Payakk
Thai restaurant · Merriwood ·

Payakk

Thai restaurant · Merriwood ·

Inventive Thai cuisine with stunning decor and attentive service

Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null
Payakk by null

Information

5761 Thornhill Dr, Oakland, CA 94611 Get directions

$30–50

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Information

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5761 Thornhill Dr, Oakland, CA 94611 Get directions

+1 510 844 4101
payakk.com

$30–50 · Menu

Reserve a table

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reservations

Last updated

Dec 12, 2025

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Payakk - Review - Montclair - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"For charcoal-grilled pork neck, stir-fried noodles with crab and salted egg yolk, and green curry with ribeye, check out Payakk. The casual Thai restaurant in Montclair also has shokupan toast with mango sticky rice or corn cream for dessert." - Julia Chen

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/payakk
Payakk

Curtis

Google
Prepare to get mind blown with the food here. This is best Thai Food in all of Oakland, and possibly entirety of California. Their dishes tasted similar if not better than ones in Thailand and Thai town LA. Everything from the great service, ambiance, decor of restaurant and attention to detail for dishes was phenomenal. Their chefs did an amazing job at finding the perfect balance of saltiness, fatty and acidity. The sweetness level here is perfect, not too sweet compared to other Thai restaurants. 10/10 would come here again. The decor is absolutely stunning here, wish I took some photos. Definitely perfect for a date night or just dining in for delicious Thai food. I believe they also serve alcohol, but they did not have any today. must try standout dishes: Pork Jowl, Steak and Garlic Rice and Massamun Curry.

Sam

Google
Highly recommend a reservation. The food was good, but my favorite dish was the Sea Bass Curry and the Sai-Ouwa. Everything was tasty and I love the vibes of the restaurant. Giving me retro and eclectic decor. I would definitely return.

M N.

Google
The ambience and decor are beautiful — warm lighting, modern Thai style, and a cozy vibe that makes you want to stay longer. It’s the kind of place that feels both relaxed and upscale at the same time.

Michael G.

Google
Payakk is so good! An elevated Thai restaurant, the dishes are inventive and elevated. The flavors of each dish really come through. And let’s be honest, it’s hard to beat a solid Pad Thai, which Payakk does fantastically well with its jumbo shrimp and fried softshell crab. Will absolutely be going back, so glad to have another great dining option in the neighborhood.

Neal C.

Google
We live in the neighborhood and were lucky enough to stumble upon them during their soft opening. Everything from the food, to the service, to the atmosphere was magical. We will definitely be back!

CAROLYN P.

Google
Exciting new neighborhood restaurant! Warm and inviting ambience, amazing fresh and innovative food, great service! We ordered Green Lady Tiger Curry, Tamarine Chicken Wings, Jor Pu and the Mango Sticky Rice Toast Bar for dessert! Enjoyed everything we ordered and we will definitely be back. Highly recommend Payaak!

Debbie M

Google
Everything we ordered was incredibly delicious with complex flavors! Each dish was artistically and beautifully presented. The service was attentive and efficient. Bank, our waiter was delightful. We ordered the mushroom curry puffs, which consisted of 3 super yummy large puffs. The shrimp satay consisted of perfectly cooked shrimp. The Pad Thai Chaiya was fabulous with a deep fried soft shell crab on top. The Green Lady Tiger Curry had so much tender medium rare rib eye steak that we can make 2 meals out of it. The eggplant in the dish went really well with the green curry. We’re excited to have a great restaurant in the neighborhood!! I enthusiastically recommend Payakk!! Go enjoy a really wonderful meal in a warm and colorful environment!

Adam W.

Google
Well Payakk, I will be bayack for more. The food is phenomenal. The atmosphere is great. The service was perfect. What a great new spot!

Amy K.

Yelp
Beautiful ambience and exceptional cuisine. I fully recommend this restaurant and hope it gets the recognition/patronage it needs to survive because it's a true gem
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Joshua M.

