town, and I'm more than happy to comply. I definitely recommend the Tom Yum soup with rice - Mild for me. If you like spicy, go with Medium - and if you can handle the Blazing Wings at Bdubs, then go for Thai Hot (it's really, really, really hot). I like a kick, but Mild is good enough for me.
(4)
Michelle L.
I'm half Thai, grew up in Thailand. This does not taste like real Thai food. Very Americanized.
(1)
Theresa K.
So glad there's a Thai place near my work. For some reason, I've never really ventured west of Meridian, only east, when picking up food. I'm really glad I found this place. The spring roll I had was a bit mushy and without much flavor. I love me some spring rolls. It wasn't bad, just not that great. I ordered the Panang curry chicken, hot, and I was able to eat it again for lunch a couple days later. I think it might have been hotter the second time around. The coconut milk left if creamy and a tad sweet, and it was still sort of flowery-it might have been a lot of lime leaves, yet it was nice and hot. The customer service was wonderful. From the time I called in my order and picking up my grub. The host/server was very curteous. And I believe it might have been an owner who thanked me as I walked out. As soon as I walked in, the host/server asked if I placed a carry out order as if he somehow knew. I'm excited to try a fried rice dish- maybe one of my usuals (kao padd or kao padd bai kra pow). I'll be back.
(4)
Rebecca T.
Best Green Curry ever, owner and family couldn't be nicer.
(5)
Matthew B.
My wife and I live maybe 10 minutes from this small quaint Thai restaurant but refused to give it a try since we have other Thai restaurants we prefer. But today time was short and we really had a craving for Thai so we went for it and we were quite pleased. The food is very delicious much better than other Thai restaurants on the northwest side of Indy. I ordered the Padd Thai with beef and chicken and the noodles we're delicious, the beef was well seasoned, but the chicken was just ok. The heat level I picked was Medium/Hot since this was a new restaurant to us I wanted to Guage what they called "hot." Medium/Hot did not have much heat at all so I found myself adding chili sauce and red pepper flakes. Next time I will go for Hot or Thai Hot. Overall the Padd Thai was above par and I would definitely come back for it again in the near future but maybe minus the chicken. My wife ordered the Padd Kee Mow and she loved it, but I won't comment on it since I wasn't allowed to enjoy any of it. The restaurant itself was nice and cozy and very intimate. We went for lunch and there wasn't glaring light shining thru the windows which was nice. The staff is very friendly and helpful and the food comes out in a jiffy. Needless to say this is not a place you should pass on. Definitely give them a try next time you're on the NorthBest (pun intended) side of Indy!
(4)
Brittany C.
We don't have too many authentic Thai cuisine places in Indy, and of the ones we do have, Sawasdee is a shinning gem! The dishes are variant, authentic, and easily customized to a guest's preferred taste. The service is pleasant, food comes out fast, and the restaurant environment is peaceful enough to sooth even the wildest of spirits and the most painful headaches. Although I do wish they had less expensive dishes (so that I can order more food at a time LOL), I will continue to come here as the place to lay my Thai cravings to rest!
(4)
Heather T.
Decided to give this place another try. Ordered carryout and my food was promptly ready. I had the red curry with beef, spiced medium. The meal also comes with a springroll and tom yum soup. The curry was incredibly disappointing. Red curry is something I eat frequently, probably my favorite meal. This one was watery, like they ran out of coconut milk and substituted water. I love curry because of the creamy texture and the taste of the coconut milk. This was meh. The tom yum was unimpressive as well. The reason I upped to three stars was the man working the carryout counter. He was very pleasant.
(3)
Tom T.
I'm not a hater and I will try Sawasdee again for sure. My expectations weren't unrealistic either. The soup and spring roll were great, flavorful. Nice. Service was awesome, friendly and quick. The staff was attentive and focused. The Pad See Eew, however, was just awful. Yuck (belly ache level yuck). Over cooked noodles and very little flavor. All stuck together in a big, sticky, gelatinous lump (s). My friend thought the same thing, but didn't fess up till later that night. Big bummer. Maybe it was an off night (I'm hoping)? This was my first visit. The place was crowed. Jumping actually. So it MUST be good. Just not when I visited unfortunately. Hang tough Sawasdee. I have faith.
(2)
Kelly G.
I had never been to Sawasdee before, but the guy I'm dating swears by their food, so we checked it out last week. It's an intimate and casual place. Quiet and tucked away inside a strip mall. The menu seems rather large. I ordered the Pad Thai, Crab Rangoon, and hot and sour soup. All three were delicious! The Crab Rangoon is a large portion, plenty for 3-4 people to share, and more crabby than most I have had with a really good side sauce. The Pad Thai could have been shared between two people as well, but I had yummy leftovers instead. I ordered mine with shrimp, which adds to the cost, but didn't really seem worth it. There were maybe five shrimp in what was otherwise a massive plate of food. The most interesting thing was the the hot and sour soup. It is very good but very different from anywhere else I have had it. Super tangy and flavorful. Our waiter was attentive in making sure we always had a full glass of water, but he wasn't over so much that it felt intrusive. He was polite and helpful with suggestions when I was trying to decide what to order. I'll definitely return, and this time with a bigger appetite!
(4)
Holly H.
I love Thai food. Let's start there. This place is close(ish) to my office and offers a super quick and affordable lunch option. The food is good, but the place was sticky. I mean, the table, the chairs, even the air felt a little sticky. Good food, just not my favorite atmosphere.
(3)
Tania R.
Best Tai food in Indy. Chai iced tea was delicious. My husband raves about the "best chicken wings" in his opinion (and he gets wings everywhere we go) are their Thai chicken wings. Very crispy & well cooked. We had the #35 with shrimp - great flavor, and their Crab Rangoon was the best I've ever had. If you want Thai food, go here! The owner is always walking around saying "hi" to everyone!
(5)
Chelsea C.
I finally got the chance to try Sawasdee a couple of weeks ago and everything was incredible! Service was attentive and their prices for lunch are hard to beat! The food was amazing! The interior could use a little cleaning and updating but that won't keep me from returning for the Pad Thai!
(4)
Claire N.
This is a really nice thai restaurant with reasonable prices. I had the pud prik thai dum with beef and it was delicious!! It comes with a side of rice and a choice of spring rolls and soup or thai salad. My boyfriend ordered the green curry and he really liked it. Plus, they hire young people to serve so it is really nice.
(4)
DeAnna P.
I had such high hopes for this restaurant! I have heard from many neighbors that it is a quaint little place with delicious food. I feel like "quaint" is one of those real estate terms. Like "charming and cottage-like" really means "cramped with no closets." Similarly, "quaint" equated to "Grandma's basement, complete with dusty knickknacks and dirty old carpet." It was weird that there was stuff sitting everywhere throughout the restaurant, and when I looked down to move my chair, the carpet was visibly dirty. That really set a poor tone for the rest of the meal. The food was ok, definitely not great and I would not go again. My noodles had a very weird chemical smell to them, like too much lighter fluid over charcoals. The crab rangoon was actually very good and had a lot of krab (yeah, the fake stuff); however, do not order it if you are not a fan of black pepper -- there was a lot of it. Another minor irritation: I do not understand why some places that specialize in really spicy food have tiny water goblets. They were excellent about coming around for refills, but I probably had six refills during lunch. Sell some of your tchotchkes and use the money to buy big glasses!
(2)
Peter P.
This is a review for their lunch deal. The portions were large. You have your choice of entree plus pick 2 from the following - salad, soup, spring roll. Note: I would skip their "salad" because it's really more like a little side of cole slaw. Stick with the soup and spring roll. The whole meal only cost $7.99 and was fast and delicious. I had the noodle soup and customized the heat level to Thai Hot, which was actually not tastebud searingly spicy. The broth was savory and unctuous which made it a good, heavy meal for me.
(4)
Patricia N.
This place is PACKED during lunch! Pad Thai was fantastic. Had to dock a star because I ordered it without peanuts and it came out wrong. They left in the peanuts and took away all the bean sprouts. Unfortunately, no one asked if that was correct and the server didn't come back to check. Lunch comes with your choice of two sides. Spring rolls is good, the soup has nice flavor (but it's real just broth - there's nothing in it), and the salad is such a small portion (it literally comes in a sauce ramekin).
(4)
Michael A.
The best Thai cuisine in Indy, without a doubt. Aside from the quality of the food, the service is consistently first-rate, and the owner makes a practice of visiting with guests and ensuring their satisfaction. It's also a kid-friendly place, which isn't always the case with Thai restaurants I've visited elsewhere.
(5)
Diego O.
So I was in the mood for some curry tonight so I decided to give this place a try. I literally live right across the street from this place and never noticed it till I looked it up on yelp. The food and service were on par for this place. The inside is nicely decorated and I literally felt like I was in Thailand. I ordered the Red Curry plate and it came with two side which I got a spring roll and some hot mad sour soup. I love my food spicy and boy did I get spicy on my curry! Food was extremely flavorful and enjoyable. As far as price goes it was about what you expect for Thai cuisine, I spent about $15 with tip added. I'm definitely coming back for my cheat days!
(4)
Divya V.
I came here for dinner on a weeknight with my 3 month old baby. The service was decent. The food was really good. Fast service - we didn't have to wait long. Large portions and entrees come with a choice of side. The average price of an entree is a little more expensive than I am used to paying at Thai places. We ordered the drunken noodles, green curry and pineapple fried rice. All medium spicy. A word of caution: the spice level is higher here than other Thai restaurants. I could handle it but I know some of my friends would have a tough time eating it. What I liked was that it wasn't just plain heat there was a lot of flavor as well. So, the bad: 1. dinner can get expensive 2. There mild can be too spicy for some people 3. Larger than average portions The good: 1. Flavorful food 2. They don't downplay the spice level 3. You can take your well behaved child here
(4)
Mark S.
Time in and time out, Sewasdee provides excellent food and service. My wife and I have made Sewasdee our go-to restaurant when nothing else sounds good. I tend to get the Red Curry, but the Thai Noodle Soup and the Pad Thai are excellent as well, and the soup and spring roll starters are perfect! Two thumbs up for the Crab Rangoon, as well. We can't recommend this place enough!
(5)
Desmond W.
This is definitely my favorite Thai restaurant within and around Indy! Every time I go here, the food is delicious and the customer service is wonderful. The owner, Ty, is also very nice and his wife sometimes has cookies available for free early around lunchtime. I can't get enough of that delicious Basil fried rice. Also, their soups are the shizzle!!
(5)
Tiffany N.
Decent place for pad thai, unfortunately after reading the reviews I was expecting to be wowed and wasn't. This is a friendly run place and they are quick with everything -food, service, refills, check and I appreciate that tons. But I was underwhelmed by the pad thai. Pad thai is my jam, 99% of the time it's the only thing I will order and I've been to A LOT of Thai places all over the country so I've seen the good the bad the ugly. At Sawasdee: The good-big lunch portion for $6.95 along with two if the following-salas, soup or spring roll The bad-no sight of glass noodles in the dish, it was more like a thin spaghetti. The ugly-I ordered it hot and it barely burned my tongue. I thought I was being adventurous since I usually order medium hot but access denied, it just wasn't hot. That being said, I scarfed it down since I was jones in for some pad thai and it was cold and raining out, perfect pad thai weather. I just wouldn't stop here again for it if you're a pad thai freak like me.
(3)
Quynhmy R.
I loveee this place!!! Get a thai iced tea(best in town), crab rangoons and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I could eat that meat weekly if I didn't gain 5 lbs every time. All the staff is extremely friendly as well. Love this place!
(5)
Katrina D.
Great lunch menu! Tons of options! I've never had Thai food before but I was easily able to find something I like. Our service was excellent. One person in our party ordered his dish with tofu to make it vegetarian. When discussing the soup that accompanies the dish, our server checked to make sure everything would meet his dietary restrictions. He was extremely knowledgeable and cared that we were eating what we wanted to be eating. The soup that came with my meal was fantastic. It had just a hint of spice and was light. I could have eaten that soup all day. My whole meal consisted of soup, a spring roll, and an entree and I was able to get out for less than $10. I love the price! I'll definitely be back and next time, I'm going to be more adventurous.
(4)
Brittney K.
I was here during the summer and absolutely loved the food - had such good flavor and their lunch specials gave you a lot of bang for your buck. Came back today and had the same experience. The staff was nice, the place is clean, and the food was exactly how I remembered it. Not only would I recommend going there for the food (seriously, the best Thai place I've been to in the city), but their hospitality is over the top. My coworker mentioned it was my birthday, and the owner gave me a small bottle of champagne on the house. I cannot say enough great things about this place. If you're looking for a great Thai restaurant or want to try Thai for the first time, I highly suggest costing Sawasdee.
