Kao Thai

I’m not the biggest fan of Thai food but this place (kind of) changed my mind. The environment was great and so was the service. Recommend the soft shell crab pad thai.

TLDR - Great food, service, and vibes. My wife says the portions are just right. It's not too much and not too little. Drunken Noodles dish was chewy and delicious. Just the right amount of spice. Pad Khing Sod was delicious. Good counter to the spicy dish. Food came out quick during an early lunch time. The parking is rough but doesn't take away from the experience. Should find public parking which is 1 hour max on ParkMobile

The food is delicious but the quality control for deliveries is starting to decline. Ordered drunken noodles 0 spicy, like usual, they are spicy. Ordered pad kaprow, like always, received fried rice. I will give them credit that there was no onions or basil as I ordered. Maybe my order got switched with another order.

Food was absolutely amazing and service was also wonderful. The curry was worth coming back for. The spring rolls need more shrimp

Fast service and good food but not amazing. Drunken noodles were pretty good but a bit salty. I wish it had been more spicy than salty. Pad see eaw was very saucy when normally it's pretty dry. Overall it's good but would not come again.

Delicious food! The crispy crab rolls were a great starter to have, they were creamy, crunchy, with a nice crab flavor. The sesame chicken was tasty but it was the mango curry that stole the show - very flavorful and rich

Quiet family owned restaurant in downtown Silver Spring. Food is good, like a home cooked meal. Not loud so can hold a conversation unlike some places.

Consistently good food for many years now. Only feedback is try ti check in on your seating customer's at least once during their dining. I had to reach out each time I needed something

I stopped by Kao Thai for lunch, and I thought the food was pretty decent. I have to admit that I stopped by the restaurant because it was right across the street from the bus stop. It was not the best Thai food, but it wasn't the worst. For my lunch, I went with the Crispy Crab Roll and Drunken Noodles with beef. The portion sizes of the dishes were great, and I thought the pricing was in line with other restaurants in the area. My food arrived to the table very hot, which is an A+ in my book. Overall, I thought my dishes were tasty; however, the beef (IMO) was a bit tougher than what I have experienced in other Thai restaurants. While my service was pretty efficient, I found my waitress/server to be a bit cold (bordering on rude). Who knows, maybe it's just her personality. First, I felt like I was being rushed to order. Ok, I could (somewhat) understand this IF the restaurant was busy/crowded, but there were only two other customers in the restaurant. *Perhaps, the restaurant was overwhelmed with a lot of take out/delivery orders.* Second, the restaurant uses handheld payment terminals, which is not a problem. However, the waitress seemed hesitant in letting me hold the device to ensure that I was being charged the correct amount. Since the food was not terrible, I'm more than willing to give Kao another shot. Perhaps, the waitress was having a bad day.

This is one of my new favorite Thai places in Silver Spring. I have a sensitive gut and onion and garlic can be a problem for me. So it was great to see that this restaurant has options to make many of their dishes in the jae style (which avoids these vegetables). Not to mention that their Panang curry was out of this world! So glad to find a place that I can eat at without worry that is also delicious. I want to go back a few more times before I commit to giving this place five stars, but I might be able to get there!

