Deserves an excellent review. Outstanding Curry dishes and always great service. Food comes quickly and staff is friendly. The Mussaman is the best I have had.
(5)
Cory P.
Their food was excellent/fresh, attentive service and small but comfortable atmosphere.
(5)
Beth C.
I had the drunken noodles and it was delicious. They have bubble tea and their salad rolls are great.
(4)
K M.
Good flavorful food, large proportions. The restaurant itself isn't anything fancy but the food is tasty. They are located in an emerging fermentation district which is still rough around the edges. Though it doesn't look like a great neighborhood and the parking lot you park isn't nice, the area is cleaning up. The good is very authentic. Lots of eggplant and deeply gutted shrimp. Their soups are yummy. I like to order medium spice as hot can be a bit hot! I'll go back again and again. It's definitely worth the price.
(4)
Rolf A.
Best Thai Food in Eugene that I have had. I am pretty picky but food here is Fresh and tastes awesome! I highly recommend it if you need a Thai fix!
(5)
CeeGee H.
My friend and I both went to Chao Pra Ya last night (1/29/15) about an hour after they opened. For starters, we ordered the crab rangoon and the tempura vegetables. Entree-wise, I ordered the BBQ chicken with shrimp fried rice and hers was just the straight BBQ chicken. Crab Rangoon ($8): Six pieces, fairly well made. Not terribly big or particularly memorable, with a light, sweet, dipping sauce. Both my friend and I liked these but they were overpriced, especially since they contained artificial crab- even said so on the menu. Thai Tempura Veggies ($10): 4-5 pieces each of yam, onion rings, baby corn, broccoli and mushroom- plus a small dipping sauce which was only slightly different (thicker) than the dipping sauce that came with the crab Rangoon. The Good: Really fresh ingredients though my friend popped a bit of broccoli into her mouth and I could see her expression change almost immediately. She spit it out into her napkin and said "I don't know what was up with that." The Bad: We shelled out $10 for fried TEMPURA vegetables and they were actually fried with some other kind of batter. I grew up in New Orleans and it appeared to be some kind of cornmeal batter, like you'd use on catfish or hushpuppies. Extremely grainy. The only vegetables that were actually-tempura fried were the onion rings. BBQ Chicken ($12) and BBQ Chicken with Shrimp Fried Rice ($15): See the picture from Jack K., because that's almost exactly what it looked like, except the chicken was also slathered in what I can only describe as an extremely tepid absolutely normal BBQ sauce. Like you'd have on a hamburger at a fast food restaurant except more toned down. The Good: Giant portions of chicken. Truly. The meat was definitely overcooked and just starting to get dry but whatever, I'm pretty easy going about that. Skin was cooked to a crisp in most places, but not in a bad way. It was quite delicious for plainly-cooked chicken. The little cup of shrimp fried rice that came with mine had 3-4 shrimp in it, and was decent though I would imagine some people would have found it over-cooked. The Bad: On top of it, and added clearly after the cooking had happened, was a thick layer of the BBQ sauce I mentioned. If you went to Winco Deli and bought one of their rotisserie-roasted chickens and then covered it with BBQ sauce that's not too far off what it would have looked and tasted like. The bottom line? $45 for what was the least-Thai tasting meal I have ever had at a Thai place. Really. From the dipping sauces that came with the veggies and crab Rangoon to the BBQ sauce slopped on the chicken, none of it had any flavors I would associate with Thai food (though the bland dipping sauces were obviously plum-sauce-ish), and I've enjoyed most of the Thai restaurants in town. It was a very puzzling experience and I won't be repeating it. For the problems with the (quite) expensive meal, I can't give this place more than 2 stars. The portions of chicken and the quality of the veggies (mostly) and the shrimp fried rice keep it from slipping to 1. SIDE NOTE: At one point when we were ordering the BBQ chicken, the waiter wanted to see the exact number from the menu to make sure he got it right. He joked with us that there are something like 108 items on the menu and there's very little difference between them. I feel this is sort of a clue to the experience we had with the chicken, especially, and how it seemed to be just a regular roasted chicken with the BBQ sauce of my choosing squirted on top. And one other thing which seemed more than a little odd: The place was packed with people all ordering and you'd expect a few minutes wait as the kitchen prepared the food. Not so, BBQ chicken entrees were out at the table literally like 5-7 minutes after we ordered them. Again, very odd experience and not what I expected.
(2)
Sage O.
Great place for thai food-and its in the whit district,Always a nice place to be..the portions are Huge{bring your appetite} The waitstaff is there to help you have a wonderful dining experience!! Enjoy! And its beautiful inside. Come in sometime ask for Brandon
(5)
John M.
Great food, huge portions our waiter rocked he knew the menu, and made great recommendations Had the eggplant garden my lovely wife had a pad. We'll be back for sure.
(5)
Sarah M.
I love this restaurant! I come often for lunch and occasionally for dinner and the food is always flavorful, hot and tasty! My main complaint at other similar restaurants is usually regarding the quality of meat they use but I've never have a problem at Chao Pra Ya. I've shared this gem with family and friends and they've all enjoyed the food as well. Definitely a local favorite!
(5)
Vanessa R.
I've only been here twice and wasn't impressed either time. The most recent was with two friends. We ordered green curry and red curry, both as vegetarian dishes to split between the three of us. The food is fine, not memorable, but fine. Three smallish appetite women were still hungry after splitting the dishes. We decided on two entrees instead of three mostly because of prices. This place is too expensive for the portions. Usually two entrees between the three of us is plenty of food; however, we skimped on rice out of principle. I mean who charges for rice? Given their location (Whitaker) and their overall presentation including service, I would bump up their rating to four stars if they took their prices down by $2-3 across the board. They are a good place to walk to in that area, but I always opt out given that I won't spend the money on their food.
(2)
Zeke P.
I would not recommend coming here to pick up babes, but the food is yum. Sometimes when I'm walking to get Mexican food I stop here instead because it's closer, and I'm never disappointed. You can get many food for cheap. The portions are are pretty darn big.
(5)
Tami C.
Oh no! What happened? I've been going to CPY for years...had not been in months but tonight Thai was sounding so yummy. Well, it was horrible. My pumpkin curry with tofu had 3 - yes 3 small pieces of tofu and every (of which there were few) piece of pumpkin had the green rind still on them. My husbands dinner was just as bad, he ordered chicken red curry and the sauce was runny and tasteless. Like me, he had 3 pieces of protien(chicken) in his $16.00 entree. $34 bucks for take-out!!! Disappointed in Chao Pra NOOOOOO!
(1)
Kirsten H.
Many of their dishes are greasy but I always get the Tom Kha and it is very tasty. I like this place so much because it is so cheap in comparison to other Thai food in the area.
(3)
Kearney T.
Well it's a toss up between 2 and 2 1/2 stars. They get that high because of the AMOUNT of food. It was piled up high with vegggies, and chicken mixed in. The waitress was nice and was really attentive, I was constantly having my water refilled. The food was okay NOT spicy at all, but with PLENTY of veggies. The wierd thing about the veggies (specifically the brocolli) it was CHEWY and CRUNCHY at the same time 8/ kinda hard to eat it took me forever and A LOT of water to chew it up! After adding A LOT of salt, and spice it was still okay not really good. I don't think that I'll be going back.
(2)
Grace L.
Don't be fooled by the rather dingy-looking outside of the building here! Inside, it's clean, warm, and welcoming. I was meeting friends here, or I'd have never stopped, but I'm glad that I did! I started with a Thai iced tea--of course--which was perfect. For dinner, I had a fresh spring roll and one of their advertised specials, BBQ ribs with shrimp fried rice. The rice was VERY tasty, although I had to pick off the shrimp tails (it's a thing). The ribs had a little too much sauce for me, but the flavor was good and the meat was tender. Wait service was excellent--friendly and jovial and very quick! My friends say this is their favorite Thai place in town, and I can see why. I'll definitely be back when I'm in town!
(4)
Matt S.
Chao Pra Ya is still one of the better Thai places in Eugene. The green and red curries here are among the best you'll find. The Tom Yum soup is as good as any I've ever had. Chef special dishes are nice, too. Dishes are more expensive than they need to be, but you are at least getting quality food. Interior of the restaurant is on the nicer end and servers are generally very good. If you like human entertainment, try to sit near the window that looks out at the Red Apple 'grocery store.' If you want to forget where you are geographically, they have good seating for that, too. I've had a couple of experiences in the past year or so where a phone-in-pick-up order was messed up, which is always terribly disappointing. CPY is good enough that I gave them a third chance and, with family in town, they nailed a large order perfectly the other night. Bottom line: You're unlikely to go wrong at Chao Pra Ya.
(4)
Lori G.
I've been here twice for lunch and left happy and satisfied both times. I enjoyed the Pad Kee Mao so much the first time, I had to order it again during my next visit. + Ordered my dish "extra hot" and only had to add a tiny bit of chili oil + Pad Kee Mao is filling and delicious + $8 lunch special + Tom Yum soup was flavorful + Friendly, attentive service
(4)
Brad C.
I'm no Thai food guru but I've eaten at lots of Thai places, including in NYC and this beats theme all so far. Really like the UO delight!
(5)
Monica S.
What can I say? Meh. Restaurant was rather hit or miss. The Larp salad, which revolves around ground chicken or pork, was 15% meat. You know something is wrong when the red onion to meat ratio is 4 to 1. The bulk of it is supposed to be meat, but it was primarily iceberg lettuce (it normally sits on ONE garnish leaf) and a ton of onions. The flavor of it was good, but when you charge over $10 for this dish and it's all iceberg, you are ripping people off. Another con? The restaurant is kind of dingy. Pros-the server was prompt and attentive. Also, the pumpkin curry noodle dish was quite good. Overall, there are definitely better choices in Eugene. They either need to charge less, or step up their game.
(2)
Jessica E.
This is my go-to Thai place. They have great prices and great food. I have always had great service here. There have been times when I feel as though I have waited longer then I should for either a seat or to place my order. The food however, comes out to me hot, delicous and always at the right time. The staff here is very friendly and has always made me feel welcome. The seating can feel a little cramped sometimes, but that is usually only when the resurant is packed. If you like Thai, you'll like this place.
