King & I

Thai restaurant · Beacon Hill

King & I

Thai restaurant · Beacon Hill

1

145 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114

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Highlights

Nestled in Beacon Hill, this cozy gem dishes out classic Thai fare in a friendly, no-frills spot perfect for a comforting meal.  

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145 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114 Get directions

orderkingandiboston.com

$10–20 · Menu

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145 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114 Get directions

+1 617 227 3320
orderkingandiboston.com

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Mar 9, 2025

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"A restaurant in Beacon Hill known for introducing many to Thai cuisine." - Erika Adams

Boston’s Saddest Restaurant Closures in 2024 - Eater Boston
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C R

Google
Food: The curried puff and crab rangoon appetizers were outstanding, 10/10! The mee nam with chicken was also delicious and satisfying for a cold and rainy night. It was a large portion and took half of it home to enjoy the next day. The Thai iced tea was also very tasty. Atmosphere: Quiet, low-key, and cozy dining room. Service: Outstanding, friendly, attentive service and all of the food came quickly.

Jea Kim

Google
Typical Neighborhood Thai spot in Beacon Hill. Over the past few months, I’ve been coming to King & I for occasional Thai food cravings. The restaurant offers a comfortable and no-frills setting that mirrors many Thai eateries. While it primarily caters to delivery service, dining in offers a cozy experience. From the appetizers, I had the Boneless Barbecue Spareribs, which was essentially pork tenderloin pieces immersed in a honey and spice-infused sweet chili sauce. However, the pork was slightly overcooked and the sweet chili sauce was overpowering. The entree experience was slightly better. My favorite so far was the Roast Duck Choo Chee. The duck, though slightly on the drier side, was redeemed by the curry sauce and the mushrooms and peppers. Similarly, the crispy chicken that came with Pad Thai was too thinly sliced and dry, but the noodles were decent. Another satisfying dish was the Seafood Royale. A medley of garlic shrimp, scallops, squid, and vegetables, the dish offered a balanced flavor profile - not overly spicy but still sufficiently zesty. Being the sole Thai restaurant in West End and Beacon Hill area, King & I dutifully serves its purpose: offering solid Thai food. While I’m not sure if I would go back, it’s still a reliable choice if you’re looking for a quick Thai meal.

Dana A

Google
First n foremost I just wanna say that our waitress was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met :) so so sweet and made the experience that much better. The food was alright, it lacked some flavor and was kind of westernized. I wish the papaya salad was spicy, which is how it usually is. The cashew chicken wasn’t very flavorful either. The soup was nice though! The place itself is cozy and cute.

Vladimir Nikolov (The Hungry Cyclist)

Google
Surprised to find an original taste Thai restaurant in the middle of Boston:) The food was very well prepared and super tasty. The hot and sour soup I highly recommend. Freshly made, hot to perfection and very balanced in taste. I ate the pad Thai with chicken on top and it was the best one I have ever tried. The chicken with cashews was also very good. Highly recommended place.

r A

Google
BEWARE. Ordered Pad Thai and Fried Calamari. Calamari was super rubbery, massive mysterious chunks friend in a heavy batter. The Pad Thai has a pretty sour smell, it left me feeling like a brick was inside me as I was eating it. Had to stop right away. The hand sanitizer on our table didn’t make things better.

Britte van Zadelhoff

Google
Good food. Friendly staff. Would recommend the Pad Thai for comfort and Panang Curry for a more hearty bite, though I wish it had broccoli/cauliflower instead of eggplant as that would enhance the flavor. Place has been around for a long time which is really neat.

