We were across the street at the Peabody Essex Museum and wanted a quick bite nearby. The Yelp reviews were largely positive. What a let down. This place is terrible. Fifteen minutes after my son and I were served, my wife still did not get her lunch. A halfhearted "sorry" and five minutes later (20 minutes in all), I finally told the waitress to remove my wife's undelivered lunch from the check and to bring it to me immediately. If that's not bad enough, my Pad Thai was salty and wet. The broccoli served with my son's Thai BBQ chicken was dry and bitter. This place sucks. Anyone who thinks they serve good Thai has never had even decent Thai. I did not tip the waitress because she did nothing to address the situation - like comp the Thai iced tea or tell us she'd rush the order. I would have given the manager a piece of my mind if I thought she'd care at all, assuming she would understand a word I said. I predict this place will go the way of its former neighbor, Asahi; another horrible representation of Asian food in Salem (in this case, sushi) which fortunately has gone out of business.
(1)
Christie N.
Thai Place, How I've Missed You So!!!!!! I am so glad to finally return to this place. I used to come here about ten years ago or so. While I loved the food, I consistently had appallingly rude service, so I stopped eating here. Today, I decided to give it another try, and I am so glad that I did! The service was very friendly, the food is just as good as I remembered it, and the prices were very reasonable. We ordered dumplings, duck massaman curry and of course, pad thai - all of which I would order again. We will be back....soon and often.
(4)
Kathy C.
Great food for a decent price. The lady, I think she said her name was Jenna, noticed we had been sitting there for hours and gave us free Mother's Day cookies. The servers also kept refilling our waters. I think we sat there after eating our lunch for 4 hours and they extended extra kindness to us. These people know how to treat their customers well.
(5)
Meredith M.
The food is so yummy. The ambiance is cozy and warm. The twinkle lights make you feel like it's the holidays in April. The owners (a married Thai couple) take turns coming to check on you. They have been opened for 19 years as of this month! If you go, try the Thai beer, it tasts like a Magical coors light, like sparkling regular beer. haha. I promise it's good. It complemented our seafood app very well. If you order an extra spicy menu (denoted by three chili peppers) the sweet lady will warn you "extra spicey. very hot. very hot. burn your mouth" If you truly like spicey dishes, just smile and say yes, that's perfect. You will NOT be disappointed. My tun was burning and my face was getting red after the Grilled Shrimp Curry. WOW We also tried the Fisherman's Furry which was in a surprisingly sweet sauce that had a little kick to it. When you get your bill they will hand it to you on a tray of mini candies. Plus, since we were there for their 19th Anniversary month and our bill ended up having a 9 at the end of it, we were given a 9 dollar gift card for a future visit! how cool! it's not cheap, but the portions are large and the quality is worth the price. YUM!
(5)
Stephanie M.
I'm going to first start off by saying I'm not regularily a fan of thai food. As soon as the smell even hits my sense, I'm down for the count. My stomach starts rumbling and I spend some quality time with my porcelain friend. With that lovely image in your head, I have never had that experience with this particular Thai restaurant. I found a dish that I absolutely love and is really gentle on my stomach. I always get the sizzling shrimp platter. It comes with white rice, and litterally steams. Much like a fajita.. but.. not. Plenty of times I've gone here later at night. The place is never over crowded or full of a loud crowd. Give or take a couple of times when a party of soccer moms out for a night on the town had to share stories about their mom adventures loud enough for the whole place to hear. I'm not really interested in their new Siennas, but a glass of wine helped tune it all out. The staff here, especially the older woman, are always so courteous and polite. Always smiling and helping us out. I received a gift card one evening for spending over $50, and she was estaticed when we used it the next time we visited. Overall, one of my favorite places to eat in town.
(4)
Jared R.
Word must have gotten through to the manager/hostess Last time I was there, she was bright and happy and gave me about 3 lbs worth of M&Ms with my take out order. Though don't expect to bargain with her. While I was there, a man came in and asked for a Thai Iced Tea to go, with no ice... and a second cup of ice... so she said "ok, well, that's going to be twice the price." the man got agitated. The woman explained "You're asking for twice the serving and then asking for a second cup for ice. That's not fair to me". The man stormed off in a huff. I had a good laugh about it as she went on to tell all the customers about this man... That being said, the food is still as good as ever and the renewed attitude of the manager is a welcome change. *update* - My family and I went back soon after this and had a great experience with the manager. I also was introduced to Chicken Rad Nar... holy crap is this good. Get this for sure. The waiter was very complimentary of my order. He said it's what everyone in Thailand eats. I can see why. The gravy accentuates every ingredient differently and it's all wonderful. Nice size portion too. Not too much, just enough. It's dirt cheap too at $8 or so
(4)
Camille R.
I think this is the only Thai spot in Salem and by the far the best in the North Shore. They could have worked harder on the name, but other than that I'm pretty surprised at how good the food is especially because there is next to no competetion. I usually come here for lunch and hit up PEM around this time and the lunch options are really good! I like the prices and the quality of the food. The service is a little slow, but I'm not really in any rush and everyone is always so friendly. I'm glad to see a Thai spot doing well in the area!
(4)
Mary B.
Service has gotten so much better than before. Good was great. Huge portions and quality. It's a family owned place. I love that. They did everything to make us feel at home
I was very VERY disappointed with this place, considering I love Thai food. My dad, my toddler son, and I went on a day trip to Salem and decided to eat here for dinner. My dad ordered the pad Thai, which was supposed to come with shrimp, chicken, and peanuts. It only came with chicken, and my dad said it didn't taste very good. I feel bad because he paid full price for something he did not get. I'm a vegan. The menu didn't seem very vegan friendly. One of the dishes in the "vegetarian" section came with oyster sauce. I ordered the "tofu supreme" which was basically a ton of bean sprouts with a few pieces of tofu. The sauce was ok...but the dish as a whole was very bland and disappointing. The service was awful too. We asked if there was anything vegetarian on the kids' menu for my son, but the waitress told us there wasn't. And they couldn't custom make a vegetable dish for him so we had to pay for a full order of bland fried tofu that he barely touched. I don't write many reviews on yelp, but I had to for this place because I felt they cheated us. The food was not worth what we paid for it.
(1)
E S.
A decent place for run of the mill Thai food. The location is a little off putting (in a mall), but it doesn't taste like mall food, and the staff were very attentive and courteous. Pad thai was a generous portion; a little on the greasy side but still quite good. Requests to increase spice were either ignored/forgotten or the spicy scale at this place is very odd-- I asked for 3 star spice and could barely taste spice. The veg spring rolls (fried) were very yummy and so was the dipping sauce.
(3)
Christina Z.
Standard Thai fare, so naturally delicious and soul-satisfying. Ordered takeout, and this adorable white-haired man climbed the 20 or so stairs to the top of the condo. I got the tom yum soup: piping hot, chili-spicy, not oily. The kind of soup that could launch a war against a cold. The lemongrass added an exotic kick, and there were two rather large shrimp, all for $3.75. I'll take it. This place knows how to season. The sauce on their pad sey U w/beef was savory and sweet and just the right amount (not drowning). The meat and veggies (sugar snap peas, broccoli, and carrots) should have cooked a little more for tenderness and more flavor. I could take a bath in that sauce. One big complaint: where are my chopsticks? I get delivery - I want some chopsticks! I've also had the pad thai, which is very good, and the masaman curry with tofu, which is the best masaman curry I've had, and I've had (and made) a few varieties.
(3)
Gina P.
Not the best thai around, but a very good and cheap fix. The service wasn't the best, but they were busy... so it's understandable. Would probably come back for a cheap yummy lunch.
(3)
Erika C.
I love this place! Seriously, I judge all pad thai against the pad thai here. It's sweet, a little salty, flavorful, and the portion size is great. I get two meals out of it every time. My boyfriend is a fan of the drunken noodle dish. Their crispy cups and golden bags appetizers are delicious. I'd rate the desserts, but I've never had room for them! When I get a craving for Thai food, nothing else satisfies quite like Thai Place. The old couple that own it are absolutely adorable. I can't understand a word they say, but that's okay. They come over and personally check that my food is good (delicious, every time). At least, I think that's what they're asking me. :) My water glass is never empty, nor is my tea, the wait staff is so attentive. I've never had to wait longer than 15 minutes for my food regardless of how busy they are. This is probably my favorite restaurant. I'm not sure what's up with the bad reviews, I've never had an experience less than satisfying here. 5 stars all the way!
(5)
Cecile M.
Crunchy Pad Thai to die for. The family that owns it have worked hard to keep the food delicious and the place unchanged for 20+ years.
(4)
Alexa S.
I have been going to the Thai place for years and have yet to find a better Thai restaurant. My favorite dishes are the chicken red curry and garlic basil. This place is definitely a mom and pop shop as well as a hidden gem in Salem. Would recommend to anyone looking for great healthy food with prompt service!
(5)
Katherine N.
Looks can be deceiving. The decor is dated and not too fancy. The location is in a quiet mall. If you're unfortunate to get one of the window tables, you get all sorts of people staring at you while trying to read the menus posted outside. However, after one bite of the pad thai, you will forget all about that. All of the flavors compliment each other perfectly. Service is fast but does not make you feel rushed. Also, all of the workers are extremely sweet. Speaking of sweet, they give you candy with your check! Do me a favor and try the fried ice cream. Really. Try it.
(4)
April P.
I love thai food. I am pretty boring about it and usually just get pad thai. But I am particular about my pad thai- I like it very spicy, with lots of peanut sauce and preferably crispy. This place is a win on all my levels of classification. Plus I adore the woman who runs this place. She is super friendly and fun. The restaurant itself is in a mall of sorts, but don't let that deter you. Last time I went to grab some takeout, she gave me a bag of candy and a coupon for $$ off my next dinner. I can't wait to go back and use it. I read some other reviews that said she is rude to people with kids, and honestly that makes me love her even more. I hate going out to eat and being surrounded by annoying children. Five stars all the way.
(5)
Christopher M.
The night : Halloween in Salem. The dire situation: hour + waits to get a buzzer for another hour + wait. The solution: "Hey it's a Thai place, and the line isn't very long!" After the initial Euphoria of finding a food-type establishment without a ridiculous line wore off, my brain's first thought was "wait, maybe there's a reason the line is so short." To which my stomach responded "SHUT UP, BRAIN!" I need to teach my stomach some manners. As it tuns out my brain was right to question the short line. We were seated after about a 15 minute wait (10 of which were spent looking at empty tables and staff members looking back at us with blank stares). Once seated we were ignored by the staff for at least another 25 minutes and were only able to order after the table seated next to us were able to find someone out the black abyss if the Salem night. The food arrived promptly and was rather tasty, I must say, however after we finished we sat staring at dirty plates for another 40 minutes, even after asking three different employees for the check. Eventually I just got pissed and went to the counter where I was again ignored. Like really ignored. I even got a picture of the woman ignoring me! (sadly it can't be posted because my iphone ate it). When I finally just started talking at her she began screaming at me at the top of her lungs, so I just went back to my seat to contemplate just leaving. Too bad I didn't . . . When the check did arrive they had written in their tip - 18%. I finally; was able to call someone over and explain that they needed to post it before doing that, and there was nothing on the menus. . my attention was directed to a small footnote on a drink list several tables away that said at their discretion they could add a gratuity (interestingly enough, our table's drink list didn't have that.) I wasn't in the mood to fight, so I paid. . . and then they messed up my change. the only partial apology I got all night. If the staff were running around crazy ,I could understand on a night like Halloween that things could get messed up. . . However, there was no staff to be seen, tons of open tables, and no organization whatsoever. In short, absolutely abysmal and I wouldn't return if you paid me.
(1)
Travis A.
Cheap and tasty Thai/Asian fare with great service. The married couple that owns the place are very friendly.
(4)
Liv B.
The atmosphere is cool. The decor is nice and the lighting is perfect. Your seated quickly and the chairs are comfortable. The reason why I gave it four stars is because it is a bit overpriced but the food is pretty addictingly luscious. The fresh rolls are insanely good and the peanut sauce has an amazing coconut flavour to it. The "Chicken Over Green" is another favourite of mine. Not too spicy, the sauce is perfectly creamy and has a hint of coconut to it. Overall really good but a bit pricey.
(4)
Mikey b.
There aren't many places in Salem where you can get Crispy Pad Thai on a whim, Thai Place has followed through whenever I've jonesed for it. It's quite delicious. Awesome portions for the price too.
(4)
J J.
Vegetable Pad Thai was extremely high in salt, low in vegetables.
(1)
K R.
