On Rice Thai Cuisine
206 N Samish Way, Bellingham, WA, 98225
On Rice Thai Cuisine Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Bellingham for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Bellingham for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Bellingham for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
206 N Samish Way
Bellingham, WA, 98225 - Phone (360) 714-9995
- Website https://www.onricethai.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Lindsey O.
They charged me $1 extra for requesting NO fish sauce in my pad thai. I saw it on the bill and asked about it, they said it was because they had to clean a separate wok to make it. *rolls eyes* Also, I know the owner treats employees like absolute shit and calls them degrading names. Big thumbs down.
(1)Peter S.
A solid 3.5 stars. The waitress was very attentive when we mentioned that one person in our party had a shellfish allergy. We had the Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, and a Ginger dish (can't remember the name). All were very tasty. We also each got a small Thai-like salad with peanut sauce, and our friend with the allergy got the salad with a Balsamic dressing. We like all three dishes. Service was very attentive and the ambiance was fine.
(3)Alex V.
Have had their food twice now and love it! After working at two different thai restaurants in Seattle, I've been nervous about trying out other Thai restaurants because, from past experiences, they've never had as good of food compared to the places that I've worked at, but this place was great! The first time I ordered take out, I really liked the atmosphere of the restaurant so much that I wanted to come back and dine in. And the food was delicious! The portions are pretty big and the flavors really work well together. Both times, I was greeted by very friendly and attentive staff and the food was made really fast. We ordered coconut prawns, pad thai, red curry, swimming rama, and their special fried rice. The food is always tasty and we ordered enough to have leftovers! Will definitely be ordering here again and highly recommend.
(5)Elizabeth P.
I used to be a loyal customer as was my family. Until I found tons of peanuts in my pad Thai when I specifically asked for no peanuts in my meal. They confirmed it with me over the phone and when they handed my the box for my to-go order. I'm allergic and had a severe reaction. They didn't give me a refund just made me a new one. I sent them an email later that night to let them know what happened and that it should never happen again because some people are deathly allergic. It's been a few weeks and no response. They have lost almost 10 customers from my friends and family through this incident. Sadly I will never be going again and will have to find a new Thai destination.
(1)Mike S.
Visiting wife's cousins son at WWU and had dinner at On Rice. Love Thai food and this was excellent!! Chicken Satay, Miang Kum and Tom Yum to start Sen-Yai med spicy Hot Basil Beef Everything was excellent and well seasoned!!! And spicy if you want--- I like spicy. Great food- reasonably priced.
(5)Chelsea R.
Pretty consistent on food. Best location of all the on rice locations. Huge portions and fair prices. Amazing peanut sauce. Best pad Thai I have found in Bellingham.
(5)Andrea H.
I stood at the hostess stand for at least five minutes. There was a large fish tank at the entrance, so I passed the time admiring the four saltwater fish gathering in the tank nearest to me obviously hoping to be fed (funny, me too). There were patrons in the restaurant, but I didn't even see a waiter running around for several minutes. Eventually, after taking an order from one table and filling water glasses at another, The waiter finally made his way over to the hostess stand, and I was finally greeted and seated with a menu. I ordered egg rolls, yellow curry and jasmine rice, but the waiter told me that rice came with the order, so I dropped the last item. The egg rolls, served with sweet and sour sauce, were piping hot, but didn't seem fresh. They had that 'frozen storage' quality to them. I had requested vegetables with my yellow curry instead of meat. I wasn't disappointed. There were bits of carrots, broccoli, snow peas, pineapple, potato, baby corn, etc. My preference for the degree of spicy came out just fine; although, I would not have opposed it being a little hotter. The restaurant decor is very nicely done, and I loved sitting next to the big picture windows, even if the view was just concrete and the street. Once I was finally seated, the service turned out just fine. The appetizer was nothing to write home about, but the main course was quite good. The meal was about $16 which seemed quite pricy, but actually, it could have fed two people easily if shared, so keeping that in mind, it seems more reasonable. I love Thai food, and since there are few options in Bellingham, I will probably return.
(3)Joe S.
I was in Bellingham on business, and I wanted to sample local Thai food for lunch. It was raining cats and dogs, but accessing On Rice was no problem. Plenty of parking in the rear. As I walked in, I noticed the restaurant was clean, bright and tastefully decorated. (I enjoyed the elaborate wood carving that hung above my table.) When I walked in, a nice young woman escorted me to my table. When I asked for a booth, it wasn't a problem. I checked out the bathroom after ordering, and it was clean and tastefully decorated as well. (The painting of the slightly suggestive Thai couple on the bathroom door was also a very nice way of indicating that the bathroom was unisex.) I ordered lemon chicken (very spicy). The service was fast. (In fact the waiter had my soup as he came to take my beverage order.) When he asked me the spice level I indicated very hot. (Very smartly, their spiciness scales are printed on the menu with chili peppers.) Often when I order very spicy food at a Thai or Indian restaurant, I get the skeptical nod and the spiciness level gets adjusted down to white boy levels. Not this time. My order came out very spicy (as I wanted it). The portion was very good, and the black tea that I ordered was also very generous. The service was good, and the staff seemed genuinely friendly. I agree with many Yelp commenters that the food at On Rice appears to be different from the Thai food that I have experienced at other Thai restaurants in the U.S. However, I can not comment on whether or not the food at On Rice is genuine Thai, or not. I personally have never travelled to Thailand, so my only reference point are other Thai restaurant here in the states. All I know is that if I am ever in Bellingham again, I will stop by On Rice for another meal.
(5)Tanya K.
Great atmosphere and service. Drunken noodle is their standout dish, but other items have been tasty as well. Try the Wu Wei oolong tea, served in a French press. Samish and Fairhaven locations seem to be the most consistent in the kitchen. And Fairhaven's dining room is a bit loud. Samish way on rice is a great lunch spot.
(4)Scott K.
Friendly staff. Quick service. Reasonable pricing. Lots of attractive decoration creating a pleasant ambiance. The food quality is very good. There is a good variety of options on the menu. Worth a try!
(4)Nicolas J.
I'm always so sad whenever I go in. There is never anyone there! Which is a damn shame considering the food is absolutely delicious. Great portions, and I always have leftovers for another meal later in the day. Their Pad Thai is especially tasty. I absolutely love the peanut sauce, and their Satay rivals the food you can get in the Malaysian marketplace. Definitely worth a try! I love the decor and you might as well hit the gong as well. :)
(4)Tina B.
WOW it was my first time at On Rice the the decoration was really good, the service was good as well, but I have say for the food it was really bad the only thing that I had that was good plum sauce and the coconut shrimp was okay , even the pop was bad. I don't think I'll be going back to this place.
(1)Robots F.
This isn't Thai food, they don't know what the equation is. It's more like a Teriyaki Applebees. My wife knew something was up when they asked what kind of rice she wanted on her noodle dish. "None? I ordered a noodle dish." They brought jasmine rice anyway. It was from the bottom of the barrel. On top everything, this location serves food that has probably been reheated for 12 hours. I had to spit out my food into my napkin. SOOOO GROSSS.
(1)Scarlett M.
Pretty decent Thai food, I found the Pad Thai a bit sweet for my liking, but the fact that you can order things up to 10 stars made my dining companion happy. The decor is nice, however if you have short legs like I do, some of the chairs are a bit challenging. I felt like Edith Anne in her giant rocking chair. Service was good and the prices were reasonable. Note for Disabled: Reasonably accessible, has its own parking lot.
(3)Nathan S.
My wife and I were craving some Thai food after hitting the slopes. We were fortunate to find this place and meet John who took such good care of us! Amazing flavors in all that we ordered! Drunken noodles made me drunk with happiness. Curry was equally delightful and made both of our stomachs content. Highly recommend as you won't be disappointed!
(5)Deborah R.
A nice warm welcome after a long day of driving. The waiter was attentive, but not overly and let us enjoy our dinner in a relatively quiet atmosphere (lots of college students and their dates at adjoining tables -- which always adds a bit of fun). Our food was tasty -- not overly spiced. We had Pad Thai (it wasn't gooey like some places) and tried Swimming Rama for the first time. The price was certainly right and I look forward to eating there again.
(4)Dana K.
It was okay. The food was average, nothing that special. But my friend ordered her food really spicy and it didn't even have a kick.
(3)Maggie A.
I have long been a fan of On Rice, however I needed to share a warning with others about a recent experience. I had to make reservations for my birthday THREE times because the restaurant failed to make them. First, I made a reservation using the online form on their official website. I called a week before the date to confirm, and they said that they do not take reservations online. I was very confused because it is clearly on their website. I remade the reservations on the phone. Called the day of to confirm, and AGAIN they said they had no reservation for me. It was very unprofessional, and had they not been able to make my reservation again, I would've been without a place to eat on my special day. The food at On Rice is great, however the service could definitely be more professional.
(2)Randy L.
Nice place, good service, okay food. Coming from Los Angeles, this is a different league. No sense comparing Bellingham with Los Angeles for Thai food. Just doesn't work. If you can get past that, and just focus on enjoying the food, it's okay. Decided to try the Sen Rai, which is kind of like Pad See Ew with gravy. In this case, they use peanut sauce, all over it. I've seen this before in the Northwest. A little strange, but tasty, nonetheless. The broccoli was very good, the beef was a medium grade steak. Unfortunately, the noodles were overcooked, and mushy. Portion was generous. Other than the texture of the noodles, it was a good, tasty meal. Spice rack included the same chili pepper sauce, and dried chili that we get in Los Angeles. There was also fish sauce, which is a little different, but makes sense.
(3)Tiffany Hope M.
This is our favorite Thai location. They have the best peanut sauce you've ever had. I promise! Their lil dinner salads are incredible. The fresh rolls are perfect and this is the #1 best pad Thai you'll ever eat. I promise that too!!! Hands down the best. The owners are so sweet, and I live their servers!! Especially at this location!!! Yummi
(5)Teresa W.
Usually, the gluten intolerant can count on a Thai restaurant, but this one is clueless. The waitress said that only the Swimming Rama lunch special was gluten-free. After I questioned the (non-Thai) soup she brought out for all of us, she assured me that the soup was gluten-free, and just the shell noodles in it had gluten. (Shell noodles at a Thai Restaurant???) The peanut sauce on the Swimming Rama was an overly-thick overly-sweet mess and the Pad Thai side was over-cooked and tasteless.
(1)Elizabeth P.
I go here a lot, and recently had a bizarrely bad experience so I'll end up going to the other locations instead. We were seated and this waiter (pretty sure he's new) comes up and proceeds to ask how we were but then began telling us how his evening has sucked so far. The rambling lasted a few minutes before we were able to give our drink order. We ordered calamari as an appetizer and it came out practically burnt - hard to chew and super crispy, not the good calamari we were used to, but we ate it anyway. I got up to use the restroom and stated this to my boyfriend in front of the waiter (after he told us our food was almost ready). Made eye contact with the girl up front while I walked into the restroom. I come back out and my boyfriend got up a little bit after me to wash his hands, but left our bags at the table. I was astonished to see that they had completely cleared our table (with salads, calamari, and sodas) and the girl was putting our bags behind the front counter! I asked what they were doing and they were like "oh, sorry, we thought you had left". Seriously? Why would we leave before getting our entrees? It was really really weird and made me angry - they knew I was using the restroom, who the heck clears a table and removes people's stuff from their chairs? We got a half apology from one of the guys from the back (manager maybe?) but didn't get our salads or calamari back. Looking back, I should have asked for it to be comped but I didn't - I was totally taken off guard by the terrible service. I've never left a bad tip, but we ended up tipping 10%. I won't be visiting this location again, and am hesitant to even go to the other locations.
(2)Shannon S.
