4. Restaurants

Pasara Thai

360 Englhardt Ln, Alexandria, VA, 22314
  • (703) 299-8747
  • Store is closed

Pasara Thai Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

  • Swatee G.

    I visited the place for a second time today, over a period of 4 months almost, and I was as impressed by it as I was last time! I do believe that this is one of the best Thai places around! The place is walking distance both from the Eisenhower Ave Metro and the King street Station on the Yellow line. The neighborhood is quiet and has this old Virginia feel to it. About the food.. Well.. everything we had off the menu was awesome! We started with an awesomely yummy Som-Tum Salad, perfectly seasoned and wonderfully presented. Next was this out-of-this-world Stuffed Chicken dish. Delicately filled with Noodles and Mushrooms, it was pure ecstasy! You MUST NOT leave this place without tasting their amazing Thai Ice Tea and Young Coconut Water.. really tasty, and fresh! We also tried the special for the day, which was crispy fried fish, smothered in some sweet fire sauce. A bit too spicy for my liking, but the fish was really fresh! Our Chili taste fried rice tasted perfect, as did the Pad Sapparos! The best part about the place is definitely the quick service,and the freshness of the food. I mean, there are really few places in the DC area, where you can expect to have your food served within 15 minutes of placing your order, and it being super fresh too! All Poultry and fish were so fresh.. we were really surprised! I whole heartedly recommend the Crispy Banana with ice cream and the really delicately flavored Young Coconut Ice-cream. I would refrain from the sticky noodles with Mango, they really were not good! The ambiance of the place is friendly, slightly on the formal side. the staff is pretty expert and nice, though language/accent may cause a problem at some point. Definitely worth the money we spent there. The first time I went there was like a group of 15 people,and we had loads of fun and good food, so the place is good for large groups! I just wish this place was closer to main-town DC.. I'd make it a regular hang out! :p :p

    (4)

  • Joanna M.

    I've come to pasara Thai a few times: once to eat and a couple of other times for happy hour when I worked in the area. Pad Thai is okay...Could be less stingy with the 3 pieces of shrimp in my HUGE thing of noodles which I almost always cannot finish. Spring Rolls were very greasy bleh. Happy Hour specials are not bad $4 for asian beer if you are feeling adventurous and cheap deals on HH bites and pretty empty for HH and when work lets out but busier during lunch.

    (3)

  • Loves Good F.

    The Old Town location of Pasara is an awesome place to get some good Thai food. The service, on the other hand, is just as bad as the food is good. There is hardly enough wait staff; the servers act like they're doing you a favor by letting you eat there, and some don't understand English. They should really look into hiring friendlier/ nicer people. Now the food: best drunken noodles on the planet (make sure you get thai spicy); crazy good Basil Fried Rice; amazing Spicy Eggplant. The curries haven't been so good when I have ordered them. Mango sticky rice is great and Thai iced tea---mmm yummy!! Do yourself a favor, do a takeout and call it a night ;) #nobetterdrug

    (4)

  • Va J.

    You have to watch to make sure they're actually putting the alcohol in the drinks - more than once I've felt like my cocktails had zero of the alcohol in them for which I was being charged. The food is not bad and it is something that's quick and easy. The waitstaff is friendly but the service isn't great.

    (3)

  • Angela N.

    I went to Pasara Thai with a friend for dinner and ordered the chicken with broccoli. It came with a light brown sauce, which was actually one of the best sauces I've had at a Thai restaurant. My friend and I's dishes came out not five minutes after ordering---it was incredible. Unfortunately, the service was slow. Apparently they had one waitress to take all the diners and one waiter bringing out food. I was okay with the slow service because it meant more time to talk with my friend uninterrupted, but if you are trying to get somewhere, this could be problematic.

    (4)

  • Kay G.

    By far my favorite Thai food in the area. Service is efficient at the two locations (this and Kingstowne) that I've been to, and I've successfully ordered both takeout and delivery with no snafus. Love the drunken noodles, the tom yum soup, and the crispy spring rolls.

    (4)

  • North B.

    The quality of the food is always consistently good but unfortunately the quality of the service is consistently poor. Today aside from one other couple, we were the only customers in the restaurant but yet no waiters were ever in sight to order or pay the bill.

    (1)

  • Gregg M.

    I love Thai food and have been looking for a go-to neighborhood place to get my Thai fix. Pasara Thai has the good fortune being very convenient for me. On this Sat evening, I wasn't in the mood for cooking and the GF and I wanted to stay in for a change and watch some Netflix movies, so we decided on getting carryout from Pasara. I think it's somewhat unfair to a sit-down restaurant to base impressions solely on their carryout performance. That all said, Pasara made a solid showing. My order of Red Curry with chicken, Eggplant Pad Phed with beef, and Seafood Salad...all Thai spicy...was taken by the friendly staff. Approx. 10 minutes later, I was walking out the door with my order in hand. Upon opening my order, I was greeted by a pleasing, familiar spicy aroma. The The dishes were comparable in price and portion to other carryout Thai or Chinese food that I've had. The food was flavorful and had a generous amounts of meat and seafood. They were spicy although it wasn't the spiciest "Thai spicy" I've had...no sweaty brow. However, very importantly, the food wasn't over-salted. Pasara Thai was a strong 3-star carryout experience. It has become my new go-to neighborhood Thai joint!

    (3)

  • Meera N.

    This is probably the best place to eat near the patent office area. I love coming here for lunch and I usually get something like pad thai. The thom ka coconut soup with tofu is pretty good. But for lunch, you really can't beat Passera. They always have quick service and the atmosphere is very relaxing as well. Parking is available on the street, only. They really ticket a lot in this area so you need to pay for parking. Don't waste money on the garages unless you plan to stay longer than 2 hours. The garage behind Passera is $5 and is the best deal in the area, as well.

    (5)

  • Malaika W.

    I gave 4 (.5)stars because the lunch portion of the drunken noodles was $10, & I'm cheap :-)! Very good food, I asked for medium to spicy and I love the heat buzz (if there is any such thing) I got right now. I ordered carryout but of course it's lunch time and no where to park and I have a toddler in car, dozing off. They were nice enough to bring the food out to me.

    (4)

  • Jen F.

    Thank god Pasara is a block away from my office. The first time I came here, I tried a tofu and veggie dish. It was pretty good. 4 stars. The second time I came here, I got pad thai with tofu and had them make it spicy. It was amazing. Best pad thai I've had in a while. I dream about it at night. 5 stars. The drunken noodles are also really good. I'd also recommend the thai iced tea. It was awesome. I would definitely recommend Pasara to anyone looking for thai food in the area. You will not be disappointed.

    (4)

  • A.R. P.

    I came here based on my having read Tyler Cowen's ethnic food guide. He had a very memorable meal here and rated Pasara Thai very highly (touting its brilliance and authenticity). I, however, I came away disappointed. Based on looks alone, Pasara earns a lot of points. It is decked out in hard wood and has all of the aesthetic trimmings, nouveau china and silverware, imported furniture, and contemporary touches that so many of the most stylish Thai restaurants have. And, all of this sits in a dimly lit space that evokes fine dining. The trouble is none of that impresses me. I am all about the food. I don't really care what a restaurant looks like or what kind of plate or fork they give me. The food itself should impress. Sadly, however, the food fell flat. I ordered the "crispy fish," which was one of their daily specials listed on a menu board at the front of the restaurant. I was expecting a whole fish, deep fried and served with a sweet basil sauce on top. However, what I got instead were cut up pieces of a breaded fish filet. It reminded me of the kind of fried fish offered at Old Country Buffet. It was lightly breaded and barely crispy. In fact, it was very mundane; and, the sauce was nothing special either. Actually, the sauce just made the fish soggy; so, I ate the fish without the sauce. I also tried the drunken noodles. I asked that it be made "Thai style...authentic." This, of course, meant making it more spicy. The resulting dish was spicy but nothing dramatic. Actually, it was flavorful. However, in my estimation, it was overly "wet." I like my stir fried noodles (whatever kind of noodles they may be) to be on the dry side. A wet stir fry just dampens the wok flavor that might otherwise be there. Indeed, the whole point of stir frying something is to impart a seared, wok flavor. This is true of Chinese cooking as well as Thai cooking. Maybe, it was more wet because they needed more sauce to impart more heat. If that was the case, then, that seems like a bad move. Indeed, a better way to impart heat but not to make the final product too wet and saucy is to use more hot peppers. A few more Thai birdseye peppers would have done the job very nicely. Anyway, I did not try anything else. And, I do not feel inclined to go back. It is right there embedded on the Patent and Trademark Office campus. If you work there, Pasara Thai might be a good choice for lunch or dinner before heading home. But, as a foodie on the hunt for a top notch meal, this does not seem to be the place for that.

