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Thai House 530
Categories: Restaurants Thai Restaurants Asian Fusion Thai, Asian Fusion [Edit]
530 Valencia St(between 17th St & 16th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighbourhood: Mission
(415) 503-1500
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 12 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
124 reviews for Thai House 530
Review Highlights
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"I had the crab pad thai, tofu thom kha, and taro fries." In 4 reviews -
"...of the salmon wrapped in banana leaves, and dungenous crab..." In 1 review -
"I love supporting family-owned restaurants." In 4 reviews
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124 reviews in English
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Review from Rachelle A.
Walnut Creek, CA
5/26/2012
Great spot for a date or for a dinner out with friends! Ambiance is modern and upscale without being too stuffy or pretentious. Friendly, attentive service also makes for an excellent dining experience.
My friends and I ordered the sampler with 4 appetizers, an appetizer of chicken wings, and Thai sangria to start, then we shared the dungeness crab pad thai, pork belly, and banana fritters--perfect portions and all delicious.
This is not your typical Thai restaurant, I would definitely head back to try more of the eclectic menu! :D -
Review from Dorothy P.
Union Square, San Francisco, CA
5/21/2012
Excellent dining experience. Went there with a group of 2 girlfriends and was so impressed by everything about the restaurant. The casual but fun atmosphere, the decor, the food, and the experience.
I got the coconut chicken soup, which was hands down the best I've ever had. Also the Thai sangria was great and the fresh spring rolls.
Definitely looking forward to going again! :) -
Review from Kes D.
5/21/2012
Impeccable service, nice decor, nice bathroom. Appetizer was great, entrees not so much.
Pork belly, while crispy, was extremely heavily seasoned. I like MSG and cook with it myself, but this had way too much. Pork belly is already rich, so if it's cooked well you probably don't need MSG, much less that much to where it burns your palate.
Snapper was very fishy tasting, meaning it wasn't very fresh (fresh snapper is not fishy). It was cooked well, though. We weren't asked what level of spiciness we wanted, which is fine, but generally a courtesy offered at most places.
The house beverage with coconut milk and basil and cilantro and ginger and soju just tasted like tom kha/curry in drink form. Tasty, but it was more like cold soup. You really had to think of it like a creamy mojito in order to enjoy it--otherwise it just tasted like Thai soup.
The rice and thai iced tea were good.
Best thing was the "money bags" appetizer-- we were excited when that came, but the meal unfortunately went downhill after that. In the end, the dinner didn't quite sit well with my stomach either. It just sort of felt off and queasy...
The service was really great--they refilled our water and took our orders in a timely manner. The food, while creative, is not something I would choose over other Thai places. -
Review from Lanita T.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2012
This place looks great, like an arty, creative and modern thai place from outer space. It is not. It is a sports bar right out of the Mall. It was full of out of control screaming sports fanatics.
I am all for sports, but there is a time and place for everything. When S.F. was in the World Series two years ago, every where you went, the game was on and it was great. We were all cheering. This night, no Bay Area team was in the game and these people were shrill/screeching nuts.
This place is not really designed for screaming. It is full of hard white shiny surfaces that bounces sound around like pinballs. I thought I was being tortured.
I'd say try it on a non sports night. Except, I think with cable you can always find something sports related and apparently these folks are not picky. Maybe just take your ear plugs. -
Review from Kevin J.
5/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ya know, Thai House 530 is a pretty decent restaurant. I figured we'd just grab a quick bite for a large party accommodation and not have to worry about expensive meals seeing as how most of everything on the menu was less than $16. The space is simply gorgeous and large to boot! I can't say the decor inside, with it's pastel paper flowers and butterflies were the wisest of choices but the turf up against the white walls is a unique touch.
We're all here for the food and drinks at the end of the day. The Thai-tini was a great twist on the usual thai iced tea, adding a little pep in my step for the night ahead. The meals were all prepared very well, and LARGE portions satisfied even the biggest of bellies at our table. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of smiles when the food got passed around. The service was gracious and friendly only approaching us when we needed and never made you feel out of place.
I would gladly be back for another meal or two. -
Review from Alex N.
Pacifica, CA
5/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The decor of this place reminds of an inside of a boat even though this is not strictly speaking a sea food restaurant. We came in here for lunch. It was somewhat empty though it is located on a rather restaurant-infested stretch of Valencia street right next to the overpriced Lemon where you an get a microscopic meal.
