Esan Thai SE Division

wooowwww what a beautiful lunch. My taste buds are so satisfied. We went on Saturday afternoon when they first opened (12pm) and the service and food were excellent. My first time here— tried pork string beans, Thai sausage pad gai, and nam khao tod. So delicious. All so flavorful and I like the at you can adjust the spice level. All the entrees are a standard price and your protein selection. Interestingly we ordered everything “hot” but the spices were different between our three entrees. I was so impressed with the pad gai. It looked like it might taste bland, but wow was it so flavorful. I’d love to get that and the nam khao tod again! As for the string beans, I’d get it with a different protein if I get it again. Looked like the portions were small but three of us shared 3 entrees and still had a bit to take home. 9.5/10

I had a great Take out here. Can’t wait to get back to try specials drinks and more food for dine in. I had garlic and pepper pork which Thai style and the best larb in town. The staff and chef were friendly and attentive. Ambiance were excellent. I’m definitely to go back for dine in next week with my family. Love u Esanthai on Se Division st.

the woman who served me today was ridiculously kind and beautiful. i moved to portland 6 months ago and nobody has treated me so nice. the food was delicious. she told me to open the windows if i wanted and let the breeze in. such a lovely moment. thank you so much!

Food was great, we just stopped in for some appetizers and drinks. We especially enjoyed the crab rangoon (crab puffs) appetizer*. I was impressed by the waitress’s ability to keep up with a relatively full restaurant. *If you are a fan of this spot, be sure to try their food cart nearby - we tried the crab rangoon there (crab delight) and it was so good!

Some of the best food I’ve had in Portland! The crispy trout was heavenly. I could’ve eaten an unlimited amount of their food it was just so good. The Nam Khao Tod was delectable as was the Pad See Ew.

Favorite Thai in Portland but also anywhere. Perfectly cooked meats, excellent flavors and textures all around. Haven't ordered a thing here that isn't amazing. They do have ample outdoor seating with around 8 tables outside.

12/12/20: 4.75 out 5 - This review was is based on E-San Thai being delivered to my home via one of the delivery services. My wife and I was use to eating at the food cart that use to be at the Tidbits Food Carts before shutting down, and was delighted to when we found out that E-San Thai now opened a "brick and mortar" on SE Division. Hence, the delivery service since we don't live in the area. The food arrived as instructed, and prepared to our request. That's a plus, considering it was delivered. We had ordered 3 items since it was just my wife and I eating. At first, it didn't seem like much, but once we started digging in, it actually is more than plenty. It was still hot, and quite very tasty. With everything going on, we are hopeful that will be able to visit and actually have a sit-in dining experience. I definitely would recommend trying this place once and decide for yourself, if you haven't done so by now. Enjoy!

Had a great lunch experience here. The interior is well decorated and they also have outdoor seating. The Thai Sausage fried rice, Drunken noodles, pad woon sen, and bbq chicken were all tasty. The server was also very friendly and nice. Overall, left full and satisfied

We really loved our meal and drinks. Pad Thai was fresh and flavorful and so was the Pad Se Ew. Sweet and quick service too. Cute atmosphere and the loveliest plates. Definitely recommend.

Well I'm not sure how we never ever tried Esan before but we finally made it!!! I even learned a cool fact that when Macklemore is in town, he gets Pad Thai right here at Esan! So we came with friends who recommended Esan, and who always have great food recommendations. We arrived at 7pm on a Friday evening, and it wasn't too busy when we got there but the service was slow. I ordered an Old Fashioned and my husband had a margarita. My drink took a long while to come but it was good. We ordered fried tofu to start and it was excellent. Definitely light in color and not greasy. I typically don't even eat it but it was so light it was great. I ordered the Pineapple Fried Rice because once I'd seen the photos I KNEW it had to be mine. They made it vegan with tofu added and it would have been 5 stars but it was pretty greasy. Still I ate it ALL up because the veggies were nice and fresh and the pineapple was sweet and juicy! My husband had a red curry and it was good. Too spicy for me because I'm a WIMP with any kind of Asian spices lol. But again delicious and fresh veggies. I liked the food and drinks but the service was lacking and I would definitely ask for less or no oil next time. Other than that yum!

