KaoSarn London

I had a delightful lunch special where I chose the spring rolls and minced pork dish, main dish was very flavourful both sweet and salty. It was quite quiet and a very hot day - one of the owners kept topping up my water when it got low which was nice. He gave really lovely service, very thoughtful and attentive, and made it a very enjoyable experience.

Kaosarn is a good size, having nice decor on the inside making you feel like you're in Thailand. There's a range of seating inside, outdoors, and also in the passageway if the village market hall to help give you a different dining experience. After being presented with the menu, while deciding we got a portion of prawn crackers; I was not expecting these to be this good, unlike the white ones you'd typically get from Chinese or some other Asian restaurant vendors. We opted for Pad Thai and Kao Pad. Both dishes were very nice, with the Pad Thai being extremely tasty and cooked perfectly. The sauce had that perfect balance of sweet and tang (acidic), with it coating everything well with little residue; that you could suck it up from the noodles while chewing, enjoying the flavours. The Kao Pad was very wholesome and tasty, and great tasting dish, full of flavour and health. Overall my experience at Kaosarn was great, and without going to Thailand, I feel a bit closer to having had an authentic Thai experience!

The food here was delicious! Proper Tom yum and the papaya salad were our favourites, the massaman was yummy too. It all tasted really authentic. We went on a Friday night so the service wasn’t as great as we would have liked. We were left waiting quite a while as they were dealing with a lot of take away orders. That would be my only negative though! Cash only, there’s a free cash point around the corner & BYOB but there’s a bar opposite and loads of shops around where you can get whatever you like. Overall, proper tasty, Thai food 😋.

Flavourful food and so filling, a touch on the sweet side but hey, that's Thai cuisine for you. When the bill arrived, I was pleasantly surprised, especially considering the generous portions (thank goodness for doggy bags). The staff was friendly and very accommodating (as we had to swap out one of our meals). The only thing I didn't like was one of the staff watching over us waiting for us to finish up and the moment we did, she brought the bill even though the place was wasn't even full. That made us feel slightly rushed. One thing to keep in mind is it's CASH ONLY, so be sure to have your shrapnel in hand or it's a trip to the free cashpoint outside the village.

Absolutely lovely food. Beef Massaman was my favourite but all in our party thoroughly enjoyed the food. The quality of food was equalled by the welcome and attentiveness of the people working there. Will definitely return when next in the capital.

Absolutely delicious! I've been to Thailand probably 30 times and the Pukka Pow here was just perfect! Can't wait to return!

Very good and authentic Thai food with lovely service! The papaya salad was our absolute favourite! The pad see ew was nice, although a bit too sweet and the noodles were thin, the red curry was just ok (a bit smelly tbh.. maybe too much fish sauce?) but overall big portions and yummy lunch

- the staff were great with my allergy requirements (sesame and peanut) which I appreciate can be tricky with Thai food. The food was amazing and came out quickly. Lots of veggie options available

I am a huge Thai food fan and there is little better, than finding a little no frill eatery that cooks food that make you 'umm' and 'arhh' all the way through your meal. My very good friend had just returned home from holiday, so I suggested that we have lunch to catch up. I had head about KaoSarn but had never made time to go and eat there, so I thought what the hey! As we approached we noted that there were tables outside even though it is the early December, however as we got closers we saw that there were blankets on the chair for diners to put over their knees - nice touch! Even so, we opted to sit inside and thankfully we timed it well, and were seated immediately at the last available table. Inside it is small and there a probably around 10 tables so a full house would accommodate approximately between 20 to 25 people maybe at a push 30, that's excluding the outside area. I ordered the spicy deep fired spare ribs (healthy I know) with a prawn red curry to follow, and my friend went with the hot and sour soup to start and a Pad Thai for her main. All the dishes were fantastic and what particularly struck me was how I could tastes all the different notes in each dish and how clean the flavors were. I got chatting with the hostess and she proudly told me that they made, 'real Thai food that you eat at home. Home cooked Thai food!' You had me a lemongrass spare ribs! Another touch that I loved was that the kitchen was open, towards the back of the shop and you could see about four or five chefs making everything from scratch. The best bit for me was that once my food was ready the chef actually brought it out himself, which not only made me feel like I was just dinning at a friends home, it was really humbling on a heart warming way.