At the Thai House the service was fast and the food was delicious. The portions are just the right size and very very tasty. The $12 lunch special with decent choices of very tasty dishes comes with a cup of a very nice soup. That washed down with a tall glass of Thai Ice Tea combined with fast and friendly service is a treat.
I will be back for more, most definitely. -
Review from Willie P.
San Francisco, CA
5/16/2012
The food is good, but the owners need to ditch the big screen TV. The place was filled with screaming, frat boy sports fans, and it ruined what could have been a nice dinner.
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Review from Jerianne G.
Daly City, CA
4/30/2012 3 photos
Came here with my bf on a lunch date after reading some reviews on this place. This place has an amazing ambiance to it. It's a very subtle environment, with clean tables and nice silverware. There's the options of sitting on high chairs or sitting on comfy cushions. Amazing slow jams that makes the whole place a great try for couples or a small group of friends.
Service is really nice. One waiter usually came over to check up on us or to pour more water into our cups.
We both decided to order two lunch specials ($12.99 each, only from 12 pm to 4pm) I ordered the pra ram with the money bags and my bf ordered the yellow curry with the sleepy shrimp. The lunch special consists of group A, which is 4 different appetizers, and group b, which are entrees. They also come with a marvelous tasting soup, which i don't recall what it's called, but it had an zesty coconut curry flavor to it. My order was quite nice. The peanut sauce mixed with the veggies and chicken worked splendidly, and the salad was dressed in a semi-sweet vinaigrette. The money bags were really yummy too, curry bathed potatoes wrapped in a crispy wonton covering made to look similar to a pouch. My bf's sleepy prawns were crisp on the outside but deliciously shrimpy on the inside :D.
We ordered the mango sticky rice for dessert, it was really nice! Warm sticky rice that was lightly drenched in coconut milk alongside freshly sliced mangoes.
Very nice place, they do accept card too, which is a big ol' bonus! But their food portions is sorta small for such high prices. But definitely a place to try out if you wanna listen to nice slow jams while you dine. -
Review from Andrew W.
4/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
A group of us came here after the Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt. The yelp reviews were great and they took our group reservation for 9:30. I really appreciate this level of service. Unfortunately, the food fell a little short. Despite the time of day, our wait staff was incredibly professional. We were a group of about ten. We were seated promptly. Our orders were taken quickly. And, we got our food fast.
The best thing I tried was the Tom Kah Gang. The flavor was the perfect combination of creamy, sour, salty and sweet. The vegetables in the soup were very fresh and very flavorful. The quality of the ingredients was clear.
Unfortunately, my entree was not as good. I had the lemongrass beef and while the flavor was ok. The slices of tough lemongrass throughout the dish were inedible and too small to pick out. I do not know why they didn't use the more tender center of the lemongrass. But, it was like eating a dish with sand in it. On the bright side, the beef was very tender and had good flavor. The dish was also could have used some more acid and got a little boring after the first few bites.
I also did not particularly like the crab pad thai. Crab is good. Pad Thai is good. Unfortunately, the pad thai was a little bland and the flavorless noodles detracted from the flavor of the crab. I could have used much more sauce and definitely it needed a big splash of acid and some greens to create some textural contrast.
I also think the portions were on the small side and the price was a little high. I looked at the new menu online and it looks like they lowered the prices a bit. But, it also looks like the special unique dishes are gone for more typical thai restaurant dishes. I think my biggest problem with Thai House is that the food was good. But, it was not that memorable. And, that is a shame because it is in a great location. It is in the heart of the Mission. The design is hip and fun. It is dark and intimate. But, at the same time modern and trendy. It is a perfect place for a date. But, while the food is good, I can't really recommend it. -
Review from Jessica M.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
5/18/2012
The customer service was great and the papaya salad was amazing. My friend loved her curry, but I wasn't crazy about my dish. Overall we really liked this place.
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Review from Kenneth L.
Pacifica, CA
5/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Simply the best. Lived in Thailand for 6 years and if you want good Thai Food, stop here.
Friendly staff and excellent clean decor (a rarity in san francisco) -
Review from Caitlin B.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2012
Great thai food in a clean restaurant with modern decor. I split the green curry with chicken and some sauteed shrimp (both spicy) with a friend & each were delicious! The service was also pretty quick. That's about it, highly recommend!