Honestly, really wanna do this review to hopefully bring the average back up. It's a shame the couple of bad reviews brought this place down (regardless if it was from take-out or dine in orders) because that's gonna make people hesitant. Here's the thing, those reviews are valid. That said, if you want good, flavorful Thai food--be it before a show at the Fillmore or honestly if you're in the area--check out Kao. Alright, so food wise we ordered the Curry Puffs chicken, Crispy Crab Rolls, Dragon Noodles (with chicken) and Panang Curry (Jae style). First off, my partner has some sensitivities to garlic and onion, so the Jae style, which was completely new to us, was great to see and really didn't take anything away from her Panang Curry. Getting the currys Jae style does mean you'll get tofu though, as a heads up. We loved her curry, both agreeing the base was some of the best we've had and was so flavorful. The Dragon Noodles, an in house riff on Drunken Noodles, were super good too and not too spicy. They say on the menu they serve all their dishes medium spicy. I'm a bit of a baby with spice and the level they serve it at was perfect for me and consistent throughout. But if you're sensitive to that, there is a "mild" and a "no spice" option. You can also order things spicier, so i'm not sure why people had issues with the spice level. The curry puffs were also great and we enjoyed the Crispy Crab Rolls effectively being spring rolls. Everything was flavorful and delicious. Very good portion sizes too. We ended our meal with the lovely and indulgent Roti Sai Kai. Highly recommend it. Service was prompt, kind and nice. Vibes were warm and nice. My only real nitpick is that we were put at a table between a group of 5 and a group of 4 so that made things a bit loud during our dinner. As we left, i noticed the other two parties of two who'd come in after us were at the front of the same room or in the much quieter front room, which was mostly empty. Just a bit odd, that's all. I could still hear my partner well, but it seemed like the noise level by us made it hard for the male server we had to hear us. *shrugs* We'll be back for sure.

I have picked up from Sweeteria next door that my wife and I loved which some of the Kao Thai staff started, so we have been intending to try this place. I am so glad that my wife and I finally came here a couple of weeks ago before a comedy performance across the street at the Black Box Theater. To eat we started off with the Roti Kanai with Yellow Curry Chicken. We then had Mango Curry Beef and Ginger Duck for our main course. We then we're still hungry despite the big portions so we ordered Drunken Noodles with Beef. The drink selection was good but they were out of some stuff such as Singha so we had a Plumtini, Kirin Ichiban, and Sapporo. We were still hungry for dessert so we ordered the Fried Banana with Ice Cream. The atmosphere and service were great as well. It is one the couple top Thai restaurants in a neighborhood of several of them including Amina a couple doors down, Thai at Silver Spring a block east upstairs in the mall as well as Charm, Lamoon, and Kook Kai's Thai Noodles (which changed their name a couple times) closer to our apartment south of the mall. We look forward to returning and trying out new dishes as well as our favorites we ordered.

Seafood pad Thai fried rice tastes delicious!! You must try this out! The spring rolls are also delicious!

*Updated Review* Still a solid thai choice in Silver Spring! Did dine in a few days ago before a concert at the Fillmore. Was my first time. I'm so used to take-out. Sitting down in the restaurant was a welcomed change! Got my usual drunken noodles with chicken extra spicy. Also did a glass of wine. Service was great!

This spot may not look super extravagant, but don't let that fool you. Flavors are still delicious. My friend and I enjoyed the chicken satay with some sauce on it beside the peanut sauce on the side and these cute lil mini crab egg rolls in a basket! I loved my steamed tofu and veggie panang curry dish. This has a lighter taste not heavy. Sauce is wonderful. If I weren't going on a bunch of other errands, I would have kept the sauce to use at home! Also, the Thai iced tea is delightful. :) This is a great spot that is right next to the Fillmore so you can enjoy your show right after you eat well!! It's also a quick walk from the metro!

Very Poor quality food. Watery gravy. Food had no taste. Paid extra for shrimp and they gave 3 shrimp with tofu mixed in. Probably worst Thai food I've had. They really need to improve the quality as the prices are not cheap.

Stumbled upon this place after a movie screening preview was overbooked! I am honestly glad that I was able to find this restaurant. I had ordered mango curry, and it was one of the best curries I have ever had! I was stunned to see that combination of something that I'd think would be more of a savory dish mixed with a fruit. This combination is something that I'd definitely love to learn how to cook myself. When I took my first bite, there was a burst of mango flavor that quickly went away and just became a regular sweeter curry. That burst of mango flavor was my highlight of the meal. There were bell peppers, chicken, coconut milk, and a bowl of rice (on the side) as part of the dish. It was flavorful. Not spicy but was satisfying. It wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing food visually since it was all a mainly yellow-brown-orange color; however, the taste is 5/5. My +1 had their Pad Kaprow -- spiciest level. It wasn't that spicy and the flavors were a little lacking. It needed more salt or something that could provide that boost in flavor. The vegetables in the dish were crunchy but very bland. Probably would not order this again. Overall, I highly recommend ordering the mango curry.

