Rice Paddy

Fantastic dinner! We ordered for 8 people and the food was out in less than 30 mins - amazing. The flavor and quality was so high. We were all stuffed with a dish left over! The value is so high as well! Highly recommend the curry rice, pork satay, and pad Thai !

We got the green curry- was not good. It tasted like nothing and was yellow. The pepper steak was drowning it sauce- it was odd. The cheese wontons were good though. We have been here many times and sadly don't plan on coming back after this.

Imagine if a dragon and a phoenix teamed up to create the most mind-blowing, taste-bud-tantalizing, food-revolutionary culinary experience you’ve ever encountered. Now, in the heart of Marquette, Michigan. Ladies and gentlemen, The Rice Paddy is that restaurant. This is not just Thai Cuisine—its a altering journey through the very soul of flavor. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted by an aura of mystique “Yes, we are about to rock your world with sauce and spice.” The atmosphere is hidden dragon meets the warmest, coziest winter cabin in the Upper Peninsula. It’s like sitting inside a fortune cookie... except the cookie is the whole restaurant. The food buckle up, each bite feels like an explosion of flavor. Sweet, savory, spicy, and crispy in the most audacious little pockets of joy that have been filled with the very essence of happiness. One bite and you’re immediately in a transcendent state. Somewhere, in the space between worlds, a distant gong sounds in approval. The service It’s like they’ve tapped into a cosmic network of hospitality. They somehow know exactly what you need without saying a word — side of Aoy Lachapelle's stuffed chicken with sweet and sour sauce. The mystical egg roll break open that crispy shell, it doesn’t just say "You will have a good day." it delivers profound wisdom from the universe, like "The secret to life is hidden inside will change your destiny with a side of hot n sour soup." The Rice Paddy is not just a restaurant. It’s an experience. It’s the center of culinary enlightenment. If you're in Marquette, MI, and you don’t eat here, you’re telling the universe, “I’m okay with never knowing true joy.” Don't make that mistake. Go. Now.

I made a one day visit to Marquette yesterday via Indian Trails Bus and Rice Paddy was on my list of places to visit. The long walk was well worth it because the moment I entered Rice Paddy I knew that I was in one of the best Thai restaurants in America. Exceptional service from owners Dean and Nang. Dean was so friendly and kind, he made me feel so welcome on my first visit. He recommended the curry buttercup squash dish which was incredibly amazing. So unique. Also got a half order of the popular pad Thai. It's so cozy and lovely inside Rice Paddy but there is no dining indoors. However, there is a small wooden table out front and that's where I enjoyed part of my meal. I love Rice Paddy. Outstanding service, generous portions of delicious food, and so authentic. They even include yummy cheese filled wontons with your entree. Nang is an outstanding chef, she is so talented. Rice Paddy in my opinion is one of the best Thai restaurants. There's a lot of devoted local customers who know Rice Paddy is an awesome place to eat and I saw them coming in and out to pick up their orders while waiting for my order During these times of high inflation it's wonderful to enjoy super tasty food at an affordable price. I thank Dean and Nang for running a superior Thai carry-out restaurant.

Super friendly owners, took the time to help us choose. Each dish was very flavorful and you can ask for more spice. Even the presentation looked nice on every dish. They are takeout only, parking is in the back.

Super delicious. Very crispy and satisfying wontons. The gentleman who took our order trusted me with "Thai hot" as the spicy level and he made the right choice, it was perfect! Definitely a gem of a place.

Great tasting food. My favorites are the almond rolls and the crab ragoons! These wonderful people sure do put the love into the food and I know it because I can feel it. Try to get on doordash!! I'd be able to order more hehe 😅

This place looks authentic but you can tell it's adapted to an American/Midwestern palette. We ordered Pad See Eew, Pad Thai and green curry. The green curry was okay but lacked the spice that I asked for. Dare I say it had too much coconut milk. I have NO idea why the noodle dishes were served with rice and a "crab" Rangoon. This fits more of a Chinese-American restaurant than a Thai one. I don't understand that. The Pad See Ew lacked the deep brown color it should've been and the wide rice noodles were absent. The Pad Thai was served with a garnish of cilantro rather than green onions, which was odd. I really wanted to like this place but it falls short in packing a flavor punch that I'm used to. It's as if the Thai flavors are muted instead of celebrating the spice, umami and savory nature of the country's cuisine.

the restaurant is family run and they are the sweetest, kindest people!!! the food was delicious and was ready very fast!