This is the best Thai food I have ever eaten, including Thai food from many large cities in the United States. I am a longtime Salem resident, and whenever a tourist or just a friend asks me for a recommendation for a restaurant, I start with, "Do you like Thai food?" and always proceed to recommend the Thai Place. I recently brought 6 friends from Thailand to eat with me here, and they all concurred that it was very authentic. My favorite dish is--and I know this is boring--the Vegetable Pad Thai. I love that it does NOT have tofu chunks and that it is brimming with vegetables. It does have a stir-fried egg in it, so if you're vegan, make sure you ask for no egg. I also love ordering off their lunch menu, when I can get Rainbow Fried Rice, so delicious with raisins and peas and all kinds of great vegetables, for a very low price. My husband and son love Thai Place Chicken Basil, both "Thai style" (ground chicken) and "regular" (large pieces of chicken breast). The cooks will happily spice it up or down for you--my husband orders it "5 peppers" (very, very spicy) and my son orders it "one pepper" (mild). I've literally never had a bad meal here. The owners could not be nicer, and they especially love their regulars (I noticed that another reviewer said this, and it's really true!). It's worth asking them for recommendations, because they really know their food. Thai Place recently got a full liquor license, which bodes well! If you go to find it, don't give up--it can be a little hard to find as it is tucked away in an architecturally awful building. You can get to the Thai Place either from the intersection of Church and St. Peter streets (there is ample parking on that side) or by walking into the mall from Essex Street, across from the large anchor outside the PEM. It's really worth the search. If you are an old-time North Shore resident, just go where Almy's in Salem used to be!
(5)
Jon H.
Just thought I'd mention that I checked back on the reviews from this place and was astounded to read about the negative experiences. I don't necessarily doubt them, but I still come here several times a month and have yet to have had a negative experience.
(5)
Ralph G.
My work did take out from here and we all loved the food. Also the folks are really nice and very appreciative for the business. NSMC
(4)
Leanne H.
I eat at this restaurant because of the food, the service and the location. The sweet & sour tofu is fantastic. I've tried other dishes, but like this the most. I've tried sweet & sour tofu at other Thai restaurants on the North Shore, and I like the Thai Place dish the best. Lunch portions are just the right size (I've never been here for dinner) and the cost is fair. The staff is wonderful - they are incredibly friendly and bend over backwards to make you feel welcome. I recommend the Thai Place and will go there again.
(5)
Charles B.
4 stars, because I'm not really into Thai food. Actually, I hate it, and refuse all thai places, but this place. First, I love the staff, any comments on here about the staff here are flat out wrong. The woman who runs the place is amazingly nice, she doesn't take any guff and I love it. Second, if you haven't had thai ice tea, get it, get it now! As I said Thai isn't my thing, but I actually crave the Rad Nard from here, its good. The dumplings are terrific. The chicken fingers are plentiful. Definitely check it out even if your not into Thai!
(4)
Dalina C.
Thai Place has been my family's go-to restaurant since it opened years ago. I'm pretty sure that their claim of "1st Thai Restaurant on the North Shore" is fairly true, as we've definitely been going there since it opened (apparently in 1990 according to the website). Anyway, over the years we've tried pretty much every item on the menu. I'll admit that some are better than others, but overall I think the food is very good. I'll also admit that some of it isn't "authentic Thai" - it's not as spicy as it should be, and some of the ingredients have been substituted - but in the suburbs, you have to be able to appeal to the majority in order to make it. With that being said, you can always ask them to make things more spicy, and they will oblige. The staff is great. The owner is so nice and generous. She does everything - greeting customers, taking orders, serving. On certain holidays, she always gives out little treats (cookies, chocolates) to customers. This past Mother's Day she gave out little bags of cookies from a nearby bakery, and chocolate turtles. So adorable! It is this type of service that keeps us coming back over and over again. The owner is someone that truly cares about her customers, a quality I think is hard to find. I guess I should mention that we are Thai, so whenever a new Thai restaurant pops up in the area, we try it out. Have/Are there been places in the area that have better food? Maybe, but we don't really care. My family will always go back to Thai Place. Parking is easy, the service is excellent, and the food is delicious. The mall is a little depressing, but whatever. You don't even have to step foot in the mall if you don't want to. Thai Place is wonderful for a casual meal, lunch or dinner. As you could expect, I would definitely recommend it. And make sure to try the Thai Iced Tea or Thai Iced Coffee, and either the ginger or green tea ice cream with honey bananas. They are the best!
(5)
Katherine I.
The Good: According to their sign, they were the 1st Thai restaurant in the north shore. The Bad: This is an un-recommendation. The Ugly: Mouse droppings. Dozens of them. Thankfully, they were noticed before we ate.
(1)
Travis G.
I HAVE NEVER HAD THAI THAT RATED ABOVE A 3 ON THE NORTH SHORE. Went here for lunch after a visit to PEM. This was my second time to Thai Place, the first was 2 years ago for dinner. Lunch was a non plus. I thought the prices were high for the portion sizes. The pad thai I ordered did everything it could to leave me unimpressed. Watery noodles and dry chicken, nice contrast. The flavor was not well balanced, fish sauce should not make your mouth pucker. The rainbow fried rice however was a bright spot. Freshly prepared with curious ingredients, raisins and corn? Who knew, but it worked. The dinner experience in 2008 was slightly better, but to long ago to really count. All in all it gets a solid three for not giving us the stink eye as the daughter repeatedly got up to inspect the fountain and the younger brother was engrossed in getting as much of his food off the plate and onto the table, or floor. Which of course I cleaned up after. I guess I would say that mediocre Thai is still better than what passes for chinese around here. "I mean don't get me STARTED!"
(3)
Ryan H.
Before ordering take out, I spent a little while comparing reviews for Thai Place and the nearby Bangkok Paradise, and was ultimately won over by "April P's" enthusiastic review, particularly her comment, "But I am particular about my pad thai- I like it very spicy, with lots of peanut sauce and preferably crispy." The phone order went smoothly and the waiter at the restaurant was very friendly and courteous. However, that's as much praise as I can give Thai Place. I ordered the pad thai at the restaurant's maximum spice level, "3 peppers." The dish was disappointingly mild, and surprisingly bland. The chicken was awful - extremely low quality meat. The shrimp was actually mealy (I'd never had mealy shrimp before). The noodles tasted cheap and the sauce was not very flavorful. Honestly, this was the worst pad thai I've ever had. The first couple bites were okay, but I ended up throwing it all away. If this dish/experience is any indication, Thai Place uses very low quality ingredients. I will not be returning.
(2)
Chris M.
My noodle dish had just 2 shrimp and 3 bites of chicken. Skimpy on the vegetables too. My wife's beef dish was overcooked and tasteless. We won't be coming back. There are much better Thai places around the area than this.
(1)
Jason P.
Very solid Thai place with great service. We had a rice dish and a chicken dish as well as a Thai roll app. Everything was good or great. Servers were attentive, we didn't wait but a moment and it was a good value. They do add 18%, but this saved us a little as we typically tip 20% or a lil more. Will definitely return.
(4)
Laura D.
This is my favorite Thai place in the whole area. The owners are very nice and always seem excited for their regulars. My favorites are the Pad Thai and The Pad Si Ew. Little tip, they're more than happy to mix and match which vegetables you get with the different curry sauces. I recommend the veggies listed under the Red Curry list, but with the Green Curry sauce, especially if you like it spicy.
(5)
Kevin L.
I've only experienced "Thai Place" once and I must say... it wasn't terrible, but when it comes to pad thai... it's hard to settle when you prefer someone else's. "Thai Place" is unfortunately located in the depressing Museum Place Mall; arguably the only place inside worth visiting next to (literally) the charming Cinema Salem. Unfortunately, to my distaste, the tofu came in a few, large and undercooked chunks. When asked if it could be cooked longer, it just came back in smaller pieces. The meal was a little too sopping wet of sauce for me that I could only wish I had gone to Bangkok Paradise instead. That being said, the service was extremely nice and welcoming, albeit our waiter was a little confused of my request. The beers were also really cheap, which is always a plus. "Thai Place" is okay but I wished it were better. Had potential to compliment Cinema Salem for regular dinner-and-a-movie dates, but I think I'll stick with Bangkok.
(2)
Joe V.
I view this restaurant as the "Thai" equivalent of the "Chinese" restaurants that litter suburbia. Kelly F. was spot on with her comment about here not passing muster if one is looking for authentic Thai. I have friends that love this place, but these friends actually believe that Crab Rangoon and Egg Foo Yung is Chinese food. Put simply, if you've spent any time living in Asia, and you like authentic Asian flavors, then you will not enjoy the food at Thai Place. Now if you go to Chinese restaurants and a Pu Pu Platter is one of the first things you order, then this place is probably right up your alley, except it has a bit of a "Thai" twist. All the times that I've come here, the service has been exceptional and the waitstaff has been very friendly and accommodating. This alone saves Thai Place from an ignominious one-star rating from me.
(2)
Nikki A.
Where do I start!? This place is fabulous, I just love it there. The food is excellent and the service is outstanding. The owner, she is just the sweetest human being I think I've ever met, she always remembers us and our kids... She even gave my children a gift during Christmas time. I always feel at home there, never rushed. There was one time when we were there and my baby got sick, she gaged on some food and threw up. I was horrified and immediately sprung into action to scrub all surfaces, etc ... The owner came over and just smiled and kept saying don't worry, is she ok? Her only concern was that my baby was ok. She kept telling me not to clean, that they would do it, but of course I did it. I just can't rave enough about this place! My favorite thing on the menu is the country fried rice with beef... to die for! YUMMY!
(5)
Catherine G.
We've been eating at the Thai Place for as long as it has been here. The food and service have been consistantly good, and the restaurant has recently received a full-liquor license so they now serve mixed drinks in addition to beer and wine. The Thai couple who own the restaurant are personable, and when the place is not busy they will come and chat, which adds to the pleasant mom-and-pop atmosphere. They have the classic traditional Thai dishes that Americans have come to love, such as coconut-lime and chicken soup, spring rolls, beef- and chicken satay on a skewer, and of course pad Thai -- a generous mound of rice noodles, fried egg bits, scallions, chopped peanuts, chicken and shrimp -- a vegetarian version is also available -- and unique flavoring. They have a selection of curries, and you can ask for "mild," moderate or sizzling hot. Rice dishes come with a teabowl-sized mound of rice, a variety of veggies (cooked just right) and your choice of protein: shrimp, scallops, duck, pork, beef, tofu. I love the Thai tea, which is spiced and also bright orange! Try it iced, with cream (they pre-sweeten it). It's so good I get it even in the winter. Thai Place is conveniently located next to the Salem Cinema, so it's a great spot to get a meal before going to the movies. One caveat: Monday through Thursday, the owners close the restaurant between 3 and 5 pm so they and their employees can take a rest break before the dinner period. While they don't close and lock the doors during that time, if they are about to take their break when you arrive you might get shoo'd out, and if you are already dining and 3pm rolls around, as we sometimes did before the wife frankly explained their rest break routine to us, you may get some anxious stares as they wonder if you will ever finish your meal and leave! Fridays and weekends, the restaurant stays open for meal service all day till nighttime closing.
(4)
Kelly F.
At our house, we are long time Thai Place fans. I've been going to the Thai Place for at least 7 years now. The couple who own it are always there and are super friendly and accommodating. I can't remember ever having to wait for a table. As other reviewers mentioned, you can't beat their lunch specials- a quick, delicious & satisfying meal for under $6 & kids menu for $2.95. Dinner serving sizes and prices are proportionally higher, but still very reasonable. If you're looking for "authentic Thai", they might not pass your muster. Veggie dishes include American standards like broccoli instead of bok choy, and so on. But what the Thai place delivers is consistently good service & a very tasty meal. Compared to Bangkok Paradise, you will not find entertainment, sushi or scorpion bowls at the Thai Place; however, I would still prefer the Thai Place's friendly service, consistent quality and comfortable environment. They do deliver in Salem; they have a website: thaiplace.net which has their menu, hours, directions, etc.; if you call ahead for takeout you can usually grab a parking space right out front. I would suggest eating there and ordering dessert- the banana dumplings with coconut ice cream is a favorite. I'd offer some other menu suggestions, but I can't decide what I'd like best. Just check them out sometime for yourself. :)
(4)
Lola H.
I have been eating at this restaurant since I moved to Salem eight years ago, and have never been disappointed. My regular favorite is the Tofu Green Curry, which is good and spicy. Their Pad Thai is also delicious, and as an occasional treat I will get their sweet and creamy Thai Iced Tea. The woman who greets me at the door is always extremely and enthusiastically friendly - her intense salutations and farewells are a part of this restaurant's unique charm. Also, during certain parts of the year around holidays, she gives away awesome mini- cookie boxes with each meal or takeout order. The speed with which they prepare and serve their tasty dishes never ceases to impress me.
(5)
Lauren F.
I love Thai Place! My husband and I have been getting Thai from here since we moved to Salem 2 years ago, and it has always been wonderful. We really like all of the different Thai curries: green, masaman, and yellow, plus the spicy basil dish. I also love the phad thai, which I usually get vegetarian. The golden bags appetizer is wonton skins filled with potato and ground chicken, then tied up into a bag with a scallion, and fried, served with plum sauce. Delicious! My favorite thing about Thai Place is the little grandmotherly woman who is always there when I go to pick up my takeout: she is so excited to see us, and often gives away little presents or coupons. This is the best Thai restaurant I've ever eaten at (despite their garish decor) and I would continue to come here even if I didn't live in Salem.
(5)
Guenevere B.
Feel like part of the family at this quaint and authentic Thai restaurant! The lunch specials are fantastic, the Mai Tai's are strong, and the famiy who runs the place are sweet!!
(5)
Aaron K.
have to change my review before, while the appetizers are really good here, they are also very tiny. The pad thai is just average as well. Try Thai ginger for better thai food (pad thai anyways) and bangkok paradise one block down is also better thai food.