    (2)

  • Michelle B.

    Stumbled on Pasara as we walked back to our hotel with plans to order Room Service. So glad we ended up here instead! The food was fabulous. We had our usuals; Chicken Satay, Larb Chicken, Chicken Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, and Mango Sticky Rice. Each one was flavorful, fresh and cooked to perfection. Our family is only disappointed this restaurant is in VA and not near our home in CA. If you are looking for delicious Thai food, you will not be disappointed at Pasara.

    (5)

  • Dan M.

    By far the best Thai food I have ever had. I have had the pleasure of eating at each of their locations and have never been disappointed! I would give it 6 Stars if I could!

    (5)

  • Amandeep S.

    My go to Thai restaurant. Usually end up going for lunch and get either drunken noodles or pad Thai. Both are great picks and classics. Clean environment and friendly staff. Definitely recommend Pasara!

    (5)

  • Jonathan C.

    Nice place, Nice food and quick service.

    (4)

  • Jason F.

    The food is wonderful! The service is incredibly lacking. I've been there during 20 degree weather, and despite my pleads, they wouldn't turn up the heat. It was freezing! I stopped going (I had a bad experience before that) and started getting takeout instead. Like I said, the food is excellent. My second time getting takeout, the woman behind the bar was incredibly rude, which was unnecessary. I was sitting there waiting for my food. I'm disappointed in this place. The food is so good!

    (3)

  • Jon M.

    Decent food, but the service can be hit or miss and the ambience is lacking. I've been here more than a few times and the food has never disappointed. But, I've also rarely been blown away. The curries seem to be some of the best choices on the menu, and the portions tend to be sufficient enough to allow for some sort of leftovers. As for service, I've had good nights and dud nights. The staff appears committed to keeping all customers in a very tight knit group at tables back-to-back-to-back at the, so that we're practically on top of one another... this isn't a problem if the place was packed or smaller, but if there are three couples in the massive place, then we all wind up hearing what everyone else has to say. Give us a table or two as a buffer!!! In addition to the poor seating practices, I've had mixed success getting beverage refills and the bill, which is unfortunate for all involved. Unfortunately for dinner folks, the place is clearly geared toward the busy lunch crowd... the place just keeps going and going. I've only gone in there for dinner, and the massive, cavernous space tends to take away from any potential for a satisfying atmosphere, particularly since the dinner crowd is normally just a few couples stacked on top of one another. Honestly, if I'm in the mood for Thai food, I'm much more likely to head over to Sam Phao (great food with casual feel) or Galae Thai (more interesting ambience).

    (3)

  • Nancy L.

    This is by far the best Thai restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. Skip the ones on King Street and head over to Pasara, you will not be disappointed. My husband and I usually order twice as much food as we could possibly eat just so that we can have enough leftovers for a couple of more meals. Our favorites are the veggy spring rolls, the drunken noodles with beef, the pad poy sean, the veggy delight, and the veggy fried rice. It is all so good, and the service is wonderful. This is one of our main go to places.

    (5)

  • mike f.

    I give up. This is near where I work, but too many meals with AWFUL service and blandly prepared food. (Not something you expect with Thai.) From now on, it's Sam Phao or Mai Thai (both on King Street) for me. Another negative: Way overpriced for lunchtime.

    (2)

  • Jim W.

    The Thom Kha Gai (sp?) chicken coconut soup was fantastic. Service prompt and friendly. Pad Thai was very good. I'll be back next time in town.

    (4)

  • E L.

    Duck salad - 2 stars Stuff chicken wings - 2 stars Fish patties - 3 stars Service - 3 stars

    (2)

  • Laura G.

    We ordered the massaman curry, pad thai, spicy drunken noodles and chicken panang. All four entrees were VERY good, and that's coming from someone who is obsessed with Thai food. Our server was very friendly and pretty attentive when we arrived - maybe because we were the only customers? It was a little harder to get her attention when it came time to leave, but she seemed to be the only waitstaff working, and the place had livened up a bit by then. I'd give the food five stars, but my pet peeve is having to wait when it comes to getting the check settled. Four stars it is.

    (4)

  • DeSean W.

    Food was ok. Nothing to write home about. Sweet tea is not good, sometimes you could feel ignored by wait staff

    (3)

  • Tucker H.

    This is a good choice for thai in the area. We met a couple of friends from the Patent and Trademark Office, which is right across the street. When we got there at 11:30 it was empty, which seemed to be a bad sign, but it filled up quickly. The pad thai was good, but not amazing, it was rather average overall. The drunken noodles were very good, spicy but not too spicy, and with a bit more soy sauce than some of the other thai places we usually go to. I also really liked the green papaya salad, although the medium-spicy was a bit spicier than I would have liked, so next time I would ask for it mild. Overall this was a very nice thai place, and while it was a very classy place, the prices weren't out of line. I would happily go back the next time I'm in the area.

    (4)

  • S C.

    I went here with a coworker for lunch. We got there around noon. The place was pretty packed. Mind you, it's a pretty big restaurant. We were seated immediately. It took awhile for us to put our orders in. Once we put our orders in, it took over 25 minutes for us to get our food. The food was good! but service was slow. I ordered the drunken noodles. I rate this a 3. I rate the service a 2 and the food at 4.

    (3)

  • Keith O.

    I'm back for more. Went back on Wed & Thurs and food is still delicious. Friendly people at the bar & fast service.

    (4)

  • William K.

    This place rocks!!! Of all the things I love about my apartment in Alexandria, being near this restaurant must be in the top five. The staff is unbelievable. I tell them what type of dish I'm in the mood for, level of spice, width of noodle, vegies or no, etc., and they make recomendations that are to die for! The vegetable soup in clear broth is AMAZING. Number 59 on the menu is crazy good. They spice it up right, and have great beers on tap. Love this place. The owner was so great to talk to over dinner at the bar, that my wife and I just planned a winter trip to Thailand.

    (5)

  • Laurel M.

    Arrived at the end of the lunch rush and the restaurant was packed. After a 10 minute wait, we were seated. We ordered veg soup and Thai salad; #75 and eggplant tofu...and that's the last time our waitress came near our table. Our apps came about 10 minutes later. My salad looked lovely but had a lot of spoiled lettuce mixed in. We waited another 45 minutes for our entrees, brought by someone different. We had to ask the food server for water as our glasses had been empty for over 30 minutes. Water arrived after we finished eating. Food was okay, nothing great. My eggplant was warm but the tofu was room temp at best. Since no one ever came to check in, I couldn't ask for it to be heated up. We asked the food server for the check when he finally came to fill our water glasses; he immediately turned and told our waitress. Our waitress had been standing at the host stand stapling checks and continued to do so for another 10 minutes. We finally stood and went to her and paid the check. We will never go back to this restaurant.

    (2)

  • Lauren B.

    A great little Thai food place. I went here twice in one week an was seated and served quickly. Food was good. Atmosphere was nice. I can't think of a reason to put this as over the top but it's a very solid choice and I plan to go back when I'm in Alexandria.

    (4)

  • Mandie G.

    Best thai I've ever had! The shrimp fried rice is amazing!!! Haven't had a bad dish since I've been going there for over 2 years!

    (5)

  • Melinda C.

    Stopped by for a work Christmas lunch with about 15 people. We started off with chicken satay. Randomly, instead of biting it off the skewer, I decided to take the meat off the skewer - it's easier to eat and make sure I'm not double dipping in front of people at work! Anyways, the meat inside was totally pink. Like completely. We called the waitress over and showed it to her and she looked horrified. She asked if we wanted another one. Later, she came out of the kitchen and said 'actually, that's the right color, it's the way the pork was cooked, that it's supposed to be pink'. Except, pink's not the right color for pork either! Had they not tried to cover it up, I wouldn't be so pissed right now. I did look online for a menu to see and happened upon a few food violations online. Nothing in the recent year, but 3 in 2009. I've eaten at the other Kingstown restaurant and didn't have a great experience either. The pad thai was sooooooo sweet. So, this chain is done for me. I really love Galae Thai around the corner, in front of the movie theater. So much better.

    (2)

  • Emil A.

    We went here for lunch last week around 11:45. We didn't get our food till 12:50pm and had to rush to finish it. The service was extremely slow and everyone was annoyed. Not sure if it was a one-off day, but it was not appreciated. After my colleagues complained, they offered free drinks to go. I would go back because the food was quite good, but I would avoid semi-peak times. (Friday lunch is generally empty)

    (3)

  • Lydia P.

