Manaao - Thai Comfort Food

We finally tried this Thai restaurant that we’ve heard about for a long time, and wow—it completely lived up to the hype. I honestly never thought Thai food could be this good. We ordered a lot (for four people 😅): crab fried rice, pad see ew, soft shell crab papaya salad, fried fish fillet in grilled spicy herb salad, grilled pork jowl, Chu Chee curry with fried catfish fillet, and creamy tom yum shrimp. For dessert, we went all out: durian coconut ice cream, mango sticky rice, coconut ice cream, and Thai pandan custard with coconut ice cream on Cream Pan’s premium white toast. Every single dish was good. Yes, the prices are on the higher side compared to typical Thai restaurants, but once the first dish hit the table, all four of us were like, “Man… this is SO good.” The Chu Chee curry with fried catfish immediately stood out—rich, fragrant, and perfectly balanced. This is definitely not a regular Thai restaurant. Each dish has its own specialty and feels thoughtfully crafted. The portions are generous, which helps justify the price. We ordered so much food and still couldn’t finish everything. Top 4 dishes (savory): 1. Chu Chee curry with fried catfish 2. Grilled pork jowl 3. Fried fish fillet in grilled spicy herb salad 4. Crab fried rice As for dessert, the clear top pick is the durian coconut ice cream—creamy, fragrant, and perfectly balanced. Even if you’re on the fence about durian, this one is a must-try. First time here, but definitely not the last. We’ll be coming back more often, and I heard they’re opening a new location at Irvine Spectrum soon—yay, much closer to me! There are still so many dishes we want to try. Totally worth the price if you ask me.

Came here for dinner. Didn't have to wait long since we got there at a good time before the dinner rush came along. The staff were friendly and attentive. Food came out at a reasonable time and was delicious. The decor is also pretty and modernized too, much more spacious compared to before

Finally got the try this place (I’ve tried before but there’s a huge wait if you don’t go early or waitlist ahead of time) Food: Green curry with beef ribeye - 5/5 The meat and curry was flavorful and the roti was crispy and delicious! Crispy Pork with Pad See Ew - 4/5 Pad see ew was good but crispy pork was under seasoned a bit but it was still crispy and good! Morning Glory - 5/5 One of my favorite veggies to get stir fried! Their menu has so many other dishes and I can’t wait to go back and try more! Service was great! Super attentive and the food came out fast. Restaurant was spacious and had cute decor! Great lighting. Bonus - their Thai tea with lime is so good!!

Was finally able to get a table here after trying a few times previously. we arrived right before they opened and were sat very quickly upon opening. There were lots of items on the menu that were familiar, and lots that I had never seen before at other Thai restaurants. I am a sucker for Thai tea, so when I saw they had a Thai iced green tea on the menu, I had to get it, and it was awesome! As for food, we opted to do family style so that we could try more than just one thing. We started with the roti, which was very good. Then we shared the khao soi with braised beef, crab fried rice, and the creamy tom yum shrimp soup - all of which I found to be fantastic. My favorite was the tom yum, it was the perfect balance of flavors, but all of the dishes were great. For dessert, we saw that they had durian ice cream on the menu, so we opted to try that as we had never had durian before. The ice cream came with a durian on top and it was great! I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to try a variety of Thai dishes. The only setback is that this place is very popular so getting a table is quite difficult if you don’t join the waitlist online or in person immediately when it opens. But, it’s popular for a reason! Very good food and great service!

Manaao in Tustin is a flavor-packed gem, but fair warning: it can get PACKED, so come early if you want a shot at a short wait. I went for the Khao Soi Noodle with soft shell crab, and wow, the soup was so rich and flavorful I slurped it all up once I finished my noodles—no shame. The Thai iced tea was a refreshing companion, and the rice balls in coconut cream with coconut ice cream? Solid. The only downside? Service can be a little slow, and I may or may not have stared at an empty water glass for a while. But hey, the food is worth it! Just brace for the wait and maybe bring a book to pass the time.

solid thai spot with a wide menu representing different regions of thailand. their khao soi has also won best dish 2024 in tustin.

Amazing Thai food. The handwritten notes are just for my personal reference—I hope they’re still readable. Every single one is highly recommended.

The atmosphere and the food was very very good. I will go there again. Just note it is best to make a reservation before hand. Otherwise you might be waiting for a while to be seated. The food does not disappoint so the wait might be worth it. We ordered the Thai Hanaian Rice with chicken, fried chicken, and Drunken noodles with crispy pork belly. For drinks we had Singha Thai beer, sprite and Thai iced tea. Everything was authentic.

Great food at a great price. Highly recommend getting the new Ribs if you're a meat lover. Fall off the bone and so much flavor.

very excellent quality of food. good on timing and the service was great. appreciated the free refills of water every now and then.

Everything was absolutely delicious and service was great! The restaurant is small, so the wait can get quite long. We had a party of 4 on a Thursday and joined the Yelp waitlist when they opened for the day, wait too about an hour and a half but totally worth it! We did family style and ordered a bunch of dishes: khao soi, pad see ew, papaya salad, crying tiger, catfish curry, green curry with roti and coconut ice cream for dessert! Food came so fast, my family was pleasantly surprised. Every single dish was delicious and the staff are very attentive! Really great experience, would highly recommend stopping by.