I went off some yelps and got pad Thai against my better judgement and was reminded why not to order it; dry and clumped together noodles. Ugh! It got better with the addition of some peanut sauce though so if you order it that way it is salvageable. Mad props to the swimming Rama. Chicken dish with spinach and peanut sauce. This one didn't disappoint and was flavorful and surprising. Ordering medium spice here is like a mild at every Thai place I've been, and I've been to many. Unfortunately, was let down when I strayed from my safety of green curry and went with a chef special called floating wrap. This was not ok. I come from the deep fry state, Wisconsin, where fried cheese curds are as common of an appetizer at any place as chips and salsa are a Mexican restaurants. This dish was just bad. I took the seafood out to put it in my green curry so It wasn't a total waste. If you are traveling and are seeking out something great, I am not sure this is going to do it for you.
(2)Sophie T.
Amazing food, best Thai restaurant in bellingham! Staff are brilliant it's a short wait time and there restaurants our always clean. Lunch deals are great aswell!
(5)Chris M.
I love me some chicken Pad Thai and this place HOOKS IT UP. The peanut sauce is really good..among the best I've ever had. The decor is also interesting and includes golden flame shaped things, high relief sculptures, a fish tank, colorful murals, colorfully tiled table surfaces and golden dancing man sculptures lining the upper part of the dining room wall. I came here for lunch with family and the staff was friendly and attentive. The lunch portion of Pad Thai was as large as dinner portions I've had other places. The TV above the small bar was tuned to ESPN so that was also nice for my wandering eyes.
(4)Hannah G.
I go here to get pad se ew to go, and they kill it - big portion and it's delicious. Although if you like your food spicy, get 4 or 5 stars because 2 isn't even really spicy.
(4)M M.
I've been here several times. Lately it has ranged from meh on both service and food to a little less. I think this location has gone down since they expanded to their other locations. Actually, I think they're spread a bit thin, the other locations have not impressed me that much. I now mostly go to Asian 1 (formerly known as Pad Thai) for Thai (they also serve Sushi). Though on this end of town Busara's would be my pick. Bottom line: If you don't mind going up the Guide, go to Asian 1. If you want local to WWU, Busara.
(2)Shannon C.
Great Thai food and good friendly service! Could use an update in decor and seating.
(4)Shay R.
Great food. Ample portions.
(5)Dominique R.
The food is pretty satisfying however I was annoyed that they only serve dinner on the weekends. I went here because they have a good value lunch menu and walked out having to pay what I would have for dinner. Restaurants that try and soak up as much money as they can annoy me. But their food is good do Ill be back.
(4)Kimberly S.
We did a familia style to try a couple things between our family. We tried a chicken fried rice, a pad Thai noodle and a seafood griller dish that had calamari, shrimp, and scallops in it. The fried rice was awesome. The phad Thai had a little more fish sauce in it than Iike. And the seafood dish was awesome. Phad Thai was our least favorite of the 3. All in all loved this place and the food
(4)Joe A.
They have THE best Thai food I've ever had and I've been to countless Thai restaurants. Service is super friendly, they have awesome happy hour drinks too. Best Thai in Bellingham for sure.
(5)Chase R.
Thai is one my favorite foods to go out and eat. This was some of the best Thai food I have ever eaten. I've been there at least ten times. Fried rice, pad Thai, drunken noodle, fresh and fried spring rolls were all amazing! Read the fine print for happy hour, you are required to buy a beer or drink to get some of the cheaper prices if I remember correctly. If you are ever in Bellingham this is a must!!
(5)Terry K.
I come here alot and food here is pretty good considering not many good restaurants around here. Only complaint is phone ordering process. You have to tell them your phone number (Every time) and your name. This takes up about 2 minutes of unnecessary phone calling time. Although it doesn't stop me from ordering ahead of schedule, some people on the phone can be rude. (or really nice, you don't know who you will get)
(4)Jack E.
Awesome Thai food! Price was fair too. Best yellow curry I've had in a long time.
(5)Rachel S.
I loved this Thai restaurant. First, my husband speaks some Thai, so we always seem to get pretty good service if there is someone there who speaks it too. In fact, I have discovered that a great way to weed out bad Thai places is if none of the staff speak Thai. Most of the staff here seemed like college students, but our server was an older Thai gentleman who was delightful. My husband spoke to him and Thai, and when it was my turn to order I said, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Thai." He laughed and said very sweetly, "That's okay, I speak English." The only thing bad I could say about the service was that we had to wait at least 5 minutes at the hostess station before anyone even acknowledged our presence. It is the reason I can't give it 5 stars. We started with the coconut prawns, which were very good. I ordered the Pad Thai which was different than other Pad Thai that I have had. First off it was sweet and not even a little spicy. At first, it was a little strange. I am used to spicy Pad Thai. I don't particularly care for spicy, but I have found that if it isn't, it is usually really bland. I found this stuff to be very flavorful. Probably the best Pad Thai I have ever had. I did get a little peanut sauce on the side, mostly because I love peanut sauce. I put a little on my noodles, and it did enhance it a little, but it didn't need it. The portions were very large. We probably had enough food to feed 2 more people, and took home a lot of leftovers. I will probably have lunch for two more days. My husband had something with a lot of Thai words that I don't remember. It is a traditional Thai dish with ground chicken, basil, peppers and a fried egg on rice (I think it is the last thing on the menu). It was spectacular. My husband is one of the pickiest eaters I have ever met, and very hard to please. He loved it. The prices seemed reasonable, especially with the portion sizes. The worst part about this place is that it is in Bellingham and I live in Seattle, so I can't come on a regular basis. Honestly, I am a little sad about it.
(4)Hilary G.
Went for dinner on a Saturday night. The place wasn't empty, but it wasn't exactly busy either. So I'm not exactly sure why they were out of menus, but only one was given to our table. Ok. Ordered tom yum soup with tofu. Came out with tofu and chunks of white mushrooms floating in broth. What? Not like any tom yum soup I've had anywhere else. I won't be going back
(2)Cathy A.
I've had consistently good food here. Love the salad with the peanut sauce dressing, the chicken sate, and the pad see eu!
(5)Wendy C.
Not terribly vegetarian friendly, even though menu says most dishes can be made vegetarian (not true).
(2)Sharon C.
My love for Thai food began here at On Rice. I was a freshman at WWU and my friends and I decided to check this place out. To be honest, at first I didn't like the taste of peanut sauce on anything. The chicken pad Thai was def a new taste for me and I planned on not returning again. But as days and weeks went by, I surprisingly craved it! That's how my love with Thai food began. Every time I get the chance to visit Bellingham, I always catch food here at On Rice!
(5)Paul C.
Where do I start? The food here was actually good, but the experience was terrible. Came here with my ex coming back from Vancouver. We were hungry and looking for somewhere to eat and stumbled upon this place. We briefly perused the reviews, called to verify their hours and headed in. The restaurant is actually larger than I expected. There are many tables, but they could use a good thorough cleaning. The fish tank had tons of algae in it and needed some major TLC. The chairs are fairly heavy so if you're on the frail side, it might take some effort. The menus and the table were sticky to the point where I had to go wash my hands a few times to remove the film which seemed to transfer itself quite easily to my hands which I found semi-disturbing. On to the service. The staff in the front are nice, but our server was either bi-polar or just had an attitude problem in general. We were seated and thus began the waiting game. There was only one table when we arrived and the server failed to acknowledge our presence for a good 10 minutes. I guess their credit card machine was giving them some issues, but at least relay some kind of greeting. After what seemed to be an eternity, the server finally came and asked us if we were ready. My girlfriend told her we have been and it was all downhill from there. We started ordering our food and she was asking about rice. I was ordering a noodle dish so I asked her why she was asking about rice. She said with a very sarcastic tone and attitude that it came with rice. That's great, but this was my first time and from what I recall, it didn't say anything on the menu about entrees coming with rice. She took our order and that's the last we saw of her until towards the end of our meal. Never once did she check up to see if we needed anything else. She did seem to lighten up towards the end, but at that point I was fed up and did not even want to look at her. I gave her a pretty bad tip which I thought was more than sufficient for the level of service provided. The food was good, but the horrendous service will prevent me from ever going back. It's a pity because I would come back if the service was decent. If you see a petite Asian girl, it might be her. I think it would be best to order take-out.
(1)Jenny R.
No this isn't authentic Thai food but does that make it bad.....nope. I enjoy sugary food although the pad Thai was a tad too sweet for my sugar loving taste buds. Everything else on the menu is delicious including the panang curry, goong tod and the fried rice. Try it you won't be sorry.
(4)Vivi R.
Beautiful background music, beautiful interior designed. It was very peaceful and cozy inside this restaurant. It was our first time here and I enjoyed eating there. I really liked my phad thai, it wasn't too salty or too spicy, it was just right. Same with my boyfriend, he really liked his pad see ew. My parents liked the vegetable curry. Their thai iced tea was delicious as well, it wasn't very sweet, it was just that mild taste that I really liked. It tasted authentic. Their restroom is clean and their sink has like this koi fishes designed that makes them look as if they're really there, the sink is cool I thought. Google map and apple map was telling us that the destination was on the right, which was WRONG omg. We were on our way to Seattle from Canada and we didn't know much of the area around Bellingham. It was before Days Inn hotel for those who are planning to come here. And your destination is on the left.
(5)Jessica R.
Not only is the ambiance a wonderful welcome, the prices are right-on AND the best part is the food is AMAZING at the Fairhaven location YUUUP! I'm going back soon fur shure Oh and big XOXO to the fabulous piano player, Christian!
(4)Phily B.
On Rice: Samish Location Years after college, On Rice IS STILL our favorite place for Thai food! Phily actually used to work at all 3 of the locations. In order to stay unbiased we will focus primarily on the food and not the service or management. The upside to this though, is that we've tasted nearly every single dish on the menu! See our "FAVORITES" section if you want to see what else is good here OTHER than Chicken Pad Thai :p PROs: * Tasty tasty tasty! We've been to plenty of other Thai restaurants after leaving Bellingham, and we agree this place is still the best in terms of taste. And just to reiterate, we've had nearly every item on the menu. * Free side of rice with your entrée! Many dishes come with a side of white or brown rice with your entrée. Most places do not do this. * The Samish location is great for college students! It is located very close to Western Washington University. * Thai music is played throughout the restaurant. It's set to a relatively low volume so it's a nice addition to the ambiance. CONs: * A little pricey? We wouldn't call the food expensive, but it's definitely not cheap. * "Authentic Thai Cuisine" is a VERY relative word. We'll put it this way... Do you have any Thai friends? Yah... we'll bet money that few if ANY of their parent's home cooking tastes like this haha. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing... as we have stated, the food is great! But authentic isn't the right word for it. * Chill out on the ICE! If you like the Thai Iced Tea... ask for less ice. Otherwise you'll get more ice than tea! * The waiting staff is a revolving door of college students. If you have special needs/requests with your food, we HIGHLY recommend you double check your order. There is bound to always be someone in training. * The Samish locations lacks the ability to accommodate for multiple large parties (6 people+). The back has a spot, as does a section towards the front, but that's it. * The Samish location lacks a bar. The other two On Rice locations (Fairhaven and Barkley Village) both contain a full bar. OTHER COMMENTS: * Take a risk in ordering something OTHER than just Pad Thai! Try to be a little more adventurous! Getting Pad Thai at a Thai restaurant is the equivalent to getting plain vanilla ice cream at Baskin Robbins :p See our "FAVORITES" section. * Parking is plentiful along the side and back of the restaurant. FAVORITES: * Phily: Drunken Noodle (aka Pad Kee Mao at other places), Bami Hang, Crab Rangoon, Peanut Sauce * Nansay: Pad Thai, Pad Se Ew, Pineapple Fried Rice, Fresh Rolls, Thai Ice Tea FINAL THOUGHTS: When it comes down to it, On Rice makes delicious food! Authentic probably isn't the correct word, but that doesn't mean the food is bad! Whenever we are back in Bellingham for an odd ball visit, we are always sure to make a stop at one of the On Rice locations. Our goal is to find a better Thai Restaurant in the Seattle/Bellevue area. We are yet to find something as good or better. We'll be back again the next time we're in town!