(4)
Dr Tim L L.
Pretentious - they want to be a Portland Bistro. Liked it much better before the big remodel. If you want 3 cents worth of extra rice that will cost you another $ 1. The food is the same but the prices jumped up. I am done, not going back again. too bad.
(2)
Emily E.
Went there last night after drinks at Territorial and the food and service was amazing! Had salad rolls for an appetizer: peanut sauce was fantastic. Fresh and flavorful. I had the Malbec while my companion had a cab, I think, and the Malbec was very very good. The special was mango curry, which I ordered with chicken and devoured. The medium spicy was quite hot but had a great flavor. The other dish was a garlic grilled dish I think, maybe a stir fry? That one he ordered with seafood and it was delicious. A nice contrast to the curry I ordered. The appetizer came out insanely fast, and the entrees came as we finished the app. The young man serving us made suggestions, was friendly, and attentive. Overall the best thai food I've had in Eugene (including Sweet Basil)!
(5)
Kristen H.
Best Thai food in town. I like the pad see ew and panang curry. Clean tables, ample parking, awesome retro sign. Sign me up!
(4)
Leonard B.
Since this review I've been to Ta Ra Rin in Eugene twice (both for dinner), and Aiyara over by Gateway three times (all lunch) and have to say that Chao Pra Ya is definitely THE place to go for good Thai food. I've sampled their Pad Kee Mao at all three places, and Chao Pra Ya has the best by far. Also their thai spicy fried rice is amazing, easily one of the top 5 best things I've ever eaten!
(5)
Scott S.
My favorite Thai restaurant. I really enjoy the Tom Yum soup. When it is rainy out and I'm feeling a little under the this always makes me feel better. I have found it a good place to meet with my wife for a good lunch during the week. I haven't sampled the menu very much but my wife always tries a vegetarian meal and is happy with the choice. We have eaten here for dinner but it is a little sketchy.
(4)
Ka S.
I always get the curry noodles and I love it every time. Very reliable. It looks divey on the outside but it's actually really nice inside.
(4)
Lucy C.
We ordered three appetizers, two entrees, two drinks, and two desserts. We didn't like our meal at all! The curry and noodles were bland, the fried tofu mushy, the spring rolls totally fell apart, the sauces were bland, the chicken was tough - not tender. And nothing had spice. Bland bland bland. Also - somehow they managed to totally overcook some veggies - like eggplant and peppers - into mush, while others - broccoli and green beans - were practically raw and cold. The serving sizes were ridiculous. These tiny little plates for your main dishes, these dinky little cups of white rice, and yet the desserts came in these giant bowls! It was very odd. The service was very slow and the place wasn't even that busy - we were one of three tables. When the waiter came to finally bring us our food - his hand (with dirty fingernails) touched our sons fork, enough for it to leave an imprint in his hand and almost knock the fork off the table - and the waiter pretended not to notice. Eeeww. It was my hubby's birthday, to boot. :( We paid $60 plus tip (we're too nice) for a horrible meal. Not fun. We won't be back.
(1)
Sophia K.
Definitely as good as Thai food gets around here. I've been to most Thai places in Eugene, and I've determined that this is my spot. The service is great and the food is fantastic. My friend and I drink a lot of water and the server always refills our glasses! We've never had an empty glass here! It's funny how I miss ethnic food more and more. I'm glad Chao Pra Ya is here because I know where to find good Thai food! I like their seafood pad thai and some of their chef specialties. I think most people that don't like this place just don't know what to order and so they deem the restaurant bad. It's like going to the gas station and trying to get a good meal. Come on, if you don't know what to order then ask the server. And if you do know what to order and still don't like this place, then you better head over to the airport and fly out of Eugene because this place is the best Thai food in town. I remember the first time I came here I overheard a conversation the server was having with a customer. He was asking about Thai food and then asked if she'd been to Taiwan and how Taiwan was like. I thought to myself, did he just say that Thailand is Taiwan? At least he liked the food!
(5)
marie b.
Pretty decent food but not my fav thai in eugene. Clean and cozy with hot food though I did get a lukewarm curry which was sad. Still good flavors and sauces and decent prices especially for lunch!
(3)
Wella A.
Jasmine rice for $1 extra?! I thought it was ridiculous, really incomprehensible! It's like charging extra for the sugar with coffee. Curry has to come with rice, otherwise it's blasphemy! The hefty sticker price for each plate wasn't too pretty to look at either, but maybe that's because I usually enjoy my own cooking. Plus, having lived in San Francisco once upon a time, competition among the gazillion restaurants and incredibly huge Thai houses resulted in bargain prices....and sure, amazing food, too. HOWEVER, I enjoyed having shared the sweet and lightly spicy Pumpkin Curry with Chicken with my friend for dinner after starting on the Miang Kum Salad that packed a potent punch with its miniature slices of chili peppers. Dessert with Black Sticky Rice with Mango wasn't so bad either...actually, it was pretty damn good....not too sweet at all, and very beautifully plated. Oh, and extra bonus for their availability of bubble teas! I've yet to return here for it, and I'm so glad I know that it exists somewhere in Eugene!
(3)
Sam B.
Charging $15-20 for mediocre food in a chic atmosphere is not a business plan. Also, if you have a seafood allergy, are strict kosher, halal or vegetarian stay far away. I ordered "Tofu on Fire" which was labeled as "a vegetarian's favorite," thinking surely the vegetarians would not tolerate shellfish in their food. Not to put to fine a point on it, but they were LYING. If you must eat here be very vocal about your dietary concerns or you could wind up in anaphylactic shock. On top of that souring note, the food was bland and dull (even for my date who eats shellfish). And the service was slow, though it was not busy. It took us 15 minutes (I counted) to get some rice which we wouldn't have needed if the place had reasonable rice portions. To some up, $15-20 a plate means your making a commitment to, at the very least, understand how a restaurant works. These folks don't. Shenanigans.
(1)
Ed L.
One of our favorites!
(5)
Kalub H.
So we found a coupon in the savvy saver for this place and I love Thai food. The first thought was " is this really the right place? " I checked my GPS 3 times to make sure. I thought it looked like a fish market... ( after talking to my mom I guess it used to be?! ) There were very few people here and it seemed like a fast food place. Both my partner and I had the pad thai, it seemed burnt to me. I wasn't super impressed by this pace, wouldn't go out of my way for it but wasn't awful.
(2)
James L.
We are so very blessed with very tasty and authentic Thai food in Eugene. Every restaurant you visit will serve you some delicious stuff. Okay, every restaurant except one: yelp.com/biz/drum-rong-t… Ew. Chao Pra Ya gets all the classics perfect, from the incredible Tom Kha soup (yum!) to Phad Kee Mao. Wanna impress the date and get laid tonight? Make sure to order the lightly-battered and perfectly-fried appetizer known as Golden Pumpkin, which comes with a sweet little sauce on the side. But even more so, make sure to ask for the house special of Pepper Salt Squid. It's freakin' delicious and the best thing in the house: little bodies and tentacles of squid tempura-fried and served with a grilled bell peppers (red & green), grilled onions and a delectable spicy and sweet sauce to be found nowhere else. After eating dinner, your date will think you a sophisticate, run a hand down your thigh. Look 'em directly in the eyes, flash a broad, knowing smile, and get the hell out of there. Funny story: xmas before last, my friend was up from Los Angeles. He'd brought his new boyfriend fresh off the boat from Thailand, so we thought we'd take them out for some Thai food. We sat down and the bf engaged in some Asian clitter-clatter with the waitress. Because of this, she delivered dinner with a tiny saucer of tiny Thai peppers, half of them fried in oil. I nibbled three of the smallest bites possible off the end of a Thai pepper and was done, my mouth ablaze. The boyfriend popped one after another into his mouth and chewed them down, taunting my friend. Jebus Christus, what are these people's alimentary canals made of?
(5)
rosa b.
While Chao Praya might not be what it used to be, I can say that their food has diverse and quality ingredients, in particular vegetables and spices. It's a bit more expensive than I would like for what you get, but the cooks are quick and the food is tasty.
(3)
Kathryn M.
I truly enjoyed my recent visit to Chao Pra Ya. The menu was extensive enough to satisfy a picky SO yet keep me interested in multiple dishes (umm pumpkin curry, yes please). I ordered the standard Pad Thai and while it was a bit on the salty side I was pleased with the overall meal. I ordered an extra side of peanut sauce and although unnecessary for the Pad Thai, it was a huge hit on everything else on the table. The only downfall I found was with the quality of the chicken in the chicken teriyaki dish. However, it wasn't anything to be so concerned about as to not order again. I will for certain return to Chao Pra Ya in the future.
(4)
Rat B.
This is my favorite thai place in town, although I haven't had a chance to try all the others yet. Besides having perfect peanut sauce, the chicken pad thai is something I crave regularly. Sometimes I branch out and get other noodle dishes, and I keep meaning to try some of their curries, but I always circle around to my old favorite again. If you like it really spicy though, be sure to explain to your server that you can handle ACTUAL spice, or they'll go far too easy on you in the kitchen. At least they have a little caddy of heat enhancements they bring to your table... and don't expect to wait long from order to service, because this is the fastest kitchen in town!
(5)
Darv I.
Good food and I highly recommend but their prices are slightly higher than other restaurants in the Whit neighborhood. Great place for lunch.
(4)
Stephanie C.