Adil Raihani

Google
For those who haven’t been in Thailand many times this is a great place to learn the Thai cuisine. Super friendly staff, cozy place and quite busy. I had a quick snack, Spicy shrimp soup, sticky rice and a Thai beef salad. For my taste, too much sugar being used in the dishes which takes out the zesty and sour flavors for these two classical dishes. Some comments to the cook.. Yam nua... -doesn’t normally have red pepper but Thai tomatoes which changes the taste of the dish. -I missed the grounded roasted rice -coriander taste was missing and some Thai basil - lack of spring onions - lack of lime juice Som-tam - no galangal - no Thai parley - too little coriander - no straw mushrooms - no baby corn - too sweet, soup is normally really sour and limey having said this, I spent over 10 years taking cooking classes in Thailand and have developed Thai taste buds... I imagine the taste has been adjusted to the local flavor. I am certain that more Authentic Thai food would give this place a more outstanding result. Prices are very descent for US and they have a nice selection of beers. I would definitely come back, but would tell them to make it more authentic... less sugar, more tangy and spicier.

Emily Hamman

Google
I really like this place. I’ve eaten in and gotten take out, both dishes I’ve gotten (drunken chicken & massaman curry) have been delightful. Quick service for dining in and not long wait times for take out either. Definitely a place high on my list to return to for good Thai food in Boston!

Qme L.

Yelp
I stopped here on a weekday for lunch with a few of my colleagues. There were a few parties dining in and some take out, but overall not very busy. We made a reservation in advance since we were a large party but otherwise weekday lunch reservation wouldn't be necessary. Service was attentive and food came out relatively quickly once we ordered. I ordered the pad see you with beef since previous reviews of the dish were positive. Unfortunately I didn't have the same experience. The beef was tough and some pieces were crunchy.. the noodles had a little too much sauce making it sweeter than I would like. They also use regular broccoli instead of the Chinese broccoli which I thought was interesting. I did try a vegetable crispy roll and it was decent. Overall it was fine for some Thai food in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here.

Sonya F.

Yelp
A really yummy Thai spot on the end of beacon hill! I think this was the closest Asian restaurant to me so I decided to give it a try. The restaurant is moderately small, only able to seat maybe 20people (rough guess). I tried their pad see ew and it was delicious! I was a little disappointed about the choice in broccoli as opposed to Chinese broccoli, but it was still cooked very well and fairly crunchy. Their curry was also very good, and both dishes came in a large portion size. For the price, it was a great meal and I love that they are so close to beacon hill!

Julie S.

Yelp
11 of us stopped by for dinner Saturday night - we luckily got a table in the backroom all to ourselves. It felt like a private room. We enjoyed the space. Some dishes we ordered : pad see ew, seafood Penang, beef with bamboo, pineapple fried rice, crispy soy duck, eggplant and others. The food was delicious and the service was great. Give it a try. (Sorry- no pictures)

Katelyn N.

Yelp
3.5/5, pretty decent spot. I really enjoyed my pad thai (on the sweeter side). My parents got the seafood delight and royale and it was very well done i would say too. I would skip the panang curry, too salty and not spicy at all. Papaya salad was also good, not spicy though. Kids got the crab rangoons and loved them. Service was kind and place was pretty large and decently empty. clean spot, would probably come back.

Hursuong V.

Yelp
Decently priced and tasty with good portions for a quick lunch by the hospital! Not too long of a wait but if you're really short on time before going back to the hospital for work, maybe not the best idea. Tidy and well kept inside as well. Appreciated being able to see the menu on the window.

Julia Z.

Yelp
4/5 I'm sad to see this place has a lower rating than I would've expected!! my friend and I stopped by here for their lunch special on a weekday. the hostess and waitresses were very kind to us and very accommodating. my friend asked if the duck green curry was available for the lunch menu and even though it wasn't, they offered to make it for her anyway and charged lunch pricing! portions were HUGE and very worth the cost. Food came out super quick too. papaya salad wasn't the freshest but it had solid flavor. I loved the Mee Nam (noodle soup w cha Shu); big portions of meat and had extra portions to take home. The green curry my friend got was surprisingly not that spicy at all (even though she asked for spice) and they also gave her a huge portion. Highly recommend this place for lunch in beacon hill, I think it's very worth the price.

Francesca L.

