Sai Jai Thai

Thai restaurant · Tenderloin ·

Sai Jai Thai

Thai restaurant · Tenderloin ·

BBQ pork shoulder fried rice, spicy Thai, family-run

Information

771 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94109 Get directions

$20–30

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

The 16 Best Thai Restaurants In San Francisco - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"You’re at Sai Jai Thai for one reason, and one reason only—the BBQ pork shoulder fried rice. What this Tenderloin spot lacks in seating, it makes up for with an extensive round-up of Thai usual suspects, from pad thai to pad kra praw and every curry your heart could desire. But, really, the BBQ pork shoulder fried rice is what makes a trek here worth it. Yes, the rice could be more toasted, but we’re not mad since the pork is perfectly cooked, and their BBQ sauce has a tang that hasn't been replicated anywhere else." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/best-thai-restaurants-san-francisco

Ricky Rodriguez

Sai Jai Thai

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

Best Thai Restaurants in San Francisco | Eater SF

"Venture to this humble restaurant in the Tenderloin, allegedly a favorite of movie star Keanu Reeves, for classic and unabashedly spicy Thai cuisine. Per the San Francisco Chronicle, the most famous dish on the menu is the barbecue pork shoulder, which gets coated in a fish sauce marinade before being grilled." - Eater Staff

https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-thai-restaurant-san-francisco

Sai Jai Thai

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

Sai Jai Thai - Review - Tenderloin - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"This casual Thai spot in the Tenderloin serves up a surprise hit with the BBQ pork shoulder fried rice. The pork is thinly sliced and melts in your mouth, but has enough crisp to make you seriously wonder how they managed to find a perfect balance to each piece. But your love for this dish will grow just like the Grinch’s heart when you pour the side of tart, tangy, and slightly spicy house BBQ sauce on top of the lightly fried rice. They also have kao soy, a standard set of curries, and a papaya salad with varying levels of spice. Don’t make our mistake and just say “spicy” (unless you can really handle heat that'll make you sweat like you’re in the Central Valley in mid-July)." - Ricky Rodriguez

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/sai-jai-thai

Ricky Rodriguez

Sai Jai Thai

@postcardnews

22,027 Postcards · 1,950 Cities

A Tenderloin mainstay known for fiery, homestyle cooking—most famously the barbecue pork shoulder, noted by the San Francisco Chronicle and featured on Eater SF’s Thai list. Family-run vibes, real heat, and dishes locals return for again and again.

https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-thai-restaurant-san-francisco

Thai Food in San Francisco (2025)

View this post on Instagram

Sai Jai Thai

Brandon W.

Google

Sai Jai Thai... shame on you. Mostly the same taste, but half the quantity with lower quality items, and increased costs! Don't spend your money here. Go elsewhere for less money and better value. There is NO EXCUSE for robbing customers for half the product. Probably drop to a quarter of what they're serving for meals in another 6 months. The food used to be delicious and fair priced. But the Kao Soy Kao Soy Noodle flat egg noodles are gone and now are small thin cheap instant egg noodles now. The crispy fried noodles are of the same low quality. Half the chicken. Half the curry. Half the veggies and pickled items. I've been ordering from here for a while now. They've started to close down on a few days presumably because it's tough times with an insanely stupid government in place. We're all struggling, so I understand. But you don't get to charge more per dish and then serve half as much, with lesser quality, and think it will go unnoticed. The new container is in black.

Edison D

Google

We live in the East Bay but will travel to Sai Jai Thai when we can to get number 41 (BBQ Pork Shoulder with Fried Rice) on the menu! The best dish ever! I’ve tried most of the dishes and appetizers here and nothing was ever disappointing. We always finish off our meals with roti dessert topped with ice cream. Wash everything down with their freshly brewed Thai Iced Tea (try it hot w/o the cream and sugar and it’s also delicious and fragrant).

Abigail Julia P.

Google

We walked for 15 minutes just to try their food and it really satisfied our cravings! Tom yum soup is the bomb! Pad Thai tastes incredible! The serving was fast too. Authentic Thai food 😋 Fried rice is not too oily. Just the right asian fried rice. We will surely come back to this place!