    As The First Customer for the new Pasara Thai Alexandria restaurant, I proudly announce, Pasara Thai has the best drunken noodles! From all Thai restaurant I had try in my life, so far Pasara Thai is the winner! Yay! The place is decorated with beautiful art and craft from Thailand. The table, the painting, the statue is directly ship from Thailand. Beautiful place and the service is excellent! They have their first day/ soft opening today Oct 1st. Fun experience even without music yet. I think it was pretty smooth for first day opening, it was quite busy with numbers of customers that has come to check it out this fabulous new restaurant! My favorite dessert is Crispy Banana with Ice Cream. The other entree that I like from this place is Beef Ka Prao, delicious and spicy just the way like it! Or Sukiyaki, Korean noodles, sweet spicy. I will come back for more! Swell!

    (5)

  • G S.

    For excellent service and the finest Thai food I highly recommend Pasira Thai. Do not forget the Thai salad with homemade peanut sauce. Save room for the fried banana with honey.

    (5)

  • E W.

    I like everything I have tried on the menu here! Of particular note are the Tom Yum soups (fantastic for a cold), all the curries, the Pad See Iew, Pad Broccoli, and the Kra Thiam Prik Thai. It's very clear that they use fresh ingredients. The service is friendly, the ambiance is very relaxing, and the deliveries are lightning-quick. It's by far the best Thai I've had in NOVA. Thanks for many a great meal, Pasara!

    (5)

  • Marivic L.

    Finally, a restaurant worth going to again and again..and only steps from my office! I went to Pasara for lunch yesterday and everything was great. The decor, the service and, most importantly, the food. I always get drunken noodles at Thai places, but with so many disappointing me, I changed it up and had the chicken ka prao. It was delish - spicy and flavorful. The chicken was perfectly cooked and so were the onions and peppers. My other 2 lunch mates loved their meals as well. In fact, they'd already been to the restaurant a few times since its recent opening. That really speaks volumes, doesn't it? One of my lunch mates is a fan fo the pad thai. Now, I wish I'd ordered the drunken noodles, since it seems they'd do them well here. I'm definitely going back. I'm REALLY trying hard to fight the urge to go back TODAY though. Drunken noodles, here I come!

    (4)

  • Tracy L.

    This is one of my favorite lunch spots. Good food, friendly servers and nice space. Recommended! P.S. Drunken noodles are pretty spicy. If your tolerance is not that high, make sure you tell them!

    (4)

  • Mike F.

    I'm convinced they read this site-especially considering they have a "Yelp" sticker on their door. Their service has been impeccable ever since my last post, whether or not they are busy. This has become a favorite dining spot for my brother and sister-in-law and I, when I'm in their hood for a visit. Good times. Seriously. I stand corrected.

    (4)

  • Marie C.

    The food here was really delicious but the service was poor. We ordered the duck salad for our entree but it was brought out with our appetizer. And it took 15 min to get water. I would come back bc the food is good and maybe they were just understaffed.

    (3)

  • Zehra Z.

    This is the best Thai restaurant in the DC area. I am so bummed that I don't have a location close to me. My sister works a block away from here and if we ever meet up for lunch, we know this is the place. The decor is very nice - looks ethnic without looking tacky. The wait staff is always friendly and prompt. Their Pad Thai is a-m-a-z-i-n-g. There is something about the season/sauce they use that heightens the flavor. Not sure what it is, but it definitely sets it apart from other Thai restaurants I have been to. The spring rolls are crunchy and the dipping sauce is perfectly sweet. I've also tried the Chicken Rama which is awesome (my sister usually orders and I pick off her plate because I can't part from my Pad Thai). The only weird thing is they charge for soda refills (or they used to), which I think it very weird in this day and age?? Eat here. You will LOVE it!

    (5)

  • Robert P.

    Yum, Yum I love Thai Food! If you have read any of my other Thai restaurant reviews you already know I go straight for the Panang and Curry's. The Panang here has a more peanut flavor than spice one. I prefer a strong red curry spice in Panang, but it was still very good. The Yellow Curry was very good with a nice balance of savory cream and spice. We tried the appetizer sampler for two and I must say it was very tasty. The batter on the fried shrimp was very light and crisp. They also had a chicken drumstick thing that was stuffed with spices and breading. I am not sure how they did it, but it was very good. They also have a full bar which I have not seen very often in a Thai restaurant. If this place was closer to my house, I would most certainly be a regular.

    (4)

  • Meredith K.

    I stopped in here for a late lunch. The restaurant still had some folks left in it, but everyone was eating or done their meals. I figured this meant I would get quick/good service since there weren't many people to wait on. I sat for a few minutes before my waitress came over - when she did I ordered a diet coke and my meal (pad thai). A few minutes later I get water, then I wait, and wait.... Food comes about 20 minutes later or so, but my diet coke never does. She never checks on my meal etc. And I can't even get her to notice me to flag her down to get it either. Someone else comes by later to get my plate and bring me my bill - which of course has the diet coke on it! $3 for a drink I never got. I find that irritating. Be a good server - pay attention to that shit - especially when you only have 3 tables to deal with. I called her back over and said I never got the diet coke I ordered, to which she was like you didn't? (as if she didn't really believe me & looked over the table just to be sure I wasn't lying before leaving to take it off my bill). And like other reviewers have said prices were a bit high, food was only ok - I've had way better Thai elsewhere. In addition I felt sick the rest of the day after eating here.

    (2)

  • Ben S.

    We eat here a lot. Not because we particularly like it but because we like Thai food a lot, we eat late and they are open, and it's close. Basically restaurants like this are the curse of living in a suburban wasteland. At least we can walk here, and it is predictably mediocre, though I would add I do feel that quality is going down, even so slightly.

    (3)

  • Tiffany V.

    Great Thai food. I was staying at a nearby hotel and wanted to find something good in the area and saw Pasara, so I decided to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed at all. I had the Tom kha gai soup and it was delicious-I ordered the small and wished I had ordered the large! My husband had the pad Thai, which was very good, although I've had pad Thai many times and kind of wished we had branched out and tried something different, as I'm sure we would have been pleased with anything we ordered from here. I'm not a wine expert but the house merlot was smooth and went well with dinner. We've moved to alexandria, and have now been back 3 times in a month and will continue coming. Oh, the takeout is just as good as eating in.

    (5)

  • Chrystina Z.

    Good spot for a quick lunch. Service is prompt. You can usually grab lunch in under 45min. Food is tasty, nothing superior though. Clean decor, good lunch crowd. Downside: too many gov't workers. Yeah, nothing stands out about this place. Hence, 3 stars. Eh.

    (3)

  • Kim N.

    I came here once before for lunch. The wait (we dined towards the end of the lunch rush hour) was a bit slow, and food took a little bit of time to get out. The crispy wontons were good and I'm a huge fan of the sweet chili sauce. I don't remember what bf ordered (a noodle dish) but I got the chili past fried rice. It was good, but not spicy at all. Portions are quite big, even at lunch time. So my fried rice was able to last for two meals. Not the best of Thai foods, but it's decent, good bang for your buck.

    (3)

  • Mike S.

    The prices were a bit too high, the portions were a bit too small, and the food was, well, just decent. Maybe I ordered the wrong dish, but no one else I was with was particularly impressed. The service was pretty slow too. Decent beer selection, but overall... meh.

    (3)

  • Dana W.

    Good place if you live or work in Carlyle and can walk there, but the food is not worth going out of your way for given other thai restaurants in the area. Service is friendly and attentive.

    (3)

  • Antonio X.

    Came here once for a work lunch about a year ago never returned. We had a group of 7 co-workers after the lunch rush around 1pm. After taking our order nobody came back to our table for 45-60 minutes. When we finally flagged them own to ask about our food they scrambled to find it. We are talking basic dishes like pad thai noodles. They came back and gave us 2 dishes so 5 people at the table were still waiting. Nobody came back after another 10-15 minutes so we asked what the hell was going on. Eventually someone told us they only had enough for 2 pad thais. At that point everyone was pissed and just wanted to leave. We let the 2 lucky diners finish their food and left after about 1.5 hours of the worst lunch experience ever. Funny thing is we noticed at least 1 other table have the same problem and yell at the staff before leaving.

    (1)

  • Jeff C.