Chao Pra Ya. Chao Pra Ya. Chao Pra Ya. (if you haven't noticed, I do like saying their name and I share (almost) a last name with them) So i do have to say one thing, I have experienced better. Walking in, the decor was completely beautiful, but the outside could maybe use a bit more work. The location is also kind of sketch. Maybe behind a 76 gas station is awesome for those people who are in a rush and need something quick, but for me, I'm not a fan of being immediately behind a 76 gas station and sharing a parking lot with them. I went with my friends and although we were not a very big group, there were three of us, the waiter seemed very disinterested in waiting on us. The service wasn't too bad though. Our waiter was extremely pleasant when he did interact with us. And when we looked like we had stopped eating, he came over and asked if we wanted boxes, not asking if we wanted anything else. (minor interaction but alright in my books) Now onto drinks, I didn't actually have one, but both of my friends ordered their Thai Iced Tea. They commented on the fact that it was extremely sweet, and if you're like me, I don't like my Thai Iced Tea too sweet or too bitter. Perhaps they have good bubble tea, but if I go back, which I doubt I ever will, I'll definitely have to update my review and comment on their bubble tea. So their food was, for lack of a better comment, "meh." I didn't really enjoy the crispy chicken that tickled my taste buds, and their noodles were a bit more soggy then I usually like. Their plates come with carrots and cabbage rather than bean sprouts, lime, and jalapenos, and if you're an avid food eater, you usually like your "usual" bunch when you get something from a Thai Place. Perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh, but that's alright, when I eat Thai Food, I expect it to be at least constant. But one thing that I do have to comment on was the fact that they were speedy little demons. We ordered our food and it was brought out within five minutes. I don't know what that says for behind the scenes, but if you're in a rush and not in it for the quality of food, this is the place to go. (especially if you have a hankering for Thai Food and you're driving up to Portland or down to Roseburg). All in all, if I do go back, which probably won't happen, I'll definitely not be ordering the Pad Thai and instead some lovely bubble tea. Happy Eating. (:
(2)
Joe W.
Very good. I've lived in the Eug for almost two years and this is the best Thai in town-Hands Down. Lots of great, diverse dishes. I actually haven't even had my "go-tos": pad Thai and pad-see-ew...instead taking the opportunity to try something a little harder to come by.
(4)
sunshine w.
Best peanut sauce ever! Food: Delicious. 4-5 stars, all the way. The ingredients are fresh. They make everything from scratch - no packaged curry mixes or bottled peanut sauce. No MSG. All natural, delicious home cooking. We ordered the combination appetizer it was outstanding, Atmosphere: Romantic and homey. Service: great! The place is run by an older couple where the wife does the cooking and the husband act as waiter and host. They are friendly and kind! Price: Great! Two entrees, fried rice, appetizer, and soda for under $40 is an amazing bargain for the generous portions and amazing flavors.
(5)
Allen T.
The Garlic Short Ribs will change your life! The waitstaff is awesome. Eat here.
(5)
Anuj K.
Not bad for thai food and definitely great for Eugene (from what I've tried in this city). My friend and I enjoyed the Vegetarian Tom Yum and pumpkin curry noodles. The tom yum was pretty delicious and had the traditional galangal and keffir lime leaves to add the tang. I was satisfied with this. The pumpkin curry with shrimp had good flavor, but did not have as much of substance to noodle ratio that I would preferred. The noodles were also very strange - sort of thick and kind of stuck together. Not my favorite texture, possibly overcooked? The vegetables and shrimp were cooked well. We asked for medium spice since my friend isn't too much of spicy food person, but I think I could have enjoyed the spicy food here. Luckily they had a spice rack available for me to add some extra heat to my food.
(3)
Sarah S.
This place is not good. I have been here twice, ordered two different items and was so underwhelmed and confused by all the positive reviews that lured me in. Tip: Do not order the bubble tea. I'm not sure how it even passes as bubble tea but it's expensive and not good.
(2)
Jamie B.
Really good food, Ta Ra Rin is my favorite Thai food in town but these guys are a close second. The location leaves a lot to be desired. The parking lot is a great place to hang out and get stabbed by some crazy transient, sorry, "traveler" if you stay too long.
(4)
Janine J.
Food was fresh service way slow... for lunch we tried to get through it in 30 min which is hard but took and hour...way too long for a lunch break at work
(3)
Emily S.
After several (does 4-5 experience count as several, or more than several) disappointing experiences at Chao Pra Ya, I'm finally able to speak of this in public. I fail to see the similarities between Chao Pra Ya and it's sister restaurant, Ta Ra Rin. For the record, I heart Ta Ra Rin. We rolled into Chao Pra Ya because we were in the neighborhood on Saturday night. Having spent the bulk of the weekend drinking too much beer in Portland, I needed something with spice and lots of vegetables. I always order tofu, and I was excited to see that the vegetarian option comes with "extra broccoli." I confirmed with the waitress that this was the case, and then went with the Kee Mao, even though it already had broccoli. She promised there would be gratuitous amounts. I ordered medium plus for the heat. The dish came out with 4 small pieces of broccoli and no heat whatsoever. It was basically just a pile of greasy noodles. I pointed this out to the waitress, but no additionally veg were delivered. Hubby ordered a curry and it was about half the size of what would be served at Ta Ra Rin. Last time I was at Chao Pra Ya I ordered a basil-y dish and confirmed that indeed, it would be a delicious basil-y dish. Unfortunately, not a single leaf graced the plate. The time before that, a friend ordered a dish off the noodle menu that came out as a bowl of gravy-soup and when she asked the waitress, the waitress just shrugged and said yeah, it's a little liquidy today. Anyways, you get the point. And I will be heading to Ta Ra Rin from here on out.
(2)
Dave W.
Though I am guilty of ordering within a small selection of my favorite dishes and rarely venturing to the unknowns on the menu, I have never been disappointed with the food quality at CPY. I ate here before they remodeled the place, and a couple times since. I think what keeps me from being a regular here are the prices. But like I said, after a meal, I am always satisfied and the portions are generous as well. I like the new polished atmosphere. Certainly a nice place to bring a date, whereas the old look was a bit diner-esque. I rank Chao Pra Ya among the top Thai in Eugene. Good Stuff.
(4)
Lauren C.
Let me start off by saying Chao Pra Ya's food is absolutely delicious!!! My boyfriend and I usually order takeout but tonight we wanted the restaurant experience. We ordered Tom Yum Noodle Soup, Red Curry with Chicken and spicy Mussaman curry with veggies, which all turned out to be excellent choices. The only thing I have a problem with is the top 40 radio with songs by Katy Perry, Pink, and Beyonce... Not to mention some pretty loud and annoying radio commercials. When I go to Thai restaurants with beautiful interior design and amazing food, I expect the quality of music to match it. I doubt that the majority of the Whitaker neighborhood listens to top 40. Why not stick to traditional Thai music??? Or something instrumental so people can have a real conversation without being interrupted by Taylor Swift. Since we've only eaten here once, we'll give it a second chance soon to see if the music gets better. Otherwise, we'll just order take out only or across the street at Drumrong Thai, since they are about $4 bucks cheaper per plate. I have no problem paying a couple extra dollars for top quality food, but my money will be much more well spent if I can hear beautiful top quality Thai music while eating the best food in town.
(4)
Dan T.
Really good peanut sauce, meat is tender and flavorful, etc etc. I felt compelled to write this review mainly due to the fact that the spicy food was actually spicy. I came to Eugene, from Los Angeles (now you hate me), and have been a little disappointed for what passes as spicy Thai food here (Or any spicy food, for that matter). I get that there is a lack of diversity, in Eugene, and this may be "White people spicy", but to me most salsa here tastes like tomato sauce and most spicy Thai is on par with just putting some Sriracha on top. My questions to a server/cook are usually "Is this food Spicy?" and if they are Thai I ask "Do you actually find this food spicy?" Most say yes and then fail. So, I go to Chao Pra Ya, on a first date, and the staff gave me the above answers. I said "Yeah, ok, sure. I'll have the spiciest option." I then start to talk about how I haven't found food in Eugene to be that spicy. I get my food and take a wiff and my nose starts to tingle. I take a bite and my mouth starts to burn. I try to power through it, with my poker face on, and continue to eat. After 5 minutes or so; my eyes are watering, nose is running, mouth is on fire, and my lips are swelling up. I have to admit defeat a little less than 1/3 of the way through the meal. The rest of my time spent in the Chao Pra Ya consisted of: watching my date eat, my date making fun of me, my date nick naming me Sally, and trying to sooth the flames that have now spread across most of the lower region of my face. I took this as lesson and finished my food over the next day or two. I have gone back to continue my training and have made improvements. I was a little tentative, after my beating, and got the medium. I am now a regular at "hot". I still haven't gotten back to the highest level of heat...but one day maybe...Oh, and I'm still dating the same girl, so it wasn't a total failure.
(4)
Ali S.
Tasty food. But not sure worth the cost.
(3)
C C.
I started coming back here within the last year. The pineapple fried rice is my favorite lately. I would recommend eating in rather than take out. Last time I got take out, they put the hot food in containers better suited to cold food. Some kind of clear plastic container I usually associate with green salads from the deli case. I don't know if this was a one off situation or not. I wouldn't take my chances though, since the food can be a bit expensive-ish & I don't want a detail like carryout containers to detract from an otherwise fine meal.
(3)
kati b.
I love Chao Pra Ya, but its sister restaurant Ta Ra Rin has a special place in my heart, so I have to say Chao Pra Ya is my second favorite Thai in town. All the dishes are really solid & authentic. You can't order a bad thing on the menu. Like Ta Ra Rin, they also have wonderful fresh veggies in all their dishes. I particularly like the UO dish, which is egg & green pumpkin (green & yellow!) it's really yummy & not on other Thai menus in town. They have a big specials board with lots of seasonal ingredients. Great meal, friendly and fast service, & cute restaurant with lots of Thai decorations. If you've ever been to Thailand, some of decor will definitely make you a little nostalgic for your trip.
(4)
Aimee C.
De. Licious. My friend (who grew up in Thailand) suggested this place and four of us went together. We got four dishes and shared them family style. Every single dish was awesome! I don't remember what each dish was called, as three out of the four were unknown to me (tom yum, a beef-noodle dish, a soup and red curry). What I do remember is that they ROCKED. So much flavor! I did get one dish (the red curry) very hot, and was impressed with the amount of heat. Normally, restaurants tame it down a bit, but this was pretty hot. I also got the optional spice rack to add more heat to other dishes. We ended up having a large group right next to us, and that kind of turned up the volume, but overall I was very pleased with my first experience there. My advice is to do it the way my friends and I did: family style. This way you get to try more than one kind of savory awesomeness in one sitting. I can't wait to go back there, and I hope my friends read this and get the hint! Let's go!
(4)
Maynes S.