We looked forward to getting food from the Rice Paddy when we came back to Marquette after 14 years. My wife ordered Pad See Ewe with fried tofu and I ordered Pad Thai with fried tofu. When we got back to our B&B we could not tell the difference between the two! Both had rice on one half of the container and while noodles with fried tofu on the other. Neither contained sauces nor vegetables, aside from broccoli on the top of one. Food was bland and not worth 5 cents let alone $20 that we paid!! Feel sorry for NMU students who grew up with parent(s) or older siblings who went to Northern and raved about Aoy and The Rice Paddy when they went there. Try the Thai House on 3rd street. Never eaten there out of loyalty to Aoy. She had been someone who we have known and admired for over 25 years. If a student couldn't afford a dinner, she would reach in her "tip bowl" and use that money to pay for it: saying "you pay next time girlfriend/boyfriend." People would leave Money in the tip bowl for such occasions and it was always over flowing; just like Valentine Michael Smith's church from Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. Sad!!!!

This place is a local favorite. I haven't eaten here for years because I found the food to be fairly bland and the very few vegetarian options to be unsatisfying. I don't want to say that it's the worst Thai food I've had, but every other place I've gone to eat Thai food is more enjoyable. The prices here are not bad, but they don't really feel worth it, unfortunately. It's also very busy because of how popular it is, which often creates a bit of a weight for pickup. You cannot dine in, which is frankly for the best considering that the inside is very small and trying to eat in it would be impractical.

It breaks my heart, but no. I will not come back here and I will not eat this food again. The gentleman that took the order could not have been more friendly and, honestly, he is the two stars. He's the reason that I can say some good things, because his attitude and customer service is clearly 110%. And the food tasted good. Of course it did. Because it was so. darn. greasy. Heavily weighted. My stomach woke me in the middle of the night and made it clear that it was not happy. The Hubster was in the same camp, which let me know that it wasn't just me (we ordered different things). I'm not going to rail on the authenticity, mostly because one person's experience is different from anyone else's. Anyone who does not understand needs to visit this website and take a moment to really think through their assumptions: https://tothebone.substack.com/p/your-experience-does-not-negate-mine /rant off

So we rolled in about 14 guys deep after a day skiing. They took all of our orders and made us food extremely quick. This food was absolutely incredible. The eggrolls were a total game changer. I also got the cream cheese wontons and these were incredible as well. Between the 14 of us we all covered the entire menu, and everyone agreed this place was amazing. It is take out only, but definitely recommended!

I was visiting Marquette area and drove past this little restaurant. Decided to try for dinner. Excellent food and service! Very friendly staff.

Delicious!! We ordered crab ragoon, chicken egg roll, shrimp egg roll, pad Thai, orange chicken and the plum chicken. All were exceptional! We shared everything and have enough for lunch tomorrow! It is definitely something we will be doing again-possibly before we leave this week!!

Great home cooking. Service couldn't be friendlier. It's CASH ONLY, don't forget. Prices are difficult to beat. The protein portions were not good, very carb heavy. I really like this joint, but it's not going to be on my regular rotation because of that.

We were craving Asian food and discovered this place on Yelp and Google. The place is only open for takeout and they are cash only. Highly, highly recommended is to order via phone so you can pick it up later. We did not know this and walked in. Turned out it will take 1 hour 30 minutes for our orders to be ready as they have SO MANY orders. But since we were not in a rush and were already in the mood for it, we decided to went for it anyway and explore the town while waiting. We ordered vegetable stir fry (carrot, broccoli, water chestnut), fish in lemon sauce, both of which came with white rice and 1 piece of crab rangoon, and we also ordered an almond roll. The almond roll is actually a giant egg roll filled with stir-fried vegetables (mostly cabbages) and almonds. It's really huge and somewhat greasy. The crab rangoon is sweet. Both the stir fry and the fish were presented very differently than what I would expect. The vegetable stir fry was extremely saucy and was a little bit too sweet. The lemon sauce was sharply sour. The food feels greasy and to be honest might not be what I would call authentic, but I feel like Asian food in the area is so scarce that this is not a terrible place if you really have cravings. If I live here, even though it might not be my favorite place, I know I will certainly come back. Besides, the owners are REALLY sweet and I'm all for supporting lovely locals!

Fantastic food!! Get the spring rolls and soups too! So yummy. Spring rolls are the size of a fist .

Always a classic spot to eat even with new owners now! Everything on the menu is great.

I will forever be confused by the "authentic" all over the menu and walls. The Pad See Ew was anything but authentic. Strangely sweet, goopy, thick spaghetti style noodles, zero gravy, and a couple of pieces of broccoli thrown in and then served with rice and hot sauce on the side. Pad Thai was the same with a tad more flavor. Both reminded me of Lo Mein with sugar added. Giant egg rolls? Yes. It's a tad weird. Unfortunately, the guy wouldn't stop talking about how good the food was - that should have been our first red flag. Perhaps we have been spoiled by REAL, AUTHENTIC Thai food.