    The lunch deals are pretty good (~$12 total). I would only recommend the curries here. I particularly like the red (with beef) and duck curries (unfortunately, there is no lunch special for the duck curry). What really makes these curries shine are their strong flavors (not too spicy, but with a little kick), especially when they are put over a bed of rice. The duck was really tender too. I've also tried the green, panang, and massuman curries. The green curry is good if you want more vegetables. The panang curry was mediocre. I wouldn't get the masuman curry. The texture just didn't seem right...like the curry was supposed to be smooth, but some peanut crumbs snuck their way in. A friend has tried one of the fried rices, which he really enjoyed.

    (3)

  • Christine S.

    There are not many places where you can sit down, order, and get your food in under 10 minutes...consistently. So, even if you're in a bind for time, you can still get grub away from the office. The wonton soup is ridiculously good. The pad thai is a little on the mild/plain side for me, but when I feel pad thai-y, they are always willing to accomodate my spice addiction so it's all good. My favorites are the Ka Prao fried rice with pork and the Drunken Noodles. Both are highly recommended if you like spice. Some of my co-workers swear by the Laad Na and curry. The Shrimp Bikini is also really good...it honestly is too bad they don't give you more of that. Holy crap...I'm getting hungry... Also, if you are a food nerd like myself, you will probably also appreciate the food presentation, but even if you're not, your belly will definitely appreciate the good grub. Did I mention the folks there are super nice? I don't think I have had bad service or had to wait an obscene amount of time for my food. Ever. Overall, I highly, highly recommend.

    (4)

  • Liz T.

    My boyfriend lives near Pasara Thai, so whenever I go visit, I pass by this place. We had never been before, but decided to try it out tonight for date night. From the moment, we walked in the door, we had impeccable service. Our server was friendly, checked on us multiple times, and never stopped smiling. For an appetizer, we got the fresh spring rolls, which were unlike any other spring rolls I've ever had with a sausage inside of them. For our entrees, we got the Meal of Siam, complete with chicken, papaya salad, and sticky rice. The salad was spicy, yet refreshing. We also got the Mango Chicken Special which was heaven in my mouth. The Mango-Tango dressing was fabulous, and the meal came with a side of fried rice which seemed to have a curry flavor (AMAZING). I also got a salad of mixed greens with mine. For $14.95 each, this was a great deal. The real high point of the meal was the dessert-- mango sticky rice. I don't think I've had a better rendition before. We left comfortably full and happy-- we'll be going back soon!

    (5)

  • Erin K.

    I walk by this place everyday walking home from work, and I don't know how it stays in business because there is barely ever anyone in there! That being said, I did try it, finally, for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I sort of see why no one is ever there now. The food was fine, but totally overpriced. The best part was the crunchy wonton appetizer, but my Pad Thai was just meh. When all is said and done, I don't see myself going back for anything other than a drink on the way home from work.

    (2)

  • Bill P.

    I am telling you Pasara Old Town and Kingstowne......these places must seat WHAT??? 300 people each? This site very close to Masonic Temple....ONLY Bistro Bangkok in Georgetown seats more 400+ I believe......the rent MUST be thru the roof but the prices remain reasonable esp. since you get such HUGE portions....the portions I saw being hauled out as I waited for my take out were TREMENDOUS.....while the specials on the menu were the only $16.95 steeped priced items. I went with the Nua Yang $7.95 Beef slices marinated with spicy country Thai sauce.....wow great sauce LICKABLE. :) Basic Pad See Eew.....with chicken but HUGE dinner (weekend priced) portion $12.95 wide noodles with brocholi and chicken pieces CHECK CHECK CHECK and delicious!!!!! Yes, very nice place spared no expense on decorations and insigned bowls and plates but when I was there pretty empty as but one table. Of course, 3PM on a holiday weekend so should be expected.... Dupont smaller and quaint and great locale below circle but this one is very nice too....I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Manette S.

    This is the best Thai restaurant that I've been to so far in terms of food. I especially love their Pad Prik King and their duck curry is good.

    (4)

  • Robert M.

    I work nearby at the Patent and Trademark Office, and there's a problem with getting halfway decent food at a halfway decent price anywhere near the Office... the exception to the rule is Pasara. The food is always excellent and tasty, and there's an excellent selection of all cuisene Thai. I've tried quite a few things on the menu, but my personal favorite is Drunken Noodles... I would have no hesitation about taking, or meeting someone at Pasara, the food is just so good. As a destination, they are more of a lunch, than a dinner/night destination though, becuase the part of town that they are situated in pretty much goes dark when all the examiners go home... I would assume that it turns into a very nice, quiet, romantic place to have dinner somewhat later in the evening... but I've never actually tried it.

    (5)

  • Stephanie J.

    Like a couple of the other reviewers, I work at the PTO as well and this place has saved me from lunch at one of the many mediocre sandwich shops or overpriced by-the-pound buffets ("$11.50? Really?!? I guess it's not like I can go put it back in the serving tray...") that seem to be in no short supply at the PTO campus. I've tried quite a few things on the menu, most of which have been pretty tasty (I wasn't a huge fan of the pad thai--it was a little on the bland side) and the portions are generous. I'm a fan of the ka prao. I tend to order carry out from here during lunch, but the atmosphere is pretty nice (minus the fact that it's surrounded by a massive federal agency and federal courthouse).

    (4)

  • Mike R.

    Great tasting food prepared fast. Friendly staff and nice atmosphere...

    (4)

  • Shahny K.

    I normally get pad thai at every thai restaurant. The pad thai here is good. However, their drunken noodle is DELICIOUS! The sauce is just excellent. Good atmosphere if you are thinking of bringing a date. Friendly staff.

    (4)

  • Keri M.

    Have been here twice for lunch now. This is a welcome establishment to the Patent Office campus, which continues to lack good meal options. I've gotten the same thing twice, #75, (I'll never remember the name) which included tofu with vegetables in a spicy garlic sauce. Unlike other thai restaurants whose vegetable options include no more than carrots, onions, green peppers and baby corn, Pasara offers more variety. #75 included asian cabbage, red peppers, cauliflower, snap peas and mushrooms. All the vegetables are fresh. And the sauce is flavorful and pretty spicy, so if you have a delicate palate, ask for medium or mild. Also, if you're like me and you prefer soft tofu instead of fried, you'll be accomodated. The service is quick. I went with a group of 7 and they served us within 15 minutes of ordering. The interior feels spacious and the furniture is heavy, dark wood with inlaid designs. It's a very welcoming layout. The prices are rather high for lunch (most around $10), but I'm so excited to have something other than a sandwich or salad for lunch, right now I'll gladly fork over the total bill of $13.00.

    (3)

  • Josy D.

    Great fried rice. Nice ambience and decor. My coworkers and I come by for lunch often. Reasonable price and great for groups. Food is pretty standard - nothing spectacular but it's good.

    (3)

  • Tony T.

    I had lunch at Pasara Thai for the first time on 18 Nov 10. The service was so slow during lunch. I ordered Pad Thai. It tasted good but price was a little high for lunch! It would be great if they improve the service and lower the price for lunch.

    (3)

  • Daniel P.

    Good solid thai food. Pleasant staff, clean and comfortable. I will be honest, my touchstone for thai in Alexandria is Mai Thai. But the proximity to our apartment boosts this restaraunt. Their food has been consistently good, with a decent selection of dishes, I would even say they are on the upswing as the last time we were there, the mussaman curry was exemplary. The restaraunt is a bit formal looking, which can make it a bit uncomfortable with children, but the staff took to entertaining the little ones. More to follow soon

    (3)

  • Steve F.

    Tasty thai food and a nice ambiance. A nice place to stop for either lunch or dinner.

    (4)

  • Will O.

    I've been here 3 times now, and the food has been good each time. Read other reviews for suggestions - the beef ka prao was really good last time. There has never been more than about 5 tables when we've eaten there, but we tend to get there after 7 or 7:30.

    (4)

  • sarah s.

    This place is very good. Usually order take-out from them, but recently dined in. It's very nice inside, as a lot of Thai places are. I had the chicken ka prao and it was very spicy and very good. I still vote Mai Thai as the best Thai, but as that is in tourist central by the waterfront and thus gets pretty busy, Pasara is usually my go-to for Thai. Only complaint is that it's on the pricey side. A meal for two will set you back about $40 bucks. But, the quality and flavors are good, so I'll pay. Definitely beats the pants of Galae Thai, which has painfully gone downhill. Nice addition to the Eisenhower/Carlyle area-yayy!

    (4)

  • Caroline V.

    God, I love this place. I come here with Mr. V about once a week, as we live across the street. We are both Thai food-obsessed and have agreed that this is some of the best Thai we've had in the DC area. Admittedly, I have only tried a handful of dishes off the menu but I've been thoroughly impressed with each one I've tried.

