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Khao San Road
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
326 Adelaide St WToronto, ON M5V 1R3
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Downtown Core
(647) 352-5773
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
127 reviews for Khao San Road
Review Highlights
"...filled with home-made chicken sausage, lettuce, carrots..."
(in 4 reviews)
"The Khao Soi with beef brisket was superb."
(in 27 reviews)
"Had the green curry, date had the red curry."
(in 19 reviews)
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127 reviews in English
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Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
Updated - 2/18/2012
Yes, the line ups are crazy and it's always packed but the staff have a limited kitchen.
But let's talk about the Khao Soi, shall we?
Noodles and a braised beef live in the underworld of a coconut milk curry sauce and fried crispy noodles on top. A dash of mint, hot sauce and lime make this dish sublime.
Amazing. Run don't walk kids.Listed in: All Time Favourites, The Toronto Near.Afar. Tour
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/17/2011
KSR is totally yum-gasm. I've been here about 4 times now and it will satisfy the Thai craving.… Read more »
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Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
2/17/2012
Khao San Road is alright but is it really the best in Toronto, no. It is not. Don't get me wrong, I will go back and I will like it and it is definitely one of the best in Toronto.
I do like the subtle modern decor and the owner is really friendly and seems like a nice guy AND a nice laidback place to take a someone on say, a date.
Okay, fine, fine, the place is good.... I was going to recommend it anyway!
I enjoyed their pai thai which is generally the way I judge my Thai places. I mean it is such a basic dish in Thai culture that if you mess that one up, then you are doomed.
But it was well made here.
I recommend it. -
Review from Shannon F.
Toronto, ON
2/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Totally worth the hype.
Well run, well designed, well executed, wonderful restaurant. Most importantly of course, the food is fantastic! A new spin on what you think pad thai tastes like. Sweet, savoury, spicy - mmmmmmmmm. The curries are also top of the line tasty.
Service is efficient - everything about this place is efficient. The line up is daunting but they know what they're doing and it's worth the wait. If you're willing to sit at the perfectly comfortable bar or share a stool at the wood communal tables, you'll be eating in no time.
A small space that is perfectly packed with well laid out tables and bar, they make use of every inch of it and despite the always busy place, you don't feel crowded.
A small but tasty wine list, I had a nice glass for $9. A traditional Thai beer and some delicious teas make a nice accompaniment to your meal. I can't wait to try more dishes from here.
Note that they are only open for a limited window for lunch so be prepared to wait but go with enough time to enjoy your meal! 11:30-2:30 and then they close up to turn around and prep for dinner service starting at 5:00pm - 10:00pm.
I love that they offer take out and I plan on taking out soon! -
Review from Michael B.
Toronto, ON
2/15/2012
Squash fritters are excellent - tasty batter coating grated squash, crunchy not greasy and nice tart/sweet/spicy dipping sauce. Thai iced tea was interesting.
The traditional pad Thai was ok probably should have gone for the street style instead. Decor reminds me of the old salad king space but with wood and steel communal tables and a nice bar space. -
Review from Natalie B.
Toronto, ON
2/11/2012
Best pad thai I've had in Toronto. Curry dishes and Thai iced tea are delicious as well.
The wait can be disorganized and a bit frustrating, but somehow this hasn't tainted my perception of the resto. I think this place is popular for a reason and so I am willing to wait as long as I have good company and we're not in a rush. -
Review from shyni y.
2/7/2012
I have to say this place is SCRUMPTIOUS, no, orgasmic in every way.
Until very recently I didn't pay attention to the name of the restaurant, even though it was the natural choice for lunch when Burrito boyz seemed a little too far and my friend and I thought we'd faint before we get there. It had always simply been "the Thai place around the corner with ambiguous writing."
I'm not sure when this place is NOT packed; I have been there various times of the day and I am always counting my luck for being able to find a seat for two.
I am a fan of the open seating arrangement where strangers seat beside each other; very authentically oriental - automatic bonus points.
The first time I went there, it was fairly new and we waited most of our lunch for our food. When it got to us, it was so good the two chatter boxes that we are, had no time to say anything, but ever so often look into each others eyes in absolute agreement of how fabulous the food was and how our senses were about to burst from delight. We concluded that although the service was rather slow, the food was absolutely worth every second of the wait. It was perfectly proportioned too; just enough to think that you will hit food coma, but not quite that you suffer food coma at work ;what a deal! My friend who is Thai varified that the street version of the Pad Thai is exactly as it is in Thailand. So woot to that too!
I haven't been back there in awhile but my verdict stands, except the service is definitely better now. They are absolutely friendly - once, we got there as the store was "closing" and the guy rushed us in and said, we're actually closing but if you sit down and order - you can stay as long as you want. He could have easily turned us away, but didn't , which my stomach appreciated by the buckets and I wanted to shine his bald head as a thanx....I didn't, of course.