(3)
Erin C.
After going to Thai Place a few times before my baby was born I was satisfied with their food but not necessarily their service. Their location in the Salem mall allows them to take advantage of the movie goers heading to CinemaSalem. On Mondays the theater has movies for moms and the movie ends around noon. 3 times I went with about 4 moms and their babies and each time the hostess/owner asked us if our babies were going to cry and if we would eat quickly. When the entire restaurant is empty except for customers with babies, I think you should consider being a little nicer to the customers you have. Each time we went we tried to enjoy ourselves, but the nervous hostess would hover over us shhhushing our babies and worrying about them crying. Most of the time our babies slept through the entire meal. She is also not a big supporter of breastfeeding which changed once I showed her a card printed with the law in MA that protects breastfeeding moms from harassment. The last time I went there with friends we had a party of 4 moms and 4 babies. She asked if the babies (only a few months old) were eating. When we said no she mumbled something about only 4 eating customers in a party of 8. She rushed us to order and then with an $80 bill was stubborn about giving two of us parking validation stamps (the sign posted says they will validate with an $8 purchase). She also did not want to make change for me, and when I told her her we wouldn't leave until she broke my $20 told me that her restaurant was not a good place for babies. In addition to these complaints I also have to say that the 3 other times I stopped in for take out she complained that my stroller was too big and I should wait (not in the empty restaurant) but out in the mall. If this restaurant goes under I can only guess it might be because people are made to feel rushed, and uncomfortable. DO NOT bring your kids here!
(1)
Steph F.
Excellent pad-see-you, although the portion is smaller than other Thai dishes such as pad Thai or fried rice. Also don't have as much of a real Thai selection as most other Thai restaurants, but if you're looking for more on the "American" Thai side, go here and you won't be disappointed.
(4)
s c.
Ended up here during a visit to PEM like we did last time. I wasn't impressed last time, but husband said it beats pizza or sandwiches. Both ordered pad thai which was quite good. However, only the shrimp (2) was edible - the chicken was tasteless and dry, as most chicken in pad thai are. The restaurant is dated, the waitstaff quite clueless, and the mall location rather depressing. Next time we return to PEM, definitely look for another fast food place for lunch.
(3)
C D.
I've eaten here twice and each time we were the only people in the entire restaurant. I guess as others have mentioned they are more of a lunch place as opposed to a dinner joint. The food is good, but not outstanding. The only reason that we stopped coming here was because we discovered Bangkok Paradise which is only a block away and has scorpion bowls and live entertainment.
(3)
Colleen C.
I Just talked them into delivering to Marblehead...it took me 30 minutes! The Rad Nar was good, the Curry was good, the Curry Puffs were a delightful surprise and the steamed dumplings measured up. All veggies were fresh. After all of the talk, the delivery was fast. The dinner portions were small, the amount of rice was tiny.
(4)
Jenna M.
My mother and I found The Thai Place about 5 years ago and we have been hooked ever since. There is one woman in particular who works there who is such a sweatheart, we always look forward to seeing her! I most definatly reccommend trying the Iced Thai Tea, it is sweet and cold and incredibly delicious. Also try the Crispy Cups appetizer. All the times I have been there I have never had to wait for a table and that is always a plus! They have cheap, yummy lunch specials as well! A must visit restaraunt if you enjoy Thai food! Additionally, my mom and I went there on Mother's Day and our favorite lady gave my mom a small individual cake for a mothers day gift! So Sweet!!!
(5)
Zero W.
The food is decent but overpriced for the quantity, the service is fair, and the ambience is so-so. An ok place for a lunch, but not a place to take a date.
(3)
Yi Z.
Terrible service. We went in and saw a lot of tables wide open, but the fat lady told us we can wait if we aren't hungry, and if we are, we better look for something else. Never be treated like this... Can't believe what I heard. In terms of the food (we didn't taste it as we ARE hungry and have to look for others), we looked at the food plate ordered by other guys, disappointing at all. it must be really tasty to have people come back given its presentation.
(1)
Jessica F.
I have been desperately searching for for a great Thai restaurant on the North Shore. Unfortunately, Thai Place is not that restaurant. Nothing we had there was bad, but nothing was really that great either. I'd say that the yellow curry and pad thai were average and the fried rice was a little below average compared to places I've eaten in Boston. Also, to be honest the "mall" this restaurant is really gross, which ruined the atmosphere at the restaurant for me.
(2)
Nicole J.
I've been there a few times. Food has never disappointed, however service can be slow and not so friendly. Knocking down 1 star for that. The thai dumplings are very good, so is the pad thai and the silver soup.
(4)
Lia M.
Thai Place is a classy restaurant without the high prices. The food is outstanding and is always ready quickly. They are willing to alter the spiciness to your preference. They are very accomodating when taking out or adding something to the dish. The waitstaff is friendly and good. They do take-out and I think delivery. Lunch time is their busier time, so if you walk by and no one is in there, don't let that fool you.
(5)
Stephanie H.
the food is great and filling. Service is friendly and attentive and the get the food to you quick. Always smiling and can be busy. Great Pad Thai and great apps. I should venture out and try other items on their menu but I love the pad thai so much!
(5)
Veronica P.
I've been here many times and it's always very good. I'd skip the Tom Ka Gai soup, but the curries and Pad Thai are great. Also, can't beat the price.
(4)
Sam P.
I feel like most of the people who love this place are locals who've been going there for ages. It's not really the kind of place you desperately want to show off to all your swank out-of-town friends, but if you have less swank out-of-town friends who'd be interested in a local place, maybe you could show it off to them in that case. Also, the prices are pretty good, and look even better when you compare it to a lot of places in downtown Salem. No, the food is not high-end uber authentic Thai cuisine. However, it is on the whole pretty tasty. The family who owns it are Thai and I figure if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me. The woman who appears to be the principal owner is wicked sweet; sometimes a little bit hard to understand, as her English is not the greatest, but you can usually get the gist of what she's saying, and it's all nice. If you have a big group, you will probably not have a hard time getting space, as it's usually not overly crowded. Not to be missed is the East India Mall in which this restaurant resides. It is probably the worst mall on the North Shore and is largely responsible for the occasional empty dining room at Thai Place. However, it is hilarious. There's a random curio-type shop directly across the way that has been in business forever despite the fact that I do not think it has ever made a sale and might in fact be an opium-smuggling operation. Pure cracky Salem awesome. The building is attached to an entire frigging multi-story parking garage, so I don't know what people are talking about with parking difficulties. The only time I've ever had trouble is if the nearby Peabody Essex Museum is having some sort of huge event and has guerilla-commandeered all parking in the area.
(4)
jenilee p.
thai place restaurant was an unexpected surprise. walking into a ghost mall in salem doesn't usually prompt one to say "oooh! thai food!" but this small, obviously oddly occupied space produces excellent thai food at a very reasonable price. my benchmark for any thai restaurant, particularly those that i'm not familiar with is usually their pad thai. this place does it right. noodles with spring and taste, that have just the right amount of sweet and salty flavoring, and an assortment of proteins (I believe you can request vegetarian). i found that this pad thai was better than that offered at bangkok paradise (though their atmosphere brings a lot of people in compared to the thai place restaurant) which is usually too sweet for my taste. just to note, they offer a huge menu, that extends to other asian fares, including japanese nabeyaki udon, and various chinese dishes. i haven't ordered any of the other international dishes, because i'm usually too enticed by the thai dishes, and i believe that sometimes a restaurant should stick to their guns. but it does seem like the menu offers a good vegetarian variety, which i know people are always on the lookout for. also, just fyi, i almost always get the fresh rolls appetizer (with shrimp). the restauranteurs offer two sauces: the usual peanut sauce, and then a sort of sweet and sour sauce pioneered at this restaurant. an excellent starter. if you're in salem during peak halloween season without a dinner reservation, this may be a good place to head to. i also have to say that the hostess is absolutely delightful. perhaps one of the nicest ladies i've ever met. attentive, smiling, and always keen to offer information on the menu.
(5)
Ian H.
I was really excited to come here for dinner last night after I read all of the outstanding reviews. However, the first bad sign was there was no one else in the restaurant at 7 on Saturday night. I don't consider myself a connoisseur of Thai food by any means, but the food was very disappointing. Any by reading these reviews I actually feel like I've eaten more thai than most of the others. I had the satay chicken, which was the worst I've ever had and the yimaparn which was equally disappointing. The only positive was the fresh veggies. I also found the woman to be very annoying! Definitely the worst thai I've ever had.
(2)
amanda r.
I can walk to this place from my house, so that's a bonus for me. The food is not the best I've ever had and sometimes varies in quality, but overall is decent if you happen to be in the area and like Thai food. The service, on the other hand, is excellent and the people who run the place are SO nice. And I love the Thai tea they serve here. I would have to say that if you're visiting Salem, this is a pretty good choice. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Melissa M.
This is my favorite place for Thai food. The food is always good. The service is very friendly and fast. The owner always remembers me and even gave me & my bf a Xmas gift this year & last year. I live up in NH now & I still drive to Salem, MA just to eat here. The veggie Pad Thai is my favorite dish. Try the banana dumplings with ice cream for dessert (ginger ice cream is the best). The portions are just right.
(5)
M R.
The food and drinks are not good, the decor is extremely outdated and stained, and the crumpled menus look as though drinks have been spilled on them several times. My family and I are accustomed to Thai food in the DC metro area, so we expect it to be a little spicy. We usually ask for the spice tray so we can add more dried chile and fish sauce to our dishes. When we asked for the additional spices at the Thai Place Restaurant the staff acted as if they had never heard of what we were talking about. Once we managed to describe the spices, the staff was amazed we liked our food "native hot." Even after adding the additional spices, the bland food was mediocre. If you want something that slightly resembles Thai food, then the Thai Place Restaurant is for you. It seems they hold back on the traditional flavors to cater to the tourists in the area, BUT, they are very nice people and accommodating. The hostess seemed apologetic for not making the food spicy due to having to consider those who aren't accustomed to traditionally spicy Thai food.
(2)
D W.
Thai Place is one of my favorite places to eat in Salem. Their lunch specials are $5.95 and seem to always be the perfect portion. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. It's not a five star place because the decor is lacking as well as the privacy factor. The location, right in the Museum Place mall, can also be crowded.
(4)
Nick D.
The food is good, not great. The food isn't good enough to deal with the awful service. These people don't have a clue. The lady at the front of the house is old, ill give her that but she is an idiot. You can do way better in Salem.
(2)
Emily R.
One of my favorite places in Salem! Prices are very fair, the owners/servers are the kindest people you will ever meet, they will do anything to give you a good experience. Food is great I love the golden bags, thai rolls, crispy cups (only place I've ever been that has them), the chicken with veggies, honey bananas- pretty much everything I've ever tried.... AND they just recently got a full liquor license so I can't wait to try a Mai tai
(5)
Mehwish K.
The first I was in Salem with family we came to this place twice and loved it. This time was good too.I ordered the veg. pad thai and it was pretty good. The thai iced tea here is pretty good too. The decor and environment is pretty good and bathrooms clean.
(4)
Sean H.
My family happened into the Thai Place over a decade ago because we were shopping in the mall and got hungry. We now go back every time we are in Salem. Friendly staff, great food. Though it is not always on the menu the crispy pad thai is one of the most delightful thing they serve but everything we have tried has been wonderful. I often find mall restaurants can be hidden gems. This one certainly is.
(5)
Karen G.
I had heard this was one of the first Thai restaurants in the area and hoped it would be a great experieince. Was disappointed though. Maybe I am just a purest but why does there need to be non-Thai items on the menu. When I go to a Thai restuarant I do not expect to see Chinee dishes or American dishes fro that matter. I ordered Panang Curry with scallops. I love Panang Curry so thought it would be a good dish to judge the place by. Thin sauce without a robust flavor- meh!. I added two dumplings to the order and they were pretty good- fried small dumplings that looked house made. Decor was tired, menu looked tired but the staff was super friendly. Not much else to say.....
(3)
Mike L.
I don't know what everyone's problem is. Maybe you have bad luck or maybe you are just one of those people that suck at life and like to complain about absolutely everything. Or maybe you are simply ungrateful. OR maybe you have so much money that you just like going around blowing money at fast food restaurants so much that you have come accustomed to all of the discrepancies and you splurge them on Yelp. I've been here many times and I have no problems at all. Or maybe I live a grateful life and don't feel the need to complain? Idk. Thai Place for Salem, is pretty good. It's a step up from your Chinese Food Restaurant. The food is delish. Do they have a bit of a customer service problem? A little. They are quick witted and slightly short tempered. Maybe it's their heritage to act like this. No big deal. I get pretty short wicked too. Especially dealing with idiots who complain all day. Think about it. Life is short. Close your mouth if you have not got anything nice to say! Cheers!
(4)
craig s.
In Response to Maxie... Keep your Proust references for the book club. I have been to Thailand and have experienced excellent authentic Thai food. That said , the following is my review of Thai Place: The atmospheres, yes , you are in a strip mall, yes it is outdated . Look past that . Some of my favorite meals abroad were enjoyed in smaller rooms with far less ambiance. The family running the restaurant couldn't have been more accommodating. They have great energy and they made us feel like royalty. The Mai Tais were fresh and excellent . We had the crispy chicken cups . Not my favorite , fairly bland, but still worth eating. The Pad Thai was very flavorful as was the Duck Coo Chee. We would return
(3)
Rick M.