This is just for takeout but definitely would recommend for Thai food! I got the pad see ew with chicken, fresh spring rolls, and coconut curry with tofu. Everything was suuuuper hot and fresh when I picked it up and online ordering was easy. Well priced, good portions, and super tasty!

Overall, this is a cute place and the food was pretty tasty. There are a lot of Thai restaurants in Portland, so this is a good option but not a must visit. The sever was quick and kept our interactions short and there were plenty of people ordering take out. We had the Pineapple Fried Rice and the Curry Noodle Special. The fried rice had decent flavor but somehow all the toppings were on one side of the plate? It was on the sweet side for me personally. The noodles were ok flavor, it was interesting to have the rice noodles served on the side. Usually they get sticky without being in a sauce which did happen during the meal. The curry for it was good but would prefer it over rice to help soak up all the flavor. I thought it had a nice kick to it but my partner who loves spicy food didn't agree.

Tried out Esan last night. It was a warm teaser day pre spring and the strawberry mojito was very refreshing and made me feel like it was summer. You do read the menu on your phone but I appreciate you get to order with a real person. Nice atmosphere with decent chairs and nice lighting. There is outdoor seating but it is right next to a bus stop. Okay food... I got the garlic and black pepper with green beans and mushrooms plus chicken. The chicken was tender and the green beans were cooked enough. Some Thai places throw them in last second and they are basically raw. I like my green beans cooked so happy here. The dishes are good sized and all came with either white or brown rice. Again nice to have that option and we took advantage of it. Everyone seemed to be happy with their meals. I would come back when I want to eat in for Thai. Might be hard to do pickup here because parking can be challenging but I did see many to go bags going out.

Fantastic Thai cart situated in Beaverton Food carts. A very non-assuming cart and dishes out really good and very tasty Thai food. They close it early so call them before you go or order on the phone and go pickup the food. If you eat really hot and spicy then I would recommend their hot chili sauce, but beware it is really hot. This is another very good Thai place that we normally order for take out.

Yum!! Just got the Evil Price Curry for carry-out and it's delish! Great flavors and mild plus was the perfect spice level for me, just a little somethin'. Love all the veggies in this dish too.

Some of the best Thai food in the area, Esan Thai is a PDX staple. Everything is fresh, delicious, & filling. Especially love the green beans & salad rolls. Plenty of veggie options I appreciate!

I got the pad phet and the eggplant was extremely undercooked, closer to raw. So I didn't love it! The people are very nice and the food my friends got was good, so maybe it was a one off but mine was pretty bad. Cute place, fun location.

We recently ordered takeout from a Evan and it never disappoints. Always tasty and always great food. I ordered the pad Thai, curry, and salad rolls, and all of them were packed with flavor and tasted incredibly fresh. Overall, I would highly recommend this Esan restaurant for takeout. The food was delicious, the staff was friendly and accommodating with gluten allergies. I will definitely be ordering from them again in the future.

Seriously the worst food. No flavor, over cooked rice, under cooked chicken. It's inedible.

Favorite Thai in Portland but also anywhere. Perfectly cooked meats, excellent flavors and textures all around. Haven't ordered a thing here that isn't amazing. They do have ample outdoor seating with around 8 tables outside.

I've come back to this restaurant many times for its consistency, good prices, and nice indoor and outdoor seating. Staff is always very welcoming. The pineapple fried rice comes in an actual pineapple-- a nice touch. The crab puffs are also quite good. Definitely one of my go to Thai places in Portland.

One of the classic Thai places that's been around for a long time. This location is well decorated in the interior and has outdoor seating. We came here for lunch and ordered a few items to share. The food was tasty as usual and the service was very friendly. The Thai Sausage fried rice and Drunken middle were delicious. The pad woon sen and bbq chicken were also good. This was a good assortment of food to grub on.