(5)
Katie R.
Cute place, very nice staff. We came in during a Colts game, and they asked if we'd like to be seated on the TV or no-TV side (we picked the TV side, of course!). The pad see ew and pad thai were very good, and the portions were absolutely enormous. I still think the award for the best vegetarian spring rolls goes to Thai Cafe in Broad Ripple or Thai Kitchen in Fishers, but Sawasdee's were crispy and tasty as well.
Solid Thai option on north side of Indy. We go here when we want to stay close to home and want Thai food. The service is always friendly and prompt. On this visit I had the beef massaman curry and ordered it medium-hot, the dish had good flavor but was not as spicy as I had hoped. We also had the chicken satay. I do wish they had a few more options on the menu but appreciate that they have not gone over the top with a huge menu.
(3)
Lindsay N.
My husband and I have ordered carryout a few times. The staff is incredibly friendly starting from the moment you walk in the door. The first time we ordered Pad Thai and the second time we ordered the Drunken Noodles. Both were delicious and one order is enough for two people to share (and we are big eaters). Sometime I would like to have dinner in the restaurant. It is dimly lit, warm, and cozy. It seems like a great place for an intimate date night.
(4)
Christopher H.
I've taken a handful of out-of-town friends here from Boston, NYC, Minneapolis, LA, and Chicago and they all say that it is the best Thai food they've had. I always thought they were kidding but whenever they come back in town, they request we go from the airport here every single time...They also request that I bring some carryout to the airport but I'm just not that nice. If you're here for lunch, go with the Thai Noodle Soup, Its out of this world, pair this double spring rolls or a spring roll and soup (the salad is a little sad) and you're going to be a happy, happy camper. Order a Thai iced tea or Thai iced coffee and you are set! The Thai noodle soup is definitely #1 and takes a special order for dinner but they'll still sell it (thanks guys!) other than that the pad thai and drunken noodles are close behind it. For people who complain about the spice in the food, the wait staff has walked every single guest of mine through the scale and if its your first time, they'll recommend the mild in order to gauge your tolerance...here's a tip, follow their instructions, they are kind of experts...duh! Seriously...best Thai food.
(5)
Adelino E.
Went here for a date night very amazing atmosphere and the food was fresh fast and everything I had hoped for we had the Thai Ice tea it was delicious and refreshing They are family oriented and it was a place to be it seemed on a Friday evening which made the choice to try even better rewarding
(4)
Connie B.
Love this place. My favorite is the chicken pad thai. Wonderful staff. You will always have your water refilled. The portions is great size. Love going here for a relaxing lunch. If you like Thai this is one of the best in Indy and if your new to Thai this is the place to try!!
(5)
Harry A.
Authentic and reasonably priced with fast service. Highly recommended. Service was good likewise even on a busy Saturday night.
(5)
Bryan W.
Great little find the green curry was nuclear hot and i loved every bite. The hot and sour soup with spring roll was a prefect lunch. I will be back for sure. Just need more napkins to dab the sweat from my brow
(4)
Sheetal K.
Got all excited seeing some good reviews. The food is okay. The quality and taste of the foods needs improvement. Service was quick. Will try this restaurant again.
(3)
Haleigh C.
I'm always skeptical of trying restaurants in strip mall settings, but this place is really great. My coworkers and I have come here a number of times during lunch. The service is always friendly and we can get in and out during our lunch hour. During my last visit I had the shrimp padd thai (no tofu) and it was DELICIOUS! They always start you off with a spring roll and sweet 'n sour soup, too; both are terrific.
(4)
Hannah F.
I adore this place. The decor is a little much, but the food is quick to come out, and the lunch specials are amazing. The Thai soup is fantastic!! The service is good and the quality is fresh.
(5)
Nicole S.
The Food is great, and consistent. I don't only come here for the food. I often call in an order for carry out on the way home and the owner is always so welcoming and kind. He tells me to get off my feet and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine while I wait for my food. The staff goes above and beyond to make you feel welcomed. I love this place and it's friendly staff.
(5)
Amy R.
Good food. Spice level was more than expected. One of our party ordered no spice and it was still incredibly spicy. But the flavors were excellent, and they can make anything on the menu vegetarian. Worth the stop on the way back home, I would go again.
(3)
Nolando T.
I had high hopes for this place but it was just ok...at best. The service was pretty good and everyone was really nice. But the food was not very good. I only ordered the Laab Gai (chicken larb), fried banana, and thai tea. The thai tea was the powdered kind, or at least it tasted like it. Not a good thing. The Laab tasted sort of sweet. I wouldn't be surprised if they used a bit of sugar to tone down the spices a bit. It was weird. I guess I just wasn't used to that sort of flavor with Laab. The worst part was the fried banana. And that's the easiest thing to make! They were chewy and tough. Not crispy at all. And instead of honey poured on top they give you a side of...pancake syrup. You read that right. Pancake. Syrup. Really??? Needless to say I was disappointed. Especially after all the great reviews. At least there are other options in the area. I won't come back here unless I have to.
(2)
Anna L.
After that embarrassing dinner date years ago where I had a murderous nosebleed which sent me running into the women's room with wads of napkins stuffed up my nose for a good 15 minutes, I still come back to this place with my original date to remind myself not to order my food "Thai Hot". I had my Pad Thai (Medium, I repeat, Medium) and a glass of ice cold Thai coffee to assure myself that bloody hell wouldn't happen again. Honestly, I really enjoyed the Pad Thai dish. The rice noodles were still al-dente in Italian terms and evenly coated with the flavorful, fragrant mixture of fish sauce, tamarind, and palm sugar stir-fried with chicken, onions, and bean sprouts. The Thai coffee was decadent, rich, and chocolately in flavor. He had the Ba Mee Pod paired with Thai iced tea. From the looks of it, without taste testing - it was very presentable and looked quite satisfying as well. FYI: I had enough leftovers from my lunch portion to reheat for next day's lunch as well considering I'm a big eater myself. There you have it. That is the alternate ending to my mishap a few years ago.
(4)
Maelstrom D.
Friendly, I felt the dishes we're thoroughly explained. I love spicy food, and can hold my own, though with that said.. their medium was fairly spicy, had I gone with hot I would have been slightly uncomfortable. The medium was just perfect and I had a fair dose of perspiration to show for my adventure.
(4)
Jason B.
Very good food, but vegetarians use caution. I ordered a meal and asked for it to be vegetarian. I believe the only difference between a meat dish and vegetarian dish is the lack of meat and addition of tofu. What i mean is, i believe the dish still consists of all the fish and oyster sauces they use in all dishes. I also believe the probably fish sauce in my dish is what gave me stomach problems. I am not sure if vegetarians can ask for a special, fish-less sauce or not as I have only been here once. But vegetarians, be aware that the dish is probably not truly vegetarian. But, you got sick after eating here...why the 4 stars?? Why? because the food was very good. I asked for Hot, and it was Hot. The flavor of the food was very good and everything was prepared nicely. They did have a 12 yr old as a busser which was a bit odd, but other than that everything was good. If i find i can get a truly vegetarian meal here, then I will absolutely be back.
(4)
Sonya A.
Definitely one of my new favorite places lately. Had a number of dinners the last few weeks here with a client and must admit it was very good. The food is Americanized of course but their dishes were flavorful and their staff was courteous. I do recommend! Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Location: 4/5
(4)
Richard S.
Should be 4.5 stars. Good food. Excellent value. Prompt/accurate service. Why didn't I rate 5? Because it was very good, but not best ever.
(4)
Katelyn A.
I enjoy spicy food, however depending on what type of food you get the spices can vary greatly. I ordered a mixture of vegetables and octopus with medium spices and it was so hot I could not even eat it... however my Mother got their Pad Thai and it was at medium and it was absolutely perfect. The waiter informed us that it was based off of the fact that they cook it differently with the spices. We absolutely loved their soup, and crab rangoon. The only complaint was the temperature of the restaurant is extremely warm but only on half of the restaurant. I will for sure be going back and I cannot wait. I have been craving their food since I left!!!!
(4)
Dylan E.
I have visited this restaurant on a few occasions for lunch. It is a pretty nice place that is located in a strip mall setting. We have never had an issue getting a table, but it does get full around lunch time, and I have seen people waiting for a table. There are great lunch specials that include a spring roll and soup or a salad to start at somewhere around $7. The portions are very large and I always end up taking home leftovers. I have always had good service, and it usually doesn't take too long to get your food if you have a time constraint during lunch break. I don't have much Thai food experience to compare it to so I don't know how authentic it is, but everything I have had has been very good. I have heard lots of talk about Thai food having a reputation for being spicy, but this place must hold back quite a bit. I have gotten the padd thai on 3 different occasions, first ordering the mild, then medium, and finally hot in order to get to the point where I could actually tell that it was spicy at all. I'm definitely not one who can eat a habaneros like they are ice cubes either, and usually think things are much spicier than what other people tend to think. 4/5 from me on food, service, and setting
(4)
The Most Interesting Man In The W.
Thai food is ALWAYS expensive and this restaurant is no exception. The food was one of the best I've had. I liked the Drunken Noodles and the Tom Yum soup.
(5)
Brooke K.
Pretty good Thai food for Indianapolis. I like the green curry, but the spring rolls are soggy on the inside. They need to change the temperature of the oil they fry them in. Service is good and prompt at lunch.
(3)
Jennifer H.
I have never had a bad meal here. I love the spring rolls & soup and mansaman curry. It's great for takeout too but the spring rolls don't travel as well as everything else. They will tailor the dishes to your liking - I prefer medium heat while my husband goes for "Thai hot". While the restaurant does have a date night feel, every time I bring my kids (now 5 & 8, but both have been coming with me since diaper days) we are made to feel completely welcome. My daughter loves the chicken on a stick, aka chicken satay.
(5)
Shelby J.
Sorry, I gave it a shot. Maybe I just don't like their particular style of cooking. Maybe I'm just far too used to my West Coast Thai Food. But this just doesn't cut it for me. The food was rather bland. I ordered it medium spiced. I had a fried rice dish, and there was so little seasoning on it. My husband ordered Pad See Ew to be safe, and was thoroughly disappointed. To be honest, it tasted somewhat resemblant of something we have had at a grocery store counter back home. I've heard that they can be hit or miss apparently, but this was a big miss for us. And a not so cheap one at that. Sorry, but we won't be back.
(2)
Leona P.
This is very close to home so I ordered carryout. I ordered the Pad See Ewe hot and it was the perfect amount of spicy heat. Delicious! And probably the best spring roll I've had in a long while. It's a quaint little place with prompt and courteous staff. I'll be trying more soon!
(4)
Beth B.
Not for me! I ordered carry out for myself and my husband last night. We had the appetizer sampler and an order of Padd See Ewe. The only thing we truly liked on the sampler were the fish cakes but they certainly not the best fish cakes I've had. The Padd See Ewe was aweful!!! No flavor at all. I ordered it medium and there wasn't even a hint of spice. I was very disappointed that I spent almost $30 on a meal that I didn't come near finishing. I'm not sure I understand how this place could get such stellar reviews. I feel my two stars are generous.
(2)
Sarah S.
This is my favorite Thai restaurant in Indy. However, the spring roll and soup were not quite as amazing as I remembered this time around. I wonder if the much-welcomed expansion was accompanied by a bit of corner-cutting in the food department. I hope that's just in my mind, but I guess time will tell. Still, the food really was good, soup (which is kind of my favorite part) and spring roll included. I can never resist a green curry, and the one I had today was most excellent. As others have mentioned, "hot" really is hot here. They don't give you what I like to call "whitey hot." Cleared out my sinuses like a charm. As for dessert, go for the sticky rice and custard, even if you're feeling kind of stuffed. It's worth it. The decor in Sawasdee is simply beautiful, which is no doubt part of why I love it so much. And the wait staff is very friendly and genteel. The sweet little old man who runs the place is usually shuffling around filling up ice water and chatting with patrons. I definitely felt welcome here.
(4)
Matt R.