Totally pleasantly surprised that there's a local Thai place in Marquette. Alas, no Thai iced tea which is my absolute favorite. CASH only; they tell you when you call in to order. The shrimp egg roll was absolutely delicious. This was probably one of the best egg rolls that I've eaten. The pad Thai I ordered was fine; no peanuts or peanut sauce which is what I was craving. Pork was dry. Meh, I'd skip this dish next time. The cream cheese wontons were good though! I'll definitely be trying this place again when I'm in the area.

F*** yeah they're awesome! Get the cream cheese wontons. Hot n sour soup is spicy but super flavorful. Pad Thai and orange chicken are my go-to.

With no half stars, it's often hard to grade and judge restaurants how I want. This is a solid 3.5 stars but saying 4 stars is grading on a curve based on not expecting to find Thai food in a smaller town. 5 star service and friendliness. 3 star ambiance so I did it as takeout and went to the beach. Food was a 3.5 Stars. The egg roll was a bit too greasy. It didn't need so much oil. The green curry chicken was tasty but I wish the sauce was thinner and the veggies more plentiful. Overall a good lunch. Wouldn't run back but I would eat there again.

Great authentic Thai food! The owner is so fun and the gentleman who took our order was so sweet! We eat here every time we are in Marquette and want Thai food! And F*uck yeah, they're open!

No inside dining, placed to go order and within 20 minutes we were eating some tasty, freshly prepared items. They are listed as Thai and the Pad Thai was very good and we got an egg roll the size of a cabbage, maybe 5 egg rolls in one. Most amazing thing ever and wasn't half bad, it was huge. Some items come in half orders, which is filling. Prices are unbelievably reasonable. Crab ragoons were the best.

The best spot in Marquette for some great Thai food! Josh and Aoy just know what to do and keep the prices low. Very supringly to have a place this good for some curry and pad thai than this hole in the wall spot! Must Stop if passing thru or checking out Marquette, MI. Come back here every time I visit Marquette.

Everything was very sweet. Not Thai sweet, just sweet. From the green curry, curry fried rice, pepper steak, and orange chicken. The rice was soft and weird while the sauces had a lot of corn starch which made it thick and gloopy.

Small independent carry out restaurant. Minimal parking located in the UP. Reasonable prices, good quantity, takes only cash.

Good food and gracious staff. Excellent value for your money. We weren't real hungry so we split the chicken fried rice and we're not disappointed.

Very busy all the time. Order ahead. Still hoping to find it open without an hour long wait. Heard it is fab!

Heard great things so had to try it out, was not disappointed! They have a different take on old favorites and it's great. Husband had sweet and sour chicken, the chicken is not deep fried and he loved it. I had a half order of one of their noodle dishes and had enough for lunch and dinner. Their egg rolls are awesome too! Thanks for a great experience!

I don't live here but visit for work regularly and I tried hard to like this place so have ordered 3 times. Curries and Tom kha were just think coconut milk . The fired rice was bland noodle fish runny. Glad they have loyal local customer base for whom tye food match their taste but not for people who like more authentic versions of Thai food

Nang's Rice Paddy now! Meal was excellent. On-line menus are old prices fyi. Made to order, fresh and yummy! Call ahead if in a hurry or large order. I enjoy waiting and visiting with owners. Very kind!

I've been going to this place for 10 years. I'm done now. Last year, we picked up 5 meals. They were just, okay. I decided to give it another try. Last week, I brought up 5 friends from GReen Bay. I was ranting and raving how amazing the food was. I ordered the squash curry. That is not what I got. I wasn't upset that my order was incorrect- it gave me a chance to try something else. Well, the something else tasted like a thick tasteless flour roux. Ew. My other friend bought a beef item which only had 2 pieces of very thinly shaved pieces of beef, the size of quarters. I tasted that plate and it was just blah. I'm going to try a different Thai place next time. This place does have new owners. I wish them well, but you shouldn't skimp or change recipes that have been tried and true. P.S. I forgot to discuss the 3rd meal. There is good news. My friend Michelle did enjoy her lunch. I can't remember what she ordered.

Amazing price point but very Americanized Thai food. Pad Thai 2/5 Overly sweet with no tamarind taste. The chicken was a bit on the dry side. Green Curry 3.5/5 Generous amount of decent curry. Strong coconut flavor and some kick of spiciness. Best entree we had. Thai Fried Rice 1/5 Very wet fried rice. Also on the sweet side, lack of heat, and lack of Thai spices. Hot and Sour soup 3/5 Nice hot and sour soup, very spicy. Kind of a combination of Chinese hot and sour soup and Thai Tom yum soup. Thai Chicken Coconut Soup 4/5 A strong coconut milk flavor with the right amount of spiciness. Delicious soup.