We went for dinner, and everything was reasonably good but not outstanding. We had an assortment of starters, ranging skewers to wings. Everything was good. For main, I had prawn pad thai. Relative to others that I had had, it was average with a little too much ketchup for my liking. Also, I felt that the prawns were slightly undercooked. Service was overall good and prompt. We were a large party, but they brought everything on time without any issue. Lastly, ambience was very casual and marketplace-like. After all, it is situated within Brixton Market, so great if you want to pop by for a down to earth meal.

KaoSarn - A Haiku People stare at me with their hungry hungry eyes whilst I slowly gorge

I thought I would give Kaosarn another chance. I love the idea of having a great Thai place in the hood but this place is on par with every other place I have tried: very average. You can sit outside which is a great plus (although you'll have to suffer through views of dumpsters). We ordered Peek Gai Tod which are deep fried chicken wings with a dipping sauce. These were quite tasty and would go great with beer. Kao Pad Kra-Praw-Pork was good but made me think of something you could have thrown together at home. The stir fried pork was slopped on top of a bed of steamed rice and topped with a fried egg. It tasted fine but wasn't a standout in any way. We shared a couple of salads too. The Larb was bland. We asked for lettuce leaves to wrap around the meat and the waitress grumpily went to the kitchen and plopped a bunch of chopped lettuce on top. The Som Tum Thai came drowning in sauce which completely overwhelmed the delicate salad. We had a pool of it sitting at the bottom of the bowl. The food was average but the service was abysmal. Our waitress was stroppy and rude. She obviously didn't want to be there and the sour expression on her face said it all.

Home-style simple good Thai food. All the standards. Probably not worth the massive queues. There is, however, a half roast chicken dish that, if you're starving, comes along with papaya salad and sticky rice and is guaranteed to lift you from thye deepest blue funk. Yeah you rite.

A great find and situated on the outside of Brixton Village which is so opportune as it stays open until 10pm when the village is shut!! Service is efficient, I like the fact it has an open kitchen so you can see what's going on. Food was tasty and authentic, described by staff as 'Thai home cooking'. It is a small place and they do take bookings so you can either try your hand and turn up or call ahead.

The food itself is decent, but not the best thai in the area. But its setting in the Brixton Village Market, with its outdoor seating, friendly staff and the fact they take bookings boosts it up by a star, and above it's nearest rival(s). It's a locals favourite, this place.

My boss took the team here on a sunny Wednesday for lunch. The shop is small, but the outdoor seating area saves them. The menu is simple yet diverse, I went with the menu item that had the most protein and that was the half chicken. It came with coconut sticky rice and a green mango salad. Presentation of the dish was nice, but I was slightly disappointed as to the size of the chicken, must have been the smallest chicken I have seen in a while. I also ordered a cold ginger tea, which was very disappointing as it just tasted like water. Everyone I was with said their food was tasty and the staff was friendly. Worth a try!

Finally I got to try this place after eyeing it up for several months. Great atmosphere in Brixton Village and the outdoor seating on a nice sunny day is a bonus (until someone decides to light up, anyway!). Good menu, however I would have to agree with other reviewers who found the food distinctly average - not bad, but pretty unremarkable. The penang curry was very milky and didn't have the depth of flavour that i would expect from this choice. Chicken was a bit tough/overdone, but probably the better side to err on. I would try again, however I won't be racing back to - perfectly fine if it's convenient and I'm hungry. If I could I would give 3.5 stars.

