Authentic Thai Food my well fed ass! They say "Authentic Thai Food" on their menu... but I highly doubt authentic Thai food is mediocre and flavorless for how popular their style has gotten. I've had better for cheaper. THIS PLACE SUCKS SO BAD! Okay, walked in and something smelled like a dirty, old kitchen. As the waitress (who kind of startled me cause she looked like a HOOKER with too much powdery make-up that looked like it would fall into my food... Like hello?! Earth to you! That's totally against health code girl friend!) sat us I did notice the kitchen having really grotesque looking floors. Really dark and grimy. So that explained the entering smell. She didn't speak much English, not like it mattered... because SADLY, not to be judgmental, I already expected bad customer service just by looking at her and her greeting. Anyways, I was on a limited lunch schedule and I ordered the Pad See Ew. It came pretty fast but IT WAS FLAVORLESS! IT WAS A SAD EXCUSE OF A MEAL! It was the most disappointing meal I have ever eaten in my life! I ate all the veggies left in my meal, payed, and left. No tip from me! AND I ALWAYS TIP! I too work in the FSI. Wanna hear a joke? Chai Yo Thai Restaurant! LMFAO! I should have read all the other posts about this place being horrible here on YELP before entering and wasting my money. Do yourself a favor and don't waste time on bad places, life is too short. ONLY THE WISE WILL LISTEN.
(1)
Andrew K.
The woman who took my order to go was very nice. I got Pad Thai. For ten bucks. When I got home, there was barely enough food in the box to feed a mouse. It had no flavor. I called back to tell her, and she kept saying, "Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much." I will never go there again.
(1)
Wayne R.
excellent food! everything is fresh and has a personal flair. I will make this a regular stop on my trips to Portland.
(4)
Kammi L.
Love their pad Thai. I had the crab pad Thai a while back and the food tasted fresh. The service was great too. I've had odd luck with sauce being weak at some Thai joints but this place serves well.
(5)
Roxanne L.
I tried the fried rice with basil, chicken, mushrooms, & green beans. Pretty average. They use way too much oil. My fried rice was glistening when it arrived. Also it arrived about 5 minutes before my friend's entree arrived. The server was nice, but I agree with some of the other reviews. They need to do some deep cleaning. We had a little glass candle holder sitting on the ledge next to our table. It was filthy. Definitely made me wonder how clean the kitchen was. We only went here because Sweet Basil was closed. Won't be going back any time soon....
(3)
Analise B.
$15 for flavorless fried tofu and tom kha soup.... Blah. Thai pod up the street is much better in my opinion and much more reasonably priced.
(2)
Maureen D.
We were visiting from out of town and decided to try Chai Yo. I ordered the Pumpkin Gaeng Dang (Red Curry) with tofu and it was absolutely delicious!! Really, really good. My husband and son also enjoyed their dinners. The service was quick and the inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely. Wish we lived in Portland so we could go back to eat there again!
(5)
Rosaleen G.
We got takeout from Chai Yo tonight because it got great reviews and was rated "Best of Citysearch". I'm kind of a thai food snob, so its safe to say that the noodle dishes are pretty bland and tasteless. My Pad See Ew was not that nice rich brown color I expected - with all that sauce and flavor. It looked just like some noodles with some pepper flakes stirred in. If you are looking for a noodle dish - Pad See Ew / Pad Kee Mao or anything of that nature, you are better off trying E-San, Thai Peacock or PK in the Pearl. The salad rolls were okay (you cant really mess those up) and the peanut sauce was good. Veggie Spring rolls were long and thin as opposed to short and stuffed with yummy stuff - my boyfriend was disappointed. I probably wont be eating there again.
(2)
Amiee H.
Food: Pad Kee Moa: Very unimpressed. The noodles were a little too overcooked and were borderline mushy. The beef was ok, the flavor was adequate but it really didn't hit the spot for me Service: The waitress had this "whatever" attitude. So it wasn't like she was mean but she definitely wasn't very nice or welcoming. She was good about refilling water though, I'll give her that much. The food took quite a long time to come too and there was only one other table there... Price: I guess kinda cheap, but when you think about the quality of the food, I don't think it was really worth it. Ambiance: This is the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars, is because it's pretty cute. Very cozy, house-like decor. It's very cute, but the chairs and tables were kinda placed too close together, I had this very crowded feeling which made me very uncomfortable. Overall: There wasn't much notable about the dining experience. Don't think I'll come again...
(3)
Karl W.
Chai Yo was "just alright" for me. I didn't really feel like there was anything special about the place. It's in a good location and the service was fast enough but I probably won't be going back. There are other place in Portland I would recommend if you want GREAT thai food.
(3)
Alison P.
I base my love for Thai restaurants on how well they make their Tom Ka Gai. This one was excellent! Very tasty and fresh!
(4)
Ana B.
I'm by no means a Thai expert. Mexican food, I've got that down pat. Italian, I've got a good handle on that too. Maybe even sushi! But all that I know about Thai is that I like it, and I like it spicy. As much as I have tried to break out of my shell when it comes to eating, I am still a creature of habit in many ways. I always, always, all-ways order Pad Thai or some variation of it. So would my trip to Chai Yo be any different? Hellz no. Can I order the Pad Thai plz? XXXtra spicy. thx! My lovely company and I rushed in a little bit before 5, hungry like the wolf. We were met with an empty establishment. Normally this is the high sign to head for the hills. If I have learned anything it's not to dine in places that are void of customers. Throwing caution to the wind for the sake of hunger I had a seat by the window. You could hear a pin drop in this place if it weren't for the obnoxious music. I want to take a moment to stress how bad this music was, I don't normally notice things like this. I did however branch out for some avocado rolls for an appetizer, I was one hungry girl. It didn't really feel like branching out once they arrived, they tasted like something you could order at Applebees. They had tomatoes which I wasn't to sure about, they seemed to kill the mood. They hit a spot, the hungry spot, but not the right spot. The Pad Thai on the other hand came through like a champ. Perfectly spicy. not overly oily, just right. In all my Pad Thai eating I wouldn't say that it stands out, but nothing to be frowned upon either. It just occurred to me that she never took my drink order, because I would've undoubtedly ordered a beer. I wasn't wow-ed.
(3)
John P.
Small, cozy, great food on the cheap side. It's not the fanciest of places but food is good.
(5)
Aimee L.
Yum. I forgot about this little gem - great lunch hideaway and great Thai food. The service is terrific and while the menu has great offerings, I'm a sucker for a classic pad thai. Even if you aren't a veggie, try it with their tofu - long tasty strips of it that are SO good, rather than those awful flavorless cubes you see at the cheapo spots. MMM. Everything tastes fresh and good and comfort food-y. Plus the lunch menu is inexpensive and okay, I am a sucker for pretty food presentation!
(4)
Kathryn L.
Hands down my favorite Thai restaurant in Portland and that is saying a lot! The food is always delicious and served with a smile. Particular favorites include the Tom Yum with Chicken, and the Pumpkin Curry.
(4)
kelly c.
We generally eat Thai take-out once a week. That said, it is important to me when relocating to find our neighborhood Thai place. Portland has an abundance of good and great Thai restaurants, so I think we set the bar pretty high for our weekly Thai spot. We moved to the neighborhood in December and have eaten at Chai Yo about once a week since designating it our weekly stop (this came only after we tested out every other option within walking or short biking distance of our house). Chai Yo has the following things going for it: great value, excellent food and super-friendly staff. I can recommend the salad rolls, tom yum and tom kah soups, any curry (in love with the red right now; my husband is not crazy about their panang curry), pad key mao & mango delight.
(4)
Maja R.
I had ordered from here twice, 1st time great, 2nd time good. The 2nd time I ordered my food medium, and OMG it was INSANELY HOT, it had awesome flavor before the heat melted my lips off. So I am like excited & hesitant to order again..... I just put my order in for a 3rd time, haven't gotten my food yet, but we will see, This time I ordered it NOT SPICY this time and I pray that it isn't because I do not think I could suffer again.
(4)
Adam B.
I finished another disappointing meal from Chai Yo. I've been eating here quite often in the past month and waiting for a replication of a pretty knockout meal I once had here. I'm sick of the inconsistency. Some times, meals will be decent. Other times, I feel very disappointed I ordered food here. Tonight, my dish had undercooked onions and peppers, overcooked or old eggplant, and was much, much spicier than I asked for. I love fiery food just fine, but I want it to be a flavorful spicy. There's no sense putting up with the punishment for a mediocre dish.
(2)
Elizabeth L.
This is hands down one of my favorite Thai places. Ever. Not just in Portland, this place just plain rocks. My family and I go here quite often and I've ordered just about everything that isn't desperately spicy (yes, I am a wuss and yes, you should shut up). My favorites include: The special coconut curry with halibut, which is outstanding. The avocado spring rolls, which you won't find anywhere else. The classic pad thai, which is absurdly peanut-y and delicious. And of course the classic garlic stir fry, because who doesn't love heap-loads of garlic? The waitress is extremely sweet, she recognizes us every time we go in. I've brought just about every friend I've got in Portland to this place and we always have a fantastic time - I've never heard a single one say a bad word about the place. The atmosphere/space is always wonderful too - it's in an old house on NE Broadway right above Petisco, never too crowded or noisy, always has an outside table during the spring/summer months. A lot of their business is take-out, so it's a great place to have a quiet dinner by yourself or with some friends. Definitely worth going in, it's really great Thai food in Portland for a really great price. I live all the way in deep SE and I make the trek up to NE just to hit this place up. MM MM GOOD.
(5)
Jon N.
Went here once. Got the chicken pad Thai. Absolutely most disgusting food I have ever tasted. Completely bland and flavorless. Do NOT eat here! Try Pad Thai Kitchen on Belmont, delicious food!
(1)
Im hungry L.
Best crab fried rice I ever had. The service was excellent. The place is nice, converted from an old home with many smaller rooms. We orderd green chicken curry, pad ke mo noodles, crab fried rice, ming kum, and mango w sticky rice, plus two thai ice teas. $48 plus tip - what a bargain for some yummy food. Each order was served hot and had the perfection of the kitchen written all over it. We will be back the next time we are in town pursuing a Thai eatery in Portland.
(4)
K L.
Place was super dead on a Wednesday at dinner time. I was the only diner at 7:30PM. Tried the papaya salad. Ordered it spicy. Normally, it comes out lame.... this time it was VERY spicy. I enjoyed it since my water glass was refilled several times. (note to self - try medium) Service was good and attentive. But it should be as there was NO ONE else there. Nice music was playing in the dining area and I could hear a TV or radio blaring in the kitchen. Nice.... reminds me of my near deaf elderly parents and their dueling TV's. Tried the pad thai. I ordered it with both chicken and shrimp. My husband is not a fan, so I try to eat it when I can. Not very good. Too saucy. They did put a lot of shrimp and chicken on it. I have had some great pad thai, so I was bummed. I should have stayed with the pad saw ew (but we always eat that) I did appreciate the fact that they take Amex. I expensed my dinner.
(3)
Cedric J.
Out of all the Thai places in Lloyd area, this is my favourite. Food: 5 (damned good menu) Atmosphere: 4 (nice, old house) Service: 4 (Quick, consistent, friendly) Value: 3 (average for Thai, about 7$ for lunch) Sustainability: 1 (no mention of anything green; no local produce that I know of) I love Thai food. And this place isn't that place to burn your face off with heat, but it is that place to get, in my world, comfort food. I've had their pad kee mao, pad thai, mussaman curry, rad nah, cashew nut, etc. and all of their dishes are served properly: with rice and a spoon. The flavours and mixture of veggies and meat and noodles is always good. The server is always the same lady and she's very nice and attentive. The atmosphere is a gorgeous, 100 year-old house, and I can get in and out of there for lunch in about 20 minutes if I'm ever in a hurry. Try the cashew nut, mussaman curry (if you're starting to feel sick, it really helps with the throat), and the rad nah (their gravy is great). I've never been disappointed. And I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)
Alli S.
I've had the lunch special curry a few times now, for the price it is awesome. The medium spice is a perfect balance of spice without causing an overwhelming urge for relief.
(5)
Alyss B.
Chai Yo is the best Thai Food in Portland as far as I'm concerned. Their food is distinctly different than most other places though the menu looks pretty much the same. The curries are fantastic - spicy, rich, interesting. If they have Crying Tiger special you should get it! Grilled steak with a spicy dipping sauce. So delicious. And the peanut sauce they serve with their spring rolls is the best in town. The restaurant itself is cozy in an old house on Broadway and the lady waitress is really sweet. You won't regret a meal at Chai Yo.
(5)
Klaus O.
I dropped in there while I was in the area for lunch. Sat outside on the porch, which has a good view onto the street scene. I ordered a vegetable dish with tofu. Everything was good except the tofu. A fried terrible shell with nothing inside. It is hard to make tofu taste good, but that was pretty much inedible. I am vegetarian, so I won't try any meat dishes there. A clean bath room rounds up this review.
(3)
Zee K.
Yum, yum. Our party of 6 showed up at this apparently 'always super-dead' restaurant at the exact same time as a group of 20 athletes. Even though they had a total of three people working (including kitchen staff), they busted their butts keeping everyone happy. A few mistakes, but very good service, they checked on us regularly and our appetizers showed up within 10-15 minutes of ordering - incredible for a restaurant suddenly hit with 30 orders at the same time. My friend and I shared the avocado spring roll thing (meh), massamun curry (serious YUM), and the pad see ew with scallops. Ate myself well past full, and would definitely go again. Love the big old Portland house for a restaurant, too.
(5)
Jim F.
I have eaten here several times. Every time I've really liked it. Someone complained about too much sauce on their Pad Thai. For me, it was just right, because i like plenty of sauce. More often I'm left wishing there was more, at other restaurants. The service is attentive (because it's usually super-dead) and the food comes quick, and though it's not "cheap", the portion is plentiful. Yay, I'm a fan!
(4)
Heather H.
You can keep your Sweet Basil. Any place that cannot be bothered to cut up a friggen carrot is not my idea of good Thai - and i'm sick of finding whole "baby" carrots (aka, regular carrots that have been processed in a rock tumbler) in my curry. Chai Yo is outstandingly solid. Fresh ingredients, inventive specials, reliable takes on the standards we all expect in a neighborhood Thai joint. And if you're a regular (and I was, once upon a time), they treat you like one in pleasantly small but noticeable ways. My standard order is their bright Crispy Basil (with ground chicken and shrimp - not on the menu, sometimes on the specials board, but you can special order it), the warm, silky yellow curry, and the springy fish cakes filled with basil and green onion, dipped in a sweet/tangy sauce studded with minced cukes and red onion. Okay then. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!
(4)
Wanugee N.
Chai Yo Thai is a cozy little restaurant nestled inside an old wood house in the comfy Broadway district of Portland. They use fresh ingredients and no MSG. It has been here about 7 years, and it is a great find. You walk up stairs to the porch of this little restaurant in the house, and on warm days sit on the porch to eat, or go inside and sit in the living room above hard-wood floors, amongst Thai statues with a cozy half dozen tables looking out Victorian windows to the street. The kitchen is, well, back in the kitchen of this house. The restaurant is clean and elegantly understated, with gracious service. We started with the popular Tom Yum soup, here served with lemongrass, kaffir leaves, onions, mushrooms, fresh squeezed lime juice and tomato wedges. Tasty without being overly sweet like some places. ($10.95) There was enough for about 5 small bowls. A nice Yum Pla Mouk salad (also $10.95) followed, This Squid rings, lemon grass, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, crushed dried chili, and fresh lime juice. It was refreshing and nice. Our final dish was a special, a nice lightly grilled Salmon in a delicate yellow curry sauce with potatoes, carrots and onions, served with rice. We ordered a Thai Chang Beer each to go with our food, which is light and soothing. The food was all enough for 2 men, although we were not real hungry. They have a nice selection of Thai dishes, and most standards you can order with your choice of main ingredient, i.e. beef, chicken, seafood, tofu, etc. You can also select the heat/spiciness of the dish, but I would say that Medium here is more like Mild in other places. We enjoyed the quaint ambiance, pleasing service from our Laotian waitress, and the tasty food.
(4)
Pinky R.
I haven't eaten much on the menu. OK, I've only eaten two things. The avocado egg rolls are awesome, and the mussaman curry is AMAZING! If you like curry and coconut, get this. And if everything else on the menu is equally delicious then this place rules. Sadly, I'll never know because I'll be unable to order anything else from them but the mussaman curry. It blows my mind.
(5)
Mike G.
Enjoyed a delightful lunch today at Chai Yo. Their yellow curry chicken was superbly prepared with and excellent balance between the coconut milk and curry used in the sauce. Great flavor with an adequate level of spice. Not so much to scorch the palette. Service was very good and the owner is charming. I highly recommend Chai Yo for your next Thai adventure.
(5)
Karen P.
Rasafrasa...hmph! I used to be a frequent customer (and despite them being as another reviewer deemed, "crazy", I put up with it as their steamed tofu & peanut sauce was out of this world.) I no longer long for their Pra Ram. In short, for me they are through...Ta ta, arivaderci, & good riddance! They have never once in the three years I have lived in this neighborhood fulfilled my "to go" order correctly. Tonight there was a measly portion of spinach & broccoli and the marvelous tofu is no longer. The peanut sauce was slimy, though plentiful (that said in that "I'm going to gag" way). I managed to rescue a portion of the tofu by washing it off (blech! I should not have to do that, no?!) It pains me...their Tom Yum used to be marvelous, but "extra hot" morphed into "mild for grandma" over time. I feel sad...that tofu used to rock my world. Now it's just your ordinary, run of the mill Thai place. The same thing happened at Thai Pod (once the mgmt. changed the vegetabes came from "the Jolly Green Giant". Their "I've died & gone to heaven" thai fried rice went to heqq instead). I like to have a rapport with the restaurants I frequent (regardless of their level of sophistication). Lack thereof = lack of communication (hence, my posting). I can't even do "the love sandwich" for them. Bah! I
(1)
Chris S.
Good pad si eu!
(5)
Alex M.
this place is good... I was able to look past the few flaws. It was dead, but we were there at a time between lunch and dinner. The music was awful, and a little loud, but whatever. My dish was amazing, I got a green bean curry stir fry that was out of control! soooo good. Everything tasted fresh, and was served super fast. I eat at a lot of thai places, and this is one i will come back to.
(4)
Barry S.
Quite yummy food. I recommend the pumpkin curry. The space is very small, which can be a good thing if you want a cozy experience. It can also backfire if you end up seated next to some self-appointed social media expert who needs to run an endless conference call on their cell phone for the duration of your stay. But the pumpkin curry is top-notch.
(4)
Nancy E.
I live in Salem and this is the ONLY thai place I will eat at!
(5)
Reece M.
After a second trip, i've decided that there will be many more in the future. my girlfriend is a stickler when it comes to thai. she's worked in thai restaurants. she's got strong opinions of what is good and what isn't. when she suggested we go back here for a second time, it excited me, as i thought it was quite tasty the first time. i've had the opportunity to try four dishes (pad thai, pad kee maow, yellow curry, and pra ram) as well as the salad rolls - and all of them were quite good. each new thing has made me excited to try something else on the menu. the dining rooms are a bit odd, but the servers are nice, and fast. i totally recommend this place!
(4)
Michelle H.
Tasty. Spicy. Delectable. Flavorful. Perfection. Chai Yo's red curry is all of the above and then some. Fresh chunks of veggies [eggplant!] and your choice of meat bathe in the perfectly spicy red curry. A huge take out container + rice can be yours for the low, low price of $8. A steal! Were I not a pig, I'd have had leftovers, but that really wasn't happening. It was yummy in my tummy. Surprisingly enough, it didn't leave me with a gut bomb either. It was fresh and heavenly. We went with take out [thanks Andrew!], and they were super helpful via telephone regarding any questions we had. It was ready super quick, too. I'd definitely eat there again, although I don't know how comfortable I'd be actually eating in the converted house as opposed to takeout. The atmosphere, while clean and quaint, was almost too quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. It was a Sunday evening though. Perhaps it's not like that all the time. Then again, I tend to always feel uncomfortable eating in converted houses. We all know I'm crazy. This only further proves it. Regardless, fresh and affordable Thai food to be had here. Although I really doubt you could get me to eat anything but the curry.
(4)
Greg H.
While staying at the Doubletree for a conference, we went walking around Broadway for something to eat. This place looked pretty good from the outside - it is a converted house and had a nice aura about it. After going inside, it was like eating in a Thai family's living room. The waitress took the orders while her aunt did the cooking. We had the Red Curry and the Tom Yum soup. Both were pretty good - I try to order the Red Curry at Thai restaurants to get a feel for the place, and I liked this one because they included eggplant which for me is always a plus. If you are in the neighborhood and want to eat some Thai, check this place out.
(4)
Roman S.
I love this place. I think the service is, friendly, gracious, and fast, and the food is very good. If you like the wide noodles, try "Rad Na" some time. The description on the menu is a little plain, but this stuff is yummy! I have also tried most of the other menu items at lunch, and all were very good, and very consistent. Lunch specials are cheep too, about the same price as a "select" or "classic" foot long sandwich at subway. The only complaint I have is they do not have the "peppers in fish sauce" on the condiment trays, though otherwise good selection.
(4)
Jen T.
Chai Yo Thai serves up pretty average Thai food at above average prices. I mean, I would come here again (only because it's in my hood, yo), but if I had to recommend a "good" or a "value" Thai restaurant, this wouldn't even pop up on my radar. What kind of pissed me off is that with a mixed party, we all paid with cash (you know, the standard Andrew Jacksons and all), and the waitress didn't come back with our change. YEAH RIGHT LADY, as if we're gonna tip you $20! What bullshit. I had to ASK her for our change back, and then it wasn't even change (just a straight bill). Lame. I wish I didn't get pissed at petty shit like that (blame it on the hormones!), otherwise, I would've given Chai Yo a three.
(2)
Ss S.
Pork Curry is delicious! The service is above average. My partner & I made conversation with them. They found out we were visiting from out of town & they hooked us up w/ a free thai iced tea & told us other good sites to see. They were very friendly, willing to help & to top it off the food was the bomb!
(4)
Trang T.
Chai Yo is amazing. It's super tiny and the service is the same two or three waitresses. I only eat the Pad Thai there and won't try anything else only because I don't do spicy food. Doesn't smell, cozy atmosphere, and never obnoxiously loud. Highly recommended if you're in that area.
(5)
Sage T.
I went to Chai Yo with dreams of the best Drunken Noodle ever that I used to be obsessed with from Wonder Spice Cafe in Jamaica Plain, Mass. Unfortunately it did not measure up. The wide rice noodles were overcooked, the flavor was off and the beef was gristly. Don't get the Pad Khee Mao!
(2)
Tana J.
I like this place. Would not say they have the best Thai Food ever but they also do not have the worse. It is in my neightborhood, as are many, many other Thai places and so the more I try the more I can weed out. If you like Thai food and aren't an expert as too what it is to contain, taste, or exactly be like, then try this place, again it is not the worse but also not the best, 50/50 chance I will go again.
(3)
E W.
Solid Thai food. Did take-out for lunch and it was good! Slightly above average in taste. A good go-to.
(4)
Jennifer R.
We have eaten there multiple times. The duck curry was very nice, the pad thai with crab (big chunks of crab meat!), and the Tom Kah stand out. All in all, friendly staff, clean and peaceful atmosphere. It's in a house with big bright windows, they also have seating available outside for the summer.
(4)
Jacob G.
Decent Thai food in a restaurant that used to be a house. I had the pad thai, along with an order of orange chicken. Both were good but not amazing, but the prices were decent.
(4)
Judy N.
I was in Portland for a conference and the B&B we stayed at was right around the corner from Chai Yo. We ate there twice! My husband ordered the matsuman chicken both times. I ordered the pumpkin yellow curry the first time and the pad thai the second. All of it was wonderful and both of us ate for less than $25 including tea and beer! I'd definitely recommend eating here.