(4)Melissa B.
I loved going to On Rice for their 'pad see ew'! I lived a block away when I went to WWU and it was awesome! Lunch prices are better, but my husband and I always ate there no matter if it was dinner or lunch prices.This is the only Thai restaurant we've been able to find that serves salad (with a delicious creamy peanut dressing), and choice of white or brown rice with each entree. It is SO worth it! They always had great service and food was always consistently yummy. Both of us would always get the pad see ew- great flavor and portion size. I've tried their other dishes, but always loved coming back to this. Now that we've moved out of Bellingham, every Thai restaurant we've gone to is always compared to On Rice, and none of them come close to On Rice's awesome extras and delicious consistency.
(5)Alicia V.
I had the On Rice Mojito and it was pretty tasty! Hardly any alcohol though. I ordered the Drunken Noodle w/ chicken and a 3 on the spicy scale....it was very good. Huge portion so I had to take home about a third of it. My boyfriend ordered the Pad Thai w/ chicken and 0 on the spicy scale! He rated his meal a 4.5 out of 5. I would have given this restaurant (Samish location) a 4 but it the wait staff was quite slow...nice but slow. :)
(3)Dianne C.
I know that they have some pretty interesting decor in the place (including that nice wood-carved frame over to the right), but don't think you can just go around stealing them, defacing them, or anything. Not only will they probably see you, their security cameras will, as well. (This is probably the first time I've noticed them in any restaurant.) We came for a visit during a friend's grad from WWU, and the group ordered pad see ew, pad thai, mussamun curry, panang curry, etc. The presentation was quite nice, and the food was pretty tasty. The only complaint I have for now is that their spice numbers didn't quite live up to their names. (I think the 3-star was a "Wowowee" or something like that.. and the 3-star panang tasted like a 1-star... maybe 1.5-star. Their highest is a 4-star.) The service was great. The servers were friendly and quite attentive. Their bathroom faucet amused me like crazy (it's a fountain faucet~ and the sink bowl was greenish with fish painted on it... I'm easily amused).. and their aquarium had a fairly nice collection of fish (None of those fish that look like they have a brain tumor.. Seriously, those are just too sad to look at before I eat.).
(4)Food D.
Ellen, your comment is interesting about plastic in the food. One time I went there and my dish pad Thai had a button in it. The owner came out took the dish back to the kitchen and came out with the same food less the plastic button, are you kidding!
(1)Mary B.
Went to On Rice again last night and decided to try something new. I ordered the Sen Yai noodle dish and was pretty much shocked with how boring and bland this dish was. They provide the peanut sauce with it but it just doesn't help. I suppose I'll stick to the Phad Thai next time.
(4)Lisa B.
On rice- BEST thai food hands down!!! All of the cooks are from thailand, its about as authentic as it gets. The owner takes pride in the restaurants and its very apparent. If you want amazing thai food this is the place to go!!!
(5)Carter S.
Just visiting Bellingham for the first time and took Yelpers advice. This is a nice restaurant. The service was fast and friendly. I had the 30 Ginger Peasant, sauteed ginger, onions, mushrooms, baby corn, comes with rice and salad $8.95 with chicken, pork, Beef or Tofu. I got the chicken. All together it was an adequate portion. I also got the Thai Iced tea $2.50 and I took some Fresh rolls to go. $7.95 comes with a soy sauce dip. All of the ingredients were fresh, except the salad had a few pieces that could have been fresher. Every thing tasted very good. 4 stars only because I haven't gotten to try anything else there yet. The weather is great now and I should have eaten outside. Oh well next time.
(4)Anthony H.
I came in to On Rice after looking up their reviews on Yelp and seeing they had a pretty excellent rating. I went with my mother and step dad (we are all Thai food lovers) who were in town for the weekend. We started with the Miang Kum as an appetizer, and I have to say it was the best Thai appetizer I have ever had. It's fun, it's unique, and best of all it's awesome! It involves rolling up a mixture of things into a spinach leaf sort of like a burrito and eating them all together. I had the vegetable Phad See Ew and was not disappointed, it was also fantastic. The service was good, not great, but there was definitely nothing bad about it (thus why I gave it 5 stars all together). Overall On Rice is definitely worth your time and money, the prices are very reasonable for the portions and quality.
(5)Jack R.
Amazing! Best Thai food I've ever had. I've probably tried over 20 Thai places and this place is by far the best. Best Pad Thai I've ever eaten! Prices aren't horrible either, we always use the coupon in the local coupon section, so a meal for two comes out to be around 15-20 dollars including tip. Sooooo good! Love it!
(5)T S.
I did like our dinner. But based on the glowing reviews here, I confess I was expecting more. Having spent preschool and first grade in Thailand, I am picky about my Thai. Sauces on main dishes had a pleasant sweet and sour flavor, but seemed a bit light on the unique and distinctive special Thai flavors that I know and love well; lemon grass, thai basil, mint, kaffir lime, galangal, ginger, garlic, cilantro, etc. As mentioned in other reviews, the peanut sauce seemed more reminiscent of Jiffy Creamy than of freshly roasted and ground peanuts; good but not special. I saved the special points for offering black rice on the dessert menu, a true favorite that can be very hard to find!
(3)Roger A.
I love this spot! In town Rival... but being a fan of thai food, it was natural to try it out. Staff and service was good to me. Food was good. Price was about right. Portions was good too.
(4)Paul D.
Excellent food & service!! We got the Tom Yum with prawns, very good, although we are used to it being made with a bit of coconut milk. For our entree's we got Pad Thai with prawns which was also very good although a bit on the sweet side. In retrospect, we probably should have ordered it a bit more on the spicy side instead of mild. We also got a chef's special that was minced chicken, veggies, and basil, served on brown rice (#50-something). We ordered it as hot as comes. The dish was excellent...although their 'hot' is very watered down. Finally we shared a coconut martini of some sort...I think with chocolate shavings on top...very good! We definitely recommend On Rice and next time we are in town we'll be back!!
(4)Angela L.
I got to try out this Thai restaurant today and it was great :) The decor was nice and I liked the atmosphere of the place. My water would always be refilled before it was half empy and the servers were very friendly. My friend and I ordered the Pad Thai with chicken and the Bamee Hang They were both sooooo delicious! The Bamee Hang isn't as flavorful as the Pad Thai but still good if you are craving for egg noodles. I was surprised how the food wasn't as greasy as I expected it to be. Oh, and the peanut sauce was yummmy! I like how you get to choose the option of white rice and brown rice as well. I hope to come here again and try out something else, possibly their curry? It was kind of odd to me that they only served the Dinner menu after like 12pm. Ahh well, the portions were good and had some leftovers
(4)Melissa R.
My favorite Asian food in Bellingham. Love their fried rice. Their phad thai is also very good, and they now serve alcohol aside from just beer/wine, though I have yet to try it. They have good prices, especially for their lunch specials. I love their salad with peanut sauce. Lunch portions, be warned, are smaller than dinner, but a good deal anyway. Great for groups or a date. The decor is really nice and charming and they also have a fish tank in the front. :)
(5)Nina N.
After swearing I would not return... my craving for Sen Lek noodle soup brought me back. The owner remembered me and insisted that I try the soup to make sure it was right. It was perfect.
(4)Erin H.
Don't go here for lunch. I ordered their pad thai and I got a sticky glob of super sweet noodles and not much chicken :( the tea menu was amazing though!
(3)Megan H.
Heard this place was good, and I love a hot curry so I tried it out. Nice establishment and ambiance. Usually a Thai place run but white people isn't a good sign, but I don't think B'ham has much ethnic diversity so, whatcha gonna do?.... The curry was delicious, but If you like your food spicy like me (i put hot sauce or black pepper on EVERYTHING) than get 5 stars and ask for a seperate thing of spice to make it hotter if you need it. I'll definitely be dining here frequently, but the potion of rice is kinda small so you might want to order and extra side of rice.
(4)Mishee D.
Totally took a chance and went to this place. The decore was good and the place was clean. We arrive at 8:30P (they close at 9PM) so things seemed a bit rushed. We ordered our food and were pleasantly surprised at how tasty the food was. They were also presented nicely. Overheard customers talking about how they've enjoyed their food. Why only 3 stars? Our server, a nice young lady (strawberry blonde) was nice and had great sense of humor. However, the owner, sat there and just read the paper while the young lady took care of 5 tables, vacummed the place, bused the tables, and close out the checks with a smile. To me service is not only how the employees serve the customers, but also how the employees are treated by the employers. We felt bad that the lone server had to go everything so we even stacked up our plates to make things easier for her. Having gotten a glimpse of how the server was treated, lowered my review.
(3)Jeremy B.
Salty food, but okay!
(3)Nikki B.
It's nicely decorated and the food is pretty good (most of the time), but the service is very hit and miss here. I've gone multiple times and had mostly negligent waitresses who have messed up orders, forgotten drinks, taken a half hour to bring the check after requested, and copped an attitude at the end! (I'm friendly, patient, and I usually tip well unless service is heinous, so they had no reason to be rude.) Despite the bad service, I kept going back because it's a very convienient location and the food is good. Good enough, but like previous reviewers noted - their spicy isn't impressive. Don't bother, even if you know you like it hot. But now that I hear the chef from the Lettered Streets Supon's (my favorite Thai place) is now at the Samish Way location...? I'm moving on, thanks!
(2)Gus T.
I tried On Rice Thai Cuisine just recently with my son. We're both Thai food fanatics. The food was very good but we didn't hear a choir of angels sing down from the heavens. The atmosphere was excellent and the restaurant was clean. Here is a granular breakdown of my experience at On Rice Thai: Food Flavor: 3.5/5.0 Food Portions: 3.0/5.0 Menu Selection: 4.0/5.0 Restaurant Atmosphere: 4.0/5.0 Restaurant Cleanliness: 5.0/5.0 Service: 3.5/5.0 Prices: 3.0/5.0
(4)Zachary R.
The best Thai restaurant between Seattle and Vancouver! If you are traveling it is just minutes off I95 and well worth the drive. I ordered chicken fried rice and Pad Kee Mao ( long flat noodles) with sea food - and it had an amazing taste only found in east coast
(5)Derek V.
I'm going to base my review on my collective experiences at On Rice. Usually the food is great and service is warm and friendly. Now that I live in Tacoma, I rarely get the opportunity to eat here, however, today I was passing through and ordered to go. My Pad Thai was severely lacking in both flavor and sauce. Normally three stars has me sweating (which I enjoy) but I couldn't detect an ounce of heat. That being said, the fresh rolls were fresh and the sauce that comes with it made my taste buds dance. Hopefully it was just a bad day for Pad Thai.
(4)Jahan D.
The fact that this place has 4 stars on Yelp and consistently wins a reader's choice award in the Herald every year explains the dire lack of authentic Thai food in Bellingham. The food is decent but overpriced and nothing to write home about.
(3)Kevyn J.
Love the food here. Especially good are the fresh rolls, the pad thai, and for an appetizer, be sure to try the miang kum!
(4)Russ H.
Best Thai food in Bellingham, bar none. Like most Thai places the price is good, too. I recommend the phad se ew (noodles, smokey), the swimming rama (peanut sauce, sweet) or the drunken noodle (phad kee mao - spicy!).
(5)Bryan G.
Not a bad spot. Great atmosphere. The food was okay but nothing special. I've had better and I've had worse. The prices were pretty reasonable though and they offered very good portions. All in all, I would go back. But if you're just passing through town, try one of the many restaurants in downtown Bellingham instead.
(3)Barb N.
The food was decent but I've had better Thai elsewhere. Nice atmosphere and service. It's nice that they offer a petite green salad with entrees. Skip the Hot Basil entree--sparce amount of basil, mostly onions! I would consider giving it another try but wouldn't order this.
(2)Jane O.