A good thing about this place is that they have BYOB AND seating outdoors, which is perfect for those rare, but lovely sunny days. However they have a limit on how long you can have the table, which the waiter reiterated several times to our 8 person party. Food is underwhelming. The Larb and the pork salad were okay but the Tom Yum Noodle Soup was pretty lackluster. My friend said her fried banana dessert tasted like someone had reheated bananas and used supermarket ice cream.

In London Thai food is sold in many places at various prices and quality, but I have to say that KaoSarn in Brixton Village Market is the best of the lot. Being able to eat outside brought back memories of being in Thailand, although the warm blanket wasn't required in Bangkok. I had the chicken in garlic and sticky rice which was delicious and more importantly didn't break the bank. All the other food on our table including the massaman curry and pad thai looked delicious. A big thumbs up from me.

Probably the best tom yum soup I've ever had in London! Full of flavour, nice and sour, and best of all, very spicy. Very authentic! My partner's pad thai was also not just some stir fried noodles put together, but really did taste like the kind I've had in Bangkok. Best of all, portions are big, service is quick, and the staff there are really friendly. Beware if you're going on a weekend though the queues are really long for Kaosarn! The London Insider http://www.london-insider.co.uk/

Don't sit by the door! At least not in winter. It's constantly being opened and not quite closed, because it's really hard to close. So we got a blast of frigid air every time a customer came in or left, and also when food was delivered to people sitting outside. As to why people were sitting outside in winter, it's a testament to the food! And maybe the limited spaces inside. I didn't actually try my companions' food (pad thai and a lamb curry, I think), but mine, the prawn curry was de-li-cious. Not your average Thai curry. Service was very friendly and efficient. In fact, we were told that on arriving at noon without a booking that we had to be out by 2pm. But the speed of the service made it no problem, and we didn't feel rushed at all.

I'm the type of person that never writes reviews, but for this shocking experience I think it is absolutely necessary. I would absolutely not recommend this place to my worst enemy. Some of the worst service I have ever experienced. I went here with a friend on a Sunday night, we were greeted somewhat curtly and shown to a table in the corner pretty quickly. Our drinks orders were taken and brought out quickly. From here on in it went downhill very rapidly. We were harassed on numerous occasions for our order, despite not having decided yet. A side dish we ordered came out about 5 minutes before the mains (my friend's main meal came out 10 minutes before my own...). The food was O.K. Slightly overpriced. £9 for the prawn noodles seemed a bit steep considering they didn't exactly blow me away and the portion wasn't huge. We then made the mistake of finishing our food... No sooner were our plates taken away were we stared out (i kid you not) by the various members of staff. I have never been made to feel so uncomfortable. One of the members of staff then pointedly looked at her watch in a "when are you leaving" kind of way. When we refused to leave in a hurry (they'd already taken our money by this point) they came over and ASKED US TO LEAVE. We hadn't even finished out drinks and could hardly sit outside as it was freezing cold and raining. This place is an overrated joke if you ask me and I will be avoiding at all costs. Especially considering how many other places there are in Brixton Village with impeccable food and service.

Its a busy little place in a funky little arcade. Food was good as was the price and service. You need to bring your own drink but that's not a bad thing either.

Sit outdoors on the edge of Brixton Village market, if it gets nippy Mrs Kaosarn will bring you blankets and then some absolutely delicious Thai food. I chose Massaman curry on recommendation and it did not disappoint. Cheap, authentic, and BYOB

Went to Kaosarn for dinner on Sat night. Managed to book a table about an hour before. Food was food and atmosphere was nice. Good location in the Brixton market. The restaurant is very casual and not nearly as nice as the one in Clapham. Points for BYO w/o corkage.