(4)
Jason K.
I'm right down from the street from Chai Yo and have been going there for a while now. I largely get take-out although I have eaten there on occasion. The food is always ready on time and the service is understated yet nice. Prices are very reasonable too. I was actually craving Thai one Sunday around noon and called not knowing that they didn't open until 3. Someone other than the usual person answered the phone and told me this unfortunate fact. Hearing my great sadness, he asked what I wanted and said he'd go to the kitchen to see if it was a possibility. 20 minutes later, I was satisfying my craving with some awesome Pad Khee Mao. That is above and beyond for sure and won my loyalty. They even know my name now. Give this place a shot.
(4)
David R.
I just writing a review because their soups are amazing and deserve praise. Yes, they're, like 9 or 10 bucks but it's worth it. Really fresh stocks and ingredients. This stuff will put you on your butt. Go get some.
(4)
Kelly W.
I have been coming here for at least 10 years. Probably more. I always order the same thing: chicken mango stir fry. It's delicious. The staff are friendly and service is quick. Today I took a closer look and everything was dirty: the restroom, floors and walls. It needs a deep clean desperately!
(4)
Olivia D.
I'll keep it short and sweet. My fried dumplings were inedible, hard as a rock, and an odd brown color. and they were served on a bed of lettuce that was wilted & a grey/brown color. They served me lettuce that anyone would have normally thrown away days ago. It even smelled bad. Now my stomach is churning, so we'll see how this plays out... :(
(1)
Justin C.
Won't be going back. The service was slow (the server seemed over worked, maybe someone was sick) and the portions were small and the Pad Prik Khing was far inferior to what you get at ESan. The worst part: the kitchen couldn't seem to get our orders out together. We were a table of 5 and a table of 3 came in about 10 minutes after we got there. Let's call our table A and their table B. The orders came out like this: A1, A2, small wait, A3, small wait, B1, B2, B3, small wait, A4, A5. Meaning that we were sitting there looking at our food while another table that came in after us got -all- of their food, then we got ours. Really poor execution from the kitchen. The coconut ice cream was tasty.
(2)
Audrey J.
This place is super close to my apartment, so it's my go to when I'm craving Thai (which is often)! The food is really good, and the staff is very friendly. The only downside for me is the portion size for the price. Thai is very hit or miss in Portland, and this place is at least worth trying! Lots of vegetarian/vegan options available.
(4)
Todd C.
Attipan was a wonderful waiter. The tom kah gai was delish. A little watery, but full of flavor. The pad kee mao was amazing!!!!! Cannot wait to come back tomorrow. Actually want to give them 4.5 stars but the app won't allow that.
(4)
Khem C.
In the Lloyd center area? And want some authentic Thai food? Well this place is legit! I've been here three times now, and they never disappoint. The service here is fast and friendly, the food is on point, and if you're a spicy food lover, then I dare you to try out any of their dish with a 5 star HOT!! At every Thai food joint, I always order the Pad Kee Mao ( Drunken Noodles).
(4)
Robert H.
A truly BAD restaurant. I had the green beans with shrimp. Shrimp nearly raw, beans overcooked. One of our party had fried rice with crab, and when she told the waitress that there was no crab she was told that it was there, the pieces were just very small.
(1)
D E.
Ordered the pad kee mao with chicken and was very pleased. Large portions and excellent ingredients (i.e. great cuts of meat, no fat or scraps). The heat definitely kicked in after a few bites and I had to put it down and grab some water. I'm in Portland for a week so I'll have plenty of leftovers...plan to go back again before I leave. Highly recommended.
(5)
Jordan G.
For $14 for one dinner and an appetizer, I expect a few leftovers. No such luck. Dinner price, lunch portion. Pad see ew and fresh rolls: the only vegetable was about five trees of broccoli, aside from a meager portion of cilantro. The noodles were not bad, but didn't seem worth the amount I paid, and the chicken was a little rubbery and dry. Salad rolls were serviceable but nothing special. I hope this place improves or gets replaced.
(2)
Parker T.
I visited Chai Yo today for lunch (I wanted to try somewhere new in my walking-distance area) & was treated to excellent service from a very helpful waitress (she happened to also be vegan), a generous portion of well-flavored food for the price ($7.50), & a cozy environment to dine in. I ordered the Pad Priew Wan (sweet & sour stir-fry) with tofu & thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the restaurant was quite busy around 1pm, my entire dining experience clocked in at thirty minutes, which seemed just fine given the attentive service & tasty cuisine. Although I still enjoy Mae Ploy's excellent $7 lunch specials (which also come with a free soup or salad, & one egg roll), I'm quite pleased to have a viable Thai option in this part of Portland. Their menu mentions no MSG usage, that they use organic herbs, & that they understand how to prepare strict vegetarian/vegan dishes, all of which are appreciated.
(4)
Nick D.
When I got inside I was prompted by a personable waitress. Got our water promptly, and came back a few times to see if we were ready to order. After we put in our order the waitress brought us a tofu appetizer (might have been complimentary) and an extra drink we didn't order. I figured why not enjoy it than have them bring it back.. I took about a good 10-15 mins to ask the waitress if the tofu was breaded it at that point. We weren't able to ask until our food arrived and it was cold. When the food came to the table my order was just above lukewarm temp as they were probably waiting on my other parties curry to cook. I didn't want to complain and wait any longer so I just ate it anyways. It was overly salty and I wasn't able to find the waitress to ask for any spices. While getting through my meal I overheard many of other peoples call in orders being the incorrect ones. All in all I think I'll avoid this extablishment. I would maybe come again for another try if there was no other option and I had a craving for thai food. The portion sizes were on the small side as well.
(2)
Sean A.
Super tasty food. Takes a while to get to the table though... and not all at once. Quiet and awkward in there though if there's no music playing.
(4)
Kelly B.
I ordered the pumpkin curry spicy to go . The lady told me 10 mins and since I live near by I arrived exactly 10 mins later and my food was packaged and ready to go ! There are so many mediocre thai places in Portland but I feel like this is one is above average . My curry was filled with veggies and had a great taste . I was also able to ask which curries weren't made with fish sauce and had 3 options including masaum , yellow and the pumpkin curry . I didn't sit down to eat but the dining area appears to be very pleasant .
(4)
Drj J.
I ordered chicken pad thai and a sapporo. The pad thai was excellent, the portion size for lunch was a tad small but I didn't want to walk around with left overs anyway. Service was nice, I was checked on at appropriate times during my meal.
(5)
Beverly H.
Visiting from out of town, and stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant in a fun neighborhood. Just had dinner with my husband and a friend. We shared three delicious meals: Stir-fried spinach with tofu, Red Curry with chicken and fired noodles with shrimp. Each one was outstanding. I only wish this restaurant wasn't 700 miles from our home!
(5)
Christina D.
PLEASE avoid this place at all cost! I ordered Pad Thai with beef and it was gross. There is no flavor whatsoever. The only thing that tastes fine is the thai iced tea. First and LAST time going here!
(1)
Curtis M.
Price was great and food was so tasty! I paid half of what I would have in most of the restaurants around this area. I had some vegetarian noodles and a Thai Iced Tea. It reminded me of the food I had in SF... My favorite place to get Thai food. I felt Chaiyo was nutritious, with fresh beautiful looking vegetables and was delicious. Thai tea was amazing too!
(5)
Jenny B.
Oh dear.... My second try. Last time was perfectly mediocre. This time was just plain bad. I ordered Tom Kha Soup with Squid and Chicken Satay. The satay was leathery, too thin, and very bland. It was barely food. The soup...where to begin? The broth had separated/curdled and had a grainy texture. I really can't believe they served it on that point alone. The flavor was all tomato paste and barely any seasoning. If I closed my eyes, you could convince me I was eating Campbell's Tomato. I found a huge piece of dehydrated, half black ginger in my soup. The squid was the processed patty kind full of additives and fillers that has to be scored to curl up like the real thing (this stuff is to squid what hot dogs are to pork). I counted exactly 3 small mushrooms hiding in a sea of onions. The whole thing just made me sad. Especially the part where I spent my hard earned money on this stuff. :-( I should have taken it as fair warning that they didn't have a single customer at 6 PM on a Friday.
(1)
Wanugee N.
Chai Yo Thai is a cozy little restaurant nestled inside an old wood house in the comfy Broadway district of Portland. They use fresh ingredients and no MSG. It has been here about 7 years, and it is a great find. You walk up stairs to the porch of this little restaurant in the house, and on warm days sit on the porch to eat, or go inside and sit in the living room above hard-wood floors, amongst Thai statues with a cozy half dozen tables looking out Victorian windows to the street. The kitchen is, well, back in the kitchen of this house. The restaurant is clean and elegantly understated, with gracious service. We started with the popular Tom Yum soup, here served with lemongrass, kaffir leaves, onions, mushrooms, fresh squeezed lime juice and tomato wedges. Tasty without being overly sweet like some places. ($10.95) There was enough for about 5 small bowls. A nice Yum Pla Mouk salad (also $10.95) followed, This Squid rings, lemon grass, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, crushed dried chili, and fresh lime juice. It was refreshing and nice. Our final dish was a special, a nice lightly grilled Salmon in a delicate yellow curry sauce with potatoes, carrots and onions, served with rice. We ordered a Thai Chang Beer each to go with our food, which is light and soothing. The food was all enough for 2 men, although we were not real hungry. They have a nice selection of Thai dishes, and most standards you can order with your choice of main ingredient, i.e. beef, chicken, seafood, tofu, etc. You can also select the heat/spiciness of the dish, but I would say that Medium here is more like Mild in other places. We enjoyed the quaint ambiance, pleasing service from our Laotian waitress, and the tasty food.
(4)
Karen P.
Rasafrasa...hmph! I used to be a frequent customer (and despite them being as another reviewer deemed, "crazy", I put up with it as their steamed tofu & peanut sauce was out of this world.) I no longer long for their Pra Ram. In short, for me they are through...Ta ta, arivaderci, & good riddance! They have never once in the three years I have lived in this neighborhood fulfilled my "to go" order correctly. Tonight there was a measly portion of spinach & broccoli and the marvelous tofu is no longer. The peanut sauce was slimy, though plentiful (that said in that "I'm going to gag" way). I managed to rescue a portion of the tofu by washing it off (blech! I should not have to do that, no?!) It pains me...their Tom Yum used to be marvelous, but "extra hot" morphed into "mild for grandma" over time. I feel sad...that tofu used to rock my world. Now it's just your ordinary, run of the mill Thai place. The same thing happened at Thai Pod (once the mgmt. changed the vegetabes came from "the Jolly Green Giant". Their "I've died & gone to heaven" thai fried rice went to heqq instead). I like to have a rapport with the restaurants I frequent (regardless of their level of sophistication). Lack thereof = lack of communication (hence, my posting). I can't even do "the love sandwich" for them. Bah! I
(1)
Chris S.
Good pad si eu!
(5)
Alex M.
this place is good... I was able to look past the few flaws. It was dead, but we were there at a time between lunch and dinner. The music was awful, and a little loud, but whatever. My dish was amazing, I got a green bean curry stir fry that was out of control! soooo good. Everything tasted fresh, and was served super fast. I eat at a lot of thai places, and this is one i will come back to.
(4)
Barry S.
Quite yummy food. I recommend the pumpkin curry. The space is very small, which can be a good thing if you want a cozy experience. It can also backfire if you end up seated next to some self-appointed social media expert who needs to run an endless conference call on their cell phone for the duration of your stay. But the pumpkin curry is top-notch.
(4)
Nancy E.
I live in Salem and this is the ONLY thai place I will eat at!
(5)
Reece M.
After a second trip, i've decided that there will be many more in the future. my girlfriend is a stickler when it comes to thai. she's worked in thai restaurants. she's got strong opinions of what is good and what isn't. when she suggested we go back here for a second time, it excited me, as i thought it was quite tasty the first time. i've had the opportunity to try four dishes (pad thai, pad kee maow, yellow curry, and pra ram) as well as the salad rolls - and all of them were quite good. each new thing has made me excited to try something else on the menu. the dining rooms are a bit odd, but the servers are nice, and fast. i totally recommend this place!
(4)
Michelle H.
Tasty. Spicy. Delectable. Flavorful. Perfection. Chai Yo's red curry is all of the above and then some. Fresh chunks of veggies [eggplant!] and your choice of meat bathe in the perfectly spicy red curry. A huge take out container + rice can be yours for the low, low price of $8. A steal! Were I not a pig, I'd have had leftovers, but that really wasn't happening. It was yummy in my tummy. Surprisingly enough, it didn't leave me with a gut bomb either. It was fresh and heavenly. We went with take out [thanks Andrew!], and they were super helpful via telephone regarding any questions we had. It was ready super quick, too. I'd definitely eat there again, although I don't know how comfortable I'd be actually eating in the converted house as opposed to takeout. The atmosphere, while clean and quaint, was almost too quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. It was a Sunday evening though. Perhaps it's not like that all the time. Then again, I tend to always feel uncomfortable eating in converted houses. We all know I'm crazy. This only further proves it. Regardless, fresh and affordable Thai food to be had here. Although I really doubt you could get me to eat anything but the curry.
(4)
Greg H.
While staying at the Doubletree for a conference, we went walking around Broadway for something to eat. This place looked pretty good from the outside - it is a converted house and had a nice aura about it. After going inside, it was like eating in a Thai family's living room. The waitress took the orders while her aunt did the cooking. We had the Red Curry and the Tom Yum soup. Both were pretty good - I try to order the Red Curry at Thai restaurants to get a feel for the place, and I liked this one because they included eggplant which for me is always a plus. If you are in the neighborhood and want to eat some Thai, check this place out.
(4)
Roman S.
I love this place. I think the service is, friendly, gracious, and fast, and the food is very good. If you like the wide noodles, try "Rad Na" some time. The description on the menu is a little plain, but this stuff is yummy! I have also tried most of the other menu items at lunch, and all were very good, and very consistent. Lunch specials are cheep too, about the same price as a "select" or "classic" foot long sandwich at subway. The only complaint I have is they do not have the "peppers in fish sauce" on the condiment trays, though otherwise good selection.
(4)
Jen T.
Chai Yo Thai serves up pretty average Thai food at above average prices. I mean, I would come here again (only because it's in my hood, yo), but if I had to recommend a "good" or a "value" Thai restaurant, this wouldn't even pop up on my radar. What kind of pissed me off is that with a mixed party, we all paid with cash (you know, the standard Andrew Jacksons and all), and the waitress didn't come back with our change. YEAH RIGHT LADY, as if we're gonna tip you $20! What bullshit. I had to ASK her for our change back, and then it wasn't even change (just a straight bill). Lame. I wish I didn't get pissed at petty shit like that (blame it on the hormones!), otherwise, I would've given Chai Yo a three.
(2)
Pinky R.
I haven't eaten much on the menu. OK, I've only eaten two things. The avocado egg rolls are awesome, and the mussaman curry is AMAZING! If you like curry and coconut, get this. And if everything else on the menu is equally delicious then this place rules. Sadly, I'll never know because I'll be unable to order anything else from them but the mussaman curry. It blows my mind.
(5)
Mike G.
Enjoyed a delightful lunch today at Chai Yo. Their yellow curry chicken was superbly prepared with and excellent balance between the coconut milk and curry used in the sauce. Great flavor with an adequate level of spice. Not so much to scorch the palette. Service was very good and the owner is charming. I highly recommend Chai Yo for your next Thai adventure.
(5)
Ss S.
Pork Curry is delicious! The service is above average. My partner & I made conversation with them. They found out we were visiting from out of town & they hooked us up w/ a free thai iced tea & told us other good sites to see. They were very friendly, willing to help & to top it off the food was the bomb!
(4)
Trang T.
Chai Yo is amazing. It's super tiny and the service is the same two or three waitresses. I only eat the Pad Thai there and won't try anything else only because I don't do spicy food. Doesn't smell, cozy atmosphere, and never obnoxiously loud. Highly recommended if you're in that area.
(5)
Sage T.
I went to Chai Yo with dreams of the best Drunken Noodle ever that I used to be obsessed with from Wonder Spice Cafe in Jamaica Plain, Mass. Unfortunately it did not measure up. The wide rice noodles were overcooked, the flavor was off and the beef was gristly. Don't get the Pad Khee Mao!
(2)
Tana J.
I like this place. Would not say they have the best Thai Food ever but they also do not have the worse. It is in my neightborhood, as are many, many other Thai places and so the more I try the more I can weed out. If you like Thai food and aren't an expert as too what it is to contain, taste, or exactly be like, then try this place, again it is not the worse but also not the best, 50/50 chance I will go again.
(3)
E W.
Solid Thai food. Did take-out for lunch and it was good! Slightly above average in taste. A good go-to.
(4)
Jennifer R.
We have eaten there multiple times. The duck curry was very nice, the pad thai with crab (big chunks of crab meat!), and the Tom Kah stand out. All in all, friendly staff, clean and peaceful atmosphere. It's in a house with big bright windows, they also have seating available outside for the summer.
(4)
Jacob G.
Decent Thai food in a restaurant that used to be a house. I had the pad thai, along with an order of orange chicken. Both were good but not amazing, but the prices were decent.
(4)
Judy N.
I was in Portland for a conference and the B&B we stayed at was right around the corner from Chai Yo. We ate there twice! My husband ordered the matsuman chicken both times. I ordered the pumpkin yellow curry the first time and the pad thai the second. All of it was wonderful and both of us ate for less than $25 including tea and beer! I'd definitely recommend eating here.
(4)
Jason K.
I'm right down from the street from Chai Yo and have been going there for a while now. I largely get take-out although I have eaten there on occasion. The food is always ready on time and the service is understated yet nice. Prices are very reasonable too. I was actually craving Thai one Sunday around noon and called not knowing that they didn't open until 3. Someone other than the usual person answered the phone and told me this unfortunate fact. Hearing my great sadness, he asked what I wanted and said he'd go to the kitchen to see if it was a possibility. 20 minutes later, I was satisfying my craving with some awesome Pad Khee Mao. That is above and beyond for sure and won my loyalty. They even know my name now. Give this place a shot.
(4)
David R.
I just writing a review because their soups are amazing and deserve praise. Yes, they're, like 9 or 10 bucks but it's worth it. Really fresh stocks and ingredients. This stuff will put you on your butt. Go get some.
(4)
Kelly W.
I have been coming here for at least 10 years. Probably more. I always order the same thing: chicken mango stir fry. It's delicious. The staff are friendly and service is quick. Today I took a closer look and everything was dirty: the restroom, floors and walls. It needs a deep clean desperately!
(4)
Olivia D.
I'll keep it short and sweet. My fried dumplings were inedible, hard as a rock, and an odd brown color. and they were served on a bed of lettuce that was wilted & a grey/brown color. They served me lettuce that anyone would have normally thrown away days ago. It even smelled bad. Now my stomach is churning, so we'll see how this plays out... :(
(1)
Justin C.
Won't be going back. The service was slow (the server seemed over worked, maybe someone was sick) and the portions were small and the Pad Prik Khing was far inferior to what you get at ESan. The worst part: the kitchen couldn't seem to get our orders out together. We were a table of 5 and a table of 3 came in about 10 minutes after we got there. Let's call our table A and their table B. The orders came out like this: A1, A2, small wait, A3, small wait, B1, B2, B3, small wait, A4, A5. Meaning that we were sitting there looking at our food while another table that came in after us got -all- of their food, then we got ours. Really poor execution from the kitchen. The coconut ice cream was tasty.
(2)
Audrey J.
This place is super close to my apartment, so it's my go to when I'm craving Thai (which is often)! The food is really good, and the staff is very friendly. The only downside for me is the portion size for the price. Thai is very hit or miss in Portland, and this place is at least worth trying! Lots of vegetarian/vegan options available.
(4)
Todd C.
Attipan was a wonderful waiter. The tom kah gai was delish. A little watery, but full of flavor. The pad kee mao was amazing!!!!! Cannot wait to come back tomorrow. Actually want to give them 4.5 stars but the app won't allow that.
(4)
Khem C.
In the Lloyd center area? And want some authentic Thai food? Well this place is legit! I've been here three times now, and they never disappoint. The service here is fast and friendly, the food is on point, and if you're a spicy food lover, then I dare you to try out any of their dish with a 5 star HOT!! At every Thai food joint, I always order the Pad Kee Mao ( Drunken Noodles).
(4)
Robert H.
A truly BAD restaurant. I had the green beans with shrimp. Shrimp nearly raw, beans overcooked. One of our party had fried rice with crab, and when she told the waitress that there was no crab she was told that it was there, the pieces were just very small.
(1)
D E.
Ordered the pad kee mao with chicken and was very pleased. Large portions and excellent ingredients (i.e. great cuts of meat, no fat or scraps). The heat definitely kicked in after a few bites and I had to put it down and grab some water. I'm in Portland for a week so I'll have plenty of leftovers...plan to go back again before I leave. Highly recommended.
(5)
Jordan G.
For $14 for one dinner and an appetizer, I expect a few leftovers. No such luck. Dinner price, lunch portion. Pad see ew and fresh rolls: the only vegetable was about five trees of broccoli, aside from a meager portion of cilantro. The noodles were not bad, but didn't seem worth the amount I paid, and the chicken was a little rubbery and dry. Salad rolls were serviceable but nothing special. I hope this place improves or gets replaced.
(2)
Parker T.
I visited Chai Yo today for lunch (I wanted to try somewhere new in my walking-distance area) & was treated to excellent service from a very helpful waitress (she happened to also be vegan), a generous portion of well-flavored food for the price ($7.50), & a cozy environment to dine in. I ordered the Pad Priew Wan (sweet & sour stir-fry) with tofu & thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the restaurant was quite busy around 1pm, my entire dining experience clocked in at thirty minutes, which seemed just fine given the attentive service & tasty cuisine. Although I still enjoy Mae Ploy's excellent $7 lunch specials (which also come with a free soup or salad, & one egg roll), I'm quite pleased to have a viable Thai option in this part of Portland. Their menu mentions no MSG usage, that they use organic herbs, & that they understand how to prepare strict vegetarian/vegan dishes, all of which are appreciated.
(4)
Nick D.
When I got inside I was prompted by a personable waitress. Got our water promptly, and came back a few times to see if we were ready to order. After we put in our order the waitress brought us a tofu appetizer (might have been complimentary) and an extra drink we didn't order. I figured why not enjoy it than have them bring it back.. I took about a good 10-15 mins to ask the waitress if the tofu was breaded it at that point. We weren't able to ask until our food arrived and it was cold. When the food came to the table my order was just above lukewarm temp as they were probably waiting on my other parties curry to cook. I didn't want to complain and wait any longer so I just ate it anyways. It was overly salty and I wasn't able to find the waitress to ask for any spices. While getting through my meal I overheard many of other peoples call in orders being the incorrect ones. All in all I think I'll avoid this extablishment. I would maybe come again for another try if there was no other option and I had a craving for thai food. The portion sizes were on the small side as well.
(2)
Sean A.
Super tasty food. Takes a while to get to the table though... and not all at once. Quiet and awkward in there though if there's no music playing.
(4)
Kelly B.
I ordered the pumpkin curry spicy to go . The lady told me 10 mins and since I live near by I arrived exactly 10 mins later and my food was packaged and ready to go ! There are so many mediocre thai places in Portland but I feel like this is one is above average . My curry was filled with veggies and had a great taste . I was also able to ask which curries weren't made with fish sauce and had 3 options including masaum , yellow and the pumpkin curry . I didn't sit down to eat but the dining area appears to be very pleasant .
(4)
Drj J.
I ordered chicken pad thai and a sapporo. The pad thai was excellent, the portion size for lunch was a tad small but I didn't want to walk around with left overs anyway. Service was nice, I was checked on at appropriate times during my meal.
(5)
Beverly H.
Visiting from out of town, and stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant in a fun neighborhood. Just had dinner with my husband and a friend. We shared three delicious meals: Stir-fried spinach with tofu, Red Curry with chicken and fired noodles with shrimp. Each one was outstanding. I only wish this restaurant wasn't 700 miles from our home!