This place is a gem: with all the generic "Friendly Thai"s popping up every corner, you don't really get to taste anything authentic anymore; except here.
All I can say is: you need to go - you are missing out a LOT.Listed in: Korean & Asian Restaurants
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Review from Kunal D.
Toronto, ON
2/13/2012
Ordered take out from this place on Saturday night. The first thing the person on the phone told us was that it would take 50mins as they were really busy. So if you do want to order in the evening, keep that in mind.
For appetizers, we got the Fried Garlic Chicken and chicken sausage spring rolls. Both were very good, but would recommend not getting the Chicken for takeout as it would taste better hot. For mains we got Green curry chicken (prolly best in the city), panang curry tofu and the special pad thai. all were delicious.
As with the other reviews, when we got there to pick up our order, there was a lineup out the door. Notwithstanding how busy the place was, the food was good. Would highly recommend it. -
Review from Rob D.
1/30/2012
SOLID Thai food
Cool ambiance
but
they need to be better organized seating people during a wait ... much of which would be solved by seating the right party size at their few large tables (rather than 2s at their 4 tops or 3-4 in their 6-8 person booths).
and ...
get a coat rack! -
Review from Kate S.
Toronto, ON
1/11/2012 1 photo
The only negative about this place is the location... It is close the club district and only 10 minutes walk from the financial district, so I would never "go out" to this restaurant so much as I would stop in on my way home from work.
That aside it is really reasonably priced and delicious thai food. I had the Khoa Soi (braised beef, coconut cream curry spicy, with rice noodles. It was a big bowl of spicy creamy deliciousness but next time I'd share this with someone and also order a less heavy dish. Altogether one beer and one dish was $25.00 with tax and tip.
The YAM FRITTERS look amazing also.
What I like, and what you might not, is the big communal tables - enough space so my friend and I could talk about things like the terrors of pregnancy (we're not but afraid to) and budgeting, but also meet and talk to the people next to us.
I'd probably come here with a group next time and try more things and share.
Really high quality thai food with good ingredients and no filler.
Note: the curries are definitely made with both coconut and CREAM so know that if you are lactose intolerant or trying to diet. -
Review from David B.
Toronto, ON
2/18/2012
We got the green curry with chicken and street style pad thai in medium spice. They were both pretty good although I've had better green curry in Toronto. We also got the squash fritters which were forgettable. I have no idea where all the recommendations for them are coming from. I also deducted a star becauase it's pretty pricy compared to other similar spots in Toronto.
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Review from Jon O.
Toronto, ON
1/19/2012 6 Check-ins Here
This is my favourite Thai restaurant in the city. Luckily it's really close to my work.
Quick note to start us off: arrive early or expect to wait! The restaurant is quite small and very popular. I'd suggest arriving at 11:45 or earlier for lunch and 5:30 for dinner. You could try to make reservations, but they never seem to answer their phone.
Now too the food. Incredible. I can't even form sentences. I'm going to give you random points:
-- very fresh
-- bold flavours
-- made from scratch
-- best pad thai I've had in the city
-- non-whitified spice levels
-- try all the apps!
And a few non-food related comments:
-- chill and friendly servers
-- cool decor
Keep doing what you do KSR. Hopefully in a bigger space sometime soon. -
Review from Tony F.
12/19/2011
[THE CANADIAN]
Khao San, Oriental setting
And the city don't know that the city is getting
The creme de la creme of the Thai food world in a
Show with everything but Yul Brynner
Time flies -- doesn't seem a minute
Since the Tirolean spa had the yelp boys in it
All change -- don't you know that when you
Eat at this level there's no ordinary venue
It's Iceland -- or the Philippines -- or Hastings -- or --
or this place!
[COMPANY]
One night in Khao San and the world's your oyster
This bar's a temple but the food ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
And if you're lucky then the god's a she
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
[THE CANADIAN]
Get Thai'd! You're talking to a food tourist
Whose every move's among the purest
I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine
[COMPANY]
One night in Khao San makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Khao San and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me -
Review from Daniel O.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Walking the empty streets of the old entertainment district, its hard to believe that a restaurant like Khao San Road can exist. It's literally in the middle of nowhere, nothing else on the block worth going to (or even open), yet only a short walk to bustling Queen Street West area.
Made a reservation for my brother's birthday last night. Arrived at 7pm, table was waiting (for 5 of us). The place was rammed. Line-up at the door (at least 15 people), every seat in the house full. I guess being named one of the best new restaurants in Toronto really helps business
Food
Server came over after about 10 minutes to take our order. We ordered two appetizers for the table, Po Pia Pak Sod Gai Yaw ($6) , fresh rolls stuffed with homemade chicken sausage, lettuce, carrot and mint as well as Gra Bong ($9), large squash fritters. Also ordered two Chai Nom Yen ($4.50) or Thai iced-teas with condensed milk. Both appetizers were really great, the addition of the chicken sausage in the fresh rolls added an amazing smokiness. The squash fritters were not something that I would have ordered (thought they would be dense and greasy), BUT they were also very good, light & airy, not greasy at all.