This place always has a super long wait list but i finally got to try it! I had to order the award winning khao soi. It definitely lived up to its hype! it was honestly so good and flavorful. the beef was super tender and i loved the crunch factor. the crab fried rice was also amazing! i loved how well the crab pieces fit with the egg and rice! the sauce also elevated the flavor of the dish! would def come back to try other dishes or order these two again

OMG! This place is amazing. My wife and I love Thai food. We get Thai at least once a week and are always trying new places. This spot is a gem. The service was great, everyone was so kind and helpful. They recommended some amazing dishes I normally would not have ordered but boy am I glad I listened. We had Mu Grob crispy pork belly (yum!!!), Khao Soi Noodle with Softshell crab (omg! Curry heaven), and Tom Yum Soup with Shrimp (more please!!!). Only downfall is that I wish they were closer to me -- around Laguna Hills or something. This would become my instant regular then. I will be back and I've already been telling friends.

There's the reason this is called the best Thai food in OC. Their basil tofu, roti, curries, and mango sticky rice beer was the perfect meal. Everything was so aromatic and flavorful. Perfect amount of salt in everything. Service was quick as well. However this place is super popular and busy so get on the waitlist and expect about an hour wait.

A nice mix of creative and authentic menu! Strong technical prowess over Hanuman in Costa Mesa, but an equally small and exclusive space. Prepare to wait. The Khao Soi with Soft Shell Crab (4/5) was objectively super delicious. My issue with Khao Soi is the flavor becomes too rich for my palate too soon, but Manaao gives you a little side dish of pickled veggies that help to cut the rich broth. I could have definitely done with more! The Grilled Pork Jowl (5/5) was fatty, tender yet crunchy (as jowl should be), and delicious. A great shareable! They do protein here very well. Next time, I'm more looking forward to the Boat Noodles! Lovely service and environment here, so I will give it another try sometime soon.

You must check in on yelp waitlist. Otherwise you might be waiting quite some time. At 5pm we signed up, then drove over and our table was ready right when we arrived! It's a small place and they clearly try to turn the tables over quickly. Service was good. We ordered the chicken wings app and papaya salad, and green curry with roti for my husband, pad Thai with shrimp for me. The pad Thai came out first, like right away! So I guess they don't do the traditional order of plates. They just brought everything as it was ready. It's fine, just kind of messed with pacing of the meal. But then again, I was glad I had my sweet pad Thai to a balance the spicy papaya salad! Food was so so tasty. Tables are a bit close together for my liking, but like I said it's a small place. Great decor. Also, they need to offer wine or something other than beer. My husband got tea and it came out promptly.

Oh my goodness everything we ate here was AMAZING. Our order: - Crispy Pork Belly - Northeastern Sausage - Chu Chee Curry with Cat Fish - Pork Leg (over rice with Chinese broccoli) The run away hit home run super star was the cat fish curry. Man oh man I never had anything like this. The flavors were exploding and harmonizing on my tongue. Super fun mouth feel with the crispy breading as well. Fish was flaky and not too gamey or fishy. Love love love. Weakest dish was the pork leg. Took a super long time to come out (another server assumed we wanted the check). It was not really worth the long wait time, but I wouldn't tell you not to get it. It was just not as good as everything else we had. Service was also pretty attentive and friendly. Always swinging by to fill our water. Also did not forget about dishes we ordered that had not arrived. Atmosphere is cozy and clean. Beat the rush because there's usually a wait!

Calling it now folks, this place is 1) going to expand to a larger location and 2) going to receive Michelin recognition, it's truly such a gem. Get on that Yelp wait list! The Papaya Salad was freshing, great light sauce to accompany the veggies. Highly enjoyed adding soft shell crab with it. Drunken Noodles was good. Note that if you're used to more of the chinese style of this flat Noodle dish, you'll notice their version is a lot less saucey but still packs a good flavor alongside the crispy pork belly. Got it with medium heat but really couldn't feel it but maybe don't take my word on heat since my version of heat is Carolina reaper! Creamy Tom Yum was my version of heaven. Right notes of sour and sweet. We were excited they had the button mushroom that's more found in southeastern Asian cuisine. The evaporated milk they add was genuis. Not too creamy but this is a must try if you're a Tom Yum fiend. Would also recommend getting the side portion of rice vermicelli to add into your bowl! Expect your water to be constantly refilled and the food to come out quickly. Space was clean albiet small but like I said in the beginning, this place is definitely going to expand with its increasing popularity!

Another Thai restaurant in the OC area! Khao Soi is a must order and honestly one of their better dishes. Other dishes were not necessarily super memorable - they were indeed true to Thai roots but didn't blow my mind.

