Baan-Thai
(503) 224-5155
1924 SW Broadway 2nd Fl
Portland,
OR
97201
45.5104
-122.6843
Neighborhoods: Downtown, Neighbors West - Northwest
Reviews & Ratings for Baan-Thai
53 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 53 reviews
If you don't mind waiting an hour, the best Thai in Portland.
by emusic2
February 21, 2009
Baan Thai is the most aggravating dining experience you've ever had for the first 30-90 minutes - I've visited several times and these are my wait times for meals. On more than one occasion, I've waited 15 minutes to place an order and 10 more to receive water. And then there is the agonizing wait as people around you (sometimes people seated well after you) receive their food. Appetizers eventually arrive, and are always tasty, but won't fully satiate your hunger. If you've ordered a delicious tea, it may arrive around this time, give or take 10 minutes. So you wait some more. And then, miraculously, after you've given up all hope - and repeatedly considered leaving no tip or leaving outright - the food arrives. And it is always delicious, the best Thai you've ever had. I especially recommend the volcano chicken, mussaman curry, and "thai jungle" dishes. The portions are large, and the prices are cheap. So grudgingly, you acknowledge the amazing food with a tip. I've never heard the argument that the slow (and to be honest, occasionally rude) service is a "cultural" thing. I've been to dozens of Thai restaurants run by Thailand-born owners and never experienced anything like this. The decision to go to Baan Thai is always an agonizing one, and I never leave having fully decided whether it's worth it or not. I now go maybe a couple times a year. I would go several times a month if I knew I could get in and out the door in less than two hours.
- Pros: The best Thai food in Portland.
- Cons: Overtaxed kitchen, indifferent wait staff.
best thai in downtown or NW area
by kumm
February 14, 2009
There are a lot of terrible Thai food restaurants in the NW and downtown Portland area - I haven't ventured elsewhere, so I'm limiting my review to this area. Baan Thai was recommended to me by someone and they were right - it's really, really good. I've ordered the wanton soup and the veggie noodle dishes and they are great. Peemkaw and Beau Thai - both are more expensive and the food has a gross fish smell and flavor to it - even the supposed vegetarian dishes. At Baan, the food tastes great, although the noodle dishes could use more veggies and tofu per serving. Never had a problem with the waitstaff attitude, just extreme slowness on busy days. It's not gourmet food, but it's really tasty. I'd get food to go - the interior is on the dingy side. And yes, the other reviewers are right - the spice level is high in the dishes.
- Pros: excellent noodle dishes
- Cons: not good for in-dining experience
Great Interesting Food and Very Kind Service
by sunlao
July 28, 2008
I recommend any of the menu items that you will never see on any other Thai menu in Portland.
I think people who complain about service at Baan Thai are culturally inexperienced. I do agree the kind, mild mannered, and sometimes very busy people who work there do operate at a different pace then traditional American establishments. I do not find this a critique, it is just different. If I am in a hurry I order over the phone for pick up. I have worked in the area off and on for years and have frequented this place for both lunch and dinner. I am perplexed how anyone can say the staff is rude. I have never seen it once. I am not even sure if you asked them to be rude they would know how. My best guess is these complaining patrons have expectations that are limited to only the narrow service they are familiar with.
- Pros: Unique Menu, Great Familiar Items, Kind Staff
- Cons: To popular - Can be crowded
great food, HORRIBLE service
by stucraven
July 14, 2008
I have to agree with many of the other reviews. they are complete jerks. the food is freaking amazing, but I have not gone in quite a while due to the appallingly bad service. they are rude, the wait is long they almost revel in the fact that their food is extremely hot and they have complete control over the amount of water you get. and unless you nearly poke a server in the forehead they will not even look at you let alone fill your water. I hope someone there is reading these and realizes that I spend WAY TOO MUCH MONEY on going out to eat due to my laziness and inability to cook for them to have driven me away. I am also a very good tipper, so they better do something about it. I'l go back when the reviews are consistantly good rather than bad. I reccomend everyone do the same. go to pad thai kitchen instead.
- Pros: some of the best thai in portland
- Cons: some of the worst service in portland
The service is horrible, the wait is unbearable, but the curry is sooo good!
by zizzler
June 29, 2008
I hate baan thai because they have been colossal jerks to me on many many occasions, but I freaking love the pineapple curry and the rice is great...so...I always go back for more.
Prepare to wait forever to get your food. Sometimes, it's literally forever.
Don't order take out. trust me...just don't do it.
