Chow Thai

Chow Thai in Charleston, WV, is an absolute must-visit for anyone craving authentic, high-quality Thai cuisine. Tucked away on Shrewsbury Street, this charming, small eatery lives up to its reputation as one of the best spots in the city, offering a fantastic experience that feels both genuine and welcoming. My recent visit was centered around two classic choices, and both were executed flawlessly. The Pad Thai is truly a signature dish here. The stir-fried small rice noodles were perfectly cooked—not too oily, with a delightful chewiness—and coated in a balanced sauce that hit all the right notes: sweet, sour, and savory. The dish is generously portioned and comes expertly prepared with egg, Asian chives, and a sprinkle of crushed peanuts and fresh bean sprouts, adding a wonderful textural contrast. It’s a vibrant, flavorful take on a Thai staple that showcases the kitchen’s skill. To complement the meal, the Thai Tea was the perfect choice. It was rich, creamy, and wonderfully sweet, serving as a refreshing and cooling counterpoint to the savory Pad Thai. It’s clear that the same attention to detail that goes into the main dishes is also applied to their beverages. Beyond the food, the service at Chow Thai is exceptional—fast, friendly, and attentive, even when the limited seating area is busy. The atmosphere is casual and inviting, making it a great spot for a quick, delicious lunch or a satisfying dinner. If you’re in the East End area of Charleston and looking for an authentic taste of Thai street food, make a stop at Chow Thai. It’s a local favorite for a reason, and I highly recommend experiencing their excellent Pad Thai and refreshing Thai Tea for yourself. Five stars!

A cozy, locally owned restaurant with excellent food and great service. We ordered beef pad mama with medium heat and beef noodle bowl with rice noodles and mild heat (only available on Saturdays). Both were excellent! Medium is a good amount of spice. The Thai tea was delicious. We definitely want to go back. My husband wants to try a curry next time.

We can to Charlston for my boyfriend's birthday and he loves Thai food. I found this restaurant and after reading the reviews I knew place was going to be the spot. It was everything I thought it would be. The food was DELICIOUS! We go to a lot of Thai places. Chow Thai was the best. I got the Pad Thai and he got the Curry and everything was so flavorful. The Pad Thai was the best I ever had and so was his curry. We went on Tuesday around 5 and unfortunately they were sold out and we were lucky enough to get a table at lunch the next day. We did have to wait 45 minutes for our food and the waitress let us know. It was worth the wait!! You know the food is fresh when it takes that long to cook. It was pipping hot at well. I would go there again if I ever come back out this way.

The food is always amazing! Portions are quite large and the price is always on point! I only visit West Virginia every year but when I do I ALWAYS stop here for lunch!

My favorite restaurant in Charleston. Pretty small so it gets crowded at lunchtime. I always get the Pad Kee Mao with chicken and ramen. Medium heat will make you sweat! A Thai Tea with boba completes the picture. Don't miss this gem!

My favorite lunch spot in Charleston!! Food is excellent every time of course, and I've tried most of the menu at this point. I'm also obsessed with the honeydew drink, it's amazing. The service is great too, the server is so nice and very fast!

Chow Thai is one of the best restaurants in Charleston, WV. The food is outstanding and the customer service is wonderful. Highly recommend giving them a try whether you have time to sit down or you are on a time crunch and takeout. Also, Charleston 2 Go provides delivery service for them so if you can't make it to their downtown location you can have Chow Thai delivered right to your door at home. We try to eat there at least once a week because it is just that good. You won't be disappointed.

Some of the worst Thai food I have had. We went here expecting amazing food as the reviews are very good but received chewy hard boba and gray colored Pad Thai with no flavor or sauce. The food looks nothing like the photos and is very bland. The only decent thing was the spring rolls. I felt like I wasted my money here. Disappointed.

The food was totally awesome and unique! Friendly service as well. If you are looking for something different, You need to try Chow Thai!!

Great food, fast service. The squid was likely the best I've had. I'll definitely be back!

We have great Thai options in Northern VA, so I was skeptical, but after reading the reviews and some saying it's the best Thai they've ever had, I had to try it. I got the Su Ko thai noodle soup, and it was delicious. It tasted authentic to me, and if I was in Charleston longer, I would've tried their other dishes. Definitely a thai restaurant worth visiting...