    (5)

  • Daryl P.

    Yes, as good as it gets, in my opinion! I've eaten a lot of Thai food over many years, and have visited Thailand a few times, too. This food is first rate! I mainly get carryout, and another plus is that the portions are massive! A collection of two entrees and two appetizers will feed four, I'd say. Two thumbs up...

    (5)

  • Wes F.

    I'm not a huge Thai fan, not because I don't like it, but because I didn't have many options eating Thai back in Pittsburgh where I grew up. Fortunately for me, I ventured over to Pasara for lunch one day and loved it. Needless to say, I went back several times with my fiancee and friends over the last few years. The service is good, the food is good, and the atmosphere is nice. Since then, I've expanded my Thai experience all around DC, but I find myself enjoying Pasara the best. Its not the best I'm sure.... its just an all around solid restaurant that was close to home... and maybe that was good enough for me.

    (4)

  • Madhuri k.

    LUNCH: I work close to this restaurant and this is one of my fav places for lunch. I like majority of their menu. The typical Thai specialties are all great - Red, Green, yellow Curry, Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, Fried Rice etc., I also like their lunch special Siamese Meal - Grilled chicken with papaya salad on the side. 4 Stars for the food. HAPPY HOUR - I have been to happy hour couple of times here. They have $4 wine by the glass, $3 beer and $5 rail drinks. They also have limited selection of appetizers for $4. Last time I got spring rolls, shrimp bikinis and a couple of glasses of wine, all for under $20. 5 starts for the HH.

    (4)

  • Sanjib S.

    I have the pad see noodles with chicken. These are the wide noodles. Pad thai is generally made with rice noodles. I ask for medium spicy. The flavor was great. I like the fresh thai basil in the noodle. Price was reasonable for DC.

    (4)

  • Don P.

    2 times in 2 weeks. 5 stars for green curry & drunken noodle. If you like egg plant, substitute egg plant for bell pepper in drunken noodle dish. Bring a friend ... Large portions.

    (5)

  • C B.

    Good enough but not fabulous. Americanized version of Thai food without the exotic flavors that make the real stuff so good.

    (3)

  • Scott M.

    The food is meh. Everything pretty much tastes the same. There's no dish that really stands out. Today, the restaurant was freezing. I went into the lobby next door and it was nice & warm. Pasara does not believe in heat apparently.

    (2)

  • JJ M.

    I have been to this restaurant a couple times and finally decided to submit my review. This review is based off the service of my latest visit. The food is amazing. I went here last night for a birthday get-together. There were about 15 people so I didn't expect that much from the service end. Within 10 minutes of sitting down the waitress came and took a drink order. 10 minutes went by and we were still waiting. At this point I noticed that she was the only server working on a Friday night. There was also a bar tender and a food runner working but this server was running around like a chicken with her head cut off. The server was reminded about our drinks and 10 minutes later they finally arrived. Next she took half the tables order and left the other half with their menus, kinda odd. 20 minutes later the food was brought to the table while the others still hadn't ordered. Finally she took the rest of the tables order and brought the food out in a timely manor. At no time were refills offered. Now the worst part, she asked how we want the check. We asked if she could give each group their own. She said yes but after 30 minutes of waiting we realized she was not able to do this. The bartender started to play manager and asked if we could just go up to the hostess stand and tell her what we ordered and pay individually, no problem. Of course people forgot what they had ordered to drink and other appetizers, so this left the last person to pay with all the drinks. The server also gave herself a 20% tip. So finally around 9:30 PM we were walking out of the restaurant and noticed that half of our party had parked in a garage that was closed. I will give this restaurant another try but the one in Kingstown is much better food and service.

    (2)

  • Shar P.

    Everything I ordered from Pasara was amazing! I love the drunken noodle and red curry. The atmosphere is perfect for a lunch crowd.

    (5)

  • Angelica S.

    Decided to try somewhere new this weekend, and went later in the evening on Friday. It was tucked back in the maze of condos and the patent office, but worth confusing my GPS. The service was fantastic, with quick turnaround time. The food was complex enough that it stood on its own feet, unlike some other Thai that needs spice just to give it any kind of flavor, and all the meat (squid appetizer, shrimp and duck in main courses) was well cooked, avoiding rubbery. A great find!

    (4)

  • Michael B.

    I really like the food here, although I give them a one star based on my previous visit. My favorite dish that I have been ordering on a regular basis since they opened about a year ago, the red duck curry, has increased in price from $9.95 to $12.95, and this is their lunch price. First, how do you justify a 30% increase in food cost, and Second, the menu still stated $9.95 and how dare you charge the customer $12.95. I'm very upset and will never return due to this experience. A friend and co-worker at the PTO also was upset when she ordered her "Large" soup, for a mere $7 or $8, and it was most definitely a small soup, or if it wasn't, I couldn't imagine what a small soup would look like (perhaps a shot glass worth), and the bill most definitely charged for a large soup. I know that the economy is rough and that food prices have been going up, but to increase prices and rip off customers in quantity and quality is unacceptable. NOT RECOMMENDED!

    (1)

  • Tina J.

    This is the worst Thai restaurant I have ever been to and I love Thai and travel a lot! The service was deplorable. My experience started with them brining my 17 month old baby a high chair with s sticky substance spilled all over it. When I asked to have it wiped off, the waitress spent more time blaming the other waitress on the shift before her than she did responding to my request. We ordered an appetizer. We received it and finished it and the waitress had still not taken our order. My little one was quite hungry, so my husband went to get the waitress. He found her at the bar trying to hook up with some guy. That should have been our cue to leave, but we just wanted to eat. She came over and said oh are you ready to order. Of corse we were. It had been about 20 minutes. She took our order and again a guy brought out food that was marginal at best. One dish had no flavor. The other one was so hot it could have melted a plastic spoon. The waitress did not come back to check on us. My husband had to go looking for her again, as the baby was done and ready to leave. Surprise, she was back at the bar trying to hook up again. She finally came over and we asked for a box and a check. I specifically asked her to put the food in separate containers because the one dish was too spicy for baby. She ignored me and dumped them into one. Now normally we tip 20-25%, but I was pissed and told my husband to tip according to the service. He did and she had the nerve to yell at him and argue at the cash register. She danded that nothing was wrong, when he explained the issues we had, she just yelled that she didn't make enough money. This place is horrible. Save your money and time. Go to Mai Thai on King Street. I am sorry I ventured to try a different place.

    (1)

  • David B.

    i have been a regular customer since this place opened, but no more. i don't know if they changed cooks, the cook is bored, or what. but the food isn't what it used to be... I ordered a dish in the noodle section (I forget what it was called)... it was 14 bucks. It came with 2 mussles, 2 shrimps, a few pieces of rubbery squid, and 10 pieces of fake crab meat. I hate that stuff! If it had said that it had fake crab in it in the description, I would have never ordered it. The noodles were ok, but the sea food was all under cooked, and i didn't enjoy. i am not one to leave food on my plate, but i left with half a plate of food left. i never complain in person, but almost did in this instance. $2.75 for a coke is theivery... The appatizers are not great... I have tried several. The calamari breading is way too thick, the spring rolls must come pre made, and there is some other dumpling thing I tried before that just doesn't taste good to me. Agree with Mike B - the red duck curry is pretty good, but not 12.95 good when it used to be 9.95 for the same dish. Sad, since it is walking distance from work . Guess i'll have to catch the bus to old town when I want thai.

    (2)

  • Carolyn A.

    My husband and I somewhat enjoyed that there was a new Thai restaurant in the Old Town area. Our first delivery order went fairly well: it arrived within 30 minutes, was relatively warm, and tasted ok. Our second order was when everything started to go downhill. The wait time started creeping to an hour, the food got colder upon arrival, and everything tasted quite old. The last, and I mean LAST, time we ordered we waited 2 hours for our food! It was freezing cold and tasted awful! We will be happy to support the wonderful Mai Thai down the street from now on.

    (1)

  • Jimmy M.

    We usually go to this place since it's close by work. Never again unless I am starving to death & this is the only place open in entire nova area. Service is close to "soup nazi", party of 2? Sorry no table even though you see an empty restaurant..asked us to sit at the bar. Ask for spice tray?well you will get it when you are done with lunch. Food is average at best because by the time to get it, it's luke warm at best. Do yourself a favor & skip this restaurant.

    (1)

  • MK W.

    The food is pretty good here, but the service was not. I ordered a Blue Moon beer, with no orange slice in it. I couldn't even get the waitress' attention to get the orange. It wasn't very busy, but she seemed overwhelmed and had a hard time understanding English.