For mains I had the beef Pad Gra Prao ($13), diced beef with basil, spiced served on a bed of sticky rice with a fried egg on top. I'm a sucker for anything with a fried egg on it. Very good, though not the best thing ordered at the table. My favourite item was Khao Soi ($13) with braised beef. Spicy, creamy coconut curry with tons of beef, egg noodles, crispy noodles, green onion and lime. It was amazing, could have eaten my meal and an order of Khao Soi.
Service
Alright, I don't want to sound like a Debbie Downer, but service was very sloppy. First of all, the place was understaffed. You cannot run a booming restaurant with one bartender and three servers. I realize that the place is small BUT it really just created a ton of inefficiencies. Food came out at an okay speed, took about 15 minutes for appetizers, then another 15 to 20 for our mains. The servers were struggling to stay on top of their tables, I witnessed at least two tables wait over 20 minutes for their tables to be cleared of dirty dishes and have their bills delivered. The tables could have been turned over, there was a constant line-up at the door for our entire meal. With another two servers on the floor, the place would have run much smoother and more efficient.
We had a major screw-up at our table (yet I cannot entirely fault our server due to the business of the restaurant and lack of communication between the employees). We brought along cupcakes for my brother's birthday. Half way through our meal, we witnessed our cupcakes being delivered to another table. With a birthday candle. And singing. We flagged down a waiter, who realised the mistake, but it was too late, the girl at the other table had already blown out the candle. Obviously we weren't going to eat cupcakes that some random girl just blew on. Our server and the server that delivered the cupcakes felt terrible (she overheard that was the girl's b-day and assumed the cupcakes were for her). Why her friends' didn't stop the situation before the candle blow-out, I have no idea, OBVIOUSLY no one in their party brought the cupcakes.
Anyhow, our server straightened everything out. They comped my brother's meal as well as gave us a gift certificate for $40 to cover the cost of the cupcakes, which satisfied everyone in our party. Again, I can't help to think that if the restaurant was properly staffed, this wouldn't have happened.
So overall: super great food. Service issues, but you can't fault a restaurant with so much buzz. Four Stars for the food, 2.5 for service. -
Review from Justine H.
Toronto, ON
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Restaurant: Khao San Road
Cuisine: Thai
Location: Entertainment District
Address: 326 Adelaide St W
Price Range: $10-15
1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very Good 5: Excellent
Food: 4
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 3.5
Extra information:
*Vegetarian Option Avail
*Closed on Sundays
*Take out Avail
After reading so many reviews and comments online about how crazy they get at busy hours, I made sure to get there early for lunch. They open at 11:30 for lunch on weekdays and I arrived around 11:40 and ended up being 2nd customer walking in for lunch. Restaurant is decent size with small tables for 2, 4 and larger tables for bigger groups- and there is also a bar area where you can dine by yourself.
Ordered: Garlic Tofu (Tao Hoo Taud Samoon Prai) 4/5
*Fried tofu breaded in a crispy garlic & fresh kaffir lime coating served w/ sweet & tangy garlic sauce for $8.00
*11 pieces of semi-hard tofu almost looked like chicken nuggets
*A lot of the reviews said it came super hot but it was just hot when I got mine
*Usually I don't like tofu but this was bursting with flavor
*Because they use semi-hard tofu, it feels like you are eating soft chicken nuggets
*Big for an appetizer, it might be good to share between 3-4 people
*These deep fried tofu don't even really need the sauce, it's already seasoned within the batter
*Sauce is fresh and the sweetness balances out the strong garlic batter
*Watch out for garlic breath after eating this (I swear your breath will smell like raw garlic after)
*Not recommened if you are on a date!!
