Payakk

If there is one restaurant that has defined my 2025/2026 dining experiences, it is Payakk in Oakland. This isn't just a place to eat; it’s a place where food, storytelling, and pure creativity converge to create something truly stand-out and unique. ​You can feel the immense love and passion that the chef-owner pours into every single detail. Each dish feels intentional, carrying a narrative that elevates the meal beyond just "delicious." ​The curries are easily my personal favorite—rich, complex, and deeply comforting. However, the absolute "must-order" is the Pad Thai Chai Ya. It is a stunning example of their creativity and a dish I haven't stopped thinking about since my first bite. ​While it is a bit of a trek from the city (SF), I can personally guarantee that it is well worth the trip. If you appreciate high-quality ingredients used with a creative spirit and a lot of heart, Payakk is the destination you've been looking for.

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.

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.

My partner and I had a terrific meal at Payakk. The interior space is inviting and charming, the service was attentive and the dishes creative and delicious. We started with four sea scallops in a yummy sauce, then moved on to flank steak with grilled baby bok choy and glass noodles, and the restaurant's signature dish, Pad Thai Chiya, billed as the first southern Thailand-style pad thai in the U.S. The flavors were amazing and the noodles really outstanding. No room for dessert! We will be back. Note that we found the wine by the glass serving sizes to be small (minor quibble).

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.

My partner and I wanted to explore a new Thai food restaurant. Payakk proved to be a great option for our exploration. Payakk is decorated with charm and sophistication, dimly lit without being too dark, lush plants that aren’t overdone and was lively but quiet enough to easily hear conversation. I ordered thinly sliced steak that was cooked to tender perfection. It was accompanied by a tamarind sauce that had a blend of garlic, subtle heat from chili pepper and cool Thai cilantro. My partner ordered breaded pork neck over fried rice. It was clearly prepared fresh at the time of our order. Unfortunately, its oil content was far more than what my partner’s could enjoy and likely needed some type of acid or something else to moderate the grease. We both ordered a mushroom and green been side dish that was bursting with flavor (from crispy garlic/other seasonings) and al Dante texture that made it so pleasing! The host and wait staff were kind, courteous and attentive. They had clear investment in our enjoyment, which felt quite warm and inviting. We look forward to visiting again in the future!

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.

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!

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

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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!!!

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!!