    (3)

  • Meghan T.

    Ordered the red curry, spring rolls and hoy jor for pick up. They told me 15 minutes and I showed up on time with my food already packed and ready to go. They included all the things I needed sauces, napkins and utensils. The food was phenomenal and I will be back for sure. Quick service, close by and really good Thai food.

    (5)

  • Diane L.

    Came here with the beau for lunch one day and we started off with the appetizer sampler. It was really good. My favorite was the crispy spring rolls. For my entree, I ordered the chicken pad thai and it did not disappoint. I like my pad thai to have just enough sauce but not overloaded with it and it was just the right amount to coat my noodles. My fiance got the drunken noodles and he was really happy with it as well. The service was really good and the restaurant was really nice on the inside. I will definitely have to come back for happy hour when I get the chance or even try more of their dishes.

    (4)

  • Amber R.

    Visited this place this evening after looking for a nearby restaurant to my hotel. This place was, ok. I've had better Thai and I have had worse--this was definitely middle of the road. I had an entree, summer roll, a alcoholic drink, and mango and sticky rice. Bill came to around $35 (without tip). The first three items were at the restaurant themselves. I took the dessert back to the hotel with me for later. The entree and the sauce for the rolls were very gingery. More so then I really care for to be honest but still edible. The drink was tasty. The dessert was a little disappointing- super small portion and rice looked like it was pre-packaged. The restaurant was aesthetically nice but they had the a/c cranked. I was chilly and knew it wasn't me because I heard several patrons complain about it. All in all I'm giving it 3 stars. It wasn't an amazing dining experience but it did the job.

    (3)

  • Natasha O.

    Gluten Free: Don't even bother, only salad is guaranteed to be Gluten Free. Meats are marinated in soy sauce based marinade. Curries have 5% flour in their makeup. None of the fried rice dishes can be made without soy sauce. Coconut Milk has preservatives, however, none of the coconut Milk i've ever bought from Asian markets had a wheat based preservative.

    (1)

  • Don H.

    I wouldn't get the calamari unless you are really craving it; they have much better appetizers. The calamari are decent little chunks of breaded and fried squid, but nothing special unless your are really craving it. Dinner take out is quick. Pad sew iew with beef (or any protein) is always good. Portions are big and easily split. Nice ambiance and decorations. Wasn't busy on this Sat night, about half capacity.

    (3)

  • Jane T.

    Your average thai place. Nothing too fancy. You can always plan on getting a solid lunch here. Kind of pricy though but it's close and convienent.

    (3)

  • Alison M.

    I got take out here the other night for dinner and was pretty satisfied with my meal. I got the pad kee mow with medium spice and it was the perfect spicyness level. My husband has ordered it normal in the past and said his mouth was on fire. He got the green curry and enjoyed. The noodles in the pad kee mow were a very large portion enough for leftovers. I can't comment on the actual restaurant as I did not go in, but the food was good.

    (4)

  • Candice B.

    My husband and I came here for lunch. Walking in the place was pretty full which is always a good sign. We were quickly seated and decided to share a couple of entrees and an order of crispy spring rolls. The food was served family style with extra plates to eat off of. I love eating this way and it is how most meals are eaten in Thailand. We ordered: Meal of Siam- Baked chicken with Green Papaya Salad and Sticky rice. I was surprised to see that they actually served sticky rice in a little bamboo container wrapped in plastic to allow for small portions to be taken out without the full dish becoming dried out. I wish the skin on the chicken would have been crisp, but the meat was tender and had good flavor. The green papaya salad had really great heat and flavor, it think they went a little overboard on the lime juice, but overall it was really good. Green Chicken Curry- Spicy and lots of flavor. All of the vegetables were cooked perfectly with just a hint of crispness still there. We will definately be coming back.

    (5)

  • Jason B.

    Serving staff were totally overwhelmed. I was here as part of a group of 15 for a workplace dinner. There was also another large group at the same time as well as about 7-10 smaller groups of 2-3 people. After the last 2-3 people joined the table, it took over 30 minutes to take drink and food orders. Some in our group couldn't wait any longer and walked up to the bar to get their beer or water. One the coordinators in our group ordered 3-4 appetizers for the table, thank god! My wife's appetizer and main course came out at the same time. None of drinks were included on our bills. Someone decided it was better to put all alcoholic drinks on a separate bill, then pass the bill around to everyone to pay. Ridiculous. Despite the food tasting good, the overall meal left an aftertaste of frustration and disappointment. The noisy characteristics of the dining room meant I waited for service, food, and completion of the evening in solitude, but not silence. It was too noisy for me to converse with anyone. In fact the other large group started busing their own table of dishes and glasses to the windowsill so they could be unencumbered for the duration of their meeting/dinner. There is street side pay-meter parking.

    (2)

  • Angela P.

    We were heading to the theater from Alexandria one night and needed a good, quick meal that didn't require a reservation. Pasara Thai seemed like the obvious choice. Because Pasara Thai is in a business area, it isn't nearly as crowded at night as it is during the lunchtime. We arrived around 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night and it was pretty empty. I started with a Tequila Sunrise made with tequila, orange juice, and grenadine. I don't think I tasted any tequila and it was way too fruity for my taste buds. For my entree, instead of ordering my normal kaprow tofu, I thought I'd try something new. I ordered the Spicy Eggplant and I'm glad I did. Made with Japanese eggplant, fried tofu, onions, and bell peppers with basil in a spicy bean sauce, it was scrumptious. All of the vegetables were cooked just right -- soft, but not overcooked; and the sauce was very good. Chris ordered the Spinach Mushroom dish that was chock full of sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and beans sprouts in a light garlic sauce. This one was pretty good too, but it had a bit too many bean sprouts for me. We specifically requested no fish sauce in our meals and they were happy to accommodate. There are twelve vegetarian entrees to choose from including Pad Tofu, Sweet and Sour Tofu, Rama Jae, Veggie Delight, Ginger Broccoli Tofu, and Veggie Curry. So while the options were plentiful and the dishes were pretty good, the service was not. Even though the restaurant was empty, they barely checked on us. After 10 minutes of trying to flag them down to get the check, we finally just walked up to them and asked for it. It was pretty frustrating. So, if you are looking for good, reasonably priced Thai food, Pasara Thai is a great choice. Just don't expect attentive service.

    (3)

  • Darren G.

    No do not go here. Some of the worst Thai food I have ever had. Service was slow! One waitress for all of the tables. My yellow chicken curry came out looking like runny broth...no substance or flavor. Rice was not that good and no one else at my table liked their dishes either. Have no clue what the hype is here because the food is not good at all. Complete waste of time.

    (1)

  • Brittany M.

    Mmmm. I finally found good Pad See Ew in the DC metro area! Major win for me! Despite not having a menu I could find on Yelp or online (the website link here is broken,) I saw other Yelpers say they had this dish, so I called it in and walked over from my office to pick it up for lunch. They told me 15 minutes, but it was ready when I arrived in 10, and thanks to the foil wrapping in the styrofoam box, it stayed warm the entire walk back to my desk and through my slow eating of it. For only $10.95, I got a decent portion of perfectly sauced flat noodles, broccoli, and white meat chicken. It wasn't overly greasy or under-sauced or flavorless like every pad see ew I've had in this region. It was sooo good. The decor in here looked modern and kind of swanky, and with a full bar, it looked like a great place for dinner, too. For now, you can bet you'll find me here pretty often for lunch!

    (4)

  • Giselle L.

    Excellent summer rolls with a delicious sweet chili sauce! The pataya seafood was fresh, bountiful and with an amazing sauce. The service was not that great. We were there at the lunch peak with various large groups, so our order took a while. Our waittress blamed us for taking 5 extra minutes to look at the menu, and not ordering as soon as we sat down. Still, the food was terrific and would go back.

    (4)

  • Colleen G.

    We came here the other night to try it instead of the other Thai place in Carlye. I would like to tell you that the food, service, drinks, or even water was good, but I can't because we sat there for 15 minutes and no one would wait on us. When we asked the waiter she just said it wasn't her table and walked away. We went there for dinner so it was not crowded. The waiters were more interested in chatting at the bar and just flat out ignored us. I don't think I have ever seen such poor service. When we got up to leave they just shrugged their shoulders. Ridiculous. We went down the street to the other thai place in Hoffman center (not naming in in my review) and had a lovely dinner.

    (1)

  • Aaron K.