Ordered: Pad Thai (Street Style) 5/5
*Steet Style Pad Thai with broccoli with option of chicken/tofu for $10
*Their lunch portions are quite generous
*Broccoli pieces looked kind of random sitting on top of the Pad Thai
*Chose tofu option for the Pad Thai
*This had really good flavor, just sweet enough with spiciness that kicks in after
*Notice how the Pad Thai (sauce) is not at all red
*It didn't taste artificial or overly ketchupy like many express Thai places do it
*This Pad Thai was probably closest to what I had back in Thailand, no doubt
*I would go back for this dish
Ordered: Khao Soi 3/5
*Tender braised beef with egg noodles in a coconut milk enriched curry topped with crisp fried noodles for $10.00
*This looked absolutely gorgeous on some of the photos I saw prior to visiting this place
*I was looking forward to trying this because it's nothing like what I've tried in the past
*Option of braised beef or chicken for this dish, I went with beef cause that's what everyone recommened
*Curry is beautiful bright yellow color, very thick and rich and there is a lot of it
*Noodles go very well with the coconut curry and the braised beef is very tender
*Curry wasn't very hot when it came...not sure if it's suppose to be like that
*The way they serve this dish, it makes me think that the curry is suppose to be like soup for this dish
*Curry is too thick to be a soup for this dish which makes it quite difficult to eat cause you don't want the curry splattering everywhere
*Half way through this, I realized this is somewhat like Islamic Noodles I had at Salad King (see here)
*Now they serve Khao Soi at Salad King as well (but haven't tried it there)
*I would personally prefer this dish to be served on a pasta plate with less sauce
*Curry tasted a little too sweet half way through
*I wouldn't recommened eating this if you have nice top on or anything white (or just really be careful)
Ordered: Thai Iced Tea (Cha Nom Yen) 4/5
*Thai spice and Black tea blended with condensensed milk served over crushed ice for $4.50
*This somewhat reminds me of Vietnamese coffee (drip coffee with condensed milk served over ice)
*Dark orange liquid in a huge glass filled with ice
*This is almost like Chocolate milk without the chocolate but with the bitter tea aftertaste
*Good to have with their food, to wash down all the spiciness
I know many people compare Khao San Road to Salad King (check out my review here)- saying Khao San Road is authentic Thai and Salad King is somewhat westernized- which I do agree, it's true. Khao San Road's chef doesn't hold back on Thai spices and garlic which allows their dishes to be bursting with Thai flavor. Salad King's dishes are much more toned down and compared to Khao San Road, it could seem a little bland in terms of flavor. Because of the spices, Khao San Road's dishes feels heavy whereas Salad King's dishes seem lighter (if that makes any sense). It's really a personal preferance as to if you prefer Khao San Road or Salad King.
Summary: Khao San Road focuses on staying true to Thai flavors, so be aware and get ready to taste some garlic if you've only tried food court Thai food. Personally, I like both places- I def think Khao San Road makes better Pad Thai but if I wanted noodles in coconut curry, I would visit Salad King for Islamic Noodles. -
Review from Mimi C.
Toronto, ON
The place is relatively small and crowded. We waited a long time to get our seats. They will refuse to seat you if you're entire group is not here which is reasonable given how busy it is. The food is quite inexpensive, each entree costing about 13-15 dollars. The food was also very crowd pleasing. I got yellow curry, i liked that it was a little sweet and I also got the option of making it mild which was important bc I can't handle spicey food. Overall I really enjoyed my food it was perhaps the best curry I had in a long time. My friends order green and red curry and they both liked their food. Pad Thai was also very good. They have very little options for drinks though. For alcohol it is just wine and one kind of beer. And you have your usual soft drinks. If you can it is best to reserve seats. We went on a Tuesday and there were still many people lining up! But the food was delicious so it was worth the wait.
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Review from Helen Y.
Vancouver, BC
1/30/2012
gawd, was that delicious or what...
went during busy lunch time, so there was about fifteen minute wait... but when i was sat at the bar, food came fast and was AMAZING
i had tofu appy and market pad thai, food comma and food baby was all worth it.. -
Review from Juliana H.
Toronto, ON
12/14/2011
I finally made it to Khao San Road. I absolutely adore Sukhothai, so I was very curious to try this place. I don't think I'll return though.
Yes the food was good. We had the fresh rolls to start, the chicken khao soi, the special pad thai, and a green curry chicken - all ordered spicy. Each dish was really flavorful. Our server was really nice though too busy to be all that attentive.
My beef with this place is the old adage that a popular place's downfall will be its own popularity. I called and was told they'd hold a table for us if we got there in the next twenty minutes. We made it in fifteen, yet there was no table. They'd given it away. So we waited. Eventually, we were told we could sit if we shared a table with another party. When I saw the size of the table they were expecting seven of us to sit around, I was unimpressed. It was too damn small to accommodate that many people. So we declined, deciding to wait for a more private table. We ended up sitting at another table where they kept cramming more and more parties around it. In the end, eleven people were stuck around a table that could only hold eight comfortably. Come on!
It was a Tuesday night when we visited. I shutter to think of a Friday or Saturday! As we juggled our dishes in the tiny space we had to ourselves, I watched the line. People just kept coming.
I think this restaurant would be AMAZING if it could double its size. Until that happens, I will happily order from Sukhothai. -
Review from Kaiping S.
2/14/2012
this place along with lotus of siam in vegas serve the best thai food i've had outside of thailand. dishes were on point, flavorful, and not overly oily or anything.
we had the panang curry, chef's special pad thai, pad gra pao, and washed it all down with some singhas. all were straight up delicious. get here early or put your name down and grab a beer somewhere else (like the town crier).
good food, good looking people, and great location for tourists staying in downtown to walk to for a great meal. -
Review from Kelly O.
Could it be? I'm the 100th review for the always fabulous Koh San Road?!
Let me tell you how much I love this place - from the kick ass Pad Thai, to the amazing Khao Soi, to the crispy and tasty squash fritters, and the coconut dessert, and the milkshakey thing. Oh man. I have NEVER had a bad meal here.