Wow, the service at this place has gotten so bad that I will no longer go there. That combined with mediocre Thai food and prices that are a bit too high leave a variety of better choices around.
(2)Chris G.
I've been going to this On Rice location for about 18 months now because it's so darn convenient. (Been to the Fairhaven one a couple times) Tend to go on Sundays and occasionally on weekdays when we don't feel like cooking. I had been OK until about December, when we found straight long black hairs in a couple of our dishes (usu. pad see ew, green curry or pad thai). We let it go the first time. After a second time, we stopped going.... Too bad since we preferred them over Basara and Supon's.
(2)Becky G.
This is one of my favorite dinner spots in Bham and the best Thai spot up there. It is best if you eat there at the restaurant because they serve a small salad with peanut sauce that is great and you don't get it if you do take out. Their phad thai is great, but it can get spicy so watch the stars.
(5)Rob L.
I'm a huge fan of Thai food. I can eat Thai food 4-5 times a week. There are roughly 10,000 Thai restaurants between Portland and Bellingham, and I've been to most of them. On Rice is in my top 3, and #1 in Bellingham. Staples like Pad Thai and Pad See Ew are excellent, and they have the best peanut sauce I'v ever had.
(5)Wesley B.
just like any other thai place in washington as far as i'm concerned. Don't get me wrong the food is good for what it is and the price is decent to. I want to the one in Fairhaven and the wait staff seemed nice and the service was good but the food was just nothing special as far as im concerned.
(3)Lee D.
Lots of sweet sauce. We were joking the Pad Thai was made by Will Ferrell in Elf. Tasted like it was soaked in maple syrup. If you like super sweet food, this might be for you.
(2)Brooke E.
Best peanut sauce I've ever tasted! Great red curry too! And a glass of thai iced tea! Great setting inside too.
(5)Chris G.
I look at Pad Thai like I look at Cheeseburgers in American restaurants. In that I judge the place completely on that one standard dish. This place did a very fresh and tasty Pad Thai, my only complaint being that their definition of spicy is lacking a lot of oomf.
(4)Vlad K.
My favorite Thai food in town. The building is starting to show some age but overall a good meal, good portions and for a reasonable price. I really enjoy the Phad Thai and that is what I point anyone I'm with too.
(4)Emily H.
The best thai in Bham by far! There are now three within a ten mile radius (Fairhaven, Samish, and Barkley) so you know it HAS to be good! Good sized portions and friendly waitstaff (dressed for the part!). The mojitos are to die for... huge, with lots of mint and bits of cucumber! If you live in Bham check the Val-Pak for coupons, $5 off inspires me to dine here frequently.
(4)Rachel P.
ON RICE FOR THE BEST THAI! It's located very close to the entrance of Western Washington University, where I attended for first two years of my college life. I never had Thai food in my life and I was even scared to try out phad thai. The place is very exotic and there is a huge fish tank right in front of the door, different tea powders displayed in clear bottles, and the whole atmosphere is woody, cozy and warm by wood materials of the interior. It could be very nice restaurant to go out and have dinner on a weekend in the city like Bellingham since I remember the city is very quiet and pretty rural. It's where a lot of many people include WWU students visit and it's been voted for the best Thai restaurant for two years in the city or something. Why do you have to go there and eat when there should be different Thai places around there? Because it makes you fall in love with Thai food even a person who hated Phad Thai, like me. You wouldn't know until you try it out and get addicted to it. They're just wonderfully tasty. Unlikely the place where overcharges you, the price range is making sense and they serve white/brown rice and salad with warm peanut butter sauce for free. Well, it's been two years so I'm not sure if they still don't charge for it. Even though Bellingham was boring and unexciting city for me to stay only for two years, I'd definitely drive all the way up to Bellingham to just eat there and to-go one more dish afterward.
(4)Glen B.
When On Rice Thai came into being, it was a welcome breath of fresh air to the selection of Thai restaurants in Bellingham. Other options existed and were not bad but it was easy to stick up one's nose and say "the best Thai you can get without driving to Seattle". Seattle still has better but On Rice pushed the bar high enough to exclude all but the elite places. In terms of value, at On Rice you get a fairly complex and tasty dish for a reasonable price. At one time, I was visiting one of the three locations at least twice a week. The noodle dishes are good, I recommend the Pad Crystal or the Pad See Ew. I'm fond of the Garlic Delight and the Cashew Chicken is always dependable. The obligatory Pad Thai is OK and the fried rice is decent. The curries are never quite as good as one would hope and the Tom Kah hasn't won me over. There is plenty to recommend for the appetizers, including the Miang Kum and the Spring Rolls. Service is great at the Samish Way location, good at the Barkeley location and sometimes less than good at the Fairhaven location.
(4)Kelley O.
On rice is a cool little spot in bellingham. food is good most of the time... appitizers are overpriced and the Barkley Location has stuck up waitstaff. but the food is good and they give nice sized portions.
(4)Bill N.
Our favorite Thai place in Bellingham. While the quality is sometimes inconsistent they make up for it in value and availability. Last time We took my dad there he ordered probably half the menu. we were there forever eating! I swear he was in heaven. All in all I give On Rice on Samish two spoons up.
(4)Linda K.
We tried this restaurant last night, Saturday, May 28th, 2011 for the first time because a friend recommended it. One of the first things my husband noticed was how thick the dust was on the decor. It was filthy and that should have been our first clue but we decided to stay because of the recommendation from my husband's friend. We ordered the spring rolls as an appetizer and they were served within 5 minutes. I'm not exaggerating when I say they were stone cold. My understanding is that the spring rolls are hand made fresh daily. If that is the case then those spring rolls had to have been cooked and plated well before we'd ever even walked in the door. Either that or they used frozen ones and didn't cook them properly. At most restaurants they are served piping hot, so much so that it takes several minutes to even handle them. We told the waitress and she touched one and seemed genuinely shocked at how cold they were. Also, we believe they may have re-heated and re-served those same spring rolls to us because the cabbage inside was mushy instead of crisp tender. They were horrible. One other thing that turned my stomach was getting a bite of chicken that hadn't been cleaned well enough and had muscle gristle. My main entree was a noodle dish that the wait person recommended and my husband's was a soup with wontons. The main entrees (other than the gristle on my chicken) were ok, but nothing to write home about. Even though the experience was mostly negative and we will never ever eat there again, I will say that the chicken was perfectly cooked and juicy. Also the wait staff was very pleasant and nice and they did take the spring rolls off of the bill. One last comment. We had been busy and hadn't eaten all day so we were starving when we got there. Usually when you're that hungry just about anything tastes wonderful, but not this food. It was mediocre at best. Very disappointing!
(1)Sara L.
My favorite Thai cuisine in Bellingham. It always impresses me that the space seems so nice (giant fish tank when you walk in is pretty, etc.) and the food is yum yum!, yet the prices are so reasonable. The service is good as well - the only thing I would complain about is that the nice looking wooden chairs aren't really that comfortable, and sometimes the floorplan can be a little claustrophobic if you have a larger group.
(5)Sergio C.
Great place! I had the basil fried rice and wife had drunken noodles both were wonderful. The service was prompt and very curteous.
(4)Calana M.
This place is amazing. I live in Seattle but my boyfriend goes to school at WWU, and it is great. The pad thai is the best I've had, and 3 stars was the perfect amount of spice. Take out there is quick and convenient, and the staff is super nice. I love that they have brown rice as an option vs. white rice as well.
(5)A B.
There are a bunch of Thai places in Bellingham, and it's taken me a long time to decide which I think is the best. Until now. I've decided that On Rice is the best in Bellingham. I usually only order the Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) at any Thai restaurant. But this particular dish at On Rice stands out among all the others I've eaten because it's NOT GREASY. And I like their spicy fish sauce.
(5)Jeff J.
Overpriced and average. Nice decor and service but the food isn't distinguished or anything different than most Thai places in town. To-go portions are definately too small and filled with rice: over $10 for a small pad-Thai with rice taking up a third of the container. This is just me, but I will head elsewhere next time.
(3)Sun K.
Best thai ever! My gf lives in Bham and I go to UW. There's no Thai place as good as On rice around UW. On Rice became the "must" place for me to go everytime I go up to bellingham. My favorite is the drunken noodle. It's a bit spicy but it's extremely delicious!
(5)meghan c.
I grew up in Bellingham and can safely say that I have been to EVERY thai restaurant there (I'm a little obsessed)... but On Rice is undoubtedly the best out of all of them, and that's an understatement. I'm partial to their Samish Way location over the Barkley Village one as I find it more laid back/less ostentatious. Tom Kha Gai soup, Cashew Chicken, and Garlic Delight are my favorite dishes.
(5)Mallory P.
Best Thai food I've ever put in my mouth hands down. I love this place and so does the whole city! It's rated best thai in town year after year by the local bellingham weekly. The prices are awesome for the quality of food you get. They have the best peanut sauce in the world and I wish I could get the recipe or at least a giant tub of it. Dinners range from 15-20 bucks a person. I'd reccommend the classic Pad Thai and the Panang Curry. Also - try the teas because they have this amazing selection that you can't find in most restaurants. World Peace tea is a nice after dinner and Wu Wei is great with lunch.
(5)Tom K.
I wasn't a huge fan for Thai food, but went here with a friend and really enjoyed it. Had their Garlic Delight dish and tried the Sweet and Sour. Both were very good, high quality. Nice thing about On Rice is they let your choose how hot you want your food, with a rating of 1 to 4, 4 being hottest. If 4 isn't hot enough, you can get them to go higher. All my friends in B'ham that like Thai swear on this place as if it is a Bible.
(5)Sarah M.
Everything I've had here so far has been great. Showering Rama is my favorite, the spinach is cooked really lightly, not all soggy like some places do it. I like how they serve the salad with peanut sauce dressing. My only complaints are that they serve Miso soup, which I'm pretty sure is Japanese, and the happy hour appetizers...they are too greasy and just kinda icky. It's one of the more expensive Thai places in town, but it's worth it for the nice dinner ambience and good food.
(4)Kevin S.
Best Thai food in town and with reasonable prices possibly the best deal in town. If you like you food spicy make sure to ask for the spice rack, as there dishes don't tend to be as spicy as other Thai restaurants (there one downfall).
(4)Gary S.
The filthy aquarium should have been a first clue. The old banquet chairs stacked in the rain beside the tipped over patio furniture strewn about outside the second. And the third should have been the single server for lunch. I should have listened to that inner voice. Now I'm listening to my inner GI tract! This place used to be okay, now it's a disaster, just like the neighborhood. My food arrived swimming in grease. I should have taken a photo for you to see. Two stars is generous and the 2nd is only because the harried waiter was trying so hard.
(2)Connie O.
They have really good food but they treat their employees horribly! I was eating my pad thai when I heard some yelling in the back. I think the owner was mad at one of the chefs or something, but they were not happy! The employees get treated so poorly too! The owner was in a bad mood and lashed out on one of the server that I had for getting my order wrong. It was no big deal, I was in no hurry, but the server came back shaken and apologizing making sure the owner saw and heard her. It was embarrassing and pretty ridiculous. I don't support this type of business management so I won't be giving them my money. I encourage others to do the same.
(1)Kathryn J.
Two reasons for the one-star rating: 1. My rice from the afternoon came back to haunt me, if you know what I mean 2. I know on good authority that they treat their servers/hosts like dirt and that's not cool.
(1)Matt J.
Cool place, economical. We had maing kum, garlic delight and cashew chicken for lunch and the bill came to $28. Would definitely come again.
(5)Katy F.
More like 2.5 stars. Not my favorite Thai restaurant but it's not terrible for the price. Actually I take that back... their Pad Thai was pretty bad it tasted like noodles with ketchup. The Pad See Ew is good except a little on the oily side, chicken was nice and tender though. On a lighter note, their Tom Yum was fabulous! The flavor was nice and strong with 3 stars of spicy-ness. Some other favorites include, chicken and broccoli, larb salad, chicken cashew and massaman curry. They do go light on spicy so 3 is more like a milder medium, I'd go for 4 if you love spicy!