Yelp
Nice spot in beacon hill. Right by the Charles MGH t stop. $15 card minimum. Place could use a dusting. Tables were clean but artwork had visible dust on them. Food came out quickly and was super fresh. Pork potstickers could have used some more seasoning; the chicken king and I was amazing; and the kaprow was great. Didn't like having to pay for sides of rice with mains but not uncommon nowadays.

Lizzie Y.

Yelp
I came here often in the summer for lunch time. I dined in once and typically would order for takeout. My go-to is the Pad See Ew with either beef or chicken. The noodles consistently come piping hot, which is great! I also love their Tom yum soup--hot and sour. I have had pleasant and consistent experiences with both dine in and take out. The servers are very kind and sweet! Overall, I recommend this place to anyone looking for a quick fix of thai food in the Beacon Hill area.

Tejas D.

Yelp
Extremely poor service. The manager at the counter at best was rude. This is the first time I ordered and placed it online. No where does it say that white rice is not included with your order. I explained to her my mistake and offered to pay for the rice but she was extremely rude saying I should have known. She refused my credit card and asked me to Venmo. Her Venmo didn't work so she then asked for my card. Not a single thank you, just the look of disgust on her face. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS RESTAURANT TO ANYONE.

Ken C.

Yelp
Absolute classic This place does thai food right. In my many years in boston, I have come here regularly. Reasonably priced and delicious. You won't appreciate this place until you have had bad Thai places at other restaurants. Favorite is the pad see ew. Ask for the Chinese broccoli instead of the regular. Noodles are fresh and not soggy at all (common pitfall). Also like the basil noodles here with its rich gravy goodness. Can always find a table here without trouble. Service is fast. Will miss this place.

Sfo B.

Yelp
King and I has been my go to restaurant for Thai food in Boston for many years. Just saw that my last review was 6 years ago and the one before was more than 10 years ago. So much time has passed by so quickly, but to me King and I has always had the best Thai food and good service. I hope I will get the chance to update my review again in 6 years! Seafood Typhoon, Dancing Squid, Pad Thai, and Tom Yum soup I would recommend.

Lucy T.

Yelp
This is a sweet little cozy Thai restaurant! It definitely feels like a mom and pop shop. A friend and I dropped by for lunch on a Wednesday and we're immediately seated to enjoy some tasty food and excellent service. The food is a little westernized so more mild but still flavorful, delicious and enjoyable! Curry noodles (chicken) 4/5 I was surprised to see ground chicken in this! Nevertheless, the dish was full of flavor-- (very) salty, tangy and a little spicy despite touting 3 stars for "very spicy." A fun experience to try but I'd probably try something else next time! Pad see you (spicy with basil, beef) 5/5 So tasty!! The noodles have great spring, the meat and broccoli were perfectly tender and that signature pad see you flavor was well incorporated into everything. We asked for this spicy and they delivered! There's a kick but nothing intolerable if you can take a little spice. A safe choice is you're looking for classic thai food!

Denise V.

Yelp
Thai food is authentic and delicious My favorite Thai food place when in Boston -! Atmosphere is nice; yet they could replace their long time dining chairs .

Kat C.

Yelp
Warm from the inside out! Food is delicious and fresh. Everyone is warm and welcoming. Prices great and menu is extensive.

Nick K.

Yelp
Boneless spare ribs were a bit rubbery, pad Thai was very good, and the beef soup dinner wasn't good. Overall, I think this is a very hit-or-miss place for dinner. I'll try it again but be more cautious with my order!

Kimberly B.

Yelp
Update: placed a large order thru Grubhub for yesterday for 35 people. I have my own office stash of paper plates, napkins & cutlery. I noticed my napkins were low. The King & I on GrubHub does not have the Check Box option to include utensils & napkins etc, so I called the restaurant to ask for paper plates & napkins with the order. The woman gave me attitude & tried to tell me to go thru GrubHub. I had to remind her that I ordered $600 worth of food & was it too much to ask for plates & napkins so we can eat. Again they have terrible Customer Service.

Emma T.