I was thoroughly dissatisifed with my first Chao Pra Ya experience. Had heard it was good and had been wanting to try it for awhile. The service was terrible. We had to wait 15 minutes before anyone took our order. The food came out and my Pad Kee Mao was bland, burned in some spots, and the sauce used was sweet and frankly, gross tasting. The shrimp was also overcooked and bland. The slow and poor service continued throughout the meal. It was also incredibly overpriced for the quality of the food presented. I do not recommend this restaurant to anyone and I will not be returning.
(1)
Chris H.
Delicious thai in a quiet, large-group-friendly atmosphere.
(4)
Beth B.
Was extremely disappointed! The food was cold, bland, and pricey. I would not recommend going there. Plus the bathroom is scary!!!! And the waiter looked like he had jaundice!
(1)
Oregon Food Junkie O.
The pinnacle of the Whiteaker when it comes to spicy delights! I recommend the exceptional Salt and Pepper Squid dish. Don't be a wussy and order it x-tra spicy. Thank me later! Great service, atmophere, funky neighborhood, and an all around nice place. Great effort. Great food. Great atmosphere.
(5)
Dd'z K.
Found this Thai place close to our hotel because we were just too tired to drive into downtown and we sure did get lucky! The interior is very fancy and super clean compared to the outside and we ended up ordering their non-spicy beef soup with potatoes and vegetables (sorry, don't know what it's called in Thai) and was probably the best soup I have had in a while. The perfect soups always have to have the perfect broth and this place was spot on. Their beef was soft and tender and the vegetables also complimented the rest of soup very well. We will remember this place.
(5)
Tom L.
lots and lots of choices prices are decent and the food comes out lightning fast if your in a rush
(3)
LadyYelper P.
Great pad thai! One of my faves
(5)
Eric L.
Dang this place is awesome. The food is great, the service is great, the ambiance is great. What else would one want from a thai food restaurant? Get the thai buffalo wings. Do it. Seriously. 'Nuff said.
(3)
Henry G.
I am proud to say that I was one of the first customers here when they opened. I've been eating at Chao Pra Ya regularly since then and have never been dissapointed. I do miss the old-school diner atmosphere from the old days but I'm really glad these folks have done so well. My favorite things: -sweet neon (non functioning) clock sign -crunchy chicken wing thingys -veggie fried rice (ultimate hangover cure) -giant menu -Rad Na! Rad Na! Rand Na! Rad Na!
(4)
Pam D.
Food was great, service was very good, locals seem to love it. It came recommended
(4)
Caroline R.
Delicious food, fabulous service, clean, friendly, fast... I'll be back! And I gotta second my sweetie... the thai buffalo wings are TO DIE FOR!
(3)
Cambria C.
Went back finally and had a very pleasant experience. Really tasty papaya salad and se ew! Glad we returned :-)
(3)
Jessina V.
I have never gotten anything here I didn't like. The veggies are perfectly done every time, they have bubble tea, the Thai iced tea is perfect. All I can say is yum!
(5)
Laura H.
I went to Chao Pra Ya with friends tonight for the first time in years (I left Eugene in 2006) and it was as good as I remembered. My husband and I shared the pad thai with chicken and panang curry with beef. My only criticism is that the pad thai was a little sparse on the chicken. The panang curry was very flavorful and all the food was fresh and prepared just right. My friend Keith had the mussaman curry and seemed to enjoy it as well. Chao Pra Ya serves up dependable and very affordable thai in Eugene.
(4)
Benjamin T.
I was very pleased to find this place. Simple, good Thai food. We got there kind of late (almost 9) and we were quickly served our food. Their "hot" was pleasantly spicy without any cloying heat. A full mouth feel which was nice after driving for 11 hours. The Thai ice tea was sub-par as they put too much milk in, but I am OK with that. I needed the cafine. The Prad Khee Mao (sorry for the horrible spelling) was very tasty with tofu.
(4)
Cindy S.
Been here twice and was impress both times, green curry with pumpkin and shrimp was wonderful.also tried the pork ribs with shrimp fried rice,really good too. Our waiter Casey was very professional, there when you needed him without hovering. In all a very pleasant evening.
(4)
Elise B.
I ordered a few dishes that took forever to come out, the portions were small, the food was not great, i didn't even eat it, paid and left and looked for another Thai restaurant. Maybe it was an off night, but I can't imagine this is the best Eugene has to offer, but perhaps they cater to a college crowd that is not discriminating! The Thai restaurants in Portland are mostly awesome, so this was a big shock.
(1)
Teresa G.
Ive been to chao pra ya. A few times and loved it such good food best in town but.....just left there and it went from a 5 to a 2 don't know what happens but the food was bland the dipping sauce for the crispy salad rolled was terrible really sweet I won't go back
(2)
Ellie P.
I love the Fish On Fire dish that is Medium heat for me, the honey and delicate flavors is healthy and extremely delicious. In fact Im ordering some right now, for ten bucks I cant beat it. Plus its nice to have something that I feel good about not cleaning the kitchen for.
(5)
Patrick P.
This place has good food, but they have recently doubled their prices. Can a chicken curry really be $16? The quality has gone downhill since they remodeled too. I have been here twice in the last month, but no more.
(2)
Jean S.
I'm giving them 4 stars for reliability and good food that's not too expensive- every time. I also like that they finally expanded about a year or so ago and now larger groups can enjoy a nice meal.
(4)
Steven w.
One of if not the worst Thai food restaurants in town. Frozen vegetables and bland sauce are not Thai Cuisine. This is more like a low end Chinese food cart.
(1)
Brian E.
No, no, no. Great Thai food? No. If you hail from Portland or San Francisco, you know what I mean. Chao Pra Ya is just okay, and that's being charitable. Great service? No. Poor service. Great value? Hell, no! News flash: There are no expensive ingredients in Thai food. A few ounces of cheap meat, some noodles or rice, a handful of ordinary veggies, some curry, perhaps some coconut milk. It is basic stuff; it should be cheap, and at a similar dive (which Chao Pra Ya inarguably is), located next to a similar gas station, in a similar neighborhood in Portland, Seattle, or San Francisco, it would be. The tiny, uninspired portions at Chao Pra Ya should be a buck or two less than the more generous and flavorful ones at its big-city counterparts - instead, they are a buck or two more. Chao Pra Ya is preying on culturally starved Eugeneans who simply don't know any better, as many so-called "ethnic" restaurants do. This also accounts for their accolades in the Eugene Weekly. It is Thai, and it's in the 'Hood, but that's all. Take a pass and go to Kuraya, or better yet, drive to Springfield and try Mekala's. Both feature better food, better atmosphere, better service, and much better value. Update: I've visited several more times (hey - it's in the 'Hood!) and have decided that while Chao Pra Ya falls decidedly into the hit-or-miss category, the place does hit an occasional home run. The pad Thai is a pretty decent dish, if you're a pad thai fan...the green curry is kind of soupy, but tasty...and the various appetizers are tasty, if unappealingly plated (and priced). Plus, where else in Eugene can you sip Thai iced tea and enjoy passable Asian cuisine while watching the colorful folks who inhabit the 'Hood pass by? I'd probably upgrade it to three stars, but Justin is right - the gouging you for a cup of rice thing is just too cheap and cowardly to be ignored.
(2)
Rachel S.
If you want to eat here, go to Ta Ra Rin. Same food, cheaper menu. Ta Ra Rin doesn't charge you $1 to order rice with your curry. This was better before the remodel, price hikes, and $1 rice tax.
(1)
Erik R.
Always fast and tasty Thai food. Service is really friendly, though I come for the quality noodle dishes. Best Pad Kee Mao in town, and easily in the top three for Pad Thai. Get a side of the peanut sauce, it goes with practically everything!
(5)
Chris B.
For Eugene, this is a good Thai place. As other reviewers have said, if you've had Thai in SF or such places, of course it's not going to match up, but for Eugene, good stuff. We had three dishes there, and all were tasty: pumpkin curry, phad kua kai, and I think it was called Peanut Sauce Lovers or something like that. Also, we've found that they've recently expanded and I think also redone the interior some. This was our first visit but the folks we went with said the one side was all new. Clean, decent service, good food, etc. We'll go back.
(4)
Jando S.
What Chao Pra Ya makes up for in lack of space, is their excellent service and some of the best phad thai on this side of the Willamette River. The green and massaman curry is good as it is affordable. Their Thai ice tea is delicious also and they have decent dessert options. The place almost looks like a renovated diner, one that serves Thai specialties instead of milkshakes and burgers. While its not large, it still serves as a solid date place and should satisfy most Thai loving connoisseurs.
(3)
Michelle M.
Eat here all the time and so do all my colleagues. So many things on the menu are my fav! Always good service and clean as well. So awesome to have good Asian food in Eugene!
(5)
Moxie V.
I am giving Chao Pra Ya Thai 5 stars because while not a typically 5 star establishment, they are definitely 5 stars for what they are. My boyfriend and I were driving from Ashland to Portland and got off the freeway in Eugene to seek out some dinner. Not too far off we came across Chao Pra Ya and decided to check it out. We were in luck! Inside is tastefully decorated, the service perfect and attentive, the food fast and beyond delicious. I tried something new- the Pad Ke Mow I think... and not being a very adventurous eater was delighted. The fried bananas with coconut ice cream were mouth watering delicious and the prices completely reasonable. I did not examine the wine list, but I am confident they would present a decent selection. The kitchen is open enough to the dining area without being overbearing (something i think keeps em "honest") and the entire restaurant spotless. We will be stopping in again next time we are in the area... until then show Chao Pra Ya some love!
(5)
Anthony R.
Chao Pra Ya's menu is essentially the same as Ta Ra Rin's and the prices are comparable (though I always swear that Ta Ra Rin is more expensive.) Curries here are all excellent. Larb is excellent. A cute diner-style atmosphere lends a homey feel to the joint. Salads, like those at Ta Ra Rin, are less than stellar. For my money the best dish is easily the Pad Kee Mao. Order it extra-spicy and be sure to have a pitcher of water handy.