We stopped in on a Saturday evening before a show at the Fillmore next door. Was greeted and seated promptly. Ordered the Drunken Noodles and Spicy Tilapia. All were great!

This was your average Thai restaurant that you would see in the DMV area. I had the pumpkin curry, but the pumpkin had definitely gone bad so I was not able to finish. The papaya salad was okay but after tasting the sour pumpkin, I couldn't really bring myself to eat anything else here. There is another thai restaurant I believe 2 doors down, I would stick to that one instead!

Had a very disapointing experience ordering from their website this evening. My vegetarian daughter ordered massaman curry with tofu. But when she picked up the order it had been made with chicken. They tried to cover their mistake by telling us massaman curry was only made with chicken. Doubly outrageous since a) you can obviously make massaman curry with any protein and b) the tofu option was right there on their website. I think we're going to order from a different restaurant next week.

Recently grabbed takeout from Kao Thai - which I hadn't been to since before the pandemic. They still got it! My favorite item I ordered was the won ton soup - which they put their own spin on and make it something you've never tasted before - but need to. It's perfectly spicy. (and I typically hate spicy). The cabbage in it is perfect, and it had visible chunks of garlic. Best soup I can remember eating....seriously. I also loved the spring rolls and pad sew eaw. The sauce on the pad sew eau is better than any sauce I've had at a Thai restaurant. One star lost because there were two dishes I didn't care for. The yum woon sen, which is typically my fave at Thai restaurants was super gritty and unpleasant. The shrimp were also not deveined - which I can't handle. The poopy shrimp also made an appearance in the summer rolls I ordered - which were bland with too much carrot. Lastly, I ordered a canned soda - which they didn't include with my order. Other than these few missteps - a great meal. I'd go back just for the soup.

We love having lunch at Kao Thai. Love trying new dishes there. Drunken noodles are delicious.

OKAY THICKIES..... @kaothaisilverspring is on the chopping block..... straight to it. They passed with flying colors lol One thing about this crew, we GONE eat Thai. NO MATTER where we go. Thai is GONE get GOT. Apps: 1.) Crispy spring roll - can't go wrong here, simply on POINT 2.) Curry puff chicken - this was our first time having this. II wasn't a fan fav ONLY because it was on the sweeter side. I'm assuming this is the traditional taste palette for this appetizer, so if a smidge sweet is what you're looking for, this dish does pack a lot of flavor. *DISCLAIMER: We didn't order the crispy chicken kaprow, and we should have because EVERYONE and they mama ordered it. That dish looked and smelled divine. This just means we're going back soon. Entrees: 1.) Thai spicy bamboo- GET into IT. Spiced to perfection and that bamboo is going to hit every time. 2.) Dragon noodles - the restaurants play on drunken noodles but with lomein. Slap somebody's mama OKAY. They do have the traditional dish as well. We wanted to spice it up even more. We were very pleased. So basically y'all need to run and "Go get you One-ah Deez, CUZ ITS A CHICKEN SALAD" ‍ #NATT rates this spot #seasoned Now, go tell them we sent you because #Weknowgoodfood IG: @nikki_Thickies

Came for a quick bite before a movie. Service was fast, food was hit and GOOD. I had the drunken noodles, which is not something I've had before but really enjoyed with good vegetables and pork that was nice and lean. My husband got the green curry and it wasn't spicy but had a great flavor. Will definitely be coming back!

Fast service and good food but not amazing. Drunken noodles were pretty good but a bit salty. I wish it had been more spicy than salty. Pad see eaw was very saucy when normally it's pretty dry. Overall it's good but would not come again.