(3)Kimberly S.
We did a familia style to try a couple things between our family. We tried a chicken fried rice, a pad Thai noodle and a seafood griller dish that had calamari, shrimp, and scallops in it. The fried rice was awesome. The phad Thai had a little more fish sauce in it than Iike. And the seafood dish was awesome. Phad Thai was our least favorite of the 3. All in all loved this place and the food
(4)Rachel S.
I loved this Thai restaurant. First, my husband speaks some Thai, so we always seem to get pretty good service if there is someone there who speaks it too. In fact, I have discovered that a great way to weed out bad Thai places is if none of the staff speak Thai. Most of the staff here seemed like college students, but our server was an older Thai gentleman who was delightful. My husband spoke to him and Thai, and when it was my turn to order I said, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Thai." He laughed and said very sweetly, "That's okay, I speak English." The only thing bad I could say about the service was that we had to wait at least 5 minutes at the hostess station before anyone even acknowledged our presence. It is the reason I can't give it 5 stars. We started with the coconut prawns, which were very good. I ordered the Pad Thai which was different than other Pad Thai that I have had. First off it was sweet and not even a little spicy. At first, it was a little strange. I am used to spicy Pad Thai. I don't particularly care for spicy, but I have found that if it isn't, it is usually really bland. I found this stuff to be very flavorful. Probably the best Pad Thai I have ever had. I did get a little peanut sauce on the side, mostly because I love peanut sauce. I put a little on my noodles, and it did enhance it a little, but it didn't need it. The portions were very large. We probably had enough food to feed 2 more people, and took home a lot of leftovers. I will probably have lunch for two more days. My husband had something with a lot of Thai words that I don't remember. It is a traditional Thai dish with ground chicken, basil, peppers and a fried egg on rice (I think it is the last thing on the menu). It was spectacular. My husband is one of the pickiest eaters I have ever met, and very hard to please. He loved it. The prices seemed reasonable, especially with the portion sizes. The worst part about this place is that it is in Bellingham and I live in Seattle, so I can't come on a regular basis. Honestly, I am a little sad about it.
(4)Hilary G.
Went for dinner on a Saturday night. The place wasn't empty, but it wasn't exactly busy either. So I'm not exactly sure why they were out of menus, but only one was given to our table. Ok. Ordered tom yum soup with tofu. Came out with tofu and chunks of white mushrooms floating in broth. What? Not like any tom yum soup I've had anywhere else. I won't be going back
(2)Cathy A.
I've had consistently good food here. Love the salad with the peanut sauce dressing, the chicken sate, and the pad see eu!
(5)Wendy C.
Not terribly vegetarian friendly, even though menu says most dishes can be made vegetarian (not true).
(2)Sharon C.
My love for Thai food began here at On Rice. I was a freshman at WWU and my friends and I decided to check this place out. To be honest, at first I didn't like the taste of peanut sauce on anything. The chicken pad Thai was def a new taste for me and I planned on not returning again. But as days and weeks went by, I surprisingly craved it! That's how my love with Thai food began. Every time I get the chance to visit Bellingham, I always catch food here at On Rice!
(5)Joe A.
They have THE best Thai food I've ever had and I've been to countless Thai restaurants. Service is super friendly, they have awesome happy hour drinks too. Best Thai in Bellingham for sure.
(5)Chase R.
Thai is one my favorite foods to go out and eat. This was some of the best Thai food I have ever eaten. I've been there at least ten times. Fried rice, pad Thai, drunken noodle, fresh and fried spring rolls were all amazing! Read the fine print for happy hour, you are required to buy a beer or drink to get some of the cheaper prices if I remember correctly. If you are ever in Bellingham this is a must!!
(5)Paul C.
Where do I start? The food here was actually good, but the experience was terrible. Came here with my ex coming back from Vancouver. We were hungry and looking for somewhere to eat and stumbled upon this place. We briefly perused the reviews, called to verify their hours and headed in. The restaurant is actually larger than I expected. There are many tables, but they could use a good thorough cleaning. The fish tank had tons of algae in it and needed some major TLC. The chairs are fairly heavy so if you're on the frail side, it might take some effort. The menus and the table were sticky to the point where I had to go wash my hands a few times to remove the film which seemed to transfer itself quite easily to my hands which I found semi-disturbing. On to the service. The staff in the front are nice, but our server was either bi-polar or just had an attitude problem in general. We were seated and thus began the waiting game. There was only one table when we arrived and the server failed to acknowledge our presence for a good 10 minutes. I guess their credit card machine was giving them some issues, but at least relay some kind of greeting. After what seemed to be an eternity, the server finally came and asked us if we were ready. My girlfriend told her we have been and it was all downhill from there. We started ordering our food and she was asking about rice. I was ordering a noodle dish so I asked her why she was asking about rice. She said with a very sarcastic tone and attitude that it came with rice. That's great, but this was my first time and from what I recall, it didn't say anything on the menu about entrees coming with rice. She took our order and that's the last we saw of her until towards the end of our meal. Never once did she check up to see if we needed anything else. She did seem to lighten up towards the end, but at that point I was fed up and did not even want to look at her. I gave her a pretty bad tip which I thought was more than sufficient for the level of service provided. The food was good, but the horrendous service will prevent me from ever going back. It's a pity because I would come back if the service was decent. If you see a petite Asian girl, it might be her. I think it would be best to order take-out.
(1)Vivi R.
Beautiful background music, beautiful interior designed. It was very peaceful and cozy inside this restaurant. It was our first time here and I enjoyed eating there. I really liked my phad thai, it wasn't too salty or too spicy, it was just right. Same with my boyfriend, he really liked his pad see ew. My parents liked the vegetable curry. Their thai iced tea was delicious as well, it wasn't very sweet, it was just that mild taste that I really liked. It tasted authentic. Their restroom is clean and their sink has like this koi fishes designed that makes them look as if they're really there, the sink is cool I thought. Google map and apple map was telling us that the destination was on the right, which was WRONG omg. We were on our way to Seattle from Canada and we didn't know much of the area around Bellingham. It was before Days Inn hotel for those who are planning to come here. And your destination is on the left.
(5)Jenny R.
No this isn't authentic Thai food but does that make it bad.....nope. I enjoy sugary food although the pad Thai was a tad too sweet for my sugar loving taste buds. Everything else on the menu is delicious including the panang curry, goong tod and the fried rice. Try it you won't be sorry.
(4)Terry K.
I come here alot and food here is pretty good considering not many good restaurants around here. Only complaint is phone ordering process. You have to tell them your phone number (Every time) and your name. This takes up about 2 minutes of unnecessary phone calling time. Although it doesn't stop me from ordering ahead of schedule, some people on the phone can be rude. (or really nice, you don't know who you will get)
(4)Jack E.
Awesome Thai food! Price was fair too. Best yellow curry I've had in a long time.
(5)Jessica R.
Not only is the ambiance a wonderful welcome, the prices are right-on AND the best part is the food is AMAZING at the Fairhaven location YUUUP! I'm going back soon fur shure Oh and big XOXO to the fabulous piano player, Christian!
(4)Megan H.
Heard this place was good, and I love a hot curry so I tried it out. Nice establishment and ambiance. Usually a Thai place run but white people isn't a good sign, but I don't think B'ham has much ethnic diversity so, whatcha gonna do?.... The curry was delicious, but If you like your food spicy like me (i put hot sauce or black pepper on EVERYTHING) than get 5 stars and ask for a seperate thing of spice to make it hotter if you need it. I'll definitely be dining here frequently, but the potion of rice is kinda small so you might want to order and extra side of rice.
(4)Jahan D.
The fact that this place has 4 stars on Yelp and consistently wins a reader's choice award in the Herald every year explains the dire lack of authentic Thai food in Bellingham. The food is decent but overpriced and nothing to write home about.
(3)Kevyn J.
Love the food here. Especially good are the fresh rolls, the pad thai, and for an appetizer, be sure to try the miang kum!
(4)Phily B.
On Rice: Samish Location Years after college, On Rice IS STILL our favorite place for Thai food! Phily actually used to work at all 3 of the locations. In order to stay unbiased we will focus primarily on the food and not the service or management. The upside to this though, is that we've tasted nearly every single dish on the menu! See our "FAVORITES" section if you want to see what else is good here OTHER than Chicken Pad Thai :p PROs: * Tasty tasty tasty! We've been to plenty of other Thai restaurants after leaving Bellingham, and we agree this place is still the best in terms of taste. And just to reiterate, we've had nearly every item on the menu. * Free side of rice with your entrée! Many dishes come with a side of white or brown rice with your entrée. Most places do not do this. * The Samish location is great for college students! It is located very close to Western Washington University. * Thai music is played throughout the restaurant. It's set to a relatively low volume so it's a nice addition to the ambiance. CONs: * A little pricey? We wouldn't call the food expensive, but it's definitely not cheap. * "Authentic Thai Cuisine" is a VERY relative word. We'll put it this way... Do you have any Thai friends? Yah... we'll bet money that few if ANY of their parent's home cooking tastes like this haha. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing... as we have stated, the food is great! But authentic isn't the right word for it. * Chill out on the ICE! If you like the Thai Iced Tea... ask for less ice. Otherwise you'll get more ice than tea! * The waiting staff is a revolving door of college students. If you have special needs/requests with your food, we HIGHLY recommend you double check your order. There is bound to always be someone in training. * The Samish locations lacks the ability to accommodate for multiple large parties (6 people+). The back has a spot, as does a section towards the front, but that's it. * The Samish location lacks a bar. The other two On Rice locations (Fairhaven and Barkley Village) both contain a full bar. OTHER COMMENTS: * Take a risk in ordering something OTHER than just Pad Thai! Try to be a little more adventurous! Getting Pad Thai at a Thai restaurant is the equivalent to getting plain vanilla ice cream at Baskin Robbins :p See our "FAVORITES" section. * Parking is plentiful along the side and back of the restaurant. FAVORITES: * Phily: Drunken Noodle (aka Pad Kee Mao at other places), Bami Hang, Crab Rangoon, Peanut Sauce * Nansay: Pad Thai, Pad Se Ew, Pineapple Fried Rice, Fresh Rolls, Thai Ice Tea FINAL THOUGHTS: When it comes down to it, On Rice makes delicious food! Authentic probably isn't the correct word, but that doesn't mean the food is bad! Whenever we are back in Bellingham for an odd ball visit, we are always sure to make a stop at one of the On Rice locations. Our goal is to find a better Thai Restaurant in the Seattle/Bellevue area. We are yet to find something as good or better. We'll be back again the next time we're in town!
(4)Russ H.
Best Thai food in Bellingham, bar none. Like most Thai places the price is good, too. I recommend the phad se ew (noodles, smokey), the swimming rama (peanut sauce, sweet) or the drunken noodle (phad kee mao - spicy!).
(5)Bryan G.
Not a bad spot. Great atmosphere. The food was okay but nothing special. I've had better and I've had worse. The prices were pretty reasonable though and they offered very good portions. All in all, I would go back. But if you're just passing through town, try one of the many restaurants in downtown Bellingham instead.
(3)Melissa B.
I loved going to On Rice for their 'pad see ew'! I lived a block away when I went to WWU and it was awesome! Lunch prices are better, but my husband and I always ate there no matter if it was dinner or lunch prices.This is the only Thai restaurant we've been able to find that serves salad (with a delicious creamy peanut dressing), and choice of white or brown rice with each entree. It is SO worth it! They always had great service and food was always consistently yummy. Both of us would always get the pad see ew- great flavor and portion size. I've tried their other dishes, but always loved coming back to this. Now that we've moved out of Bellingham, every Thai restaurant we've gone to is always compared to On Rice, and none of them come close to On Rice's awesome extras and delicious consistency.
(5)Alicia V.