This restaurant will only accept yelp waitlist online and do not take walk-ins. We came previously on a Friday night and was denied because we didn't do the yelp waitlist online. Be sure to reserve your place in line 1 to 2 hours before you actually plan to eat. The waitlist will close a few hours before closing. That being said, we finally made it in on a Thursday night. The portions are a bit smaller and pricier than our usual Thai spots. The usual common staples of pad Thai and drunken noodles were unimpressive visually. Flavor wise, it had a really nice char "wok" aroma and lacked the usual sauciness of the dish. The shrimp option came with 4 decently sized shrimp per dish. The green curry with the roti was amazing along with the mango sticky rice. The short rib was tender and the roti was the perfect for dipping. The Tom yum mama hot pot felt a little too much like the mama instant noodles I normally made at home. For the $25 price, I'd skip it and make the instant noodle myself. Overall it was an enjoyable meal, but for a hefty $120 bill for 3 people and a 2 hour wait, this may be a one time experience.

We were told the wait was 1 to 2 hrs wait so we decided to order take out instead. This was 6:30pm on a Saturday night. We got our food in about 20 mins. Drunken noodle with pork belly. 3/5. The pork belly was crispy but it didn't have any flavor. The noodle was very plain as well. Crying Tiger. I asked for medium rare but they gave us was well done. 3/5 Papaya salad. 5/5 it was very flavorful. Maybe the food would taste better with dine in! The restaurant is small. I think it is best for 2 people dine in, definitely not for large group. Hard to find parking. I think I will come back to try their other menu items .

10/10 - crab fried rice 9/10 - papaya salad 9/10 - khao soi 7/10 - pad Thai 6/10 - northern sample platter Overall the food was excellent, the only let down was the sample platter as most of it was steamed vegetables (should have looked more closely at the menu before ordering it, which was my mistake). I know this place is known for their khao soi which was super light and yummy, but the crab fried rice really impressed me. Luckily live near this place and was able to put my name on the waitlist a couple hours before and walk over when my table was ready, but definitely be prepared to wait as it is a small establishment. All in all would come back!

Wait was very long but the service was great. Food was delicious. Portions were average. However the pork belly over Chinese broccoli was a bit skimpy just 6 very thin pieces. If I was in the area and the wait wasn't 2 hrs I would consider coming back.

Worth the wait, worth the hype! Manaoo in Tustin serves absolutely delicious Thai food that does not disappoint!! This place is always packed for dinner, from the moment it opens until closing. I do wish it stayed open later, but 9pm seems to be the norm for spots in Tustin. Every time I try to come here for dinner, the Yelp waitlist is PACKED, resulting in a long wait time. I've learned to join the waitlist via the app around 5pm (you need to be within 10 miles to join), as it definitely helps to plan ahead. The star of the show is the Khao Soi, which was named one of LA Times' best dishes of 2023 -- and it absolutely lives up to the hype! The rich, flavorful curry broth with tender noodles is normally something I would find too heavy for my taste buds, but I love the balance of Manaoo's version of it. Everything else on the menu is equally great. I've so far tried the Green Curry with Beef Rib-eye, the Mama Tom Yum Hot Pot and Grilled Pork Jowl and all have been great! Even the classics like Drunken Noodles are solid. Manaoo is an excellent spot, though I do wish it was easier to snag a table. The waitlist for dinner fills up fast, so a spur-of-the-moment visit is tough, but trust me, the food is worth every bit of the effort.

Great flavors and indeed very comforting. However, it's overhyped, overpriced, and I'm over it. Panang Curry: Get It's quite a spicy dish but still very flavorful and enjoyable. I just wish they gave more rice lol Khao Soi: Get It's a very sweet and quite dense noodle soup that does Chiang Mai justice The downfall of this place comes from the long wait, the $20+ price tag per entree and the nonexistent service. We finally went 40 minutes before closing and we still had to wait almost until closing to be seated. We almost never saw our server, never had water refills, and trying to pay and leave took an eternity. Food: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Service: 3/10 Value: 3/10

Came here to see what all the hype was about, and I was not disappointed. I wasn't aware there would be a line in the middle of a weekday, but I highly suggest getting yourself on the waitlist before you head over here--I waited about 45 minutes for a party of 1. I tried two dishes and one drink: Thai Tea - let's get this out of the way. Yuck. Felt like I drank 50% water, 50% Thai Tea. Pad Thai with Pork Belly - this Pad Thai is not the Pad Thai you'd find in other restaurants. Normally you'd find a radiating orange color with an overwhelming taste of tamarind, but Manaao's version is more authentic and something I have only had in Thailand. The noodles were perfectly chewy and tasted more savory than sweet. The pork belly was decent, but a little dry--although expected with fried pork belly. Khao Soi with Chicken - the hype is real with this one. The flavor is rich, the noodle in the curry was soft, the fried noodle was perfectly crispy, the chicken was perfectly tender, and just the right amount of spiciness had me packing up the Pad Thai and finishing this instead. If you have to pick between this and Pad Thai, pick this. The restaurant itself is small for the amount of people they have coming in and out of this place. I ended up being moved mid-meal because they needed my table and a small table in a corner became available for me to sit lol. Service was pretty decent, but they were so busy, the hospitality that you'd expect from a Thai restaurant was completely missing. Overall, the food was very good (I will be coming back for their Khao Soi), the restaurant itself was clean, but don't come here expecting an authentic Thai welcome or service. If I were to rate this place on the Khao Soi alone, I'd give it 5 stars, but with the Thai Tea being seriously disappointing and the service being... unusual, I stand by my 3 stars. Maybe next visit will change my mind.