(5)
Christina D.
PLEASE avoid this place at all cost! I ordered Pad Thai with beef and it was gross. There is no flavor whatsoever. The only thing that tastes fine is the thai iced tea. First and LAST time going here!
(1)
Curtis M.
Price was great and food was so tasty! I paid half of what I would have in most of the restaurants around this area. I had some vegetarian noodles and a Thai Iced Tea. It reminded me of the food I had in SF... My favorite place to get Thai food. I felt Chaiyo was nutritious, with fresh beautiful looking vegetables and was delicious. Thai tea was amazing too!
(5)
Jenny B.
Oh dear.... My second try. Last time was perfectly mediocre. This time was just plain bad. I ordered Tom Kha Soup with Squid and Chicken Satay. The satay was leathery, too thin, and very bland. It was barely food. The soup...where to begin? The broth had separated/curdled and had a grainy texture. I really can't believe they served it on that point alone. The flavor was all tomato paste and barely any seasoning. If I closed my eyes, you could convince me I was eating Campbell's Tomato. I found a huge piece of dehydrated, half black ginger in my soup. The squid was the processed patty kind full of additives and fillers that has to be scored to curl up like the real thing (this stuff is to squid what hot dogs are to pork). I counted exactly 3 small mushrooms hiding in a sea of onions. The whole thing just made me sad. Especially the part where I spent my hard earned money on this stuff. :-( I should have taken it as fair warning that they didn't have a single customer at 6 PM on a Friday.
(1)
Ris P.
Authentic Thai Food my well fed ass! They say "Authentic Thai Food" on their menu... but I highly doubt authentic Thai food is mediocre and flavorless for how popular their style has gotten. I've had better for cheaper. THIS PLACE SUCKS SO BAD! Okay, walked in and something smelled like a dirty, old kitchen. As the waitress (who kind of startled me cause she looked like a HOOKER with too much powdery make-up that looked like it would fall into my food... Like hello?! Earth to you! That's totally against health code girl friend!) sat us I did notice the kitchen having really grotesque looking floors. Really dark and grimy. So that explained the entering smell. She didn't speak much English, not like it mattered... because SADLY, not to be judgmental, I already expected bad customer service just by looking at her and her greeting. Anyways, I was on a limited lunch schedule and I ordered the Pad See Ew. It came pretty fast but IT WAS FLAVORLESS! IT WAS A SAD EXCUSE OF A MEAL! It was the most disappointing meal I have ever eaten in my life! I ate all the veggies left in my meal, payed, and left. No tip from me! AND I ALWAYS TIP! I too work in the FSI. Wanna hear a joke? Chai Yo Thai Restaurant! LMFAO! I should have read all the other posts about this place being horrible here on YELP before entering and wasting my money. Do yourself a favor and don't waste time on bad places, life is too short. ONLY THE WISE WILL LISTEN.
(1)
Andrew K.
The woman who took my order to go was very nice. I got Pad Thai. For ten bucks. When I got home, there was barely enough food in the box to feed a mouse. It had no flavor. I called back to tell her, and she kept saying, "Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much." I will never go there again.
(1)
Wayne R.
excellent food! everything is fresh and has a personal flair. I will make this a regular stop on my trips to Portland.
(4)
Kammi L.
Love their pad Thai. I had the crab pad Thai a while back and the food tasted fresh. The service was great too. I've had odd luck with sauce being weak at some Thai joints but this place serves well.
(5)
Roxanne L.
I tried the fried rice with basil, chicken, mushrooms, & green beans. Pretty average. They use way too much oil. My fried rice was glistening when it arrived. Also it arrived about 5 minutes before my friend's entree arrived. The server was nice, but I agree with some of the other reviews. They need to do some deep cleaning. We had a little glass candle holder sitting on the ledge next to our table. It was filthy. Definitely made me wonder how clean the kitchen was. We only went here because Sweet Basil was closed. Won't be going back any time soon....
(3)
Analise B.
$15 for flavorless fried tofu and tom kha soup.... Blah. Thai pod up the street is much better in my opinion and much more reasonably priced.
(2)
Maureen D.
We were visiting from out of town and decided to try Chai Yo. I ordered the Pumpkin Gaeng Dang (Red Curry) with tofu and it was absolutely delicious!! Really, really good. My husband and son also enjoyed their dinners. The service was quick and the inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely. Wish we lived in Portland so we could go back to eat there again!
(5)
Rosaleen G.
We got takeout from Chai Yo tonight because it got great reviews and was rated "Best of Citysearch". I'm kind of a thai food snob, so its safe to say that the noodle dishes are pretty bland and tasteless. My Pad See Ew was not that nice rich brown color I expected - with all that sauce and flavor. It looked just like some noodles with some pepper flakes stirred in. If you are looking for a noodle dish - Pad See Ew / Pad Kee Mao or anything of that nature, you are better off trying E-San, Thai Peacock or PK in the Pearl. The salad rolls were okay (you cant really mess those up) and the peanut sauce was good. Veggie Spring rolls were long and thin as opposed to short and stuffed with yummy stuff - my boyfriend was disappointed. I probably wont be eating there again.
(2)
Amiee H.
Food: Pad Kee Moa: Very unimpressed. The noodles were a little too overcooked and were borderline mushy. The beef was ok, the flavor was adequate but it really didn't hit the spot for me Service: The waitress had this "whatever" attitude. So it wasn't like she was mean but she definitely wasn't very nice or welcoming. She was good about refilling water though, I'll give her that much. The food took quite a long time to come too and there was only one other table there... Price: I guess kinda cheap, but when you think about the quality of the food, I don't think it was really worth it. Ambiance: This is the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars, is because it's pretty cute. Very cozy, house-like decor. It's very cute, but the chairs and tables were kinda placed too close together, I had this very crowded feeling which made me very uncomfortable. Overall: There wasn't much notable about the dining experience. Don't think I'll come again...
(3)
Karl W.
Chai Yo was "just alright" for me. I didn't really feel like there was anything special about the place. It's in a good location and the service was fast enough but I probably won't be going back. There are other place in Portland I would recommend if you want GREAT thai food.
(3)
Alison P.
I base my love for Thai restaurants on how well they make their Tom Ka Gai. This one was excellent! Very tasty and fresh!
(4)
Ana B.
I'm by no means a Thai expert. Mexican food, I've got that down pat. Italian, I've got a good handle on that too. Maybe even sushi! But all that I know about Thai is that I like it, and I like it spicy. As much as I have tried to break out of my shell when it comes to eating, I am still a creature of habit in many ways. I always, always, all-ways order Pad Thai or some variation of it. So would my trip to Chai Yo be any different? Hellz no. Can I order the Pad Thai plz? XXXtra spicy. thx! My lovely company and I rushed in a little bit before 5, hungry like the wolf. We were met with an empty establishment. Normally this is the high sign to head for the hills. If I have learned anything it's not to dine in places that are void of customers. Throwing caution to the wind for the sake of hunger I had a seat by the window. You could hear a pin drop in this place if it weren't for the obnoxious music. I want to take a moment to stress how bad this music was, I don't normally notice things like this. I did however branch out for some avocado rolls for an appetizer, I was one hungry girl. It didn't really feel like branching out once they arrived, they tasted like something you could order at Applebees. They had tomatoes which I wasn't to sure about, they seemed to kill the mood. They hit a spot, the hungry spot, but not the right spot. The Pad Thai on the other hand came through like a champ. Perfectly spicy. not overly oily, just right. In all my Pad Thai eating I wouldn't say that it stands out, but nothing to be frowned upon either. It just occurred to me that she never took my drink order, because I would've undoubtedly ordered a beer. I wasn't wow-ed.
(3)
John P.
Small, cozy, great food on the cheap side. It's not the fanciest of places but food is good.
(5)
Aimee L.
Yum. I forgot about this little gem - great lunch hideaway and great Thai food. The service is terrific and while the menu has great offerings, I'm a sucker for a classic pad thai. Even if you aren't a veggie, try it with their tofu - long tasty strips of it that are SO good, rather than those awful flavorless cubes you see at the cheapo spots. MMM. Everything tastes fresh and good and comfort food-y. Plus the lunch menu is inexpensive and okay, I am a sucker for pretty food presentation!
(4)
Kathryn L.
Hands down my favorite Thai restaurant in Portland and that is saying a lot! The food is always delicious and served with a smile. Particular favorites include the Tom Yum with Chicken, and the Pumpkin Curry.
(4)
kelly c.
We generally eat Thai take-out once a week. That said, it is important to me when relocating to find our neighborhood Thai place. Portland has an abundance of good and great Thai restaurants, so I think we set the bar pretty high for our weekly Thai spot. We moved to the neighborhood in December and have eaten at Chai Yo about once a week since designating it our weekly stop (this came only after we tested out every other option within walking or short biking distance of our house). Chai Yo has the following things going for it: great value, excellent food and super-friendly staff. I can recommend the salad rolls, tom yum and tom kah soups, any curry (in love with the red right now; my husband is not crazy about their panang curry), pad key mao & mango delight.
(4)
Maja R.
I had ordered from here twice, 1st time great, 2nd time good. The 2nd time I ordered my food medium, and OMG it was INSANELY HOT, it had awesome flavor before the heat melted my lips off. So I am like excited & hesitant to order again..... I just put my order in for a 3rd time, haven't gotten my food yet, but we will see, This time I ordered it NOT SPICY this time and I pray that it isn't because I do not think I could suffer again.
(4)
Elizabeth L.
This is hands down one of my favorite Thai places. Ever. Not just in Portland, this place just plain rocks. My family and I go here quite often and I've ordered just about everything that isn't desperately spicy (yes, I am a wuss and yes, you should shut up). My favorites include: The special coconut curry with halibut, which is outstanding. The avocado spring rolls, which you won't find anywhere else. The classic pad thai, which is absurdly peanut-y and delicious. And of course the classic garlic stir fry, because who doesn't love heap-loads of garlic? The waitress is extremely sweet, she recognizes us every time we go in. I've brought just about every friend I've got in Portland to this place and we always have a fantastic time - I've never heard a single one say a bad word about the place. The atmosphere/space is always wonderful too - it's in an old house on NE Broadway right above Petisco, never too crowded or noisy, always has an outside table during the spring/summer months. A lot of their business is take-out, so it's a great place to have a quiet dinner by yourself or with some friends. Definitely worth going in, it's really great Thai food in Portland for a really great price. I live all the way in deep SE and I make the trek up to NE just to hit this place up. MM MM GOOD.
(5)
Jon N.
Went here once. Got the chicken pad Thai. Absolutely most disgusting food I have ever tasted. Completely bland and flavorless. Do NOT eat here! Try Pad Thai Kitchen on Belmont, delicious food!
(1)
Im hungry L.
Best crab fried rice I ever had. The service was excellent. The place is nice, converted from an old home with many smaller rooms. We orderd green chicken curry, pad ke mo noodles, crab fried rice, ming kum, and mango w sticky rice, plus two thai ice teas. $48 plus tip - what a bargain for some yummy food. Each order was served hot and had the perfection of the kitchen written all over it. We will be back the next time we are in town pursuing a Thai eatery in Portland.
(4)
K L.
Place was super dead on a Wednesday at dinner time. I was the only diner at 7:30PM. Tried the papaya salad. Ordered it spicy. Normally, it comes out lame.... this time it was VERY spicy. I enjoyed it since my water glass was refilled several times. (note to self - try medium) Service was good and attentive. But it should be as there was NO ONE else there. Nice music was playing in the dining area and I could hear a TV or radio blaring in the kitchen. Nice.... reminds me of my near deaf elderly parents and their dueling TV's. Tried the pad thai. I ordered it with both chicken and shrimp. My husband is not a fan, so I try to eat it when I can. Not very good. Too saucy. They did put a lot of shrimp and chicken on it. I have had some great pad thai, so I was bummed. I should have stayed with the pad saw ew (but we always eat that) I did appreciate the fact that they take Amex. I expensed my dinner.
(3)
Cedric J.
Out of all the Thai places in Lloyd area, this is my favourite. Food: 5 (damned good menu) Atmosphere: 4 (nice, old house) Service: 4 (Quick, consistent, friendly) Value: 3 (average for Thai, about 7$ for lunch) Sustainability: 1 (no mention of anything green; no local produce that I know of) I love Thai food. And this place isn't that place to burn your face off with heat, but it is that place to get, in my world, comfort food. I've had their pad kee mao, pad thai, mussaman curry, rad nah, cashew nut, etc. and all of their dishes are served properly: with rice and a spoon. The flavours and mixture of veggies and meat and noodles is always good. The server is always the same lady and she's very nice and attentive. The atmosphere is a gorgeous, 100 year-old house, and I can get in and out of there for lunch in about 20 minutes if I'm ever in a hurry. Try the cashew nut, mussaman curry (if you're starting to feel sick, it really helps with the throat), and the rad nah (their gravy is great). I've never been disappointed. And I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)
Alli S.
I've had the lunch special curry a few times now, for the price it is awesome. The medium spice is a perfect balance of spice without causing an overwhelming urge for relief.
(5)
Alyss B.
Chai Yo is the best Thai Food in Portland as far as I'm concerned. Their food is distinctly different than most other places though the menu looks pretty much the same. The curries are fantastic - spicy, rich, interesting. If they have Crying Tiger special you should get it! Grilled steak with a spicy dipping sauce. So delicious. And the peanut sauce they serve with their spring rolls is the best in town. The restaurant itself is cozy in an old house on Broadway and the lady waitress is really sweet. You won't regret a meal at Chai Yo.
(5)
Klaus O.
I dropped in there while I was in the area for lunch. Sat outside on the porch, which has a good view onto the street scene. I ordered a vegetable dish with tofu. Everything was good except the tofu. A fried terrible shell with nothing inside. It is hard to make tofu taste good, but that was pretty much inedible. I am vegetarian, so I won't try any meat dishes there. A clean bath room rounds up this review.
(3)
Adam B.
I finished another disappointing meal from Chai Yo. I've been eating here quite often in the past month and waiting for a replication of a pretty knockout meal I once had here. I'm sick of the inconsistency. Some times, meals will be decent. Other times, I feel very disappointed I ordered food here. Tonight, my dish had undercooked onions and peppers, overcooked or old eggplant, and was much, much spicier than I asked for. I love fiery food just fine, but I want it to be a flavorful spicy. There's no sense putting up with the punishment for a mediocre dish.
(2)
Zee K.
Yum, yum. Our party of 6 showed up at this apparently 'always super-dead' restaurant at the exact same time as a group of 20 athletes. Even though they had a total of three people working (including kitchen staff), they busted their butts keeping everyone happy. A few mistakes, but very good service, they checked on us regularly and our appetizers showed up within 10-15 minutes of ordering - incredible for a restaurant suddenly hit with 30 orders at the same time. My friend and I shared the avocado spring roll thing (meh), massamun curry (serious YUM), and the pad see ew with scallops. Ate myself well past full, and would definitely go again. Love the big old Portland house for a restaurant, too.
(5)
Jim F.
I have eaten here several times. Every time I've really liked it. Someone complained about too much sauce on their Pad Thai. For me, it was just right, because i like plenty of sauce. More often I'm left wishing there was more, at other restaurants. The service is attentive (because it's usually super-dead) and the food comes quick, and though it's not "cheap", the portion is plentiful. Yay, I'm a fan!
(4)
Heather H.
You can keep your Sweet Basil. Any place that cannot be bothered to cut up a friggen carrot is not my idea of good Thai - and i'm sick of finding whole "baby" carrots (aka, regular carrots that have been processed in a rock tumbler) in my curry. Chai Yo is outstandingly solid. Fresh ingredients, inventive specials, reliable takes on the standards we all expect in a neighborhood Thai joint. And if you're a regular (and I was, once upon a time), they treat you like one in pleasantly small but noticeable ways. My standard order is their bright Crispy Basil (with ground chicken and shrimp - not on the menu, sometimes on the specials board, but you can special order it), the warm, silky yellow curry, and the springy fish cakes filled with basil and green onion, dipped in a sweet/tangy sauce studded with minced cukes and red onion. Okay then. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!
(4)
Kelly B.
I ordered the pumpkin curry spicy to go . The lady told me 10 mins and since I live near by I arrived exactly 10 mins later and my food was packaged and ready to go ! There are so many mediocre thai places in Portland but I feel like this is one is above average . My curry was filled with veggies and had a great taste . I was also able to ask which curries weren't made with fish sauce and had 3 options including masaum , yellow and the pumpkin curry . I didn't sit down to eat but the dining area appears to be very pleasant .
(4)
Drj J.
I ordered chicken pad thai and a sapporo. The pad thai was excellent, the portion size for lunch was a tad small but I didn't want to walk around with left overs anyway. Service was nice, I was checked on at appropriate times during my meal.
(5)
Jordan G.
For $14 for one dinner and an appetizer, I expect a few leftovers. No such luck. Dinner price, lunch portion. Pad see ew and fresh rolls: the only vegetable was about five trees of broccoli, aside from a meager portion of cilantro. The noodles were not bad, but didn't seem worth the amount I paid, and the chicken was a little rubbery and dry. Salad rolls were serviceable but nothing special. I hope this place improves or gets replaced.
(2)
Beverly H.
Visiting from out of town, and stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant in a fun neighborhood. Just had dinner with my husband and a friend. We shared three delicious meals: Stir-fried spinach with tofu, Red Curry with chicken and fired noodles with shrimp. Each one was outstanding. I only wish this restaurant wasn't 700 miles from our home!
(5)
Christina D.
PLEASE avoid this place at all cost! I ordered Pad Thai with beef and it was gross. There is no flavor whatsoever. The only thing that tastes fine is the thai iced tea. First and LAST time going here!
(1)
Andrew K.
The woman who took my order to go was very nice. I got Pad Thai. For ten bucks. When I got home, there was barely enough food in the box to feed a mouse. It had no flavor. I called back to tell her, and she kept saying, "Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much." I will never go there again.
(1)
Wayne R.
excellent food! everything is fresh and has a personal flair. I will make this a regular stop on my trips to Portland.
(4)
Alison P.
I base my love for Thai restaurants on how well they make their Tom Ka Gai. This one was excellent! Very tasty and fresh!
(4)
Curtis M.
Price was great and food was so tasty! I paid half of what I would have in most of the restaurants around this area. I had some vegetarian noodles and a Thai Iced Tea. It reminded me of the food I had in SF... My favorite place to get Thai food. I felt Chaiyo was nutritious, with fresh beautiful looking vegetables and was delicious. Thai tea was amazing too!
(5)
Im hungry L.
Best crab fried rice I ever had. The service was excellent. The place is nice, converted from an old home with many smaller rooms. We orderd green chicken curry, pad ke mo noodles, crab fried rice, ming kum, and mango w sticky rice, plus two thai ice teas. $48 plus tip - what a bargain for some yummy food. Each order was served hot and had the perfection of the kitchen written all over it. We will be back the next time we are in town pursuing a Thai eatery in Portland.
(4)
K L.
Place was super dead on a Wednesday at dinner time. I was the only diner at 7:30PM. Tried the papaya salad. Ordered it spicy. Normally, it comes out lame.... this time it was VERY spicy. I enjoyed it since my water glass was refilled several times. (note to self - try medium) Service was good and attentive. But it should be as there was NO ONE else there. Nice music was playing in the dining area and I could hear a TV or radio blaring in the kitchen. Nice.... reminds me of my near deaf elderly parents and their dueling TV's. Tried the pad thai. I ordered it with both chicken and shrimp. My husband is not a fan, so I try to eat it when I can. Not very good. Too saucy. They did put a lot of shrimp and chicken on it. I have had some great pad thai, so I was bummed. I should have stayed with the pad saw ew (but we always eat that) I did appreciate the fact that they take Amex. I expensed my dinner.
(3)
Maja R.
I had ordered from here twice, 1st time great, 2nd time good. The 2nd time I ordered my food medium, and OMG it was INSANELY HOT, it had awesome flavor before the heat melted my lips off. So I am like excited & hesitant to order again..... I just put my order in for a 3rd time, haven't gotten my food yet, but we will see, This time I ordered it NOT SPICY this time and I pray that it isn't because I do not think I could suffer again.
(4)
Barry S.
Quite yummy food. I recommend the pumpkin curry. The space is very small, which can be a good thing if you want a cozy experience. It can also backfire if you end up seated next to some self-appointed social media expert who needs to run an endless conference call on their cell phone for the duration of your stay. But the pumpkin curry is top-notch.
(4)
Nancy E.
I live in Salem and this is the ONLY thai place I will eat at!
(5)
Ana B.
I'm by no means a Thai expert. Mexican food, I've got that down pat. Italian, I've got a good handle on that too. Maybe even sushi! But all that I know about Thai is that I like it, and I like it spicy. As much as I have tried to break out of my shell when it comes to eating, I am still a creature of habit in many ways. I always, always, all-ways order Pad Thai or some variation of it. So would my trip to Chai Yo be any different? Hellz no. Can I order the Pad Thai plz? XXXtra spicy. thx! My lovely company and I rushed in a little bit before 5, hungry like the wolf. We were met with an empty establishment. Normally this is the high sign to head for the hills. If I have learned anything it's not to dine in places that are void of customers. Throwing caution to the wind for the sake of hunger I had a seat by the window. You could hear a pin drop in this place if it weren't for the obnoxious music. I want to take a moment to stress how bad this music was, I don't normally notice things like this. I did however branch out for some avocado rolls for an appetizer, I was one hungry girl. It didn't really feel like branching out once they arrived, they tasted like something you could order at Applebees. They had tomatoes which I wasn't to sure about, they seemed to kill the mood. They hit a spot, the hungry spot, but not the right spot. The Pad Thai on the other hand came through like a champ. Perfectly spicy. not overly oily, just right. In all my Pad Thai eating I wouldn't say that it stands out, but nothing to be frowned upon either. It just occurred to me that she never took my drink order, because I would've undoubtedly ordered a beer. I wasn't wow-ed.
(3)
John P.
Small, cozy, great food on the cheap side. It's not the fanciest of places but food is good.
(5)
Aimee L.
Yum. I forgot about this little gem - great lunch hideaway and great Thai food. The service is terrific and while the menu has great offerings, I'm a sucker for a classic pad thai. Even if you aren't a veggie, try it with their tofu - long tasty strips of it that are SO good, rather than those awful flavorless cubes you see at the cheapo spots. MMM. Everything tastes fresh and good and comfort food-y. Plus the lunch menu is inexpensive and okay, I am a sucker for pretty food presentation!
(4)
Kathryn L.
Hands down my favorite Thai restaurant in Portland and that is saying a lot! The food is always delicious and served with a smile. Particular favorites include the Tom Yum with Chicken, and the Pumpkin Curry.
(4)
kelly c.
We generally eat Thai take-out once a week. That said, it is important to me when relocating to find our neighborhood Thai place. Portland has an abundance of good and great Thai restaurants, so I think we set the bar pretty high for our weekly Thai spot. We moved to the neighborhood in December and have eaten at Chai Yo about once a week since designating it our weekly stop (this came only after we tested out every other option within walking or short biking distance of our house). Chai Yo has the following things going for it: great value, excellent food and super-friendly staff. I can recommend the salad rolls, tom yum and tom kah soups, any curry (in love with the red right now; my husband is not crazy about their panang curry), pad key mao & mango delight.
(4)
Elizabeth L.
This is hands down one of my favorite Thai places. Ever. Not just in Portland, this place just plain rocks. My family and I go here quite often and I've ordered just about everything that isn't desperately spicy (yes, I am a wuss and yes, you should shut up). My favorites include: The special coconut curry with halibut, which is outstanding. The avocado spring rolls, which you won't find anywhere else. The classic pad thai, which is absurdly peanut-y and delicious. And of course the classic garlic stir fry, because who doesn't love heap-loads of garlic? The waitress is extremely sweet, she recognizes us every time we go in. I've brought just about every friend I've got in Portland to this place and we always have a fantastic time - I've never heard a single one say a bad word about the place. The atmosphere/space is always wonderful too - it's in an old house on NE Broadway right above Petisco, never too crowded or noisy, always has an outside table during the spring/summer months. A lot of their business is take-out, so it's a great place to have a quiet dinner by yourself or with some friends. Definitely worth going in, it's really great Thai food in Portland for a really great price. I live all the way in deep SE and I make the trek up to NE just to hit this place up. MM MM GOOD.