HANDS DOWN THE BEST THAI FOOD EVER. Aoy and Josh are the perfect tag team when it comes to running this spot. It's a simple little hole in the wall, but hands down one of the best restaurants and beyond affordable. The cream cheese wantons are a must, as well as the Sweet and Sour chicken was a favorite of mine. It's important to know that they get extremely busy, especially during lunch and will have extremely long waits...so depending when you need your food make sure you call early. They also don't accept credit cards and only cash, so be prepared if its your first time here. :) I moved from Marquette three years ago and I'm still always talking about how great Aoy is and how good the food it. I'm finally going back to Marquette to visit next week and this will be at the top of my list for my first stops.

Pretty good! I got a vegan curried fried rice (no egg, with tofu). Super good! Heads up! The almond spring rolls aren't vegan (nor vegetarian) and they are HUGE!

Definitely get an egg roll or three!! They are great and the dipping sauce is delicious, I got the moo goo gai pan spicy and it was spicy! And delicious!! My fiancé got the pad Thai and that did not disappoint either!! We were in a time crunch and decided to roll the dice and get some Thai and the food was ready in under ten minutes. Very well ran business!! Very good to see. Must stop if in the area and want good priced, fast, Thai food!

Aoy does an incredible job making Thai cuisine with the local a blend of fresh local ingredients. And it's at prices locals can love. A master chef for sure.

My friends and I were on our way to a ski resort, and strolled in here after reading the rave reviews on yelp. We ordered four different dishes (pad Thai, pad see ew, Thai fried rice, and green curry). We were disappointed by the food (note: all 4 of us are from east Asian descent) but thoroughly impressed by the service. Aoy, the thai owner and cook is super friendly and I can see why the locals love coming to eat her food (as well as the Olympic athletes who visit Marquette like Apollo Ohno). She ended up giving us six dessert sesame balls for free, which were not only delicious but completely undeserved. Even though the food was mediocre (but appropriately priced), we left as happy customers due to the excellent service. There is practically no seating available, and because the food is made to order, I highly recommend calling in beforehand to order. They also only accept cash. I recommend ordering #16, the thai green curry!

Lovely couple that run the business, and amazing home cooked Thai cuisine on top of it!

The best Thai in a 400mile radius. Aoy and Jeff(? I think that's his name) are pretty cool and welcome everyone is as family. The food matched the heart and passion of their delicious personalities. Afraid of heat?-They will make any range of spice for your taste. I couldn't be happier with every order. They have a HUGE demand so be patient because everyone wants their food.

I remember the food and this place from 2012, when I was bicycling across the country. The food was good and cheap, the experience was unforgettable. Aoy is a loud and outgoing personality which the Rice Paddy is based on. She is fun and talented! Hope to see you soon girlfriend!

Worst food ever.Never eat here.Wish i could give 0. Ordered food worth 55$ and threw it as it is because we couldn't eat it at all..

We walked in at 8:30 pm on a Thursday night and walked out 10 minutes later with fresh, hot Pad Thai, Ginger Orange Chicken and 2 egg rolls. Dean could not have been more forthright and funny and his wife Naung who was doing the cooking could not have been more efficient! All in it was $15! The egg rolls were so good we biked back the next day for 3 more! Try the almond chicken one. Perfectly crisp, non greasy and packed with wonderful veggies. Dean and his son came up with a hot sauce that is sublime. It's strictly a take out place but they have it down to a science. Next time we are in the area we vow to try their curries.

Lived in the UP for 4 years and had the pleasure of eating at the Rice Paddy several times a month. Without a doubt, the best Thai food I've ever had. Fresh ingredients, amazing flavor with perfect heat, and generous portions. I am proud to be a boyfriend of Aoy's!

Oh the talented Aoy! As a young girl I would travel to Marquette often to for figure skating lessons or competitions with my father who was retired from the US Navy. My dad had spent a number of years over seas and his love for Asian food was no secret, his love for Kimchee even less of a secret. My father would call ahead and they would make a big(HUGE) jar and we would take it home and eat it with every meal. I now live in Vermont and I think about the Rice Paddy often. The flavorful stir-frys and those crispy wontons, but the kimchee, til this very day is the best I have ever had and am now convinced will ever have. Sadly, Aoy doesn't really make it anymore, but luckily she had a secret stash and was able to give me a bit. I was immediately take back to the memories of me and my dad feasting on this stinky, but delicious treat. She still remember my father and our visits. Aoy is really special and her cooking comes from her heart. She is thoughtful and considerate and I encourage you to let her cooking into your life. Marquette Michigan is SO LUCKY to have Aoy and her talent, this place is an absolute gem.