The restaurant, servers, and service are great, but wasn't too impressed with some of the dishes. We got the Crab Rolls, Pad Kaprow with chicken, and Pad Thai. The Pad Kaprow was delicious, but the Crab Rolls didn't have much cream cheese in them and the Pad Thai was nothing special. I'd maybe try something different next time!

This is only for takeout - never been inside. My pad Thai was ok but flaming hot and I asked for mild. but the massaman curry ($17!) was small portions and just curry water and not curry sauce and has chicken that looks like chunks of chicken sausage. Lots of Thai places to choose from - won't do this again with Kao Thai.

The food was the best part of this place. Talk about Thai in Silver Spring and everyone says "go to Kao Thai". Parking isn't easy on the street and not much of it. Side streets just a bit easier. Restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside. I had the green curry spaghetti and the curry was excellent. Came with eggplant quarters and lots of spaghetti. Unique way of serving the curry, but spaghetti doesn't soak up the sauce like rice does Didn't try appetizers or dessert. Wasn't asked, they just brought out the check. Seats weren't that comfortable. Very busy takeout business which is likely how I'll do it here next time.

Food was deliciously fresh and fabulously fragrant. We were seated immediately. The staff was delightfully refreshing, kind and thoughtful. Nicely appointed and clean.

Food is awesome The women who worked the counter is nice And the place itself is just very warm

Kao Thai is my favorite thai restaurant in the area. I've tried many of their curries and dishes and enjoyed all of them. Kao thai is one restaurant where I don't mind going out of my comfort zone to try something other than my usual green curry favorite. I think it may be spicier than intended for some people based on experience from bringing my friends here but everyone still enjoys their food. They also have decent beer and wine options although in this case it may be a bit cheaper to get wine by the glass than buy a bottle. I've dined in and ordered take out and was never disappointed because service is nice and quick and food is awesome. I think they accommodate different diets well and have many jay options and other seasonal specials for the adventurer. I usually order the green curry, but I've also had panang curry and mango curry. The mango curry was awesome; it offered the perfect marriage between sweet and spicy that I was not expecting. Spring rolls are great but I think it's very hard to mess up. My friends ordered pad see eaw and pad krapow and thought it was a bit spicy, although they eventually finished their meals or took it to go. We got the roti kai sai dessert which is a thai crepe and I thought it was okay. It was eggy and rich with condensed milk. One bite was more than enough for me, but it was a nice sweet treat that the rest of my friends enjoyed. I don't see it on the menu at other restaurants so it must be a delicacy. Overall, it's a great spot and I look forward to continuing to order take out or dine in at kao thai.

I have to say then when I saw the scores on this place I was a little concerned but it was the only Thai place in DTSS that I hadn't tried yet so in I went. I stepped in at 11:30 and was their first customer. Greeting was cordial but not warm (I don't really care on that front as long as they're attentive). I ordered the normal first visit staple of Panang Chicken. I know what makes it good and what makes it bad. It's a great "apples to apples" comparison kinda dish. So it arrives in like 7 minutes - uh oh...I think to myself...it's been sitting in this sauce overcooking for HOURS. Each piece of chicken is thin and shredded - uh oh...I think to myself...getting slivers like this not to be overcooked is virtually impossible. So I serve myself some lovely sticky rice and some chicken and sauce. Wow...I think to myself...this serving is huge...and none of the chicken is overcooked. It's actually very nicely cooked and tender. The sauce was a little spicier than I expected but I prefer it that way so yay for me. The whole dish was lovely - spicy, creamy, peanuty. If you want a very nice Panang Chicken, this place is for you. I'm only giving it four stars for now as I need to check out other components of their menu. I'll be back a few times in the coming months and will update this review as necessary. Enjoy!

While running an errand in Downtown Silver Spring, Jon and I enjoyed Thai Iced Teas from Kao Thai Restaurant. While we waited for our teas, we got hungry looking at the specials. We admitted we had to return for dinner sometime in the near future.