Alison M C

Google

Good sticky rice, laab, and miang kham. Som tam was fine. I never had soda manao Singha before, but I'd skip it. Too sweet, tasted like Sprite. I'd also skip the bik gai tod because I like it dry fried and this one is served with sauce. Super friendly and polite service. Soap in the bathroom. Good dinner before a concert nearby. I'll definitely be back for more meats and salads.

Cedric C

Google

The most authentic Thai food I've seen in California. Prices are reasonable and the service is fine. I love the shrimp paste fried rice and beef noodle soup. It is in the heart of tenderloin so the location can be a problem.

Joey K.

Google

Been here a few times and was always happy with the experience. A Vietnamese friend introduced me to the place and we always come here for our Thai food fix. We especially like their pork fried rice, crispy fish and pad see ew. Every new thing we try gets added to that list plus all the regular offerings like Pad Thai, etc. It's a small mom and pop shop you wouldn't know was there unless you specifically looked for it. It's clean, albeit can use a fresh coat of paint. But that's not what you would go here for. The service is good and the staff are friendly. I always give them a thumbs up.

Alice H.

Google

We recently dined at Sai Jai Thai Restaurant and had a mix of experiences. The Mieng Come appetizer was a burst of flavors with shallot, ginger, peanuts, lime, and dried shrimp, though the chili was notably spicy. The Pad See Ew, while tasty, could have been more flavorful, but the BBQ Pork Shoulder Fried Rice stole the show. The BBQ pork shoulder over egg fried rice with onions was simply delicious. The sauce was a perfect blend of sour and spicy, opening up the appetite, and the fried rice itself was seasoned to perfection.

Natally “Mazzy” S.

Google

So good! We loved the pork fried rice, very flavorful! The veggie fried rolls were also very good! If you’re looking for flavorful pad Thai though, I will say it was a bit underwhelming in that regard. Otherwise great affordable spot!

Mandy D.

Yelp

I've only had their bbq pork shoulder with fried rice - several times for take out. It's tasty. The meat portions can be inconsistent and they're sliced thinly. I wouldn't say it's huge portion as an overall dish and you wouldn't be overly full. I do wish they gave more meat since there's more rice. Not the best area - in tenderloin, but a good place to try their bbq pork shoulder with friend rice.

SY C.

Yelp

TL;DR: come for the pork shoulder fried rice I was craving some pad Thai, so after a quick Yelp search, settled on this spot so I could also try the famous (it's in every review it seems) pork shoulder fried rice. The neighborhood is... As you might expect. The restaurant itself is pretty basic and service is efficient and friendly. Nothing to complain about, and we were only one of two tables at lunch time. I saw a few takeout orders but it was pretty quiet. On to the food! Tom Saap: got the sour pork rib soup since we really like the version at Saap Ver. I think the Saap Ver one is still better but this had a generous amount of pork ribs and had a good enough sour flavor. Pad Thai: pretty good, not too sweet, not too wet which was a plus! I got this with chicken and it hit the spot. I don't think there's a pad Thai specialist anywhere this side of the Pacific (except LA) so this was acceptable. Pork shoulder fried rice: ordered this out of curiosity and now I get the hype. The fried rice had good wok hei from the hot wok and was very tasty, although slightly on the salty side for my palate. The pork shoulder was tender and delicious, and came with this great chili dipping sauce that was not too spicy. Definitely get this fried rice, it was still good as leftovers the next day. Overall this was an inexpensive lunch by SF standards.

Helen L.

Yelp

I have this craving for pad Thai. 5o I got the tofu pad thai. A bit ketchupy, sour with cabbage, broccoli, bean sprouts, carrots, peanuts, and tofu with egg. Comes with a very fragrant lime slice. I'll give it 6 out of 10. It was satisfying. I'm going on an adventure of finding the right pad thai. I guess I wish there was more eggs, less redness in this one. Portion size was good. This place is still my go- to place.

Katherine L.

Yelp

solid thai for SF. can't speak to service nor ambiance since i got delivery. bbq pork was very tasty and went well with the sauce. fried rice was fine but worked as a vehicle for the pork. pad thai noodles aren't overcooked and overly sauced which is harder to find than you would expect.

Elena N.