Only the curry and wontons are exceptional, everything else is no better or worse than any other thai place in PDX...
- Pros: curry, wontons
- Cons: long wait, crazy rude staff...ect
So sad!
by Don85
May 14, 2008
This is my first review and I am sad to write it. I have been to the Baan Thai countless number of times and had great food despite the very long wait times. However yesterday my wife, mother in law (from out of town) and I went for dinner and ordered the crispy battered chicken amongst other dishes. It came obviously overcooked and with barely any chicken in the batter. We politely asked for the dish to be returned and either replaced or we reorder. The response from the kitchen was "the dish was correctly cooked and if you don't like what you ordered too bad, either way you have to pay for it." After some discussion the waitress then had the audacity to accuse us of being thieves when we firmly told her we would not pay for the returned dish. "It's Thai culture" we were told however bad service has no culture in my opinion.The manager / owner? never came out to address the problem , she just sent daggers at our table repeatedly for the rest of the meal. With the sour taste in our mouthes from this service our planned dinner of 20 people has been canceled, over a $10 dish. I hope all the bad reviews on this site get the owners to do something about this problem. Businesses do not go under due to one review but they are certainly piling up about the same issue. Business 101, repeat customers are the best customers, take heed.
- Pros: Food
- Cons: MAJOR bad service, long wait time
How Spicy Thai?
by jaredyou
May 10, 2008
Friend and I went to eat Friday night and sat out on the balcony enjoying the early summer. We started with the fried tofu, okay; followed by the seafood salad and panang beef curry. If you love seafood and are starving, get the salad. If you're looking for a smaller meal go for the curry, it has just enough to hold you over! Make sure you ask of the spicy-ness, I love HOT but there levels are a little hotter than most.
- Pros: Expansive menu
Baan Thai - Best in P-Town!
by vespertinne
April 21, 2008
Food: EXCELLENT. Everything is authentic Thai, no exceptions.
Service: Great on some nights; spotty on others.
Atmosphere: Homey, inviting, and nice.
Prices: EXCELLENT. <br>
Portions: HUGE!
Best time to eat here: NOT during the dinner rush. Anything but dinner hour (6:30 to 8:30 PM) is great, because it's a tiny kitchen that turns out a lot of food, and sometimes the wait-staff totally forget about you. (Over an hour to get two appetizers on one occasion was not worth it.)
If you're going to eat here, I recommend going at around 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM, or anytime after 8:30 (before close at 10 I think)?
The food: Not one thing on the menu has disappointed me. Beware menu items with ** (two asterisks). Even the most MILD--as in EXTRA mild--is still enough to burn your face off.
- Pros: HUGE portions, agreeable price, attentive and thoughtful staff (see below).
- Cons: When it's busy, the service goes downhill.
Looooooonnnnnnnng Wait, Poor Wait Staff, Average Thai Food
by nbr3
April 08, 2008
I have been to Baan Thai about 4 or 5 times and have never had a great experience there. It is close to where I work so it is easy, but the last three times have been sub par. The service has always been poor and the food is average. I have had a decent meal a couple times and as someone who loves spicy food their degree of spicy is to another level. To the point where you can't taste the food. I have thrown away two whole dishes because it was too spicy and I ordered medium and mild. My most recent experience was that I waited over an hour for my food and then had to get it to go with not so much as an apology from any of the wait staff.
With so much good Thai in Portland I would definitely look elsewhere!
- Pros: Location, atmosphere
- Cons: Service, Parking, Waitstaff
Best Thai Food in Portland and Cozy, Old fashioned atmosphere
by eyesofslate
February 13, 2008
When I first went to Baan Thai, I didn't have an earth-shaking experience, but it was very delightful! The food is some of the best Thai food I have found in Portland, and I recommend it to everyone (pad thai especially). However, be warned that because they are so popular, they get very busy around lunch hours. To avoid waiting while being over-stimulated with the tantalizing aromas, call ahead! Also, unlike other thai places, they make their food very spicy, thus their disclaimer warning whenever one orders medium, expecting typical 'medium spiciness'. I will admit that some of their servers can be a mildly sub par, generally the service is very friendly and accommodating. As is the case with several amazing food establishments, Baan Thai has their quirks and eccentricities that some may view as a negativism, but rest assured, the affordable prices, great food, and comfortable environment makes Baan Thai a great place to have a quick lunch, a quiet dinner, or order out!
- Pros: Authenticity of food, agreeable prices, easy to find
- Cons: parking, limited seating.