UPDATE (2011.6.16) My friend invited me for lunch here today. Fine, I thought, let's check out the luncheon experience. I had pad thai, and we ordered crab rangoon as an appetizer. Their crab rangoon is quite good--for crab rangoon. Which is food so bad for one that I can't really enjoy it. Fried food with oil just dripping of it, you know. The spring roll remained tasty, and the soup remained a meh. The pad thai was pretty damn bad. There seem to be a million approaches to this classic dish, and, sadly, a lot of them suck. Both sugar and salt can become the villains, and today's noodle mush was overcome by both. So it wasn't a one-off for me. But I swear, there ain't gonna be no THREE-OFF, m'kay?! The rest of my review remains as before. ----- We ate here tonight. Service was fine. Food was unimpressive. Crab roll. A spongy, fish-cake-like roll with a crispy skin that was fine but tasted nothing like crab. B- Spring roll (comes with entre). Crispy and tasty. Probably my fave thing in the meal. (Why is it that appetizers are the best thing at so many restaurants?) A Hot and sour soup (comes with entre). A meh. Pretty much just broth. Generic thai soup flavor. C Shrimp and peppers (#31 on menu). This was OK. Competent, not too exciting. The problem was the really small portion (a problem at a lot of Thai restaurants). The kind of portion that leaves you hungry. C+ Pad thai. Not good. I won't tell you where the beef tasted like it was from. Overly sweet. Overdone noodles. Edible but inferior. C- The atmosphere is cute. The staff seemed nice. But this will be a one-off for us.
(2)
Nick S.
This restaurant is very nice. I went with a friend for lunch and had a great time. The atmosphere is comfortable for lunch, though possibly not as much for dinner. The service is fine, nothing exceptional but certainly nothing to complain about. The food was excellent. The value was phenomenal for the food. Lunch included two of: spring roll, salad, and soup. I had the spring roll and salad and both were fantastic. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for lunch. The only downsides were that the food came out while I was still eating my salad and spring roll (its a pet peeve of mine when a meal comes out before the appetizer/previous course is finished) and that the atmosphere felt to me better suited for a casual lunch than a sit down dinner. That said you should definitely check this place out.
(4)
Jackie H.
Found this place on Yelp and 4 of us went for dinner while attending a motorcoach rally at the fairgounds. The food was good, curry was tasty, the #33 was ordered spicy and it was bland. Springroll appetizer was dry.
(3)
James T.
Food = 9 Price = 9 Experience = 9 (very prompt and friendly) One of the best lunch spots in Indy. The daily special is always great and very affordable.
(4)
Mia M.
I thought Jasmine Thai was the only decent Thai place in Indy... Sawasdee proved me wrong! Their prices are much better and the pad thai is fresh-tasting and delicious. My sister and I went there for lunch and spent $15 between the two of us. I can't wait to go back.
(4)
Jenny K.
Oh Sawasdee...a rare find in Indy! This is definitely one of the better Thai restaurants I've been too. The staff is friendly and service is super quick. Lunch time is probably the best bang for the buck as the majority of their lunch specials are $7.95 versus $9.95 at dinner time. The portions are basically the same. I tend to order the chicken pad thai or the chicken fried rice. Both are pretty great. I've also had the Thai noodle soup, which by the way, is only offered at lunch. The spices used in the noodle soup is great and tends to be my pick in the winter when it's cold. Each entree comes with a choice of spiciness (i.e. mild, medium, hot, or thai hot). I tend to stick to medium, but my more adventurous colleagues opt for thai hot, which they say really clears up the sinuses. The level of hotness varies daily depending on who made it, so there are days when it's definitely hotter than others. Just be aware. All entrees come with two sides either soup, spring roll, or salad. I've tried all of them, and I still stick to the soup and spring roll. There is only one house soup, and it's the same one daily. It's pretty good; however, if you don't like it, then there really aren't anymore choices. Overall, I like eating here, and my coworkers and I tend to frequent here quite a bit. I would recommend it to anyone.
(4)
T F.
I can't stress this point enough: ORDER THE THAI NOODLE SOUP, HOT. No question THE BEST SOUP IN INDIANA. Frankly, it may be the best soup I have ever eaten in my entire life, anywhere, on earth. If you've had a better soup, please tell me because I want to eat it.
(5)
Josh F.
Great Thai food period! Awesome owner, who was very intent on making sure everything was just right. Plus a very nice family run atmosphere. A great wine selection, and the owner was alos pretty knowledgable about what wines they served, and was able to suggets a nice pairing. Some many rad veg options, I couldn't stand it...it required two seperate trips ;) They can really crank up the spice level as well.
(4)
Doug S.
The complimentary orange slices with your check is something I've never seen before.
(5)
Jason C.
Food = great / service = great. I was treating a client for lunch. We both had Pad Thai served hot (referring to spice level). Mine was served vegetarian while my guest was in the mood for shrimp. The food, service and authentic atmosphere were just as enjoyable as I remembered from my first visit a few months earlier. The lunch portion of Pad Thai is served with a house soup, which is a vegetable/broth kind of concoction well seasoned with cilantro and, I think, a bit of chili oil. Mmmm. Also includes a spring roll with dipping sauce. The spring roll (fried) was the only mildly dissapointing part of the meal as it didn't seem as freshly prepared as the very satisfying entree. Tip: dishes are served on a spice ranking that runs mild, medium, hot & Thai hot. I'm a spicy food dude so it takes a punch to get my nose running. The "hot" level lived up to my expectations, and yes my nose was running. It was a bit too hot for my guest, who finished one whole pitcher of water that our always-on-time waiter intuitively provided for our table.
(4)
Tita P.
So, I decided to try the lunch menu. I must admit it did not WOW me. Not a lot of options on the lunch menu. I know that the dinner menu is a lot more extensive. They may consider adding a few more items during lunch. One more suggestion. Don't call your credit card company on speaker phone and attempt to make a payment. Not the background noise that I want to hear while I am eating lunch.
(3)
Cheryl K.
One of our FAVORITE places to go in Indy!!! Family owned and never had a bad experience. Eat their regularly as a part of the lunch and the dinner croud. If you want Thai food ... look no further!
(5)
Matt J.
In short: best Thai I've had in a long time. I went to Sawasdee on recommendation of one of my co-workers and boy was I impressed. I ordered the satay chicken skewers to start which were delicious - the chicken cooked well, the peanut sauce tasty, and the cucumber dressing cool and refreshing. I ordered the duck curry dish and my girlfriend the pad thai. We got both "Thai Spicy" and boy did they deliver the heat. The duck was well cooked and perfectly seasoned and each time I bit into a grape it was a little ball of spicy fire exploding in my mouth. The pad thai was also incredible. I'm no longer in Indy but I sure as heck do miss this place. Don't pass it up!
(4)
Lauren S.
Quick, clean, tasty, and lunch menu is cheap!
(5)
Tiffany L.
I am very picky with Thai food, so when I was in Indy for business and saw all these rave reviews for this place I had to give it a try. I ordered the tom yum soup with shrimp and the pad kee maw. I thought the soup was ok, I had asked for it to be spicy and it came out to be spicy which I liked, the lemongrass flavor was a tad too strong and the pad kee maw was too sweet and saucy, not my thing. Service was prompt and friendly. I don't know if I would go here again. Another person that I know that is Thai went here and she said that the food was not like real Thai food. It's okay to me, not great but not the worst, but definitely not up to my expectations with all the great reviews.
(3)
Hula B.
i like the menu and food here. i don't like the hours. no weekend lunch service?? and sunday they are only open 3 hours.... i'd like to eat there more, but they are never open! they also take long vacations and close the restaurant for days/weeks at a time. i don't want to have to call every time i want to go to find out if they are there that day. i'm sure its hard to run a small restaurant and try to have time for yourself, but i know that i frequently don't consider going there because i don't want to get there and find out they are closed again.
(3)
Lisa M.
As I'm in town for a month or so for work, I've been trying to explore the dining scene a bit (thank you expense account!). This place was a little hard to find tucked away into a strip mall behind a dunkin donuts. The interior was pleasant and clean. The service was helpful, friendly, and prompt. I decided on the duck curry dish. A spring roll and soup were included with the dinner entree. I'm not a fan of many soups and this one tasted overly salty to me. The spring roll was tiny, overly cooked, and unremarkable. The curry dish was tasty. I liked it, but I don't think its something I'll seek out to have again. They also seemed to be doing a brisk business of takeout. I'm guessing it was the owner who was walking around the dining area checking that everyone was being taken care of and enjoying their food. I thought that was a nice touch and made me enjoy the experience more.
(3)
Albertro F.
I waffle between 3 and 4 stars, rounding down. I don't like rating inflation. Sawasdee is nicely appointed and the menu has pretty much everything we've come to expect from a Thai joint, except papaya salad. Also, I was saddened by the lack of fish balls or fish tofu (tohu pla). You could get the balls in green curry, but nothing else, and no pestering of the waitstaff could budge that position. I opted for the Drunken Noodles, which were ok (think veggie chow ho fun), but the chicken atop the dish was overcooked and chewy. Furthermore, the dish was a little on the skimpy side. My fellow diners had masaman and green curries. I thought the masaman tasted right ouf the can, but who cooks at home anymore anyway? I do, and I can tell when cheating happens. Still, everything was tasty. All dinners come with a tangy soup, salad, or springroll. I got the salad against my table's suggestion, and was let down. It was not the ubiquitous cuke, onion, and chili, but strange, chewy cabbage. I ate it, but will opt for the springroll next time around. A frosty Singha (Su biah Sing!) washed down my spicy drunken noodles. They ask your spice preference on a mild, medium, hot, and Thai-hot scale. I've been around, but the hot was plenty hot. Sorta like the ping pong show you saw in Pattaya. Woot!
(3)
G M.
I discovered this restaurant nearly seven years ago. Since that time, I have been dining there on a regular basis. I average 3 lunches a week and at least one dinner. They have a very diverse wine menu for this type of restaurant that is constantly changing. I highly suggest the Thai Noodle Soup for lunch and the Thom Yum for dinner. It is a no miss and tell Mr. Thai that Mr. Gary says hey!!
(5)
J. Smoke W.
Awesome. Enjoy a Napa Smith Lost Dog or Organic IPA! We love Sawasdee and go every week we are in town!
(5)
Jennifer L.
Locals' favorite place to eat Thai food. Unlike some other local joints, when you specify "hot" as your preferred spice level, you get enough heat to send steam out of your ears. Lots of fresh lemongrass, cilantro, chiles and basil perk up the food. My dish with fresh clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari steeped in cilantro, lime and chiles was tasty. The wine list is extensive, but this place good use more beer. There are plenty of hoppy brews that would cut through spice nicely.
(4)
John M.
Highly recommended. We started with a bottle of hey mambo at $32. Served very quickly by the manager with style. Very diverse menu with a variety of traditional Thai dishes. Even better, they include a photo of each dish to show you what you'll be getting. First we ordered veggie spring rolls which were delivered in just a few minutes - hot and crispy. For main courses, my wife had the shrimp pad Thai which she ordered in mild spice. I had the wide thick noodles with shrimp and veggies. Feeling brave, I chose medium hot. I am really glad I didn't choose hot or Thai hot spicy, because my "medium" started mild but quickly turned up the heat! After a few bites, I was sweating, and tears were welling up in my eyes from the spice! It was VERY tasty. Both dinners were very good, but the shrimp in both were not as good as expected. The shrimp, served tail on, were tough and they tasted like they'd been frozen for too long. We won't order shrimp here again. Dinners came with a Thai cabbage salad and a bowl of tasty soup. Following dinner, we splurged and added desserts. My wife ordered a pumpkin custard which was excellent. I went with fried bananas which had been wrapped in spring roll pastry and drizzled with sweet sauce and whipped cream. Decadent and exactly what I needed to wrap up a nice meal. Service was very good with a highly attentive waiter and manager who visited us often to see how we were doing. Overall a very nice meal, other than the lackluster shrimp. Recommended!
(4)
Susan F.
Great Thai food. This family owned-business is so sweet and it will probably be in business forever, knock on wood!
(5)
Swt P.
I have been looking forward to coming here. This was my first experience and it did not impress me. For 6.95 (plus tax and tip), you can order from the limited selection of their lunch menu. The meal comes with vegetable roll and a tom yum flavored soup. My favorite dish: pad kee mao, did not taste as I expected. It was too sour and the sauce was runny. The vegetables still tasted raw. Other than that, the dining area is nice and clean, service is quick and friendly. I will try to come back again and give this place another chance.
(3)
Charla M.
You always remember your first time... Sawasdee was my first, but not last foray into Thai food, but for me it is the hands-down best. My normal meal is the spring roll, hot soup, shrimp padd thai (be aware, hot is very hot, and I like hot, medium to me has the warmth & flavor). They bring orange slices (for a sweet life). It's completely delectable.
(5)
Dawn T.