Family owned restaurant. Service is always good and the prices are typical of Thai food - around $11 - $16.00. For the we ordered steamed dumplings dipped in sweet soy sauce. I've also had their Yum Neua Beef Salad before. Hot spicy beef in chili paste, lemon grass with tomatoes and scallions. Served with a lemon dressing. Tasty! I love their Crispy Pad Thai. I load it with peanut sauce! Crunchy with a slightly sweet flavor. Panang Curry Chicken was delicious. Just the right amount.of spices and hotness. We also ordered Yellow Curry with Chicken. Nice pieces of white meat in a mildly spicy yellow sauce with pineapples. For some reason they only serve beer and wine during the winter months. Full liquor license starts every April.
(4)
Rahima S.
Loved this place! Food was excellent and came in generous portions. The service was also great. The prices were reasonable as well. For two appetizers, two entrees, two drinks and one dessert our bill was about $45 pre-tip. I think there's enough options, particularly around lunch for two people to eat around $20 total. Parking is right across the street and it's conveniently located in the middle of Salem for tourists.
(5)
Alex P.
Had the crispy chicken, with steamed rice and sweet chili sauce. It was part of their $6.95 lunch specials... And it was wonderful. Nice, quiet place with friendly staff.
(4)
X O.
I travel from NY to Salem every year and this is the first place my friend and I go to eat. Absolutely delicious Thai food. We are vegetarians traveling on a budget so this place is perfect. Staff is friendly and prices are reasonable. They nailed it every time.
(5)
Jose M.
Excellent Thai Restaurant in the North Shore. Family owned business. They are always pleasant and cheerful. Been here multiple times, and never been disappointed.
(4)
Pamela M.
I went to lunch here today. The Thai shrimp fried rice was very good. Yes, the restaurant is older and located in a mall but the employees are very nice. The older woman who took the drink orders was cheerful and funny. I would go again.
(5)
Jim O.
A lawyer friend has lunch at Thai Place alot apparently, as the court house is nearby. She praised the place, we were definitely disappointed. Perhaps the lunch cook is different from the dinner cook. We ordered tofu triangles, a terrible job, tofu undrained, sauce definitely out of a jar. No flavor at all. Then eggplant with ground chicken (substituted for the ground pork). Eggplant not bad, but chicken dry and flavorless with chunks of grissle. Also, yellow curry duck. Duck some pieces ok, others gross, curry sauce very watery, veggies few and far between. Staff friendly and service prompt, but one of the women was really very manic and strange, perhaps part of Salem's local color. Decor dim and NOT clean, particularly the rug that may not have been cleaned in a decade. We won't go back.
(2)
Corey L.
Typical menu, interesting experience to order - but lady was super sweet in person. As were all the staff, really nice. We ordered Pad Thai and shrimp in yellow curry w noodles. The food wasn't great. After visiting and quite liking the staff, I really wanted it to be good. Also, as the closest option to my house, really wanted it to be good. But it wasn't very good. It could have been worse - it wasn't greasy. It wasn't super flavorful, it was mostly noodles. The chicken was relatively low quality. The shrimp curry was better than the pad thai - more flavorful.
(2)
Candice B.
Hubby and I were in Salem for the day and wanted to grab a quick lunch before we do the touristy thing. As soon as we parked we saw "Thai Place" and Hubby said if they have crispy chicken pad thai then he is game. Well, there were no crispy chicken pad thai, but there were crispy chicken with rice and veggies for a mere $6.50. SOLD. I ordered the Pad Thai lunch box for $8.50 that came with a good portion of chicken pad thai, one fried dumpling, one fried spring roll and one fried shu mai. My lunch box wasn't bad, and Hubby's crispy chicken plate was delicious too. Both of our lunches came to less than $20 with tip. It was a great deal but not the best thai food I have ever had.
(3)
Rene V.
Don't let the idea of a mall restaurant prevent you from authentic Thai. The proves were reasonable and the staff were incredibly friendly. The Crab Rangoon appetizer had a creamy filling and the crust was light. They were so delicious, you don't even need to add any duck sauce. I tried the Drunken Noodles with Chicken which was full of flavor. The vegetables were not overlooked to eat bite had that crisp snap, with the velvety noodles and moist chicken.
(5)
Donna K.
I wanted to try Thai food forever. It wasn't any kind of Thai. I ordered BBQ Thai Chicken. I got a preformed piece of grilled chicken no sauce on it. Hard uncooked vegetables and cold. A mound of hard rice and a half dollar size bowl with sweet and sour sauce. Waiter was nice but I wouldn't recommend the food
(1)
Abby S.
Bland food cooked poorly.
(2)
m w.
Good chicken basil. Good soups. Good service from the owners. This review is based on dozens and dozens of visits. The luncheon prices are great!
(5)
Maxie L.
If Salem is the place to go for the macabre, then this restaurant is the place Thai food goes to die. If I could give this restaurant less than 1 Star, I would. I would wholly and respectfully disagree with reviewers who rated this restaurant a 5 Star with the hyperbole of it being the best Thai restaurant they have had; they have clearly not been exposed to many options. Atmosphere was a blunder. The restaurant is located in segue between a strip mall and Salem haunted tours, that should have been, as homage to Poe, a 'tell-tale' sign, but I trusted it would not be terrible simply through its garnishment of 3 Stars. We walked into a somewhat graveyard restaurant with napkins and paper straw wrappers strewn about on the stained maroon carpeted floor, chipping garishly green wall paint, flattened seat cushions faded beyond threads from its once royal-like Thai silk, but okay, maybe this restaurant has better fare than its atmosphere might suggest. NOPE. We ordered beef satay, pad sey u, tofu green curry, and chicken red curry. I cannot begin to describe HOW BAD THE FOOD WAS. The beef satay tasted like the salt monger seasoned it; we split one and a half between the four of us and left the rest untouched. The pad sey u whose typical fat rice noodles are separately glossy were instead flatly glued together with a stingy tossing of brown sauce, dried overcooked thin slices of chicken, and uncooked broccoli plentiful in stalk. The tofu green curry and red curry were DISASTROUS. This restaurant by many markers, wins the superlative for the absolute WORST CURRIES I have ever had. The curry was very watery and tasted like the chef took a would have been palpable amalgam of spices and doused it with a very very generous helping of water in order to save on the coconut milk costs. There is a mandatory 18% tip FOR EVERYONE, regardless of party size. Where is this posted, you might ask? Not on the menu. Not in the front of the restaurant. Not anywhere really visible. Where? On the little menu holder underneath the fake flowers at each table. So for some of you who don't imbibe in liquid courage, good luck being made aware of this. Mind you, my husband and I are very generous tippers (being one in college and knowing the plight) and our usual 'mediocre service' tip is always 20%. My complaint is that it is 1. Not visibly posted and 2. The owner is a witch, maybe literally. When I inquired about the added charge on our bill, I was told by our very nice server to speak to the owner at the front. When I approached her, she was too busy calculating the receipts of the restaurant that night to even look up and acknowledge me. Some yelling ensued and her 'underling' (that's how the owner treated her workers) appeared. I once again asked about the charge to the other server who was beckoned and immediately, the owner, again, not even looking up at me, grabbed the tiny alcohol menu and started to YELL at me about how "it's posted everywhere, at every table, in the whole restaurant". I thanked the nice server whose eyes even lit up at the monstrosity of the witch owner and my family quickly departed this place. If this is your LAST RESORT and you have an uncontainable and insatiable craving for Thai food...even then, DON'T GO! You'll be paying for salt and water, two things you can get for FREE a few streets from this place, by the pier.
(1)
Katie M.
There food is great, but the customer service is bad. I ordered steamed mussels and thought they were chewy I felt sick to my stomach. The lady who owns the place said we still have to buy the mussels even though we didn't like it. We came back the other day and she didn't even acknowledge us. She was talking shit about me and my boyfriend in a different language. I didn't even enjoy my dinner because I felt awkward just eating there with her existence and her additude sucked. I recommend not coming here!
(3)
Gaby F.
Lord bless them, I am sitting here on a very rainy Tuesday night at 8:15. The only person here. The restaurant is inside an unattractive shopping mall. It's pleasant when you are inside. No surprises on the menu or with the decor. I took a glass of the Markam Sauvingnon Blanc, which at $6 a glass is a bargain. But it tasted a bit corked. Well, when i said this to the lady on her own here...I had a tour of the fridge, and bless her, she showed me the receipt from the last customer who ordered the wine to show me that they had just opened the bottle! The chicken satay are each half a breast which is nuts. It could be a whole meal. The tod mun are good, the peanut sauce disappointing. Hot peanut butter, not the layered nutty depth the sauce can be. Being the only customer, the service is attentive! The music is easy listening elevator music..covers mostly. The green shrimp curry could be more hot, for sure.. The chef just came out to check it wasn't too spicy. They should have taken the strands off the green beans.. oh hell, for the price it's fine. Want haute Thai? Waste $200 at Thompson Hotel in Soho etc.. This is a local place that does what it says on the label and is run by your grandparents.. so tip them.. bless..
(3)
Dana W.
The pad thai is oily and mostly bean sprouts, not noodles. And yes, the customer service is appalling. When we moved here a year ago, the food was quite good. Now it is totally disappointing. I dont know if the chef changed or what, but do yourself a favor and go somewhere else in Salem.
(1)
Drew G.
Used to be a decent thai place, now it is horrible. The service is bad and slow, the food is garbage. We will never go here again.
(1)
Alon L.
Average. I don't think Salem is known for its dining options. The pad thai is decent but a little bland. Also tried the "black magic" , which is eggplant with ground pork, basil, and red peppers. It's supposedly spicy but was rather mild for my taste. Flavor was okay though. Tom yum soup was again not bad, but you'll be disappointed if you're used to spicy and flavorful tom yum. The restaurant is stuck in an unflattering mall, which is kind of weird, but hey, whatever works. For our bill, the tip was unexpectedly included. Beware of potential upcharge here. They don't inform you of this policy beforehand, and we only had a party of two!
(2)
David T.
Close to the cinema, perfect for dinner and a movie in the heart of Salem. Nice variety of items on the menu, lots of fresh crispy vegetables.
(4)
Less H.
The first time I visited this place was back in 1999 when I first moved to Mass. After an appallingly bad visit in 2003 or 2004 we didn't come back until today. The place hasn't changed a bit other than to be a little quieter and less busy, well some dust on the art on the walls. (A damp rag wouldn't hurt the art one bit.) After reading the newer Yelp reviews I felt comfortable enough to try it again, I'm glad I did. The food was just as tasty as it was in 1999 and service was way more friendly, if slow. But then again I enjoy the slower pace of off-season Salem. If you want it fast call ahead for take out. The lunch specials are cheaper and much smaller than dinner. Their pad Thai is great. We tried the Masaman Curry and it was really really good. I love their iced Thai tea, it's the perfect combination of tea, milk and sugar.
(4)
Days G.
it was alright.. did not like the fact that they used "pho rice noodles" for their Pad Thai. didnt try any appetizers, and their beef lemongrass stir fry was way too watery.
(2)
Alyssa A.
Very good service and food. I started off with the Thai rolls and tom kha soup. Both were amazing! The lady who works here is so sweet and attentive, the food came out much faster than we thought it would. I plan on becoming a regular here!
(4)
C O.
Don't go there. I went there today and service was horrible. The woman wouldn't shot up. It was so annoying, even my kids said what's wrong with her. She had an issue with customers before us. They didn't make their food that they ordered and she was screaming that they did. The same for me I ordered 2 orders of rice but they made only one order. HORRIBLE!!!
(1)
Geoff K.
After reading a number of mixed reviews about this place we decided to take the plunge and give it a try. A number of reviews complained about the service, but we found the owners to be EXTREMELY friendly and welcoming. We went to Thai Palace as a party of 5 with 3 kids. We were seated immediately by the owner who was ready to take our order right away. We got a nice selection of dishes, curry, stir fry, satay and fried rice. Overall the dishes were underwhelming. While we like fresh vegetables, we also liked them to taste like they are well cooked. Most of the dishes felt like they were the same onion, red pepper and carrot mix. All of which were undercooked. The flavors were also muted. One of the things we like about Thai Food are the nice range of spices and flavors. Everything sort of felt watered down. The chicken in a few of the dishes was inconsistent. It was good in a couple of dishes but tasted sort of 'off' in another. The fried rice was the only dish that really impressed delivering nice flavor and was well prepared. The worst part was the price. Our bill for 5 without any alcohol or desert was over $90, absurdly high for Thai food. With relatively few Thai choices in Salem it's too bard that Thai Palace isn't better and more affordable. The owners were nice, but the food just didn't deliver and the value just wasn't there.
(2)
Qing L.
This is probably the worst Thai restaurant I've ever been to. Meat dishes smells awful, definitely far from fresh. "Bangkok chicken wings" are hard and very dry, they taste like deep fried cupboard. I would never come back here again nor recommend it to anyone.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Chas K.