    Came here for lunch, and loved the atmosphere. Menus were a little beat up and the service was a tad slow. They took my order quick, but the food took a few extra minutes to get out, restaurant was a little busy, but not enough to constitute slow service. It was only the food that was slow. Very attentive wait staff. Food was great! Drunken noodles were EXTREMELY spicy!!!! I love spicy food and have a high tolerance for spicy food, and this hit me hard, but still extremely flavorful. The two others with me loved their food as well. A tad pricey, but that may because I'm from California where we have a lot of Thai food available.

    (4)

  • Kristy S.

    Wonderful dinner. We are vegetarians and the options here were the most we have ever found at a Thai restaurant. We had the Thai salad for an appetizer and it was wonderful. My husband had spinach & mushroom - which he loved. I had the spicy eggplant and it was the best Thai dish I have eaten in a long time. Wait staff was wonderful and very attentive.

    (5)

  • Michelle H.

    The food was very good and came out very quickly, which was a good and bad thing. I don't know if they were suggesting that I should eat the soup with my entree at the same time or perhaps, they cooked the entree quicker than they expected. Don't know, but soon after I got the Tom Kha Goong soup (which was soooo good), the Spicy Eggplant came. Both were very good and the eggplant had the right amount of kick to it, but I rushed the soup a little in order to make sure I could eat the actual meal before it got cold. So I would just suggest that you hold off on ordering your entree with your appetizers/soup/salad because they'll bring it out right away. Again, that is a good thing for quick service, but bad if you're looking to savor one thing at a time. All in all, I would definitely come back here again!

    (4)

  • Michelle D.

    My husband and I love pasara! We regularly order take out, or delivery and we have several dishes that we just LOVE. My husband is very picky with curry, yet he loves all the curries in Pasara (red, yellow, green and Panang). I love their ka prao and pad broccoli the best. Fried rice is delicious as well, although it can be a pretty oily.. but then its fried rice, right? :P Of their appetizer list, I especially recommend their crispy wontons and crispy spring rolls. They are perfectly crispy and soo delicious! The wonton's are one of the best wonton's I've ever had. Most restaurant's wontons are really hard to bite on and you end up with dents in your gums, but not these. They are fantastic. I don't give them 5 stars, because, even though I never eat at the restaurant, I have noticed their service is not that great. They can be a little abrupt when you order on the phone, and they would pretty much ignore you if you're in the restaurant unless you sit at the bar. Delivery, for us is really good, but we live nearby, so our food arrives within 10-15 mins of ordering it, hot and delicious, so no problems there. Regardless of their service issues, the food is delicious, and I definitely recommend you give them a chance.

    (4)

  • YooHwa S.

    Wanted to like this place but service was bad...food was just ok. Greenbean tasted funky in my green curry for some reason... oh and don't go there when it's cold...the day I went, the restaurant was colder than outside

    (2)

  • JH K.

    I worked in the area for 2 years and this restaurant was one of my favorite place to grab lunch. Their padthai/drunken noodles/green curry are aswsome. I crave for their padthai even to this day.

    (4)

  • An B.

    This is my go-to place for pad see ew in the area. I confess, it's been the only thing I've ordered here but it's just so delicious I haven't wanted to try anything else (although my friends' dishes looked good, particularly the curries and pineapple rice). Very loud during lunchtime on the weekdays. There are a lot of parking garages in the area and it's not a long walk from the King Street metro.

    (5)

  • Anne-Margaret O.

    Love Pasara Thai for lunch!! The food is great, the service is fast, and the portion size is just right. It can get a little loud here at lunchtime, but not too loud that you can't enjoy a conversation. This is my go-to place for enjoying lunch in Alexandria.

    (5)

  • Robert B.

    Ordered the beef panang curry and a thai tea for dinner. Both were very nice and the service was quick. Only complaints would be minor ones like cooking the flank steak longer to make it a bit more tender and adding more spice for my personal preference. I will go back again, but will probably also try the other thai restaurants out of curriosity since I haven't been to them yet first...

    (4)

  • Chanel D.

    I give you 3.5 stars, Pasara. ::cue Gwen Stefani's Holla back girl:: My food was bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Few times, I said: "I'd be back but they had to get their food on track." Ok, I'm having too much fun. But, the eats made me dance in my seat, y'all! Tonight, I don't know what was going on, but the Pasara Thai kitchen must have known that I had ordered for pick up. I have been here about a dozen times before. However, I was only ever lukewarm on their food. Previously, their drunken noodles were a grease pool and I always had food envy, no matter what I ordered. Finally, it was never spicy enough. Well, anonymity seems to be the way to go. I ordered the beef drunken noodles and some veggie green curry. The drunken noodles were perfection. I still have the kick of the spice burning my lips. Just the way that I like it! No grease pit and they were generous with the beef. I will have the veggie curry for my lunch tomorrow. Hopefully, I will be just as pleased.

    (3)

  • Kai S.

    Nice restaurant inside. I went on a date with my husband and I didn't like how they had a big TV in front of the tables. I could see people on dates all around me watching TV like they were eating dinner at home. All the food was good but super salty. I ordered soup which was salty and drunken noodles which were even saltier.

    (3)

  • Dae K.

    Unlike the restaurants around the Patent office, this place is unusually not crowded. Let me rephrase that... This restaurant is pretty not crowded. I am not a big fan of Thai food, but my idea of Thai food is that it's (1) sweet and (2) spicy. The food at this restaurant seems to match my expectations of what a Thai food tastes like, because the Chili paste chicken fried rice I ordered was (1) sweet and (2) spicy. Loved how the restaurant was spotless and incredibly spacious. One could theoretically carry on a conversation intended for a group and still not bother the people sitting on the next table. Of note; there was a half-finished bowl of white rice, some bread, and a glass of wine right outside the front entrance. The birds were feasting on the food, but I was wondering why... it didn't look like a display.

    (4)

  • Kaitlin R.

    Delicious food here I love this place. Great pad thai chicken. Very big portion size and extremely filling. I love the cashew chicken. It is so good! Gets busy at lunch time but good service even with the amount of people. Good happy hour prices.

    (4)

  • Bob N.

    Food was good but services around lunch time was terrible. Good luck if you try to flag down a waiter/waitress to ask for an utensil, a refill, a spice tray, etc. If he/she is not your table's waiter, they just brushed you off and walked away without even acknowledging you. Also, please buy more condiments/spices trays!!! Why can't each table has its own tray? Is the saving justified if the restaurant forces pissed-off customers from different tables to take turn sharing one tray of hot peppers? Ridiculous!

    (2)

  • F U.

    The restaurant is nice and the servers are friendly. We called ahead of our arrival for a to go order. It still took a while to get the food. Not a terrible thing since they are busy. The food was a bit bland for my taste. That may be a product of the dish I ordered, I may need to visit again before I make up my mind. In any case, I will visit again and update my review accordingly.

    (3)

  • Aisha C.

    No. My pad Thai was flavorless and I didn't know that could actually happen. Take out was simple but the glovor was just not there at all for the price. Chicken was also dry.

    (1)

  • Jihad B.

    Good flavor, good service, fairly priced, and a menu full of variety make Pasara Thai a decent place to stop for lunch (and I'm assuming dinner). On the Honor scale of rat to dragon Pasara gets a Tiger.

    (4)

  • Sophia L.

    Pasara is my favorite restaurant in Alexandria. The waitstaff is attentive and on point. The restaurant is spacious and inviting. And gosh you gotta try all the dishes! They all taste delicious! I really like their Drunken Noodles- a dish where I can literally gobble the whole plate and lick the dish clean. I don't have any complaints about the food except that sometimes I think it's serving me Chinese food instead of Thai food, mainly because they serve dishes like Chicken & Broccoli, Eggplant & Sauce, etc. I would highly recommend you to stop by here and get your Thai cravings in. It's definitely worth your time and your money!

    (4)

  • Ellie B.

    Though slightly overpriced, this Thai restaurant has very good food. I had the yellow curry but substituted bell peppers and pineapple for the potatoes and cherry tomatoes. I have to say this is the best yellow curry I have had in the DC area. I also had a chance to try their cashew chicken which was very tasty and had an incredible garlic sauce! I will be returning!

    (4)

  • Adele J.

    Absolutely delicious!! I got the drunken noodles, love the different spicy levels. I'll get hotter next time, medium wasn't enough for me. The portions are big, definitely satisfied there. Prices are a little high but Thai food isn't that plentiful around here. I'd love to go back soon!

    (4)

  • Meriam A.