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Review from Rebecca A.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2012
A solid thai place- lots of options, not too expensive and nice atmosphere. Oh yeah, and the food is pretty good. :P
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Review from lia k.
San Francisco, CA
4/22/2012
Summary, the service was nice, they've got a full bar, portion size was good, but there are too many options in the Mission to eat mediocre Thai food, I doubt I would go back.
Meal =$49.91 (tip not included)
1 small pot Tea Iron Wu'long organic roasted jade tea sugar cane, coconut
1 cranberry juice in a lovely glass
1 fried calamari appetizer
1 five spices duck
1 Pra Ram with shrimp
The fried calamari was a good size for an appetizer. They were crispy and not at all greasy. They were however chewy.
Five spices duck was just ok. the duck was well done which I generally like but the meat was a little dry. How does one dry out a duck, I don't know. The flavor was fine, but not as exciting as I would imagine 5 spices to be.
The Pra Ram was my favorite part of the meal. The peanut sauce was tasty and just the right amount,there was a respectable number shrimp about 6 or 7 and it was perfectly cooked. Perfectly cooked shrimp always impresses me.
They have a nice selection of teas although I was disappointed by no hot Thai tea. The waitress assured me that the Tea Iron Wu'Long wouldn't be sweet and she was correct. There wasn't much flavor at all which I suspect was from the water not being hot enough. When I pay $5 for tea (which I never do) I want to be able to taste it.
My dining partner commented that he wished everything was a bit warmer so I guess the tea fit right in.
Impression- Thai House 530 certainly has a unique look
Clean lines all white with the exception of some green patches of what looks like fake watercress patches on the walls. As I move further into the space, even the ceiling was stylized and reminded me of a 70's futuristic movie.
They are really breaking away from a traditional Thai place and didn't even have spoons on the table, only forks.
Everything was very clean and the kitchen is somewhat open which is only noticeable as you walk back to the restrooms (which was very clean). -
Review from Alice C.
San Jose, CA
4/18/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Hidden gem in the hood of mission.
Restaurant decor is very hip and trendy, classic hipster in the nook.
Food was good, but drinks were more interesting.
Ambiance: intimate and eclectic. good for small group or couples to dine.
Lots bars nearby for bar hops after dinner. -
Review from Monica B.
San Leandro, CA
4/3/2012
A group of 5 of us ladies went out to celebrate a birthday. Here's our menu:
*Four-some combination platter (really nice variety)
*Dungeness Crab Pad Thai ( a bit too mushy for me but the girls enjoyed it)
*Yellow Curry Chicken (the flavor was delish but dark meat was used & we've been used to eating this dish with white meat)
*Ma Kuer (we ordered this with beef....OMG, simply delicious!)
*Prig King (we ordered this with tofu, it was really good)
*Exotic Bomba (OMG, OMG, this dessert was amazingly good!! Refreshing after a spicy meal)
Overall the meal was fantastic, the atmosphere was casual yet trendy. Our waitress was super friendly and attentive. They added a candle to the Exotic Bomba and accompanied it with a Happy Birthday melody!
It was also nice to see the owner at the bar and Asian chefs preparing Thai food opposed to Latinos preparing Thai??!!! (I'm Latina, so I can say that!) -
Review from j d.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars, but if you order the right dishes, it can be bumped up to a 4. we really enjoy the pumpkin curry and the the dungeness crab pad thai.
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Review from Annalise F.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm still on the hunt to find a Thai place as good as Sala Thai (the old, not the new) used to be in my hometown. Although I enjoyed my meal at Thai House 530- I've got nothing in particular to rave about.
We arrived around 6:00 p.m. on a rainy Saturday night and were seated promptly. (Despite our reservation being set for 7:00 p.m.... PS: We were the only ones in the place!) For as rave reviews as this place receives, I was a little shocked how empty it was. Our server, while attentive, offered us a challenge in communication. I'm not sure if we weren't being clear- but our questions were not answered in a way that I'd deem helpful.
We ordered:
Appetizer Sampler (Veggie Rolls, Beef Jerky, Tempura Shrimp, and Money Bags) I loved the Veggie Rolls, Beef Jerky, and Shrimp- but I can pass on the Money Bags. They were a little dry in the middle- and lacked flavor- as far as I'm concerned.