Best shrimp spring rolls I've ever had. Best Asian cuisine in Charleston! The Chang Mai curry was spicy and sweet my husband who's vegan enjoyed it thoroughly. The pad Thai was good but a little sweeter than I'm used to which is not the way I like it personally but still very good. The dumplings were good as well. Thai iced tea was solid and I'd definitely come back to try the rice dishes. I think I'd like that more than the noodles. But hands down better than any of the other Asian cuisine places I've tried in WV.

The food is unbelievable, it is my wife's favorite place. Also I like hot and spicy and I order my food medium heat and it is more than enough.

Omg!! They close until July 23rd 2023. Don't go there until the date. Long drive to come here but next time I'm future

this place has the best food. They are so friendly, and I love the tea they serve the chicken curry and jasmine rice was hit tonight. You guys gotta try this place it's five stars to me and my family.

The price is reasonable. I ordered veggie pad thai. The veggie was mainly broccoli and the sprouts. Decent amount.

I travel a lot for work, and Thai food is my go-to cuisine in any big city. Chow Thai in Charleston is by far my favorite Thai food (yes, including Morgantown). It kicks big-city Thai food in the teeth. Portions are large and you'll spent $20 on lunch sometimes, but get the orange Thai iced tea anyway, with it without the boba. "Medium" spicy is still pretty spicy. I recommend a Massaman curry with chicken, which is basically a curry-based potatoes soup with heavy broth. Absolute flavor-town. I recommend putting your order in before you go, as demand for this food is high and the location is small, with not a lot of seating.

I'd give this place 100 stars. The. Best. Food. EVER. Great customer service and a friendly environment. I love this place and everyone that works there.

I ordered Su Ko Thai & Spring Rolls. Absolutely Phenomenal food. Incredibly friendly staff & aesthetic atmosphere, as well. No exaggeration, this was one of the best meals I've had in my life.

This understated hole in the wall place is a gem! The food is awesome!!! We feel like we are in Thailand when eating there. It's fresh and the best in Charleston. It's a family business, and they have a high carry out service too. If you are in a hurry go at an off time. They fill up at lunch.

The food was very solid. Nothing to complain about and the spice level was perfect. The staff was very attentive and the vibes fit perfectly.

I was visiting Charleston. This place was about 5 minutes from the hotel. I tried to order take-out lunch the first day but their phone line was busy for a good 30 minutes. I waited and gave it a second try the next day. I placed my order around 1:30PM and the food was ready upon my arrival about 15 minutes later. Upon arriving, the cashier greeted me. She was very friendly. The shrimp spring rolls were crispy and super tasty! The pad see ew was among some of the best I've had. The noodles were cooked perfectly and not soggy or too wet like most places. The Thai iced tea was ok. Overall, it's a pretty solid Thai restaurant for Charleston, WV! Will definitely return.

Great food and even better service!! Food was hot and came out so quickly! We drove 50 minutes to try this place and we will definitely be returning!!

Wow. Event at the Clay Center and snuck out to have lunch. Amazing fresh food and great service.

It's hard to find, but once there, the food is superb, and the price is great. I called in my order and drove to the restaurant where my dinner was waiting. Wonderful people Great food at a great price.

Ecxcellent food!!!!service is always great. The restaurant is just a hole in the wall; but can the lady cook!!!always freshest ingredients and we are never disappointed.Best Thai around Charleston,Wv area.

Love this place. Every time I go to Charleston I have to eat there. It's small so you better get there early if you want to eat lunch.

Called to see what time they closed before we left as it takes us an hour and 35 minutes to get there, we weee told 6pm. So, we decided to go and got there at 5:25 and not only could we not be seated, we couldn't even get an order to go! With gas prices like they are and the fact that we were there 35 minutes before closing and still were turned away - well guess they don't really care at all, just unacceptable.

Stopped in for a late lunch. They warned us that their food is HOT. I ordered my Pad Thai medium hot, and it was only slightly hotter than I'd prefer. If I ate at Chow Thai again, I'd probably get no hot. My mom got the bowl w/ no hot. It was perfect. My sister got the bowl w/ medium hot, and it wasn't as good. Service was friendly and fast. Order at the counter, then sit down in the small, no frills dining area.

Wow...that was fantastic food! The flavor was perfect, the noodles and chicken were cooked perfect! The portion size was great. Price was good for the portion that was given. We don't live here but will be coming back next time we visit. Highly recommend!