I had the On Rice Mojito and it was pretty tasty! Hardly any alcohol though. I ordered the Drunken Noodle w/ chicken and a 3 on the spicy scale....it was very good. Huge portion so I had to take home about a third of it. My boyfriend ordered the Pad Thai w/ chicken and 0 on the spicy scale! He rated his meal a 4.5 out of 5. I would have given this restaurant (Samish location) a 4 but it the wait staff was quite slow...nice but slow. :)
(3)Dianne C.
I know that they have some pretty interesting decor in the place (including that nice wood-carved frame over to the right), but don't think you can just go around stealing them, defacing them, or anything. Not only will they probably see you, their security cameras will, as well. (This is probably the first time I've noticed them in any restaurant.) We came for a visit during a friend's grad from WWU, and the group ordered pad see ew, pad thai, mussamun curry, panang curry, etc. The presentation was quite nice, and the food was pretty tasty. The only complaint I have for now is that their spice numbers didn't quite live up to their names. (I think the 3-star was a "Wowowee" or something like that.. and the 3-star panang tasted like a 1-star... maybe 1.5-star. Their highest is a 4-star.) The service was great. The servers were friendly and quite attentive. Their bathroom faucet amused me like crazy (it's a fountain faucet~ and the sink bowl was greenish with fish painted on it... I'm easily amused).. and their aquarium had a fairly nice collection of fish (None of those fish that look like they have a brain tumor.. Seriously, those are just too sad to look at before I eat.).
(4)Food D.
Ellen, your comment is interesting about plastic in the food. One time I went there and my dish pad Thai had a button in it. The owner came out took the dish back to the kitchen and came out with the same food less the plastic button, are you kidding!
(1)Mary B.
Went to On Rice again last night and decided to try something new. I ordered the Sen Yai noodle dish and was pretty much shocked with how boring and bland this dish was. They provide the peanut sauce with it but it just doesn't help. I suppose I'll stick to the Phad Thai next time.
(4)Lisa B.
On rice- BEST thai food hands down!!! All of the cooks are from thailand, its about as authentic as it gets. The owner takes pride in the restaurants and its very apparent. If you want amazing thai food this is the place to go!!!
(5)Carter S.
Just visiting Bellingham for the first time and took Yelpers advice. This is a nice restaurant. The service was fast and friendly. I had the 30 Ginger Peasant, sauteed ginger, onions, mushrooms, baby corn, comes with rice and salad $8.95 with chicken, pork, Beef or Tofu. I got the chicken. All together it was an adequate portion. I also got the Thai Iced tea $2.50 and I took some Fresh rolls to go. $7.95 comes with a soy sauce dip. All of the ingredients were fresh, except the salad had a few pieces that could have been fresher. Every thing tasted very good. 4 stars only because I haven't gotten to try anything else there yet. The weather is great now and I should have eaten outside. Oh well next time.
(4)Anthony H.
I came in to On Rice after looking up their reviews on Yelp and seeing they had a pretty excellent rating. I went with my mother and step dad (we are all Thai food lovers) who were in town for the weekend. We started with the Miang Kum as an appetizer, and I have to say it was the best Thai appetizer I have ever had. It's fun, it's unique, and best of all it's awesome! It involves rolling up a mixture of things into a spinach leaf sort of like a burrito and eating them all together. I had the vegetable Phad See Ew and was not disappointed, it was also fantastic. The service was good, not great, but there was definitely nothing bad about it (thus why I gave it 5 stars all together). Overall On Rice is definitely worth your time and money, the prices are very reasonable for the portions and quality.
(5)Jack R.
Amazing! Best Thai food I've ever had. I've probably tried over 20 Thai places and this place is by far the best. Best Pad Thai I've ever eaten! Prices aren't horrible either, we always use the coupon in the local coupon section, so a meal for two comes out to be around 15-20 dollars including tip. Sooooo good! Love it!
(5)T S.
I did like our dinner. But based on the glowing reviews here, I confess I was expecting more. Having spent preschool and first grade in Thailand, I am picky about my Thai. Sauces on main dishes had a pleasant sweet and sour flavor, but seemed a bit light on the unique and distinctive special Thai flavors that I know and love well; lemon grass, thai basil, mint, kaffir lime, galangal, ginger, garlic, cilantro, etc. As mentioned in other reviews, the peanut sauce seemed more reminiscent of Jiffy Creamy than of freshly roasted and ground peanuts; good but not special. I saved the special points for offering black rice on the dessert menu, a true favorite that can be very hard to find!
(3)Roger A.
I love this spot! In town Rival... but being a fan of thai food, it was natural to try it out. Staff and service was good to me. Food was good. Price was about right. Portions was good too.
(4)Paul D.
Excellent food & service!! We got the Tom Yum with prawns, very good, although we are used to it being made with a bit of coconut milk. For our entree's we got Pad Thai with prawns which was also very good although a bit on the sweet side. In retrospect, we probably should have ordered it a bit more on the spicy side instead of mild. We also got a chef's special that was minced chicken, veggies, and basil, served on brown rice (#50-something). We ordered it as hot as comes. The dish was excellent...although their 'hot' is very watered down. Finally we shared a coconut martini of some sort...I think with chocolate shavings on top...very good! We definitely recommend On Rice and next time we are in town we'll be back!!
(4)Angela L.
I got to try out this Thai restaurant today and it was great :) The decor was nice and I liked the atmosphere of the place. My water would always be refilled before it was half empy and the servers were very friendly. My friend and I ordered the Pad Thai with chicken and the Bamee Hang They were both sooooo delicious! The Bamee Hang isn't as flavorful as the Pad Thai but still good if you are craving for egg noodles. I was surprised how the food wasn't as greasy as I expected it to be. Oh, and the peanut sauce was yummmy! I like how you get to choose the option of white rice and brown rice as well. I hope to come here again and try out something else, possibly their curry? It was kind of odd to me that they only served the Dinner menu after like 12pm. Ahh well, the portions were good and had some leftovers
(4)Melissa R.
My favorite Asian food in Bellingham. Love their fried rice. Their phad thai is also very good, and they now serve alcohol aside from just beer/wine, though I have yet to try it. They have good prices, especially for their lunch specials. I love their salad with peanut sauce. Lunch portions, be warned, are smaller than dinner, but a good deal anyway. Great for groups or a date. The decor is really nice and charming and they also have a fish tank in the front. :)
(5)Nina N.
After swearing I would not return... my craving for Sen Lek noodle soup brought me back. The owner remembered me and insisted that I try the soup to make sure it was right. It was perfect.
(4)Erin H.
Don't go here for lunch. I ordered their pad thai and I got a sticky glob of super sweet noodles and not much chicken :( the tea menu was amazing though!
(3)Barb N.
The food was decent but I've had better Thai elsewhere. Nice atmosphere and service. It's nice that they offer a petite green salad with entrees. Skip the Hot Basil entree--sparce amount of basil, mostly onions! I would consider giving it another try but wouldn't order this.
(2)Jane O.
Wow, the service at this place has gotten so bad that I will no longer go there. That combined with mediocre Thai food and prices that are a bit too high leave a variety of better choices around.
(2)Mishee D.
Totally took a chance and went to this place. The decore was good and the place was clean. We arrive at 8:30P (they close at 9PM) so things seemed a bit rushed. We ordered our food and were pleasantly surprised at how tasty the food was. They were also presented nicely. Overheard customers talking about how they've enjoyed their food. Why only 3 stars? Our server, a nice young lady (strawberry blonde) was nice and had great sense of humor. However, the owner, sat there and just read the paper while the young lady took care of 5 tables, vacummed the place, bused the tables, and close out the checks with a smile. To me service is not only how the employees serve the customers, but also how the employees are treated by the employers. We felt bad that the lone server had to go everything so we even stacked up our plates to make things easier for her. Having gotten a glimpse of how the server was treated, lowered my review.
(3)Jeremy B.
Salty food, but okay!
(3)Nikki B.
It's nicely decorated and the food is pretty good (most of the time), but the service is very hit and miss here. I've gone multiple times and had mostly negligent waitresses who have messed up orders, forgotten drinks, taken a half hour to bring the check after requested, and copped an attitude at the end! (I'm friendly, patient, and I usually tip well unless service is heinous, so they had no reason to be rude.) Despite the bad service, I kept going back because it's a very convienient location and the food is good. Good enough, but like previous reviewers noted - their spicy isn't impressive. Don't bother, even if you know you like it hot. But now that I hear the chef from the Lettered Streets Supon's (my favorite Thai place) is now at the Samish Way location...? I'm moving on, thanks!
(2)Gus T.
I tried On Rice Thai Cuisine just recently with my son. We're both Thai food fanatics. The food was very good but we didn't hear a choir of angels sing down from the heavens. The atmosphere was excellent and the restaurant was clean. Here is a granular breakdown of my experience at On Rice Thai: Food Flavor: 3.5/5.0 Food Portions: 3.0/5.0 Menu Selection: 4.0/5.0 Restaurant Atmosphere: 4.0/5.0 Restaurant Cleanliness: 5.0/5.0 Service: 3.5/5.0 Prices: 3.0/5.0
(4)Zachary R.
The best Thai restaurant between Seattle and Vancouver! If you are traveling it is just minutes off I95 and well worth the drive. I ordered chicken fried rice and Pad Kee Mao ( long flat noodles) with sea food - and it had an amazing taste only found in east coast
(5)Derek V.
I'm going to base my review on my collective experiences at On Rice. Usually the food is great and service is warm and friendly. Now that I live in Tacoma, I rarely get the opportunity to eat here, however, today I was passing through and ordered to go. My Pad Thai was severely lacking in both flavor and sauce. Normally three stars has me sweating (which I enjoy) but I couldn't detect an ounce of heat. That being said, the fresh rolls were fresh and the sauce that comes with it made my taste buds dance. Hopefully it was just a bad day for Pad Thai.
(4)Chris G.
I've been going to this On Rice location for about 18 months now because it's so darn convenient. (Been to the Fairhaven one a couple times) Tend to go on Sundays and occasionally on weekdays when we don't feel like cooking. I had been OK until about December, when we found straight long black hairs in a couple of our dishes (usu. pad see ew, green curry or pad thai). We let it go the first time. After a second time, we stopped going.... Too bad since we preferred them over Basara and Supon's.
(2)Becky G.
This is one of my favorite dinner spots in Bham and the best Thai spot up there. It is best if you eat there at the restaurant because they serve a small salad with peanut sauce that is great and you don't get it if you do take out. Their phad thai is great, but it can get spicy so watch the stars.
(5)Rob L.
I'm a huge fan of Thai food. I can eat Thai food 4-5 times a week. There are roughly 10,000 Thai restaurants between Portland and Bellingham, and I've been to most of them. On Rice is in my top 3, and #1 in Bellingham. Staples like Pad Thai and Pad See Ew are excellent, and they have the best peanut sauce I'v ever had.
(5)Wesley B.
just like any other thai place in washington as far as i'm concerned. Don't get me wrong the food is good for what it is and the price is decent to. I want to the one in Fairhaven and the wait staff seemed nice and the service was good but the food was just nothing special as far as im concerned.
(3)Lee D.
Lots of sweet sauce. We were joking the Pad Thai was made by Will Ferrell in Elf. Tasted like it was soaked in maple syrup. If you like super sweet food, this might be for you.
(2)Brooke E.
Best peanut sauce I've ever tasted! Great red curry too! And a glass of thai iced tea! Great setting inside too.
(5)Chris G.
I look at Pad Thai like I look at Cheeseburgers in American restaurants. In that I judge the place completely on that one standard dish. This place did a very fresh and tasty Pad Thai, my only complaint being that their definition of spicy is lacking a lot of oomf.
(4)Emily H.
The best thai in Bham by far! There are now three within a ten mile radius (Fairhaven, Samish, and Barkley) so you know it HAS to be good! Good sized portions and friendly waitstaff (dressed for the part!). The mojitos are to die for... huge, with lots of mint and bits of cucumber! If you live in Bham check the Val-Pak for coupons, $5 off inspires me to dine here frequently.