Yelp
Exceptional food, great service, uniquely charming ambiance. I'd go as far as having a special date here, great with friends, family, but definitely charming all around. Food is great to share, dessert is fantastic. Overall an insanely slept on restaurant. It's a hidden gem in Oakland tucked away in the hills. The chef is incredible. Best Thai food I've had in the US.
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Audrey M.

Yelp
Tried Payakk for the first time and really enjoyed it! The decor is cozy and very inviting. The location is a bit random, but there's plenty of street parking. We were promptly seated, and the staff was very friendly throughout our meal. The food was AMAZING --the pad thai was to die for, and the mushroom puffs were super flaky and delicious. I'd come back for those two dishes alone. We also had the grilled green beans, which were yummy as well. My only disappointment was that they don't offer cocktails! If they did (especially something fun and cute to match the vibe!), I'd definitely stop in more often for an after-work meal/drink. They do have a small wine selection, which is nice, but if they had cocktails this restaurant would be a '5' for me. Overall, a cozy spot with great food and service--I'll definitely be back!
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Debbie M.

Yelp
Everything we ordered was incredibly delicious with complex flavors! Each dish was artistically and beautifully presented. The service was attentive and efficient. Bank, our waiter was delightful. We ordered the mushroom curry puffs, which consisted of 3 super yummy large puffs. The shrimp satay consisted of perfectly cooked shrimp. The Pad Thai Chaiya was fabulous with a deep fried soft shell crab on top. The Green Lady Tiger Curry had so much tender medium rare rib eye steak that we can make 2 meals out of it. The eggplant in the dish went really well with the green curry. We're excited to have a great restaurant in the neighborhood!! I enthusiastically recommend Payakk!! Go enjoy a really wonderful meal in a warm and colorful environment!
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Steffy W.

Yelp
The ambience and decor of the space was so hip, I felt severely underdressed. It's a cozy spot with ~10 two-tops, a couple of four-tops and one large table in the back that sits 8. It was empty when we showed up for our 5pm reservation. Food came out super fast. By the time we left at 5:45, only one other table was dining. As all reservations for the rest of the night was gone, I assume it's going to be hopping by 6pm. The beef stew curry was tasty. The meat was tender and flavourful. But be warned, it has a bit of a kick. So if your kiddo is not ready for spicy yet, order something else. The pad Thai was not your typical noodle dish. This was super fancy!! Topped with a soft shell crab, there were crab meat and shrimp. They plated it with a drizzle of coconut milk on the plate's edge. Was super tasty and flavourful.
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Peter C.

Yelp
I was excited to see a new restaurant opening up in the sleepier side of Montclair. I went there for a Thursday night dinner. I was impressed with the decor. It has hipster retro vibes - indoor plants, retro posters, turntable and LPs. The menu was interesting for a Thai restaurant. Items not usually seen at other Thai places. The prices were typical for higher end Thai cuisine. $$ is about right. It's not as expensive as Daughter Thai in the Village. We ordered 2 apps and a main. From the menu description I was expecting decent portions. My gripe was the size of the apps. The food was good but I wish there was more. The main Picanha dish was decent sized at $45 but I wish the accompanying rice was not super spicy. A menu warning would be good. Overall I would try the restaurant again when they get their liquor license and try other dishes.

Richard A.

Yelp
The food is incredible. Much more diverse then other Thai restaurants. The service is excellent. And the ambiance is stylish. A+
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Laura M.

Yelp
This is such a wonderful addition to our neighborhood. The decor is so stylish and we had a great meal. The Pad Thai with soft shell crab was maybe the best Pad Thai I've ever had. A great date night spot. Looking forward to eating our way through the menu.
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Jesse L.

Yelp
Beautiful setup with a variety of comfortable and cute tables, just love the whole setup and lighting and feel of being inside. The chilean seabass and pad thai with crab were especially outstanding, and we also shared a delicious custard with pear. All around great dinner and place to linger.