I generally don't write reviews for places that already have so many, but my first taste of the Gaeng Massaman this week blew my mind.
I'm always hesitant to try new things when you know the other things you get area always amazing. New things are risky, you know?!
But Koh San Road did not disappoint: The Gaeng Massaman curry dish with shimp made my head explode with awesomeness. Rich, coconutty, peanutty, sweet and tangy. My word. It was quite near orgasmic.
So yeah, go here. Lots.Listed in: ROTDs! Holla!
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Review from Jonathan L.
Richmond Hill, ON
1/2/2012
The best authentic tasting thai food in the gta. I am from the pacific rim and i can honestly say this place takes the cake for flavour.
Highly recommend this place. Waitors are friendly and give off a free spirit billy talent look to them. -
Review from Jared W.
2/2/2012
This place is amazing, but be prepared to wait for a table. The wait is well worth it.
Khao San Road is a foodie's haven, and is a must-see when you're in the area. Run and operated by people who really care about service and quality, this small Thai place delivers friendly vibes and even better food.
I went on a Tuesday night and my girlfriend and I sat at the bar because it seemed like there was a long wait. The bartender was friendly and didn't try and up-sell.
We ordered the Tom Kha soup and spring rolls with chicken sausage. Both were extremely delicious; the soup was spicy and full of shrimp, mushrooms, onions, peppers, lemongrass, and a good amount of chiles, and the spring rolls were savory and fresh. My only criticism was that there was a slightly overwhelming amount of Thai basil in the rolls that, to some, could ovwhelm the dish.
Our main courses were the chicken Pad Thai Sam Roas (the more authentic version) and the Khao Soi, which is a coconut curry with egg noodles and Braised beef.
The Pad Thai was delicious, however the Khao Sai was the best Thai dish I have ever encountered, and the braised beef was absolutely amazing.
I highly recommend this spot for its cool, down to earth atmosphere and the amazing food! -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have asked people time and time again - what is so good about KSR?
people say it's authentic, it's different, it's good.... being the hottest restaurant on urban spoon, I had to try it myself.
For a thursday reservation, I had the option for 5 or 8... so I chose 8. Walking in on time, the place was bustling with people lining up along the little corridor by the doorway. There were two long sharable tables up top and a section of separate tables along the back.
The waitress was patient with us, even with all the other people placing their orders, or trying to make their way in. I ordered the Chai Nom Yen to drink - An infusion of Thai spices and black tea mixed with condensed milk.. aka thai iced tea. The black tea had definitely been steeped for a long time because it was a very dark colour, close to an orange. Being the thanksgiving season, you would've thought you were drinking a pumpkin shake. the drink was rich, tasted like a strong bubble tea and although mighty tasty, it was a huge cup. The condensed milk was definitely sweet, but I would suggest sharing, unless it is a super hot day and you take it to go - got to save room for the food!
We shared an appie of garlic shrimp, which was butterflied, pankoed and fried. Very tasty. For mains - the ever famous Sam Roas Pad Thai - i could taste the three flavours with every bite - it never went away and my tastebuds never got accustomed to one specific taste - it was fascinating! I had expected the sauce to be more wet as the textures were more dry, but I have nothing against it. This must be what everyone spoke about with its authenticity.
The Khao Soi with beef brisket was superb! I'm all about sauce and it is a rich, flavourful, curry that I wanted all to myself. The noodles were a great texture, the beef was so tender, and I wish there was a bigger bowl!
We got a curry - Gaeng Massaman with chicken, which consisted of tamarind sauce and cooked with onions, peanuts, potatoes and bay leaves; topped with crispy deep fried shallots. Yes the chicken was tender, but I didn't think it was anything out of the ordinary..
Little did I know the reason we were sitting at the communal high tops is because the restaurant was not able to give us our table for our 8 oclock reservation. Because of this, we were given free dessert!!!! It was a little bowl of warm coconut sago - which I love. The only thing I would have preferred was that it was either super hot or super cold.. and it was in between.
Despite how crowded it was and the loudness of the place, the service was really good. the transition between appie to main course took a REALLY long time, so I can only hope that it doesn't always take that long. However, the food was delicious and full of unusual flavours and I will come back again for more!
make reservations!!!!! -
Review from Laura L.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2012
best thai food i've ever had in the GTA!
Had the Pad Thai with the combo upgrade which includes a Tom Yum soup and a spring roll. The spring roll dip was soooo yummy. I definitely recommend getting the combo.
The Pad Thai was probably the best i've had around... not the ketchup-y version you find in most so-called "Thai" restaurants in Toronto. It's more on the savoury side than sweet, which i love. It's not red or orange. I also asked for it to be extremely spicy and they got it just right. If you like it really spicy, ask for "Thai spicy". The chicken was also really tender, not dry.
The portion was big, I had to take almost half of my Pad Thai to go. Yay, tomorrow's lunch for me.