Yelp

Date: Sunday December 8th, 2024 Party of: 2 Meal: Late Lunch / Early Dinner Delivery Time Ordered: around 3:15pm Time Arrived: about 45 mins later Ordered via: DoorDash Delivered to: Outer Richmond *Papaya Salad Lao Style - Poo Pla Rah ($16.95): Extra Hot *Pad Kra Praow ($16.95): Chicken, Extra Hot *Tom Sapp - Spicy & Sour Pork Rib Soup ($16.95): Extra Hot *Steamed Tilapia ($19.95): Extra Hot *Fried Pork Egg Rolls ($10.95) I was craving Thai food. The hubby and I have a usual Thai spot in our neighborhood, but I wanted to try something different. Plus they have lao style papaya salad which I adore. After looking around, I decided to check out Sai Jai. The hubs always gets the ground chicken and basil dish. He actually liked this one better than our go to spot. It was more flavorful and had more heat. I also loved the papaya salad. I find most lao versions I get are too sweet, but this one was fishy and spicy in all the right ways. We used to get a pork tom yum type soup long ago from a place that's now gone. This was one of the hubs favorite soups. The version here was actually pretty close - tangy and porky. Tho I may add shrimp or something next time we order. I missed the seafood aspect of it. I was craving fish, so decided to get the tilapia. Sooo good! A lil over due to transit, bit the texture was still tender and smooth. The hubs wanted the egg rolls. I thought they were fine. Your standard eggs rolls. So glad I decided to change it up and explore a new spot. I think the hubs and I have found a new favorite Thai resto. REVIEW #3640

Dan M.

Yelp

A local spot in the TL serving Thai food. I came here first for the Kao soi but the true winner is the pork shoulder fried rice. A taste of the fried rice you already know she wasn't playing around. There was a good flavor on the fried rice and the pork shoulder was thinly sliced with this sweet sticky glaze that was accompanied with this homemade crack sauce. This store is a local family restaurant with great service that serves delicious food. The area is sketchy outside which makes parking a breeze.

Anna Michelle D.

Yelp

LOVE the BBQ pork shoulder but everything else tastes like they reheated the food in BURNT oil. The egg rolls were over fried , pineapple fried rice had pieces of burnt cashews and the tofu on the pad sew ew was un masticable. See photos.

Chapstiq G.

Yelp

UNCOOKED potato & cabbage in the curry (the potatoes were unforgivable since they were cut in large hunks, made up the bulk of the dish & had a tart unfresh scent.) The dish wasn't cheap so I'd expect for food to be cooked through at the bare minimum. They coulda just told me it wasn't ready/available instead of just warming it in a pot & calling it a day. -- the lingering taste of msg also wasn't ideal.

Charlotte H.

Yelp

A must go for when my mom visits town. I used to live a block away and it was a must when I wanted fried fish. My mom and I love getting the chicken bones to go so that we can watch a movie and chow down, insanely delicious but a messy eat. The neighborhood is getting more dangerous so I would keep that in mind if planning to visit. However, this doesn't stop people from coming. The tables are always full and to-go orders are always flowing out.

Jenny J.

Yelp

This is a hands down best pork shoulder fried rice spot that I've been eating since I was a kid. This is a Family owned business in the TL district. I'm here for the food and not for the service but the service is great! lol Try their pandan jelly too. It's yummy. Hole in the wall vibe! Definitely a GEM in TL! Add me if you like my vibe!

Miranda L.

Yelp

A Thai restaurant I find myself going back to in person or ordering from, always ALWAYS for the BBQ pork shoulder fried rice. Recently, I went around lunch time on a Sunday and got a table immediately. The restaurant is pretty spacious and clean inside. Staff was attentive in giving us everything we needed and the dishes came out immediately one after another. Our meal was so affordable, coming out to around 48 dollars without tip. Tom Kha - The soup had a lot of the mushroom and chicken ingredients in it. It was a warm comforting soup with good spices. BBQ pork shoulder fried rice - What they are most known for and highly recommend getting. The fried rice is the right amount of saltiness and works well with the soft bbq shoulder meat and the sauce, which is honestly a star of the dish. It is a sweet and spicy sauce that adds most of the flavor and is so well balanced. Pla Rad Prik (Deep Fried Whole Tilapia with mixed veggie sauce) - First time trying this and it did not disappoint. The fish was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. It was easy for us to remove the fish meat from the bones (we love that) and the sauce was sweet, sour and spicy. It packed a nice punch for the medium level spice we got. Highly recommend it if you're in the area for a quick bite or feel like ordering some delicious Thai food (the Pad Thai and appetizers are good too!!).