(5)
Jon N.
Went here once. Got the chicken pad Thai. Absolutely most disgusting food I have ever tasted. Completely bland and flavorless. Do NOT eat here! Try Pad Thai Kitchen on Belmont, delicious food!
(1)
Cedric J.
Out of all the Thai places in Lloyd area, this is my favourite. Food: 5 (damned good menu) Atmosphere: 4 (nice, old house) Service: 4 (Quick, consistent, friendly) Value: 3 (average for Thai, about 7$ for lunch) Sustainability: 1 (no mention of anything green; no local produce that I know of) I love Thai food. And this place isn't that place to burn your face off with heat, but it is that place to get, in my world, comfort food. I've had their pad kee mao, pad thai, mussaman curry, rad nah, cashew nut, etc. and all of their dishes are served properly: with rice and a spoon. The flavours and mixture of veggies and meat and noodles is always good. The server is always the same lady and she's very nice and attentive. The atmosphere is a gorgeous, 100 year-old house, and I can get in and out of there for lunch in about 20 minutes if I'm ever in a hurry. Try the cashew nut, mussaman curry (if you're starting to feel sick, it really helps with the throat), and the rad nah (their gravy is great). I've never been disappointed. And I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)
Alli S.
I've had the lunch special curry a few times now, for the price it is awesome. The medium spice is a perfect balance of spice without causing an overwhelming urge for relief.
(5)
Alyss B.
Chai Yo is the best Thai Food in Portland as far as I'm concerned. Their food is distinctly different than most other places though the menu looks pretty much the same. The curries are fantastic - spicy, rich, interesting. If they have Crying Tiger special you should get it! Grilled steak with a spicy dipping sauce. So delicious. And the peanut sauce they serve with their spring rolls is the best in town. The restaurant itself is cozy in an old house on Broadway and the lady waitress is really sweet. You won't regret a meal at Chai Yo.
(5)
Klaus O.
I dropped in there while I was in the area for lunch. Sat outside on the porch, which has a good view onto the street scene. I ordered a vegetable dish with tofu. Everything was good except the tofu. A fried terrible shell with nothing inside. It is hard to make tofu taste good, but that was pretty much inedible. I am vegetarian, so I won't try any meat dishes there. A clean bath room rounds up this review.
(3)
Adam B.
I finished another disappointing meal from Chai Yo. I've been eating here quite often in the past month and waiting for a replication of a pretty knockout meal I once had here. I'm sick of the inconsistency. Some times, meals will be decent. Other times, I feel very disappointed I ordered food here. Tonight, my dish had undercooked onions and peppers, overcooked or old eggplant, and was much, much spicier than I asked for. I love fiery food just fine, but I want it to be a flavorful spicy. There's no sense putting up with the punishment for a mediocre dish.
(2)
Todd C.
Attipan was a wonderful waiter. The tom kah gai was delish. A little watery, but full of flavor. The pad kee mao was amazing!!!!! Cannot wait to come back tomorrow. Actually want to give them 4.5 stars but the app won't allow that.
(4)
Khem C.
In the Lloyd center area? And want some authentic Thai food? Well this place is legit! I've been here three times now, and they never disappoint. The service here is fast and friendly, the food is on point, and if you're a spicy food lover, then I dare you to try out any of their dish with a 5 star HOT!! At every Thai food joint, I always order the Pad Kee Mao ( Drunken Noodles).
(4)
Kelly W.
I have been coming here for at least 10 years. Probably more. I always order the same thing: chicken mango stir fry. It's delicious. The staff are friendly and service is quick. Today I took a closer look and everything was dirty: the restroom, floors and walls. It needs a deep clean desperately!
(4)
Olivia D.
I'll keep it short and sweet. My fried dumplings were inedible, hard as a rock, and an odd brown color. and they were served on a bed of lettuce that was wilted & a grey/brown color. They served me lettuce that anyone would have normally thrown away days ago. It even smelled bad. Now my stomach is churning, so we'll see how this plays out... :(
(1)
Justin C.
Won't be going back. The service was slow (the server seemed over worked, maybe someone was sick) and the portions were small and the Pad Prik Khing was far inferior to what you get at ESan. The worst part: the kitchen couldn't seem to get our orders out together. We were a table of 5 and a table of 3 came in about 10 minutes after we got there. Let's call our table A and their table B. The orders came out like this: A1, A2, small wait, A3, small wait, B1, B2, B3, small wait, A4, A5. Meaning that we were sitting there looking at our food while another table that came in after us got -all- of their food, then we got ours. Really poor execution from the kitchen. The coconut ice cream was tasty.
(2)
Audrey J.
This place is super close to my apartment, so it's my go to when I'm craving Thai (which is often)! The food is really good, and the staff is very friendly. The only downside for me is the portion size for the price. Thai is very hit or miss in Portland, and this place is at least worth trying! Lots of vegetarian/vegan options available.
(4)
Robert H.
A truly BAD restaurant. I had the green beans with shrimp. Shrimp nearly raw, beans overcooked. One of our party had fried rice with crab, and when she told the waitress that there was no crab she was told that it was there, the pieces were just very small.
(1)
Parker T.
I visited Chai Yo today for lunch (I wanted to try somewhere new in my walking-distance area) & was treated to excellent service from a very helpful waitress (she happened to also be vegan), a generous portion of well-flavored food for the price ($7.50), & a cozy environment to dine in. I ordered the Pad Priew Wan (sweet & sour stir-fry) with tofu & thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the restaurant was quite busy around 1pm, my entire dining experience clocked in at thirty minutes, which seemed just fine given the attentive service & tasty cuisine. Although I still enjoy Mae Ploy's excellent $7 lunch specials (which also come with a free soup or salad, & one egg roll), I'm quite pleased to have a viable Thai option in this part of Portland. Their menu mentions no MSG usage, that they use organic herbs, & that they understand how to prepare strict vegetarian/vegan dishes, all of which are appreciated.
(4)
Nick D.
When I got inside I was prompted by a personable waitress. Got our water promptly, and came back a few times to see if we were ready to order. After we put in our order the waitress brought us a tofu appetizer (might have been complimentary) and an extra drink we didn't order. I figured why not enjoy it than have them bring it back.. I took about a good 10-15 mins to ask the waitress if the tofu was breaded it at that point. We weren't able to ask until our food arrived and it was cold. When the food came to the table my order was just above lukewarm temp as they were probably waiting on my other parties curry to cook. I didn't want to complain and wait any longer so I just ate it anyways. It was overly salty and I wasn't able to find the waitress to ask for any spices. While getting through my meal I overheard many of other peoples call in orders being the incorrect ones. All in all I think I'll avoid this extablishment. I would maybe come again for another try if there was no other option and I had a craving for thai food. The portion sizes were on the small side as well.
(2)
Sean A.
Super tasty food. Takes a while to get to the table though... and not all at once. Quiet and awkward in there though if there's no music playing.
(4)
D E.
Ordered the pad kee mao with chicken and was very pleased. Large portions and excellent ingredients (i.e. great cuts of meat, no fat or scraps). The heat definitely kicked in after a few bites and I had to put it down and grab some water. I'm in Portland for a week so I'll have plenty of leftovers...plan to go back again before I leave. Highly recommended.
(5)
Jenny B.
Oh dear.... My second try. Last time was perfectly mediocre. This time was just plain bad. I ordered Tom Kha Soup with Squid and Chicken Satay. The satay was leathery, too thin, and very bland. It was barely food. The soup...where to begin? The broth had separated/curdled and had a grainy texture. I really can't believe they served it on that point alone. The flavor was all tomato paste and barely any seasoning. If I closed my eyes, you could convince me I was eating Campbell's Tomato. I found a huge piece of dehydrated, half black ginger in my soup. The squid was the processed patty kind full of additives and fillers that has to be scored to curl up like the real thing (this stuff is to squid what hot dogs are to pork). I counted exactly 3 small mushrooms hiding in a sea of onions. The whole thing just made me sad. Especially the part where I spent my hard earned money on this stuff. :-( I should have taken it as fair warning that they didn't have a single customer at 6 PM on a Friday.
(1)
Maureen D.
We were visiting from out of town and decided to try Chai Yo. I ordered the Pumpkin Gaeng Dang (Red Curry) with tofu and it was absolutely delicious!! Really, really good. My husband and son also enjoyed their dinners. The service was quick and the inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely. Wish we lived in Portland so we could go back to eat there again!
(5)
Ris P.
Authentic Thai Food my well fed ass! They say "Authentic Thai Food" on their menu... but I highly doubt authentic Thai food is mediocre and flavorless for how popular their style has gotten. I've had better for cheaper. THIS PLACE SUCKS SO BAD! Okay, walked in and something smelled like a dirty, old kitchen. As the waitress (who kind of startled me cause she looked like a HOOKER with too much powdery make-up that looked like it would fall into my food... Like hello?! Earth to you! That's totally against health code girl friend!) sat us I did notice the kitchen having really grotesque looking floors. Really dark and grimy. So that explained the entering smell. She didn't speak much English, not like it mattered... because SADLY, not to be judgmental, I already expected bad customer service just by looking at her and her greeting. Anyways, I was on a limited lunch schedule and I ordered the Pad See Ew. It came pretty fast but IT WAS FLAVORLESS! IT WAS A SAD EXCUSE OF A MEAL! It was the most disappointing meal I have ever eaten in my life! I ate all the veggies left in my meal, payed, and left. No tip from me! AND I ALWAYS TIP! I too work in the FSI. Wanna hear a joke? Chai Yo Thai Restaurant! LMFAO! I should have read all the other posts about this place being horrible here on YELP before entering and wasting my money. Do yourself a favor and don't waste time on bad places, life is too short. ONLY THE WISE WILL LISTEN.
(1)
Zee K.
Yum, yum. Our party of 6 showed up at this apparently 'always super-dead' restaurant at the exact same time as a group of 20 athletes. Even though they had a total of three people working (including kitchen staff), they busted their butts keeping everyone happy. A few mistakes, but very good service, they checked on us regularly and our appetizers showed up within 10-15 minutes of ordering - incredible for a restaurant suddenly hit with 30 orders at the same time. My friend and I shared the avocado spring roll thing (meh), massamun curry (serious YUM), and the pad see ew with scallops. Ate myself well past full, and would definitely go again. Love the big old Portland house for a restaurant, too.
(5)
Jim F.
I have eaten here several times. Every time I've really liked it. Someone complained about too much sauce on their Pad Thai. For me, it was just right, because i like plenty of sauce. More often I'm left wishing there was more, at other restaurants. The service is attentive (because it's usually super-dead) and the food comes quick, and though it's not "cheap", the portion is plentiful. Yay, I'm a fan!
(4)
Heather H.
You can keep your Sweet Basil. Any place that cannot be bothered to cut up a friggen carrot is not my idea of good Thai - and i'm sick of finding whole "baby" carrots (aka, regular carrots that have been processed in a rock tumbler) in my curry. Chai Yo is outstandingly solid. Fresh ingredients, inventive specials, reliable takes on the standards we all expect in a neighborhood Thai joint. And if you're a regular (and I was, once upon a time), they treat you like one in pleasantly small but noticeable ways. My standard order is their bright Crispy Basil (with ground chicken and shrimp - not on the menu, sometimes on the specials board, but you can special order it), the warm, silky yellow curry, and the springy fish cakes filled with basil and green onion, dipped in a sweet/tangy sauce studded with minced cukes and red onion. Okay then. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!
(4)
Reece M.
After a second trip, i've decided that there will be many more in the future. my girlfriend is a stickler when it comes to thai. she's worked in thai restaurants. she's got strong opinions of what is good and what isn't. when she suggested we go back here for a second time, it excited me, as i thought it was quite tasty the first time. i've had the opportunity to try four dishes (pad thai, pad kee maow, yellow curry, and pra ram) as well as the salad rolls - and all of them were quite good. each new thing has made me excited to try something else on the menu. the dining rooms are a bit odd, but the servers are nice, and fast. i totally recommend this place!
(4)
Pinky R.
I haven't eaten much on the menu. OK, I've only eaten two things. The avocado egg rolls are awesome, and the mussaman curry is AMAZING! If you like curry and coconut, get this. And if everything else on the menu is equally delicious then this place rules. Sadly, I'll never know because I'll be unable to order anything else from them but the mussaman curry. It blows my mind.
(5)
Mike G.
Enjoyed a delightful lunch today at Chai Yo. Their yellow curry chicken was superbly prepared with and excellent balance between the coconut milk and curry used in the sauce. Great flavor with an adequate level of spice. Not so much to scorch the palette. Service was very good and the owner is charming. I highly recommend Chai Yo for your next Thai adventure.
(5)
Wanugee N.
Chai Yo Thai is a cozy little restaurant nestled inside an old wood house in the comfy Broadway district of Portland. They use fresh ingredients and no MSG. It has been here about 7 years, and it is a great find. You walk up stairs to the porch of this little restaurant in the house, and on warm days sit on the porch to eat, or go inside and sit in the living room above hard-wood floors, amongst Thai statues with a cozy half dozen tables looking out Victorian windows to the street. The kitchen is, well, back in the kitchen of this house. The restaurant is clean and elegantly understated, with gracious service. We started with the popular Tom Yum soup, here served with lemongrass, kaffir leaves, onions, mushrooms, fresh squeezed lime juice and tomato wedges. Tasty without being overly sweet like some places. ($10.95) There was enough for about 5 small bowls. A nice Yum Pla Mouk salad (also $10.95) followed, This Squid rings, lemon grass, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, crushed dried chili, and fresh lime juice. It was refreshing and nice. Our final dish was a special, a nice lightly grilled Salmon in a delicate yellow curry sauce with potatoes, carrots and onions, served with rice. We ordered a Thai Chang Beer each to go with our food, which is light and soothing. The food was all enough for 2 men, although we were not real hungry. They have a nice selection of Thai dishes, and most standards you can order with your choice of main ingredient, i.e. beef, chicken, seafood, tofu, etc. You can also select the heat/spiciness of the dish, but I would say that Medium here is more like Mild in other places. We enjoyed the quaint ambiance, pleasing service from our Laotian waitress, and the tasty food.
(4)
Karen P.
Rasafrasa...hmph! I used to be a frequent customer (and despite them being as another reviewer deemed, "crazy", I put up with it as their steamed tofu & peanut sauce was out of this world.) I no longer long for their Pra Ram. In short, for me they are through...Ta ta, arivaderci, & good riddance! They have never once in the three years I have lived in this neighborhood fulfilled my "to go" order correctly. Tonight there was a measly portion of spinach & broccoli and the marvelous tofu is no longer. The peanut sauce was slimy, though plentiful (that said in that "I'm going to gag" way). I managed to rescue a portion of the tofu by washing it off (blech! I should not have to do that, no?!) It pains me...their Tom Yum used to be marvelous, but "extra hot" morphed into "mild for grandma" over time. I feel sad...that tofu used to rock my world. Now it's just your ordinary, run of the mill Thai place. The same thing happened at Thai Pod (once the mgmt. changed the vegetabes came from "the Jolly Green Giant". Their "I've died & gone to heaven" thai fried rice went to heqq instead). I like to have a rapport with the restaurants I frequent (regardless of their level of sophistication). Lack thereof = lack of communication (hence, my posting). I can't even do "the love sandwich" for them. Bah! I
(1)
Chris S.
Good pad si eu!
(5)
Alex M.
this place is good... I was able to look past the few flaws. It was dead, but we were there at a time between lunch and dinner. The music was awful, and a little loud, but whatever. My dish was amazing, I got a green bean curry stir fry that was out of control! soooo good. Everything tasted fresh, and was served super fast. I eat at a lot of thai places, and this is one i will come back to.
(4)
Michelle H.
Tasty. Spicy. Delectable. Flavorful. Perfection. Chai Yo's red curry is all of the above and then some. Fresh chunks of veggies [eggplant!] and your choice of meat bathe in the perfectly spicy red curry. A huge take out container + rice can be yours for the low, low price of $8. A steal! Were I not a pig, I'd have had leftovers, but that really wasn't happening. It was yummy in my tummy. Surprisingly enough, it didn't leave me with a gut bomb either. It was fresh and heavenly. We went with take out [thanks Andrew!], and they were super helpful via telephone regarding any questions we had. It was ready super quick, too. I'd definitely eat there again, although I don't know how comfortable I'd be actually eating in the converted house as opposed to takeout. The atmosphere, while clean and quaint, was almost too quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. It was a Sunday evening though. Perhaps it's not like that all the time. Then again, I tend to always feel uncomfortable eating in converted houses. We all know I'm crazy. This only further proves it. Regardless, fresh and affordable Thai food to be had here. Although I really doubt you could get me to eat anything but the curry.
(4)
Greg H.
While staying at the Doubletree for a conference, we went walking around Broadway for something to eat. This place looked pretty good from the outside - it is a converted house and had a nice aura about it. After going inside, it was like eating in a Thai family's living room. The waitress took the orders while her aunt did the cooking. We had the Red Curry and the Tom Yum soup. Both were pretty good - I try to order the Red Curry at Thai restaurants to get a feel for the place, and I liked this one because they included eggplant which for me is always a plus. If you are in the neighborhood and want to eat some Thai, check this place out.
(4)
Roman S.
I love this place. I think the service is, friendly, gracious, and fast, and the food is very good. If you like the wide noodles, try "Rad Na" some time. The description on the menu is a little plain, but this stuff is yummy! I have also tried most of the other menu items at lunch, and all were very good, and very consistent. Lunch specials are cheep too, about the same price as a "select" or "classic" foot long sandwich at subway. The only complaint I have is they do not have the "peppers in fish sauce" on the condiment trays, though otherwise good selection.
(4)
Jen T.
Chai Yo Thai serves up pretty average Thai food at above average prices. I mean, I would come here again (only because it's in my hood, yo), but if I had to recommend a "good" or a "value" Thai restaurant, this wouldn't even pop up on my radar. What kind of pissed me off is that with a mixed party, we all paid with cash (you know, the standard Andrew Jacksons and all), and the waitress didn't come back with our change. YEAH RIGHT LADY, as if we're gonna tip you $20! What bullshit. I had to ASK her for our change back, and then it wasn't even change (just a straight bill). Lame. I wish I didn't get pissed at petty shit like that (blame it on the hormones!), otherwise, I would've given Chai Yo a three.
(2)
Ss S.
Pork Curry is delicious! The service is above average. My partner & I made conversation with them. They found out we were visiting from out of town & they hooked us up w/ a free thai iced tea & told us other good sites to see. They were very friendly, willing to help & to top it off the food was the bomb!
(4)
Trang T.
Chai Yo is amazing. It's super tiny and the service is the same two or three waitresses. I only eat the Pad Thai there and won't try anything else only because I don't do spicy food. Doesn't smell, cozy atmosphere, and never obnoxiously loud. Highly recommended if you're in that area.
(5)
Sage T.
I went to Chai Yo with dreams of the best Drunken Noodle ever that I used to be obsessed with from Wonder Spice Cafe in Jamaica Plain, Mass. Unfortunately it did not measure up. The wide rice noodles were overcooked, the flavor was off and the beef was gristly. Don't get the Pad Khee Mao!
(2)
Tana J.
I like this place. Would not say they have the best Thai Food ever but they also do not have the worse. It is in my neightborhood, as are many, many other Thai places and so the more I try the more I can weed out. If you like Thai food and aren't an expert as too what it is to contain, taste, or exactly be like, then try this place, again it is not the worse but also not the best, 50/50 chance I will go again.
(3)
E W.
Solid Thai food. Did take-out for lunch and it was good! Slightly above average in taste. A good go-to.
(4)
Jennifer R.
We have eaten there multiple times. The duck curry was very nice, the pad thai with crab (big chunks of crab meat!), and the Tom Kah stand out. All in all, friendly staff, clean and peaceful atmosphere. It's in a house with big bright windows, they also have seating available outside for the summer.
(4)
Jacob G.
Decent Thai food in a restaurant that used to be a house. I had the pad thai, along with an order of orange chicken. Both were good but not amazing, but the prices were decent.
(4)
Judy N.
I was in Portland for a conference and the B&B we stayed at was right around the corner from Chai Yo. We ate there twice! My husband ordered the matsuman chicken both times. I ordered the pumpkin yellow curry the first time and the pad thai the second. All of it was wonderful and both of us ate for less than $25 including tea and beer! I'd definitely recommend eating here.
(4)
Jason K.
I'm right down from the street from Chai Yo and have been going there for a while now. I largely get take-out although I have eaten there on occasion. The food is always ready on time and the service is understated yet nice. Prices are very reasonable too. I was actually craving Thai one Sunday around noon and called not knowing that they didn't open until 3. Someone other than the usual person answered the phone and told me this unfortunate fact. Hearing my great sadness, he asked what I wanted and said he'd go to the kitchen to see if it was a possibility. 20 minutes later, I was satisfying my craving with some awesome Pad Khee Mao. That is above and beyond for sure and won my loyalty. They even know my name now. Give this place a shot.
(4)
David R.
I just writing a review because their soups are amazing and deserve praise. Yes, they're, like 9 or 10 bucks but it's worth it. Really fresh stocks and ingredients. This stuff will put you on your butt. Go get some.
(4)
Kammi L.
Love their pad Thai. I had the crab pad Thai a while back and the food tasted fresh. The service was great too. I've had odd luck with sauce being weak at some Thai joints but this place serves well.
(5)
Roxanne L.
I tried the fried rice with basil, chicken, mushrooms, & green beans. Pretty average. They use way too much oil. My fried rice was glistening when it arrived. Also it arrived about 5 minutes before my friend's entree arrived. The server was nice, but I agree with some of the other reviews. They need to do some deep cleaning. We had a little glass candle holder sitting on the ledge next to our table. It was filthy. Definitely made me wonder how clean the kitchen was. We only went here because Sweet Basil was closed. Won't be going back any time soon....
(3)
Analise B.
$15 for flavorless fried tofu and tom kha soup.... Blah. Thai pod up the street is much better in my opinion and much more reasonably priced.
(2)
Rosaleen G.
We got takeout from Chai Yo tonight because it got great reviews and was rated "Best of Citysearch". I'm kind of a thai food snob, so its safe to say that the noodle dishes are pretty bland and tasteless. My Pad See Ew was not that nice rich brown color I expected - with all that sauce and flavor. It looked just like some noodles with some pepper flakes stirred in. If you are looking for a noodle dish - Pad See Ew / Pad Kee Mao or anything of that nature, you are better off trying E-San, Thai Peacock or PK in the Pearl. The salad rolls were okay (you cant really mess those up) and the peanut sauce was good. Veggie Spring rolls were long and thin as opposed to short and stuffed with yummy stuff - my boyfriend was disappointed. I probably wont be eating there again.
(2)
Amiee H.
Food: Pad Kee Moa: Very unimpressed. The noodles were a little too overcooked and were borderline mushy. The beef was ok, the flavor was adequate but it really didn't hit the spot for me Service: The waitress had this "whatever" attitude. So it wasn't like she was mean but she definitely wasn't very nice or welcoming. She was good about refilling water though, I'll give her that much. The food took quite a long time to come too and there was only one other table there... Price: I guess kinda cheap, but when you think about the quality of the food, I don't think it was really worth it. Ambiance: This is the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars, is because it's pretty cute. Very cozy, house-like decor. It's very cute, but the chairs and tables were kinda placed too close together, I had this very crowded feeling which made me very uncomfortable. Overall: There wasn't much notable about the dining experience. Don't think I'll come again...