BBQ Chicken (Dry- would not order this again)
Crab Pad Thai (Whoever had the idea of adding crab to this dish is a genius. Although I liked the idea, the execution wasn't superb. I want more crab meat!)
Spicy Green Beans (Delicious- but Betelnut still rocks my socks!)
Would I venture back to the mission for this meal again? Probably not- but I didn't leave dissatisfied. -
Review from Kris O.
San Rafael, CA
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
It seems like this place is poppin' with great reviews and its been a while since I have been here however I felt the need to go back and write a review so instead of writing you a little novel with a beginning a middle and an end (Family Guy) I will give you a list of awesome factors...
* Great Staff, they took care of us and were able to give a normal table without reservations!
* Awesome atmosphere! I have never seen a restaurant that has looked like this one!
* Amazing Food, you have to try the Crab Pad Thai!
* Great prices, you're getting a great meal for a great price!!!
* Great deserts! You will not leave here disappointed!
* Cannot wait to go back! -
Review from Martin y.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Fish three ways are too salty and overdone. The dishes I ordered for the table (3 appetizers and one entree) are all too salty. Overall the food is unimpressive, if not disappointing.
The ambient is excellent and the decor is clean and modern. The staff is good and responsive.
Recommended for non-Asians who want a nice place to get together with friends
Not recommended for foodies, or anyone who expects clean, fresh, and light Asian flair. -
Review from Mayra L.
2/22/2012
After working around 16th and Mission for a while, your food options slowly start to dwindle down and you continiously find yourself going to the same 3 restaurants for lunch.
So I was super stoked to see a new place pop up, especially Thai food which is kind of scarce in the Mission. I went in for lunch with some coworkers.
Thai house 530 is super slick, white and clean. They have a full bar, which is visible when you call in and you can also see the kitchen from the back tables, which is something I don't hate. If you're confident enough to let patrons see the kitchen and how their food is being made, then you obviously have nothing to hide.
Their lunch special looked downright delicious and it was what most people around me had ordered.
It was a combination of coconut soup, rice, salad and a curry, chicken, beef, vegetable options as well.
I went with a side of crispy tofu with sweet and sour dipping sauce($8) for starters and then pad Thai (14$) which I split with someone.
The servings were big and plentiful, the food was pretty bomb and the perfect amount of spicy (maybe a little too spicy, I mean i'm brown and it was waayy overwhelming for me at one point) but nonetheless amazingly good. \
The bill was on the pricier side, but the food and serving ratios made it worth it. -
Review from Emily D.
2/25/2012
After one of us (ahem) hijacked my phone to find the best thai food in the Mission, we ended up here for dinner. They were able to seat us right away at 7:30 without a reservation which was actually really nice.
I really liked the interior, and the staff was super friendly... but my duck larb was super super salty, and the lemon dressing didn't help. It seriously felt like I was licking lime salt off each bite. Not awful, but not pleasant. -
Review from Kara D.
San Francisco, CA
4/25/2012
Really enjoyed dinner w my girlfriends a Thai House 250...good ambiance, quick service and fresh interesting dishes. We shared a bunch of appetizers and they were all great...the spring rolls, papaya salad, larp and chicken satay. Also enjoyed a bottle of the sexual chocolate wine...DELICIOUS! Def will be back!!!
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Review from Summer N.
San Francisco, CA
2/24/2012
I came here on a whim a couple of Thursdays ago and was really, really happy with the pumpkin curry I ordered. I've gotten this dish at almost every Thai restaurant I've eaten at, but this is the first time I found myself craving the dish days afterwards (and no, I'm not joking). The curry was a sweet, creamy and simply an amazing blend of flavors. The crab cake appetizer I got (a special on the menu) was just good, not great. Or maybe it just paled in comparison to my yummy curry.
The decor was modern and the staff was friendly and attentive. The prices were also reasonable. I will definitely come back with a small group of friends if only to sample more of their dishes...and then head out for drinks in the Mission.
If you're in the Mission and craving Thai food, you really need to go the Thai House 560. -
Review from Asheley W.
San Francisco, CA
2/22/2012
Best Thai in the Mission, hands down.