12/12/20: 4.75 out 5 - This review was is based on E-San Thai being delivered to my home via one of the delivery services. My wife and I was use to eating at the food cart that use to be at the Tidbits Food Carts before shutting down, and was delighted to when we found out that E-San Thai now opened a "brick and mortar" on SE Division. Hence, the delivery service since we don't live in the area. The food arrived as instructed, and prepared to our request. That's a plus, considering it was delivered. We had ordered 3 items since it was just my wife and I eating. At first, it didn't seem like much, but once we started digging in, it actually is more than plenty. It was still hot, and quite very tasty. With everything going on, we are hopeful that will be able to visit and actually have a sit-in dining experience. I definitely would recommend trying this place once and decide for yourself, if you haven't done so by now. Enjoy!

One of Portland best Thai restaurant. I remember when they had a location downtown. There are some many Thai restaurants in PDX but this place is consistent the food always taste the same the quality is always above board the restaurants are always clean and the staff seem happy to be at work. For Halloween night it wasn't to busy and the waitress had time for a short conversation. Our food came fast even with the small changes we made. If you're in the mood for Thai don't overlook this place. They also have a few food carts around town as well.

Our waitress was really sweet and we loved the food. Portions were good for the price and the drinks were stiff. We'll be back!

SO delicious! I got the yellow curry, my husband got the pad Thai, both were delicious. I got the lychee martini as well and loved it. Our server was so nice and it's a great atmosphere!

Esan Thai gets it right--delicious food in a lovely ambiance with fantastic service. Thank you Joom for recommending us the best way to eat each dish we ordered! You did not steer us wrong and we'll definitely be returning on our next trip to Portland. Highly recommend for locals and visitors alike.

The chicken fried rice and chicken pad Thai was absolutely not edible. Rice was super salty and mushy. The noodles were also salty. In addition, we ordered crab puffs and the sauce they gave for dipping was watered down and almost transparent. ESan I've raved about your food in the past, but tonight super disappointed. $60 and i literally threw everything in the garbage.

I've eaten here three times. Gold! However, tonight the food was terrible. iI complained. The waitress basically disagreed with me and I was offered nothing to replace the nasty dish of funky smelling glue. Disgusted with the way I was treated and the food. Tonight was my last visit. The dish was Yakisoba Noodle with Chicken. Gross AF and raw. Fair warning.

Decent food and tasty! Yet there are so many Thai places out there in Portland, so this isn't a "must visit," for now. May try this place again as we ordered this food for delivery! Ordered the Pad Se Ew with Tofu and Friend Rice with Chicken. Honestly both tasted pretty bland to us, no big flavors popping out or even a hint of spice. I was a little unsure of the tofu as it was cooked a bit different from what I'm used to. The sides of the tofu pieces were slightly cooked and crispy but the inside was more liquid than I expected. I think we may have ordered the wrong things, especially seeing so many reviews for their peanut sauce. May give this another try in the future!

so I discovered this place when I moved to the area, it was within walking distance from home and the food was ok. Nothing I would take the time to write home about anyway. The food was often inconsistent along with the service; sometimes food was spot on and the service friendly, other days the food was questionable and it felt more like I was an inconvenience than a valued guest. But again close to home and convenient. My last experience there will be my last. I only ordered to go egg rolls with a side of peanut sauce. The peanut sauce was not only cold but completely separated with just a straight oil slick on top, but my last straw was the short black hair I pulled out of my already half eaten roll. I think my verdict is in and will be looking for a new Thai spot close to home

Wish I could give them -ve stars - placed an order online and when we reached the restaurant they said they never got our order (even though I got a confirmation email) and then they said we were supposed to call them for the order, when in fact their website says the staff will call us within 10 mins to confirm the order. We had to place a new order and waited for it to get redone. Horrible experience - NEVER order ONLINE from them, their system is terrible. Overall killed the experience for me, lost a customer due to bad online ordering.