Angelene C.

Yelp

Was in the city visiting my friend, and she took me here for lunch since it was walking distance. We shared shrimp pad se-ew and chicken skewers. Both came out in decent time. It was sunday at lunch time, so not too busy, but there were others there too. She also decided to get the thai iced coffee, which I tried and regretted not doing the same. Even after leaving the restaurant, I kept telling myself to go back and get one to-go haha! The service was attentive, the restaurant was clean. And the prices were very affordable, especially for being in the city.

G R.

Yelp

The food was so delicious. Service was good too. I would definitely come back for the pork shoulder fried rice

Honest T.

Yelp

My fav Thai place! The flavor has a kick to it and every dish is tasty. Outside of the restaurant stinks but the food is good. The most authentic Thai food I've had.

Chris W.

Yelp

Used to absolutely love their pork shoulder fried rice back in the days, and unfortunately haven't given it a try since Covid. We got take out recently of the following: - Pork shoulder fried rice: Greasier than what I remember, the pork itself was thinly cut and tasty with the side sauce. 4/5 - Pad Makeur Chicken: Very oily, bland. Not like our favorite pad Makeur from Sue's kitchen in El Sobrante. Eggplants we're cooked nicely. 3/5 - Grilled whole tilapia: Love the garlic sauce in this, fish was a bit on the drier side. 4/5 Portions were generous, recommend also trying their stuffed Angel wings and other curry dishes. Glad they survived the pandemic!

Kevin S.

Yelp

The food was excellent; papaya salad was slapped. It's spicy, but you can't stop eating it. The pad Thai was good; the sweetness was perfect and chewy. Poke shoulder was great, too. My friend enjoyed it, thanks to her. I got to try it. The service was fast, and the staff were very friendly. The restaurant inside is good. It gives off night market vibes.

Iamher T.

Yelp

I was greeted when walked in, the ambiance was nice, the place is not big but there is suitable seating available. The restaurant is clean, the bathroom is clean with needed essentials and open (but secured) windows which keeps fresh air flowing through. The kitchen are look clean and you can see the chefs cooking nice! The staff is pleasant and patient. The food was super good!!! It didn't take long to prepare and I loved how we were not rushed out. Definitely recommend 9.5 out of 10!!!!! Oh the area is not so great, come on it's the Tenderloin lol but no worries just stay to yourself and there's meter parking but limited, I recommend taking the 38 Geary bus line.

Maya G.

Yelp

We almost forgot to take pictures of our food. They were quick, and the food was delicious. We both ordered a shrimp Tom Yum while fighting a cold. The waitress advised him to go with spicy vs. extra spicy and was right about the spice level. They don't mess around. Perfect! Don't judge me, but I ordered mine with "no spice," even though I feared it might jeopardize the flavor and end up with a bland hot liquid. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the broth was flavorful and oh-so-savory. We both agreed this is one of the best Papaya Salads we've had. Simple, with the right amount of crunchy peanuts, refreshing lime dressing, and perfectly chilled papaya.

Anna C.

Yelp

My boyfriend and I ordered the pad Thai, fried stuffed chicken and the pork shoulder fried rice. We thought everything was spectacular. I thought the food hit all of its notes. Got the sweet, spicy, sour and salty aspect to it. Probably one of my top spots for pad Thai. The food came out fairly quickly and all at once. It's amazing what the chefs can do back there. Although the restaurant is in a not so safe neighborhood, I thought they kept the store front, fairly safe. There weren't any creepers or weirdos up front. Can't wait to come back to try some of the other stuff on the menu.

Andrew R.

Yelp

wow this is the best Thai place I've found in SF yet. The pad kee mao was SO spicy but also so flavorful and perfectly cooked. I was a bit skeptical when I walked in, but the food really shined and the service and overall experience was great. And for the price this is one of the best deals in the city. Will definitely be back!