I did takeout order and it took about 20 mins. The wait for a table was over an hour on a Saturday afternoon. I got Pad See Ew, Pad Thai, and a Thai ice coffee. The Pad See Ew and Pad Thai was suppose to be pork but not sure if it really was, especially comparing what we got to the other Pork Pad See Ew and Pad Thai pictures. The Pad See Ew did have a nice char to the noodles and it was flavorful. But the Pad Thai was the completely opposite. It was lacking the basic Pad Thai flavors and the color. Very disappointing. Doubt I'll be back to give it another shot

Manaao is a Thai restaurant located in Tustin, CA. My friend and I went there a while ago and really enjoyed the food. I thought it was close to authentic and definitely one of the better Thai spots in Orange County. The portion sizes were very large and can definitely be shared between people. Service was very attentive with very reasonable prices and a wide selection of items. Khan Soi: Our main purpose of going to Manaao was because my friend @klyeats loves Khao Soi a lot. We wanted to compare it to other Thai spots in OC, like Hanuman. I personally really enjoyed the Khao Soi here. I got the beef which was super tender and melted in my mouth. Broth was thick, rich and creamy. Very similar to what you can find in Thailand. Very solid dish. Portion was extremely large though, can be split between two people because of how heavy the nature of this dish is. 8/10 Thai Chicken Wings: This was just average. Tasted like basic Thai chicken wings you can find in Thailand. Nothing special. Would not order again. 7/10

tldr: food was good but didn't blow my mind for the price. The tom yum hot pot was my favorite dish! For 4 people, we ordered papaya salad, crying tiger, drunken noodles, crab fried rice, tom yum hot pot, and mango sticky rice (big back i know haha) Papaya salad was not my favorite, the fish sauce was overpowering and didn't give me the "fresh" taste i usually expect. Crying tiger was overcooked (the menu states medium rare/medium but this was well done to me) and quite tough. However, the sauce it came with was delicious and the salad was a nice respite from the heat Drunken noodles were pretty good, not too spicy and well seasoned. I would order that again but maybe not with the crispy pork belly (wasn't too impressed...i think regular pork or tofu would've been better) Crab fried rice was good, would also order again. The sauce it came with had a nice kick and cut the richness of the crab Tom yum hot pot was the star of the show. It was packed with ingredients and the river prawn was huge. Sour, sweet, spicy, the soup was great and I liked the addition of the noodles! Honestly one of the best tom yums ive had (but pricey!!) Mango sticky rice was okay but i probably wouldnt order again! Restaurant is on the smaller side so there was a wait, but we joined the waitlist while shopping at tustin marketplace so it wasn't too bad. I think it blew up on socials recently so lots of people are curious!! But vibes are good, service is good, bathroom is clean. Checks all the boxes but expect a pretty hefty bill at the end!

This is hands down one of the best Thai restaurants I've had in SoCal. Ambiance was well lit and clean with very wholesome eclectic decor. Thai hospitality is always superior and the staff were incredibly attentive and efficient here. We visited on a Friday night and thank the food gods for Yelp Waitlist because we were able to get on the waitlist an hour before while we were around the area. There was no proximity limit and the wait time was pretty accurate!!! I decided not to go with my typical Thai orders like Pad Thai, Pad See Ew or Crying Tiger. This place specializes in some pretty unique dishes you can't get elsewhere so my partner and I shared two of the more popular dishes and a dessert. CHU CHEE CURRY + FRIED CATFISH FILET - came here specifically for this dish. If you've never had it just know you're missing out because catfish and curry is a DYNAMIC combination. The curry flavor was rich and flavorful and pairing that with deep fried catfish was one of the best bites. My only complaint is I wish it had more curry so I'd ask for more of that next time. KHAO SOI NOODLE + SOFT SHELL CRAB - The soft shell crabs were plump and hearty and complimented the noodles sooo well. The broth was creamy, decadent and had the perfect amount of spice and magical Thai flavors. RICE BALLS IN COCONUT CREAM + COCONUT ICE CREAM - this was decadent and satisfying. The ice cream melted into the coconut cream and the textures of the rice balls were so comforting. Their dessert option was plentiful and I can't wait to try more the next time! If we were to make any comparisons, I'd 1000% choose this over Hanuman Thai any day. Tip: always check for wait times on Yelp and get on the waitlist BEFORE you arrive to the restaurant!

Came here on a Saturday, signed up for the waitlist, and waited about 20-30 minutes for a table. Which is understandable, given that we did go on a Saturday night. The place had elements that reflect traditional Thai aesthetics, such as warm colors, wooden accents, and possibly Thai-inspired decor. It is very beautiful inside. I don't think the dishes are meant for "family style" but we made it work. We ordered the following items: - green curry with beef ribeye and roti: the meat was thin and juicy - khao soi noodle with braised beef - beef was tender and the noodles were amazing -fried chicken wings gai tod sauce - sauce was very savory and paired well with the wings -pad see ew Drinks: we had the regular iced Thai tea and the green iced Thai tea, both 10/10 Dessert: We had mango sticky rice. Not sure if it was intentional, but the rice was in the shape of a heart which was really cute. Overall, this place was great. Can't wait to come back!