Hina P.

Yelp
Super great crab curry (seasonal) but please consider takeout as a majority of your neighborhood has little kids and it's much more convenient ... would probably order weekly if they do and I know other families that would too!
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Bruce B.

Yelp
This place just opened so I stopped by on my way and got the mushroom Nam prik to go. It was excellent! Great blend of flavors between salad type ingredients and the mushrooms. It's a great appetizer or just as easily, a great side dish. The people are really nice, a Thai family and the place has beautiful ambience, along with a good selection of jazz albums they play on their turntable. The real deal! I will return with a friend and eat there. Can't wait.
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A L.

Yelp
Newly open small & cute neighborhood restaurant. They may be in a soft launch as they still need to work out the details- more waitstaff & kitchen timing of dishes when their tables are packed. All dishes were delicious & flavorful. Ambiance was warm & inviting. Friendly service. This restaurant will likely gain high interest soon so make your reservations now.

My P.

Yelp
I was really looking forward to trying this place, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment. The food completely lacked flavor and substance. Portions looked like they were trying to imitate fine dining, but it just felt forced and pretentious. We even had to order some dishes twice because the portions were so small. Every item was overpriced and not worth it. I expected something unique and flavorful, but it was all aesthetics with no real taste. I've been to many Thai restaurants, and this is honestly the first one that truly disappointed me. The presentation might impress some, but good food should speak for itself and this one didn't. Definitely not worth the hype or the price.
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Sam S.

Yelp
Great cozy vibe, very nice service and fantastic food. We had the green curry with steak and the pad Thai. Both were very good. Would def come back again

Betty H.

Yelp
My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here last night. The ambience is cozy and artful, the service attentive and the food beautifully prepared. A lot of care and attention has gone into creating a beautiful meal experience. Even my 8 yo daughter enjoyed her coconut crab noodle kid dish, which came w huge, flaky chunks of crab meat. Highly recommend the Chilean sea bass served in an aromatic, light broth and the spicy and savory sliced grilled beef dish. Every table was reserved or occupied on an early Friday night. It's a little restaurant tucked away on a quiet, neighborhood street, but obviously the good word has gotten around!

Silva K.

Yelp
Flavorful food, interesting combinations, beautiful ambience, very accommodating staff.

Sean C.

Yelp
Food is amazing; best upscale Thai in Oakland + in a really cool building. Steak was great

Michelle S.

Yelp
Such a fun neighborhood place filled with buzz! Delicious and creative small plates and entrees, Thai flavors you will recognize but with a California twist. We sampled about half the menu, the favorite was the steak curry (tiger king, I think). However the standout: the MOCHI for dessert. We literally had to wait a half hour for it after our meal, and I felt bad taking up the table as the line went out the door. We were thinking it couldn't possibly be worth it, but oh it was! There was one superbly fresh pillow with a whole delicious perfectly ripe strawberry in the middle, then one with toasted coconut filling was out of this world! Never had anything quite like it. Next time we will order it in advance since it seemed like it took some time to prepare. Definitely give this place a try, there are a few delightful surprises in store.

Tom D.

Yelp
This was a wonderful surprise find. The food was so well prepared and beautifully presented, in an atmosphere of warmth and simple beauty. I would highly recommend this place for its unique food and an atmosphere in which you can have a conversation with your table mates.

Mac C.

Yelp
My wife and I got a babysitter to go for a date night and it was worth it! Vibe is awesome and food was incredible. Very upscale in flavor and presentation. Loved the seafood pad Thai. Best pad thai I've ever had. Also loved the shrimp coconut curry lettuce wraps and curry short rib. Will be coming back!!!

Michele K.

Yelp
Food was authentic and delicious! Neighbor was quaint; space was beautiful and comfy. Service was friendly and the food came out fast despite a full house. The restaurant only opened 10 days ago and they are already doing great!!