Stephanie B.

Yelp

Sai Jai Thai has the best Pad Thai with shrimp. There noodles are cooked perfect. I also love their Pork Shoulder fried rice it's delicious. The meat is so tender. This place is the best if you like spicy!! You get to chose what level of spicy you want. I love this place, the people are very nice and friendly. Its famiky owned. My order is always ready when I go to pick it up. This is a must try if your in the area.

Alisa B.

Yelp

Pretty authetic Kao Soy Noodle! Excellent curry flavor and soft egg noodles with crunchy wonton noodles on top... but it is definitely VERY RICH. They also unexpectedly put chopped green peppers (maybe jalapeños?) inside the curry sauce. It had a bit of a kick! Decently delicious. I would come back to eat this if I'm in the area. My friends and I were looking for a place to eat before a concert at the Great American Music Hall. Found this place across the street and decided to give it a try. I came on a Friday night around 6 PM and this place was pretty empty. The area is pretty sketchy outside and there's only metered parking.

Camille L.

Yelp

Yes yes yes and more yes. This restaurant has NEVER disappointed me, whether eating in or for delivery. It's LEGIT A F. faves - pork shoulder - crispy rice salad - basil chicken with rice - ANY of the curries Do not skip on this place. I know it's in the TL, but highly worth dealing with whatever nonsense you may have to encounter on your journey there. The place is small, quaint, and hole in the wall. Service is also fast, reliable, and so sweet.

EH W.

Yelp

This is a long overdue review- ive always complained that there are no real authentic Thai restaurants in the SF Bay Area when I compare it to Thai restaurants in the Los Angeles area. I get really disappointed . However, there are exceptions. Sai Jai Thai is one of them. price points are reasonable ...It's family style. and the dishes are authentically Thai, just like in Bangkok... and even just like Los Angeles. for instance, very few Thai restaurants here offer crispy pork with Chinese broccoli... they have it here and it was excellent. every dish we ordered was excellent. you really can't go wrong. The only "downside" is it's located in the Tenderloin and you have to go through the rough area to get to it... we opted for lunch so no problems.

Latsamy O.

Yelp

Sai jai Thai restaurant is Amazing. highly recommended. Great food and good service.

Michelle S.

Yelp

I love this place, my favorite Thai restaurant in the city! Amazing price, huge portion and great service! I've dined here and got to go before and they were both good. My favorite dishes are the raw shrimp salad and the pork shoulder fried rice. They are both soo good and my family love them too!

kate s.

Yelp

Papaya salad hits the spot!!!! I got medium spicy and it was soooo good! The fluffy catfish salad was yummy! You don't really see this dish at Thai restaurants here so I'm glad they have it

Tim Z.

Yelp

My first Thai food review! Sai Jai Thai is located in the Tenderloin but on the busy O'Farrell street. I came and sat in on a Saturday but they also have takeout. This place is most known for its BBQ Pork Shoulder Fried Rice and rightfully so. The dish was packed with so much flavor. The thinly sliced pork perfectly complements some of the best rice I've ever had. The Kao Soy noodle was amazing and authentic. The distinct Kao Soy curry flavor was noticeable. Noodles soaked in the soup with crunch noodles on the top. I chose to add chicken but there were many other options! Can't forget the Thai tea! Apart from it looking beautiful, it tasted great - not too sugary. Mom and pop/hole in the wall vibes. If you are comfortable with the area, you should definitely stop by! Fairly priced around $10-15 per dish with great sized portions. Recommend!!

Anny L.

Yelp

A friend introduced us to this Thai spot and it's becoming our go to takeout thai restaurant. We ordered our typical pork shoulder fried rice and decided to give the pork egg rolls and Thai iced tea a try. The pork shoulder fried rice with their special lime chili sauce was delicious as always. The thai iced tea had the perfect amount of tea to milk ratio and not very sweet. However would pass on the pork egg rolls. It didn't taste fresh and the skin was so hard to chew.

Simon P.