(3)
Karl W.
Chai Yo was "just alright" for me. I didn't really feel like there was anything special about the place. It's in a good location and the service was fast enough but I probably won't be going back. There are other place in Portland I would recommend if you want GREAT thai food.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No 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
Ris P.
Authentic Thai Food my well fed ass! They say "Authentic Thai Food" on their menu... but I highly doubt authentic Thai food is mediocre and flavorless for how popular their style has gotten. I've had better for cheaper. THIS PLACE SUCKS SO BAD! Okay, walked in and something smelled like a dirty, old kitchen. As the waitress (who kind of startled me cause she looked like a HOOKER with too much powdery make-up that looked like it would fall into my food... Like hello?! Earth to you! That's totally against health code girl friend!) sat us I did notice the kitchen having really grotesque looking floors. Really dark and grimy. So that explained the entering smell. She didn't speak much English, not like it mattered... because SADLY, not to be judgmental, I already expected bad customer service just by looking at her and her greeting. Anyways, I was on a limited lunch schedule and I ordered the Pad See Ew. It came pretty fast but IT WAS FLAVORLESS! IT WAS A SAD EXCUSE OF A MEAL! It was the most disappointing meal I have ever eaten in my life! I ate all the veggies left in my meal, payed, and left. No tip from me! AND I ALWAYS TIP! I too work in the FSI. Wanna hear a joke? Chai Yo Thai Restaurant! LMFAO! I should have read all the other posts about this place being horrible here on YELP before entering and wasting my money. Do yourself a favor and don't waste time on bad places, life is too short. ONLY THE WISE WILL LISTEN.
(1)Andrew K.
The woman who took my order to go was very nice. I got Pad Thai. For ten bucks. When I got home, there was barely enough food in the box to feed a mouse. It had no flavor. I called back to tell her, and she kept saying, "Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much." I will never go there again.
(1)Wayne R.
excellent food! everything is fresh and has a personal flair. I will make this a regular stop on my trips to Portland.
(4)Kammi L.
Love their pad Thai. I had the crab pad Thai a while back and the food tasted fresh. The service was great too. I've had odd luck with sauce being weak at some Thai joints but this place serves well.
(5)Roxanne L.
I tried the fried rice with basil, chicken, mushrooms, & green beans. Pretty average. They use way too much oil. My fried rice was glistening when it arrived. Also it arrived about 5 minutes before my friend's entree arrived. The server was nice, but I agree with some of the other reviews. They need to do some deep cleaning. We had a little glass candle holder sitting on the ledge next to our table. It was filthy. Definitely made me wonder how clean the kitchen was. We only went here because Sweet Basil was closed. Won't be going back any time soon....
(3)Analise B.
$15 for flavorless fried tofu and tom kha soup.... Blah. Thai pod up the street is much better in my opinion and much more reasonably priced.
(2)Maureen D.
We were visiting from out of town and decided to try Chai Yo. I ordered the Pumpkin Gaeng Dang (Red Curry) with tofu and it was absolutely delicious!! Really, really good. My husband and son also enjoyed their dinners. The service was quick and the inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely. Wish we lived in Portland so we could go back to eat there again!
(5)Rosaleen G.
We got takeout from Chai Yo tonight because it got great reviews and was rated "Best of Citysearch". I'm kind of a thai food snob, so its safe to say that the noodle dishes are pretty bland and tasteless. My Pad See Ew was not that nice rich brown color I expected - with all that sauce and flavor. It looked just like some noodles with some pepper flakes stirred in. If you are looking for a noodle dish - Pad See Ew / Pad Kee Mao or anything of that nature, you are better off trying E-San, Thai Peacock or PK in the Pearl. The salad rolls were okay (you cant really mess those up) and the peanut sauce was good. Veggie Spring rolls were long and thin as opposed to short and stuffed with yummy stuff - my boyfriend was disappointed. I probably wont be eating there again.
(2)Amiee H.
Food: Pad Kee Moa: Very unimpressed. The noodles were a little too overcooked and were borderline mushy. The beef was ok, the flavor was adequate but it really didn't hit the spot for me Service: The waitress had this "whatever" attitude. So it wasn't like she was mean but she definitely wasn't very nice or welcoming. She was good about refilling water though, I'll give her that much. The food took quite a long time to come too and there was only one other table there... Price: I guess kinda cheap, but when you think about the quality of the food, I don't think it was really worth it. Ambiance: This is the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars, is because it's pretty cute. Very cozy, house-like decor. It's very cute, but the chairs and tables were kinda placed too close together, I had this very crowded feeling which made me very uncomfortable. Overall: There wasn't much notable about the dining experience. Don't think I'll come again...
(3)Karl W.
Chai Yo was "just alright" for me. I didn't really feel like there was anything special about the place. It's in a good location and the service was fast enough but I probably won't be going back. There are other place in Portland I would recommend if you want GREAT thai food.
(3)Alison P.
I base my love for Thai restaurants on how well they make their Tom Ka Gai. This one was excellent! Very tasty and fresh!
(4)Ana B.
I'm by no means a Thai expert. Mexican food, I've got that down pat. Italian, I've got a good handle on that too. Maybe even sushi! But all that I know about Thai is that I like it, and I like it spicy. As much as I have tried to break out of my shell when it comes to eating, I am still a creature of habit in many ways. I always, always, all-ways order Pad Thai or some variation of it. So would my trip to Chai Yo be any different? Hellz no. Can I order the Pad Thai plz? XXXtra spicy. thx! My lovely company and I rushed in a little bit before 5, hungry like the wolf. We were met with an empty establishment. Normally this is the high sign to head for the hills. If I have learned anything it's not to dine in places that are void of customers. Throwing caution to the wind for the sake of hunger I had a seat by the window. You could hear a pin drop in this place if it weren't for the obnoxious music. I want to take a moment to stress how bad this music was, I don't normally notice things like this. I did however branch out for some avocado rolls for an appetizer, I was one hungry girl. It didn't really feel like branching out once they arrived, they tasted like something you could order at Applebees. They had tomatoes which I wasn't to sure about, they seemed to kill the mood. They hit a spot, the hungry spot, but not the right spot. The Pad Thai on the other hand came through like a champ. Perfectly spicy. not overly oily, just right. In all my Pad Thai eating I wouldn't say that it stands out, but nothing to be frowned upon either. It just occurred to me that she never took my drink order, because I would've undoubtedly ordered a beer. I wasn't wow-ed.
(3)John P.
Small, cozy, great food on the cheap side. It's not the fanciest of places but food is good.
(5)Aimee L.
Yum. I forgot about this little gem - great lunch hideaway and great Thai food. The service is terrific and while the menu has great offerings, I'm a sucker for a classic pad thai. Even if you aren't a veggie, try it with their tofu - long tasty strips of it that are SO good, rather than those awful flavorless cubes you see at the cheapo spots. MMM. Everything tastes fresh and good and comfort food-y. Plus the lunch menu is inexpensive and okay, I am a sucker for pretty food presentation!
(4)Kathryn L.
Hands down my favorite Thai restaurant in Portland and that is saying a lot! The food is always delicious and served with a smile. Particular favorites include the Tom Yum with Chicken, and the Pumpkin Curry.
(4)kelly c.
We generally eat Thai take-out once a week. That said, it is important to me when relocating to find our neighborhood Thai place. Portland has an abundance of good and great Thai restaurants, so I think we set the bar pretty high for our weekly Thai spot. We moved to the neighborhood in December and have eaten at Chai Yo about once a week since designating it our weekly stop (this came only after we tested out every other option within walking or short biking distance of our house). Chai Yo has the following things going for it: great value, excellent food and super-friendly staff. I can recommend the salad rolls, tom yum and tom kah soups, any curry (in love with the red right now; my husband is not crazy about their panang curry), pad key mao & mango delight.
(4)Maja R.
I had ordered from here twice, 1st time great, 2nd time good. The 2nd time I ordered my food medium, and OMG it was INSANELY HOT, it had awesome flavor before the heat melted my lips off. So I am like excited & hesitant to order again..... I just put my order in for a 3rd time, haven't gotten my food yet, but we will see, This time I ordered it NOT SPICY this time and I pray that it isn't because I do not think I could suffer again.
(4)Adam B.
I finished another disappointing meal from Chai Yo. I've been eating here quite often in the past month and waiting for a replication of a pretty knockout meal I once had here. I'm sick of the inconsistency. Some times, meals will be decent. Other times, I feel very disappointed I ordered food here. Tonight, my dish had undercooked onions and peppers, overcooked or old eggplant, and was much, much spicier than I asked for. I love fiery food just fine, but I want it to be a flavorful spicy. There's no sense putting up with the punishment for a mediocre dish.
(2)Elizabeth L.
This is hands down one of my favorite Thai places. Ever. Not just in Portland, this place just plain rocks. My family and I go here quite often and I've ordered just about everything that isn't desperately spicy (yes, I am a wuss and yes, you should shut up). My favorites include: The special coconut curry with halibut, which is outstanding. The avocado spring rolls, which you won't find anywhere else. The classic pad thai, which is absurdly peanut-y and delicious. And of course the classic garlic stir fry, because who doesn't love heap-loads of garlic? The waitress is extremely sweet, she recognizes us every time we go in. I've brought just about every friend I've got in Portland to this place and we always have a fantastic time - I've never heard a single one say a bad word about the place. The atmosphere/space is always wonderful too - it's in an old house on NE Broadway right above Petisco, never too crowded or noisy, always has an outside table during the spring/summer months. A lot of their business is take-out, so it's a great place to have a quiet dinner by yourself or with some friends. Definitely worth going in, it's really great Thai food in Portland for a really great price. I live all the way in deep SE and I make the trek up to NE just to hit this place up. MM MM GOOD.
(5)Jon N.
Went here once. Got the chicken pad Thai. Absolutely most disgusting food I have ever tasted. Completely bland and flavorless. Do NOT eat here! Try Pad Thai Kitchen on Belmont, delicious food!
(1)Im hungry L.
Best crab fried rice I ever had. The service was excellent. The place is nice, converted from an old home with many smaller rooms. We orderd green chicken curry, pad ke mo noodles, crab fried rice, ming kum, and mango w sticky rice, plus two thai ice teas. $48 plus tip - what a bargain for some yummy food. Each order was served hot and had the perfection of the kitchen written all over it. We will be back the next time we are in town pursuing a Thai eatery in Portland.
(4)K L.
Place was super dead on a Wednesday at dinner time. I was the only diner at 7:30PM. Tried the papaya salad. Ordered it spicy. Normally, it comes out lame.... this time it was VERY spicy. I enjoyed it since my water glass was refilled several times. (note to self - try medium) Service was good and attentive. But it should be as there was NO ONE else there. Nice music was playing in the dining area and I could hear a TV or radio blaring in the kitchen. Nice.... reminds me of my near deaf elderly parents and their dueling TV's. Tried the pad thai. I ordered it with both chicken and shrimp. My husband is not a fan, so I try to eat it when I can. Not very good. Too saucy. They did put a lot of shrimp and chicken on it. I have had some great pad thai, so I was bummed. I should have stayed with the pad saw ew (but we always eat that) I did appreciate the fact that they take Amex. I expensed my dinner.
(3)Cedric J.
Out of all the Thai places in Lloyd area, this is my favourite. Food: 5 (damned good menu) Atmosphere: 4 (nice, old house) Service: 4 (Quick, consistent, friendly) Value: 3 (average for Thai, about 7$ for lunch) Sustainability: 1 (no mention of anything green; no local produce that I know of) I love Thai food. And this place isn't that place to burn your face off with heat, but it is that place to get, in my world, comfort food. I've had their pad kee mao, pad thai, mussaman curry, rad nah, cashew nut, etc. and all of their dishes are served properly: with rice and a spoon. The flavours and mixture of veggies and meat and noodles is always good. The server is always the same lady and she's very nice and attentive. The atmosphere is a gorgeous, 100 year-old house, and I can get in and out of there for lunch in about 20 minutes if I'm ever in a hurry. Try the cashew nut, mussaman curry (if you're starting to feel sick, it really helps with the throat), and the rad nah (their gravy is great). I've never been disappointed. And I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Alli S.
I've had the lunch special curry a few times now, for the price it is awesome. The medium spice is a perfect balance of spice without causing an overwhelming urge for relief.
(5)Alyss B.
Chai Yo is the best Thai Food in Portland as far as I'm concerned. Their food is distinctly different than most other places though the menu looks pretty much the same. The curries are fantastic - spicy, rich, interesting. If they have Crying Tiger special you should get it! Grilled steak with a spicy dipping sauce. So delicious. And the peanut sauce they serve with their spring rolls is the best in town. The restaurant itself is cozy in an old house on Broadway and the lady waitress is really sweet. You won't regret a meal at Chai Yo.
(5)Klaus O.
I dropped in there while I was in the area for lunch. Sat outside on the porch, which has a good view onto the street scene. I ordered a vegetable dish with tofu. Everything was good except the tofu. A fried terrible shell with nothing inside. It is hard to make tofu taste good, but that was pretty much inedible. I am vegetarian, so I won't try any meat dishes there. A clean bath room rounds up this review.
(3)Zee K.
Yum, yum. Our party of 6 showed up at this apparently 'always super-dead' restaurant at the exact same time as a group of 20 athletes. Even though they had a total of three people working (including kitchen staff), they busted their butts keeping everyone happy. A few mistakes, but very good service, they checked on us regularly and our appetizers showed up within 10-15 minutes of ordering - incredible for a restaurant suddenly hit with 30 orders at the same time. My friend and I shared the avocado spring roll thing (meh), massamun curry (serious YUM), and the pad see ew with scallops. Ate myself well past full, and would definitely go again. Love the big old Portland house for a restaurant, too.
(5)Jim F.
I have eaten here several times. Every time I've really liked it. Someone complained about too much sauce on their Pad Thai. For me, it was just right, because i like plenty of sauce. More often I'm left wishing there was more, at other restaurants. The service is attentive (because it's usually super-dead) and the food comes quick, and though it's not "cheap", the portion is plentiful. Yay, I'm a fan!
(4)Heather H.
You can keep your Sweet Basil. Any place that cannot be bothered to cut up a friggen carrot is not my idea of good Thai - and i'm sick of finding whole "baby" carrots (aka, regular carrots that have been processed in a rock tumbler) in my curry. Chai Yo is outstandingly solid. Fresh ingredients, inventive specials, reliable takes on the standards we all expect in a neighborhood Thai joint. And if you're a regular (and I was, once upon a time), they treat you like one in pleasantly small but noticeable ways. My standard order is their bright Crispy Basil (with ground chicken and shrimp - not on the menu, sometimes on the specials board, but you can special order it), the warm, silky yellow curry, and the springy fish cakes filled with basil and green onion, dipped in a sweet/tangy sauce studded with minced cukes and red onion. Okay then. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!
(4)Wanugee N.
Chai Yo Thai is a cozy little restaurant nestled inside an old wood house in the comfy Broadway district of Portland. They use fresh ingredients and no MSG. It has been here about 7 years, and it is a great find. You walk up stairs to the porch of this little restaurant in the house, and on warm days sit on the porch to eat, or go inside and sit in the living room above hard-wood floors, amongst Thai statues with a cozy half dozen tables looking out Victorian windows to the street. The kitchen is, well, back in the kitchen of this house. The restaurant is clean and elegantly understated, with gracious service. We started with the popular Tom Yum soup, here served with lemongrass, kaffir leaves, onions, mushrooms, fresh squeezed lime juice and tomato wedges. Tasty without being overly sweet like some places. ($10.95) There was enough for about 5 small bowls. A nice Yum Pla Mouk salad (also $10.95) followed, This Squid rings, lemon grass, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, crushed dried chili, and fresh lime juice. It was refreshing and nice. Our final dish was a special, a nice lightly grilled Salmon in a delicate yellow curry sauce with potatoes, carrots and onions, served with rice. We ordered a Thai Chang Beer each to go with our food, which is light and soothing. The food was all enough for 2 men, although we were not real hungry. They have a nice selection of Thai dishes, and most standards you can order with your choice of main ingredient, i.e. beef, chicken, seafood, tofu, etc. You can also select the heat/spiciness of the dish, but I would say that Medium here is more like Mild in other places. We enjoyed the quaint ambiance, pleasing service from our Laotian waitress, and the tasty food.
(4)Pinky R.
I haven't eaten much on the menu. OK, I've only eaten two things. The avocado egg rolls are awesome, and the mussaman curry is AMAZING! If you like curry and coconut, get this. And if everything else on the menu is equally delicious then this place rules. Sadly, I'll never know because I'll be unable to order anything else from them but the mussaman curry. It blows my mind.
(5)Mike G.
Enjoyed a delightful lunch today at Chai Yo. Their yellow curry chicken was superbly prepared with and excellent balance between the coconut milk and curry used in the sauce. Great flavor with an adequate level of spice. Not so much to scorch the palette. Service was very good and the owner is charming. I highly recommend Chai Yo for your next Thai adventure.
(5)Karen P.
Rasafrasa...hmph! I used to be a frequent customer (and despite them being as another reviewer deemed, "crazy", I put up with it as their steamed tofu & peanut sauce was out of this world.) I no longer long for their Pra Ram. In short, for me they are through...Ta ta, arivaderci, & good riddance! They have never once in the three years I have lived in this neighborhood fulfilled my "to go" order correctly. Tonight there was a measly portion of spinach & broccoli and the marvelous tofu is no longer. The peanut sauce was slimy, though plentiful (that said in that "I'm going to gag" way). I managed to rescue a portion of the tofu by washing it off (blech! I should not have to do that, no?!) It pains me...their Tom Yum used to be marvelous, but "extra hot" morphed into "mild for grandma" over time. I feel sad...that tofu used to rock my world. Now it's just your ordinary, run of the mill Thai place. The same thing happened at Thai Pod (once the mgmt. changed the vegetabes came from "the Jolly Green Giant". Their "I've died & gone to heaven" thai fried rice went to heqq instead). I like to have a rapport with the restaurants I frequent (regardless of their level of sophistication). Lack thereof = lack of communication (hence, my posting). I can't even do "the love sandwich" for them. Bah! I
(1)Chris S.
Good pad si eu!
(5)Alex M.
this place is good... I was able to look past the few flaws. It was dead, but we were there at a time between lunch and dinner. The music was awful, and a little loud, but whatever. My dish was amazing, I got a green bean curry stir fry that was out of control! soooo good. Everything tasted fresh, and was served super fast. I eat at a lot of thai places, and this is one i will come back to.
(4)Barry S.
Quite yummy food. I recommend the pumpkin curry. The space is very small, which can be a good thing if you want a cozy experience. It can also backfire if you end up seated next to some self-appointed social media expert who needs to run an endless conference call on their cell phone for the duration of your stay. But the pumpkin curry is top-notch.
(4)Nancy E.
I live in Salem and this is the ONLY thai place I will eat at!
(5)Reece M.
After a second trip, i've decided that there will be many more in the future. my girlfriend is a stickler when it comes to thai. she's worked in thai restaurants. she's got strong opinions of what is good and what isn't. when she suggested we go back here for a second time, it excited me, as i thought it was quite tasty the first time. i've had the opportunity to try four dishes (pad thai, pad kee maow, yellow curry, and pra ram) as well as the salad rolls - and all of them were quite good. each new thing has made me excited to try something else on the menu. the dining rooms are a bit odd, but the servers are nice, and fast. i totally recommend this place!
(4)Michelle H.
Tasty. Spicy. Delectable. Flavorful. Perfection. Chai Yo's red curry is all of the above and then some. Fresh chunks of veggies [eggplant!] and your choice of meat bathe in the perfectly spicy red curry. A huge take out container + rice can be yours for the low, low price of $8. A steal! Were I not a pig, I'd have had leftovers, but that really wasn't happening. It was yummy in my tummy. Surprisingly enough, it didn't leave me with a gut bomb either. It was fresh and heavenly. We went with take out [thanks Andrew!], and they were super helpful via telephone regarding any questions we had. It was ready super quick, too. I'd definitely eat there again, although I don't know how comfortable I'd be actually eating in the converted house as opposed to takeout. The atmosphere, while clean and quaint, was almost too quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. It was a Sunday evening though. Perhaps it's not like that all the time. Then again, I tend to always feel uncomfortable eating in converted houses. We all know I'm crazy. This only further proves it. Regardless, fresh and affordable Thai food to be had here. Although I really doubt you could get me to eat anything but the curry.
(4)Greg H.
While staying at the Doubletree for a conference, we went walking around Broadway for something to eat. This place looked pretty good from the outside - it is a converted house and had a nice aura about it. After going inside, it was like eating in a Thai family's living room. The waitress took the orders while her aunt did the cooking. We had the Red Curry and the Tom Yum soup. Both were pretty good - I try to order the Red Curry at Thai restaurants to get a feel for the place, and I liked this one because they included eggplant which for me is always a plus. If you are in the neighborhood and want to eat some Thai, check this place out.
(4)Roman S.
I love this place. I think the service is, friendly, gracious, and fast, and the food is very good. If you like the wide noodles, try "Rad Na" some time. The description on the menu is a little plain, but this stuff is yummy! I have also tried most of the other menu items at lunch, and all were very good, and very consistent. Lunch specials are cheep too, about the same price as a "select" or "classic" foot long sandwich at subway. The only complaint I have is they do not have the "peppers in fish sauce" on the condiment trays, though otherwise good selection.
(4)Jen T.
Chai Yo Thai serves up pretty average Thai food at above average prices. I mean, I would come here again (only because it's in my hood, yo), but if I had to recommend a "good" or a "value" Thai restaurant, this wouldn't even pop up on my radar. What kind of pissed me off is that with a mixed party, we all paid with cash (you know, the standard Andrew Jacksons and all), and the waitress didn't come back with our change. YEAH RIGHT LADY, as if we're gonna tip you $20! What bullshit. I had to ASK her for our change back, and then it wasn't even change (just a straight bill). Lame. I wish I didn't get pissed at petty shit like that (blame it on the hormones!), otherwise, I would've given Chai Yo a three.
(2)Ss S.
Pork Curry is delicious! The service is above average. My partner & I made conversation with them. They found out we were visiting from out of town & they hooked us up w/ a free thai iced tea & told us other good sites to see. They were very friendly, willing to help & to top it off the food was the bomb!
(4)Trang T.
Chai Yo is amazing. It's super tiny and the service is the same two or three waitresses. I only eat the Pad Thai there and won't try anything else only because I don't do spicy food. Doesn't smell, cozy atmosphere, and never obnoxiously loud. Highly recommended if you're in that area.
(5)Sage T.
I went to Chai Yo with dreams of the best Drunken Noodle ever that I used to be obsessed with from Wonder Spice Cafe in Jamaica Plain, Mass. Unfortunately it did not measure up. The wide rice noodles were overcooked, the flavor was off and the beef was gristly. Don't get the Pad Khee Mao!
(2)Tana J.
I like this place. Would not say they have the best Thai Food ever but they also do not have the worse. It is in my neightborhood, as are many, many other Thai places and so the more I try the more I can weed out. If you like Thai food and aren't an expert as too what it is to contain, taste, or exactly be like, then try this place, again it is not the worse but also not the best, 50/50 chance I will go again.
(3)E W.
Solid Thai food. Did take-out for lunch and it was good! Slightly above average in taste. A good go-to.
(4)Jennifer R.
We have eaten there multiple times. The duck curry was very nice, the pad thai with crab (big chunks of crab meat!), and the Tom Kah stand out. All in all, friendly staff, clean and peaceful atmosphere. It's in a house with big bright windows, they also have seating available outside for the summer.
(4)Jacob G.
Decent Thai food in a restaurant that used to be a house. I had the pad thai, along with an order of orange chicken. Both were good but not amazing, but the prices were decent.
(4)Judy N.
I was in Portland for a conference and the B&B we stayed at was right around the corner from Chai Yo. We ate there twice! My husband ordered the matsuman chicken both times. I ordered the pumpkin yellow curry the first time and the pad thai the second. All of it was wonderful and both of us ate for less than $25 including tea and beer! I'd definitely recommend eating here.