(4)Vlad K.
My favorite Thai food in town. The building is starting to show some age but overall a good meal, good portions and for a reasonable price. I really enjoy the Phad Thai and that is what I point anyone I'm with too.
(4)Rachel P.
ON RICE FOR THE BEST THAI! It's located very close to the entrance of Western Washington University, where I attended for first two years of my college life. I never had Thai food in my life and I was even scared to try out phad thai. The place is very exotic and there is a huge fish tank right in front of the door, different tea powders displayed in clear bottles, and the whole atmosphere is woody, cozy and warm by wood materials of the interior. It could be very nice restaurant to go out and have dinner on a weekend in the city like Bellingham since I remember the city is very quiet and pretty rural. It's where a lot of many people include WWU students visit and it's been voted for the best Thai restaurant for two years in the city or something. Why do you have to go there and eat when there should be different Thai places around there? Because it makes you fall in love with Thai food even a person who hated Phad Thai, like me. You wouldn't know until you try it out and get addicted to it. They're just wonderfully tasty. Unlikely the place where overcharges you, the price range is making sense and they serve white/brown rice and salad with warm peanut butter sauce for free. Well, it's been two years so I'm not sure if they still don't charge for it. Even though Bellingham was boring and unexciting city for me to stay only for two years, I'd definitely drive all the way up to Bellingham to just eat there and to-go one more dish afterward.
(4)Glen B.
When On Rice Thai came into being, it was a welcome breath of fresh air to the selection of Thai restaurants in Bellingham. Other options existed and were not bad but it was easy to stick up one's nose and say "the best Thai you can get without driving to Seattle". Seattle still has better but On Rice pushed the bar high enough to exclude all but the elite places. In terms of value, at On Rice you get a fairly complex and tasty dish for a reasonable price. At one time, I was visiting one of the three locations at least twice a week. The noodle dishes are good, I recommend the Pad Crystal or the Pad See Ew. I'm fond of the Garlic Delight and the Cashew Chicken is always dependable. The obligatory Pad Thai is OK and the fried rice is decent. The curries are never quite as good as one would hope and the Tom Kah hasn't won me over. There is plenty to recommend for the appetizers, including the Miang Kum and the Spring Rolls. Service is great at the Samish Way location, good at the Barkeley location and sometimes less than good at the Fairhaven location.
(4)Kelley O.
On rice is a cool little spot in bellingham. food is good most of the time... appitizers are overpriced and the Barkley Location has stuck up waitstaff. but the food is good and they give nice sized portions.
(4)Bill N.
Our favorite Thai place in Bellingham. While the quality is sometimes inconsistent they make up for it in value and availability. Last time We took my dad there he ordered probably half the menu. we were there forever eating! I swear he was in heaven. All in all I give On Rice on Samish two spoons up.
(4)Linda K.
We tried this restaurant last night, Saturday, May 28th, 2011 for the first time because a friend recommended it. One of the first things my husband noticed was how thick the dust was on the decor. It was filthy and that should have been our first clue but we decided to stay because of the recommendation from my husband's friend. We ordered the spring rolls as an appetizer and they were served within 5 minutes. I'm not exaggerating when I say they were stone cold. My understanding is that the spring rolls are hand made fresh daily. If that is the case then those spring rolls had to have been cooked and plated well before we'd ever even walked in the door. Either that or they used frozen ones and didn't cook them properly. At most restaurants they are served piping hot, so much so that it takes several minutes to even handle them. We told the waitress and she touched one and seemed genuinely shocked at how cold they were. Also, we believe they may have re-heated and re-served those same spring rolls to us because the cabbage inside was mushy instead of crisp tender. They were horrible. One other thing that turned my stomach was getting a bite of chicken that hadn't been cleaned well enough and had muscle gristle. My main entree was a noodle dish that the wait person recommended and my husband's was a soup with wontons. The main entrees (other than the gristle on my chicken) were ok, but nothing to write home about. Even though the experience was mostly negative and we will never ever eat there again, I will say that the chicken was perfectly cooked and juicy. Also the wait staff was very pleasant and nice and they did take the spring rolls off of the bill. One last comment. We had been busy and hadn't eaten all day so we were starving when we got there. Usually when you're that hungry just about anything tastes wonderful, but not this food. It was mediocre at best. Very disappointing!
(1)Sara L.
My favorite Thai cuisine in Bellingham. It always impresses me that the space seems so nice (giant fish tank when you walk in is pretty, etc.) and the food is yum yum!, yet the prices are so reasonable. The service is good as well - the only thing I would complain about is that the nice looking wooden chairs aren't really that comfortable, and sometimes the floorplan can be a little claustrophobic if you have a larger group.
(5)Sergio C.
Great place! I had the basil fried rice and wife had drunken noodles both were wonderful. The service was prompt and very curteous.
(4)Calana M.
This place is amazing. I live in Seattle but my boyfriend goes to school at WWU, and it is great. The pad thai is the best I've had, and 3 stars was the perfect amount of spice. Take out there is quick and convenient, and the staff is super nice. I love that they have brown rice as an option vs. white rice as well.
(5)A B.
There are a bunch of Thai places in Bellingham, and it's taken me a long time to decide which I think is the best. Until now. I've decided that On Rice is the best in Bellingham. I usually only order the Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) at any Thai restaurant. But this particular dish at On Rice stands out among all the others I've eaten because it's NOT GREASY. And I like their spicy fish sauce.
(5)Jeff J.
Overpriced and average. Nice decor and service but the food isn't distinguished or anything different than most Thai places in town. To-go portions are definately too small and filled with rice: over $10 for a small pad-Thai with rice taking up a third of the container. This is just me, but I will head elsewhere next time.
(3)Sun K.
Best thai ever! My gf lives in Bham and I go to UW. There's no Thai place as good as On rice around UW. On Rice became the "must" place for me to go everytime I go up to bellingham. My favorite is the drunken noodle. It's a bit spicy but it's extremely delicious!
(5)meghan c.
I grew up in Bellingham and can safely say that I have been to EVERY thai restaurant there (I'm a little obsessed)... but On Rice is undoubtedly the best out of all of them, and that's an understatement. I'm partial to their Samish Way location over the Barkley Village one as I find it more laid back/less ostentatious. Tom Kha Gai soup, Cashew Chicken, and Garlic Delight are my favorite dishes.
(5)Mallory P.
Best Thai food I've ever put in my mouth hands down. I love this place and so does the whole city! It's rated best thai in town year after year by the local bellingham weekly. The prices are awesome for the quality of food you get. They have the best peanut sauce in the world and I wish I could get the recipe or at least a giant tub of it. Dinners range from 15-20 bucks a person. I'd reccommend the classic Pad Thai and the Panang Curry. Also - try the teas because they have this amazing selection that you can't find in most restaurants. World Peace tea is a nice after dinner and Wu Wei is great with lunch.
(5)Tom K.
I wasn't a huge fan for Thai food, but went here with a friend and really enjoyed it. Had their Garlic Delight dish and tried the Sweet and Sour. Both were very good, high quality. Nice thing about On Rice is they let your choose how hot you want your food, with a rating of 1 to 4, 4 being hottest. If 4 isn't hot enough, you can get them to go higher. All my friends in B'ham that like Thai swear on this place as if it is a Bible.
(5)Sarah M.
Everything I've had here so far has been great. Showering Rama is my favorite, the spinach is cooked really lightly, not all soggy like some places do it. I like how they serve the salad with peanut sauce dressing. My only complaints are that they serve Miso soup, which I'm pretty sure is Japanese, and the happy hour appetizers...they are too greasy and just kinda icky. It's one of the more expensive Thai places in town, but it's worth it for the nice dinner ambience and good food.
(4)Kevin S.
Best Thai food in town and with reasonable prices possibly the best deal in town. If you like you food spicy make sure to ask for the spice rack, as there dishes don't tend to be as spicy as other Thai restaurants (there one downfall).
(4)Kathryn J.
Two reasons for the one-star rating: 1. My rice from the afternoon came back to haunt me, if you know what I mean 2. I know on good authority that they treat their servers/hosts like dirt and that's not cool.
(1)Gary S.
The filthy aquarium should have been a first clue. The old banquet chairs stacked in the rain beside the tipped over patio furniture strewn about outside the second. And the third should have been the single server for lunch. I should have listened to that inner voice. Now I'm listening to my inner GI tract! This place used to be okay, now it's a disaster, just like the neighborhood. My food arrived swimming in grease. I should have taken a photo for you to see. Two stars is generous and the 2nd is only because the harried waiter was trying so hard.
(2)Matt J.
Cool place, economical. We had maing kum, garlic delight and cashew chicken for lunch and the bill came to $28. Would definitely come again.
(5)Connie O.
They have really good food but they treat their employees horribly! I was eating my pad thai when I heard some yelling in the back. I think the owner was mad at one of the chefs or something, but they were not happy! The employees get treated so poorly too! The owner was in a bad mood and lashed out on one of the server that I had for getting my order wrong. It was no big deal, I was in no hurry, but the server came back shaken and apologizing making sure the owner saw and heard her. It was embarrassing and pretty ridiculous. I don't support this type of business management so I won't be giving them my money. I encourage others to do the same.
(1)Katy F.
More like 2.5 stars. Not my favorite Thai restaurant but it's not terrible for the price. Actually I take that back... their Pad Thai was pretty bad it tasted like noodles with ketchup. The Pad See Ew is good except a little on the oily side, chicken was nice and tender though. On a lighter note, their Tom Yum was fabulous! The flavor was nice and strong with 3 stars of spicy-ness. Some other favorites include, chicken and broccoli, larb salad, chicken cashew and massaman curry. They do go light on spicy so 3 is more like a milder medium, I'd go for 4 if you love spicy!
(3)Lindsey O.
They charged me $1 extra for requesting NO fish sauce in my pad thai. I saw it on the bill and asked about it, they said it was because they had to clean a separate wok to make it. *rolls eyes* Also, I know the owner treats employees like absolute shit and calls them degrading names. Big thumbs down.
(1)Peter S.
A solid 3.5 stars. The waitress was very attentive when we mentioned that one person in our party had a shellfish allergy. We had the Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, and a Ginger dish (can't remember the name). All were very tasty. We also each got a small Thai-like salad with peanut sauce, and our friend with the allergy got the salad with a Balsamic dressing. We like all three dishes. Service was very attentive and the ambiance was fine.
(3)Alex V.
Have had their food twice now and love it! After working at two different thai restaurants in Seattle, I've been nervous about trying out other Thai restaurants because, from past experiences, they've never had as good of food compared to the places that I've worked at, but this place was great! The first time I ordered take out, I really liked the atmosphere of the restaurant so much that I wanted to come back and dine in. And the food was delicious! The portions are pretty big and the flavors really work well together. Both times, I was greeted by very friendly and attentive staff and the food was made really fast. We ordered coconut prawns, pad thai, red curry, swimming rama, and their special fried rice. The food is always tasty and we ordered enough to have leftovers! Will definitely be ordering here again and highly recommend.
(5)Elizabeth P.
I used to be a loyal customer as was my family. Until I found tons of peanuts in my pad Thai when I specifically asked for no peanuts in my meal. They confirmed it with me over the phone and when they handed my the box for my to-go order. I'm allergic and had a severe reaction. They didn't give me a refund just made me a new one. I sent them an email later that night to let them know what happened and that it should never happen again because some people are deathly allergic. It's been a few weeks and no response. They have lost almost 10 customers from my friends and family through this incident. Sadly I will never be going again and will have to find a new Thai destination.
(1)Mike S.
Visiting wife's cousins son at WWU and had dinner at On Rice. Love Thai food and this was excellent!! Chicken Satay, Miang Kum and Tom Yum to start Sen-Yai med spicy Hot Basil Beef Everything was excellent and well seasoned!!! And spicy if you want--- I like spicy. Great food- reasonably priced.