I've been here for lunch and dinner. I've also gotten takeout. Have I mentioned that this is the best Thai food in the Mission? :)
I've ordered everything from drunken noodels to panang curry and everything was delicious. The money bags are the only item I've ever ordered and thought were mediocre -- just not enough flavor. Also, a word of advice: they take you seriously when you say spicy. I made that mistake once and ended up sweating through my meal.
The food is great, the waitstaff is attentive, and it's economically priced. I'm so glad this placed opened -- now I just wish we could convince them to offer delivery. -
Review from Lorissa W.
Hercules, CA
2/25/2012
The restaurant has nice decor and it's clean.
It's a little dark if you're not seated in the front by the windows. I recommend seating in the front because it was hard to see the food in the dark (they should really put candles on the table or just turn the track lighting on ) and the bathroom nearby smelled strongly of bleach when the door opened. The music was too loud. I think they wanted a hipster vibe but tried too hard.
They gave my mother the wrong kind of rice (white instead of brown) but they quickly corrected the problem. There's a 55 cent difference if you order the brown rice but well worth it because it's so much better.
The 12 dollar lunch special is cute. A bowl of coconut soup came with it (choice of veggies or chicken as topping). There's a small salad, appetizer, and entree with the rice. I noticed that the appetizer was pretty generous-- four big pieces of fried tofu came with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. The presentation was very pretty (the entree bowl is shaped like a large flower with petals) and the carrots are all shaped like flowers too. I liked the details.
I ordered their shrimp pad thai which is suppose to be good according to their official website. It was just okay. It was too sour for my taste and there was only one bean sprout. Sprouts add texture and it is a refreshing counter point to the cloying pad thai sauce. In my case, I found one cooked piece of sprout that looked like it was accidentally thrown in. This could be the second mishap of the day (the first was the wrong rice they gave my mom). My four shrimp were also overcooked and didn't taste fresh. : (
Our waitress was very nice so I gave her a nice tip but I expect better pad thai if I'm going to spend 30 dollars on lunch. I probably won't be back. -
Review from Lisa S.
Los Angeles, CA
The place ha great decor, nice attentive service. Food is delicious. I ordered coconut soup, money bags, salad and green eggplant curry with beef. My friend ordered pad Thai with chicken. The soup was mild, but tasty and came with lunch. Pad Thai is great and curry is nice a d spicy. I ordered a jasmine tea. They have nice way of serving food. The place is quiet at 3:30 pm on Saturday. Nice stop in Sam Francisco. Service is way better than in any place in Los Angeles.
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Review from Sujan J.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
How, how, how does this place have so many good reviews?
Okay I'm giving it 2 stars for nice ambiance and decent service & price.
But food..?
I know amazing service can sometimes make up for mediocre food. But food here was just bad?!
Rice was mushy.
Pad Thai was so over cooked that you couldn't even hold the noodle without breaking (it was mushy too. I hate mushy mushy mushy noodles.)
I ordered their BBQ pork dish and it was so... boring. Rice & bbq pork with no vegetables (unless you call one piece of lettuce used as a decoration a side of vege).
I know my food. Food here is not worth returning for. -
Review from Eric G.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
If you enjoy the sweet/spicy "fusion" Thai that's popular in SF, this is a good spot. While the lunch special seems a bit steep at $12, the two times I went the food quality was a lot better than I expected.
Weird fact: this storefront used to be a punk venue called the Deaf Club. -
Review from James H.
San Francisco, CA
3/19/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Atmosphere and food for the price, very competitive.
Service not so great. Albeit a Friday night, they were very eager to see us leave at about 10. -
Review from Ivan C.
Fremont, CA
3/5/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Good date place if you are looking for a more lively-type of atmosphere! The music was just loud enough to encourage a comfortable volume of chatter. You can tell they put some thought into the environment. At night they place candles on the tables. Water is provided on the table in an interesting flower vase looking glass container, but I didn't have to refill my water once! Service is great.
As for the food, it was delicious. I ordered the fish (green) curry and it went really well with white/brown rice. The salmon itself was cooked just enough to stay juicy (it's easy to overcook fish!). The curry did not overpower the salmon at all; it was a nice blend.
The crab pad thai was also good although I personally wished the noodles weren't cut as short as they were. I asked for mild spiciness level and it tasted more medium, so just look out for this if you are sensitive to spicy foods since you wouldn't want your stomach (or your date's stomach) feeling spicy on date night!
I would definitely come back to try other dishes.