Given the other reviews, maybe I just hit Sawasdee on a bad day and should try it again. However, the one time I went was one time too many. It was easily the worst Thai food I've ever eaten in my life. My husband and I went for lunch and I had the Pad See Eew. It was terrible. The noodles were mushy, the vegetables were mushy and the flavor was lacking.
(1)
A S.
Hit or miss. Sometimes it is really good and sometimes itz off. It is a good thai restaurant
(3)
A L.
Crowded on a weekday night- probably a good sign. Service was good. Menu had lots of options- most appeared authentic. The food was moderately priced. We ordered a handful of different dishes including noodles, tofu, beef, chicken, etc. The pad thai at "mild" was spicier than expected but it tasted good. It wasn't too sour which I have found is the case at some other restaurants. The tofu was unexpectedly smashed..but it tasted fine. this restaurant is worth trying.
(3)
Tiffany G.
super good, the soups are amazing
(4)
Nick L.
My favorite THAI restaurant in Indy. Excellent food in a beautiful well-designed setting. Can get somewhat crowded due to its popularity, but I have never really had to wait long. The place could easily expand and add seating, but that would take away from its intimate, family owned feel. It is also just on the border between casual (jeans) and a bit dressier. The prices are definitely in the moderate range, but not yet too high.
(4)
Josiana Janel L.
I have been craving Thai food for over a year...after passing this restaurant on my way to work (and reading the reviews on yelp) my husband and I tried it out. GREAT food! I had the Phad Thai (spelling?) which was a perfect blend of sweet and spicey. The Thai iced tea was perfect as well. I highly recommend it and look forward to returning in the very near future. The service was fantastic!
(4)
Peter D.
Wonderful restaurant. We love this place. There soup is great. Great. Funny thing is that their Salmon special has been the special for well over 5 years.
(4)
Areeba F.
Great food, quick and friendly service, fair prices. I really liked that the owner greets people personally and seems to really enjoy running this successful establishment. Our soup and salad was very tasty, as were the spring rolls. The panang curry and chili fried rice were fantastic. I was surprised that the prices were a lot lower than some of the other thai restaurants in town that serve mediocre food at best. I would definitely come here again and bring my friends and family. It was also sweet that he employed half of Brebeuf at his restaurant apparently haha.
(4)
Alexandra P.
This is the only place where I've ever attempted Thai cuisine and it's had a huge impact on my view of Asian food. I've always loved spicy food but I could never find a place that had spicy Asian food that wasn't the same old spicy orange chicken that you can get at any old Chinese restaurant. (Not that I don't like it mind you, it just gets boring after a while) So one day in comes my mother with a couple of huge bags and tells me that we're having Thai for dinner! I tried a lot of new foods that day and not one of them I found displeasing. Everything from friend tofu, pad Thai, sticky rice, Thai iced tea, spicy papaya salad, soup, and so much more all delicious. Plus an added bonus is that the people who work there are some of the friendliest and you'll ever met. They don't mind a bit if you try to order in Thai (which can end very badly at other places...). In fact they encourage it! They have yet to get an order wrong. Seriously, I've been going there for about a year now and they have never messed up my order. That really says something about the pride they take in their work don'tcha think?
(5)
Marc K.
I was thai-homeless after the departure of Thai Garden downtown. Sawasdee has fixed all of that. They have a great menu with lots of vegetarian and non vegetarian options. Their soups are amazing. The glass noodle pad thai has been on special for quite some time, and is just that. Special. I've had several curries and noodle dishes, and have never been disappointed. The only drawback is the somewhat small dining room that is usually busy on weekends. ** Updated 2/3/08 ** They've doubled in size so the wait issues have resolved. I hope you enjoy my new thai food home!
(5)
Amanda Z.
Not bad, but not one of the best Thai restaurants I have ever been to. Service was ok but we were kind of forgotten for awhile after we were seated. Granted, we did need time to decide on what we were going to order, but we basically had to flag someone down to come and even take our order. It was a Saturday night but it wasn't THAT busy... I had a chicken dish (have since forgotten the name) which was pretty flavorful, thanks to the added ginger. It came with vegetables and was in a tasty sauce. My friend got something pretty similar but had garlic instead of ginger as the main flavor component. They were both pretty good and since we got them medium on the hotness scale, had a little kick to them. As other reviewers mentioned, the entrees come with your choice of spring roll or salad with soup. I found the soup to be really strange tasting, so much that I couldn't really get it down. The salad, isn't really a salad but a weird combination of vinegary cabbage and other hard to determine items. My friend ate his spring roll but didn't really comment on it, so I guess it was ok. I guess after reading that this was supposed to be Indy's best Thai restaurant, I was expecting a lot more. It was decent, but not a place I'm going to run to return to. This is when I miss my little dive-y Thai takeaway place in Boston!
(3)
shelley d.
I have never been disappointed here. Great place to eat and visit with friends. The people-watching is usually top notch, too! Watch out on the spices - I am crazy for spicy food so the one time my "medium" spicy pad see ew was hotter than my husband's "hot" I didn't mind, but someone with more delicate sensibilities might have seen stars!
(5)
Thomas W. H.
Sawasdee is the best Thai place on the North side. I wish they were a little closer to Carmel where I work and I'd be doing lunch there more often. The owner is there all the time and always ready with a suggestion for something new and interesting to try. Atmosphere is wonder, though the dining room is small.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch 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 : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Cherish M.
Been coming here for 10yrs. The owners are very friendly and interactive, as well as the staff. The only thing I wish they'd do is add more of a variety on seafood and duck entrees. Other than that, this place has a special place in my heart where I've had many great memories ( ^^)
(4)Tony J.
Red curry and pad thai are about the only 2 thai dishes I particularly eat. First time I ate here for lunch, I ordered the pad thai. I've been getting the same over and over. Their pad thai is just eally good. The flavor was so balanced, not too sour nor too sweet nor too spicy, overall it just taste great. Portion is pretty big as well and if you had to take home some, warming it up with a quick pan fry still makes it an awesome meal. I didnt care much for their curry though, exotic thai in terrehaute serves much better red curry dish. But hands down I give this place kudos for their pad thai.
(4)Chris C.
Very tasty Thai food for Indianapolis. They have great lunch specials and very quick and friendly service.
(4)Emily M.
My husband and I finally found a place in Indy that tastes like my Thai mother-in-law's cooking. Down to the decor and the dishes, this place is like home. The food has a great flavor and is very fresh. My husband always orders the "Thai hot" on the spice meter and it never disappoints. The pad thai is great, just like "Mom Mom" used to make. The noodles we always have had are the authentic Thai rice noodles, so not sure what one reviewer was speaking about, unless maybe they were serving something different that day. It's a great place and the staff and service has always been great.
(5)Ann L.
We go here regularly and the food is consistently good. All of the noodle dishes are great, as are the curries. They will make the food whatever spice level a diner would like including "no spice" for those who don't even want the mildest level of spice. Servings are big, but I like leftovers so this is not a problem! I love seeing family owned businesses do well given the dominance of chains in Indianapolis!
(4)Jennifer L.
I don't know what they put in the soup, but I think it might be part Heaven, part crack. I was craving Thai today, and recently moved from DC where there was a plethora of choices oh Thai food. This is comparable to the best I have found . The Drunken Noodles are wonderful. This was just lunch. I am already thinking about dinner. The only thing that surprised me is that they didn't have mango sticky rice. But hey, tapioca is pretty amazing, too. Also, they were probably the nicest people I have met. And this is Indiana. That's saying something.
(5)Mark L.
We have been eating for here for many years and the food and service is always the best. One of our favorite places to eat great Thai cuisine.
(5)Patty B.
This place was delicious. I've been to a few different Thai places in the Indy area and haven't found one that satisfied my Thai craving until I went here last night. The Massaman curry was delicious. The sauce was thicker than I've normally had but the spice and flavor was excellent! I love that when they ask you the spice level, it actually lives up to it. I like spicy food and I ordered one step down from Thai Style and it was indeed Hot, but not crazy crazy spicy! Also, the atmosphere is very quaint and authentic and the owner even came out to ask how everything was. I was eating here with a friend I hadn't seen in a while so we ended up staying over an hour after we finished dinner and paid our bills. The owner said not to worry at all about that and encouraged us to stay as long as we'd like and even bought us both a glass of wine on the house. When asked if he was the owner, he replied "I work for you!". He was adorable. Definitely try this place! Thanks Sawasdee for a great dinner!
(5)Bruce P.
we went there for my wifes b-day.. the food was good but not as good as we hoped for... the portions were large and priced good...good service... nice atmosphere for a friendly gathering...
(3)Bihl B.
Indianapolis is not a place I think of for Thai so was pleasantly surprised with Sawasdee. The staff was gracious and the food as good as I've found in the city. The serving size was ample, without being too large as many Midwestern restaurants provide. I loved the Tom Ka Gai soup and the Masman Curry especially. Will definitely be on my favorite list for Indy!
(4)Rebecca O.
I will try to give the short version of my horrible restaurant experience here. In my first review for this restaurant I gave it two stars for less than average food. Today I would give it no stars if it were possible. The crab rangoon had very little filling, mostly just crispy wrapper. Not that I would have wanted more filling anyway because I believe they replaced the crab portion of the rangoon with black pepper. My boyfriend said it wasn't bad just odd to have pepper (or at least *that much* pepper) in crab rangoon. Personally, I can't stand black pepper and couldn't eat it. They replaced the order with fried tofu which was okay for what it was. For the main dish we shared pad thai. That was a poor choice. It came out looking white, no coloring to it and consequently no flavor. We determined there were no peanuts in it and suspect there was no tamarind, palm sugar, or fish sauce either. It had spices but the dish didn't resemble pad thai whatsoever. The owner came out and apologized very profusely and promised they would have a meeting later about the poor quality of the dish. The second round of pad thai was no better. They overcompensated for the lack of soy sauce by saturating the noodles. We could only stand to eat a few bites before feeling overstuffed and bloated from all the sodium. They asked if we wanted a box and we said all we wanted was the check. They didn't take off/reduce the price of either dish or say anything more about their first two (now three) screw-ups. Suffice to say, we will not be returning again. I was thoroughly dissatisfied with the epic proportion of their culinary failure. *end rant*
(1)Laura S.
This place redeemed Thai food for me. Before eating here, I had only had Thai food once at a different "Thai" restaurant that was absolutely disgusting. I refused to go near any Thai food for several years until a colleague of mine suggested we try this place. He offered to pay for my lunch if I didn't like it, so I figured I didn't have anything to lose. The employees were all very friendly and polite. The restaurant was busy since it was the usual weekday lunch hour rush, but the restaurant didn't seem overcrowded and noisy like some places can be. I ordered the Kao Padd with shrimp and my colleague go the Padd Thai with chicken. Both lunches came with a lemongrass type broth soup and a spring roll, and the soup and spring roll were very tasty. I ordered my Kao Padd medium as I like spicier things and it was delicious. The rice was cooked perfectly and the food came out very fast. I have since been back here and have had the Pad Kee Mow with pork. These were also tasty and the noodles tasted homemade. I will be eating here again in the near future.
(4)Cassandra W.
I think I've expressed this before in the yelp world but, I'm a thai food snob. I really like it. I've eaten thai food more than any other food (mexican is a close second) and it hails from one of my favorite places to visit, THAILAND. Can you review a country? I should. I love Thailand. Anyway, Sawasdee was just okay. Maybe I'm spoiled by NYC thai restaurants where they go to Chinatown to get freshly made broad rice noodles, rather than bringing them from Chicago on a truck in bags and 're-constituting' them... or maybe I'm secretly hoping Indianapolis will create it's own Chinatown to further legitimize itself. People have recommended Sawasdee to me over and over again. I went. There is nothing to really complain about, its.. OK. I felt like the Pad Kea Mow was too busy. Not enough noodles, too many veggies and such. It was also overspiced- It is usually a dish with some heat, the kind where you need to have an Thai Iced Coffee along with it just to calm down your taste buds. This one was --- stomachache inducing. I should qualify myself a little. I've had Kea Mow in 3 different provinces of Thailand. I've had it in over 20 Thai restaurants in NYC. I've had it at every Thai restaurant in Indianapolis. Okay- end of rant. It wasn't the end of the world. It was just ok.
(3)Jennifer S.
Very good - I've both done take out and eaten in several times. The Pad Thai is my favorite!
(4)George N.
Very weak Thai food. Ordered Red Curry, with cabbage salad and Hot/Sour soup. Meat was bone dry, no veggies, no basil, very lame. Cabbage tasteless, soup tasted old. One and done. Plus, ordered beer and they forgot to bring it!