I had the Thai Iced Tea, it was good, although a bit too sweet for my taste. Still good though.
The place was a bit small, so if you're going at lunch hours, I'd recommend coming in a bit early, before it gets packed, so you don't have to wait long. My friend and I ate by the bar, so we were seated right away.
I didn't go to the washroom, so I won't be able to comment on that. The restaurant was clean and pretty chill.
The servers are great and quick. Didn't have to wait long for the food or more napkins and all.
Overall, I think it's the most authentic tasting Thai restaurant i've ever been to. It's my new fave for sure. Definitely my go-to Thai place now. My friend said the same thing about the food and we've both been to many Thai restaurants before. -
Review from Reynold P.
Toronto, ON
11/13/2011
This place is incredible. The first time I attempted to have dinner here, I was welcomed to wait 45 mins for the next seat. So knowing that this place was popular and thus good, I was determined to sip the golden curry that I say through the window of khao San road.
A couple of days later I returned with optimism and high expectations. It was a weekend and it was lunchtime so the tables were available but still crowded. After sitting down at the bar I immediately liked the atmosphere. It was well-lit, simple and in motion. Servers constantly walked to and fro from the kitchen to the tables. This gave my gf and I a sneak peak of what we could potentially have.
My gf settles for paneang curry and I a khao San special egg noodles in coconut curry with braised beef, veggies and fried wonton strips. After a 15 minute wait our food came out in great presentation. It was simple but made each ingredient standout in the dish.
Mine was delicious. A sweeter yellow curry withe the most tenderous beef chunks. A thick curry sauce that was perfect for smothering the aged jasmine rice they use here. Apparently the aging gives off a continuous and individual fragrance while in curry. The combination was absolutely ridiculous. My gf received the green curry with chicken and bamboo shoots. A much lighter and thin curry that complimented the rice included very well. My gf especially liked the kafir lime leaves and basil, it made the dish for her.
You may be wondering, why I mentioned that she ordered panang curry and then reviewed the green curry. Well, there was a slight mix up in the kitchen, she got the wrong dish. As soon as we had let them know, one of the co-owners was soon beside us to apologize. What a great guy! He offered to pack the first dish up for us and bring out the right dish for free.
This guy knows how to service his customers. With such a minor mistake, he made great steps and effort to make it right. I really appreciated that. After we got our third dish, all of the servers were especially kind and accommodating.
What did we think of the panang? It was of course also delicious. With the basil and lime leaves again, my gf really liked it. It was a drier curry compared to the green curry which was thinner and soupy. This curry was thick and stuck to the chicken and veg a bit better. Less sauce than both my dish and the green curry, this one was more reminiscent of a stir fry.
Overall, out experience here was fantastic. Probably biased by the free meal and opportunity to speak with an owner, the food is honestly great. I haven't had this many types of curry in Toronto ever. All were exceptional with their own flavours, aromas, spiciness and thickness. I have to compliment the
For offering a unique and well executed meal for me. Great new tasting flavours, affordable prices, full service and casual atmosphere.This is what dining should always be!Listed in: The Best Of Toronto...
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Review from KL M.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2011
The only thing I don't like about this place is that there is always a line. I would take a star away for not taking reservations, but I like everything else too much.
Living just around the corner, I average eating at Khao San Road about once every two weeks. It's just about the best Thai in the city, and the cool ambiance and location take it to the next level. No kitschy decor choices or dinginess - just a clean, modern palette that lets the food speak for itself.
And the food sings! You will find all the traditional Thai selections here but there are a couple of standout dishes. The Khao Soi is marvelous medium-spicy, the Massaman curry is the best I've ever had, and I've heard the Pad Thai is equally as good (not being a fan of the dish myself). To start off, you can't go wrong with the fresh rolls, squash fritters or daily soup.
If only they would expand into the neighbouring space and eliminate the lineups, it would be perfection! -
Review from Eugene M.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2011
I concur with the average score of the 100 other reviewers who have (generally) enjoyed this place. To avoid repetition, I'll just stick to what my own impressions were. The line was a tad ridiculous, though likely a function of its location and reputation. I guess this speaks to the need for more decent Thai in this city. Just really loud, felt like the being at the old Salad King, but hey, what are you gonna do.
The green curry was acceptable (a bit more curry paste needed), the street pad thai chicken was delicious, the khao soi chicken was worth the wait alone, and the fresh rolls were good. If you haven't been, you should go. If you have, then you know. -
Review from Newman A.
11/9/2011
Had the green curry, date had the red curry. Both were tasty, very creamy.
Dishes weren't heavy on the vegetables, in fact, it didn't appear there were any dominant fresh-veggie options. Some days I'm in the mood for lots of spicy veggie options, so was a bit disappointed.
Also, their spice levels are extremely diluted. I had a Thai hot that was not nearly as spicy as a medium back home, and my date had a hot that would barely qualify as mild. This supports impression that food has been heavily modified to fit the local tastebuds. Not authentic, but still tasty in its own right.