Hint: It seemed quieter near the bathrooms and busier closer to the front of the restaurant where the bar is. Choose a seat accordingly if background noise is a factor. -
Review from Karen H.
Daly City, CA
2/23/2012
Saw a blog from Carlie C and had to try this place. It is very modern and the food was delish.
Money Bags, crispy chicken curry pouches potatoes, carrots, cucumber salad-fried to perfection with lots of flavors. The curry doesn't overwhelm everything, which is great.
Papaya salad with tofu, green beans, tomatoes, peanuts, chili, lemon dressing-very fresh, but wish I got it more spicy
Special: Green onions wrapped with ribeye skewers. The meat was super tender and usually when it's wrapped like that it gets chewy, but not this time.
Pumpkin curry with chicken-so good. I am not a big fan of curry, but this over rice was delish
Special: Green curry sautee udon with pork and vegetalbes-the flavors of this was so good and the green curry had that extra kick of spice which I loved. Wish the noodles weren't so mushy.
Taro Fries-Crispy and oh so good!
Will come b y to try other things. -
Review from Monster B.
San Francisco, CA
2/15/2012
This is a perfect addition to Valencia Street's recent incarnation. This place is gracious, unpretentious, space age, friendly and best of all....has great food. Every dish we had was great. Fresh. Flavorful. Plentiful.
I can wholeheartedly recommend Tom Gha Gai (Coconut sour chx soup), Gai Ka Prow (spicy minced chx), Larb (spicy minced beef salad) and Linguine Prawns.
It's strangely beautiful slick futuristic decor, genuinely friendly staff and outstanding food make this a necessary stop on the New Valencia -
Review from Van L.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012
Came here with friends last Friday. We all enjoyed it.
Decor is nice, modern and clean. Would be a great place for a nice but still casual date. Not too loud like other restaurants in the Mission but not quiet.
Service was good. Wait staff is very friendly.
I really enjoyed the dishes I had. The duck larb, pork leg stew, and mussaman curry were the highlights for sure.
- chicken crispy tacos - meat was flavored well and moist. went well with the the crunchy taco shells.
- duck larb w sticky rice. delicious. love all the different spices and flavors. would definitely get this again.
- crab pad thai - good
- pork leg stew - my favorite dish! meat was so tender and flavorful. veggies complemented meat well. I left no piece of pork behind!
- mussaman curry beef - delicious. loved this dish.
Can't wait to go back. -
Review from Dom G.
San Francisco, CA
The first time that i heard about "Thai House" was 20 years ago while I was still working in Bangkok. When My friend (who just got back from visiting Unite States) told me about the best Thai food that he's ever had was at Thai House, San Francisco.
So 12 years ago when I moved here, one of the first thing that I tried was Thai food at Thai House. And oh .... boy, my friend was right.
Since then Thai House has been the place that I always go to for my Thai food. Through the years, Thais House has changed and expanded into many locations and Thai House 530 is new invention from Thai House!
I would say that they still keep all the best things about their food but also add a new twists with upscale + fancy decoration ( same style as their Thais House on Castro but even better) and now they offer special meal (other than Thai food) on their menu pasta,Rib-eye Steak etc.
Today, when I visit T.H. 530, I didn't try other special things on the menu (pasta, Steak,etc.). I just stick with ordering my favorite Thai food. I ordered Special " Phoo Ja", "Yum Hua plea", " Yum Woon Sen" and "Crispy Belly Pork". They are all so Delicious as usual.
After all these years and so many Thai restaurant that I have tried. Thai House still remains the one for me.Listed in: All about Thai
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Review from Bradley H.
San Jose, CA
2/2/2012 Seated via OpenTable
This place definitely doesn't look like your typical thai restaurant!
The look is very new age/upscale and fresh.
We started with the sampler that included four appetizers--all of which were excellent. It included Jerkey, Shrimp Rolls, Egg Rolls, and Wontons.
We shared the Ahi Salad, which was surprisingly spicy...from the dressing, to the peppered crust on the fish, to the onions. It could have been toned down a bit as far as the spice, but other than that, recommended.
For the entrees, we had the Rib-Eye Special and the Pumpkin Curry w/ chicken. The rib-eye was fatty and flavorful (as you would expect) and you can tell them how spicy you want it. It is prepared like a chinese beef dish--sliced and sauteed with veggies in a sauce--rather than a typical rib-eye steak served over rice. The pumpkin curry was tasty, but the pumpkin cubes itself were undercooked and a bit hard.