We were across the street at the Peabody Essex Museum and wanted a quick bite nearby. The Yelp reviews were largely positive. What a let down. This place is terrible. Fifteen minutes after my son and I were served, my wife still did not get her lunch. A halfhearted "sorry" and five minutes later (20 minutes in all), I finally told the waitress to remove my wife's undelivered lunch from the check and to bring it to me immediately. If that's not bad enough, my Pad Thai was salty and wet. The broccoli served with my son's Thai BBQ chicken was dry and bitter. This place sucks. Anyone who thinks they serve good Thai has never had even decent Thai. I did not tip the waitress because she did nothing to address the situation - like comp the Thai iced tea or tell us she'd rush the order. I would have given the manager a piece of my mind if I thought she'd care at all, assuming she would understand a word I said. I predict this place will go the way of its former neighbor, Asahi; another horrible representation of Asian food in Salem (in this case, sushi) which fortunately has gone out of business.
(1)Christie N.
Thai Place, How I've Missed You So!!!!!! I am so glad to finally return to this place. I used to come here about ten years ago or so. While I loved the food, I consistently had appallingly rude service, so I stopped eating here. Today, I decided to give it another try, and I am so glad that I did! The service was very friendly, the food is just as good as I remembered it, and the prices were very reasonable. We ordered dumplings, duck massaman curry and of course, pad thai - all of which I would order again. We will be back....soon and often.
(4)Kathy C.
Great food for a decent price. The lady, I think she said her name was Jenna, noticed we had been sitting there for hours and gave us free Mother's Day cookies. The servers also kept refilling our waters. I think we sat there after eating our lunch for 4 hours and they extended extra kindness to us. These people know how to treat their customers well.
(5)Meredith M.
The food is so yummy. The ambiance is cozy and warm. The twinkle lights make you feel like it's the holidays in April. The owners (a married Thai couple) take turns coming to check on you. They have been opened for 19 years as of this month! If you go, try the Thai beer, it tasts like a Magical coors light, like sparkling regular beer. haha. I promise it's good. It complemented our seafood app very well. If you order an extra spicy menu (denoted by three chili peppers) the sweet lady will warn you "extra spicey. very hot. very hot. burn your mouth" If you truly like spicey dishes, just smile and say yes, that's perfect. You will NOT be disappointed. My tun was burning and my face was getting red after the Grilled Shrimp Curry. WOW We also tried the Fisherman's Furry which was in a surprisingly sweet sauce that had a little kick to it. When you get your bill they will hand it to you on a tray of mini candies. Plus, since we were there for their 19th Anniversary month and our bill ended up having a 9 at the end of it, we were given a 9 dollar gift card for a future visit! how cool! it's not cheap, but the portions are large and the quality is worth the price. YUM!
(5)Stephanie M.
I'm going to first start off by saying I'm not regularily a fan of thai food. As soon as the smell even hits my sense, I'm down for the count. My stomach starts rumbling and I spend some quality time with my porcelain friend. With that lovely image in your head, I have never had that experience with this particular Thai restaurant. I found a dish that I absolutely love and is really gentle on my stomach. I always get the sizzling shrimp platter. It comes with white rice, and litterally steams. Much like a fajita.. but.. not. Plenty of times I've gone here later at night. The place is never over crowded or full of a loud crowd. Give or take a couple of times when a party of soccer moms out for a night on the town had to share stories about their mom adventures loud enough for the whole place to hear. I'm not really interested in their new Siennas, but a glass of wine helped tune it all out. The staff here, especially the older woman, are always so courteous and polite. Always smiling and helping us out. I received a gift card one evening for spending over $50, and she was estaticed when we used it the next time we visited. Overall, one of my favorite places to eat in town.
(4)Jared R.
Word must have gotten through to the manager/hostess Last time I was there, she was bright and happy and gave me about 3 lbs worth of M&Ms with my take out order. Though don't expect to bargain with her. While I was there, a man came in and asked for a Thai Iced Tea to go, with no ice... and a second cup of ice... so she said "ok, well, that's going to be twice the price." the man got agitated. The woman explained "You're asking for twice the serving and then asking for a second cup for ice. That's not fair to me". The man stormed off in a huff. I had a good laugh about it as she went on to tell all the customers about this man... That being said, the food is still as good as ever and the renewed attitude of the manager is a welcome change. *update* - My family and I went back soon after this and had a great experience with the manager. I also was introduced to Chicken Rad Nar... holy crap is this good. Get this for sure. The waiter was very complimentary of my order. He said it's what everyone in Thailand eats. I can see why. The gravy accentuates every ingredient differently and it's all wonderful. Nice size portion too. Not too much, just enough. It's dirt cheap too at $8 or so
(4)Camille R.
I think this is the only Thai spot in Salem and by the far the best in the North Shore. They could have worked harder on the name, but other than that I'm pretty surprised at how good the food is especially because there is next to no competetion. I usually come here for lunch and hit up PEM around this time and the lunch options are really good! I like the prices and the quality of the food. The service is a little slow, but I'm not really in any rush and everyone is always so friendly. I'm glad to see a Thai spot doing well in the area!
(4)Mary B.
Service has gotten so much better than before. Good was great. Huge portions and quality. It's a family owned place. I love that. They did everything to make us feel at home
(5)entela m.
Still love Thai Place!! This place doesnt dissapoint at all. Came here with my cousin for a quick lunch after yrs of not coming here..still just as good as I remembered..the prices are fair and service is quick! We shared the chicken curry,shrimp sauté and scallion pancakes,all we're so yummy and tasty! It was my cousins first time trying thai food and she loved it! will definitely come back more often,great place in the northshore :)
(4)Catherine C.
I was very VERY disappointed with this place, considering I love Thai food. My dad, my toddler son, and I went on a day trip to Salem and decided to eat here for dinner. My dad ordered the pad Thai, which was supposed to come with shrimp, chicken, and peanuts. It only came with chicken, and my dad said it didn't taste very good. I feel bad because he paid full price for something he did not get. I'm a vegan. The menu didn't seem very vegan friendly. One of the dishes in the "vegetarian" section came with oyster sauce. I ordered the "tofu supreme" which was basically a ton of bean sprouts with a few pieces of tofu. The sauce was ok...but the dish as a whole was very bland and disappointing. The service was awful too. We asked if there was anything vegetarian on the kids' menu for my son, but the waitress told us there wasn't. And they couldn't custom make a vegetable dish for him so we had to pay for a full order of bland fried tofu that he barely touched. I don't write many reviews on yelp, but I had to for this place because I felt they cheated us. The food was not worth what we paid for it.
(1)E S.
A decent place for run of the mill Thai food. The location is a little off putting (in a mall), but it doesn't taste like mall food, and the staff were very attentive and courteous. Pad thai was a generous portion; a little on the greasy side but still quite good. Requests to increase spice were either ignored/forgotten or the spicy scale at this place is very odd-- I asked for 3 star spice and could barely taste spice. The veg spring rolls (fried) were very yummy and so was the dipping sauce.
(3)Christina Z.
Standard Thai fare, so naturally delicious and soul-satisfying. Ordered takeout, and this adorable white-haired man climbed the 20 or so stairs to the top of the condo. I got the tom yum soup: piping hot, chili-spicy, not oily. The kind of soup that could launch a war against a cold. The lemongrass added an exotic kick, and there were two rather large shrimp, all for $3.75. I'll take it. This place knows how to season. The sauce on their pad sey U w/beef was savory and sweet and just the right amount (not drowning). The meat and veggies (sugar snap peas, broccoli, and carrots) should have cooked a little more for tenderness and more flavor. I could take a bath in that sauce. One big complaint: where are my chopsticks? I get delivery - I want some chopsticks! I've also had the pad thai, which is very good, and the masaman curry with tofu, which is the best masaman curry I've had, and I've had (and made) a few varieties.
(3)Gina P.
Not the best thai around, but a very good and cheap fix. The service wasn't the best, but they were busy... so it's understandable. Would probably come back for a cheap yummy lunch.
(3)Erika C.
I love this place! Seriously, I judge all pad thai against the pad thai here. It's sweet, a little salty, flavorful, and the portion size is great. I get two meals out of it every time. My boyfriend is a fan of the drunken noodle dish. Their crispy cups and golden bags appetizers are delicious. I'd rate the desserts, but I've never had room for them! When I get a craving for Thai food, nothing else satisfies quite like Thai Place. The old couple that own it are absolutely adorable. I can't understand a word they say, but that's okay. They come over and personally check that my food is good (delicious, every time). At least, I think that's what they're asking me. :) My water glass is never empty, nor is my tea, the wait staff is so attentive. I've never had to wait longer than 15 minutes for my food regardless of how busy they are. This is probably my favorite restaurant. I'm not sure what's up with the bad reviews, I've never had an experience less than satisfying here. 5 stars all the way!
(5)Cecile M.
Crunchy Pad Thai to die for. The family that owns it have worked hard to keep the food delicious and the place unchanged for 20+ years.
(4)Alexa S.
I have been going to the Thai place for years and have yet to find a better Thai restaurant. My favorite dishes are the chicken red curry and garlic basil. This place is definitely a mom and pop shop as well as a hidden gem in Salem. Would recommend to anyone looking for great healthy food with prompt service!
(5)Katherine N.
Looks can be deceiving. The decor is dated and not too fancy. The location is in a quiet mall. If you're unfortunate to get one of the window tables, you get all sorts of people staring at you while trying to read the menus posted outside. However, after one bite of the pad thai, you will forget all about that. All of the flavors compliment each other perfectly. Service is fast but does not make you feel rushed. Also, all of the workers are extremely sweet. Speaking of sweet, they give you candy with your check! Do me a favor and try the fried ice cream. Really. Try it.
(4)April P.
I love thai food. I am pretty boring about it and usually just get pad thai. But I am particular about my pad thai- I like it very spicy, with lots of peanut sauce and preferably crispy. This place is a win on all my levels of classification. Plus I adore the woman who runs this place. She is super friendly and fun. The restaurant itself is in a mall of sorts, but don't let that deter you. Last time I went to grab some takeout, she gave me a bag of candy and a coupon for $$ off my next dinner. I can't wait to go back and use it. I read some other reviews that said she is rude to people with kids, and honestly that makes me love her even more. I hate going out to eat and being surrounded by annoying children. Five stars all the way.
(5)Christopher M.
The night : Halloween in Salem. The dire situation: hour + waits to get a buzzer for another hour + wait. The solution: "Hey it's a Thai place, and the line isn't very long!" After the initial Euphoria of finding a food-type establishment without a ridiculous line wore off, my brain's first thought was "wait, maybe there's a reason the line is so short." To which my stomach responded "SHUT UP, BRAIN!" I need to teach my stomach some manners. As it tuns out my brain was right to question the short line. We were seated after about a 15 minute wait (10 of which were spent looking at empty tables and staff members looking back at us with blank stares). Once seated we were ignored by the staff for at least another 25 minutes and were only able to order after the table seated next to us were able to find someone out the black abyss if the Salem night. The food arrived promptly and was rather tasty, I must say, however after we finished we sat staring at dirty plates for another 40 minutes, even after asking three different employees for the check. Eventually I just got pissed and went to the counter where I was again ignored. Like really ignored. I even got a picture of the woman ignoring me! (sadly it can't be posted because my iphone ate it). When I finally just started talking at her she began screaming at me at the top of her lungs, so I just went back to my seat to contemplate just leaving. Too bad I didn't . . . When the check did arrive they had written in their tip - 18%. I finally; was able to call someone over and explain that they needed to post it before doing that, and there was nothing on the menus. . my attention was directed to a small footnote on a drink list several tables away that said at their discretion they could add a gratuity (interestingly enough, our table's drink list didn't have that.) I wasn't in the mood to fight, so I paid. . . and then they messed up my change. the only partial apology I got all night. If the staff were running around crazy ,I could understand on a night like Halloween that things could get messed up. . . However, there was no staff to be seen, tons of open tables, and no organization whatsoever. In short, absolutely abysmal and I wouldn't return if you paid me.
(1)Travis A.
Cheap and tasty Thai/Asian fare with great service. The married couple that owns the place are very friendly.
(4)Liv B.
The atmosphere is cool. The decor is nice and the lighting is perfect. Your seated quickly and the chairs are comfortable. The reason why I gave it four stars is because it is a bit overpriced but the food is pretty addictingly luscious. The fresh rolls are insanely good and the peanut sauce has an amazing coconut flavour to it. The "Chicken Over Green" is another favourite of mine. Not too spicy, the sauce is perfectly creamy and has a hint of coconut to it. Overall really good but a bit pricey.
(4)Mikey b.
There aren't many places in Salem where you can get Crispy Pad Thai on a whim, Thai Place has followed through whenever I've jonesed for it. It's quite delicious. Awesome portions for the price too.
(4)J J.
Vegetable Pad Thai was extremely high in salt, low in vegetables.
(1)K R.