Most of the appetizers were fried, would appreciate some healthier options. -
Review from Gary S.
Thank goodness for Khao San Road! I would originally make a trip out to the dodgy mother restaurant Sukho Thai every so often but glad they opened one up on Adelaide, much closer to work and nice area.
This is authentic Thai not the food court stuff, everything is awesome, but I always order the fritas, street pad thai and red curry!Listed in: My go to places in DT T.O
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Review from Angel N.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Amazing staff, the manager served us actually. Busy but quick to get us a table. Get the Pad Thai, thai spicy, amazing! But if you're with a group of friends just share and order different dishes because it's a shame not to try more than one! Street style was also delicious. Braised beef in one of our dishes was incredibly tender, and I am not always a meat eater. Great for leftovers. Got the shrimp chips to share as an appetizer, good big basket to share with a group. Got the house beer. A place with a small menu is usually a good sign- every item we had, they did it well! Craving it regularly now!
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Review from Calvin S.
Markham, ON
10/8/2011
Decided to give this place a shot after finding it on reddit (heh heh heh...).
Me and my friend arrived at around 12:30, and we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table (lunch rush...). Eventually we sat at the bar.
Waiter was very attentive, considering he had to deal with everyone at the bar (about 10 or so people). He quickly served us drinks (though I only wanted water since I didn't want to drink something filling).
We ordered both kinds of Pad Thai, so we could see the difference between the two. Food took about 20 minutes to come, but seeing how there were so many people in the restaurant I guess I won't complain. Both of us took mild, as we can't take spicy stuff very well. Before we started eating, the waiter came over and asked if we wanted chopsticks. Yes, they offer chopsticks now!!! We gladly took them (who eats Pad Thai with a fork? Seriously).
The food itself was delicious and worth the wait and cost, although the street style was a little on the salty side (that's where they lost a star). We ended up trading each others' food to see how it tastes like, and the first one on the menu seemed spicier, less salty, and the fact peanuts were added.
Overall, I would visit again, though I kinda went out of my way to come to this place. Maybe if I were in the Financial District area in the future I'd consider stopping by again. -
Review from Ramanan S.
Toronto, ON
9/12/2011
I generally think it's bad form to write a review about a place you've only been to once. That said, holy shit this Pad Thai i'm eating right now is un-fucking-believable. It's making me believe in God. I got a hot, which is also pretty damn hot. (So don't get the hot unless you enjoy very hot food.)
You need to eat here. Stop whatever it you're doing and go now. (Be prepared for a bit of a wait.) -
Review from sarah l.
9/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Everything you need to know - this isn't as good as Sukho Thai and there are no chopsticks.
The good:
- The service was very good (especially if you are accustomed to the terrible service at Sukho Thai)
- The food was good (but not mind blowing)
- The atmosphere was lively and the place was packed (but we didn't wait long for a seat at 630 on a Wednesday)
The bad:
- There is only one beer available and it's a shitty one
- There are no chopsticks (serious wtf from me on this point)
- The food isn't as good as Sukho Thai even though it's the same people
- It's slightly too expensive ($14-$16 pad thai)
Overall, I probably wouldn't choose to eat here again, but if someone else wanted to eat here I wouldn't complain.
There aren't too many other places in this neighbourhood that I like to eat at, so that in itself sort of bumps Khao San Road up 1 star. I thought the food to price to experience rating was about a 2 or 2.5/5 but give it 3 because of lack of better choices in the area. -
Review from Thu N.
10/21/2011
Wow, the food is amazing at Khao San Road - it's simply delicious!! I was amazed with everything we ordered. The garlic chicken had a really flavourful panko batter with a hint of lemongrass on the outside and tender and perfectly cooked inside!
Both the Khao Soi and street Pad Thai were both made perfectly too. The taste, the texture, the quality of the ingredients...I just couldn't help stuffing myself silly!
The service is great too - we went for a late lunch (after 1:30) so there wasn't a wait. I'd love to come back to try the rest of the menu. I love that I'm back in Toronto to enjoy the great food! -
Review from Josh Y.
1/31/2012
amazeballs
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Review from Archimedes T.
Toronto, ON
9/1/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Came with a friend for a nice cheap dinner. This was recommended by @fivetwelve
We chose their regular pad thai with shrimp (the first thing on the noodles menu) because it had a few other ingredients and our waiter said it can be made with no spice.
The food was great, it was a nice sized meal for two people to share on a budget. The only problem was it was very spicy, but it was still oh-so-yummy. Every bite was both pleasurable and painful at the same time.
The server apologized for the spiciness and offered us some complimentary dessert and wine. My friend got the wine. I had the dessert which was tapioca in coconut milk with real coconut meat. The thing really simmered down my mouth.