(4)
mik L.
ate there yesterday. nicely prepared Thai food offered in mild, medium and hot (more than i can take). good flavors in various dishes from vegetarian temp ah to the mango curie special.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Randy E.
Deserves an excellent review. Outstanding Curry dishes and always great service. Food comes quickly and staff is friendly. The Mussaman is the best I have had.
(5)Cory P.
Their food was excellent/fresh, attentive service and small but comfortable atmosphere.
(5)Beth C.
I had the drunken noodles and it was delicious. They have bubble tea and their salad rolls are great.
(4)K M.
Good flavorful food, large proportions. The restaurant itself isn't anything fancy but the food is tasty. They are located in an emerging fermentation district which is still rough around the edges. Though it doesn't look like a great neighborhood and the parking lot you park isn't nice, the area is cleaning up. The good is very authentic. Lots of eggplant and deeply gutted shrimp. Their soups are yummy. I like to order medium spice as hot can be a bit hot! I'll go back again and again. It's definitely worth the price.
(4)Rolf A.
Best Thai Food in Eugene that I have had. I am pretty picky but food here is Fresh and tastes awesome! I highly recommend it if you need a Thai fix!
(5)CeeGee H.
My friend and I both went to Chao Pra Ya last night (1/29/15) about an hour after they opened. For starters, we ordered the crab rangoon and the tempura vegetables. Entree-wise, I ordered the BBQ chicken with shrimp fried rice and hers was just the straight BBQ chicken. Crab Rangoon ($8): Six pieces, fairly well made. Not terribly big or particularly memorable, with a light, sweet, dipping sauce. Both my friend and I liked these but they were overpriced, especially since they contained artificial crab- even said so on the menu. Thai Tempura Veggies ($10): 4-5 pieces each of yam, onion rings, baby corn, broccoli and mushroom- plus a small dipping sauce which was only slightly different (thicker) than the dipping sauce that came with the crab Rangoon. The Good: Really fresh ingredients though my friend popped a bit of broccoli into her mouth and I could see her expression change almost immediately. She spit it out into her napkin and said "I don't know what was up with that." The Bad: We shelled out $10 for fried TEMPURA vegetables and they were actually fried with some other kind of batter. I grew up in New Orleans and it appeared to be some kind of cornmeal batter, like you'd use on catfish or hushpuppies. Extremely grainy. The only vegetables that were actually-tempura fried were the onion rings. BBQ Chicken ($12) and BBQ Chicken with Shrimp Fried Rice ($15): See the picture from Jack K., because that's almost exactly what it looked like, except the chicken was also slathered in what I can only describe as an extremely tepid absolutely normal BBQ sauce. Like you'd have on a hamburger at a fast food restaurant except more toned down. The Good: Giant portions of chicken. Truly. The meat was definitely overcooked and just starting to get dry but whatever, I'm pretty easy going about that. Skin was cooked to a crisp in most places, but not in a bad way. It was quite delicious for plainly-cooked chicken. The little cup of shrimp fried rice that came with mine had 3-4 shrimp in it, and was decent though I would imagine some people would have found it over-cooked. The Bad: On top of it, and added clearly after the cooking had happened, was a thick layer of the BBQ sauce I mentioned. If you went to Winco Deli and bought one of their rotisserie-roasted chickens and then covered it with BBQ sauce that's not too far off what it would have looked and tasted like. The bottom line? $45 for what was the least-Thai tasting meal I have ever had at a Thai place. Really. From the dipping sauces that came with the veggies and crab Rangoon to the BBQ sauce slopped on the chicken, none of it had any flavors I would associate with Thai food (though the bland dipping sauces were obviously plum-sauce-ish), and I've enjoyed most of the Thai restaurants in town. It was a very puzzling experience and I won't be repeating it. For the problems with the (quite) expensive meal, I can't give this place more than 2 stars. The portions of chicken and the quality of the veggies (mostly) and the shrimp fried rice keep it from slipping to 1. SIDE NOTE: At one point when we were ordering the BBQ chicken, the waiter wanted to see the exact number from the menu to make sure he got it right. He joked with us that there are something like 108 items on the menu and there's very little difference between them. I feel this is sort of a clue to the experience we had with the chicken, especially, and how it seemed to be just a regular roasted chicken with the BBQ sauce of my choosing squirted on top. And one other thing which seemed more than a little odd: The place was packed with people all ordering and you'd expect a few minutes wait as the kitchen prepared the food. Not so, BBQ chicken entrees were out at the table literally like 5-7 minutes after we ordered them. Again, very odd experience and not what I expected.
(2)Sage O.
Great place for thai food-and its in the whit district,Always a nice place to be..the portions are Huge{bring your appetite} The waitstaff is there to help you have a wonderful dining experience!! Enjoy! And its beautiful inside. Come in sometime ask for Brandon
(5)John M.
Great food, huge portions our waiter rocked he knew the menu, and made great recommendations Had the eggplant garden my lovely wife had a pad. We'll be back for sure.
(5)Sarah M.
I love this restaurant! I come often for lunch and occasionally for dinner and the food is always flavorful, hot and tasty! My main complaint at other similar restaurants is usually regarding the quality of meat they use but I've never have a problem at Chao Pra Ya. I've shared this gem with family and friends and they've all enjoyed the food as well. Definitely a local favorite!
(5)Vanessa R.
I've only been here twice and wasn't impressed either time. The most recent was with two friends. We ordered green curry and red curry, both as vegetarian dishes to split between the three of us. The food is fine, not memorable, but fine. Three smallish appetite women were still hungry after splitting the dishes. We decided on two entrees instead of three mostly because of prices. This place is too expensive for the portions. Usually two entrees between the three of us is plenty of food; however, we skimped on rice out of principle. I mean who charges for rice? Given their location (Whitaker) and their overall presentation including service, I would bump up their rating to four stars if they took their prices down by $2-3 across the board. They are a good place to walk to in that area, but I always opt out given that I won't spend the money on their food.
(2)Zeke P.
I would not recommend coming here to pick up babes, but the food is yum. Sometimes when I'm walking to get Mexican food I stop here instead because it's closer, and I'm never disappointed. You can get many food for cheap. The portions are are pretty darn big.
(5)Tami C.
Oh no! What happened? I've been going to CPY for years...had not been in months but tonight Thai was sounding so yummy. Well, it was horrible. My pumpkin curry with tofu had 3 - yes 3 small pieces of tofu and every (of which there were few) piece of pumpkin had the green rind still on them. My husbands dinner was just as bad, he ordered chicken red curry and the sauce was runny and tasteless. Like me, he had 3 pieces of protien(chicken) in his $16.00 entree. $34 bucks for take-out!!! Disappointed in Chao Pra NOOOOOO!
(1)Kirsten H.
Many of their dishes are greasy but I always get the Tom Kha and it is very tasty. I like this place so much because it is so cheap in comparison to other Thai food in the area.
(3)Kearney T.
Well it's a toss up between 2 and 2 1/2 stars. They get that high because of the AMOUNT of food. It was piled up high with vegggies, and chicken mixed in. The waitress was nice and was really attentive, I was constantly having my water refilled. The food was okay NOT spicy at all, but with PLENTY of veggies. The wierd thing about the veggies (specifically the brocolli) it was CHEWY and CRUNCHY at the same time 8/ kinda hard to eat it took me forever and A LOT of water to chew it up! After adding A LOT of salt, and spice it was still okay not really good. I don't think that I'll be going back.
(2)Grace L.
Don't be fooled by the rather dingy-looking outside of the building here! Inside, it's clean, warm, and welcoming. I was meeting friends here, or I'd have never stopped, but I'm glad that I did! I started with a Thai iced tea--of course--which was perfect. For dinner, I had a fresh spring roll and one of their advertised specials, BBQ ribs with shrimp fried rice. The rice was VERY tasty, although I had to pick off the shrimp tails (it's a thing). The ribs had a little too much sauce for me, but the flavor was good and the meat was tender. Wait service was excellent--friendly and jovial and very quick! My friends say this is their favorite Thai place in town, and I can see why. I'll definitely be back when I'm in town!
(4)Matt S.
Chao Pra Ya is still one of the better Thai places in Eugene. The green and red curries here are among the best you'll find. The Tom Yum soup is as good as any I've ever had. Chef special dishes are nice, too. Dishes are more expensive than they need to be, but you are at least getting quality food. Interior of the restaurant is on the nicer end and servers are generally very good. If you like human entertainment, try to sit near the window that looks out at the Red Apple 'grocery store.' If you want to forget where you are geographically, they have good seating for that, too. I've had a couple of experiences in the past year or so where a phone-in-pick-up order was messed up, which is always terribly disappointing. CPY is good enough that I gave them a third chance and, with family in town, they nailed a large order perfectly the other night. Bottom line: You're unlikely to go wrong at Chao Pra Ya.
(4)Lori G.
I've been here twice for lunch and left happy and satisfied both times. I enjoyed the Pad Kee Mao so much the first time, I had to order it again during my next visit. + Ordered my dish "extra hot" and only had to add a tiny bit of chili oil + Pad Kee Mao is filling and delicious + $8 lunch special + Tom Yum soup was flavorful + Friendly, attentive service
(4)Brad C.
I'm no Thai food guru but I've eaten at lots of Thai places, including in NYC and this beats theme all so far. Really like the UO delight!
(5)Monica S.
What can I say? Meh. Restaurant was rather hit or miss. The Larp salad, which revolves around ground chicken or pork, was 15% meat. You know something is wrong when the red onion to meat ratio is 4 to 1. The bulk of it is supposed to be meat, but it was primarily iceberg lettuce (it normally sits on ONE garnish leaf) and a ton of onions. The flavor of it was good, but when you charge over $10 for this dish and it's all iceberg, you are ripping people off. Another con? The restaurant is kind of dingy. Pros-the server was prompt and attentive. Also, the pumpkin curry noodle dish was quite good. Overall, there are definitely better choices in Eugene. They either need to charge less, or step up their game.
(2)Jessica E.
This is my go-to Thai place. They have great prices and great food. I have always had great service here. There have been times when I feel as though I have waited longer then I should for either a seat or to place my order. The food however, comes out to me hot, delicous and always at the right time. The staff here is very friendly and has always made me feel welcome. The seating can feel a little cramped sometimes, but that is usually only when the resurant is packed. If you like Thai, you'll like this place.