    My coworkers and I placed a large order for 15 people a few weeks ago and I was very impressed by the speed and quality of the food. Almost as soon as I put down the order I walked over and the food was done. All of my coworkers loved their food with some people first time Thai food eaters and they were impressed at the quality of the food. I personally had the Pad Thai with chicken and was very happy with it. I'd been looking for a new Pad Thai goto place since I've moved and I'm happy to say I found it. I also tried their Drunken Noodles with Chicken and while it was very spicy and had me hiccuping, it was also sweet and tasty.

    (5)

  • Sarah K.

    I was excited to find a Thai restaurant only a block from my house, but wasn't thrilled with the food or service. Ordered a large tom kha to share with the hubby, but it was pretty small for the price, and not too flavorful. The red curry was just ok, but I'm giving them 3 stars because the drunken noodles were really yummy- highlight of the meal. Our food took a while- seems they were understaffed for a Saturday night- and though the host/server who had about 7 tables, was very friendly, I had to flag down the only other server, who then grudgingly took our order. Not too impressed.

    (3)

  • Iz J.

    Always amazing food and great customer service :). The Thai Iced tea is especially addicting as well as the sauces, spices etc.

    (5)

  • Damon B.

    I'm giving this four stars because it's not the best Thai I've ever had, but it's really good and is my favorite in Old Town. I come here for special lunches with my friends and it's great. The food is always served quickly and it's a great place to grab lunch. Passara is a chain restaurant in DC and Virginia (maybe more). It's prices aren't bad and the food is consistently good, maybe not amazing and worth going out of your way for, but it's on the upper side of good regardless.

    (4)

  • Asia M.

    I give it 3 stars because the food here is amazing. I normally get the fried rice with beef and its my favorite thing to get. But i took off 2 stars because service was horrible. The server took forever to ask me and my sister if we wanted drinks. She took forever to come back with them. She never asked how our food was and she took forever bringing the check. We didnt tip her because her service was horrible. Then she stopped us at the door and asked us why we didnt tip her. Completely unprofessional and rude!

    (3)

  • Mike T.

    I have come to this restaurant a good number of times. The food is pretty good and the staff is friendly. With that said, the reason I've given this establishment 1 star is regarding the shady way they OVER-charge your credit card sometimes. I consider myself a generous tipper (usually around 20%). At first, I thought maybe the staff just mistakenly typed in the wrong number when charging the card and I just looked past it. I am very vigilant about my CC transactions and always keep an eye on my CC statements. This has already happened to me several times. Now, the amount they're overcharging is usually not something ridiculous that will break your bank ($0.50~$1.00), but it is EXTREMELY shady.

    (1)

  • Phoebe P.

    Had the red curry dish and it was delicious! Service was great and beautiful wall decor. Also has a nice bar for watching games.

    (4)

  • Shaina L.

    Food was delicious and brought out very quickly. My husband ordered the Drunken Noodles and really liked it. Their fried calamari was great as well. Waitstaff was pretty good - attentive in the beginning but then kind of held back. It did take us a little while to get the check after our dinner plates were removed, but at the time we were not in a hurry and did not mind waiting. It is off the beaten path a little, so on Friday night it was not very busy, as you might find at the King Street restaurants in Old Town. The atmosphere is nice, and the restaurant itself is very spacious.

    (4)

  • Colin C.

    Service was horrible. And the appetizers were not good either. We ordered the calamari and it tasted like something you got out of the freezer. The duck salad and roasted duck with basil was okay just not spectacular. But what gives it two stars was the service just god awful on a Saturday night. Also a higher price than Bangkok 54 and thai square and the far superior thai places in the area.

    (2)

  • Andrew G.

    Great good and great atmosphere! The food came out very quickly. We had the drunken noodles, pad Thai and green curry which were all great. Definitely in the spicy side if you want it to be.

    (5)

  • Aaron B.

    I have tried numerous dishes here and have loved almost all of them. Their Tom Kha Gai is fantastic as well as their curries. The Drunken Noodle is uniquely delicious and the Kanom Jeeb is an unusual and tasty start. We always get the Thai tea as well. Sometimes we end with the fried banana and pay extra for the coconut ice cream to be added! They are very nice and have an impressive bar. This place is a favorite and quite a gem. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Ryan B.

    Stopped by here while waiting for my other half to get off of work. There were only a few people sitting at the bar having cocktails, so I seemingly had the whole restaurant to myself. Ronery. I felt so ronery. So ronery and sadry arone. I work rearry hard and make up great prans But nobody ristens, no one understands Seems like no one takes me serirousry And so I'm ronery A rittle ronery Poor rittle me Anyway, I had a long tough day and needed a beer. The waitress was happy to comply with a nice cold Singha and frosty glass. She even poured it for me. I love that. It was still somewhat early like around 3pm or so. I ordered Papaya Salad and Crispy Spring rolls. Two of my favorite staples. I rarely ever leave a Thai restaurant without having either of them. As I chased my blues away and counted the bubbles in my beer, the food came out. Aromatic, colorful, flavorful, and spicy. The Som Tum (Papaya Salad) was fresh and crunchy. It's mixed with chopped peanuts, fresh al dente green beans, cherry tomatos and those little red chilis. The fish sauce marinade was nice and smooth. The things I love about this cuisine. The spring rolls were of course straight from the fryer. Minced pork and spices wrapped in won ton fried golden brown. The dipping sauce on the side was spot on. Orange and sweet. NOM NOM NOM. My waitress was great. She kept coming out to check on me and smiled like a little girl. That's probably because I was the only one in there and she was bored just standing around wiping tables. Or maybe it was because I looked pimp drinking my Singha....Haha!

    (4)

  • Danny H.

    Good food, solid staples. The basil fried rice and the Pasara fried rice are to die for...but at a steep cost (14$). The pad seeyou is ok...a little too much grease, but none the less very delicious. Service is spot on, they are very responsive and the wait time is within reason. I'll have to try their curries to round off the review. Stay tuned!

    (4)

  • Eva P.

    I liked that the portions are reasonably sized... and yummy. The ambience is very classy/date-y and there is always parking if you go after 3PM, and you wont break the bank after eating here. My only problem is that I feel the staff doesn't speak English very well so there are a few times when I'm trying to order something or ask a question and I feel the waitress didn't really understand what I meant. The last time I went with a friend, we both ordered drunken noodles. I asked for really really spicy, he asked for mild, but both our orders came out super spicy so this is where the communication problem manifests itself. Also, I don't like how they try to sit everyone in the restaurant close to each other. I went and the entire restaurant was almost empty and I was sat a table over from a couple... AWKWARD. When a restaurant is empty I should be asked where I want to sit, not told. Other than that, the food is, again, yummy and filling and this is a great restaurant. Def. going back and enjoy coming here.

    (4)

  • Tim R.

    Great authentic Thai. Easily the best Thai in the area. We live just outside the delivery area and they still accept our orders. When we visit the restaurant it's normally pretty quiet and relaxing. The service and delivery is great. Highly recommend this restaurant

    (5)

  • Andrew H.

    After being stuck in Alexandria, I ate here since it was near the movie theater. I thought this place was just meh, in terms of Thai. The portion sizes were rather small, and the entrees were bland when Thai cuisine is meant to be bold and spicy. I've had a lot of Thai food, and unfortunately, this place just doesn't cut it.

    (2)

  • M R.

    Really good. I had been looking for a Thai place to take my boyfriend to and came across Pasara on Yelp and was so happy we chose Pasara. We were seated immediately and ordered the Beef pad Thai and a spicy shrimp dish (so sorry i cant remember the Dish title!) that came with white rice. I like my Pad Thai a bit spicier than how it was prepared, but we added some of the very spicy shrimp sauce to the mixture and it was perfect. Enough food for 3 in just those two dishes, but we are hungry people so we ate it all. Kind staff and a clean bathroom. Price was right too.

    (4)

  • J R.

    The food was good, but the service was not. Two of us ordered drinks we never got. I finally had to get up and go ask the bartender for some more water after the waitress kind of went missing. He apologized and said that they had not expected the number of people who had shown up that night (New Year's Eve), though he wasn't doing anything to help. The food was good, standard Thai, though my dish was slightly cool. After that halfway decent service experience, I won't be going back.

    (3)

  • FoodE Y.

    Pasara is a solid choice for Thai food in Alexandria. I love their drunken noodles. It is soooo good! their green curry is also very good (sometimes watery). The eggplant dish is also good and has great flavors. Their Thai tea is not too sweet, not too creamy - just right. the only thing bad about this restaurant is customer service. the wait staff acts like they are doing you favor by coming into work. that is the reason for minus 1 star. if the food didn't hold up so well, this place would be so out of business. they have no business skills/how to treat their customers.

    (4)

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Opening Hours

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Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Classy
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Pasara Thai

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