Food ok. Service great. Bit overpriced for taste of food. Will skip this restaurant next time we're passing through WV.

Honestly a life changing experience. This was the best curry I've ever had and the spring rolls were phenomenal. My friend and I shared Shrimp Pad Thai and Suko Thai. Everything was phenomenal and we will 100% return whenever we're in town.

Food and service were excellent in all ways! The Tom Kha Gai soup was creamy and had an incredible flavor. It truly was the best I have ever had and I have sampled many. So glad we found this gem of a restaurant on our trip!

I'm hooked on the noodle bowl, but have tried just about everything and it's all delicious. The staff are excellent and care about preparing delicious food! Thanks!

Love everything I've had at Chow Thai. If you like spicy food then order it Thai Hot but be prepared to sweat!!

I got the shrimp and beef pad see ew. I got beef last time. It's really good. Like sooooo good. I loved it and they're probably gonna take all my money cause now I'm addicted

Awesome Thai spot we enjoyed takeout from while spending one night in town. Loved the pad see ew and the fried eggplant with pork. Great spice and flavor.

Had no idea this restaurant was in Charleston until my husband took me. Apparently they know him by name he eats here so much while working. I had never had Pad Thai before, but I can honestly say I enjoyed every bite! I got the vegetarian option with light spice and it was perfect! My husband always gets Thai spice and his was too spicy for me but just right for him. Check out this hidden gem, it's worth it!

Food Taste ***** Waiting time * If you have enough time to wait and taste great food then this is definitely great place for thai food. Loved it.

This is a Thai owned restaurant. Lots of Asians were there when I was there. I think this is a good sign. I ordered the soup. You can get it with level 1 to 4 heat. They say it's "Thai hot." I ordered a 2. Another person in our party got the same thing with no heat. The no heat was better. The soup was very flavorful without the heat. The heat actually over powered it. The restrooms are clean. Service was attentive and friendly. It's not rave worthy, but it's very good.

It's pretty good. It's not the best Thai food I've ever had, but it did the job. Spring rolls were amazing. They're so juicy and huge!

I was in West Virginia working for a week and found that this restaurant had gotten a lot of very high reviews and I will always eat Thai. I am sure that this is probably the best Thai restaurant if not the only one in the area. While the food was good, I feel like they have made them work for the area and their customer base. I tried two different dishes choosing to eat family style with a friend. The Pad Thai was the favorite of the two dishes that we had. The flavors on the sauce seemed to be right on target with that hint of vinegar that is such a signature in Pad Thai. The noodles were right on, and the bean sprouts and peanuts really made it tasty. The Drunken Noodles were the dish that I was not as impressed with. The sauce seemed to lack some of the body that I am used to and it could have stood to have a little more of the sauce to cover the noodles. They also use the same dried rice noodle that is in the Pad Thai for this dish instead of the large fresh rice noodle that I am used to. We did not finish all of this dish just because it did not have the flavor I expected. The staff was nice and has to be very efficient as there was only one person working in the front of the house. You place your order at the counter when you walk in and they will deliver the food to your table when it is ready which makes it work. All in all, it was a pretty good meal and glad to see that someone it cooking Thai here in West Virginia.

Tasty thai food, fenang curry is the best . Ambience is casual , food portion are perfect , spice level is apt . We took spicy high level , it's well made. Minimal & casual place . The space is less , sits like 15 ppl at a time .

The hubs & I both ordered Pad Thai (Chicken). I asked for a little hot, he asked for Medium. It was served hot and fresh. Very healthy portions! Staff was super nice and friendly, place was VERY clean!!! Some of the best Thai food we've had!!

OMG! So good!! Highly recommended! Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten Free options, and not just a salad!

Friendly service and the wait isn't long for really great food. The menu is light and it's a good sign. From what I've tasted, everything on it is mastered to the cooks' style. The heat levels are "little spicy," "medium," "very spicy" and "Thai hot". Medium is doable for the average person, but know yourself before choosing. Those heat degrees listed aren't to be cute advertisements, they're pretty honest and arguably are warnings, depending on point of view. Haha! Very true to Thai and Asian foods in general when it comes to spiciness. Parking is adequate, but the sitting area is limited. Four tables only. Best to do takeout, honestly. You can pick it up or order online/phone thru Charleston2Go.com (304-747-0022). Gotta try it. It's on my "Ooo, let's eat there!" list now. Heh, so cheesy. Will bug friends and family about going until they go.