Best Thai food ever and the BYO policy makes it for an even funner night! I just wish they had more room as it is always bursting with eaters!

we found this place very unexpacted by just checking out brixton market, and as i knew my friend loves thai cuisine i just had to ask if she wants to have lunch there! so we were waiting for a seat 10min (to get one of the rare spots in the sun) and then we found ourselves in thai-cuisin heaven. Way the best pad thai I have ever eaten and my friend was totally into the chicken curry. The service was quick and very nice! No complaints, it was a wonderful stay.

Had the Lamb Massaman and chicken Satay which were excellent. The prawn and chicken starter was meh in all honesty. Tiny place and as it's in the market is always busy. Need to come back and have a second opinion and to sit outside in sun. Service is rushed but I keep hearing good things.

Not bad for a cheap eat in Brixton. Place is small so be prepared to wait or go early.

As an avid Thai fan, this place is one of my favorites in London. It's very reasonably priced and I usually go for the Pad Thai (a classic standby). It's a very popular spot, so be prepared to queue, but they move the tables quickly and you shouldn't wait too long. It's also BYOB - so great for saving a bit of cash! They don't have many large tables, so you're best keeping your group to about 4-5

One of the first to really establish themselves in the newly developed Brixton Village. Firstly the hostess makes the welcome warm and inviting and she has a great sense of humor. The food is very tasty and really good value for money and they now have blankets for your laps if you sit outside

So here's the hit; I moved to Brixton from Bangkok, so I am always on the lookout for authentic Thai food, that hasn't been Anglicised. I'm an intermediate - within reason - Thai speaker, and speaking Thai I find, helps get authenticity into your food. Anyhow, to keep it short and to the point, Khao Sarn does the best som tam I've ever had outside of Thailand or Laos - an abundance of all the right flavours... a delicious explosion on the taste-buds. I've had it from here many times, and it's consistently near-perfect. The khao neow (sticky rice) is also as it should be, not too wet, not too dry. The laab gai was great, however not as spicy as it should've been - mai pen rai - we were given some home-made nam prik - a kind of chilli sauce - to add, and this fired it up as it should be. The tom yam goong didn't go down as well; it was a little salty and lacked depth of all the flavours normally present - although don't let this put you off ordering it - it may just not have been the day for tom yam. In conclusion, it seems the Isaan (northeastern Thai) food is where it's at, but I look forward to trying more dishes from other regions soon. The prices are not expensive, nam plao is free, and it is a relaxed, informal Thai street-restaurant atmosphere, with an open kitchen and nice staff. You can even watch a lady pummelling your som tam ingredients in the giant pestle and mortar. To summarise, from someone who moved from Pinklao, Bangkok, to Brixton, London - I would highly recommend you visit Khao Sarn, certainly for their som tam, which is truly, truly excellent. Just tell them you'd like it 'kon thai thammada'.

Great food! Sometimes the waiting time is testament to how popular it is. However the turnaround time is very quick, so you don't have to wait too long. Oh, pick up a nice bottle of wine or beer to accompany your food, it's a BYOB kind of place.

When this restaurant is open (we have tried a few times and been disappointed) it is excellent. Contrary to many reviews we have always found staff to be friendly and fun. It is an amazingly priced fairly authentic menu. BYOB too.

I chose this place in Brixton Market for dinner with friends because it is a BYO and takes bookings, which are two of the main things I look for when I have friends visiting and we are planning on going out. But the restaurant operates an odd policy where you only have the table for 1 hour, and the staff were very pushy about rushing us and getting us out of there, and that made dining a very stressful experience. They give you a heads up when you make the booking, they tell you when you sit down, and they won't stop reminding you throughout the course of the meal. One of my friends that was joining us was running late and showed up at 7:15 pm for a 7 pm booking, but the staff didn't really want us to wait for him to order and I found that very odd. On top of that, the food comes out within 5 minutes of ordering, so that kind of pressure is not even necessary. I don't think I'd come again unless I knew I was in a hurry to eat too, because I simply don't enjoy people hovering over me and giving me the impression that I should get out of their restaurant.

Probably the best Thai in London. Fresh, home made, YUMMY