(4)Jason K.
I'm right down from the street from Chai Yo and have been going there for a while now. I largely get take-out although I have eaten there on occasion. The food is always ready on time and the service is understated yet nice. Prices are very reasonable too. I was actually craving Thai one Sunday around noon and called not knowing that they didn't open until 3. Someone other than the usual person answered the phone and told me this unfortunate fact. Hearing my great sadness, he asked what I wanted and said he'd go to the kitchen to see if it was a possibility. 20 minutes later, I was satisfying my craving with some awesome Pad Khee Mao. That is above and beyond for sure and won my loyalty. They even know my name now. Give this place a shot.
(4)David R.
I just writing a review because their soups are amazing and deserve praise. Yes, they're, like 9 or 10 bucks but it's worth it. Really fresh stocks and ingredients. This stuff will put you on your butt. Go get some.
(4)Kelly W.
I have been coming here for at least 10 years. Probably more. I always order the same thing: chicken mango stir fry. It's delicious. The staff are friendly and service is quick. Today I took a closer look and everything was dirty: the restroom, floors and walls. It needs a deep clean desperately!
(4)Olivia D.
I'll keep it short and sweet. My fried dumplings were inedible, hard as a rock, and an odd brown color. and they were served on a bed of lettuce that was wilted & a grey/brown color. They served me lettuce that anyone would have normally thrown away days ago. It even smelled bad. Now my stomach is churning, so we'll see how this plays out... :(
(1)Justin C.
Won't be going back. The service was slow (the server seemed over worked, maybe someone was sick) and the portions were small and the Pad Prik Khing was far inferior to what you get at ESan. The worst part: the kitchen couldn't seem to get our orders out together. We were a table of 5 and a table of 3 came in about 10 minutes after we got there. Let's call our table A and their table B. The orders came out like this: A1, A2, small wait, A3, small wait, B1, B2, B3, small wait, A4, A5. Meaning that we were sitting there looking at our food while another table that came in after us got -all- of their food, then we got ours. Really poor execution from the kitchen. The coconut ice cream was tasty.
(2)Audrey J.
This place is super close to my apartment, so it's my go to when I'm craving Thai (which is often)! The food is really good, and the staff is very friendly. The only downside for me is the portion size for the price. Thai is very hit or miss in Portland, and this place is at least worth trying! Lots of vegetarian/vegan options available.
(4)Todd C.
Attipan was a wonderful waiter. The tom kah gai was delish. A little watery, but full of flavor. The pad kee mao was amazing!!!!! Cannot wait to come back tomorrow. Actually want to give them 4.5 stars but the app won't allow that.
(4)Khem C.
In the Lloyd center area? And want some authentic Thai food? Well this place is legit! I've been here three times now, and they never disappoint. The service here is fast and friendly, the food is on point, and if you're a spicy food lover, then I dare you to try out any of their dish with a 5 star HOT!! At every Thai food joint, I always order the Pad Kee Mao ( Drunken Noodles).
(4)Robert H.
A truly BAD restaurant. I had the green beans with shrimp. Shrimp nearly raw, beans overcooked. One of our party had fried rice with crab, and when she told the waitress that there was no crab she was told that it was there, the pieces were just very small.
(1)D E.
Ordered the pad kee mao with chicken and was very pleased. Large portions and excellent ingredients (i.e. great cuts of meat, no fat or scraps). The heat definitely kicked in after a few bites and I had to put it down and grab some water. I'm in Portland for a week so I'll have plenty of leftovers...plan to go back again before I leave. Highly recommended.
(5)Jordan G.
For $14 for one dinner and an appetizer, I expect a few leftovers. No such luck. Dinner price, lunch portion. Pad see ew and fresh rolls: the only vegetable was about five trees of broccoli, aside from a meager portion of cilantro. The noodles were not bad, but didn't seem worth the amount I paid, and the chicken was a little rubbery and dry. Salad rolls were serviceable but nothing special. I hope this place improves or gets replaced.
(2)Parker T.
I visited Chai Yo today for lunch (I wanted to try somewhere new in my walking-distance area) & was treated to excellent service from a very helpful waitress (she happened to also be vegan), a generous portion of well-flavored food for the price ($7.50), & a cozy environment to dine in. I ordered the Pad Priew Wan (sweet & sour stir-fry) with tofu & thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the restaurant was quite busy around 1pm, my entire dining experience clocked in at thirty minutes, which seemed just fine given the attentive service & tasty cuisine. Although I still enjoy Mae Ploy's excellent $7 lunch specials (which also come with a free soup or salad, & one egg roll), I'm quite pleased to have a viable Thai option in this part of Portland. Their menu mentions no MSG usage, that they use organic herbs, & that they understand how to prepare strict vegetarian/vegan dishes, all of which are appreciated.
(4)Nick D.
When I got inside I was prompted by a personable waitress. Got our water promptly, and came back a few times to see if we were ready to order. After we put in our order the waitress brought us a tofu appetizer (might have been complimentary) and an extra drink we didn't order. I figured why not enjoy it than have them bring it back.. I took about a good 10-15 mins to ask the waitress if the tofu was breaded it at that point. We weren't able to ask until our food arrived and it was cold. When the food came to the table my order was just above lukewarm temp as they were probably waiting on my other parties curry to cook. I didn't want to complain and wait any longer so I just ate it anyways. It was overly salty and I wasn't able to find the waitress to ask for any spices. While getting through my meal I overheard many of other peoples call in orders being the incorrect ones. All in all I think I'll avoid this extablishment. I would maybe come again for another try if there was no other option and I had a craving for thai food. The portion sizes were on the small side as well.
(2)Sean A.
Super tasty food. Takes a while to get to the table though... and not all at once. Quiet and awkward in there though if there's no music playing.
(4)Kelly B.
I ordered the pumpkin curry spicy to go . The lady told me 10 mins and since I live near by I arrived exactly 10 mins later and my food was packaged and ready to go ! There are so many mediocre thai places in Portland but I feel like this is one is above average . My curry was filled with veggies and had a great taste . I was also able to ask which curries weren't made with fish sauce and had 3 options including masaum , yellow and the pumpkin curry . I didn't sit down to eat but the dining area appears to be very pleasant .
(4)Drj J.
I ordered chicken pad thai and a sapporo. The pad thai was excellent, the portion size for lunch was a tad small but I didn't want to walk around with left overs anyway. Service was nice, I was checked on at appropriate times during my meal.
(5)Beverly H.
Visiting from out of town, and stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant in a fun neighborhood. Just had dinner with my husband and a friend. We shared three delicious meals: Stir-fried spinach with tofu, Red Curry with chicken and fired noodles with shrimp. Each one was outstanding. I only wish this restaurant wasn't 700 miles from our home!
(5)Christina D.
PLEASE avoid this place at all cost! I ordered Pad Thai with beef and it was gross. There is no flavor whatsoever. The only thing that tastes fine is the thai iced tea. First and LAST time going here!
(1)Curtis M.
Price was great and food was so tasty! I paid half of what I would have in most of the restaurants around this area. I had some vegetarian noodles and a Thai Iced Tea. It reminded me of the food I had in SF... My favorite place to get Thai food. I felt Chaiyo was nutritious, with fresh beautiful looking vegetables and was delicious. Thai tea was amazing too!
(5)Jenny B.
Oh dear.... My second try. Last time was perfectly mediocre. This time was just plain bad. I ordered Tom Kha Soup with Squid and Chicken Satay. The satay was leathery, too thin, and very bland. It was barely food. The soup...where to begin? The broth had separated/curdled and had a grainy texture. I really can't believe they served it on that point alone. The flavor was all tomato paste and barely any seasoning. If I closed my eyes, you could convince me I was eating Campbell's Tomato. I found a huge piece of dehydrated, half black ginger in my soup. The squid was the processed patty kind full of additives and fillers that has to be scored to curl up like the real thing (this stuff is to squid what hot dogs are to pork). I counted exactly 3 small mushrooms hiding in a sea of onions. The whole thing just made me sad. Especially the part where I spent my hard earned money on this stuff. :-( I should have taken it as fair warning that they didn't have a single customer at 6 PM on a Friday.
(1)Wanugee N.
Chai Yo Thai is a cozy little restaurant nestled inside an old wood house in the comfy Broadway district of Portland. They use fresh ingredients and no MSG. It has been here about 7 years, and it is a great find. You walk up stairs to the porch of this little restaurant in the house, and on warm days sit on the porch to eat, or go inside and sit in the living room above hard-wood floors, amongst Thai statues with a cozy half dozen tables looking out Victorian windows to the street. The kitchen is, well, back in the kitchen of this house. The restaurant is clean and elegantly understated, with gracious service. We started with the popular Tom Yum soup, here served with lemongrass, kaffir leaves, onions, mushrooms, fresh squeezed lime juice and tomato wedges. Tasty without being overly sweet like some places. ($10.95) There was enough for about 5 small bowls. A nice Yum Pla Mouk salad (also $10.95) followed, This Squid rings, lemon grass, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, crushed dried chili, and fresh lime juice. It was refreshing and nice. Our final dish was a special, a nice lightly grilled Salmon in a delicate yellow curry sauce with potatoes, carrots and onions, served with rice. We ordered a Thai Chang Beer each to go with our food, which is light and soothing. The food was all enough for 2 men, although we were not real hungry. They have a nice selection of Thai dishes, and most standards you can order with your choice of main ingredient, i.e. beef, chicken, seafood, tofu, etc. You can also select the heat/spiciness of the dish, but I would say that Medium here is more like Mild in other places. We enjoyed the quaint ambiance, pleasing service from our Laotian waitress, and the tasty food.
(4)Karen P.
Rasafrasa...hmph! I used to be a frequent customer (and despite them being as another reviewer deemed, "crazy", I put up with it as their steamed tofu & peanut sauce was out of this world.) I no longer long for their Pra Ram. In short, for me they are through...Ta ta, arivaderci, & good riddance! They have never once in the three years I have lived in this neighborhood fulfilled my "to go" order correctly. Tonight there was a measly portion of spinach & broccoli and the marvelous tofu is no longer. The peanut sauce was slimy, though plentiful (that said in that "I'm going to gag" way). I managed to rescue a portion of the tofu by washing it off (blech! I should not have to do that, no?!) It pains me...their Tom Yum used to be marvelous, but "extra hot" morphed into "mild for grandma" over time. I feel sad...that tofu used to rock my world. Now it's just your ordinary, run of the mill Thai place. The same thing happened at Thai Pod (once the mgmt. changed the vegetabes came from "the Jolly Green Giant". Their "I've died & gone to heaven" thai fried rice went to heqq instead). I like to have a rapport with the restaurants I frequent (regardless of their level of sophistication). Lack thereof = lack of communication (hence, my posting). I can't even do "the love sandwich" for them. Bah! I
(1)Chris S.
Good pad si eu!
(5)Alex M.
this place is good... I was able to look past the few flaws. It was dead, but we were there at a time between lunch and dinner. The music was awful, and a little loud, but whatever. My dish was amazing, I got a green bean curry stir fry that was out of control! soooo good. Everything tasted fresh, and was served super fast. I eat at a lot of thai places, and this is one i will come back to.
(4)Barry S.
Quite yummy food. I recommend the pumpkin curry. The space is very small, which can be a good thing if you want a cozy experience. It can also backfire if you end up seated next to some self-appointed social media expert who needs to run an endless conference call on their cell phone for the duration of your stay. But the pumpkin curry is top-notch.
(4)Nancy E.
I live in Salem and this is the ONLY thai place I will eat at!
(5)Reece M.
After a second trip, i've decided that there will be many more in the future. my girlfriend is a stickler when it comes to thai. she's worked in thai restaurants. she's got strong opinions of what is good and what isn't. when she suggested we go back here for a second time, it excited me, as i thought it was quite tasty the first time. i've had the opportunity to try four dishes (pad thai, pad kee maow, yellow curry, and pra ram) as well as the salad rolls - and all of them were quite good. each new thing has made me excited to try something else on the menu. the dining rooms are a bit odd, but the servers are nice, and fast. i totally recommend this place!
(4)Michelle H.
Tasty. Spicy. Delectable. Flavorful. Perfection. Chai Yo's red curry is all of the above and then some. Fresh chunks of veggies [eggplant!] and your choice of meat bathe in the perfectly spicy red curry. A huge take out container + rice can be yours for the low, low price of $8. A steal! Were I not a pig, I'd have had leftovers, but that really wasn't happening. It was yummy in my tummy. Surprisingly enough, it didn't leave me with a gut bomb either. It was fresh and heavenly. We went with take out [thanks Andrew!], and they were super helpful via telephone regarding any questions we had. It was ready super quick, too. I'd definitely eat there again, although I don't know how comfortable I'd be actually eating in the converted house as opposed to takeout. The atmosphere, while clean and quaint, was almost too quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. It was a Sunday evening though. Perhaps it's not like that all the time. Then again, I tend to always feel uncomfortable eating in converted houses. We all know I'm crazy. This only further proves it. Regardless, fresh and affordable Thai food to be had here. Although I really doubt you could get me to eat anything but the curry.
(4)Greg H.
While staying at the Doubletree for a conference, we went walking around Broadway for something to eat. This place looked pretty good from the outside - it is a converted house and had a nice aura about it. After going inside, it was like eating in a Thai family's living room. The waitress took the orders while her aunt did the cooking. We had the Red Curry and the Tom Yum soup. Both were pretty good - I try to order the Red Curry at Thai restaurants to get a feel for the place, and I liked this one because they included eggplant which for me is always a plus. If you are in the neighborhood and want to eat some Thai, check this place out.
(4)Roman S.
I love this place. I think the service is, friendly, gracious, and fast, and the food is very good. If you like the wide noodles, try "Rad Na" some time. The description on the menu is a little plain, but this stuff is yummy! I have also tried most of the other menu items at lunch, and all were very good, and very consistent. Lunch specials are cheep too, about the same price as a "select" or "classic" foot long sandwich at subway. The only complaint I have is they do not have the "peppers in fish sauce" on the condiment trays, though otherwise good selection.
(4)Jen T.
Chai Yo Thai serves up pretty average Thai food at above average prices. I mean, I would come here again (only because it's in my hood, yo), but if I had to recommend a "good" or a "value" Thai restaurant, this wouldn't even pop up on my radar. What kind of pissed me off is that with a mixed party, we all paid with cash (you know, the standard Andrew Jacksons and all), and the waitress didn't come back with our change. YEAH RIGHT LADY, as if we're gonna tip you $20! What bullshit. I had to ASK her for our change back, and then it wasn't even change (just a straight bill). Lame. I wish I didn't get pissed at petty shit like that (blame it on the hormones!), otherwise, I would've given Chai Yo a three.
(2)Pinky R.
I haven't eaten much on the menu. OK, I've only eaten two things. The avocado egg rolls are awesome, and the mussaman curry is AMAZING! If you like curry and coconut, get this. And if everything else on the menu is equally delicious then this place rules. Sadly, I'll never know because I'll be unable to order anything else from them but the mussaman curry. It blows my mind.
(5)Mike G.
Enjoyed a delightful lunch today at Chai Yo. Their yellow curry chicken was superbly prepared with and excellent balance between the coconut milk and curry used in the sauce. Great flavor with an adequate level of spice. Not so much to scorch the palette. Service was very good and the owner is charming. I highly recommend Chai Yo for your next Thai adventure.
(5)Ss S.
Pork Curry is delicious! The service is above average. My partner & I made conversation with them. They found out we were visiting from out of town & they hooked us up w/ a free thai iced tea & told us other good sites to see. They were very friendly, willing to help & to top it off the food was the bomb!
(4)Trang T.
Chai Yo is amazing. It's super tiny and the service is the same two or three waitresses. I only eat the Pad Thai there and won't try anything else only because I don't do spicy food. Doesn't smell, cozy atmosphere, and never obnoxiously loud. Highly recommended if you're in that area.
(5)Sage T.
I went to Chai Yo with dreams of the best Drunken Noodle ever that I used to be obsessed with from Wonder Spice Cafe in Jamaica Plain, Mass. Unfortunately it did not measure up. The wide rice noodles were overcooked, the flavor was off and the beef was gristly. Don't get the Pad Khee Mao!
(2)Tana J.
I like this place. Would not say they have the best Thai Food ever but they also do not have the worse. It is in my neightborhood, as are many, many other Thai places and so the more I try the more I can weed out. If you like Thai food and aren't an expert as too what it is to contain, taste, or exactly be like, then try this place, again it is not the worse but also not the best, 50/50 chance I will go again.
(3)E W.
Solid Thai food. Did take-out for lunch and it was good! Slightly above average in taste. A good go-to.
(4)Jennifer R.
We have eaten there multiple times. The duck curry was very nice, the pad thai with crab (big chunks of crab meat!), and the Tom Kah stand out. All in all, friendly staff, clean and peaceful atmosphere. It's in a house with big bright windows, they also have seating available outside for the summer.
(4)Jacob G.
Decent Thai food in a restaurant that used to be a house. I had the pad thai, along with an order of orange chicken. Both were good but not amazing, but the prices were decent.
(4)Judy N.
I was in Portland for a conference and the B&B we stayed at was right around the corner from Chai Yo. We ate there twice! My husband ordered the matsuman chicken both times. I ordered the pumpkin yellow curry the first time and the pad thai the second. All of it was wonderful and both of us ate for less than $25 including tea and beer! I'd definitely recommend eating here.
(4)Jason K.
I'm right down from the street from Chai Yo and have been going there for a while now. I largely get take-out although I have eaten there on occasion. The food is always ready on time and the service is understated yet nice. Prices are very reasonable too. I was actually craving Thai one Sunday around noon and called not knowing that they didn't open until 3. Someone other than the usual person answered the phone and told me this unfortunate fact. Hearing my great sadness, he asked what I wanted and said he'd go to the kitchen to see if it was a possibility. 20 minutes later, I was satisfying my craving with some awesome Pad Khee Mao. That is above and beyond for sure and won my loyalty. They even know my name now. Give this place a shot.
(4)David R.
I just writing a review because their soups are amazing and deserve praise. Yes, they're, like 9 or 10 bucks but it's worth it. Really fresh stocks and ingredients. This stuff will put you on your butt. Go get some.
(4)Kelly W.
I have been coming here for at least 10 years. Probably more. I always order the same thing: chicken mango stir fry. It's delicious. The staff are friendly and service is quick. Today I took a closer look and everything was dirty: the restroom, floors and walls. It needs a deep clean desperately!
(4)Olivia D.
I'll keep it short and sweet. My fried dumplings were inedible, hard as a rock, and an odd brown color. and they were served on a bed of lettuce that was wilted & a grey/brown color. They served me lettuce that anyone would have normally thrown away days ago. It even smelled bad. Now my stomach is churning, so we'll see how this plays out... :(
(1)Justin C.
Won't be going back. The service was slow (the server seemed over worked, maybe someone was sick) and the portions were small and the Pad Prik Khing was far inferior to what you get at ESan. The worst part: the kitchen couldn't seem to get our orders out together. We were a table of 5 and a table of 3 came in about 10 minutes after we got there. Let's call our table A and their table B. The orders came out like this: A1, A2, small wait, A3, small wait, B1, B2, B3, small wait, A4, A5. Meaning that we were sitting there looking at our food while another table that came in after us got -all- of their food, then we got ours. Really poor execution from the kitchen. The coconut ice cream was tasty.
(2)Audrey J.
This place is super close to my apartment, so it's my go to when I'm craving Thai (which is often)! The food is really good, and the staff is very friendly. The only downside for me is the portion size for the price. Thai is very hit or miss in Portland, and this place is at least worth trying! Lots of vegetarian/vegan options available.
(4)Todd C.
Attipan was a wonderful waiter. The tom kah gai was delish. A little watery, but full of flavor. The pad kee mao was amazing!!!!! Cannot wait to come back tomorrow. Actually want to give them 4.5 stars but the app won't allow that.
(4)Khem C.
In the Lloyd center area? And want some authentic Thai food? Well this place is legit! I've been here three times now, and they never disappoint. The service here is fast and friendly, the food is on point, and if you're a spicy food lover, then I dare you to try out any of their dish with a 5 star HOT!! At every Thai food joint, I always order the Pad Kee Mao ( Drunken Noodles).
(4)Robert H.
A truly BAD restaurant. I had the green beans with shrimp. Shrimp nearly raw, beans overcooked. One of our party had fried rice with crab, and when she told the waitress that there was no crab she was told that it was there, the pieces were just very small.
(1)D E.
Ordered the pad kee mao with chicken and was very pleased. Large portions and excellent ingredients (i.e. great cuts of meat, no fat or scraps). The heat definitely kicked in after a few bites and I had to put it down and grab some water. I'm in Portland for a week so I'll have plenty of leftovers...plan to go back again before I leave. Highly recommended.
(5)Jordan G.
For $14 for one dinner and an appetizer, I expect a few leftovers. No such luck. Dinner price, lunch portion. Pad see ew and fresh rolls: the only vegetable was about five trees of broccoli, aside from a meager portion of cilantro. The noodles were not bad, but didn't seem worth the amount I paid, and the chicken was a little rubbery and dry. Salad rolls were serviceable but nothing special. I hope this place improves or gets replaced.
(2)Parker T.
I visited Chai Yo today for lunch (I wanted to try somewhere new in my walking-distance area) & was treated to excellent service from a very helpful waitress (she happened to also be vegan), a generous portion of well-flavored food for the price ($7.50), & a cozy environment to dine in. I ordered the Pad Priew Wan (sweet & sour stir-fry) with tofu & thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the restaurant was quite busy around 1pm, my entire dining experience clocked in at thirty minutes, which seemed just fine given the attentive service & tasty cuisine. Although I still enjoy Mae Ploy's excellent $7 lunch specials (which also come with a free soup or salad, & one egg roll), I'm quite pleased to have a viable Thai option in this part of Portland. Their menu mentions no MSG usage, that they use organic herbs, & that they understand how to prepare strict vegetarian/vegan dishes, all of which are appreciated.
(4)Nick D.
When I got inside I was prompted by a personable waitress. Got our water promptly, and came back a few times to see if we were ready to order. After we put in our order the waitress brought us a tofu appetizer (might have been complimentary) and an extra drink we didn't order. I figured why not enjoy it than have them bring it back.. I took about a good 10-15 mins to ask the waitress if the tofu was breaded it at that point. We weren't able to ask until our food arrived and it was cold. When the food came to the table my order was just above lukewarm temp as they were probably waiting on my other parties curry to cook. I didn't want to complain and wait any longer so I just ate it anyways. It was overly salty and I wasn't able to find the waitress to ask for any spices. While getting through my meal I overheard many of other peoples call in orders being the incorrect ones. All in all I think I'll avoid this extablishment. I would maybe come again for another try if there was no other option and I had a craving for thai food. The portion sizes were on the small side as well.
(2)Sean A.
Super tasty food. Takes a while to get to the table though... and not all at once. Quiet and awkward in there though if there's no music playing.
(4)Kelly B.
I ordered the pumpkin curry spicy to go . The lady told me 10 mins and since I live near by I arrived exactly 10 mins later and my food was packaged and ready to go ! There are so many mediocre thai places in Portland but I feel like this is one is above average . My curry was filled with veggies and had a great taste . I was also able to ask which curries weren't made with fish sauce and had 3 options including masaum , yellow and the pumpkin curry . I didn't sit down to eat but the dining area appears to be very pleasant .
(4)Drj J.
I ordered chicken pad thai and a sapporo. The pad thai was excellent, the portion size for lunch was a tad small but I didn't want to walk around with left overs anyway. Service was nice, I was checked on at appropriate times during my meal.
(5)Beverly H.
Visiting from out of town, and stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant in a fun neighborhood. Just had dinner with my husband and a friend. We shared three delicious meals: Stir-fried spinach with tofu, Red Curry with chicken and fired noodles with shrimp. Each one was outstanding. I only wish this restaurant wasn't 700 miles from our home!