(2)Sok L.
When I'm at any Thai restaurant, I always test two dishes: pad Thai and papaya salad. Not the best but the ambience is great.
(2)Byron W.
Nothing particularly wrong with my experience, but nothing to rave about, either. I got chicken, steak and shrimp over fried rice and it was quite bland until I got an idea to pour the "sauce" over the dish. It was not an easy task, with only a small spoon. Not sure how they expect diners to accomplish this. Why not bring "a side" of the sauce in a small pour with which to pour, if they know the food has no flavor of its own... If I was in the neighborhood again and hungry, with no other options, I would probably go again. Too bad for my friends and I, we drove quite a distance for some good Thai food and left disappointed...
(3)Jennifer P.
One of the best Thai places in Indy! Have been here several times and they never disappoint. The service is excellent, the food quality and quantity is great, and the prices are good as well! Couldn't ask for more! My fave is masaman curry, if you are a curry fan, you should check it out!
(5)Jennifer B.
I've been here twice in two weeks.. the first time I started with the Tao Hoo Thod appetizer, it didn't disappoint nor did the peanut sauce. Nom nom. Follow up was the Red Curry ordered super Thai Hot. It was delicious but didn't quite burn my mouth off.. Tonight I went with a group of friends and ordered the Pud Prik King with Tofu extra super spicy Thai hot and it BURNED my mouth off! My four dinner guests were afraid of trying it and only two of them dared, one bite and they were out of the game. I'm amazed, in all my years of eating out at Indian, Thai and Chinese places I've never had someone try to kill me when ordering that hot before. I think I officially love Sawasdee! I'm not usually one to splurge on dessert but I had to follow up with the Mango Coconut Sticky Rice dish just to save my mouth. They also refilled my water glasses like a zillion times without asking. I swear our table had a rotation of five people just filling our glasses. I'm going to go upload a photo of the spicy dish I devoured tonight, you can practically feel the burn through the imagery. For the record, the egg rolls are melt in your mouth delicious and my friends all loved their Pad Thai and ooh man that Thai Iced Tea is kind of like the Starbucks Green Tea Latte/Frap if it were orange colored.. I'm also going to upload photos taken in the ladies room for the simple fact that I feel its tragic that the male gender will not be exposed to its elegance otherwise.
(5)Adrienne G.
This is a great Thai place tucked away in a strip mall near 86th and Ditch. I have been here more times than I can count, and every time I have left with a full belly and a smile on my face. The service is speedy without making you feel like they are trying to get you out the door. And I absolutely love that they bring orange slices at the end of your meal. What a nice touch! I think Sawasdee's spice level is hotter than Jasmine Thai, so if you don't like things too hot, be careful when ordering! I have no complaints about this place and will continue to dine here.
(4)John J.
I had the Padd Thai(medium) and chicken satay for an app. The peanut sauce that came with the chicken was wonderful. The chicken was tender and very good. With the Pad Thai,you have a choice of beef ,chicken ,vegetarian and I went with the chicken. The chunks of chicken were very tender and the dish was very delicious. One word of caution, they don't have a lunch menu on the weekends. I had to order an entree which was enough food for two people. Service very attentive. Bathrooms need a little attention.
(4)Susan K.
Super yummy Thai food with great service - probably the best Thai I have had in the city. I usually get their Glass Noodle Pad Thai, medium. I will say that the spiciness has varied from visit to visit, sometimes not hot at all and other times pretty hot. The Thai iced tea is delicious! And I can't forget the soup you can get with your meal. Soooooo good.
(4)Sara L.
Sawasdee blows my mind like Franzia wine. The fish cakes here are off the hook. I love Thai food and will go to pretty much any I can find. After starting a job up around 93rd and Zionsville, I was pretty excited to be nearer to so many Thai places. I've tried a few, and Sawasdee is definitely one of my favorites. Their lunch specials are cheap and come with a truck load of food. Everything always tastes freshly made and prepared and the varying levels of hot definitely go up in heat without overpowering flavor. I've had their padd thai, green curry, fish cakes, Pho Pai Thod, Thod Mun Pla, Kra Thong Tong, and Kha Nom and Pung Na Moo and have always been very satisfied. This and Thai Spice are my two favorite Thai places in indy. I think they put crack or the wings of baby angels in their soup. I've had to restrain myself from pickin up the bowl and drinkign it. Souper good.
(5)Bret E.
Happy hour made for a happy tummy. The sizzling rice soup and Hawaii roll were excellent.
(5)Sally S.
Great service, great food, great value. We ran in at 2 minutes until close and asked Thai (the owner) if we could just get 2 orders of the glass noodles and they were very accommodating! So friendly even though they were staying late for us. Really fresh food like it was made up fresh for us! If you haven't been, you should try this place!!! Thank you Sawasdee!
(5)Jeremy R.
I was looking for a Thai place closer to Broad Ripple that measured up to Thai Spice. This place hit the spot! I ordered the Pud Kra Prow with chicken Thai hot. This hot was much hotter than Thai Spice, but it still tasted great! It wasn't the type of hot that overtakes the flavor of the entire dish and leaves you only with pain and tingling of your mouth. There definitely was tingling and nose running, but I was able to taste the chicken, vegetables, and basil. I had half the spring roll and it was just so-so, but it's not my favorite thing to eat anywhere. I did order carry out and feel like the portion size may be smaller when you do it this way. The order was ready lickety-split, too. I did think it was odd that a young American guy answered the phone and when I actually tried to pronounce the dish, he got confused and just said "what number is that??" I can't wait to go back and try the drunken noodles!
(4)Rachel H.
My husband and I eat here often and find it to be a delightful restaurant. The wait staff is helpful and never too far away and the food is absolutely delish. The only thing I would recommend is to be very aware that this is a Thai place and food is hot unless ordered mild or medium. Truly, even medium can be too much. The glass noodle pad thai is to die for. My husband really enjoys the green curry soup with rice. Whatever you order will be fantastic as well. YUM!!
(4)Jannat A.
First time here. Very good service, friendly environment and quite busy. The owner is very friendly. The food serving is quite large so some may want to share one dish. The food is over all good and authentic but be careful what to order as some dishes taste may not suit yours (I order massaman curry and it was too sweet and peanutty for me). The pad seewee was quite good though!
(3)Neal P.
Nice ambience. Extremely clean, both up front, and the men's room. Very tasteful but simple decorations/modeling in the men's room, not just a restroom; it added a nice touch of class. I had the Drunken Noodles lunch special, very good. It was served kind of quick, but it didn't taste like it had been sitting around. I ordered the -medium- spice level, and it was perfect for me, requiring just a little bit of water to drink. They seemed well-staffed for the lunch rush. This is a very popular place, and I can see why. This place is on par with the other upper level Thai restaurants in town. I'd say better than Thai Papaya, better than Thai Castle. On par with Jasmine Thai. On par with Thai Orchid (but not quite as fancy interior).
(4)Marianne L.
Great authentic Thai food! My fiance loves to come here every time he's in town, and I'm more than happy to comply. I definitely recommend the Tom Yum soup with rice - Mild for me. If you like spicy, go with Medium - and if you can handle the Blazing Wings at Bdubs, then go for Thai Hot (it's really, really, really hot). I like a kick, but Mild is good enough for me.
(4)Michelle L.
I'm half Thai, grew up in Thailand. This does not taste like real Thai food. Very Americanized.
(1)Theresa K.
So glad there's a Thai place near my work. For some reason, I've never really ventured west of Meridian, only east, when picking up food. I'm really glad I found this place. The spring roll I had was a bit mushy and without much flavor. I love me some spring rolls. It wasn't bad, just not that great. I ordered the Panang curry chicken, hot, and I was able to eat it again for lunch a couple days later. I think it might have been hotter the second time around. The coconut milk left if creamy and a tad sweet, and it was still sort of flowery-it might have been a lot of lime leaves, yet it was nice and hot. The customer service was wonderful. From the time I called in my order and picking up my grub. The host/server was very curteous. And I believe it might have been an owner who thanked me as I walked out. As soon as I walked in, the host/server asked if I placed a carry out order as if he somehow knew. I'm excited to try a fried rice dish- maybe one of my usuals (kao padd or kao padd bai kra pow). I'll be back.
(4)Rebecca T.
Best Green Curry ever, owner and family couldn't be nicer.
(5)Matthew B.
My wife and I live maybe 10 minutes from this small quaint Thai restaurant but refused to give it a try since we have other Thai restaurants we prefer. But today time was short and we really had a craving for Thai so we went for it and we were quite pleased. The food is very delicious much better than other Thai restaurants on the northwest side of Indy. I ordered the Padd Thai with beef and chicken and the noodles we're delicious, the beef was well seasoned, but the chicken was just ok. The heat level I picked was Medium/Hot since this was a new restaurant to us I wanted to Guage what they called "hot." Medium/Hot did not have much heat at all so I found myself adding chili sauce and red pepper flakes. Next time I will go for Hot or Thai Hot. Overall the Padd Thai was above par and I would definitely come back for it again in the near future but maybe minus the chicken. My wife ordered the Padd Kee Mow and she loved it, but I won't comment on it since I wasn't allowed to enjoy any of it. The restaurant itself was nice and cozy and very intimate. We went for lunch and there wasn't glaring light shining thru the windows which was nice. The staff is very friendly and helpful and the food comes out in a jiffy. Needless to say this is not a place you should pass on. Definitely give them a try next time you're on the NorthBest (pun intended) side of Indy!
(4)Brittany C.
We don't have too many authentic Thai cuisine places in Indy, and of the ones we do have, Sawasdee is a shinning gem! The dishes are variant, authentic, and easily customized to a guest's preferred taste. The service is pleasant, food comes out fast, and the restaurant environment is peaceful enough to sooth even the wildest of spirits and the most painful headaches. Although I do wish they had less expensive dishes (so that I can order more food at a time LOL), I will continue to come here as the place to lay my Thai cravings to rest!
(4)Heather T.
Decided to give this place another try. Ordered carryout and my food was promptly ready. I had the red curry with beef, spiced medium. The meal also comes with a springroll and tom yum soup. The curry was incredibly disappointing. Red curry is something I eat frequently, probably my favorite meal. This one was watery, like they ran out of coconut milk and substituted water. I love curry because of the creamy texture and the taste of the coconut milk. This was meh. The tom yum was unimpressive as well. The reason I upped to three stars was the man working the carryout counter. He was very pleasant.
(3)Tom T.
I'm not a hater and I will try Sawasdee again for sure. My expectations weren't unrealistic either. The soup and spring roll were great, flavorful. Nice. Service was awesome, friendly and quick. The staff was attentive and focused. The Pad See Eew, however, was just awful. Yuck (belly ache level yuck). Over cooked noodles and very little flavor. All stuck together in a big, sticky, gelatinous lump (s). My friend thought the same thing, but didn't fess up till later that night. Big bummer. Maybe it was an off night (I'm hoping)? This was my first visit. The place was crowed. Jumping actually. So it MUST be good. Just not when I visited unfortunately. Hang tough Sawasdee. I have faith.
(2)Kelly G.
I had never been to Sawasdee before, but the guy I'm dating swears by their food, so we checked it out last week. It's an intimate and casual place. Quiet and tucked away inside a strip mall. The menu seems rather large. I ordered the Pad Thai, Crab Rangoon, and hot and sour soup. All three were delicious! The Crab Rangoon is a large portion, plenty for 3-4 people to share, and more crabby than most I have had with a really good side sauce. The Pad Thai could have been shared between two people as well, but I had yummy leftovers instead. I ordered mine with shrimp, which adds to the cost, but didn't really seem worth it. There were maybe five shrimp in what was otherwise a massive plate of food. The most interesting thing was the the hot and sour soup. It is very good but very different from anywhere else I have had it. Super tangy and flavorful. Our waiter was attentive in making sure we always had a full glass of water, but he wasn't over so much that it felt intrusive. He was polite and helpful with suggestions when I was trying to decide what to order. I'll definitely return, and this time with a bigger appetite!
(4)Holly H.
I love Thai food. Let's start there. This place is close(ish) to my office and offers a super quick and affordable lunch option. The food is good, but the place was sticky. I mean, the table, the chairs, even the air felt a little sticky. Good food, just not my favorite atmosphere.
(3)Tania R.