(4)Dr Tim L L.
Pretentious - they want to be a Portland Bistro. Liked it much better before the big remodel. If you want 3 cents worth of extra rice that will cost you another $ 1. The food is the same but the prices jumped up. I am done, not going back again. too bad.
(2)Emily E.
Went there last night after drinks at Territorial and the food and service was amazing! Had salad rolls for an appetizer: peanut sauce was fantastic. Fresh and flavorful. I had the Malbec while my companion had a cab, I think, and the Malbec was very very good. The special was mango curry, which I ordered with chicken and devoured. The medium spicy was quite hot but had a great flavor. The other dish was a garlic grilled dish I think, maybe a stir fry? That one he ordered with seafood and it was delicious. A nice contrast to the curry I ordered. The appetizer came out insanely fast, and the entrees came as we finished the app. The young man serving us made suggestions, was friendly, and attentive. Overall the best thai food I've had in Eugene (including Sweet Basil)!
(5)Kristen H.
Best Thai food in town. I like the pad see ew and panang curry. Clean tables, ample parking, awesome retro sign. Sign me up!
(4)Leonard B.
Since this review I've been to Ta Ra Rin in Eugene twice (both for dinner), and Aiyara over by Gateway three times (all lunch) and have to say that Chao Pra Ya is definitely THE place to go for good Thai food. I've sampled their Pad Kee Mao at all three places, and Chao Pra Ya has the best by far. Also their thai spicy fried rice is amazing, easily one of the top 5 best things I've ever eaten!
(5)Scott S.
My favorite Thai restaurant. I really enjoy the Tom Yum soup. When it is rainy out and I'm feeling a little under the this always makes me feel better. I have found it a good place to meet with my wife for a good lunch during the week. I haven't sampled the menu very much but my wife always tries a vegetarian meal and is happy with the choice. We have eaten here for dinner but it is a little sketchy.
(4)Ka S.
I always get the curry noodles and I love it every time. Very reliable. It looks divey on the outside but it's actually really nice inside.
(4)Lucy C.
We ordered three appetizers, two entrees, two drinks, and two desserts. We didn't like our meal at all! The curry and noodles were bland, the fried tofu mushy, the spring rolls totally fell apart, the sauces were bland, the chicken was tough - not tender. And nothing had spice. Bland bland bland. Also - somehow they managed to totally overcook some veggies - like eggplant and peppers - into mush, while others - broccoli and green beans - were practically raw and cold. The serving sizes were ridiculous. These tiny little plates for your main dishes, these dinky little cups of white rice, and yet the desserts came in these giant bowls! It was very odd. The service was very slow and the place wasn't even that busy - we were one of three tables. When the waiter came to finally bring us our food - his hand (with dirty fingernails) touched our sons fork, enough for it to leave an imprint in his hand and almost knock the fork off the table - and the waiter pretended not to notice. Eeeww. It was my hubby's birthday, to boot. :( We paid $60 plus tip (we're too nice) for a horrible meal. Not fun. We won't be back.
(1)Sophia K.
Definitely as good as Thai food gets around here. I've been to most Thai places in Eugene, and I've determined that this is my spot. The service is great and the food is fantastic. My friend and I drink a lot of water and the server always refills our glasses! We've never had an empty glass here! It's funny how I miss ethnic food more and more. I'm glad Chao Pra Ya is here because I know where to find good Thai food! I like their seafood pad thai and some of their chef specialties. I think most people that don't like this place just don't know what to order and so they deem the restaurant bad. It's like going to the gas station and trying to get a good meal. Come on, if you don't know what to order then ask the server. And if you do know what to order and still don't like this place, then you better head over to the airport and fly out of Eugene because this place is the best Thai food in town. I remember the first time I came here I overheard a conversation the server was having with a customer. He was asking about Thai food and then asked if she'd been to Taiwan and how Taiwan was like. I thought to myself, did he just say that Thailand is Taiwan? At least he liked the food!
(5)marie b.
Pretty decent food but not my fav thai in eugene. Clean and cozy with hot food though I did get a lukewarm curry which was sad. Still good flavors and sauces and decent prices especially for lunch!
(3)Wella A.
Jasmine rice for $1 extra?! I thought it was ridiculous, really incomprehensible! It's like charging extra for the sugar with coffee. Curry has to come with rice, otherwise it's blasphemy! The hefty sticker price for each plate wasn't too pretty to look at either, but maybe that's because I usually enjoy my own cooking. Plus, having lived in San Francisco once upon a time, competition among the gazillion restaurants and incredibly huge Thai houses resulted in bargain prices....and sure, amazing food, too. HOWEVER, I enjoyed having shared the sweet and lightly spicy Pumpkin Curry with Chicken with my friend for dinner after starting on the Miang Kum Salad that packed a potent punch with its miniature slices of chili peppers. Dessert with Black Sticky Rice with Mango wasn't so bad either...actually, it was pretty damn good....not too sweet at all, and very beautifully plated. Oh, and extra bonus for their availability of bubble teas! I've yet to return here for it, and I'm so glad I know that it exists somewhere in Eugene!
(3)Sam B.
Charging $15-20 for mediocre food in a chic atmosphere is not a business plan. Also, if you have a seafood allergy, are strict kosher, halal or vegetarian stay far away. I ordered "Tofu on Fire" which was labeled as "a vegetarian's favorite," thinking surely the vegetarians would not tolerate shellfish in their food. Not to put to fine a point on it, but they were LYING. If you must eat here be very vocal about your dietary concerns or you could wind up in anaphylactic shock. On top of that souring note, the food was bland and dull (even for my date who eats shellfish). And the service was slow, though it was not busy. It took us 15 minutes (I counted) to get some rice which we wouldn't have needed if the place had reasonable rice portions. To some up, $15-20 a plate means your making a commitment to, at the very least, understand how a restaurant works. These folks don't. Shenanigans.
(1)Ed L.
One of our favorites!
(5)Kalub H.
So we found a coupon in the savvy saver for this place and I love Thai food. The first thought was " is this really the right place? " I checked my GPS 3 times to make sure. I thought it looked like a fish market... ( after talking to my mom I guess it used to be?! ) There were very few people here and it seemed like a fast food place. Both my partner and I had the pad thai, it seemed burnt to me. I wasn't super impressed by this pace, wouldn't go out of my way for it but wasn't awful.
(2)James L.
We are so very blessed with very tasty and authentic Thai food in Eugene. Every restaurant you visit will serve you some delicious stuff. Okay, every restaurant except one: yelp.com/biz/drum-rong-t… Ew. Chao Pra Ya gets all the classics perfect, from the incredible Tom Kha soup (yum!) to Phad Kee Mao. Wanna impress the date and get laid tonight? Make sure to order the lightly-battered and perfectly-fried appetizer known as Golden Pumpkin, which comes with a sweet little sauce on the side. But even more so, make sure to ask for the house special of Pepper Salt Squid. It's freakin' delicious and the best thing in the house: little bodies and tentacles of squid tempura-fried and served with a grilled bell peppers (red & green), grilled onions and a delectable spicy and sweet sauce to be found nowhere else. After eating dinner, your date will think you a sophisticate, run a hand down your thigh. Look 'em directly in the eyes, flash a broad, knowing smile, and get the hell out of there. Funny story: xmas before last, my friend was up from Los Angeles. He'd brought his new boyfriend fresh off the boat from Thailand, so we thought we'd take them out for some Thai food. We sat down and the bf engaged in some Asian clitter-clatter with the waitress. Because of this, she delivered dinner with a tiny saucer of tiny Thai peppers, half of them fried in oil. I nibbled three of the smallest bites possible off the end of a Thai pepper and was done, my mouth ablaze. The boyfriend popped one after another into his mouth and chewed them down, taunting my friend. Jebus Christus, what are these people's alimentary canals made of?
(5)rosa b.
While Chao Praya might not be what it used to be, I can say that their food has diverse and quality ingredients, in particular vegetables and spices. It's a bit more expensive than I would like for what you get, but the cooks are quick and the food is tasty.
(3)Kathryn M.
I truly enjoyed my recent visit to Chao Pra Ya. The menu was extensive enough to satisfy a picky SO yet keep me interested in multiple dishes (umm pumpkin curry, yes please). I ordered the standard Pad Thai and while it was a bit on the salty side I was pleased with the overall meal. I ordered an extra side of peanut sauce and although unnecessary for the Pad Thai, it was a huge hit on everything else on the table. The only downfall I found was with the quality of the chicken in the chicken teriyaki dish. However, it wasn't anything to be so concerned about as to not order again. I will for certain return to Chao Pra Ya in the future.
(4)Rat B.
This is my favorite thai place in town, although I haven't had a chance to try all the others yet. Besides having perfect peanut sauce, the chicken pad thai is something I crave regularly. Sometimes I branch out and get other noodle dishes, and I keep meaning to try some of their curries, but I always circle around to my old favorite again. If you like it really spicy though, be sure to explain to your server that you can handle ACTUAL spice, or they'll go far too easy on you in the kitchen. At least they have a little caddy of heat enhancements they bring to your table... and don't expect to wait long from order to service, because this is the fastest kitchen in town!
(5)Darv I.
Good food and I highly recommend but their prices are slightly higher than other restaurants in the Whit neighborhood. Great place for lunch.
(4)Stephanie C.