(5)Christina D.
PLEASE avoid this place at all cost! I ordered Pad Thai with beef and it was gross. There is no flavor whatsoever. The only thing that tastes fine is the thai iced tea. First and LAST time going here!
(1)Curtis M.
Price was great and food was so tasty! I paid half of what I would have in most of the restaurants around this area. I had some vegetarian noodles and a Thai Iced Tea. It reminded me of the food I had in SF... My favorite place to get Thai food. I felt Chaiyo was nutritious, with fresh beautiful looking vegetables and was delicious. Thai tea was amazing too!
(5)Jenny B.
Oh dear.... My second try. Last time was perfectly mediocre. This time was just plain bad. I ordered Tom Kha Soup with Squid and Chicken Satay. The satay was leathery, too thin, and very bland. It was barely food. The soup...where to begin? The broth had separated/curdled and had a grainy texture. I really can't believe they served it on that point alone. The flavor was all tomato paste and barely any seasoning. If I closed my eyes, you could convince me I was eating Campbell's Tomato. I found a huge piece of dehydrated, half black ginger in my soup. The squid was the processed patty kind full of additives and fillers that has to be scored to curl up like the real thing (this stuff is to squid what hot dogs are to pork). I counted exactly 3 small mushrooms hiding in a sea of onions. The whole thing just made me sad. Especially the part where I spent my hard earned money on this stuff. :-( I should have taken it as fair warning that they didn't have a single customer at 6 PM on a Friday.
(1)Ris P.
Authentic Thai Food my well fed ass! They say "Authentic Thai Food" on their menu... but I highly doubt authentic Thai food is mediocre and flavorless for how popular their style has gotten. I've had better for cheaper. THIS PLACE SUCKS SO BAD! Okay, walked in and something smelled like a dirty, old kitchen. As the waitress (who kind of startled me cause she looked like a HOOKER with too much powdery make-up that looked like it would fall into my food... Like hello?! Earth to you! That's totally against health code girl friend!) sat us I did notice the kitchen having really grotesque looking floors. Really dark and grimy. So that explained the entering smell. She didn't speak much English, not like it mattered... because SADLY, not to be judgmental, I already expected bad customer service just by looking at her and her greeting. Anyways, I was on a limited lunch schedule and I ordered the Pad See Ew. It came pretty fast but IT WAS FLAVORLESS! IT WAS A SAD EXCUSE OF A MEAL! It was the most disappointing meal I have ever eaten in my life! I ate all the veggies left in my meal, payed, and left. No tip from me! AND I ALWAYS TIP! I too work in the FSI. Wanna hear a joke? Chai Yo Thai Restaurant! LMFAO! I should have read all the other posts about this place being horrible here on YELP before entering and wasting my money. Do yourself a favor and don't waste time on bad places, life is too short. ONLY THE WISE WILL LISTEN.
(1)Andrew K.
The woman who took my order to go was very nice. I got Pad Thai. For ten bucks. When I got home, there was barely enough food in the box to feed a mouse. It had no flavor. I called back to tell her, and she kept saying, "Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much." I will never go there again.
(1)Wayne R.
excellent food! everything is fresh and has a personal flair. I will make this a regular stop on my trips to Portland.
(4)Kammi L.
Love their pad Thai. I had the crab pad Thai a while back and the food tasted fresh. The service was great too. I've had odd luck with sauce being weak at some Thai joints but this place serves well.
(5)Roxanne L.
I tried the fried rice with basil, chicken, mushrooms, & green beans. Pretty average. They use way too much oil. My fried rice was glistening when it arrived. Also it arrived about 5 minutes before my friend's entree arrived. The server was nice, but I agree with some of the other reviews. They need to do some deep cleaning. We had a little glass candle holder sitting on the ledge next to our table. It was filthy. Definitely made me wonder how clean the kitchen was. We only went here because Sweet Basil was closed. Won't be going back any time soon....
(3)Analise B.
$15 for flavorless fried tofu and tom kha soup.... Blah. Thai pod up the street is much better in my opinion and much more reasonably priced.
(2)Maureen D.
We were visiting from out of town and decided to try Chai Yo. I ordered the Pumpkin Gaeng Dang (Red Curry) with tofu and it was absolutely delicious!! Really, really good. My husband and son also enjoyed their dinners. The service was quick and the inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely. Wish we lived in Portland so we could go back to eat there again!
(5)Rosaleen G.
We got takeout from Chai Yo tonight because it got great reviews and was rated "Best of Citysearch". I'm kind of a thai food snob, so its safe to say that the noodle dishes are pretty bland and tasteless. My Pad See Ew was not that nice rich brown color I expected - with all that sauce and flavor. It looked just like some noodles with some pepper flakes stirred in. If you are looking for a noodle dish - Pad See Ew / Pad Kee Mao or anything of that nature, you are better off trying E-San, Thai Peacock or PK in the Pearl. The salad rolls were okay (you cant really mess those up) and the peanut sauce was good. Veggie Spring rolls were long and thin as opposed to short and stuffed with yummy stuff - my boyfriend was disappointed. I probably wont be eating there again.
(2)Amiee H.
Food: Pad Kee Moa: Very unimpressed. The noodles were a little too overcooked and were borderline mushy. The beef was ok, the flavor was adequate but it really didn't hit the spot for me Service: The waitress had this "whatever" attitude. So it wasn't like she was mean but she definitely wasn't very nice or welcoming. She was good about refilling water though, I'll give her that much. The food took quite a long time to come too and there was only one other table there... Price: I guess kinda cheap, but when you think about the quality of the food, I don't think it was really worth it. Ambiance: This is the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars, is because it's pretty cute. Very cozy, house-like decor. It's very cute, but the chairs and tables were kinda placed too close together, I had this very crowded feeling which made me very uncomfortable. Overall: There wasn't much notable about the dining experience. Don't think I'll come again...
(3)Karl W.
Chai Yo was "just alright" for me. I didn't really feel like there was anything special about the place. It's in a good location and the service was fast enough but I probably won't be going back. There are other place in Portland I would recommend if you want GREAT thai food.
(3)Alison P.
I base my love for Thai restaurants on how well they make their Tom Ka Gai. This one was excellent! Very tasty and fresh!
(4)Ana B.
I'm by no means a Thai expert. Mexican food, I've got that down pat. Italian, I've got a good handle on that too. Maybe even sushi! But all that I know about Thai is that I like it, and I like it spicy. As much as I have tried to break out of my shell when it comes to eating, I am still a creature of habit in many ways. I always, always, all-ways order Pad Thai or some variation of it. So would my trip to Chai Yo be any different? Hellz no. Can I order the Pad Thai plz? XXXtra spicy. thx! My lovely company and I rushed in a little bit before 5, hungry like the wolf. We were met with an empty establishment. Normally this is the high sign to head for the hills. If I have learned anything it's not to dine in places that are void of customers. Throwing caution to the wind for the sake of hunger I had a seat by the window. You could hear a pin drop in this place if it weren't for the obnoxious music. I want to take a moment to stress how bad this music was, I don't normally notice things like this. I did however branch out for some avocado rolls for an appetizer, I was one hungry girl. It didn't really feel like branching out once they arrived, they tasted like something you could order at Applebees. They had tomatoes which I wasn't to sure about, they seemed to kill the mood. They hit a spot, the hungry spot, but not the right spot. The Pad Thai on the other hand came through like a champ. Perfectly spicy. not overly oily, just right. In all my Pad Thai eating I wouldn't say that it stands out, but nothing to be frowned upon either. It just occurred to me that she never took my drink order, because I would've undoubtedly ordered a beer. I wasn't wow-ed.
(3)John P.
Small, cozy, great food on the cheap side. It's not the fanciest of places but food is good.
(5)Aimee L.
Yum. I forgot about this little gem - great lunch hideaway and great Thai food. The service is terrific and while the menu has great offerings, I'm a sucker for a classic pad thai. Even if you aren't a veggie, try it with their tofu - long tasty strips of it that are SO good, rather than those awful flavorless cubes you see at the cheapo spots. MMM. Everything tastes fresh and good and comfort food-y. Plus the lunch menu is inexpensive and okay, I am a sucker for pretty food presentation!
(4)Kathryn L.
Hands down my favorite Thai restaurant in Portland and that is saying a lot! The food is always delicious and served with a smile. Particular favorites include the Tom Yum with Chicken, and the Pumpkin Curry.
(4)kelly c.
We generally eat Thai take-out once a week. That said, it is important to me when relocating to find our neighborhood Thai place. Portland has an abundance of good and great Thai restaurants, so I think we set the bar pretty high for our weekly Thai spot. We moved to the neighborhood in December and have eaten at Chai Yo about once a week since designating it our weekly stop (this came only after we tested out every other option within walking or short biking distance of our house). Chai Yo has the following things going for it: great value, excellent food and super-friendly staff. I can recommend the salad rolls, tom yum and tom kah soups, any curry (in love with the red right now; my husband is not crazy about their panang curry), pad key mao & mango delight.
(4)Maja R.
I had ordered from here twice, 1st time great, 2nd time good. The 2nd time I ordered my food medium, and OMG it was INSANELY HOT, it had awesome flavor before the heat melted my lips off. So I am like excited & hesitant to order again..... I just put my order in for a 3rd time, haven't gotten my food yet, but we will see, This time I ordered it NOT SPICY this time and I pray that it isn't because I do not think I could suffer again.
(4)Elizabeth L.
This is hands down one of my favorite Thai places. Ever. Not just in Portland, this place just plain rocks. My family and I go here quite often and I've ordered just about everything that isn't desperately spicy (yes, I am a wuss and yes, you should shut up). My favorites include: The special coconut curry with halibut, which is outstanding. The avocado spring rolls, which you won't find anywhere else. The classic pad thai, which is absurdly peanut-y and delicious. And of course the classic garlic stir fry, because who doesn't love heap-loads of garlic? The waitress is extremely sweet, she recognizes us every time we go in. I've brought just about every friend I've got in Portland to this place and we always have a fantastic time - I've never heard a single one say a bad word about the place. The atmosphere/space is always wonderful too - it's in an old house on NE Broadway right above Petisco, never too crowded or noisy, always has an outside table during the spring/summer months. A lot of their business is take-out, so it's a great place to have a quiet dinner by yourself or with some friends. Definitely worth going in, it's really great Thai food in Portland for a really great price. I live all the way in deep SE and I make the trek up to NE just to hit this place up. MM MM GOOD.
(5)Jon N.
Went here once. Got the chicken pad Thai. Absolutely most disgusting food I have ever tasted. Completely bland and flavorless. Do NOT eat here! Try Pad Thai Kitchen on Belmont, delicious food!
(1)Im hungry L.
Best crab fried rice I ever had. The service was excellent. The place is nice, converted from an old home with many smaller rooms. We orderd green chicken curry, pad ke mo noodles, crab fried rice, ming kum, and mango w sticky rice, plus two thai ice teas. $48 plus tip - what a bargain for some yummy food. Each order was served hot and had the perfection of the kitchen written all over it. We will be back the next time we are in town pursuing a Thai eatery in Portland.
(4)K L.
Place was super dead on a Wednesday at dinner time. I was the only diner at 7:30PM. Tried the papaya salad. Ordered it spicy. Normally, it comes out lame.... this time it was VERY spicy. I enjoyed it since my water glass was refilled several times. (note to self - try medium) Service was good and attentive. But it should be as there was NO ONE else there. Nice music was playing in the dining area and I could hear a TV or radio blaring in the kitchen. Nice.... reminds me of my near deaf elderly parents and their dueling TV's. Tried the pad thai. I ordered it with both chicken and shrimp. My husband is not a fan, so I try to eat it when I can. Not very good. Too saucy. They did put a lot of shrimp and chicken on it. I have had some great pad thai, so I was bummed. I should have stayed with the pad saw ew (but we always eat that) I did appreciate the fact that they take Amex. I expensed my dinner.
(3)Cedric J.
Out of all the Thai places in Lloyd area, this is my favourite. Food: 5 (damned good menu) Atmosphere: 4 (nice, old house) Service: 4 (Quick, consistent, friendly) Value: 3 (average for Thai, about 7$ for lunch) Sustainability: 1 (no mention of anything green; no local produce that I know of) I love Thai food. And this place isn't that place to burn your face off with heat, but it is that place to get, in my world, comfort food. I've had their pad kee mao, pad thai, mussaman curry, rad nah, cashew nut, etc. and all of their dishes are served properly: with rice and a spoon. The flavours and mixture of veggies and meat and noodles is always good. The server is always the same lady and she's very nice and attentive. The atmosphere is a gorgeous, 100 year-old house, and I can get in and out of there for lunch in about 20 minutes if I'm ever in a hurry. Try the cashew nut, mussaman curry (if you're starting to feel sick, it really helps with the throat), and the rad nah (their gravy is great). I've never been disappointed. And I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Alli S.
I've had the lunch special curry a few times now, for the price it is awesome. The medium spice is a perfect balance of spice without causing an overwhelming urge for relief.
(5)Alyss B.
Chai Yo is the best Thai Food in Portland as far as I'm concerned. Their food is distinctly different than most other places though the menu looks pretty much the same. The curries are fantastic - spicy, rich, interesting. If they have Crying Tiger special you should get it! Grilled steak with a spicy dipping sauce. So delicious. And the peanut sauce they serve with their spring rolls is the best in town. The restaurant itself is cozy in an old house on Broadway and the lady waitress is really sweet. You won't regret a meal at Chai Yo.
(5)Klaus O.
I dropped in there while I was in the area for lunch. Sat outside on the porch, which has a good view onto the street scene. I ordered a vegetable dish with tofu. Everything was good except the tofu. A fried terrible shell with nothing inside. It is hard to make tofu taste good, but that was pretty much inedible. I am vegetarian, so I won't try any meat dishes there. A clean bath room rounds up this review.
(3)Adam B.
I finished another disappointing meal from Chai Yo. I've been eating here quite often in the past month and waiting for a replication of a pretty knockout meal I once had here. I'm sick of the inconsistency. Some times, meals will be decent. Other times, I feel very disappointed I ordered food here. Tonight, my dish had undercooked onions and peppers, overcooked or old eggplant, and was much, much spicier than I asked for. I love fiery food just fine, but I want it to be a flavorful spicy. There's no sense putting up with the punishment for a mediocre dish.
(2)Zee K.
Yum, yum. Our party of 6 showed up at this apparently 'always super-dead' restaurant at the exact same time as a group of 20 athletes. Even though they had a total of three people working (including kitchen staff), they busted their butts keeping everyone happy. A few mistakes, but very good service, they checked on us regularly and our appetizers showed up within 10-15 minutes of ordering - incredible for a restaurant suddenly hit with 30 orders at the same time. My friend and I shared the avocado spring roll thing (meh), massamun curry (serious YUM), and the pad see ew with scallops. Ate myself well past full, and would definitely go again. Love the big old Portland house for a restaurant, too.
(5)Jim F.
I have eaten here several times. Every time I've really liked it. Someone complained about too much sauce on their Pad Thai. For me, it was just right, because i like plenty of sauce. More often I'm left wishing there was more, at other restaurants. The service is attentive (because it's usually super-dead) and the food comes quick, and though it's not "cheap", the portion is plentiful. Yay, I'm a fan!
(4)Heather H.
You can keep your Sweet Basil. Any place that cannot be bothered to cut up a friggen carrot is not my idea of good Thai - and i'm sick of finding whole "baby" carrots (aka, regular carrots that have been processed in a rock tumbler) in my curry. Chai Yo is outstandingly solid. Fresh ingredients, inventive specials, reliable takes on the standards we all expect in a neighborhood Thai joint. And if you're a regular (and I was, once upon a time), they treat you like one in pleasantly small but noticeable ways. My standard order is their bright Crispy Basil (with ground chicken and shrimp - not on the menu, sometimes on the specials board, but you can special order it), the warm, silky yellow curry, and the springy fish cakes filled with basil and green onion, dipped in a sweet/tangy sauce studded with minced cukes and red onion. Okay then. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!
(4)Kelly B.
I ordered the pumpkin curry spicy to go . The lady told me 10 mins and since I live near by I arrived exactly 10 mins later and my food was packaged and ready to go ! There are so many mediocre thai places in Portland but I feel like this is one is above average . My curry was filled with veggies and had a great taste . I was also able to ask which curries weren't made with fish sauce and had 3 options including masaum , yellow and the pumpkin curry . I didn't sit down to eat but the dining area appears to be very pleasant .
(4)Drj J.
I ordered chicken pad thai and a sapporo. The pad thai was excellent, the portion size for lunch was a tad small but I didn't want to walk around with left overs anyway. Service was nice, I was checked on at appropriate times during my meal.
(5)Jordan G.
For $14 for one dinner and an appetizer, I expect a few leftovers. No such luck. Dinner price, lunch portion. Pad see ew and fresh rolls: the only vegetable was about five trees of broccoli, aside from a meager portion of cilantro. The noodles were not bad, but didn't seem worth the amount I paid, and the chicken was a little rubbery and dry. Salad rolls were serviceable but nothing special. I hope this place improves or gets replaced.
(2)Beverly H.
Visiting from out of town, and stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant in a fun neighborhood. Just had dinner with my husband and a friend. We shared three delicious meals: Stir-fried spinach with tofu, Red Curry with chicken and fired noodles with shrimp. Each one was outstanding. I only wish this restaurant wasn't 700 miles from our home!
(5)Christina D.
PLEASE avoid this place at all cost! I ordered Pad Thai with beef and it was gross. There is no flavor whatsoever. The only thing that tastes fine is the thai iced tea. First and LAST time going here!
(1)Andrew K.
The woman who took my order to go was very nice. I got Pad Thai. For ten bucks. When I got home, there was barely enough food in the box to feed a mouse. It had no flavor. I called back to tell her, and she kept saying, "Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much." I will never go there again.
(1)Wayne R.
excellent food! everything is fresh and has a personal flair. I will make this a regular stop on my trips to Portland.
(4)Alison P.
I base my love for Thai restaurants on how well they make their Tom Ka Gai. This one was excellent! Very tasty and fresh!
(4)Curtis M.
Price was great and food was so tasty! I paid half of what I would have in most of the restaurants around this area. I had some vegetarian noodles and a Thai Iced Tea. It reminded me of the food I had in SF... My favorite place to get Thai food. I felt Chaiyo was nutritious, with fresh beautiful looking vegetables and was delicious. Thai tea was amazing too!
(5)Im hungry L.
Best crab fried rice I ever had. The service was excellent. The place is nice, converted from an old home with many smaller rooms. We orderd green chicken curry, pad ke mo noodles, crab fried rice, ming kum, and mango w sticky rice, plus two thai ice teas. $48 plus tip - what a bargain for some yummy food. Each order was served hot and had the perfection of the kitchen written all over it. We will be back the next time we are in town pursuing a Thai eatery in Portland.
(4)K L.
Place was super dead on a Wednesday at dinner time. I was the only diner at 7:30PM. Tried the papaya salad. Ordered it spicy. Normally, it comes out lame.... this time it was VERY spicy. I enjoyed it since my water glass was refilled several times. (note to self - try medium) Service was good and attentive. But it should be as there was NO ONE else there. Nice music was playing in the dining area and I could hear a TV or radio blaring in the kitchen. Nice.... reminds me of my near deaf elderly parents and their dueling TV's. Tried the pad thai. I ordered it with both chicken and shrimp. My husband is not a fan, so I try to eat it when I can. Not very good. Too saucy. They did put a lot of shrimp and chicken on it. I have had some great pad thai, so I was bummed. I should have stayed with the pad saw ew (but we always eat that) I did appreciate the fact that they take Amex. I expensed my dinner.
(3)Maja R.
I had ordered from here twice, 1st time great, 2nd time good. The 2nd time I ordered my food medium, and OMG it was INSANELY HOT, it had awesome flavor before the heat melted my lips off. So I am like excited & hesitant to order again..... I just put my order in for a 3rd time, haven't gotten my food yet, but we will see, This time I ordered it NOT SPICY this time and I pray that it isn't because I do not think I could suffer again.
(4)Barry S.
Quite yummy food. I recommend the pumpkin curry. The space is very small, which can be a good thing if you want a cozy experience. It can also backfire if you end up seated next to some self-appointed social media expert who needs to run an endless conference call on their cell phone for the duration of your stay. But the pumpkin curry is top-notch.
(4)Nancy E.
I live in Salem and this is the ONLY thai place I will eat at!
(5)Ana B.
I'm by no means a Thai expert. Mexican food, I've got that down pat. Italian, I've got a good handle on that too. Maybe even sushi! But all that I know about Thai is that I like it, and I like it spicy. As much as I have tried to break out of my shell when it comes to eating, I am still a creature of habit in many ways. I always, always, all-ways order Pad Thai or some variation of it. So would my trip to Chai Yo be any different? Hellz no. Can I order the Pad Thai plz? XXXtra spicy. thx! My lovely company and I rushed in a little bit before 5, hungry like the wolf. We were met with an empty establishment. Normally this is the high sign to head for the hills. If I have learned anything it's not to dine in places that are void of customers. Throwing caution to the wind for the sake of hunger I had a seat by the window. You could hear a pin drop in this place if it weren't for the obnoxious music. I want to take a moment to stress how bad this music was, I don't normally notice things like this. I did however branch out for some avocado rolls for an appetizer, I was one hungry girl. It didn't really feel like branching out once they arrived, they tasted like something you could order at Applebees. They had tomatoes which I wasn't to sure about, they seemed to kill the mood. They hit a spot, the hungry spot, but not the right spot. The Pad Thai on the other hand came through like a champ. Perfectly spicy. not overly oily, just right. In all my Pad Thai eating I wouldn't say that it stands out, but nothing to be frowned upon either. It just occurred to me that she never took my drink order, because I would've undoubtedly ordered a beer. I wasn't wow-ed.
(3)John P.
Small, cozy, great food on the cheap side. It's not the fanciest of places but food is good.
(5)Aimee L.
Yum. I forgot about this little gem - great lunch hideaway and great Thai food. The service is terrific and while the menu has great offerings, I'm a sucker for a classic pad thai. Even if you aren't a veggie, try it with their tofu - long tasty strips of it that are SO good, rather than those awful flavorless cubes you see at the cheapo spots. MMM. Everything tastes fresh and good and comfort food-y. Plus the lunch menu is inexpensive and okay, I am a sucker for pretty food presentation!
(4)Kathryn L.
Hands down my favorite Thai restaurant in Portland and that is saying a lot! The food is always delicious and served with a smile. Particular favorites include the Tom Yum with Chicken, and the Pumpkin Curry.
(4)kelly c.
We generally eat Thai take-out once a week. That said, it is important to me when relocating to find our neighborhood Thai place. Portland has an abundance of good and great Thai restaurants, so I think we set the bar pretty high for our weekly Thai spot. We moved to the neighborhood in December and have eaten at Chai Yo about once a week since designating it our weekly stop (this came only after we tested out every other option within walking or short biking distance of our house). Chai Yo has the following things going for it: great value, excellent food and super-friendly staff. I can recommend the salad rolls, tom yum and tom kah soups, any curry (in love with the red right now; my husband is not crazy about their panang curry), pad key mao & mango delight.
(4)Elizabeth L.
This is hands down one of my favorite Thai places. Ever. Not just in Portland, this place just plain rocks. My family and I go here quite often and I've ordered just about everything that isn't desperately spicy (yes, I am a wuss and yes, you should shut up). My favorites include: The special coconut curry with halibut, which is outstanding. The avocado spring rolls, which you won't find anywhere else. The classic pad thai, which is absurdly peanut-y and delicious. And of course the classic garlic stir fry, because who doesn't love heap-loads of garlic? The waitress is extremely sweet, she recognizes us every time we go in. I've brought just about every friend I've got in Portland to this place and we always have a fantastic time - I've never heard a single one say a bad word about the place. The atmosphere/space is always wonderful too - it's in an old house on NE Broadway right above Petisco, never too crowded or noisy, always has an outside table during the spring/summer months. A lot of their business is take-out, so it's a great place to have a quiet dinner by yourself or with some friends. Definitely worth going in, it's really great Thai food in Portland for a really great price. I live all the way in deep SE and I make the trek up to NE just to hit this place up. MM MM GOOD.