Please, please bring back the Aoy style egg rolls and sauce. They were the best and we miss them. The filling, the size, the crispness.

You guys I'm a pad Thai convert now. I stick by what I said about the pad see ew, though. I'm not sure if my palate changed or if I finally just saw through my own bullshit and decided it was time to try it again and admit I was wrong.

I know this place is a staple for the locals and they have been operating for years, but the food is most definitely Americanized cuisine for the simplier pallette. It's what I concider "Asian Lite" and unfortunately it's not what I was expecting, so just buyer beware, but at least the food was cheap. This place, however, still has a certain charm and I has a special place in my memory now for the swearing owner who ain't got time for your dumb questions on the phone, she's busy ya'll, make up your mind! My sister and I joyfully stood and listened to owner taking orders on the phone and we had a good bout of entertainment. Just for that is the one reason I may come back and just order fried appetizers and listen to her phone calls. Cheap food and witty service.

Amazing food... would absolutely eat here weekly. Wish we had one here in Fort Wayne. Marquette is lucky to have it.

Rice paddy is hands down my favorite restaurant in Mqt! I highly recommend the orange chicken as well as the pad thai :)

Awesome little spot right next to the dome, the woman there was extremely nice and pleasant. The food was some of the best thai ive ever had, very very good job!!! If we ever come back well definitely be stopping here!!!

This place is way underpriced for what you get! This has to be some of the most authentic Thai that I've ever had. There's no seating and it takes a bit to get your food so you'll want to call and order ahead of time. Worth the wait though!

You can definitely tell the food here is crafted with care. Very authentic dishes!! The owner is always in there, greeting you with a smile at the door. The building is very small and run down, and there is a bar around the wall if you do chose to dine in, although I don't think most do.

Great food, great staff. They always take care of you when you go there. Definitely recommend anyone looking for this type of food to go try it

This is a tough one because I really want to love Rice Paddy but our one experience was mediocre. First, the place is tiny and while there is some modest seating including a charming rustic outdoor patio, there's not much to it. Luckily, there's a great dive bar across the street called the Wooden Nicole that'll gladly accommodate you while you wait and let you eat in there as well. Second, it's cash only which is inconvenient. But, the food. Our ordering experience was weird. We ordered from a nice guy who didn't help us much in navigating the modest menu. He also didn't have any understanding of food allergies. My girlfriend is allergic to tree bits and he suggested that the fryer they use for almond items was fine to share with other fried foods because there was "only slivers of almonds" in the things they fry. Yeah, not how that works. He was utterly befuddled and offered no accommodation to suggest other menu items or figure out how to make it work. If you don't understand basic tenets of food allergies, don't work in the business. Later, I learned the owner gets it, but clearly hasn't passed that on to her staff. Annoying and unsafe. So, we wound up ordering stir fry orange chicken and chicken with spicy plum sauce and I got a veggie spring roll with almonds slivers. We waited at the Nickel and enjoyed the bar a lot while sipping some cheap beers. When I went to pick up our food (there was about a 30 minute wait) the man was gone and I chatted with the owner who was a delightful woman. However, she asked about the allergies and then proceeded to tell me that we ordered items that she didn't think were that great. She recommended that if we come back we should order the Pad Thai, Green Curry, or Curry with Butternut Squash - ironically items all that we had previously debated. So, I'll pass that suggestion along to Yelpers. So, the thing here is, she was standing there when we ordered and no one made any suggestions until we picked up our food?? Weird. Also, why are you offering and serving food you don't think is great? Or can you at least put some stars on the menu by your featured items? Just kinda weird. That said, we were tired and hungry and not thinking straight, so this is in us. We've eaten enough Thai food in enough places to know that we were making bad decisions lol. So, it is what it. Our food was just ok. Not great. The plum was better than the orange for sure. But neither sucked and that was a win. However, the handmade spring roll with almond was great! A giant, hand wrapped contraption with a thick, chewy doughy batter and stuffed with cabbage, vermicelli, veggies, and slivered almonds served with duck sauce. It was the best thing I had. Obviously, my girlfriend didn't indulge. All in all, if I'm ever in Marquette again I would go back and try again. I liked the place, I liked the owner, I respect that its the UP's only Thai joint, and I loved taking my carryout to a wonderful dive bar. Just bummed at how this first go-round went down.