Best Tai food in Indy. Chai iced tea was delicious. My husband raves about the "best chicken wings" in his opinion (and he gets wings everywhere we go) are their Thai chicken wings. Very crispy & well cooked. We had the #35 with shrimp - great flavor, and their Crab Rangoon was the best I've ever had. If you want Thai food, go here! The owner is always walking around saying "hi" to everyone!
(5)Chelsea C.
I finally got the chance to try Sawasdee a couple of weeks ago and everything was incredible! Service was attentive and their prices for lunch are hard to beat! The food was amazing! The interior could use a little cleaning and updating but that won't keep me from returning for the Pad Thai!
(4)Claire N.
This is a really nice thai restaurant with reasonable prices. I had the pud prik thai dum with beef and it was delicious!! It comes with a side of rice and a choice of spring rolls and soup or thai salad. My boyfriend ordered the green curry and he really liked it. Plus, they hire young people to serve so it is really nice.
(4)DeAnna P.
I had such high hopes for this restaurant! I have heard from many neighbors that it is a quaint little place with delicious food. I feel like "quaint" is one of those real estate terms. Like "charming and cottage-like" really means "cramped with no closets." Similarly, "quaint" equated to "Grandma's basement, complete with dusty knickknacks and dirty old carpet." It was weird that there was stuff sitting everywhere throughout the restaurant, and when I looked down to move my chair, the carpet was visibly dirty. That really set a poor tone for the rest of the meal. The food was ok, definitely not great and I would not go again. My noodles had a very weird chemical smell to them, like too much lighter fluid over charcoals. The crab rangoon was actually very good and had a lot of krab (yeah, the fake stuff); however, do not order it if you are not a fan of black pepper -- there was a lot of it. Another minor irritation: I do not understand why some places that specialize in really spicy food have tiny water goblets. They were excellent about coming around for refills, but I probably had six refills during lunch. Sell some of your tchotchkes and use the money to buy big glasses!
(2)Peter P.
This is a review for their lunch deal. The portions were large. You have your choice of entree plus pick 2 from the following - salad, soup, spring roll. Note: I would skip their "salad" because it's really more like a little side of cole slaw. Stick with the soup and spring roll. The whole meal only cost $7.99 and was fast and delicious. I had the noodle soup and customized the heat level to Thai Hot, which was actually not tastebud searingly spicy. The broth was savory and unctuous which made it a good, heavy meal for me.
(4)Patricia N.
This place is PACKED during lunch! Pad Thai was fantastic. Had to dock a star because I ordered it without peanuts and it came out wrong. They left in the peanuts and took away all the bean sprouts. Unfortunately, no one asked if that was correct and the server didn't come back to check. Lunch comes with your choice of two sides. Spring rolls is good, the soup has nice flavor (but it's real just broth - there's nothing in it), and the salad is such a small portion (it literally comes in a sauce ramekin).
(4)Michael A.
The best Thai cuisine in Indy, without a doubt. Aside from the quality of the food, the service is consistently first-rate, and the owner makes a practice of visiting with guests and ensuring their satisfaction. It's also a kid-friendly place, which isn't always the case with Thai restaurants I've visited elsewhere.
(5)Diego O.
So I was in the mood for some curry tonight so I decided to give this place a try. I literally live right across the street from this place and never noticed it till I looked it up on yelp. The food and service were on par for this place. The inside is nicely decorated and I literally felt like I was in Thailand. I ordered the Red Curry plate and it came with two side which I got a spring roll and some hot mad sour soup. I love my food spicy and boy did I get spicy on my curry! Food was extremely flavorful and enjoyable. As far as price goes it was about what you expect for Thai cuisine, I spent about $15 with tip added. I'm definitely coming back for my cheat days!
(4)Divya V.
I came here for dinner on a weeknight with my 3 month old baby. The service was decent. The food was really good. Fast service - we didn't have to wait long. Large portions and entrees come with a choice of side. The average price of an entree is a little more expensive than I am used to paying at Thai places. We ordered the drunken noodles, green curry and pineapple fried rice. All medium spicy. A word of caution: the spice level is higher here than other Thai restaurants. I could handle it but I know some of my friends would have a tough time eating it. What I liked was that it wasn't just plain heat there was a lot of flavor as well. So, the bad: 1. dinner can get expensive 2. There mild can be too spicy for some people 3. Larger than average portions The good: 1. Flavorful food 2. They don't downplay the spice level 3. You can take your well behaved child here
(4)Mark S.
Time in and time out, Sewasdee provides excellent food and service. My wife and I have made Sewasdee our go-to restaurant when nothing else sounds good. I tend to get the Red Curry, but the Thai Noodle Soup and the Pad Thai are excellent as well, and the soup and spring roll starters are perfect! Two thumbs up for the Crab Rangoon, as well. We can't recommend this place enough!
(5)Desmond W.
This is definitely my favorite Thai restaurant within and around Indy! Every time I go here, the food is delicious and the customer service is wonderful. The owner, Ty, is also very nice and his wife sometimes has cookies available for free early around lunchtime. I can't get enough of that delicious Basil fried rice. Also, their soups are the shizzle!!
(5)Tiffany N.
Decent place for pad thai, unfortunately after reading the reviews I was expecting to be wowed and wasn't. This is a friendly run place and they are quick with everything -food, service, refills, check and I appreciate that tons. But I was underwhelmed by the pad thai. Pad thai is my jam, 99% of the time it's the only thing I will order and I've been to A LOT of Thai places all over the country so I've seen the good the bad the ugly. At Sawasdee: The good-big lunch portion for $6.95 along with two if the following-salas, soup or spring roll The bad-no sight of glass noodles in the dish, it was more like a thin spaghetti. The ugly-I ordered it hot and it barely burned my tongue. I thought I was being adventurous since I usually order medium hot but access denied, it just wasn't hot. That being said, I scarfed it down since I was jones in for some pad thai and it was cold and raining out, perfect pad thai weather. I just wouldn't stop here again for it if you're a pad thai freak like me.
(3)Quynhmy R.
I loveee this place!!! Get a thai iced tea(best in town), crab rangoons and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I could eat that meat weekly if I didn't gain 5 lbs every time. All the staff is extremely friendly as well. Love this place!
(5)Katrina D.
Great lunch menu! Tons of options! I've never had Thai food before but I was easily able to find something I like. Our service was excellent. One person in our party ordered his dish with tofu to make it vegetarian. When discussing the soup that accompanies the dish, our server checked to make sure everything would meet his dietary restrictions. He was extremely knowledgeable and cared that we were eating what we wanted to be eating. The soup that came with my meal was fantastic. It had just a hint of spice and was light. I could have eaten that soup all day. My whole meal consisted of soup, a spring roll, and an entree and I was able to get out for less than $10. I love the price! I'll definitely be back and next time, I'm going to be more adventurous.
(4)Brittney K.
I was here during the summer and absolutely loved the food - had such good flavor and their lunch specials gave you a lot of bang for your buck. Came back today and had the same experience. The staff was nice, the place is clean, and the food was exactly how I remembered it. Not only would I recommend going there for the food (seriously, the best Thai place I've been to in the city), but their hospitality is over the top. My coworker mentioned it was my birthday, and the owner gave me a small bottle of champagne on the house. I cannot say enough great things about this place. If you're looking for a great Thai restaurant or want to try Thai for the first time, I highly suggest costing Sawasdee.
(5)Katie R.
Cute place, very nice staff. We came in during a Colts game, and they asked if we'd like to be seated on the TV or no-TV side (we picked the TV side, of course!). The pad see ew and pad thai were very good, and the portions were absolutely enormous. I still think the award for the best vegetarian spring rolls goes to Thai Cafe in Broad Ripple or Thai Kitchen in Fishers, but Sawasdee's were crispy and tasty as well.
(4)Jon C.
Working in the area, I like to pop into Swasdee from time to time for lunch. It's not a very big place, but they do a great job of moving people through quickly, and the service is always exceptionally fast. Lunch combo's are decently priced (under $10) and includes soup or spring roll in addition to your entrée. Padd Thai (with tofu) is my go to, although I was eyeing the green curry a friend had... perhaps next time! If you're looking for a quick lunch on the NW side and like Thai food, make sure you give this place a try!
(4)Aaron G.
Solid Thai option on north side of Indy. We go here when we want to stay close to home and want Thai food. The service is always friendly and prompt. On this visit I had the beef massaman curry and ordered it medium-hot, the dish had good flavor but was not as spicy as I had hoped. We also had the chicken satay. I do wish they had a few more options on the menu but appreciate that they have not gone over the top with a huge menu.
(3)Lindsay N.
My husband and I have ordered carryout a few times. The staff is incredibly friendly starting from the moment you walk in the door. The first time we ordered Pad Thai and the second time we ordered the Drunken Noodles. Both were delicious and one order is enough for two people to share (and we are big eaters). Sometime I would like to have dinner in the restaurant. It is dimly lit, warm, and cozy. It seems like a great place for an intimate date night.
(4)Christopher H.
I've taken a handful of out-of-town friends here from Boston, NYC, Minneapolis, LA, and Chicago and they all say that it is the best Thai food they've had. I always thought they were kidding but whenever they come back in town, they request we go from the airport here every single time...They also request that I bring some carryout to the airport but I'm just not that nice. If you're here for lunch, go with the Thai Noodle Soup, Its out of this world, pair this double spring rolls or a spring roll and soup (the salad is a little sad) and you're going to be a happy, happy camper. Order a Thai iced tea or Thai iced coffee and you are set! The Thai noodle soup is definitely #1 and takes a special order for dinner but they'll still sell it (thanks guys!) other than that the pad thai and drunken noodles are close behind it. For people who complain about the spice in the food, the wait staff has walked every single guest of mine through the scale and if its your first time, they'll recommend the mild in order to gauge your tolerance...here's a tip, follow their instructions, they are kind of experts...duh! Seriously...best Thai food.
(5)Adelino E.
Went here for a date night very amazing atmosphere and the food was fresh fast and everything I had hoped for we had the Thai Ice tea it was delicious and refreshing They are family oriented and it was a place to be it seemed on a Friday evening which made the choice to try even better rewarding
(4)Connie B.
Love this place. My favorite is the chicken pad thai. Wonderful staff. You will always have your water refilled. The portions is great size. Love going here for a relaxing lunch. If you like Thai this is one of the best in Indy and if your new to Thai this is the place to try!!
(5)Harry A.
Authentic and reasonably priced with fast service. Highly recommended. Service was good likewise even on a busy Saturday night.
(5)Bryan W.
Great little find the green curry was nuclear hot and i loved every bite. The hot and sour soup with spring roll was a prefect lunch. I will be back for sure. Just need more napkins to dab the sweat from my brow
(4)Sheetal K.
Got all excited seeing some good reviews. The food is okay. The quality and taste of the foods needs improvement. Service was quick. Will try this restaurant again.
(3)Haleigh C.
I'm always skeptical of trying restaurants in strip mall settings, but this place is really great. My coworkers and I have come here a number of times during lunch. The service is always friendly and we can get in and out during our lunch hour. During my last visit I had the shrimp padd thai (no tofu) and it was DELICIOUS! They always start you off with a spring roll and sweet 'n sour soup, too; both are terrific.
(4)Hannah F.
I adore this place. The decor is a little much, but the food is quick to come out, and the lunch specials are amazing. The Thai soup is fantastic!! The service is good and the quality is fresh.
(5)Nicole S.
The Food is great, and consistent. I don't only come here for the food. I often call in an order for carry out on the way home and the owner is always so welcoming and kind. He tells me to get off my feet and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine while I wait for my food. The staff goes above and beyond to make you feel welcomed. I love this place and it's friendly staff.
(5)Amy R.
Good food. Spice level was more than expected. One of our party ordered no spice and it was still incredibly spicy. But the flavors were excellent, and they can make anything on the menu vegetarian. Worth the stop on the way back home, I would go again.
(3)Nolando T.
I had high hopes for this place but it was just ok...at best. The service was pretty good and everyone was really nice. But the food was not very good. I only ordered the Laab Gai (chicken larb), fried banana, and thai tea. The thai tea was the powdered kind, or at least it tasted like it. Not a good thing. The Laab tasted sort of sweet. I wouldn't be surprised if they used a bit of sugar to tone down the spices a bit. It was weird. I guess I just wasn't used to that sort of flavor with Laab. The worst part was the fried banana. And that's the easiest thing to make! They were chewy and tough. Not crispy at all. And instead of honey poured on top they give you a side of...pancake syrup. You read that right. Pancake. Syrup. Really??? Needless to say I was disappointed. Especially after all the great reviews. At least there are other options in the area. I won't come back here unless I have to.
(2)Anna L.