(5)Chelsea R.
Pretty consistent on food. Best location of all the on rice locations. Huge portions and fair prices. Amazing peanut sauce. Best pad Thai I have found in Bellingham.
(5)Andrea H.
I stood at the hostess stand for at least five minutes. There was a large fish tank at the entrance, so I passed the time admiring the four saltwater fish gathering in the tank nearest to me obviously hoping to be fed (funny, me too). There were patrons in the restaurant, but I didn't even see a waiter running around for several minutes. Eventually, after taking an order from one table and filling water glasses at another, The waiter finally made his way over to the hostess stand, and I was finally greeted and seated with a menu. I ordered egg rolls, yellow curry and jasmine rice, but the waiter told me that rice came with the order, so I dropped the last item. The egg rolls, served with sweet and sour sauce, were piping hot, but didn't seem fresh. They had that 'frozen storage' quality to them. I had requested vegetables with my yellow curry instead of meat. I wasn't disappointed. There were bits of carrots, broccoli, snow peas, pineapple, potato, baby corn, etc. My preference for the degree of spicy came out just fine; although, I would not have opposed it being a little hotter. The restaurant decor is very nicely done, and I loved sitting next to the big picture windows, even if the view was just concrete and the street. Once I was finally seated, the service turned out just fine. The appetizer was nothing to write home about, but the main course was quite good. The meal was about $16 which seemed quite pricy, but actually, it could have fed two people easily if shared, so keeping that in mind, it seems more reasonable. I love Thai food, and since there are few options in Bellingham, I will probably return.
(3)Joe S.
I was in Bellingham on business, and I wanted to sample local Thai food for lunch. It was raining cats and dogs, but accessing On Rice was no problem. Plenty of parking in the rear. As I walked in, I noticed the restaurant was clean, bright and tastefully decorated. (I enjoyed the elaborate wood carving that hung above my table.) When I walked in, a nice young woman escorted me to my table. When I asked for a booth, it wasn't a problem. I checked out the bathroom after ordering, and it was clean and tastefully decorated as well. (The painting of the slightly suggestive Thai couple on the bathroom door was also a very nice way of indicating that the bathroom was unisex.) I ordered lemon chicken (very spicy). The service was fast. (In fact the waiter had my soup as he came to take my beverage order.) When he asked me the spice level I indicated very hot. (Very smartly, their spiciness scales are printed on the menu with chili peppers.) Often when I order very spicy food at a Thai or Indian restaurant, I get the skeptical nod and the spiciness level gets adjusted down to white boy levels. Not this time. My order came out very spicy (as I wanted it). The portion was very good, and the black tea that I ordered was also very generous. The service was good, and the staff seemed genuinely friendly. I agree with many Yelp commenters that the food at On Rice appears to be different from the Thai food that I have experienced at other Thai restaurants in the U.S. However, I can not comment on whether or not the food at On Rice is genuine Thai, or not. I personally have never travelled to Thailand, so my only reference point are other Thai restaurant here in the states. All I know is that if I am ever in Bellingham again, I will stop by On Rice for another meal.
(5)Tanya K.
Great atmosphere and service. Drunken noodle is their standout dish, but other items have been tasty as well. Try the Wu Wei oolong tea, served in a French press. Samish and Fairhaven locations seem to be the most consistent in the kitchen. And Fairhaven's dining room is a bit loud. Samish way on rice is a great lunch spot.
(4)Scott K.
Friendly staff. Quick service. Reasonable pricing. Lots of attractive decoration creating a pleasant ambiance. The food quality is very good. There is a good variety of options on the menu. Worth a try!
(4)Nicolas J.
I'm always so sad whenever I go in. There is never anyone there! Which is a damn shame considering the food is absolutely delicious. Great portions, and I always have leftovers for another meal later in the day. Their Pad Thai is especially tasty. I absolutely love the peanut sauce, and their Satay rivals the food you can get in the Malaysian marketplace. Definitely worth a try! I love the decor and you might as well hit the gong as well. :)
(4)Tina B.
WOW it was my first time at On Rice the the decoration was really good, the service was good as well, but I have say for the food it was really bad the only thing that I had that was good plum sauce and the coconut shrimp was okay , even the pop was bad. I don't think I'll be going back to this place.
(1)Robots F.
This isn't Thai food, they don't know what the equation is. It's more like a Teriyaki Applebees. My wife knew something was up when they asked what kind of rice she wanted on her noodle dish. "None? I ordered a noodle dish." They brought jasmine rice anyway. It was from the bottom of the barrel. On top everything, this location serves food that has probably been reheated for 12 hours. I had to spit out my food into my napkin. SOOOO GROSSS.
(1)Scarlett M.
Pretty decent Thai food, I found the Pad Thai a bit sweet for my liking, but the fact that you can order things up to 10 stars made my dining companion happy. The decor is nice, however if you have short legs like I do, some of the chairs are a bit challenging. I felt like Edith Anne in her giant rocking chair. Service was good and the prices were reasonable. Note for Disabled: Reasonably accessible, has its own parking lot.
(3)Nathan S.
My wife and I were craving some Thai food after hitting the slopes. We were fortunate to find this place and meet John who took such good care of us! Amazing flavors in all that we ordered! Drunken noodles made me drunk with happiness. Curry was equally delightful and made both of our stomachs content. Highly recommend as you won't be disappointed!
(5)Deborah R.
A nice warm welcome after a long day of driving. The waiter was attentive, but not overly and let us enjoy our dinner in a relatively quiet atmosphere (lots of college students and their dates at adjoining tables -- which always adds a bit of fun). Our food was tasty -- not overly spiced. We had Pad Thai (it wasn't gooey like some places) and tried Swimming Rama for the first time. The price was certainly right and I look forward to eating there again.
(4)Dana K.
It was okay. The food was average, nothing that special. But my friend ordered her food really spicy and it didn't even have a kick.
(3)Maggie A.
I have long been a fan of On Rice, however I needed to share a warning with others about a recent experience. I had to make reservations for my birthday THREE times because the restaurant failed to make them. First, I made a reservation using the online form on their official website. I called a week before the date to confirm, and they said that they do not take reservations online. I was very confused because it is clearly on their website. I remade the reservations on the phone. Called the day of to confirm, and AGAIN they said they had no reservation for me. It was very unprofessional, and had they not been able to make my reservation again, I would've been without a place to eat on my special day. The food at On Rice is great, however the service could definitely be more professional.
(2)Randy L.
Nice place, good service, okay food. Coming from Los Angeles, this is a different league. No sense comparing Bellingham with Los Angeles for Thai food. Just doesn't work. If you can get past that, and just focus on enjoying the food, it's okay. Decided to try the Sen Rai, which is kind of like Pad See Ew with gravy. In this case, they use peanut sauce, all over it. I've seen this before in the Northwest. A little strange, but tasty, nonetheless. The broccoli was very good, the beef was a medium grade steak. Unfortunately, the noodles were overcooked, and mushy. Portion was generous. Other than the texture of the noodles, it was a good, tasty meal. Spice rack included the same chili pepper sauce, and dried chili that we get in Los Angeles. There was also fish sauce, which is a little different, but makes sense.
(3)Tiffany Hope M.
This is our favorite Thai location. They have the best peanut sauce you've ever had. I promise! Their lil dinner salads are incredible. The fresh rolls are perfect and this is the #1 best pad Thai you'll ever eat. I promise that too!!! Hands down the best. The owners are so sweet, and I live their servers!! Especially at this location!!! Yummi
(5)Elizabeth P.
I go here a lot, and recently had a bizarrely bad experience so I'll end up going to the other locations instead. We were seated and this waiter (pretty sure he's new) comes up and proceeds to ask how we were but then began telling us how his evening has sucked so far. The rambling lasted a few minutes before we were able to give our drink order. We ordered calamari as an appetizer and it came out practically burnt - hard to chew and super crispy, not the good calamari we were used to, but we ate it anyway. I got up to use the restroom and stated this to my boyfriend in front of the waiter (after he told us our food was almost ready). Made eye contact with the girl up front while I walked into the restroom. I come back out and my boyfriend got up a little bit after me to wash his hands, but left our bags at the table. I was astonished to see that they had completely cleared our table (with salads, calamari, and sodas) and the girl was putting our bags behind the front counter! I asked what they were doing and they were like "oh, sorry, we thought you had left". Seriously? Why would we leave before getting our entrees? It was really really weird and made me angry - they knew I was using the restroom, who the heck clears a table and removes people's stuff from their chairs? We got a half apology from one of the guys from the back (manager maybe?) but didn't get our salads or calamari back. Looking back, I should have asked for it to be comped but I didn't - I was totally taken off guard by the terrible service. I've never left a bad tip, but we ended up tipping 10%. I won't be visiting this location again, and am hesitant to even go to the other locations.
(2)Teresa W.
Usually, the gluten intolerant can count on a Thai restaurant, but this one is clueless. The waitress said that only the Swimming Rama lunch special was gluten-free. After I questioned the (non-Thai) soup she brought out for all of us, she assured me that the soup was gluten-free, and just the shell noodles in it had gluten. (Shell noodles at a Thai Restaurant???) The peanut sauce on the Swimming Rama was an overly-thick overly-sweet mess and the Pad Thai side was over-cooked and tasteless.
(1)Shannon S.
I went off some yelps and got pad Thai against my better judgement and was reminded why not to order it; dry and clumped together noodles. Ugh! It got better with the addition of some peanut sauce though so if you order it that way it is salvageable. Mad props to the swimming Rama. Chicken dish with spinach and peanut sauce. This one didn't disappoint and was flavorful and surprising. Ordering medium spice here is like a mild at every Thai place I've been, and I've been to many. Unfortunately, was let down when I strayed from my safety of green curry and went with a chef special called floating wrap. This was not ok. I come from the deep fry state, Wisconsin, where fried cheese curds are as common of an appetizer at any place as chips and salsa are a Mexican restaurants. This dish was just bad. I took the seafood out to put it in my green curry so It wasn't a total waste. If you are traveling and are seeking out something great, I am not sure this is going to do it for you.
(2)Sophie T.
Amazing food, best Thai restaurant in bellingham! Staff are brilliant it's a short wait time and there restaurants our always clean. Lunch deals are great aswell!
(5)Chris M.
I love me some chicken Pad Thai and this place HOOKS IT UP. The peanut sauce is really good..among the best I've ever had. The decor is also interesting and includes golden flame shaped things, high relief sculptures, a fish tank, colorful murals, colorfully tiled table surfaces and golden dancing man sculptures lining the upper part of the dining room wall. I came here for lunch with family and the staff was friendly and attentive. The lunch portion of Pad Thai was as large as dinner portions I've had other places. The TV above the small bar was tuned to ESPN so that was also nice for my wandering eyes.
(4)Hannah G.
I go here to get pad se ew to go, and they kill it - big portion and it's delicious. Although if you like your food spicy, get 4 or 5 stars because 2 isn't even really spicy.
(4)M M.
I've been here several times. Lately it has ranged from meh on both service and food to a little less. I think this location has gone down since they expanded to their other locations. Actually, I think they're spread a bit thin, the other locations have not impressed me that much. I now mostly go to Asian 1 (formerly known as Pad Thai) for Thai (they also serve Sushi). Though on this end of town Busara's would be my pick. Bottom line: If you don't mind going up the Guide, go to Asian 1. If you want local to WWU, Busara.
(2)Shannon C.
Great Thai food and good friendly service! Could use an update in decor and seating.
(4)Shay R.
Great food. Ample portions.
(5)Dominique R.
The food is pretty satisfying however I was annoyed that they only serve dinner on the weekends. I went here because they have a good value lunch menu and walked out having to pay what I would have for dinner. Restaurants that try and soak up as much money as they can annoy me. But their food is good do Ill be back.
(4)