For starch, we had the brown rice, which in itself was very tasty and i wouldn't have minded eating it just by itself.
The real reason i wanted to go here were the drinks. We had the Thai Margarita and the House 530. The Margarita was too spicy for me, but it was an interesting experience and my g/f liked it a lot. The House 530 was more to my liking--like a mojito with coconut milk and soju. Both drinks were decently strong, but the flavoring really hid the alcohol until it hits you.
There are a lot of other dishes i wanted to try, and i'll definitely be back in the future to try more.
Happy Eating! -
Review from Margaret I.
San Francisco, CA
1/24/2012 4 Check-ins Here
The lunch special is a killer deal and super filling. I ordered the praram with tofu (not a vegetarian I just like tofu in that particular dish) and had the yummy "sleepy shrimp" as the appetizer. Perfect amount of food for lunch, not too much but just enough that you leave very satisfied and happy.
Each lunch special comes with coconut milk chicken soup, and it is amazingly delicious. Great price for the amount of food you get and the service was great.
I will be here often. -
Review from Chrissy M.
Las Vegas, NV
2/19/2012
We stopped in here after a long day of cycling in San Francisco, looking for a hearty meal. We feel as if we got so much more.
The decor was very trendy and stylish- what we imagined a hip San Francisco restaurant would look like. If you like your restaurants to be more well-lit and traditional, you may want to avoid this place.
The food was top notch. My manfriend started out with a tom yum soup with chicken which was incredibly delicious. Not too spicy, but very tart, and not lacking in vegetables. I decided to warm up a different way- with a Thai Ginger Margarita, easily one of the best drinks I've ever had. The ginger wasn't too strong, which made this beverage extra effective.
For our meal, we ordered the five spice duck (with Thai chili sauce), along with their pad thai with shrimp. The duck was perfectly cooked- it melted in your mouth, and was served in a delicious sauce, along with the chili sauce on the side with a large serving of cabbage. We devoured this dish in no time at all. We loved the pad thai as well. It wasn't too dry or sticky, as pad thai sometimes is at other lower end Thai restaurants.
We decided to finish out our meal with their mango sticky rice, which was mindblowingly amazing. Their mango was perfectly ripe and could easily be cut with a fork, but still maintained some of its tartness, instead of being overly sweet. It was the perfect foil to the warm sticky rice covered in salty crispy soy beans, which was topped with warm coconut milk. A wonderful way to finish our meal.
This restaurant can be found on the bustling Valencia street. We loved the ambiance here, and we were surprised that the prices at this restaurant were more than reasonable for being in such a trendy location! You would never find that on the Upper East Side!
Give this place a try- I can assure that you will not be disappointed at the very least.
: ) -
Review from Cliff C.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
I went here last night for an impromtu dinner with friend and was pleasantly surprised. While the eco-storm-trooper chic decor is a little odd, the food was darn good and reasonably priced.
Started with a small bowl of tom kha gai soup which was spot on. Yes I took the bowl up to my mouth and drank the last drops. At other places I have seen this soup be too oily or have too many inedible things floating in it. Not here. It was just good eatin.
For my main I had a garlic chicken dish which was served on steamed veggies. The cabbage on the bottom of the plate was cooked but still crunchy. Again I ate every last piece on my plate.
One overlooked detail: the straws are just too short for the tall glasses. -
Review from J T.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012 Seated via OpenTable
We came here on NYE night.. This place was a great find -- totally fit the bill for what sort of restaurant I wanted for my friends and I. On NYE, most restaurants require a fix price for 3/4/5 course meals. We didn't really want to do that so opted for something more casual but still nice. Thai House 530 was perfect -- as many of the reviewers had mentioned, the decor was modern and just all appealing to your aesthetic senses. Moreover, the food was fabulous (my fav; crab pad thai!), and the price point was a steal for the quality of food and the environment. We all ended up paying $30 all inclusive of tax & tips for the meal AND drinks. The service was also incredible -- really nice and attentive servers (our water glasses were never empty).
What else made this place awesome? Letting us buy their large (and I mean large!) bottle of sake for a very reasonable price! :)
This restaurant is totally on my list of favs & places to recommend to people.