Drunken noodles were very mediocre. Much worse than other places in the area. Won't be ordering again.

Our favorite Thai food in Silver Spring! Swift delivery and delicious. Never disappoints. Our go-to dishes are green curry with chicken, pad see ew with beef and shrimp kaprow.

We enjoyed the chicken with vegetables and the sweet and sour chicken. Outdoor seating was shady on a hot afternoon and we appreciated the prompt service. Delicious food! Will be back here.

Great Thai spot in downtown SS. Very convenient. My first time there but my friend who's a a SS lifer swears but this place. We got the mango curry and drunken noodles. The drunken noodles were very average. Just what you would expect from drunken noodles (not sure how they can be made any differently anyways) BUT the mango curry was ridiculously good. Spicy and sweet Thai curry with strong coconut and mango flavors with chunks of mango- it had a great balance. If you want to get a curry, I would definitely opt for this over the Yellow or red curry. I would come back for that dish!

***Delicious Thai food, Lots of options, Authentic*** Yum! This place is a must try. We ordered the food ahead of time to pick it up. The portions are very filling and is not greasy, which is a huge plus. I recommend trying this place out if you're in the area.

Ordered a mix of noodle dishes for takeout and found the quality to be pretty mediocre. Would not recommend unless there are no other Thai options available.

I've been coming to Kao for years. Net net = Menu is diverse Everything is yummy. Portions are average. Pricing is competitive. Service is always stellar and efficient for dine in lunch, dinner or take out. I local favorite of mine (and there are many Thai options in one mile radius). All thumbs up.

Silver Spring has a lot of good Thai options but this one is my favorite! The food is always amazing, and you can always be seated; restaurant is a nice, dimly lit space that never seems to be too packed. Drink options aren't too vast, but include a good selection of beer and wine. Must-haves are: shrimp bikini (appetizer), green curry (or pumpkin if you're feeling adventurous), drunken noodles (or if you don't want the noodles, the Pad Kaprow is the rice version of this, equally delicious), pad Thai, and Thai fried rice. Sidenote, is always a good option for dinner or drinks before going to a show at the Fillmore next door!

2nd visit was again a success! Had dinner with my bestfriends and we ordered a couple of Hot Teas, Mango Curry with Chicken and Jasmine Rice. Service was on par, ambiance was great since we got to sit at the same booth as the previous time and the food was excellent! A very chill and relaxing atmosphere inside the restaurant. It is definitely a great Thai restaurant...

Came here for lunch with a decent size group of colleagues. I love Thai food and so I do have pretty high expectations. I was pretty impressed with my lunch special. I got the drunken noodles with chicken which came with tum yum soup. The soup did not have much in it but was flavorful. The drunken noodles were really good. I ate it all and I was not even that hungry. I liked the broccoli in the noodles. The price was great. I laid $10 with tax and tip for my lunch special. It does not look like a big restaurant but they make room. We had a group of 8 people and were able to sit on one table. I would come back here again.

I know that COVID has impacted staffing, supplies and everything... but I cannot help but be disappointed about how the best Thai restaurant in Silver Spring has now become one of the worst. Food is still hot, and spice levels are great, but the quality of ingredients and cooking has gone down severely. Meat is overcooked to the point of being rubbery, and some of those beautiful sour and umami notes that typically resonate in Thai food are completely gone. Really hoping they turn it around, but for now, 3-stars is the best I can do i.e. decent eating, but not great.

Lunch is awesome at Kao Thai. If you work in the area, it is the best spot to get your $10.00 worth. Other thai placesonly give you a lunch entree for $10.00...Here you also get a bowl of soup and a spring roll! Sweet deal! They also have this amazing miracle healing soup. It is a simple veggie and tofu broth soup but there is something magical about the healing properties...cures head colds, tummy aches and more. Something very special about it.... The staff is friendly, the restaurant clean and spacious (bigger than it looks from outside) and the service fast.