Title: A Thai Delight at Manaao Thai Comfort Food Rating: From the moment I stepped into Manaao Thai Comfort Food, the cozy ambiance invited me in for what turned out to be a remarkable dining experience. The highlights of my meal included the Thom Yum Soup and the Crying Tiger, both of which I highly recommend. The Thom Yum Soup was a delightful surprise with its delicious shrimp paired with a broth that was creamier than it appeared. The broth was rich with flavor, and the unique mushrooms added a delightful texture that made each spoonful a pleasure. As for the Crying Tiger, it was cooked to perfection. The meat was tender and flavorful, enhanced greatly by a superb dipping sauce that added just the right kick to the dish. Thank you, Manaao, for a memorable meal. I'll certainly be back for more! (a-ròi mâak)!

After watching Rockstar Eater's YouTube video, I had to check this place out, and it was definitely a gem in the OC!! And this time it was already my second visit within a month! In the two visits, I tried most of the recommended dishes so far: Khao Soi with Soft Shell Crab, Holy Basil & Chili, Crab Fried Rice, Papaya Salad, Chu Chee Curry + Fried Catfish Filet, Thai Iced Green Tea, Manaano Thai Iced Tea, Mango Sticky Rice, and Coconut Ice Cream. There were no dishes that I didn't like, all were excellent. The service was excellent too. But be sure to be here early, or expect a long wait, as I did during my second visit (came here 7 min after it opened, and I ended up waiting for over 50 minutes). Also, loved the clean contemporary but casual vibe. Highly recommended, and I will definitely come back, and soon too!

I tried so so so so hard to love this place ... but at the end of the day; it was just average for me. I've read all the hype. I even re read the reviews while eating the food. Maybe it was because I got it to go rather than dine-in, but man, this place just didn't hit the spot. It's totally possible that people usually have a long wait which causes them to get super duper hungry so maybe that's why they be lovin da food even more - but I got takeout and maybe that's why I wasn't impressed. Flavors are indeed authentic, but just not enough of that poppin omg so good good, more like omg so average so average vibes. I ordered 4 items. Khao soi noodles. This was supposedly the number 1 item here. I read all the reviews about how it was picked as LA number 1 choice and all this other hype. But this was just ... blah. A bit spicy. A bit of curry flavor. Yes, it has soft beef that was tender. But the overall flavor of the broth just wasn't omg. To be honest, I didn't even finish it. Prob only ate half. Granted, I'm comparing it to legit Thai food in Vegas or LA, but this just wasn't omg. 3/5 stars at most. Papaya salad - 2/5 stars. Bland. Bland bland. The papaya itself had a nice crunch to it, but the sauce and the soft shelled crab and everything else I really just wasn't impressed. I freaking love papaya salad but I've had way better in neighboring cities. Pad Thai - yeah this was good. 3/5. It wasn't omg I gotta come back here and order this again. But it was something that I can prob finish or at least share family style. It's not as flavorful as other places, but it was just missing that "umph!" I really like pad Thai but I honestly expected something better from here since the reviews were so high. Crab fried rice - 3/5 stars. Yeah this was good. Fried rice. Lots of eggs. Good amount of crab meat. This item I would say was good. I can eat this prob once a month during lunch or something. Throwing some of that green sauce adds a bit of flavor to it also. It has a seafood shellfish smell to it, which I like because I love crab haha. Overall - would I come back here? Nah. These dishes are pricey. In all honesty, for a Thai place, it's high. $18-$20 per plate. More than other spots. I spent $85 for 4 items and wasn't satisfied. I might have preferred Thai spice or some franchise chain. I honestly really tried to love this place but it just didn't appease my pallet. Oh - service was good. I was greeted as soon as I entered. Anyway, hoping I'm just the odd man out - and that my food just happened to be the one-off situation.

This Thai gem has been on my radar since it first sprouted up, and boy, am I kicking myself for not getting here sooner! It's a very cozy vibe! A birthday brunch with my besties was the perfect excuse to finally dive into this culinary wonderland. Sure, the wait for our party of seven was longer than a Thai monsoon, but let me tell you, it was so worth it! We dove into a feast fit for Thai royalty. The Crying Tiger had us roaring with delight, the Crispy Pork Jowl Jerky was so flavorful, and don't even get me started on the Papaya Salad with Pork Belly- that was so refreshing! And speaking of explosions, the Chu Chee Catfish Curry was a bomb of deliciousness. But wait, there's more! We slurped down Thai Boat Noodles like there was no tomorrow, savored every bite of Khao Soi with Duck Leg, and the Yum Ribeye Beef Salad? Let's just say it made us forget we were in a restaurant and not a tropical paradise. And desserts? We didn't hold back. From mango sticky rice to Durian with coconut ice cream, we practically rolled out of there in food coma bliss. I'm already planning my return trip with my little family because I simply cannot get that Lao Style Papaya Salad out of my head--it's like a love affair in a bowl! Haha! In short, this place is a Thai food lover's dream come true, and I can't wait to keep exploring their mouthwatering menu. Thai-riffic times ahead, folks!