Chao Pra Ya. Chao Pra Ya. Chao Pra Ya. (if you haven't noticed, I do like saying their name and I share (almost) a last name with them) So i do have to say one thing, I have experienced better. Walking in, the decor was completely beautiful, but the outside could maybe use a bit more work. The location is also kind of sketch. Maybe behind a 76 gas station is awesome for those people who are in a rush and need something quick, but for me, I'm not a fan of being immediately behind a 76 gas station and sharing a parking lot with them. I went with my friends and although we were not a very big group, there were three of us, the waiter seemed very disinterested in waiting on us. The service wasn't too bad though. Our waiter was extremely pleasant when he did interact with us. And when we looked like we had stopped eating, he came over and asked if we wanted boxes, not asking if we wanted anything else. (minor interaction but alright in my books) Now onto drinks, I didn't actually have one, but both of my friends ordered their Thai Iced Tea. They commented on the fact that it was extremely sweet, and if you're like me, I don't like my Thai Iced Tea too sweet or too bitter. Perhaps they have good bubble tea, but if I go back, which I doubt I ever will, I'll definitely have to update my review and comment on their bubble tea. So their food was, for lack of a better comment, "meh." I didn't really enjoy the crispy chicken that tickled my taste buds, and their noodles were a bit more soggy then I usually like. Their plates come with carrots and cabbage rather than bean sprouts, lime, and jalapenos, and if you're an avid food eater, you usually like your "usual" bunch when you get something from a Thai Place. Perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh, but that's alright, when I eat Thai Food, I expect it to be at least constant. But one thing that I do have to comment on was the fact that they were speedy little demons. We ordered our food and it was brought out within five minutes. I don't know what that says for behind the scenes, but if you're in a rush and not in it for the quality of food, this is the place to go. (especially if you have a hankering for Thai Food and you're driving up to Portland or down to Roseburg). All in all, if I do go back, which probably won't happen, I'll definitely not be ordering the Pad Thai and instead some lovely bubble tea. Happy Eating. (:
(2)Joe W.
Very good. I've lived in the Eug for almost two years and this is the best Thai in town-Hands Down. Lots of great, diverse dishes. I actually haven't even had my "go-tos": pad Thai and pad-see-ew...instead taking the opportunity to try something a little harder to come by.
(4)sunshine w.
Best peanut sauce ever! Food: Delicious. 4-5 stars, all the way. The ingredients are fresh. They make everything from scratch - no packaged curry mixes or bottled peanut sauce. No MSG. All natural, delicious home cooking. We ordered the combination appetizer it was outstanding, Atmosphere: Romantic and homey. Service: great! The place is run by an older couple where the wife does the cooking and the husband act as waiter and host. They are friendly and kind! Price: Great! Two entrees, fried rice, appetizer, and soda for under $40 is an amazing bargain for the generous portions and amazing flavors.
(5)Allen T.
The Garlic Short Ribs will change your life! The waitstaff is awesome. Eat here.
(5)Anuj K.
Not bad for thai food and definitely great for Eugene (from what I've tried in this city). My friend and I enjoyed the Vegetarian Tom Yum and pumpkin curry noodles. The tom yum was pretty delicious and had the traditional galangal and keffir lime leaves to add the tang. I was satisfied with this. The pumpkin curry with shrimp had good flavor, but did not have as much of substance to noodle ratio that I would preferred. The noodles were also very strange - sort of thick and kind of stuck together. Not my favorite texture, possibly overcooked? The vegetables and shrimp were cooked well. We asked for medium spice since my friend isn't too much of spicy food person, but I think I could have enjoyed the spicy food here. Luckily they had a spice rack available for me to add some extra heat to my food.
(3)Sarah S.
This place is not good. I have been here twice, ordered two different items and was so underwhelmed and confused by all the positive reviews that lured me in. Tip: Do not order the bubble tea. I'm not sure how it even passes as bubble tea but it's expensive and not good.
(2)Jamie B.
Really good food, Ta Ra Rin is my favorite Thai food in town but these guys are a close second. The location leaves a lot to be desired. The parking lot is a great place to hang out and get stabbed by some crazy transient, sorry, "traveler" if you stay too long.
(4)Janine J.
Food was fresh service way slow... for lunch we tried to get through it in 30 min which is hard but took and hour...way too long for a lunch break at work
(3)Emily S.
After several (does 4-5 experience count as several, or more than several) disappointing experiences at Chao Pra Ya, I'm finally able to speak of this in public. I fail to see the similarities between Chao Pra Ya and it's sister restaurant, Ta Ra Rin. For the record, I heart Ta Ra Rin. We rolled into Chao Pra Ya because we were in the neighborhood on Saturday night. Having spent the bulk of the weekend drinking too much beer in Portland, I needed something with spice and lots of vegetables. I always order tofu, and I was excited to see that the vegetarian option comes with "extra broccoli." I confirmed with the waitress that this was the case, and then went with the Kee Mao, even though it already had broccoli. She promised there would be gratuitous amounts. I ordered medium plus for the heat. The dish came out with 4 small pieces of broccoli and no heat whatsoever. It was basically just a pile of greasy noodles. I pointed this out to the waitress, but no additionally veg were delivered. Hubby ordered a curry and it was about half the size of what would be served at Ta Ra Rin. Last time I was at Chao Pra Ya I ordered a basil-y dish and confirmed that indeed, it would be a delicious basil-y dish. Unfortunately, not a single leaf graced the plate. The time before that, a friend ordered a dish off the noodle menu that came out as a bowl of gravy-soup and when she asked the waitress, the waitress just shrugged and said yeah, it's a little liquidy today. Anyways, you get the point. And I will be heading to Ta Ra Rin from here on out.
(2)Dave W.
Though I am guilty of ordering within a small selection of my favorite dishes and rarely venturing to the unknowns on the menu, I have never been disappointed with the food quality at CPY. I ate here before they remodeled the place, and a couple times since. I think what keeps me from being a regular here are the prices. But like I said, after a meal, I am always satisfied and the portions are generous as well. I like the new polished atmosphere. Certainly a nice place to bring a date, whereas the old look was a bit diner-esque. I rank Chao Pra Ya among the top Thai in Eugene. Good Stuff.
(4)Lauren C.
Let me start off by saying Chao Pra Ya's food is absolutely delicious!!! My boyfriend and I usually order takeout but tonight we wanted the restaurant experience. We ordered Tom Yum Noodle Soup, Red Curry with Chicken and spicy Mussaman curry with veggies, which all turned out to be excellent choices. The only thing I have a problem with is the top 40 radio with songs by Katy Perry, Pink, and Beyonce... Not to mention some pretty loud and annoying radio commercials. When I go to Thai restaurants with beautiful interior design and amazing food, I expect the quality of music to match it. I doubt that the majority of the Whitaker neighborhood listens to top 40. Why not stick to traditional Thai music??? Or something instrumental so people can have a real conversation without being interrupted by Taylor Swift. Since we've only eaten here once, we'll give it a second chance soon to see if the music gets better. Otherwise, we'll just order take out only or across the street at Drumrong Thai, since they are about $4 bucks cheaper per plate. I have no problem paying a couple extra dollars for top quality food, but my money will be much more well spent if I can hear beautiful top quality Thai music while eating the best food in town.
(4)Dan T.
Really good peanut sauce, meat is tender and flavorful, etc etc. I felt compelled to write this review mainly due to the fact that the spicy food was actually spicy. I came to Eugene, from Los Angeles (now you hate me), and have been a little disappointed for what passes as spicy Thai food here (Or any spicy food, for that matter). I get that there is a lack of diversity, in Eugene, and this may be "White people spicy", but to me most salsa here tastes like tomato sauce and most spicy Thai is on par with just putting some Sriracha on top. My questions to a server/cook are usually "Is this food Spicy?" and if they are Thai I ask "Do you actually find this food spicy?" Most say yes and then fail. So, I go to Chao Pra Ya, on a first date, and the staff gave me the above answers. I said "Yeah, ok, sure. I'll have the spiciest option." I then start to talk about how I haven't found food in Eugene to be that spicy. I get my food and take a wiff and my nose starts to tingle. I take a bite and my mouth starts to burn. I try to power through it, with my poker face on, and continue to eat. After 5 minutes or so; my eyes are watering, nose is running, mouth is on fire, and my lips are swelling up. I have to admit defeat a little less than 1/3 of the way through the meal. The rest of my time spent in the Chao Pra Ya consisted of: watching my date eat, my date making fun of me, my date nick naming me Sally, and trying to sooth the flames that have now spread across most of the lower region of my face. I took this as lesson and finished my food over the next day or two. I have gone back to continue my training and have made improvements. I was a little tentative, after my beating, and got the medium. I am now a regular at "hot". I still haven't gotten back to the highest level of heat...but one day maybe...Oh, and I'm still dating the same girl, so it wasn't a total failure.
(4)Ali S.
Tasty food. But not sure worth the cost.
(3)C C.
I started coming back here within the last year. The pineapple fried rice is my favorite lately. I would recommend eating in rather than take out. Last time I got take out, they put the hot food in containers better suited to cold food. Some kind of clear plastic container I usually associate with green salads from the deli case. I don't know if this was a one off situation or not. I wouldn't take my chances though, since the food can be a bit expensive-ish & I don't want a detail like carryout containers to detract from an otherwise fine meal.
(3)kati b.
I love Chao Pra Ya, but its sister restaurant Ta Ra Rin has a special place in my heart, so I have to say Chao Pra Ya is my second favorite Thai in town. All the dishes are really solid & authentic. You can't order a bad thing on the menu. Like Ta Ra Rin, they also have wonderful fresh veggies in all their dishes. I particularly like the UO dish, which is egg & green pumpkin (green & yellow!) it's really yummy & not on other Thai menus in town. They have a big specials board with lots of seasonal ingredients. Great meal, friendly and fast service, & cute restaurant with lots of Thai decorations. If you've ever been to Thailand, some of decor will definitely make you a little nostalgic for your trip.
(4)Aimee C.
De. Licious. My friend (who grew up in Thailand) suggested this place and four of us went together. We got four dishes and shared them family style. Every single dish was awesome! I don't remember what each dish was called, as three out of the four were unknown to me (tom yum, a beef-noodle dish, a soup and red curry). What I do remember is that they ROCKED. So much flavor! I did get one dish (the red curry) very hot, and was impressed with the amount of heat. Normally, restaurants tame it down a bit, but this was pretty hot. I also got the optional spice rack to add more heat to other dishes. We ended up having a large group right next to us, and that kind of turned up the volume, but overall I was very pleased with my first experience there. My advice is to do it the way my friends and I did: family style. This way you get to try more than one kind of savory awesomeness in one sitting. I can't wait to go back there, and I hope my friends read this and get the hint! Let's go!
(4)Maynes S.