After a matinee showing at the Avalon, we did a takeout dinner from Kao Thai: pineapple fried rice with chicken, and a pork dish. Both were wonderful as always, and if you live within 1.2 miles, delivery is free. Love this place.

Omg! I have nothing but amazing things to say about this place! I love Thai food and have tried several places in my lifetime, this was by far the best so far! The food was incredible and so fresh! It literally tasted like all the ingredients were pulled from the garden this very day. I would recommend this place to anyone who has the lucky chance to be in the area. Not a single bad thing to say, keep up the amazing work, I will be back. Came back as promised, excellent food and service again!!

Disappointing. Do yourself a favor and go a couple doors down. If you're dehydrated and have a bland palate this is the place for you. Everything for me was watery and watered down from thai iced tea to the tom yum to panang curry. Pro tip: If you dip your spoon in a curry, any curry, and it comes out clean just get up and GTFO. The panang curry was waaaayyy too watered down.

Disappointing. We ordered for delivery. The portions were small, especially when we paid extra for the "deluxe size". We ordered tofu pad thai which had about 4 pieces of tofu in it and we ordered a beef dish which similarly had very little beef. In addition, the flavor was only so-so. Unfortunately, we will be looking elsewhere for our next thai meal.

Love this place! Really good food, best Tom kha soup I've ever had. I love their pad Thai, drunken noodles, but especially the mango curry. Definitely would recommend this place. Everything I've ordered has been delicious.

Me and my boyfriend have tried so many Thai places in the area and nothing compares to this place. The food is amazing!!! The staff are also always super nice. Will be lo

Kao Thai is my go to restaurant in Silver Spring. I'm obsessed with the green curry but their pad thai is a close second! I used to live a few blocks away from the restaurant but now live in Baltimore but I still make the trip back to Silver Spring for some take out! I highly recommend trying it out, you won't be disappointed!! (The picture attached was taken before COVID)

Sure, there are a lot of Thai restaurants in Silver Spring, but I love Thai food, so I want to try them all. Dinner began with a nice glass of wine (read: generous pour) and the special fishcake appetizer. I am no stranger to fishcake since my spouse is Korean. This was different. A little on the greasy side, but not bad. The peanut and cucumber sauce was unconventional, but tasty. The entrees were fantastic. The best drunken noodles in Silver Spring. Just the right amount of sauce. Vibrant flavors. Red curry had just the right spice. My spouse thought it was a little too sweet, but I must like it that way. Good service and pleasant atmosphere. Sound carries, so it is probably considerably louder on the weekends. We were here on a Thursday evening. We will definitely be back. A great addition to the pre-AFI dining dining options!

I'm so happy I stopped in to shake up my lunch routine. Decent prices for their lunch specials and plenty of options available. I decided on the drunken noodles and they are probably the best I've tried in the DMV area so far. The portion size was spot on and the soup before the entree was very tasty. The dinning area isn't all that large for huge groups but perfect for a few friends or coworkers to dine in.

Not sure what's going on with Kao Thai but sadly, I can't justify giving it a 5 star anymore. Food has just been missing that final touch for a couple years now. My drunken noodles keep coming out pale and without that signature smoky caramelization they should get from the wok. The same could be said for the sesame chicken. It used to be that the sesame chicken came out crispy and juicy. So flavorful! Now, it's so soggy! Almost as tho it were... *gasp*...microwaved. Having said that. Don't let it stop you from coming here. The food still tastes great and is of good portion. I just need them to get it together and pay attention to the details.

Casual, accommodating, and fast. Kao Thai is a solid Thai restaurant with a large range of options. The portions are finishable and the taste was fine, although their dishes felt slightly compensated by spice. The entrees were not super expensive but many of the starters were small for the price. I highly recommend the curry and mango sticky rice.

This is my favorite Thai restaurant in Silver Spring! The panang curry is my go-to when it's cold and I need something to warm my soul. The pad see ew with tofu is a close second, and sometimes I throw in the crispy crab rolls if I really want to treat myself. Love this place.