Yelp
I got takeout from here. They open at 4pm on sundays so be aware of that. There was no one in the restaurant but they did have my order ready within 20 min of ordering. I got pad se you with beef and fresh spring rolls. It was good but not the best I've ever had. The spring rolls could have used some sort of protein like shrimp. Additionally the sauce was not the best. Not peanuty enough. The noodles were really good and cooked to perfection. The sauce was decent but again I've had better.

Tim F.

Yelp
Really lovely ambiance with uncrowded table arrangements. Intoxicating smell. Attentive service. Great food. Asked for spicy, got actual spicy. I can find zero faults.

Arthur O.

Yelp
Came here after finding it on Yelp and it was definitely an unexpected gem. I ordered the pad Thai and the pork dumplings and they tasted wonderful. The waitresses were extremely kind and spoke English as well as Thai. The lighting was peaceful and it was not very busy. Definitely would come back!

Andrew G.

Yelp
This place was good. Nothing to really rave about but it hit the spot. Would go here again.

Laura G.

Yelp
Amazing food! I ordered the Penang curry with chicken, the unsweetened Thai ice tea, and mango sticky rice. The curry was amazing, a little spicy, and the portion was excellent. The shuttle basil flavor great. The Thai ice tea was great! I wish more restaurants would offer it without sweetener. It's the tea that come with the Thai ice tea, minus milk sweetener. Mango sticky rice is my favorite dessert, I always order it in a Thai restaurant. I liked how the rice wasn't overtly sweet, and the mangos perfectly ripe.

Jody W.

Yelp
So many negative reviews! Not this one. We were staying nearby and found the King and I on Yelp. Our experience was quite positive - nice people and good food. The complimentary shrimp chips with dipping sauce were nice things to chew on while we waited (not too long) for our soups: hot and sour (tom yum) and coconut soup with chicken (tom kha). Both were very flavorful; my only feedback is that I would have liked the spice level a bit higher on my hot and sour soup. The green curry was excellent. So was the sticky rice. My only issue was that there could have been a bit more sauce for the oh-so-absorbant sticky rice. I'd visit again if I had a hankering for Thai and was in the neighborhood.

Nashema M.

Yelp
What can I say. The best hit and sour and the best pad see you !! Wish they would open next to my house! Love the flavors here! Maybe a tad less cornstarch but such a delicious meal. Definitely try the Thai sangria- it has lychee !!

Steve L.

Yelp
(4 1/2 stars). Had an excellent meal here. The chicken massaman curry and beef pad see you were great. Flavorful, not bland like some Thai places. And the prices are really good, especially for this location. Not a fancy interior but clean and pleasant with good service.

Shuang Z.

Yelp
I decided to give this place a try despite the mediocre review because it's conveniently located in the neighborhood. But I have to say the food reflect the review it got. I ordered three curry dinner dishes. The price is reasonable, ranging from $12-15, but they don't come with rice and portion is small. The curry base is super super diluted, very watery. You can still distinguish among different curries, but they just don't have the mind blowing effects. I will probably still come if I want easy and convenient thai food for dinner, but def won't order here if I'm craving good thai food.

Emily D.

Yelp
Just had lunch here, the food was good. We had the chicken satay, pad see ew of roasted pork, and massaman curry. The place smells a bit funky but I guess it's that typical smell.... the place could be updated since it felt a bit old. The food was good. Our favorite was the roast pork pad see ew.

Amy R.

Yelp
Very good pad Thai. Not my favorite spring rolls though...Just ordered takeout. Staff very nice.

Marcus W.

Yelp
The ribs were delicious! The chicken on a stick was good also! I would order it again! The to-go order was correct had everything I ordered. Was very satisfied with the service!

Richard C.

Yelp
We've been going there for years. It is not "fine" Thai food, but quite adequate. The place needs a brush up as they painted it with weird colors and things look a little run down. The good side is the help is very friendly and for this area of the city quite reasonable.

Deb H.

Yelp
Great little gem with delicious Thai food. Close to Mass General. Quick service. Clean dining area

Dee E.