Yelp

I. Love. Sai Jai Thai. The food here is on another level. As a Thai person, I usually am skeptical of ordering Pad Thai as it's usually a bit lackluster, but not at Sai Jai Thai. You can really taste the tamarind paste which I appreciate. They also craft their own meatballs for their Boat Noodles, another must try. The food here reminds me of a nice warm hug from my mom. If you're ever in the Tenderloin you have to try Sai Jai Thai.

Novalina N.

Yelp

One of those SF establishments that have been around for years and haven't changed. I'm happy (and relieved) that they survive the pandemic. Pork shoulder over fried rice still tastes as amazing as I remember. Service was very very friendly too. Don't change, Sai Jai!

Coco C.

Yelp

This is my favorite thai place EVER. I love this place so much and am so happy I found this gem. I love thai food in general but Sai Jai Thai is definitely high on the list for me. If you have to try only one item please get the pork shoulder fried rice. The soft shell crab and any of their salads are alsooo so good too! I have not had anything bad here and am always excited to try more from their menu. Every time I eat here I know I will leave full and happy. I have eaten at the restaurant and also done take out before both are amazing. The only thing is parking is a bit difficult but other than that its worth it :)

Brittany K.

Yelp

I was craving a papaya salad, and saw all the rave reviews for Sai Jai so I decided to try it. It's small but not cramped inside, with polite service. The papaya salad (with dried shrimps and peanuts) was fresh and delicious -- I got it spicy and they delivered!

Deb D.

Yelp

I ordered the pork shoulder, which was really good. The yellow curry chicken, not the best, green beans with beef, no flavor and the beef looked grey, and tom kha soup that I've eaten better elsewhere. I won't be back.

Eva S.

Yelp

Miss this place so much, used to walk a few blocks from work to come here all the time. Love their pork shoulder, fried chicken fried rice, silver noodle with egg and shrimp and baked shrimp salad! The area is very ghetto but food is so good! If you wanted to try, plan to come here in the day time. You got to have their roti no matter how full you are, is the best!

Sai T.

Yelp

Today me and friends decide to come here to eat and our experience is quite disappointing. The rice is uncooked and when we mention it to the server, she was mean and handle the situation unprofessionally.

Evan W.

Yelp

Good bang for the buck.... Fried egg rolls taste like they are frozen mass produced. Chicken pad see ew lacked flavor and was missing the soy sauce portion of the sauce... Large Thai ice tea is HUGE. The smaller size is larger than literally every other Thai spot. I'll give them another chance on the noodles but not the egg rolls.

Shannon L.

Yelp

Sai Jai Thai is my favorite Thai restaurant! I'm so glad this place is near my office. It is quite the walk to the restaurant, but I'm always down to walk from my office to get their pork shoulder fried rice. The restaurant is located in Tenderloin which isn't the cleanest/safest neighborhood, but their store front is ok. The service is super quick and the inside is fairly clean. Can I just say, their pork shoulder fried rice is chefs kiss! The sauce that comes with the pork shoulder fried rice is also amazing. It is a must try if you come to this restaurant. I would always order it when I come for lunch. Their Pad Thai, Fish Cake, and Pad See Ew are also very good here. You cannot go wrong with ordering those dishes. Highly recommend coming here for the pork shoulder fried rice!

Jessica H.

Yelp

This place never disappoints! I always order their tender and juicy pork shoulder fried rice(I love their seafood sauce on the side), flavorful pad Thai, and literally the best Thai tea I've ever had( way better than Thai tea from boba places). Their beef noodle soup is also amazing, lots of tender beef and a rich, savory broth. Always a satisfying meal here! Food is not only the reason I visit often, the service is also spot on. My server checks up on me enough while respecting my time to enjoy my meal. This place isn't like the typical Thai restaurants with interior ambiance but over charges for the smallest portions. The vibe here feels welcoming and familiar. I always feel like I'm getting the bang for my buck with their generous portions, which is rare now in sf.

Vicky Y.

Yelp

Sai Jai Thai is my go to spot for Thai food! I usually order their papaya salad, it's so refreshing and has the right amount of spiciness. Their pad thai combination and bbq pork shoulder fried rice are always tasty. Everything comes in a great size of portion for the price compared to other Thai restaurants in SF. I always order the large Thai tea as well, it has the perfect balance of tea and milk- I've tried Thai tea from other cafes/restaurants but they just don't compare!