This is the best Thai food I have ever eaten, including Thai food from many large cities in the United States. I am a longtime Salem resident, and whenever a tourist or just a friend asks me for a recommendation for a restaurant, I start with, "Do you like Thai food?" and always proceed to recommend the Thai Place. I recently brought 6 friends from Thailand to eat with me here, and they all concurred that it was very authentic. My favorite dish is--and I know this is boring--the Vegetable Pad Thai. I love that it does NOT have tofu chunks and that it is brimming with vegetables. It does have a stir-fried egg in it, so if you're vegan, make sure you ask for no egg. I also love ordering off their lunch menu, when I can get Rainbow Fried Rice, so delicious with raisins and peas and all kinds of great vegetables, for a very low price. My husband and son love Thai Place Chicken Basil, both "Thai style" (ground chicken) and "regular" (large pieces of chicken breast). The cooks will happily spice it up or down for you--my husband orders it "5 peppers" (very, very spicy) and my son orders it "one pepper" (mild). I've literally never had a bad meal here. The owners could not be nicer, and they especially love their regulars (I noticed that another reviewer said this, and it's really true!). It's worth asking them for recommendations, because they really know their food. Thai Place recently got a full liquor license, which bodes well! If you go to find it, don't give up--it can be a little hard to find as it is tucked away in an architecturally awful building. You can get to the Thai Place either from the intersection of Church and St. Peter streets (there is ample parking on that side) or by walking into the mall from Essex Street, across from the large anchor outside the PEM. It's really worth the search. If you are an old-time North Shore resident, just go where Almy's in Salem used to be!
(5)Jon H.
Just thought I'd mention that I checked back on the reviews from this place and was astounded to read about the negative experiences. I don't necessarily doubt them, but I still come here several times a month and have yet to have had a negative experience.
(5)Ralph G.
My work did take out from here and we all loved the food. Also the folks are really nice and very appreciative for the business. NSMC
(4)Leanne H.
I eat at this restaurant because of the food, the service and the location. The sweet & sour tofu is fantastic. I've tried other dishes, but like this the most. I've tried sweet & sour tofu at other Thai restaurants on the North Shore, and I like the Thai Place dish the best. Lunch portions are just the right size (I've never been here for dinner) and the cost is fair. The staff is wonderful - they are incredibly friendly and bend over backwards to make you feel welcome. I recommend the Thai Place and will go there again.
(5)Charles B.
4 stars, because I'm not really into Thai food. Actually, I hate it, and refuse all thai places, but this place. First, I love the staff, any comments on here about the staff here are flat out wrong. The woman who runs the place is amazingly nice, she doesn't take any guff and I love it. Second, if you haven't had thai ice tea, get it, get it now! As I said Thai isn't my thing, but I actually crave the Rad Nard from here, its good. The dumplings are terrific. The chicken fingers are plentiful. Definitely check it out even if your not into Thai!
(4)Dalina C.
Thai Place has been my family's go-to restaurant since it opened years ago. I'm pretty sure that their claim of "1st Thai Restaurant on the North Shore" is fairly true, as we've definitely been going there since it opened (apparently in 1990 according to the website). Anyway, over the years we've tried pretty much every item on the menu. I'll admit that some are better than others, but overall I think the food is very good. I'll also admit that some of it isn't "authentic Thai" - it's not as spicy as it should be, and some of the ingredients have been substituted - but in the suburbs, you have to be able to appeal to the majority in order to make it. With that being said, you can always ask them to make things more spicy, and they will oblige. The staff is great. The owner is so nice and generous. She does everything - greeting customers, taking orders, serving. On certain holidays, she always gives out little treats (cookies, chocolates) to customers. This past Mother's Day she gave out little bags of cookies from a nearby bakery, and chocolate turtles. So adorable! It is this type of service that keeps us coming back over and over again. The owner is someone that truly cares about her customers, a quality I think is hard to find. I guess I should mention that we are Thai, so whenever a new Thai restaurant pops up in the area, we try it out. Have/Are there been places in the area that have better food? Maybe, but we don't really care. My family will always go back to Thai Place. Parking is easy, the service is excellent, and the food is delicious. The mall is a little depressing, but whatever. You don't even have to step foot in the mall if you don't want to. Thai Place is wonderful for a casual meal, lunch or dinner. As you could expect, I would definitely recommend it. And make sure to try the Thai Iced Tea or Thai Iced Coffee, and either the ginger or green tea ice cream with honey bananas. They are the best!
(5)Katherine I.
The Good: According to their sign, they were the 1st Thai restaurant in the north shore. The Bad: This is an un-recommendation. The Ugly: Mouse droppings. Dozens of them. Thankfully, they were noticed before we ate.
(1)Travis G.
I HAVE NEVER HAD THAI THAT RATED ABOVE A 3 ON THE NORTH SHORE. Went here for lunch after a visit to PEM. This was my second time to Thai Place, the first was 2 years ago for dinner. Lunch was a non plus. I thought the prices were high for the portion sizes. The pad thai I ordered did everything it could to leave me unimpressed. Watery noodles and dry chicken, nice contrast. The flavor was not well balanced, fish sauce should not make your mouth pucker. The rainbow fried rice however was a bright spot. Freshly prepared with curious ingredients, raisins and corn? Who knew, but it worked. The dinner experience in 2008 was slightly better, but to long ago to really count. All in all it gets a solid three for not giving us the stink eye as the daughter repeatedly got up to inspect the fountain and the younger brother was engrossed in getting as much of his food off the plate and onto the table, or floor. Which of course I cleaned up after. I guess I would say that mediocre Thai is still better than what passes for chinese around here. "I mean don't get me STARTED!"
(3)Ryan H.
Before ordering take out, I spent a little while comparing reviews for Thai Place and the nearby Bangkok Paradise, and was ultimately won over by "April P's" enthusiastic review, particularly her comment, "But I am particular about my pad thai- I like it very spicy, with lots of peanut sauce and preferably crispy." The phone order went smoothly and the waiter at the restaurant was very friendly and courteous. However, that's as much praise as I can give Thai Place. I ordered the pad thai at the restaurant's maximum spice level, "3 peppers." The dish was disappointingly mild, and surprisingly bland. The chicken was awful - extremely low quality meat. The shrimp was actually mealy (I'd never had mealy shrimp before). The noodles tasted cheap and the sauce was not very flavorful. Honestly, this was the worst pad thai I've ever had. The first couple bites were okay, but I ended up throwing it all away. If this dish/experience is any indication, Thai Place uses very low quality ingredients. I will not be returning.
(2)Chris M.
My noodle dish had just 2 shrimp and 3 bites of chicken. Skimpy on the vegetables too. My wife's beef dish was overcooked and tasteless. We won't be coming back. There are much better Thai places around the area than this.
(1)Jason P.
Very solid Thai place with great service. We had a rice dish and a chicken dish as well as a Thai roll app. Everything was good or great. Servers were attentive, we didn't wait but a moment and it was a good value. They do add 18%, but this saved us a little as we typically tip 20% or a lil more. Will definitely return.
(4)Laura D.
This is my favorite Thai place in the whole area. The owners are very nice and always seem excited for their regulars. My favorites are the Pad Thai and The Pad Si Ew. Little tip, they're more than happy to mix and match which vegetables you get with the different curry sauces. I recommend the veggies listed under the Red Curry list, but with the Green Curry sauce, especially if you like it spicy.
(5)Kevin L.
I've only experienced "Thai Place" once and I must say... it wasn't terrible, but when it comes to pad thai... it's hard to settle when you prefer someone else's. "Thai Place" is unfortunately located in the depressing Museum Place Mall; arguably the only place inside worth visiting next to (literally) the charming Cinema Salem. Unfortunately, to my distaste, the tofu came in a few, large and undercooked chunks. When asked if it could be cooked longer, it just came back in smaller pieces. The meal was a little too sopping wet of sauce for me that I could only wish I had gone to Bangkok Paradise instead. That being said, the service was extremely nice and welcoming, albeit our waiter was a little confused of my request. The beers were also really cheap, which is always a plus. "Thai Place" is okay but I wished it were better. Had potential to compliment Cinema Salem for regular dinner-and-a-movie dates, but I think I'll stick with Bangkok.
(2)Joe V.
I view this restaurant as the "Thai" equivalent of the "Chinese" restaurants that litter suburbia. Kelly F. was spot on with her comment about here not passing muster if one is looking for authentic Thai. I have friends that love this place, but these friends actually believe that Crab Rangoon and Egg Foo Yung is Chinese food. Put simply, if you've spent any time living in Asia, and you like authentic Asian flavors, then you will not enjoy the food at Thai Place. Now if you go to Chinese restaurants and a Pu Pu Platter is one of the first things you order, then this place is probably right up your alley, except it has a bit of a "Thai" twist. All the times that I've come here, the service has been exceptional and the waitstaff has been very friendly and accommodating. This alone saves Thai Place from an ignominious one-star rating from me.
(2)Nikki A.
Where do I start!? This place is fabulous, I just love it there. The food is excellent and the service is outstanding. The owner, she is just the sweetest human being I think I've ever met, she always remembers us and our kids... She even gave my children a gift during Christmas time. I always feel at home there, never rushed. There was one time when we were there and my baby got sick, she gaged on some food and threw up. I was horrified and immediately sprung into action to scrub all surfaces, etc ... The owner came over and just smiled and kept saying don't worry, is she ok? Her only concern was that my baby was ok. She kept telling me not to clean, that they would do it, but of course I did it. I just can't rave enough about this place! My favorite thing on the menu is the country fried rice with beef... to die for! YUMMY!
(5)Catherine G.
We've been eating at the Thai Place for as long as it has been here. The food and service have been consistantly good, and the restaurant has recently received a full-liquor license so they now serve mixed drinks in addition to beer and wine. The Thai couple who own the restaurant are personable, and when the place is not busy they will come and chat, which adds to the pleasant mom-and-pop atmosphere. They have the classic traditional Thai dishes that Americans have come to love, such as coconut-lime and chicken soup, spring rolls, beef- and chicken satay on a skewer, and of course pad Thai -- a generous mound of rice noodles, fried egg bits, scallions, chopped peanuts, chicken and shrimp -- a vegetarian version is also available -- and unique flavoring. They have a selection of curries, and you can ask for "mild," moderate or sizzling hot. Rice dishes come with a teabowl-sized mound of rice, a variety of veggies (cooked just right) and your choice of protein: shrimp, scallops, duck, pork, beef, tofu. I love the Thai tea, which is spiced and also bright orange! Try it iced, with cream (they pre-sweeten it). It's so good I get it even in the winter. Thai Place is conveniently located next to the Salem Cinema, so it's a great spot to get a meal before going to the movies. One caveat: Monday through Thursday, the owners close the restaurant between 3 and 5 pm so they and their employees can take a rest break before the dinner period. While they don't close and lock the doors during that time, if they are about to take their break when you arrive you might get shoo'd out, and if you are already dining and 3pm rolls around, as we sometimes did before the wife frankly explained their rest break routine to us, you may get some anxious stares as they wonder if you will ever finish your meal and leave! Fridays and weekends, the restaurant stays open for meal service all day till nighttime closing.
(4)Kelly F.
At our house, we are long time Thai Place fans. I've been going to the Thai Place for at least 7 years now. The couple who own it are always there and are super friendly and accommodating. I can't remember ever having to wait for a table. As other reviewers mentioned, you can't beat their lunch specials- a quick, delicious & satisfying meal for under $6 & kids menu for $2.95. Dinner serving sizes and prices are proportionally higher, but still very reasonable. If you're looking for "authentic Thai", they might not pass your muster. Veggie dishes include American standards like broccoli instead of bok choy, and so on. But what the Thai place delivers is consistently good service & a very tasty meal. Compared to Bangkok Paradise, you will not find entertainment, sushi or scorpion bowls at the Thai Place; however, I would still prefer the Thai Place's friendly service, consistent quality and comfortable environment. They do deliver in Salem; they have a website: thaiplace.net which has their menu, hours, directions, etc.; if you call ahead for takeout you can usually grab a parking space right out front. I would suggest eating there and ordering dessert- the banana dumplings with coconut ice cream is a favorite. I'd offer some other menu suggestions, but I can't decide what I'd like best. Just check them out sometime for yourself. :)
(4)Lola H.
I have been eating at this restaurant since I moved to Salem eight years ago, and have never been disappointed. My regular favorite is the Tofu Green Curry, which is good and spicy. Their Pad Thai is also delicious, and as an occasional treat I will get their sweet and creamy Thai Iced Tea. The woman who greets me at the door is always extremely and enthusiastically friendly - her intense salutations and farewells are a part of this restaurant's unique charm. Also, during certain parts of the year around holidays, she gives away awesome mini- cookie boxes with each meal or takeout order. The speed with which they prepare and serve their tasty dishes never ceases to impress me.
(5)Lauren F.
I love Thai Place! My husband and I have been getting Thai from here since we moved to Salem 2 years ago, and it has always been wonderful. We really like all of the different Thai curries: green, masaman, and yellow, plus the spicy basil dish. I also love the phad thai, which I usually get vegetarian. The golden bags appetizer is wonton skins filled with potato and ground chicken, then tied up into a bag with a scallion, and fried, served with plum sauce. Delicious! My favorite thing about Thai Place is the little grandmotherly woman who is always there when I go to pick up my takeout: she is so excited to see us, and often gives away little presents or coupons. This is the best Thai restaurant I've ever eaten at (despite their garish decor) and I would continue to come here even if I didn't live in Salem.
(5)Guenevere B.
Feel like part of the family at this quaint and authentic Thai restaurant! The lunch specials are fantastic, the Mai Tai's are strong, and the famiy who runs the place are sweet!!