First time eating here and it turned out great food and so popular. Need to wait for a while to get the food ready. Indoor and outdoor seating are both available.

Best Thai food I have had in my life!! We ordered many items and everything was perfectly cooked. Each dish was unique from the last! I highly recommend the egg rolls and salt and pepper squid to start! The peanut sauce is heaven. The noodles are like none I've ever tasted. The mojito that was hand crafted by the very talented owner/chef/bartender needs to be a specialty cocktail here! The location is perfect, the restaurant is quaint, clean and beautifully decorated with large sliding glass windows that open all the way up to the outside seating. The service was great too, everything we ordered came out promptly and perfectly. I was really impressed and can not wait to go back to Portland and visit E-San again! Yum!! Great experience!

If you are Vegetarian avoid like the plague!!! The worst Tom Kha I have ever had, worst curry absolutely unedible!!!! Only thing that was decent were the salad rolls and my friends wine. So if you can stomach bad food....

Lana Del Rey famously covered Nina Simone and the message still rings true: please don't let me be misunderstood. If you're looking for authentic Thai food or a quaint dinner, this is not the place. If you're looking for food with flavor or even a whisper of spice in a "medium spice dish," again, search elsewhere. If you're looking for an evening of strange objects in your water glass and blaring covers of 2010's pop music, this is the place. I'm not sure where David Byrne was singing about, but this in fact must be the place. Set your expectations accordingly.

I just read the previous reviews and I am glad that I got the hit part, of hit or miss. A friend and I got caught up and sat outside on the corner patio and stayed quite a while. We ordered a few items and I enjoyed the Nam Kao chicken lettuce wraps and the Tom Kha. I didn't realize the chicken lettuce wraps had crispy fried rice in them and it gave it an extra level of crunch factor, that hit all the savory taste buds with the fish sauce, lime, and peanuts. My large bowl of tofu Tom Kha was filled with broccoli, mushrooms, etc. which was delicious, it could have been spicier at a medium, next time I'll order it at their next level of spiciness. The reviews are mixed, and I had a pleasant experience, I hope that the next time I stop by and dine in, it won't be a miss!

With pok pok closed, we were looking for good Thai food in the Division neighborhood, and stumbled on Esan. The people were friendly, and the food was very good. If we are back in the area, we would definitely go back.

Best drunken noodles. Perfect at medium spice level, every curry and soup I've tried here is also delicious. Highly recommend!!

Really solid Thai place! The food is spicy and flavorful! The decor inside is so cute with elephants everywhere and service was really fast as well. It's a very good go-to spot if you're in the area

Oh my goodness, sooooo good! Some of the best Thai I've had, and I am picky! The staff was lovely, too.

Delicious Thai. Really enjoyed the swimming veggies. Cooked perfectly with a lovely peanut sauce. The soup was a generous portion and perfectly spiced with lots of chicken. The Service was fast and friendly. A great neighborhood spot.

Got food poisoning from here so bad that it sent a family member to the hospital and almost caused a miscarriage. I get that sometimes food can make you sick and could forgive that...but the problem was, it wasn't even good food. E-San's food has almost the right flavors, but heavily diluted. The dishes had lots of the cheaper ingredients, but skimped on the good stuff. We brought the food home and it was all just a pale-ish lump that tasted as weak as it looked. And the food just was not good. I frequented their cart on SW 10th back in the day and it was the bees knees. But this place...it's just a shell of its former self and its once-rich flavors. It's fast. The restaurant is pretty. But the food is just a miss.

Worst Thai food I've ever had. Slow service, salad rolls had no flavor except for the peanut sauce. Duck curry tasted odd, no curry that I could detect. Husband's lemon grass chicken was veggies and chicken smothered in peanut sauce, no lemongrass. Will not be back.

Cute outdoor seating with weather accommodations (covered/heaters)! I really appreciated the help of our server who gave us the best recommendations on dishes to try! We ordered the golden potstickers, Evil Prince, and Pad Kee Mao. Each dish left us excited for the next. Also, this is one of the only restaurants I have found that occasionally serves Chang beer. This is my favorite Thai beer, so if you happen to be there and Changs are an option, do yourself a favor and order one or two!