Yelp
Greetings, I am on a journey to find the best pad thai in the United States. I have been coming to King and I since I was a kid, and decided to try out their pad thai. Their menu says it's their most famous dish, so of course I was very excited to try it. Unfortunately, it disappointed. It was soaked in sauce (it was getting soup-y at the bottom of the plate) and had....alas.....green beans and huge mushroom chunks in it. I do not enjoy either of these vegetables in my pad thai. Unfortunately, this is definitely not the best pad thai in the United States. My journey continues.

Harsh M.

Yelp
The place is nice and quiet. Although their thai food is very good to taste, there are some improvements that can make the food taste delicious. Food: I loved their peanut sauce along with veggie fresh rolls. The Thai broccoli is delicious. The blend of spices in Basil fried rice is very well. However, the tofu was slightly over fried. The pineapple fried rice lacked the right blend of spices. The panang curry was mouth watering, but they could try a provide more curry to go with the rice. If you plan to order any of the above, then perhaps you can ask let them know before hand. Overall the food and service is very good. I would give the extra 1 star for the service. Alcohol: They have a good collection of wine and some nice local Thailand beers.

Eli F.

Yelp
BEST eastern noodles EVER I could be completely full and I would still eat a large plate of these things. SO FREAKING GOOD

A D.

Yelp
The drunken chicken is the very best meal I've ever had since the first time I tried it here 12 years ago! It's also my mother's favorite meal, and we've only ever been able to find it here. I've looked for a similar recipe for years with no luck. Every time I'm near by I try to pick up an order of drunken chicken. As a teenager I used to drive an hour into Boston just for that dish. Still as good as it always was!

Patti M.

Yelp
Have been going to this restaurant for 20 years and tried many others in Boston - it's still my favorite & they make great Thai sangria

Stinky P.

Yelp
Food here wicked pissah! Love the Thai Rolls to start with. So crispy and yummy. Usually opt for the Pad Thai with no Shrimp...or the Beef with Pineapple and veggies...but other things I have had there are good as well. Very well prepared and tasty. Staff there is very efficient and pleasant.

Maggie N.

Yelp
Authentic Thai food served fresh, hot and quickly. Appropriately spiced. Very long current with great variety. Definitely pop in whenever in neighborhood. Four stars not five due to lack of outdoor seating

Jonathan D.

Yelp
I used to like this place. The food was sort of your typical Thai food found around Boston. Nice staff, service etc. Went here often for lunch and takeout. The past couple years though I have tried it on and off, and consistently been unhappy with it. It dropped from a 4-star rating to maybe 2 stars and I stopped opting in on takeout when we would order it for lunch. All my co-workers kept lapping it up though, so I thought I would give it a second, well really a 4th, chance to see if things improved. They haven't. I often get Pad Thai and treat it as a benchmark of sorts. It is a baseline dish that can be found everywhere that isn't terribly complex, but can get a wide range of treatment. The Pad Thai from here has been consistently bad. The rice noodles are broken up into small pieces, the sauce is overly sweet, and the whole mixture is far too wet/goopy with sauce. I don't get the soggy and sweet thing, unless this is some eventual over Americanization of it. The broken up noodles indicate they are just making a giant batch of it in the kitchen at once and then just glomming out scoops of it as the day goes on. To top it off, this last order I tried just straight up smelled bad/rancid. Something had gone off, but nobody was actually bothering to smell or taste what they were making. This is now permanently crossed off my list of places to eat.

Wendy L.

Yelp
A hidden gem that's been around for decades. It's affordable food served and managed by really genuine people. I enjoyed the Pad See You stir fried noodles here, and the regular version still had a spicy kick to me. I would say as long as you order the more authentic dishes, you can't go wrong. I had a craving for scallion pancakes when we paid for our bill so I ordered some to go - the waitstaff was extremely respectful and sweet throughout the dinner, but they were not close to the best scallion pancakes I've had before.

Annilyn T.