(5)Aaron K.
have to change my review before, while the appetizers are really good here, they are also very tiny. The pad thai is just average as well. Try Thai ginger for better thai food (pad thai anyways) and bangkok paradise one block down is also better thai food.
(3)Erin C.
After going to Thai Place a few times before my baby was born I was satisfied with their food but not necessarily their service. Their location in the Salem mall allows them to take advantage of the movie goers heading to CinemaSalem. On Mondays the theater has movies for moms and the movie ends around noon. 3 times I went with about 4 moms and their babies and each time the hostess/owner asked us if our babies were going to cry and if we would eat quickly. When the entire restaurant is empty except for customers with babies, I think you should consider being a little nicer to the customers you have. Each time we went we tried to enjoy ourselves, but the nervous hostess would hover over us shhhushing our babies and worrying about them crying. Most of the time our babies slept through the entire meal. She is also not a big supporter of breastfeeding which changed once I showed her a card printed with the law in MA that protects breastfeeding moms from harassment. The last time I went there with friends we had a party of 4 moms and 4 babies. She asked if the babies (only a few months old) were eating. When we said no she mumbled something about only 4 eating customers in a party of 8. She rushed us to order and then with an $80 bill was stubborn about giving two of us parking validation stamps (the sign posted says they will validate with an $8 purchase). She also did not want to make change for me, and when I told her her we wouldn't leave until she broke my $20 told me that her restaurant was not a good place for babies. In addition to these complaints I also have to say that the 3 other times I stopped in for take out she complained that my stroller was too big and I should wait (not in the empty restaurant) but out in the mall. If this restaurant goes under I can only guess it might be because people are made to feel rushed, and uncomfortable. DO NOT bring your kids here!
(1)Steph F.
Excellent pad-see-you, although the portion is smaller than other Thai dishes such as pad Thai or fried rice. Also don't have as much of a real Thai selection as most other Thai restaurants, but if you're looking for more on the "American" Thai side, go here and you won't be disappointed.
(4)s c.
Ended up here during a visit to PEM like we did last time. I wasn't impressed last time, but husband said it beats pizza or sandwiches. Both ordered pad thai which was quite good. However, only the shrimp (2) was edible - the chicken was tasteless and dry, as most chicken in pad thai are. The restaurant is dated, the waitstaff quite clueless, and the mall location rather depressing. Next time we return to PEM, definitely look for another fast food place for lunch.
(3)C D.
I've eaten here twice and each time we were the only people in the entire restaurant. I guess as others have mentioned they are more of a lunch place as opposed to a dinner joint. The food is good, but not outstanding. The only reason that we stopped coming here was because we discovered Bangkok Paradise which is only a block away and has scorpion bowls and live entertainment.
(3)Colleen C.
I Just talked them into delivering to Marblehead...it took me 30 minutes! The Rad Nar was good, the Curry was good, the Curry Puffs were a delightful surprise and the steamed dumplings measured up. All veggies were fresh. After all of the talk, the delivery was fast. The dinner portions were small, the amount of rice was tiny.
(4)Jenna M.
My mother and I found The Thai Place about 5 years ago and we have been hooked ever since. There is one woman in particular who works there who is such a sweatheart, we always look forward to seeing her! I most definatly reccommend trying the Iced Thai Tea, it is sweet and cold and incredibly delicious. Also try the Crispy Cups appetizer. All the times I have been there I have never had to wait for a table and that is always a plus! They have cheap, yummy lunch specials as well! A must visit restaraunt if you enjoy Thai food! Additionally, my mom and I went there on Mother's Day and our favorite lady gave my mom a small individual cake for a mothers day gift! So Sweet!!!
(5)Zero W.
The food is decent but overpriced for the quantity, the service is fair, and the ambience is so-so. An ok place for a lunch, but not a place to take a date.
(3)Yi Z.
Terrible service. We went in and saw a lot of tables wide open, but the fat lady told us we can wait if we aren't hungry, and if we are, we better look for something else. Never be treated like this... Can't believe what I heard. In terms of the food (we didn't taste it as we ARE hungry and have to look for others), we looked at the food plate ordered by other guys, disappointing at all. it must be really tasty to have people come back given its presentation.
(1)Jessica F.
I have been desperately searching for for a great Thai restaurant on the North Shore. Unfortunately, Thai Place is not that restaurant. Nothing we had there was bad, but nothing was really that great either. I'd say that the yellow curry and pad thai were average and the fried rice was a little below average compared to places I've eaten in Boston. Also, to be honest the "mall" this restaurant is really gross, which ruined the atmosphere at the restaurant for me.
(2)Nicole J.
I've been there a few times. Food has never disappointed, however service can be slow and not so friendly. Knocking down 1 star for that. The thai dumplings are very good, so is the pad thai and the silver soup.
(4)Lia M.
Thai Place is a classy restaurant without the high prices. The food is outstanding and is always ready quickly. They are willing to alter the spiciness to your preference. They are very accomodating when taking out or adding something to the dish. The waitstaff is friendly and good. They do take-out and I think delivery. Lunch time is their busier time, so if you walk by and no one is in there, don't let that fool you.
(5)Stephanie H.
the food is great and filling. Service is friendly and attentive and the get the food to you quick. Always smiling and can be busy. Great Pad Thai and great apps. I should venture out and try other items on their menu but I love the pad thai so much!
(5)Veronica P.
I've been here many times and it's always very good. I'd skip the Tom Ka Gai soup, but the curries and Pad Thai are great. Also, can't beat the price.
(4)Sam P.
I feel like most of the people who love this place are locals who've been going there for ages. It's not really the kind of place you desperately want to show off to all your swank out-of-town friends, but if you have less swank out-of-town friends who'd be interested in a local place, maybe you could show it off to them in that case. Also, the prices are pretty good, and look even better when you compare it to a lot of places in downtown Salem. No, the food is not high-end uber authentic Thai cuisine. However, it is on the whole pretty tasty. The family who owns it are Thai and I figure if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me. The woman who appears to be the principal owner is wicked sweet; sometimes a little bit hard to understand, as her English is not the greatest, but you can usually get the gist of what she's saying, and it's all nice. If you have a big group, you will probably not have a hard time getting space, as it's usually not overly crowded. Not to be missed is the East India Mall in which this restaurant resides. It is probably the worst mall on the North Shore and is largely responsible for the occasional empty dining room at Thai Place. However, it is hilarious. There's a random curio-type shop directly across the way that has been in business forever despite the fact that I do not think it has ever made a sale and might in fact be an opium-smuggling operation. Pure cracky Salem awesome. The building is attached to an entire frigging multi-story parking garage, so I don't know what people are talking about with parking difficulties. The only time I've ever had trouble is if the nearby Peabody Essex Museum is having some sort of huge event and has guerilla-commandeered all parking in the area.
(4)jenilee p.
thai place restaurant was an unexpected surprise. walking into a ghost mall in salem doesn't usually prompt one to say "oooh! thai food!" but this small, obviously oddly occupied space produces excellent thai food at a very reasonable price. my benchmark for any thai restaurant, particularly those that i'm not familiar with is usually their pad thai. this place does it right. noodles with spring and taste, that have just the right amount of sweet and salty flavoring, and an assortment of proteins (I believe you can request vegetarian). i found that this pad thai was better than that offered at bangkok paradise (though their atmosphere brings a lot of people in compared to the thai place restaurant) which is usually too sweet for my taste. just to note, they offer a huge menu, that extends to other asian fares, including japanese nabeyaki udon, and various chinese dishes. i haven't ordered any of the other international dishes, because i'm usually too enticed by the thai dishes, and i believe that sometimes a restaurant should stick to their guns. but it does seem like the menu offers a good vegetarian variety, which i know people are always on the lookout for. also, just fyi, i almost always get the fresh rolls appetizer (with shrimp). the restauranteurs offer two sauces: the usual peanut sauce, and then a sort of sweet and sour sauce pioneered at this restaurant. an excellent starter. if you're in salem during peak halloween season without a dinner reservation, this may be a good place to head to. i also have to say that the hostess is absolutely delightful. perhaps one of the nicest ladies i've ever met. attentive, smiling, and always keen to offer information on the menu.
(5)Ian H.
I was really excited to come here for dinner last night after I read all of the outstanding reviews. However, the first bad sign was there was no one else in the restaurant at 7 on Saturday night. I don't consider myself a connoisseur of Thai food by any means, but the food was very disappointing. Any by reading these reviews I actually feel like I've eaten more thai than most of the others. I had the satay chicken, which was the worst I've ever had and the yimaparn which was equally disappointing. The only positive was the fresh veggies. I also found the woman to be very annoying! Definitely the worst thai I've ever had.
(2)amanda r.
I can walk to this place from my house, so that's a bonus for me. The food is not the best I've ever had and sometimes varies in quality, but overall is decent if you happen to be in the area and like Thai food. The service, on the other hand, is excellent and the people who run the place are SO nice. And I love the Thai tea they serve here. I would have to say that if you're visiting Salem, this is a pretty good choice. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Melissa M.
This is my favorite place for Thai food. The food is always good. The service is very friendly and fast. The owner always remembers me and even gave me & my bf a Xmas gift this year & last year. I live up in NH now & I still drive to Salem, MA just to eat here. The veggie Pad Thai is my favorite dish. Try the banana dumplings with ice cream for dessert (ginger ice cream is the best). The portions are just right.
(5)M R.
The food and drinks are not good, the decor is extremely outdated and stained, and the crumpled menus look as though drinks have been spilled on them several times. My family and I are accustomed to Thai food in the DC metro area, so we expect it to be a little spicy. We usually ask for the spice tray so we can add more dried chile and fish sauce to our dishes. When we asked for the additional spices at the Thai Place Restaurant the staff acted as if they had never heard of what we were talking about. Once we managed to describe the spices, the staff was amazed we liked our food "native hot." Even after adding the additional spices, the bland food was mediocre. If you want something that slightly resembles Thai food, then the Thai Place Restaurant is for you. It seems they hold back on the traditional flavors to cater to the tourists in the area, BUT, they are very nice people and accommodating. The hostess seemed apologetic for not making the food spicy due to having to consider those who aren't accustomed to traditionally spicy Thai food.
(2)D W.
Thai Place is one of my favorite places to eat in Salem. Their lunch specials are $5.95 and seem to always be the perfect portion. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. It's not a five star place because the decor is lacking as well as the privacy factor. The location, right in the Museum Place mall, can also be crowded.
(4)Nick D.
The food is good, not great. The food isn't good enough to deal with the awful service. These people don't have a clue. The lady at the front of the house is old, ill give her that but she is an idiot. You can do way better in Salem.
(2)Emily R.
One of my favorite places in Salem! Prices are very fair, the owners/servers are the kindest people you will ever meet, they will do anything to give you a good experience. Food is great I love the golden bags, thai rolls, crispy cups (only place I've ever been that has them), the chicken with veggies, honey bananas- pretty much everything I've ever tried.... AND they just recently got a full liquor license so I can't wait to try a Mai tai
(5)Mehwish K.
The first I was in Salem with family we came to this place twice and loved it. This time was good too.I ordered the veg. pad thai and it was pretty good. The thai iced tea here is pretty good too. The decor and environment is pretty good and bathrooms clean.
(4)Sean H.
My family happened into the Thai Place over a decade ago because we were shopping in the mall and got hungry. We now go back every time we are in Salem. Friendly staff, great food. Though it is not always on the menu the crispy pad thai is one of the most delightful thing they serve but everything we have tried has been wonderful. I often find mall restaurants can be hidden gems. This one certainly is.
(5)Karen G.
I had heard this was one of the first Thai restaurants in the area and hoped it would be a great experieince. Was disappointed though. Maybe I am just a purest but why does there need to be non-Thai items on the menu. When I go to a Thai restuarant I do not expect to see Chinee dishes or American dishes fro that matter. I ordered Panang Curry with scallops. I love Panang Curry so thought it would be a good dish to judge the place by. Thin sauce without a robust flavor- meh!. I added two dumplings to the order and they were pretty good- fried small dumplings that looked house made. Decor was tired, menu looked tired but the staff was super friendly. Not much else to say.....
(3)Mike L.
I don't know what everyone's problem is. Maybe you have bad luck or maybe you are just one of those people that suck at life and like to complain about absolutely everything. Or maybe you are simply ungrateful. OR maybe you have so much money that you just like going around blowing money at fast food restaurants so much that you have come accustomed to all of the discrepancies and you splurge them on Yelp. I've been here many times and I have no problems at all. Or maybe I live a grateful life and don't feel the need to complain? Idk. Thai Place for Salem, is pretty good. It's a step up from your Chinese Food Restaurant. The food is delish. Do they have a bit of a customer service problem? A little. They are quick witted and slightly short tempered. Maybe it's their heritage to act like this. No big deal. I get pretty short wicked too. Especially dealing with idiots who complain all day. Think about it. Life is short. Close your mouth if you have not got anything nice to say! Cheers!
(4)craig s.