I was thoroughly dissatisifed with my first Chao Pra Ya experience. Had heard it was good and had been wanting to try it for awhile. The service was terrible. We had to wait 15 minutes before anyone took our order. The food came out and my Pad Kee Mao was bland, burned in some spots, and the sauce used was sweet and frankly, gross tasting. The shrimp was also overcooked and bland. The slow and poor service continued throughout the meal. It was also incredibly overpriced for the quality of the food presented. I do not recommend this restaurant to anyone and I will not be returning.
(1)Chris H.
Delicious thai in a quiet, large-group-friendly atmosphere.
(4)Beth B.
Was extremely disappointed! The food was cold, bland, and pricey. I would not recommend going there. Plus the bathroom is scary!!!! And the waiter looked like he had jaundice!
(1)Oregon Food Junkie O.
The pinnacle of the Whiteaker when it comes to spicy delights! I recommend the exceptional Salt and Pepper Squid dish. Don't be a wussy and order it x-tra spicy. Thank me later! Great service, atmophere, funky neighborhood, and an all around nice place. Great effort. Great food. Great atmosphere.
(5)Dd'z K.
Found this Thai place close to our hotel because we were just too tired to drive into downtown and we sure did get lucky! The interior is very fancy and super clean compared to the outside and we ended up ordering their non-spicy beef soup with potatoes and vegetables (sorry, don't know what it's called in Thai) and was probably the best soup I have had in a while. The perfect soups always have to have the perfect broth and this place was spot on. Their beef was soft and tender and the vegetables also complimented the rest of soup very well. We will remember this place.
(5)Tom L.
lots and lots of choices prices are decent and the food comes out lightning fast if your in a rush
(3)LadyYelper P.
Great pad thai! One of my faves
(5)Eric L.
Dang this place is awesome. The food is great, the service is great, the ambiance is great. What else would one want from a thai food restaurant? Get the thai buffalo wings. Do it. Seriously. 'Nuff said.
(3)Henry G.
I am proud to say that I was one of the first customers here when they opened. I've been eating at Chao Pra Ya regularly since then and have never been dissapointed. I do miss the old-school diner atmosphere from the old days but I'm really glad these folks have done so well. My favorite things: -sweet neon (non functioning) clock sign -crunchy chicken wing thingys -veggie fried rice (ultimate hangover cure) -giant menu -Rad Na! Rad Na! Rand Na! Rad Na!
(4)Pam D.
Food was great, service was very good, locals seem to love it. It came recommended
(4)Caroline R.
Delicious food, fabulous service, clean, friendly, fast... I'll be back! And I gotta second my sweetie... the thai buffalo wings are TO DIE FOR!
(3)Cambria C.
Went back finally and had a very pleasant experience. Really tasty papaya salad and se ew! Glad we returned :-)
(3)Jessina V.
I have never gotten anything here I didn't like. The veggies are perfectly done every time, they have bubble tea, the Thai iced tea is perfect. All I can say is yum!
(5)Laura H.
I went to Chao Pra Ya with friends tonight for the first time in years (I left Eugene in 2006) and it was as good as I remembered. My husband and I shared the pad thai with chicken and panang curry with beef. My only criticism is that the pad thai was a little sparse on the chicken. The panang curry was very flavorful and all the food was fresh and prepared just right. My friend Keith had the mussaman curry and seemed to enjoy it as well. Chao Pra Ya serves up dependable and very affordable thai in Eugene.
(4)Benjamin T.
I was very pleased to find this place. Simple, good Thai food. We got there kind of late (almost 9) and we were quickly served our food. Their "hot" was pleasantly spicy without any cloying heat. A full mouth feel which was nice after driving for 11 hours. The Thai ice tea was sub-par as they put too much milk in, but I am OK with that. I needed the cafine. The Prad Khee Mao (sorry for the horrible spelling) was very tasty with tofu.
(4)Cindy S.
Been here twice and was impress both times, green curry with pumpkin and shrimp was wonderful.also tried the pork ribs with shrimp fried rice,really good too. Our waiter Casey was very professional, there when you needed him without hovering. In all a very pleasant evening.
(4)Elise B.
I ordered a few dishes that took forever to come out, the portions were small, the food was not great, i didn't even eat it, paid and left and looked for another Thai restaurant. Maybe it was an off night, but I can't imagine this is the best Eugene has to offer, but perhaps they cater to a college crowd that is not discriminating! The Thai restaurants in Portland are mostly awesome, so this was a big shock.
(1)Teresa G.
Ive been to chao pra ya. A few times and loved it such good food best in town but.....just left there and it went from a 5 to a 2 don't know what happens but the food was bland the dipping sauce for the crispy salad rolled was terrible really sweet I won't go back
(2)Ellie P.
I love the Fish On Fire dish that is Medium heat for me, the honey and delicate flavors is healthy and extremely delicious. In fact Im ordering some right now, for ten bucks I cant beat it. Plus its nice to have something that I feel good about not cleaning the kitchen for.
(5)Patrick P.
This place has good food, but they have recently doubled their prices. Can a chicken curry really be $16? The quality has gone downhill since they remodeled too. I have been here twice in the last month, but no more.
(2)Jean S.
I'm giving them 4 stars for reliability and good food that's not too expensive- every time. I also like that they finally expanded about a year or so ago and now larger groups can enjoy a nice meal.
(4)Steven w.
One of if not the worst Thai food restaurants in town. Frozen vegetables and bland sauce are not Thai Cuisine. This is more like a low end Chinese food cart.
(1)Brian E.
No, no, no. Great Thai food? No. If you hail from Portland or San Francisco, you know what I mean. Chao Pra Ya is just okay, and that's being charitable. Great service? No. Poor service. Great value? Hell, no! News flash: There are no expensive ingredients in Thai food. A few ounces of cheap meat, some noodles or rice, a handful of ordinary veggies, some curry, perhaps some coconut milk. It is basic stuff; it should be cheap, and at a similar dive (which Chao Pra Ya inarguably is), located next to a similar gas station, in a similar neighborhood in Portland, Seattle, or San Francisco, it would be. The tiny, uninspired portions at Chao Pra Ya should be a buck or two less than the more generous and flavorful ones at its big-city counterparts - instead, they are a buck or two more. Chao Pra Ya is preying on culturally starved Eugeneans who simply don't know any better, as many so-called "ethnic" restaurants do. This also accounts for their accolades in the Eugene Weekly. It is Thai, and it's in the 'Hood, but that's all. Take a pass and go to Kuraya, or better yet, drive to Springfield and try Mekala's. Both feature better food, better atmosphere, better service, and much better value. Update: I've visited several more times (hey - it's in the 'Hood!) and have decided that while Chao Pra Ya falls decidedly into the hit-or-miss category, the place does hit an occasional home run. The pad Thai is a pretty decent dish, if you're a pad thai fan...the green curry is kind of soupy, but tasty...and the various appetizers are tasty, if unappealingly plated (and priced). Plus, where else in Eugene can you sip Thai iced tea and enjoy passable Asian cuisine while watching the colorful folks who inhabit the 'Hood pass by? I'd probably upgrade it to three stars, but Justin is right - the gouging you for a cup of rice thing is just too cheap and cowardly to be ignored.
(2)Rachel S.
If you want to eat here, go to Ta Ra Rin. Same food, cheaper menu. Ta Ra Rin doesn't charge you $1 to order rice with your curry. This was better before the remodel, price hikes, and $1 rice tax.
(1)Erik R.
Always fast and tasty Thai food. Service is really friendly, though I come for the quality noodle dishes. Best Pad Kee Mao in town, and easily in the top three for Pad Thai. Get a side of the peanut sauce, it goes with practically everything!
(5)Chris B.
For Eugene, this is a good Thai place. As other reviewers have said, if you've had Thai in SF or such places, of course it's not going to match up, but for Eugene, good stuff. We had three dishes there, and all were tasty: pumpkin curry, phad kua kai, and I think it was called Peanut Sauce Lovers or something like that. Also, we've found that they've recently expanded and I think also redone the interior some. This was our first visit but the folks we went with said the one side was all new. Clean, decent service, good food, etc. We'll go back.
(4)Jando S.
What Chao Pra Ya makes up for in lack of space, is their excellent service and some of the best phad thai on this side of the Willamette River. The green and massaman curry is good as it is affordable. Their Thai ice tea is delicious also and they have decent dessert options. The place almost looks like a renovated diner, one that serves Thai specialties instead of milkshakes and burgers. While its not large, it still serves as a solid date place and should satisfy most Thai loving connoisseurs.
(3)Michelle M.
Eat here all the time and so do all my colleagues. So many things on the menu are my fav! Always good service and clean as well. So awesome to have good Asian food in Eugene!
(5)Moxie V.
I am giving Chao Pra Ya Thai 5 stars because while not a typically 5 star establishment, they are definitely 5 stars for what they are. My boyfriend and I were driving from Ashland to Portland and got off the freeway in Eugene to seek out some dinner. Not too far off we came across Chao Pra Ya and decided to check it out. We were in luck! Inside is tastefully decorated, the service perfect and attentive, the food fast and beyond delicious. I tried something new- the Pad Ke Mow I think... and not being a very adventurous eater was delighted. The fried bananas with coconut ice cream were mouth watering delicious and the prices completely reasonable. I did not examine the wine list, but I am confident they would present a decent selection. The kitchen is open enough to the dining area without being overbearing (something i think keeps em "honest") and the entire restaurant spotless. We will be stopping in again next time we are in the area... until then show Chao Pra Ya some love!
(5)Anthony R.
Chao Pra Ya's menu is essentially the same as Ta Ra Rin's and the prices are comparable (though I always swear that Ta Ra Rin is more expensive.) Curries here are all excellent. Larb is excellent. A cute diner-style atmosphere lends a homey feel to the joint. Salads, like those at Ta Ra Rin, are less than stellar. For my money the best dish is easily the Pad Kee Mao. Order it extra-spicy and be sure to have a pitcher of water handy.
(4)mik L.
ate there yesterday. nicely prepared Thai food offered in mild, medium and hot (more than i can take). good flavors in various dishes from vegetarian temp ah to the mango curie special.
(4)