Awesome authentic Thai food. Me and some work buddies come here about 3 times a week. The food is always delicious and the service is warm and friendly

I ordered from them a few days ago and the food was incredible! Not to mention the service! I ordered on my lunch break and they missed my note about not including an ingredient, but after letting them know they fixed it immediately! They made me a new dish at no charge, and even threw in spring rolls AND thai iced tea as an apology. The person I interacted with was absolutely amazing and so sweet I've never had anyone do such a good job with service! Plus the food was absolutely incredible, some of the best I've had in quite a while. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone!

It was fine. Not great but if someone ordered it I would eat it, ya know? Had the Nam Kai which was okay and the Grateim which was slightly better. Idk. With all the great Thai places in town it may be worth checking out other options. But give it a shot if convenient.

I love the new location. I ordered the pad ga prao and it came with a huge helping of rice. They stir fry the vegetables perfectly and it was an overall good, wholesome experience. One thing, E-San has never lacked is flavor. I know when I sit down and eat, every bite is unique. And this location proves that. Their ability to include so much variation of spice in a dish with so few ingredients is enjoyable. Can't wait to stop in again! Thanks guys :)

Need to edit my original 5 stars. The food quality seems to be hit or miss. Sometimes it's amazing and then we will order the exact same thing the next week and it's totally different and not as good. This has happened a couple of times now. Here is what my original review said with 5 stars: Yummy Thai food. Everything we have tried has been very good. They are open during COVID for take out and we are so glad!

Cane hear the day before Valentine's Day really snowy out. The place had a lot of orders ready to be picked up and not much staff to fill everything. The host was extremely nice and understanding of us placing another order. Overall Extremely welcoming quick and nice. We will come again soon!

My boyfriend and I went to Esan Thai recently because PDX sliders was closed for construction. The inside is really nice and there were plenty of tables. You sit down then order at the counter. The food is expensive. Its on average $4 more than most Thai places. My boyfriends chicken pad Thai was $14 and my tofu pad woon Sen was $12.50. The food came out pretty quick and the staff were nice. The pad Thai was meh, and the pad woon Sen was greasy. We'll go somewhere else the next time PDX sliders is closed.

The place is awesome! Not just because their food is delicious, also because their service is good. We arrived there very late, just before 9pm. The waitress was very nice and friendly, after I told her my husband was vegan, she helped me to order all the dishes as vegan version. This place is vegan friendly! Our order was to go, but she saw us sitting outside, she brought our food to us. I like their Pad Thai, Pineapple fried rice and Thai ice tea with coconut milk. We had a good dinner there!

Great Thai food! The food came out fast and hot. Cant get enough of their mango sticky rice!!

The food is quite a bit more expensive than most thai restaurants but the portions are quite large so it makes up for it. They're my go to for pad thai and drunken noodles and the thai ice tea is delicious. The ice tea is only 3.50 for a very large cup and it's always strong and tasty. The wait is always quite long but the people who work there are always friendly. E-san is convenient and a little over-priced, but over all has good food and good service.

The best of the best! Wow! Amazing food, wonderful location with full bar and really inviting and comfortable! The service was on another level! Thank you so much to Alida and Ting! Can't wait to go back! You have a customer for life!!

We'll start with the service and the environment. All receive 5 stars, the servers were all really nice, and the restaurant is new and was empty. Food came out very quickly, but that's kind of where the positive reviews stop. The food was really bland. There are a lot of Thai options on Division St that we frequent, so expectations were high. Both dishes really lacked the depth of sour, sweet, bitter, salt, spice that you grow to love in Thai dishes.

We had cocktails while we waited on some Togo appetizers, and we had a great experience. The 2 front of house employees were so busy, and still made sure our beverages were full. Especially on a snowy day when 97% of restaurants are closed. 10/10 would recommend