Tina C.

Yelp

My favorite Thai restaurant in SF!!! Everything I get it never disappoints. They're located in the Tenderloin so parking is a bit tricky. However I always grab take out from here. They give out big portions and price is so reasonable! I always get their pad see ew, pad Thai, pork shoulder fried rice, and lastly their Thai tea. SO GOOD! All the staffs working here is super friendly. I would definitely recommend this place to all my friends & family!

Donny P.

Yelp

When people first meet me, they ask me what's my ethnicity because I have a last name they have never heard of before! Sounds sorta Chinese? I tell them I'm Thai/Chinese, as in Thailand and not Taiwan! Then they usually tell me they love "pad thai" Sai Jai is my favorite Thai restaurant in the Bay Area! Nothing fancy, simply very delicious food and great price. Their pork shoulder fried rice is Aloi and Amazing!!! I have to warn you though, it's in the Tenderloin! Be brave! Oh yeah, they have Pad Thai!

Jae H.

Yelp

Absolutely horrible. If you're looking for very unseasoned pad Thai, this is the perfect place to go. The chicken has absolutely no seasoning. When you look at it, you would expect it to taste like something because it has color, but it doesn't. The portion size is super little, they give you a big container and you think you're getting more for what you're paying for, but for $17 this is probably a cup of noodles or less... The tofu is the only thing that has "more" flavor because it is slightly charred. Unfortunately it looks tasty, but only after a few bites you realize that you don't get what you paid for all . I'm honestly very disappointed because this had very high ratings...

Alexis V.

Yelp

Sai Jai Thai is always my favorite Thai restaurant to visit when I'm in SF. The area it's located in is a bit rough, which is not the owners fault, when I was younger it used to be okay but the food is always the best regardless! It's authentic, tasty and the portions are decent! My mom who is southeast Asian and who will only eat southeast Asian food, always want to come to place for special events since she lives in the Central Valley lol. Some of our favorite dishes are: Thai Boat Noodle Pork Shoulder fried rice Steam fish Larb salad The steamed and fried tilapia

Riya M.

Yelp

One of my fav Thai food in the bay! The neighborhood is kind of sketch since it's near tenderloin so we always take it to go or order online and it's sooo good! Our go to orders are the pork shoulder fried rice, pad see ew with beef, and Tom yum soup with beef medium spice. The fried rice is phenomenal and the pork cuts are super tender and flavorful, love the sauce it comes with and honestly this is the dish that made us love this place. Pad see ew is great too but the beef is sometimes hard and not tender making it difficult to chew, so that's something I would encourage the restaurant to work on. The Tom yum is delicious perfect balance of sour, spicy, and flavorful, but again the beef can sometimes be rough than tender.

Nick C.

Yelp

This place has very delicious northern style Thai food. Highly recommend their Beef Kao Soa, which is a delicious curry noodle soup that has a really smooth taste. Their papaya salad is also good but be careful when asked how spicy you want it, as they go by Thai spice. Medium spicy can be extremely spicy if you are not familiar with the way Thai levels of spice works. They also have stuffed chicken wings which were good but the sweet and sour sauce made them taste cheap and low quality so I would avoid that unless you are into the Chinese style super processed sweet and sour sauce taste. I look forward to trying more of their food on my next visit.

Sophia T.

Yelp

Where do i even start??? Sai jai thai is hands down, jaw dropping, *dropping mic* best thai street food in the CITY. My ALL-TIME favorites _ pork shoulder fried rice - MOMMAS PAPAYA SALAD WITH FERMENTED CRAB AND THEIR HOMEMADE SALTED EGG (extra thai hot please) * fire* - angel wings (to die for) - laarb salad - fried tilapia THAT SAUZ THAT COMES WITH IT, fireeee - pad thai omg this is the best pad thai in the city. The list continues.... Ive been coming here since i was a kid in high school and i kid you not i need mommas papaya salad fix at least once a week . Traveling and eating through southeast asia nothing compares in the city but sai jai does and they always hit my spice and flavor notes! Their wok hey dont play iykyk Tip* order a bag of their chicken skin to go with their papaya salad, i also love their laos version which is part of their secret menu! Thank me later! I also have ordered catering for parties i threw and nothing i mean NOTHING gets left behind. No left overs and no one is allowed to bring tubbawAre if i have sai jai thai catered at my parties! Its always a huge hit. They always provide utensils and deliver just on time if not earlier, Nan and Nun is always willing to help me set up if needed at the parties and i always appreciate them for that. Going into TL , san francisco's new jungle is always worth it for SAI JAI. Always!