After that embarrassing dinner date years ago where I had a murderous nosebleed which sent me running into the women's room with wads of napkins stuffed up my nose for a good 15 minutes, I still come back to this place with my original date to remind myself not to order my food "Thai Hot". I had my Pad Thai (Medium, I repeat, Medium) and a glass of ice cold Thai coffee to assure myself that bloody hell wouldn't happen again. Honestly, I really enjoyed the Pad Thai dish. The rice noodles were still al-dente in Italian terms and evenly coated with the flavorful, fragrant mixture of fish sauce, tamarind, and palm sugar stir-fried with chicken, onions, and bean sprouts. The Thai coffee was decadent, rich, and chocolately in flavor. He had the Ba Mee Pod paired with Thai iced tea. From the looks of it, without taste testing - it was very presentable and looked quite satisfying as well. FYI: I had enough leftovers from my lunch portion to reheat for next day's lunch as well considering I'm a big eater myself. There you have it. That is the alternate ending to my mishap a few years ago.
(4)Maelstrom D.
Friendly, I felt the dishes we're thoroughly explained. I love spicy food, and can hold my own, though with that said.. their medium was fairly spicy, had I gone with hot I would have been slightly uncomfortable. The medium was just perfect and I had a fair dose of perspiration to show for my adventure.
(4)Jason B.
Very good food, but vegetarians use caution. I ordered a meal and asked for it to be vegetarian. I believe the only difference between a meat dish and vegetarian dish is the lack of meat and addition of tofu. What i mean is, i believe the dish still consists of all the fish and oyster sauces they use in all dishes. I also believe the probably fish sauce in my dish is what gave me stomach problems. I am not sure if vegetarians can ask for a special, fish-less sauce or not as I have only been here once. But vegetarians, be aware that the dish is probably not truly vegetarian. But, you got sick after eating here...why the 4 stars?? Why? because the food was very good. I asked for Hot, and it was Hot. The flavor of the food was very good and everything was prepared nicely. They did have a 12 yr old as a busser which was a bit odd, but other than that everything was good. If i find i can get a truly vegetarian meal here, then I will absolutely be back.
(4)Sonya A.
Definitely one of my new favorite places lately. Had a number of dinners the last few weeks here with a client and must admit it was very good. The food is Americanized of course but their dishes were flavorful and their staff was courteous. I do recommend! Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Location: 4/5
(4)Richard S.
Should be 4.5 stars. Good food. Excellent value. Prompt/accurate service. Why didn't I rate 5? Because it was very good, but not best ever.
(4)Katelyn A.
I enjoy spicy food, however depending on what type of food you get the spices can vary greatly. I ordered a mixture of vegetables and octopus with medium spices and it was so hot I could not even eat it... however my Mother got their Pad Thai and it was at medium and it was absolutely perfect. The waiter informed us that it was based off of the fact that they cook it differently with the spices. We absolutely loved their soup, and crab rangoon. The only complaint was the temperature of the restaurant is extremely warm but only on half of the restaurant. I will for sure be going back and I cannot wait. I have been craving their food since I left!!!!
(4)Dylan E.
I have visited this restaurant on a few occasions for lunch. It is a pretty nice place that is located in a strip mall setting. We have never had an issue getting a table, but it does get full around lunch time, and I have seen people waiting for a table. There are great lunch specials that include a spring roll and soup or a salad to start at somewhere around $7. The portions are very large and I always end up taking home leftovers. I have always had good service, and it usually doesn't take too long to get your food if you have a time constraint during lunch break. I don't have much Thai food experience to compare it to so I don't know how authentic it is, but everything I have had has been very good. I have heard lots of talk about Thai food having a reputation for being spicy, but this place must hold back quite a bit. I have gotten the padd thai on 3 different occasions, first ordering the mild, then medium, and finally hot in order to get to the point where I could actually tell that it was spicy at all. I'm definitely not one who can eat a habaneros like they are ice cubes either, and usually think things are much spicier than what other people tend to think. 4/5 from me on food, service, and setting
(4)The Most Interesting Man In The W.
Thai food is ALWAYS expensive and this restaurant is no exception. The food was one of the best I've had. I liked the Drunken Noodles and the Tom Yum soup.
(5)Brooke K.
Pretty good Thai food for Indianapolis. I like the green curry, but the spring rolls are soggy on the inside. They need to change the temperature of the oil they fry them in. Service is good and prompt at lunch.
(3)Jennifer H.
I have never had a bad meal here. I love the spring rolls & soup and mansaman curry. It's great for takeout too but the spring rolls don't travel as well as everything else. They will tailor the dishes to your liking - I prefer medium heat while my husband goes for "Thai hot". While the restaurant does have a date night feel, every time I bring my kids (now 5 & 8, but both have been coming with me since diaper days) we are made to feel completely welcome. My daughter loves the chicken on a stick, aka chicken satay.
(5)Shelby J.
Sorry, I gave it a shot. Maybe I just don't like their particular style of cooking. Maybe I'm just far too used to my West Coast Thai Food. But this just doesn't cut it for me. The food was rather bland. I ordered it medium spiced. I had a fried rice dish, and there was so little seasoning on it. My husband ordered Pad See Ew to be safe, and was thoroughly disappointed. To be honest, it tasted somewhat resemblant of something we have had at a grocery store counter back home. I've heard that they can be hit or miss apparently, but this was a big miss for us. And a not so cheap one at that. Sorry, but we won't be back.
(2)Leona P.
This is very close to home so I ordered carryout. I ordered the Pad See Ewe hot and it was the perfect amount of spicy heat. Delicious! And probably the best spring roll I've had in a long while. It's a quaint little place with prompt and courteous staff. I'll be trying more soon!
(4)Beth B.
Not for me! I ordered carry out for myself and my husband last night. We had the appetizer sampler and an order of Padd See Ewe. The only thing we truly liked on the sampler were the fish cakes but they certainly not the best fish cakes I've had. The Padd See Ewe was aweful!!! No flavor at all. I ordered it medium and there wasn't even a hint of spice. I was very disappointed that I spent almost $30 on a meal that I didn't come near finishing. I'm not sure I understand how this place could get such stellar reviews. I feel my two stars are generous.
(2)Sarah S.
This is my favorite Thai restaurant in Indy. However, the spring roll and soup were not quite as amazing as I remembered this time around. I wonder if the much-welcomed expansion was accompanied by a bit of corner-cutting in the food department. I hope that's just in my mind, but I guess time will tell. Still, the food really was good, soup (which is kind of my favorite part) and spring roll included. I can never resist a green curry, and the one I had today was most excellent. As others have mentioned, "hot" really is hot here. They don't give you what I like to call "whitey hot." Cleared out my sinuses like a charm. As for dessert, go for the sticky rice and custard, even if you're feeling kind of stuffed. It's worth it. The decor in Sawasdee is simply beautiful, which is no doubt part of why I love it so much. And the wait staff is very friendly and genteel. The sweet little old man who runs the place is usually shuffling around filling up ice water and chatting with patrons. I definitely felt welcome here.
(4)Matt R.
UPDATE (2011.6.16) My friend invited me for lunch here today. Fine, I thought, let's check out the luncheon experience. I had pad thai, and we ordered crab rangoon as an appetizer. Their crab rangoon is quite good--for crab rangoon. Which is food so bad for one that I can't really enjoy it. Fried food with oil just dripping of it, you know. The spring roll remained tasty, and the soup remained a meh. The pad thai was pretty damn bad. There seem to be a million approaches to this classic dish, and, sadly, a lot of them suck. Both sugar and salt can become the villains, and today's noodle mush was overcome by both. So it wasn't a one-off for me. But I swear, there ain't gonna be no THREE-OFF, m'kay?! The rest of my review remains as before. ----- We ate here tonight. Service was fine. Food was unimpressive. Crab roll. A spongy, fish-cake-like roll with a crispy skin that was fine but tasted nothing like crab. B- Spring roll (comes with entre). Crispy and tasty. Probably my fave thing in the meal. (Why is it that appetizers are the best thing at so many restaurants?) A Hot and sour soup (comes with entre). A meh. Pretty much just broth. Generic thai soup flavor. C Shrimp and peppers (#31 on menu). This was OK. Competent, not too exciting. The problem was the really small portion (a problem at a lot of Thai restaurants). The kind of portion that leaves you hungry. C+ Pad thai. Not good. I won't tell you where the beef tasted like it was from. Overly sweet. Overdone noodles. Edible but inferior. C- The atmosphere is cute. The staff seemed nice. But this will be a one-off for us.
(2)Nick S.
This restaurant is very nice. I went with a friend for lunch and had a great time. The atmosphere is comfortable for lunch, though possibly not as much for dinner. The service is fine, nothing exceptional but certainly nothing to complain about. The food was excellent. The value was phenomenal for the food. Lunch included two of: spring roll, salad, and soup. I had the spring roll and salad and both were fantastic. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for lunch. The only downsides were that the food came out while I was still eating my salad and spring roll (its a pet peeve of mine when a meal comes out before the appetizer/previous course is finished) and that the atmosphere felt to me better suited for a casual lunch than a sit down dinner. That said you should definitely check this place out.
(4)Jackie H.
Found this place on Yelp and 4 of us went for dinner while attending a motorcoach rally at the fairgounds. The food was good, curry was tasty, the #33 was ordered spicy and it was bland. Springroll appetizer was dry.
(3)James T.
Food = 9 Price = 9 Experience = 9 (very prompt and friendly) One of the best lunch spots in Indy. The daily special is always great and very affordable.
(4)Mia M.
I thought Jasmine Thai was the only decent Thai place in Indy... Sawasdee proved me wrong! Their prices are much better and the pad thai is fresh-tasting and delicious. My sister and I went there for lunch and spent $15 between the two of us. I can't wait to go back.
(4)Jenny K.
Oh Sawasdee...a rare find in Indy! This is definitely one of the better Thai restaurants I've been too. The staff is friendly and service is super quick. Lunch time is probably the best bang for the buck as the majority of their lunch specials are $7.95 versus $9.95 at dinner time. The portions are basically the same. I tend to order the chicken pad thai or the chicken fried rice. Both are pretty great. I've also had the Thai noodle soup, which by the way, is only offered at lunch. The spices used in the noodle soup is great and tends to be my pick in the winter when it's cold. Each entree comes with a choice of spiciness (i.e. mild, medium, hot, or thai hot). I tend to stick to medium, but my more adventurous colleagues opt for thai hot, which they say really clears up the sinuses. The level of hotness varies daily depending on who made it, so there are days when it's definitely hotter than others. Just be aware. All entrees come with two sides either soup, spring roll, or salad. I've tried all of them, and I still stick to the soup and spring roll. There is only one house soup, and it's the same one daily. It's pretty good; however, if you don't like it, then there really aren't anymore choices. Overall, I like eating here, and my coworkers and I tend to frequent here quite a bit. I would recommend it to anyone.
(4)T F.
I can't stress this point enough: ORDER THE THAI NOODLE SOUP, HOT. No question THE BEST SOUP IN INDIANA. Frankly, it may be the best soup I have ever eaten in my entire life, anywhere, on earth. If you've had a better soup, please tell me because I want to eat it.
(5)Josh F.
Great Thai food period! Awesome owner, who was very intent on making sure everything was just right. Plus a very nice family run atmosphere. A great wine selection, and the owner was alos pretty knowledgable about what wines they served, and was able to suggets a nice pairing. Some many rad veg options, I couldn't stand it...it required two seperate trips ;) They can really crank up the spice level as well.
(4)Doug S.
The complimentary orange slices with your check is something I've never seen before.
(5)Jason C.
Food = great / service = great. I was treating a client for lunch. We both had Pad Thai served hot (referring to spice level). Mine was served vegetarian while my guest was in the mood for shrimp. The food, service and authentic atmosphere were just as enjoyable as I remembered from my first visit a few months earlier. The lunch portion of Pad Thai is served with a house soup, which is a vegetable/broth kind of concoction well seasoned with cilantro and, I think, a bit of chili oil. Mmmm. Also includes a spring roll with dipping sauce. The spring roll (fried) was the only mildly dissapointing part of the meal as it didn't seem as freshly prepared as the very satisfying entree. Tip: dishes are served on a spice ranking that runs mild, medium, hot & Thai hot. I'm a spicy food dude so it takes a punch to get my nose running. The "hot" level lived up to my expectations, and yes my nose was running. It was a bit too hot for my guest, who finished one whole pitcher of water that our always-on-time waiter intuitively provided for our table.
(4)Tita P.