Not great order two drinks and two entrees and the price was around $80 for take out. The dishes were small and the flavors were muted not what I look for in Thai food. Also we ordered their namesake Thai iced tea and it not drinkable. Tasted like a syrup. We were expecting an elevated Thai tea and it definitely wasnt.

Finally made it to Manaao after hearing such great things last year. Ordered pad see ew with tofu, soft shell crab with curry powder, papaya salad, panang curry, crab fried rice and sautéed morning glory. Everything was delicious! My favorite was the soft shell crab which was crunchy and so tasty. I always order papaya salad; we ordered it with medium spice and it had a nice "kick." Not a single dish disappointed. Service was friendly and they were super fast. Portions were reasonable. The restaurant is not very large so be sure to get on the Yelp waitlist before arriving. Decor is modern and everything was clean.

I'm so glad I got the chance to try Manaao. I've been back twice now and I can't wait for the next time. Service/Ambiance: Service is typically friendly and fast, which I love. The decor of the place is tasteful and the compliments the green and gold theme they have going on. The dishes range around $18 and up, similar pricing to Hanuman Thai Eatery. I would come here for a nice lunch or dinner, not a very casual lunch. Food Consensus: The food was tasty. I've tried the drunken noodles with shrimp, khao soi with beef, tom yum goong, crab fried rice, and crying tiger. My favorites were the khao soi with beef and the crab fried rice. The flavors of the khao soi were perfect, I wouldn't change it at all. And the beef, omg. It was so tender it melted in my mouth. It paired well with the curry noodles. The crab fried rice was one of best I've ever had. They did not skimp on the crab and they seasoned the fried rice just right. I also loved the green sauce they included, it had a little zesty and spicy kick. The tom yum goong was good but not my favorite because it was a bit too sweet for me. It was creamier than other Tom yum goongs I've had in the past. The drunken noodle was my least favorite, which sucks because it's my favorite dish. I felt like it didn't have enough flavor and was lacking a bit of char. I wouldn't order this again. The crying tiger was good. It wasn't the best I've had but that's okay. Overall, I think Manaao has some amazing dishes. I can't wait to try some more and see what other gens they have on the menu.

Every dish was so flavorful , definitely will be coming back again ! Came with family and everyone really liked all the dishes!

I got takeout here on my way up the 5. On a Saturday at night, there was no way to get a seat without a wait. Takeout will do. I got the most famous dishes. I'm not an expert at Thai food but this was better than average Thai food. I got the khao soi which was very creamy with tender noodles. It's $8 extra for soft shell crab where they give you a generous portion. I also got the Lao papaya salad which was fresh, funky, and sour. My third order was the crab fried rice; the crab was fresh and it was very savory to eat. Lastly, I got the pork jowl since it's popular according to Yelp. It was an interesting texture with good sauces. I don't think I would get it again since that crunchy kind of meat texture is odd to me but it was unique. It was almost $100 for these 4 dishes. Pretty pricey but the flavors are great!

If this review was just based on the food I had last night, Manaao would absolutely get a 5 star rating! But when I also include the ambiance and the service, then it's a solid 4. Make sure you put your name on the Yelp waiting list before you leave for this restaurant. On a Friday night, our wait was almost 2 hours. Small, clean, brightly lit restaurant. The service is quick and curt. Not friendly but they're definitely working hard. We ordered: * LA Times best dish - absolutely the best dish of the night! Soft & crunchy noodles. I could barely taste the braised beef, but the yellow curry soup is the showstopper here * Pad Se Eww with crispy pork belly - well executed but nothing exciting * Roti (that we dipped in the heavenly yellow curry soup) - so yummy * Papaya Salad - very refreshing with a sharp spicy bite on the finish - not a favorite of mine, but my friends loved it * Crying Tiger - tender ribeye cooked to a nice rare/med rare temperature with an accompanying slightly spicy sauce (quality meat) * Beef Panang Curry - very lemongrass forward, wouldn't order again. Next time I want to try the Holy basil. FYI- Limited beer selection; no other alcohol options & the parking lot in the strip mall has way too few spaces The chef personally thanked us on our way out (I recognized him from newspaper articles) and his wife greeted us on the way in to dinner. Lovely personal touch.

Five stars for amazing khao soi! This is honestly my favorite Thai dish and it's so hard to find places that make it good in LA/OC area. My boyfriend and I got lucky because we arrived to the restaurant around a super busy time, but they had a small table available and no other people on the waitlist has arrived yet. We were able to snag the table with 80+ parties on the waitlist. The interior of the restaurant was so cute! Lime wallpaper decorated the entire place and they even had cute lime plushies. The noodles were absolutely amazing although I wish the portion was a little bigger. The chicken wings were pretty good as well and tasted really good dipped in the khao soi curry broth. The pork jowl was also pretty good if you're looking for a crispy fried dish. Overall we had a very good time at this restaurant and just feel glad that we did not have to wait over an hour to try it out.

This was on our Tustin Bucketlist and what an experience. From the ambience to the beer to the food to the service. Everything was amazing the fact that we had to get on the waitlist and wait 2 hours. We loved the crab fried rice and the pad Thai. Their chilli oil was also amazing!! Last not least, the mango sticky rice bought it all together. We are coming here again.. and again..