Overall the service was excellent, and I will DEFINITELY go there again, but I may try the street style pad thai instead. Or I may try again with the dish because it was really great, but ask them to hold of on the spice and the chilli flakes.Listed in: Reasons to go to downtown…
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Review from Jiao S.
10/12/2011 6 photos
This 30 days challenge certainly tells me never get in something that I can not do ......
Last time I was told this place was known as the best Thai restaurant in Toronto when passing there with a friend. I disagreed with him and still think Sukho Thai is the best. Till the following Friday I was there drinking the identical Thai Ice tea as Sukho Thai and saw the same owner walking in the door. Oh well~ I am glad I was right~,
I ordered Pad Thai the street style (how can you say no), same as Sukho Thai, I love the Pad Thai has a little bit sweet in the taste. I saw the other table ordered khao greup faktong, so I added that too. It was good, but it was not the appetizer style I like.
Comparing to Sukho Thai, the dinning environment is definitely nicer, but for some reason I just missed that small restaurant restaurant with 5,6 tables on Parliament.
P.S. should have mentioned this place is very busy for dinner hour and has line up . -
Review from Alice T.
I've only ever been here for lunch but i kinda love it...
Street style pad Thai yum! I'm a sucker for simple foods done well and although pad thai's mix of sweet, sour, salty, spicy isn't exactly simple, it's done to perfection. I also kinda love that they give you chicken and tofu in the non-veg version. Carnivores can love tofu too!
I've also had the braised beef curry with noodles, Khao Soi, and it was delicious! The beef was so tender, practically falling apart and the curry sauce was delicious though maybe a bit too much sauce.
Ideally I wish you could get a curry with a side of pad Thai because I'm greedy like that.... I want it all!
Oh and i have yet to try the minced pork with Thai basil and fried egg (Pad Gra Prao), but it's my all time favorite thai dish so I'm sure there will be an update to this review soon.
Quick update: I tried the chicken with thai basil and fried egg (Pad Gra Prao) and it was all I could hope for and more! I was sharing with a friend who couldn't eat pork so we opted for the chicken and I'd say it's better than the pork version I've had at other thai places. It's also a perfect dish to accompany the braised beef curry with noodles dish I mention above, the Khao Soi.
My latest meal has upped my original rating from 4 stars to 5!Listed in: Great Take Away for Groups
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Review from Lori D.
Toronto, ON
9/22/2011
I wanted to try this place as it looked busy, so they must be doing something right.
The service was great. Took a while to get our food however.
I got the phad thai. it was alright, but thai princess is better. A lot of their apps are very fried and i dont really like fried food.
it was just ok for thai food. not to spacial but didnt make me sick either. -
Review from Samia M.
Toronto, ON
12/19/2011
I struggled writing this review. The food was great, but the line up is obnoxious- not to mention you have a 4 square foot section to stand in to wait to be seated. I like my fellow Torontonians, but not enough to be all up in their personal space.
We started with the Gai Taud Samoon Prai (crispy fried chicken) and Po Pia Pak Sod Gai Yaw (fresh rolls filled with sausage and veggies). The chicken had a hint of kaffir lime leaf and a delightful dipping sauce. Crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside. The fresh rolls were like nothing I've eaten before. Unique flavors and came with this garlic, tamarind, peanut sauce.
The group I was with decided to order three entrees to share. We got the massaman curry with beef, street pad thai with chicken and Pad Gra Pra with beef. All of them were cooked to perfection, seasoned well and served to us quickly. The street pad thai is the funky, wild sibling of the regular pad thai. Totally worth trying.
I really have no complaints about the food. I'm actually quite shocked. If this place were less crowded, I would definitely come more often. -
Review from Pati P.
Toronto, ON
8/31/2011
Tons of reviews, and the majority really hit the nail on the head. Khao San Road is absolutely my favourite Thai restaurant in Toronto. You're not going to get over-buttered, over-sauced, over-sweetened dishes. To be honest, just thinking about the food makes my mouth water and it's 9:53 am!
The only thing that more fussy customers would have an issue with is the ever-present line-up. But, with incredible, SUPER affordable food - there's going to be demand. And for the demand, it's a small space. Bottom line is that it's worth the wait.
The service and staff are awesome; casual, friendly, not completely in-your-face and have great energy.
FOOD FEEDBACK:
I've had the Pad Thai (Sam Roas) - which in my opinion is THE best pad thai I've had in the city. Just perfect. The Khao Soi (beef), Gaeng Kaew Wan and so far anything I've had off the menu is KICK ASS delicious. The spicy-meter is bang on and gives a kick with awesome flavour.
For appies, I've tried the Tao hoo Taud Samoon Prai (fried tofu), Gai Taud Samoon Prai (fried chicken nuggets - to die for), Khao greup goong (shrimp chips) - totally not a fan of these, but my friends love 'em, Po Pia Pak Sod Gai Yaw (YUM-MY!), Gra Bong (i like).
You won't regret giving this place a shot. Guaranteed.