Always such excellent food, and definitely the best mango sticky rice I've ever had! Quite literally my only complaint is that they close so early I rarely get to have them for dinner

Stumbled on this place while passing through town and it has some of the best Thai food we've had in the USA. Incredibly authentic considering the constraints on getting some ingredients. Just a few warnings. One, their hours are a bit odd so note them before heading over. Two, this isn't fine dining so if you're seeking an atmosphere for a large group maybe keep looking. Third, this is served very authentic so expect it to be spicy, even at medium since many Thai dishes require some heat to be remotely authentic. Honestly, when we entered the place I was thinking it would be another place that serves Westernized Thai food to reduce customer complaints of being too spicy or too expensive. Most places reduce the spice and cut some key ingredients (like lime leaves) because customers are expecting something more like Chinese food with a little basil and hot pepper, but not here. They hit the mark. Now if we could just get the FDA to allow Thai mangos in we could get some authentic mango and sticky rice and have a full Thai meal. I knew we were in for some good food when the server brought out a plate with the traditional big spoon. If you're not aware, the way to properly eat Thai food is let them make it spicy and then use that big spoon to hold as much or as little rice as you need to tolerate the heat of the entree. If the server brings you a regular spoon it's a bad sign, just a fork it's a worse sign, and if they bring you chopsticks I'd fake a family emergency and leave.

West Virginia does not have a lot of Asian dining option, so we were thrilled when Chow Thai opened downtown. Now, it only has a few tables for indoor dining, so we recommend it for take-out. After a busy day, and not wanting to cook, this is our go-to spot. The curries are excellent as is the Pad Thai, and we love the Shrimp Rolls. The lady at the register is so sweet and friendly! We are repeat customers!!! LOVE it!!

Absolutely no complaints. This hole in the wall Thai place is rad and I'd for sure come back the next time I'm in town. The staff was crazy friendly and welcoming plus super helpful with my vegetarian requests. Quick heads up: they're Thai spicy, not "white person" spicy. I'm happily suffering through how hot my lips still are afterwards even in ordering mild 1 on the 1-5 hotness scale.

We went to eat there, but it seemed like a popular take out spot. The food we got was wonderful. My only negative thing to say is that the cups they use are plastic. We ordered massaman curry, the curry with noodles, and soy sauce broccoli noodle dish. All three were great. NOTE we got medium and very hot and neither was too spicy. If you like spicy I would recommend either.

First time here. The Pad Thai was very peanut sauce heavy, but still quite good. The Chiang Mai Boodles "Khao Sai" was excellent as well. Making a goal to try everything on the menu!

Love this place, as good as it gets for Thai in Charleston WV. Make sure to visit the website to learn about the owner and the restaurant. Love the tofu Pad See Ew the Pad Thai is also tasty according to a friend. Also, the "little" spicy is hottttt spicy since they use straight up peppers/seeds it's not really a sauce but flakes. Very good and lots of flavors! Pros: local family owned, reasonably priced, friendly staff, and flavorful food Cons: place is tiny, so if you want to dine check before arriving with a large group, and limited menu options

Some of the best food in Charleston, WV and the surrounding area! 100% recommend! Owners and employees are very kind!

This is BY FAR the best pad Thai I have ever had in my life. It is takeout only, but the service is spot on every time. Take the time to put an order in here and you'll never order any other pad Thai when you are in Charleston.

Fantastic fresh and authentic Thai food with friendly service. My absolute favorite place to eat in Charleston! The Pad Thai is phenomenal. The dining area is small but nice. I usually order as take out.

Tastes like Thailand! If you know ya know. Pha Naeng curry still piping hot after five minutes of great conversation with the owner.

I and 4 coworkers were visiting this area on business and this restaurant came well recommended. The restaurant was very small. Only seats about 20 people on separate four-person tables. So one person had to squeeze in with a spare chair on the corner of the table. There is no wait staff. You must place your order at the counter and they will bring your food to you. FYI, those are not negative points, just good to know info if you want to go with a group and have a meal here. The food was tasty (I had the Panang curry chicken... Thai hot) and it came out relatively quickly. Overall, the place has a nice atmosphere and the people are friendly.