This charming, albeit modest, Thai restaurant offers a delightful dining experience. Despite its unassuming appearance, it is consistently well-attended. The establishment is aesthetically pleasing, meticulously maintained, and exudes a contemporary ambiance. While dine-in visits have often resulted in extended wait times due to its popularity, I opted for takeout on this occasion. The customer service provided was exceptionally courteous and polite, reflecting the commendable hospitality commonly observed in Thailand. The culinary offerings were delectable and remarkably authentic. Although the pricing may be considered slightly elevated, the exceptional quality of the food justifies the expense. I intend to return for an in-person dining experience in the future.

Bookmarked this spot after seeing them showcased via an Instagram reel. We arrived 45 mins after they opened on a Sunday and were disheartened to see there was already an hour wait. We were thisclose to leaving but glad we decided to wait it out. My favorite dish was definitely the Khao Soi with softshell crab which is rarely offered at Thai spots. The crab fried rice was fantastic and especially with the sauce that comes with it. It had plenty of crab. The clams with holy basil sauce was my husband's favorite. Even though it was spicy for him, my 9yr old also loved it and ate up most of it. Beef pad see ew was very solid. Thai tea was solidly delicious and not too sweet. We ended our meal with the Mango sticky rice which came with mini pitcher of warm coconut milk which we initially tried to limit but ended up pouring it all in eventually. The service was attentive and fantastic for a busy Sunday. Our dishes also came out super quick. We usually head to Thai town when we're craving authentic Thai food and glad we have a new go-to spot in the OC. Knew off the bat this place was legit with no American broccoli in their dishes. Looking forward to coming back with my Thai in-laws to try more of our favorite Thai dishes and will definitely join the Yelp wait list on the way there next time!

Just wow. Like many others, I've been wanting to try Manaao for a while, ever since I saw it on social media. My fiance's sister was able to join the waitlist for us at 5:30 pm on a Friday evening, and we arrived about an hour later. We still had to wait a bit, but the waitlist helps soooo much especially since you can join as long as you're within the 10 mile radius. The restaurant is cozy with just a couple people serving the entire restaurant. There are so many items on the menu we wanted to try, but we held back and just got the khao soi and green curry. Both dishes were AMAZING. I had khao soi not too long ago at another famed Thai spot in OC, and Manaao's blew it out of the water. I love that you can choose your meat. The green curry was spicy (we got medium) and amazing with the roti. We also got the rice balls for dessert, and it was soooo fresh. Literally best rice balls I've ever had. I can't wait to bring other people here, but hopefully the hype dies down before then haha

This definitely is my top 3 thai food i've ever tried. Food tasty, servers friendly, the place is a bit small not sapcious. Will totally visit again

Arrived right before opening based on the reviews mentioning that this place gets pretty busy. Shortly after we sat down in the cozy restaurant and placed our order, there was a line already forming. The food and drink was good. I can't wait to come back and try different items. The Tom Kha beer is a wheat ale beer that tasted like a hint of Tom Kha soup. The standouts were the pad thai and green curry with beef ribeye & roti. The shrimp on the pad thai was delicious, big, and deveined. The roti paired really well with the curry. The other items we ordered were pad see ew and tom saab with braised beef soup.

I was excited to try this place because of the stellar reviews, but the food was just okay at best. The staff is friendly though. If you don't waitlist through Yelp ahead of time, the wait time for seating is 1-2 hours. Totally not worth it. I eat a lot of delicious authentic Thai food because of my wife and her mom. I would say the flavors here are authentic, but the technique wasn't great. I was initially hoping for Thai Town in Hollywood quality, but there are even better places in Orange County... Holy Basil and Chili Crispy Pork: 3/10 This is one of my favorite Thai dishes, but this was very disappointing. The pork was not crispy at all! The sauce was okay, but this wasn't worth it. Tuk Tuk Thai not too far from here makes this way better. Thai Omelette with Shrimp: 5/10 This was okay... My wife's mom cooks this dish much better and I learned how to make it too. It's not hard to make. A good Thai omelette is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. This was not it. Thai Boat Noodle: 3/10 The noodles were overcooked and soggy. The broth itself was okay.

Food was amazing! Place was very cozy with a cute interior. The staff was super helpful in providing recommendations as well. Definitely try the khao Soi. The chicken breasts were huge pieces!! It was so flavorful and we got roti to dip the curry in it. Also tried the mama Tom yum (with mama noodles). Between 2 people this was so much food! Would come back to try other items on the list

My SIL is in town from Boston and we introduced her to Manaao 2 nights ago. She ordered the Pad See Ew with Crispy Pork, I ordered my usual Crab Fried Rice and my hubs, his usual Khoi Soi. SIL loved her dish and tried a little of my fried rice. She loved it so much that she requested to come back again today. Aside from Crab Fried Rice, we also ordered Pad Thai with Shrimp and Fried Chicken Wings. We tried a new dessert that is a must order: Rice Balls in Coconut Cream + Coconut Ice Cream. This is a combination of 2 traditional Thai desserts. We were in heaven with this!!!