Yelp
My first time checking in on yelp but it's actually not my first time in this place. As usual the food is delish. Service for pick up is pretty fast. I don't find in a lot in here but been here a few times already. It's a tiny cozy place that you and your friends would have fun dining in and not to mention the good food that they have.

Anna G.

Yelp
Best Thai place in Boston! Wait staff is super nice and the food is always phenomenal. Highly recommend!!!

Debra L.

Yelp
Hooray for great pad thai at a great price! For quite some time now, I have been on an (ever-important) quest to find a new favorite pad thai closer to home, and I have finally found it. I'm surprised it took me so long to try the King & I because I've definitely heard good things about it in the past. I finally got the chance to fall in love with their pad thai when I had it for lunch this week. For $8.50, their pad thai is sizable enough for two satisfying meals. The texture is delightful, the flavor is my ideal balance of sweet and sour, and it not only came with fresh tasting chicken and shrimp, there was even some delicious dried bean curd added to the mix of proteins. I enjoyed every bite and savored the feeling of finally resolving my ever-important-three-year-long-quest for fantastic pad thai. Needless to say, I am a very happy camper.

Ellie L.

Yelp
One time, I got the food to go. The second time, I got it delivered. Both times, we were satisfied. The meals were delicious. The noodles and veggies were at perfect consistency. The amount of sauce was generous, evenly mixed and flavorful, meaning that we did not end up with bland spots in our noodle and rice dishes (an unfortunately common problem at other Thai places...). Menu includes your standard Thai fare, and some welcome lesser known dishes. We'll be sure to order from the King and I again and again, and sample more of the offerings.

Alexander R.

Yelp
best pad thai in the city!! the ladies are always so welcoming and sweet. great fast service. quality every time

Ashton S.

Yelp
I am overwhelmingly impressed by this restaurant. Cleanest Thai restaurant I have ever been in l. The food came within 5 minutes. I ordered the pad Thai and my expectations were blown away. I would highly recommend. My server was so kind and had much knowledge on the menu. Overall probably the best Thai restaurant I've been to yet.

Mhairi K.

Yelp
saw this place randomly on a walk & decided to stop in! i got the pad see you and ... woah it was delicious. got it with beef and the mild basil (it comes spicy but i was nervous.. i'm a wimp) but it was heavenly. staff was so kind & accommodating. will be coming back

Dawn F.

Yelp
Went and tried a bunch of appetizers - scallion pancakes - supper crispy and delicious, fried dumplings - yummy, chicken satay - very good, boneless spareribs - good, very saucey, Thai broccoli and chicken pad Thai - all was very good! I would definitely go back.

Ed F.

Yelp
Very disappointing experience overall.. Arrived at the restaurant at 8:30.. There were still customers eating in the restaurant. They seated me near the door which was fine. However, while waiting for my meal, the kitchen staff proceeds to drag out large containers of garbage cans thru the dining room to the front door. That's not very visually appealing or sanitary. It didn't just happen once but 3 times. As for the food, I ordered the dumplings and Thai Chicken curry. Neither was very good. The Thai chicken curry was watery and tasteless. I've also never been to an asian restaurant where rice is not served with the entree. I'm fine with that, however, then the waiter should ask if you want rice when as part of your order. I had to wait 5 minutes for the rice while my food was getting cold - and the restaurant was no longer crowded. There are many other choices in the beacon hill neighborhood... I will definitely not be coming back to this restaurant.

Josep B.

Yelp
This is one of my favorite places in Beacon Hill. I live close by so I am a frequent visitor... I always left absolutely satisfied! My two favorite plates are: .- Seafood Royal: Fantastic plate of shrimps, baby scallops and squids paired with baby corns, mushrooms and peas. The plate really comes together thanks to the spicy sauce (mild). You can ask for some brown rice with it as a side that you can then eat with the sauce of the plate... Delicious! .- Vegetable Pad Thai: They elevate the veggie pad thai to another level... definitely a must-try if you have not yet. I personally order it with no egg and it's fabulous!