In Response to Maxie... Keep your Proust references for the book club. I have been to Thailand and have experienced excellent authentic Thai food. That said , the following is my review of Thai Place: The atmospheres, yes , you are in a strip mall, yes it is outdated . Look past that . Some of my favorite meals abroad were enjoyed in smaller rooms with far less ambiance. The family running the restaurant couldn't have been more accommodating. They have great energy and they made us feel like royalty. The Mai Tais were fresh and excellent . We had the crispy chicken cups . Not my favorite , fairly bland, but still worth eating. The Pad Thai was very flavorful as was the Duck Coo Chee. We would return
(3)Rick M.
Family owned restaurant. Service is always good and the prices are typical of Thai food - around $11 - $16.00. For the we ordered steamed dumplings dipped in sweet soy sauce. I've also had their Yum Neua Beef Salad before. Hot spicy beef in chili paste, lemon grass with tomatoes and scallions. Served with a lemon dressing. Tasty! I love their Crispy Pad Thai. I load it with peanut sauce! Crunchy with a slightly sweet flavor. Panang Curry Chicken was delicious. Just the right amount.of spices and hotness. We also ordered Yellow Curry with Chicken. Nice pieces of white meat in a mildly spicy yellow sauce with pineapples. For some reason they only serve beer and wine during the winter months. Full liquor license starts every April.
(4)Rahima S.
Loved this place! Food was excellent and came in generous portions. The service was also great. The prices were reasonable as well. For two appetizers, two entrees, two drinks and one dessert our bill was about $45 pre-tip. I think there's enough options, particularly around lunch for two people to eat around $20 total. Parking is right across the street and it's conveniently located in the middle of Salem for tourists.
(5)Alex P.
Had the crispy chicken, with steamed rice and sweet chili sauce. It was part of their $6.95 lunch specials... And it was wonderful. Nice, quiet place with friendly staff.
(4)X O.
I travel from NY to Salem every year and this is the first place my friend and I go to eat. Absolutely delicious Thai food. We are vegetarians traveling on a budget so this place is perfect. Staff is friendly and prices are reasonable. They nailed it every time.
(5)Jose M.
Excellent Thai Restaurant in the North Shore. Family owned business. They are always pleasant and cheerful. Been here multiple times, and never been disappointed.
(4)Pamela M.
I went to lunch here today. The Thai shrimp fried rice was very good. Yes, the restaurant is older and located in a mall but the employees are very nice. The older woman who took the drink orders was cheerful and funny. I would go again.
(5)Jim O.
A lawyer friend has lunch at Thai Place alot apparently, as the court house is nearby. She praised the place, we were definitely disappointed. Perhaps the lunch cook is different from the dinner cook. We ordered tofu triangles, a terrible job, tofu undrained, sauce definitely out of a jar. No flavor at all. Then eggplant with ground chicken (substituted for the ground pork). Eggplant not bad, but chicken dry and flavorless with chunks of grissle. Also, yellow curry duck. Duck some pieces ok, others gross, curry sauce very watery, veggies few and far between. Staff friendly and service prompt, but one of the women was really very manic and strange, perhaps part of Salem's local color. Decor dim and NOT clean, particularly the rug that may not have been cleaned in a decade. We won't go back.
(2)Corey L.
Typical menu, interesting experience to order - but lady was super sweet in person. As were all the staff, really nice. We ordered Pad Thai and shrimp in yellow curry w noodles. The food wasn't great. After visiting and quite liking the staff, I really wanted it to be good. Also, as the closest option to my house, really wanted it to be good. But it wasn't very good. It could have been worse - it wasn't greasy. It wasn't super flavorful, it was mostly noodles. The chicken was relatively low quality. The shrimp curry was better than the pad thai - more flavorful.
(2)Candice B.
Hubby and I were in Salem for the day and wanted to grab a quick lunch before we do the touristy thing. As soon as we parked we saw "Thai Place" and Hubby said if they have crispy chicken pad thai then he is game. Well, there were no crispy chicken pad thai, but there were crispy chicken with rice and veggies for a mere $6.50. SOLD. I ordered the Pad Thai lunch box for $8.50 that came with a good portion of chicken pad thai, one fried dumpling, one fried spring roll and one fried shu mai. My lunch box wasn't bad, and Hubby's crispy chicken plate was delicious too. Both of our lunches came to less than $20 with tip. It was a great deal but not the best thai food I have ever had.
(3)Rene V.
Don't let the idea of a mall restaurant prevent you from authentic Thai. The proves were reasonable and the staff were incredibly friendly. The Crab Rangoon appetizer had a creamy filling and the crust was light. They were so delicious, you don't even need to add any duck sauce. I tried the Drunken Noodles with Chicken which was full of flavor. The vegetables were not overlooked to eat bite had that crisp snap, with the velvety noodles and moist chicken.
(5)Donna K.
I wanted to try Thai food forever. It wasn't any kind of Thai. I ordered BBQ Thai Chicken. I got a preformed piece of grilled chicken no sauce on it. Hard uncooked vegetables and cold. A mound of hard rice and a half dollar size bowl with sweet and sour sauce. Waiter was nice but I wouldn't recommend the food
(1)Abby S.
Bland food cooked poorly.
(2)m w.
Good chicken basil. Good soups. Good service from the owners. This review is based on dozens and dozens of visits. The luncheon prices are great!
(5)Maxie L.
If Salem is the place to go for the macabre, then this restaurant is the place Thai food goes to die. If I could give this restaurant less than 1 Star, I would. I would wholly and respectfully disagree with reviewers who rated this restaurant a 5 Star with the hyperbole of it being the best Thai restaurant they have had; they have clearly not been exposed to many options. Atmosphere was a blunder. The restaurant is located in segue between a strip mall and Salem haunted tours, that should have been, as homage to Poe, a 'tell-tale' sign, but I trusted it would not be terrible simply through its garnishment of 3 Stars. We walked into a somewhat graveyard restaurant with napkins and paper straw wrappers strewn about on the stained maroon carpeted floor, chipping garishly green wall paint, flattened seat cushions faded beyond threads from its once royal-like Thai silk, but okay, maybe this restaurant has better fare than its atmosphere might suggest. NOPE. We ordered beef satay, pad sey u, tofu green curry, and chicken red curry. I cannot begin to describe HOW BAD THE FOOD WAS. The beef satay tasted like the salt monger seasoned it; we split one and a half between the four of us and left the rest untouched. The pad sey u whose typical fat rice noodles are separately glossy were instead flatly glued together with a stingy tossing of brown sauce, dried overcooked thin slices of chicken, and uncooked broccoli plentiful in stalk. The tofu green curry and red curry were DISASTROUS. This restaurant by many markers, wins the superlative for the absolute WORST CURRIES I have ever had. The curry was very watery and tasted like the chef took a would have been palpable amalgam of spices and doused it with a very very generous helping of water in order to save on the coconut milk costs. There is a mandatory 18% tip FOR EVERYONE, regardless of party size. Where is this posted, you might ask? Not on the menu. Not in the front of the restaurant. Not anywhere really visible. Where? On the little menu holder underneath the fake flowers at each table. So for some of you who don't imbibe in liquid courage, good luck being made aware of this. Mind you, my husband and I are very generous tippers (being one in college and knowing the plight) and our usual 'mediocre service' tip is always 20%. My complaint is that it is 1. Not visibly posted and 2. The owner is a witch, maybe literally. When I inquired about the added charge on our bill, I was told by our very nice server to speak to the owner at the front. When I approached her, she was too busy calculating the receipts of the restaurant that night to even look up and acknowledge me. Some yelling ensued and her 'underling' (that's how the owner treated her workers) appeared. I once again asked about the charge to the other server who was beckoned and immediately, the owner, again, not even looking up at me, grabbed the tiny alcohol menu and started to YELL at me about how "it's posted everywhere, at every table, in the whole restaurant". I thanked the nice server whose eyes even lit up at the monstrosity of the witch owner and my family quickly departed this place. If this is your LAST RESORT and you have an uncontainable and insatiable craving for Thai food...even then, DON'T GO! You'll be paying for salt and water, two things you can get for FREE a few streets from this place, by the pier.
(1)Katie M.
There food is great, but the customer service is bad. I ordered steamed mussels and thought they were chewy I felt sick to my stomach. The lady who owns the place said we still have to buy the mussels even though we didn't like it. We came back the other day and she didn't even acknowledge us. She was talking shit about me and my boyfriend in a different language. I didn't even enjoy my dinner because I felt awkward just eating there with her existence and her additude sucked. I recommend not coming here!
(3)Gaby F.
Lord bless them, I am sitting here on a very rainy Tuesday night at 8:15. The only person here. The restaurant is inside an unattractive shopping mall. It's pleasant when you are inside. No surprises on the menu or with the decor. I took a glass of the Markam Sauvingnon Blanc, which at $6 a glass is a bargain. But it tasted a bit corked. Well, when i said this to the lady on her own here...I had a tour of the fridge, and bless her, she showed me the receipt from the last customer who ordered the wine to show me that they had just opened the bottle! The chicken satay are each half a breast which is nuts. It could be a whole meal. The tod mun are good, the peanut sauce disappointing. Hot peanut butter, not the layered nutty depth the sauce can be. Being the only customer, the service is attentive! The music is easy listening elevator music..covers mostly. The green shrimp curry could be more hot, for sure.. The chef just came out to check it wasn't too spicy. They should have taken the strands off the green beans.. oh hell, for the price it's fine. Want haute Thai? Waste $200 at Thompson Hotel in Soho etc.. This is a local place that does what it says on the label and is run by your grandparents.. so tip them.. bless..
(3)Dana W.
The pad thai is oily and mostly bean sprouts, not noodles. And yes, the customer service is appalling. When we moved here a year ago, the food was quite good. Now it is totally disappointing. I dont know if the chef changed or what, but do yourself a favor and go somewhere else in Salem.
(1)Drew G.
Used to be a decent thai place, now it is horrible. The service is bad and slow, the food is garbage. We will never go here again.
(1)Alon L.
Average. I don't think Salem is known for its dining options. The pad thai is decent but a little bland. Also tried the "black magic" , which is eggplant with ground pork, basil, and red peppers. It's supposedly spicy but was rather mild for my taste. Flavor was okay though. Tom yum soup was again not bad, but you'll be disappointed if you're used to spicy and flavorful tom yum. The restaurant is stuck in an unflattering mall, which is kind of weird, but hey, whatever works. For our bill, the tip was unexpectedly included. Beware of potential upcharge here. They don't inform you of this policy beforehand, and we only had a party of two!
(2)David T.
Close to the cinema, perfect for dinner and a movie in the heart of Salem. Nice variety of items on the menu, lots of fresh crispy vegetables.
(4)Less H.
The first time I visited this place was back in 1999 when I first moved to Mass. After an appallingly bad visit in 2003 or 2004 we didn't come back until today. The place hasn't changed a bit other than to be a little quieter and less busy, well some dust on the art on the walls. (A damp rag wouldn't hurt the art one bit.) After reading the newer Yelp reviews I felt comfortable enough to try it again, I'm glad I did. The food was just as tasty as it was in 1999 and service was way more friendly, if slow. But then again I enjoy the slower pace of off-season Salem. If you want it fast call ahead for take out. The lunch specials are cheaper and much smaller than dinner. Their pad Thai is great. We tried the Masaman Curry and it was really really good. I love their iced Thai tea, it's the perfect combination of tea, milk and sugar.
(4)Days G.
it was alright.. did not like the fact that they used "pho rice noodles" for their Pad Thai. didnt try any appetizers, and their beef lemongrass stir fry was way too watery.
(2)Alyssa A.
Very good service and food. I started off with the Thai rolls and tom kha soup. Both were amazing! The lady who works here is so sweet and attentive, the food came out much faster than we thought it would. I plan on becoming a regular here!
(4)C O.
Don't go there. I went there today and service was horrible. The woman wouldn't shot up. It was so annoying, even my kids said what's wrong with her. She had an issue with customers before us. They didn't make their food that they ordered and she was screaming that they did. The same for me I ordered 2 orders of rice but they made only one order. HORRIBLE!!!
(1)Geoff K.
After reading a number of mixed reviews about this place we decided to take the plunge and give it a try. A number of reviews complained about the service, but we found the owners to be EXTREMELY friendly and welcoming. We went to Thai Palace as a party of 5 with 3 kids. We were seated immediately by the owner who was ready to take our order right away. We got a nice selection of dishes, curry, stir fry, satay and fried rice. Overall the dishes were underwhelming. While we like fresh vegetables, we also liked them to taste like they are well cooked. Most of the dishes felt like they were the same onion, red pepper and carrot mix. All of which were undercooked. The flavors were also muted. One of the things we like about Thai Food are the nice range of spices and flavors. Everything sort of felt watered down. The chicken in a few of the dishes was inconsistent. It was good in a couple of dishes but tasted sort of 'off' in another. The fried rice was the only dish that really impressed delivering nice flavor and was well prepared. The worst part was the price. Our bill for 5 without any alcohol or desert was over $90, absurdly high for Thai food. With relatively few Thai choices in Salem it's too bard that Thai Palace isn't better and more affordable. The owners were nice, but the food just didn't deliver and the value just wasn't there.
(2)Qing L.
This is probably the worst Thai restaurant I've ever been to. Meat dishes smells awful, definitely far from fresh. "Bangkok chicken wings" are hard and very dry, they taste like deep fried cupboard. I would never come back here again nor recommend it to anyone.
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