(5)Jon N.
Went here once. Got the chicken pad Thai. Absolutely most disgusting food I have ever tasted. Completely bland and flavorless. Do NOT eat here! Try Pad Thai Kitchen on Belmont, delicious food!
(1)Cedric J.
Out of all the Thai places in Lloyd area, this is my favourite. Food: 5 (damned good menu) Atmosphere: 4 (nice, old house) Service: 4 (Quick, consistent, friendly) Value: 3 (average for Thai, about 7$ for lunch) Sustainability: 1 (no mention of anything green; no local produce that I know of) I love Thai food. And this place isn't that place to burn your face off with heat, but it is that place to get, in my world, comfort food. I've had their pad kee mao, pad thai, mussaman curry, rad nah, cashew nut, etc. and all of their dishes are served properly: with rice and a spoon. The flavours and mixture of veggies and meat and noodles is always good. The server is always the same lady and she's very nice and attentive. The atmosphere is a gorgeous, 100 year-old house, and I can get in and out of there for lunch in about 20 minutes if I'm ever in a hurry. Try the cashew nut, mussaman curry (if you're starting to feel sick, it really helps with the throat), and the rad nah (their gravy is great). I've never been disappointed. And I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Alli S.
I've had the lunch special curry a few times now, for the price it is awesome. The medium spice is a perfect balance of spice without causing an overwhelming urge for relief.
(5)Alyss B.
Chai Yo is the best Thai Food in Portland as far as I'm concerned. Their food is distinctly different than most other places though the menu looks pretty much the same. The curries are fantastic - spicy, rich, interesting. If they have Crying Tiger special you should get it! Grilled steak with a spicy dipping sauce. So delicious. And the peanut sauce they serve with their spring rolls is the best in town. The restaurant itself is cozy in an old house on Broadway and the lady waitress is really sweet. You won't regret a meal at Chai Yo.
(5)Klaus O.
I dropped in there while I was in the area for lunch. Sat outside on the porch, which has a good view onto the street scene. I ordered a vegetable dish with tofu. Everything was good except the tofu. A fried terrible shell with nothing inside. It is hard to make tofu taste good, but that was pretty much inedible. I am vegetarian, so I won't try any meat dishes there. A clean bath room rounds up this review.
(3)Adam B.
I finished another disappointing meal from Chai Yo. I've been eating here quite often in the past month and waiting for a replication of a pretty knockout meal I once had here. I'm sick of the inconsistency. Some times, meals will be decent. Other times, I feel very disappointed I ordered food here. Tonight, my dish had undercooked onions and peppers, overcooked or old eggplant, and was much, much spicier than I asked for. I love fiery food just fine, but I want it to be a flavorful spicy. There's no sense putting up with the punishment for a mediocre dish.
(2)Todd C.
Attipan was a wonderful waiter. The tom kah gai was delish. A little watery, but full of flavor. The pad kee mao was amazing!!!!! Cannot wait to come back tomorrow. Actually want to give them 4.5 stars but the app won't allow that.
(4)Khem C.
In the Lloyd center area? And want some authentic Thai food? Well this place is legit! I've been here three times now, and they never disappoint. The service here is fast and friendly, the food is on point, and if you're a spicy food lover, then I dare you to try out any of their dish with a 5 star HOT!! At every Thai food joint, I always order the Pad Kee Mao ( Drunken Noodles).
(4)Kelly W.
I have been coming here for at least 10 years. Probably more. I always order the same thing: chicken mango stir fry. It's delicious. The staff are friendly and service is quick. Today I took a closer look and everything was dirty: the restroom, floors and walls. It needs a deep clean desperately!
(4)Olivia D.
I'll keep it short and sweet. My fried dumplings were inedible, hard as a rock, and an odd brown color. and they were served on a bed of lettuce that was wilted & a grey/brown color. They served me lettuce that anyone would have normally thrown away days ago. It even smelled bad. Now my stomach is churning, so we'll see how this plays out... :(
(1)Justin C.
Won't be going back. The service was slow (the server seemed over worked, maybe someone was sick) and the portions were small and the Pad Prik Khing was far inferior to what you get at ESan. The worst part: the kitchen couldn't seem to get our orders out together. We were a table of 5 and a table of 3 came in about 10 minutes after we got there. Let's call our table A and their table B. The orders came out like this: A1, A2, small wait, A3, small wait, B1, B2, B3, small wait, A4, A5. Meaning that we were sitting there looking at our food while another table that came in after us got -all- of their food, then we got ours. Really poor execution from the kitchen. The coconut ice cream was tasty.
(2)Audrey J.
This place is super close to my apartment, so it's my go to when I'm craving Thai (which is often)! The food is really good, and the staff is very friendly. The only downside for me is the portion size for the price. Thai is very hit or miss in Portland, and this place is at least worth trying! Lots of vegetarian/vegan options available.
(4)Robert H.
A truly BAD restaurant. I had the green beans with shrimp. Shrimp nearly raw, beans overcooked. One of our party had fried rice with crab, and when she told the waitress that there was no crab she was told that it was there, the pieces were just very small.
(1)Parker T.
I visited Chai Yo today for lunch (I wanted to try somewhere new in my walking-distance area) & was treated to excellent service from a very helpful waitress (she happened to also be vegan), a generous portion of well-flavored food for the price ($7.50), & a cozy environment to dine in. I ordered the Pad Priew Wan (sweet & sour stir-fry) with tofu & thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the restaurant was quite busy around 1pm, my entire dining experience clocked in at thirty minutes, which seemed just fine given the attentive service & tasty cuisine. Although I still enjoy Mae Ploy's excellent $7 lunch specials (which also come with a free soup or salad, & one egg roll), I'm quite pleased to have a viable Thai option in this part of Portland. Their menu mentions no MSG usage, that they use organic herbs, & that they understand how to prepare strict vegetarian/vegan dishes, all of which are appreciated.
(4)Nick D.
When I got inside I was prompted by a personable waitress. Got our water promptly, and came back a few times to see if we were ready to order. After we put in our order the waitress brought us a tofu appetizer (might have been complimentary) and an extra drink we didn't order. I figured why not enjoy it than have them bring it back.. I took about a good 10-15 mins to ask the waitress if the tofu was breaded it at that point. We weren't able to ask until our food arrived and it was cold. When the food came to the table my order was just above lukewarm temp as they were probably waiting on my other parties curry to cook. I didn't want to complain and wait any longer so I just ate it anyways. It was overly salty and I wasn't able to find the waitress to ask for any spices. While getting through my meal I overheard many of other peoples call in orders being the incorrect ones. All in all I think I'll avoid this extablishment. I would maybe come again for another try if there was no other option and I had a craving for thai food. The portion sizes were on the small side as well.
(2)Sean A.
Super tasty food. Takes a while to get to the table though... and not all at once. Quiet and awkward in there though if there's no music playing.
(4)D E.
Ordered the pad kee mao with chicken and was very pleased. Large portions and excellent ingredients (i.e. great cuts of meat, no fat or scraps). The heat definitely kicked in after a few bites and I had to put it down and grab some water. I'm in Portland for a week so I'll have plenty of leftovers...plan to go back again before I leave. Highly recommended.
(5)Jenny B.
Oh dear.... My second try. Last time was perfectly mediocre. This time was just plain bad. I ordered Tom Kha Soup with Squid and Chicken Satay. The satay was leathery, too thin, and very bland. It was barely food. The soup...where to begin? The broth had separated/curdled and had a grainy texture. I really can't believe they served it on that point alone. The flavor was all tomato paste and barely any seasoning. If I closed my eyes, you could convince me I was eating Campbell's Tomato. I found a huge piece of dehydrated, half black ginger in my soup. The squid was the processed patty kind full of additives and fillers that has to be scored to curl up like the real thing (this stuff is to squid what hot dogs are to pork). I counted exactly 3 small mushrooms hiding in a sea of onions. The whole thing just made me sad. Especially the part where I spent my hard earned money on this stuff. :-( I should have taken it as fair warning that they didn't have a single customer at 6 PM on a Friday.
(1)Maureen D.
We were visiting from out of town and decided to try Chai Yo. I ordered the Pumpkin Gaeng Dang (Red Curry) with tofu and it was absolutely delicious!! Really, really good. My husband and son also enjoyed their dinners. The service was quick and the inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely. Wish we lived in Portland so we could go back to eat there again!
(5)Ris P.
Authentic Thai Food my well fed ass! They say "Authentic Thai Food" on their menu... but I highly doubt authentic Thai food is mediocre and flavorless for how popular their style has gotten. I've had better for cheaper. THIS PLACE SUCKS SO BAD! Okay, walked in and something smelled like a dirty, old kitchen. As the waitress (who kind of startled me cause she looked like a HOOKER with too much powdery make-up that looked like it would fall into my food... Like hello?! Earth to you! That's totally against health code girl friend!) sat us I did notice the kitchen having really grotesque looking floors. Really dark and grimy. So that explained the entering smell. She didn't speak much English, not like it mattered... because SADLY, not to be judgmental, I already expected bad customer service just by looking at her and her greeting. Anyways, I was on a limited lunch schedule and I ordered the Pad See Ew. It came pretty fast but IT WAS FLAVORLESS! IT WAS A SAD EXCUSE OF A MEAL! It was the most disappointing meal I have ever eaten in my life! I ate all the veggies left in my meal, payed, and left. No tip from me! AND I ALWAYS TIP! I too work in the FSI. Wanna hear a joke? Chai Yo Thai Restaurant! LMFAO! I should have read all the other posts about this place being horrible here on YELP before entering and wasting my money. Do yourself a favor and don't waste time on bad places, life is too short. ONLY THE WISE WILL LISTEN.
(1)Zee K.
Yum, yum. Our party of 6 showed up at this apparently 'always super-dead' restaurant at the exact same time as a group of 20 athletes. Even though they had a total of three people working (including kitchen staff), they busted their butts keeping everyone happy. A few mistakes, but very good service, they checked on us regularly and our appetizers showed up within 10-15 minutes of ordering - incredible for a restaurant suddenly hit with 30 orders at the same time. My friend and I shared the avocado spring roll thing (meh), massamun curry (serious YUM), and the pad see ew with scallops. Ate myself well past full, and would definitely go again. Love the big old Portland house for a restaurant, too.
(5)Jim F.
I have eaten here several times. Every time I've really liked it. Someone complained about too much sauce on their Pad Thai. For me, it was just right, because i like plenty of sauce. More often I'm left wishing there was more, at other restaurants. The service is attentive (because it's usually super-dead) and the food comes quick, and though it's not "cheap", the portion is plentiful. Yay, I'm a fan!
(4)Heather H.
You can keep your Sweet Basil. Any place that cannot be bothered to cut up a friggen carrot is not my idea of good Thai - and i'm sick of finding whole "baby" carrots (aka, regular carrots that have been processed in a rock tumbler) in my curry. Chai Yo is outstandingly solid. Fresh ingredients, inventive specials, reliable takes on the standards we all expect in a neighborhood Thai joint. And if you're a regular (and I was, once upon a time), they treat you like one in pleasantly small but noticeable ways. My standard order is their bright Crispy Basil (with ground chicken and shrimp - not on the menu, sometimes on the specials board, but you can special order it), the warm, silky yellow curry, and the springy fish cakes filled with basil and green onion, dipped in a sweet/tangy sauce studded with minced cukes and red onion. Okay then. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!
(4)Reece M.
After a second trip, i've decided that there will be many more in the future. my girlfriend is a stickler when it comes to thai. she's worked in thai restaurants. she's got strong opinions of what is good and what isn't. when she suggested we go back here for a second time, it excited me, as i thought it was quite tasty the first time. i've had the opportunity to try four dishes (pad thai, pad kee maow, yellow curry, and pra ram) as well as the salad rolls - and all of them were quite good. each new thing has made me excited to try something else on the menu. the dining rooms are a bit odd, but the servers are nice, and fast. i totally recommend this place!
(4)Pinky R.
I haven't eaten much on the menu. OK, I've only eaten two things. The avocado egg rolls are awesome, and the mussaman curry is AMAZING! If you like curry and coconut, get this. And if everything else on the menu is equally delicious then this place rules. Sadly, I'll never know because I'll be unable to order anything else from them but the mussaman curry. It blows my mind.
(5)Mike G.
Enjoyed a delightful lunch today at Chai Yo. Their yellow curry chicken was superbly prepared with and excellent balance between the coconut milk and curry used in the sauce. Great flavor with an adequate level of spice. Not so much to scorch the palette. Service was very good and the owner is charming. I highly recommend Chai Yo for your next Thai adventure.
(5)Wanugee N.
Chai Yo Thai is a cozy little restaurant nestled inside an old wood house in the comfy Broadway district of Portland. They use fresh ingredients and no MSG. It has been here about 7 years, and it is a great find. You walk up stairs to the porch of this little restaurant in the house, and on warm days sit on the porch to eat, or go inside and sit in the living room above hard-wood floors, amongst Thai statues with a cozy half dozen tables looking out Victorian windows to the street. The kitchen is, well, back in the kitchen of this house. The restaurant is clean and elegantly understated, with gracious service. We started with the popular Tom Yum soup, here served with lemongrass, kaffir leaves, onions, mushrooms, fresh squeezed lime juice and tomato wedges. Tasty without being overly sweet like some places. ($10.95) There was enough for about 5 small bowls. A nice Yum Pla Mouk salad (also $10.95) followed, This Squid rings, lemon grass, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, crushed dried chili, and fresh lime juice. It was refreshing and nice. Our final dish was a special, a nice lightly grilled Salmon in a delicate yellow curry sauce with potatoes, carrots and onions, served with rice. We ordered a Thai Chang Beer each to go with our food, which is light and soothing. The food was all enough for 2 men, although we were not real hungry. They have a nice selection of Thai dishes, and most standards you can order with your choice of main ingredient, i.e. beef, chicken, seafood, tofu, etc. You can also select the heat/spiciness of the dish, but I would say that Medium here is more like Mild in other places. We enjoyed the quaint ambiance, pleasing service from our Laotian waitress, and the tasty food.
(4)Karen P.
Rasafrasa...hmph! I used to be a frequent customer (and despite them being as another reviewer deemed, "crazy", I put up with it as their steamed tofu & peanut sauce was out of this world.) I no longer long for their Pra Ram. In short, for me they are through...Ta ta, arivaderci, & good riddance! They have never once in the three years I have lived in this neighborhood fulfilled my "to go" order correctly. Tonight there was a measly portion of spinach & broccoli and the marvelous tofu is no longer. The peanut sauce was slimy, though plentiful (that said in that "I'm going to gag" way). I managed to rescue a portion of the tofu by washing it off (blech! I should not have to do that, no?!) It pains me...their Tom Yum used to be marvelous, but "extra hot" morphed into "mild for grandma" over time. I feel sad...that tofu used to rock my world. Now it's just your ordinary, run of the mill Thai place. The same thing happened at Thai Pod (once the mgmt. changed the vegetabes came from "the Jolly Green Giant". Their "I've died & gone to heaven" thai fried rice went to heqq instead). I like to have a rapport with the restaurants I frequent (regardless of their level of sophistication). Lack thereof = lack of communication (hence, my posting). I can't even do "the love sandwich" for them. Bah! I
(1)Chris S.
Good pad si eu!
(5)Alex M.
this place is good... I was able to look past the few flaws. It was dead, but we were there at a time between lunch and dinner. The music was awful, and a little loud, but whatever. My dish was amazing, I got a green bean curry stir fry that was out of control! soooo good. Everything tasted fresh, and was served super fast. I eat at a lot of thai places, and this is one i will come back to.
(4)Michelle H.
Tasty. Spicy. Delectable. Flavorful. Perfection. Chai Yo's red curry is all of the above and then some. Fresh chunks of veggies [eggplant!] and your choice of meat bathe in the perfectly spicy red curry. A huge take out container + rice can be yours for the low, low price of $8. A steal! Were I not a pig, I'd have had leftovers, but that really wasn't happening. It was yummy in my tummy. Surprisingly enough, it didn't leave me with a gut bomb either. It was fresh and heavenly. We went with take out [thanks Andrew!], and they were super helpful via telephone regarding any questions we had. It was ready super quick, too. I'd definitely eat there again, although I don't know how comfortable I'd be actually eating in the converted house as opposed to takeout. The atmosphere, while clean and quaint, was almost too quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. It was a Sunday evening though. Perhaps it's not like that all the time. Then again, I tend to always feel uncomfortable eating in converted houses. We all know I'm crazy. This only further proves it. Regardless, fresh and affordable Thai food to be had here. Although I really doubt you could get me to eat anything but the curry.
(4)Greg H.
While staying at the Doubletree for a conference, we went walking around Broadway for something to eat. This place looked pretty good from the outside - it is a converted house and had a nice aura about it. After going inside, it was like eating in a Thai family's living room. The waitress took the orders while her aunt did the cooking. We had the Red Curry and the Tom Yum soup. Both were pretty good - I try to order the Red Curry at Thai restaurants to get a feel for the place, and I liked this one because they included eggplant which for me is always a plus. If you are in the neighborhood and want to eat some Thai, check this place out.
(4)Roman S.
I love this place. I think the service is, friendly, gracious, and fast, and the food is very good. If you like the wide noodles, try "Rad Na" some time. The description on the menu is a little plain, but this stuff is yummy! I have also tried most of the other menu items at lunch, and all were very good, and very consistent. Lunch specials are cheep too, about the same price as a "select" or "classic" foot long sandwich at subway. The only complaint I have is they do not have the "peppers in fish sauce" on the condiment trays, though otherwise good selection.
(4)Jen T.
Chai Yo Thai serves up pretty average Thai food at above average prices. I mean, I would come here again (only because it's in my hood, yo), but if I had to recommend a "good" or a "value" Thai restaurant, this wouldn't even pop up on my radar. What kind of pissed me off is that with a mixed party, we all paid with cash (you know, the standard Andrew Jacksons and all), and the waitress didn't come back with our change. YEAH RIGHT LADY, as if we're gonna tip you $20! What bullshit. I had to ASK her for our change back, and then it wasn't even change (just a straight bill). Lame. I wish I didn't get pissed at petty shit like that (blame it on the hormones!), otherwise, I would've given Chai Yo a three.
(2)Ss S.
Pork Curry is delicious! The service is above average. My partner & I made conversation with them. They found out we were visiting from out of town & they hooked us up w/ a free thai iced tea & told us other good sites to see. They were very friendly, willing to help & to top it off the food was the bomb!
(4)Trang T.
Chai Yo is amazing. It's super tiny and the service is the same two or three waitresses. I only eat the Pad Thai there and won't try anything else only because I don't do spicy food. Doesn't smell, cozy atmosphere, and never obnoxiously loud. Highly recommended if you're in that area.
(5)Sage T.
I went to Chai Yo with dreams of the best Drunken Noodle ever that I used to be obsessed with from Wonder Spice Cafe in Jamaica Plain, Mass. Unfortunately it did not measure up. The wide rice noodles were overcooked, the flavor was off and the beef was gristly. Don't get the Pad Khee Mao!
(2)Tana J.
I like this place. Would not say they have the best Thai Food ever but they also do not have the worse. It is in my neightborhood, as are many, many other Thai places and so the more I try the more I can weed out. If you like Thai food and aren't an expert as too what it is to contain, taste, or exactly be like, then try this place, again it is not the worse but also not the best, 50/50 chance I will go again.
(3)E W.
Solid Thai food. Did take-out for lunch and it was good! Slightly above average in taste. A good go-to.
(4)Jennifer R.
We have eaten there multiple times. The duck curry was very nice, the pad thai with crab (big chunks of crab meat!), and the Tom Kah stand out. All in all, friendly staff, clean and peaceful atmosphere. It's in a house with big bright windows, they also have seating available outside for the summer.
(4)Jacob G.
Decent Thai food in a restaurant that used to be a house. I had the pad thai, along with an order of orange chicken. Both were good but not amazing, but the prices were decent.
(4)Judy N.
I was in Portland for a conference and the B&B we stayed at was right around the corner from Chai Yo. We ate there twice! My husband ordered the matsuman chicken both times. I ordered the pumpkin yellow curry the first time and the pad thai the second. All of it was wonderful and both of us ate for less than $25 including tea and beer! I'd definitely recommend eating here.
(4)Jason K.
I'm right down from the street from Chai Yo and have been going there for a while now. I largely get take-out although I have eaten there on occasion. The food is always ready on time and the service is understated yet nice. Prices are very reasonable too. I was actually craving Thai one Sunday around noon and called not knowing that they didn't open until 3. Someone other than the usual person answered the phone and told me this unfortunate fact. Hearing my great sadness, he asked what I wanted and said he'd go to the kitchen to see if it was a possibility. 20 minutes later, I was satisfying my craving with some awesome Pad Khee Mao. That is above and beyond for sure and won my loyalty. They even know my name now. Give this place a shot.
(4)David R.
I just writing a review because their soups are amazing and deserve praise. Yes, they're, like 9 or 10 bucks but it's worth it. Really fresh stocks and ingredients. This stuff will put you on your butt. Go get some.
(4)Kammi L.
Love their pad Thai. I had the crab pad Thai a while back and the food tasted fresh. The service was great too. I've had odd luck with sauce being weak at some Thai joints but this place serves well.
(5)Roxanne L.
I tried the fried rice with basil, chicken, mushrooms, & green beans. Pretty average. They use way too much oil. My fried rice was glistening when it arrived. Also it arrived about 5 minutes before my friend's entree arrived. The server was nice, but I agree with some of the other reviews. They need to do some deep cleaning. We had a little glass candle holder sitting on the ledge next to our table. It was filthy. Definitely made me wonder how clean the kitchen was. We only went here because Sweet Basil was closed. Won't be going back any time soon....
(3)Analise B.
$15 for flavorless fried tofu and tom kha soup.... Blah. Thai pod up the street is much better in my opinion and much more reasonably priced.
(2)Rosaleen G.
We got takeout from Chai Yo tonight because it got great reviews and was rated "Best of Citysearch". I'm kind of a thai food snob, so its safe to say that the noodle dishes are pretty bland and tasteless. My Pad See Ew was not that nice rich brown color I expected - with all that sauce and flavor. It looked just like some noodles with some pepper flakes stirred in. If you are looking for a noodle dish - Pad See Ew / Pad Kee Mao or anything of that nature, you are better off trying E-San, Thai Peacock or PK in the Pearl. The salad rolls were okay (you cant really mess those up) and the peanut sauce was good. Veggie Spring rolls were long and thin as opposed to short and stuffed with yummy stuff - my boyfriend was disappointed. I probably wont be eating there again.
(2)Amiee H.
Food: Pad Kee Moa: Very unimpressed. The noodles were a little too overcooked and were borderline mushy. The beef was ok, the flavor was adequate but it really didn't hit the spot for me Service: The waitress had this "whatever" attitude. So it wasn't like she was mean but she definitely wasn't very nice or welcoming. She was good about refilling water though, I'll give her that much. The food took quite a long time to come too and there was only one other table there... Price: I guess kinda cheap, but when you think about the quality of the food, I don't think it was really worth it. Ambiance: This is the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars, is because it's pretty cute. Very cozy, house-like decor. It's very cute, but the chairs and tables were kinda placed too close together, I had this very crowded feeling which made me very uncomfortable. Overall: There wasn't much notable about the dining experience. Don't think I'll come again...
(3)Karl W.
Chai Yo was "just alright" for me. I didn't really feel like there was anything special about the place. It's in a good location and the service was fast enough but I probably won't be going back. There are other place in Portland I would recommend if you want GREAT thai food.
(3)