So, I decided to try the lunch menu. I must admit it did not WOW me. Not a lot of options on the lunch menu. I know that the dinner menu is a lot more extensive. They may consider adding a few more items during lunch. One more suggestion. Don't call your credit card company on speaker phone and attempt to make a payment. Not the background noise that I want to hear while I am eating lunch.
(3)Cheryl K.
One of our FAVORITE places to go in Indy!!! Family owned and never had a bad experience. Eat their regularly as a part of the lunch and the dinner croud. If you want Thai food ... look no further!
(5)Matt J.
In short: best Thai I've had in a long time. I went to Sawasdee on recommendation of one of my co-workers and boy was I impressed. I ordered the satay chicken skewers to start which were delicious - the chicken cooked well, the peanut sauce tasty, and the cucumber dressing cool and refreshing. I ordered the duck curry dish and my girlfriend the pad thai. We got both "Thai Spicy" and boy did they deliver the heat. The duck was well cooked and perfectly seasoned and each time I bit into a grape it was a little ball of spicy fire exploding in my mouth. The pad thai was also incredible. I'm no longer in Indy but I sure as heck do miss this place. Don't pass it up!
(4)Lauren S.
Quick, clean, tasty, and lunch menu is cheap!
(5)Tiffany L.
I am very picky with Thai food, so when I was in Indy for business and saw all these rave reviews for this place I had to give it a try. I ordered the tom yum soup with shrimp and the pad kee maw. I thought the soup was ok, I had asked for it to be spicy and it came out to be spicy which I liked, the lemongrass flavor was a tad too strong and the pad kee maw was too sweet and saucy, not my thing. Service was prompt and friendly. I don't know if I would go here again. Another person that I know that is Thai went here and she said that the food was not like real Thai food. It's okay to me, not great but not the worst, but definitely not up to my expectations with all the great reviews.
(3)Hula B.
i like the menu and food here. i don't like the hours. no weekend lunch service?? and sunday they are only open 3 hours.... i'd like to eat there more, but they are never open! they also take long vacations and close the restaurant for days/weeks at a time. i don't want to have to call every time i want to go to find out if they are there that day. i'm sure its hard to run a small restaurant and try to have time for yourself, but i know that i frequently don't consider going there because i don't want to get there and find out they are closed again.
(3)Lisa M.
As I'm in town for a month or so for work, I've been trying to explore the dining scene a bit (thank you expense account!). This place was a little hard to find tucked away into a strip mall behind a dunkin donuts. The interior was pleasant and clean. The service was helpful, friendly, and prompt. I decided on the duck curry dish. A spring roll and soup were included with the dinner entree. I'm not a fan of many soups and this one tasted overly salty to me. The spring roll was tiny, overly cooked, and unremarkable. The curry dish was tasty. I liked it, but I don't think its something I'll seek out to have again. They also seemed to be doing a brisk business of takeout. I'm guessing it was the owner who was walking around the dining area checking that everyone was being taken care of and enjoying their food. I thought that was a nice touch and made me enjoy the experience more.
(3)Albertro F.
I waffle between 3 and 4 stars, rounding down. I don't like rating inflation. Sawasdee is nicely appointed and the menu has pretty much everything we've come to expect from a Thai joint, except papaya salad. Also, I was saddened by the lack of fish balls or fish tofu (tohu pla). You could get the balls in green curry, but nothing else, and no pestering of the waitstaff could budge that position. I opted for the Drunken Noodles, which were ok (think veggie chow ho fun), but the chicken atop the dish was overcooked and chewy. Furthermore, the dish was a little on the skimpy side. My fellow diners had masaman and green curries. I thought the masaman tasted right ouf the can, but who cooks at home anymore anyway? I do, and I can tell when cheating happens. Still, everything was tasty. All dinners come with a tangy soup, salad, or springroll. I got the salad against my table's suggestion, and was let down. It was not the ubiquitous cuke, onion, and chili, but strange, chewy cabbage. I ate it, but will opt for the springroll next time around. A frosty Singha (Su biah Sing!) washed down my spicy drunken noodles. They ask your spice preference on a mild, medium, hot, and Thai-hot scale. I've been around, but the hot was plenty hot. Sorta like the ping pong show you saw in Pattaya. Woot!
(3)G M.
I discovered this restaurant nearly seven years ago. Since that time, I have been dining there on a regular basis. I average 3 lunches a week and at least one dinner. They have a very diverse wine menu for this type of restaurant that is constantly changing. I highly suggest the Thai Noodle Soup for lunch and the Thom Yum for dinner. It is a no miss and tell Mr. Thai that Mr. Gary says hey!!
(5)J. Smoke W.
Awesome. Enjoy a Napa Smith Lost Dog or Organic IPA! We love Sawasdee and go every week we are in town!
(5)Jennifer L.
Locals' favorite place to eat Thai food. Unlike some other local joints, when you specify "hot" as your preferred spice level, you get enough heat to send steam out of your ears. Lots of fresh lemongrass, cilantro, chiles and basil perk up the food. My dish with fresh clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari steeped in cilantro, lime and chiles was tasty. The wine list is extensive, but this place good use more beer. There are plenty of hoppy brews that would cut through spice nicely.
(4)John M.
Highly recommended. We started with a bottle of hey mambo at $32. Served very quickly by the manager with style. Very diverse menu with a variety of traditional Thai dishes. Even better, they include a photo of each dish to show you what you'll be getting. First we ordered veggie spring rolls which were delivered in just a few minutes - hot and crispy. For main courses, my wife had the shrimp pad Thai which she ordered in mild spice. I had the wide thick noodles with shrimp and veggies. Feeling brave, I chose medium hot. I am really glad I didn't choose hot or Thai hot spicy, because my "medium" started mild but quickly turned up the heat! After a few bites, I was sweating, and tears were welling up in my eyes from the spice! It was VERY tasty. Both dinners were very good, but the shrimp in both were not as good as expected. The shrimp, served tail on, were tough and they tasted like they'd been frozen for too long. We won't order shrimp here again. Dinners came with a Thai cabbage salad and a bowl of tasty soup. Following dinner, we splurged and added desserts. My wife ordered a pumpkin custard which was excellent. I went with fried bananas which had been wrapped in spring roll pastry and drizzled with sweet sauce and whipped cream. Decadent and exactly what I needed to wrap up a nice meal. Service was very good with a highly attentive waiter and manager who visited us often to see how we were doing. Overall a very nice meal, other than the lackluster shrimp. Recommended!
(4)Susan F.
Great Thai food. This family owned-business is so sweet and it will probably be in business forever, knock on wood!
(5)Swt P.
I have been looking forward to coming here. This was my first experience and it did not impress me. For 6.95 (plus tax and tip), you can order from the limited selection of their lunch menu. The meal comes with vegetable roll and a tom yum flavored soup. My favorite dish: pad kee mao, did not taste as I expected. It was too sour and the sauce was runny. The vegetables still tasted raw. Other than that, the dining area is nice and clean, service is quick and friendly. I will try to come back again and give this place another chance.
(3)Charla M.
You always remember your first time... Sawasdee was my first, but not last foray into Thai food, but for me it is the hands-down best. My normal meal is the spring roll, hot soup, shrimp padd thai (be aware, hot is very hot, and I like hot, medium to me has the warmth & flavor). They bring orange slices (for a sweet life). It's completely delectable.
(5)Dawn T.
Given the other reviews, maybe I just hit Sawasdee on a bad day and should try it again. However, the one time I went was one time too many. It was easily the worst Thai food I've ever eaten in my life. My husband and I went for lunch and I had the Pad See Eew. It was terrible. The noodles were mushy, the vegetables were mushy and the flavor was lacking.
(1)A S.
Hit or miss. Sometimes it is really good and sometimes itz off. It is a good thai restaurant
(3)A L.
Crowded on a weekday night- probably a good sign. Service was good. Menu had lots of options- most appeared authentic. The food was moderately priced. We ordered a handful of different dishes including noodles, tofu, beef, chicken, etc. The pad thai at "mild" was spicier than expected but it tasted good. It wasn't too sour which I have found is the case at some other restaurants. The tofu was unexpectedly smashed..but it tasted fine. this restaurant is worth trying.
(3)Tiffany G.
super good, the soups are amazing
(4)Nick L.
My favorite THAI restaurant in Indy. Excellent food in a beautiful well-designed setting. Can get somewhat crowded due to its popularity, but I have never really had to wait long. The place could easily expand and add seating, but that would take away from its intimate, family owned feel. It is also just on the border between casual (jeans) and a bit dressier. The prices are definitely in the moderate range, but not yet too high.
(4)Josiana Janel L.
I have been craving Thai food for over a year...after passing this restaurant on my way to work (and reading the reviews on yelp) my husband and I tried it out. GREAT food! I had the Phad Thai (spelling?) which was a perfect blend of sweet and spicey. The Thai iced tea was perfect as well. I highly recommend it and look forward to returning in the very near future. The service was fantastic!
(4)Peter D.
Wonderful restaurant. We love this place. There soup is great. Great. Funny thing is that their Salmon special has been the special for well over 5 years.
(4)Areeba F.
Great food, quick and friendly service, fair prices. I really liked that the owner greets people personally and seems to really enjoy running this successful establishment. Our soup and salad was very tasty, as were the spring rolls. The panang curry and chili fried rice were fantastic. I was surprised that the prices were a lot lower than some of the other thai restaurants in town that serve mediocre food at best. I would definitely come here again and bring my friends and family. It was also sweet that he employed half of Brebeuf at his restaurant apparently haha.
(4)Alexandra P.
This is the only place where I've ever attempted Thai cuisine and it's had a huge impact on my view of Asian food. I've always loved spicy food but I could never find a place that had spicy Asian food that wasn't the same old spicy orange chicken that you can get at any old Chinese restaurant. (Not that I don't like it mind you, it just gets boring after a while) So one day in comes my mother with a couple of huge bags and tells me that we're having Thai for dinner! I tried a lot of new foods that day and not one of them I found displeasing. Everything from friend tofu, pad Thai, sticky rice, Thai iced tea, spicy papaya salad, soup, and so much more all delicious. Plus an added bonus is that the people who work there are some of the friendliest and you'll ever met. They don't mind a bit if you try to order in Thai (which can end very badly at other places...). In fact they encourage it! They have yet to get an order wrong. Seriously, I've been going there for about a year now and they have never messed up my order. That really says something about the pride they take in their work don'tcha think?
(5)Marc K.
I was thai-homeless after the departure of Thai Garden downtown. Sawasdee has fixed all of that. They have a great menu with lots of vegetarian and non vegetarian options. Their soups are amazing. The glass noodle pad thai has been on special for quite some time, and is just that. Special. I've had several curries and noodle dishes, and have never been disappointed. The only drawback is the somewhat small dining room that is usually busy on weekends. ** Updated 2/3/08 ** They've doubled in size so the wait issues have resolved. I hope you enjoy my new thai food home!
(5)Amanda Z.
Not bad, but not one of the best Thai restaurants I have ever been to. Service was ok but we were kind of forgotten for awhile after we were seated. Granted, we did need time to decide on what we were going to order, but we basically had to flag someone down to come and even take our order. It was a Saturday night but it wasn't THAT busy... I had a chicken dish (have since forgotten the name) which was pretty flavorful, thanks to the added ginger. It came with vegetables and was in a tasty sauce. My friend got something pretty similar but had garlic instead of ginger as the main flavor component. They were both pretty good and since we got them medium on the hotness scale, had a little kick to them. As other reviewers mentioned, the entrees come with your choice of spring roll or salad with soup. I found the soup to be really strange tasting, so much that I couldn't really get it down. The salad, isn't really a salad but a weird combination of vinegary cabbage and other hard to determine items. My friend ate his spring roll but didn't really comment on it, so I guess it was ok. I guess after reading that this was supposed to be Indy's best Thai restaurant, I was expecting a lot more. It was decent, but not a place I'm going to run to return to. This is when I miss my little dive-y Thai takeaway place in Boston!
(3)shelley d.
I have never been disappointed here. Great place to eat and visit with friends. The people-watching is usually top notch, too! Watch out on the spices - I am crazy for spicy food so the one time my "medium" spicy pad see ew was hotter than my husband's "hot" I didn't mind, but someone with more delicate sensibilities might have seen stars!
(5)Thomas W. H.
Sawasdee is the best Thai place on the North side. I wish they were a little closer to Carmel where I work and I'd be doing lunch there more often. The owner is there all the time and always ready with a suggestion for something new and interesting to try. Atmosphere is wonder, though the dining room is small.
(4)