Manaao has some of the best Thai food I've had the pleasure of eating recently. I had such a huge Thai craving on a random Sunday and had to go try this spot out. Their waitlist can be accessed from anywhere so make sure to jump on before you get there! On to the food! Their selection has a ton of variety and features some of the best Thai dishes you can think of. We went with their pork jowl, pad Thai, crab fried rice, khao soi, and their creamy Tom yum soup. All of these tastes great, but the one that stood out the most is their crab fried rice. That one is a 10/10. A must try! Everything else is great too. Their Thai iced coffee was also a great buy. Overall, I would definitely come back!

Excited to try this new Thai spot nearby! We ordered the khao soi noodle with beef along with holy basil and chili with shrimp. Khao soi noodle was delicious with a flavorful broth! The beef was quite fatty, so ultimately left most of that behind - but the noodles and broth were very delicious. The Holy Basil was shrimp was quite small, I think there were 5 shrimp total on the dish, so seemed quite small and not filling for a full portion (particularly if you are ordering family style)

Vegetarian/vegan review: Stir-fried morning glory: 5/5 - slightly charred, delicious, garlicky and super flavorful. Drunken Noodle (Pad Kee Mao): 2/5 - Disappointing in comparison flavorwise. Pretty tasteless. Plenty of fried tofu but that was bland too. I ended up dipping a lot of it in the morning glory sauce. My guess is they took out whatever fishy sauce used to make the dish and didn't sub it with something veggie friendly to still make it tasty. If you are vegetarian/vegan, make sure to specifically request! They do not mess around with spice level either so if you have any doubts about your spice tolerance, go with a more conservative level. Was pretty slow at the beginning to get our orders in and then get waters but then service was pretty attentive after that. They were eager to take our plates away even when we weren't done eating so it did feel a bit like they were hawking over us but I get it, it's a super busy place. No more free Thai iced tea for check-in probably because business is booming without it. TL:DR - not a great place for vegetarians but if I do appreciate that they at least have some options. If you do get dragged along by your meat eating friends, get the morning glory!

We found out about Manaao from its LA Times feature with their khao soi being of the best dishes in 2023. Since we've been on the hunt for great Khao Soi in LA, we just had to try it. The greatest con to Manaao is their wait time because of how small the place is (not ideal for big groups) and the slow turnover. The most common wait time is about an hour. If you don't want to wait, definitely get there by their opening time which is at 11am. Either that, or utilize their Yelp waitlist (only works when you're less than 5 miles away) and wait in the car. But definitely the wait is worth it. Their Thai dishes are simple but of high quality. Must haves are the crab fried rice (you can really taste the crab!), pad see ew with crispy pork belly (the flavor of pad see ew is not overly sweet, and has a smokey flavor to it), Khao soi (one of the best ones we've had, flavor and richness are there), green curry with roti (flavor is amazing, just wish there were more veggies in it. I thought the northeastern sausage was pretty good. It's the first time I've tried something like it. It has rice, herbs inside the sausage. It tasted herby, fresh and is a great accompaniment to all the other rich dishes. I also really like the rice balls as desserts, you can probably skip the coconut ice cream since it wasnt as creamy as we'd like. We hope they expand their dessert menu for more options! This is definitely one of our go-to Thai restaurants and a place we'd highly recommend to anyone. We can't wait to try out their other dishes.

First time at Manaao for a business lunch meeting with a colleague. Seeing reviews of the restaurant mentioning long lunch lines, we decided to arrive early (10:50am). Surprisingly we weren't the only early guests but we were the first seated as soon as the doors opened at 11am. Our server was training another server. They both greeted us warmly and offered suggestions from the menu after we mentioned it was our first time here. We started with the papaya salad and expected the Khao Soi and Pad See Ew to arrive after the salad appetizer, but it didn't. They all arrived at the same time which made us feel a tad pressured, but seeing how the restaurant packed out in less than 30mins we changed our minds. Lol Salad and Pad see Ew were amazing and while the Khao Soi was pretty good, I've had better. It was missing an ingredient or another level or depth of flavor that I just couldn't put my finger on. But I knew it was missing. For those wondering, Khao Soi has a creamy coconut milk yellow curry slurry kind of consistency. It's not quite a soup, but not a stew either. It's generally SO comforting and delicious, but I wasn't disappointed by Manaao's either--It still hit the spot. Since the restaurant appears to be very popular and is bustling during lunch, I'd suggest arriving just before they open to ensure quick seating and prompt service. Will definitely be back to try some other Thai favorites of mine. Bon Appetit!

Been seeing this all over social media and it's decent! The line was about an hour on a Saturaday at 5:30, so definitely get here as early as possible. I recommend getting onto the Yelp wait list ASAP. The plaza is pretty small with limited parking but it shouldn't be an issue if you're early- the ambiance is super colorful and cute. We tried the Pad Thai and the Green curry. The pad thai wasn't as saucy as we thought it would be and wasn't as flavorful as we would've expected. However, the green curry w/ roti was solid! Definitely flavor packed and the right balance of spice. Not sure if it's possible, but would recommend subbing roti with rice since rice is an extra 4$.

Love this somewhat new Thai restaurant. They have been opened for a little over a year. Their food tastes fresh and well seasoned. Love their pad se ew, Khao Soi with beef and panang curry with beef. The restaurant looks clean and the service is great. Food came pretty fast even when the place is packed with people! We had already came back three time within a