Oliver C.

Yelp

Sai Jai is a solid Thai restaurant. I usually get to go orders. My stand out dish is the pork shoulder over fried rice. They give you a good amount of pork with the rice. The pork is sliced thin and is flavorful and tender. I pair it with their large Thai iced tea. The large is huge. They never disappoint.

Aj M.

Yelp

PORK SHOULDER! that's all you need to know! Never had this type of pork shoulder before in my life! We usually order at least 3-4 Togo boxes. We live in SJ so it's hard for us to drive back and forth but if we're REALLY craving it, we sacrifice that drive!! Does anyone know a similar or remitly close to the pork shoulder around San Jose area? Appreciate it!

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

The 16 Best Thai Restaurants In San Francisco - San Francisco - The Infatuation

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/best-thai-restaurants-san-francisco

Ricky Rodriguez

Sai Jai Thai

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

Best Thai Restaurants in San Francisco | Eater SF

https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-thai-restaurant-san-francisco

Sai Jai Thai

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

Sai Jai Thai - Review - Tenderloin - San Francisco - The Infatuation

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/sai-jai-thai

Ricky Rodriguez

Sai Jai Thai

@postcardnews

22,027 Postcards · 1,950 Cities

https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-thai-restaurant-san-francisco

Thai Food in San Francisco (2025)

View this post on Instagram

Sai Jai Thai

Brandon W.

Google

Edison D

Google

Abigail Julia P.

Google

Alison M C

Google

Cedric C

Google

Joey K.

Google

Alice H.

Google

Natally “Mazzy” S.

Google

Mandy D.

Yelp

SY C.

Yelp

Helen L.

Yelp

Katherine L.

Yelp

Elena N.

Yelp

Dan M.

Yelp

Anna Michelle D.

Yelp

Chapstiq G.

Yelp

Charlotte H.

Yelp

Jenny J.

Yelp

Miranda L.

Yelp

Angelene C.

Yelp

G R.

Yelp

The food was so delicious. Service was good too. I would definitely come back for the pork shoulder fried rice

Honest T.

Yelp

My fav Thai place! The flavor has a kick to it and every dish is tasty. Outside of the restaurant stinks but the food is good. The most authentic Thai food I've had.

Chris W.

Yelp

Kevin S.

Yelp

Iamher T.

Yelp

Maya G.

Yelp

Anna C.

Yelp

Andrew R.

Yelp

Stephanie B.

Yelp

Alisa B.

Yelp

Camille L.

Yelp

EH W.

Yelp

Latsamy O.

Yelp

Sai jai Thai restaurant is Amazing. highly recommended. Great food and good service.

Michelle S.

Yelp

kate s.

Yelp

Papaya salad hits the spot!!!! I got medium spicy and it was soooo good! The fluffy catfish salad was yummy! You don't really see this dish at Thai restaurants here so I'm glad they have it

Tim Z.

Yelp

Anny L.

Yelp

Simon P.

Yelp

Novalina N.

Yelp

Coco C.

Yelp

Brittany K.

Yelp

Deb D.

Yelp

Eva S.

Yelp

Sai T.

Yelp

Evan W.

Yelp

Shannon L.

Yelp

Jessica H.

Yelp

Vicky Y.

Yelp

Tina C.

Yelp

Donny P.

Yelp

Jae H.

Yelp

Alexis V.

Yelp

Riya M.

Yelp

Nick C.

Yelp

Sophia T.

Yelp

Oliver C.

Yelp

Aj M.

Yelp

Sai Jai Thai

Information

Postcards

Media

The 16 Best Thai Restaurants In San Francisco - San Francisco - The Infatuation

Best Thai Restaurants in San Francisco | Eater SF

Sai Jai Thai - Review - Tenderloin - San Francisco - The Infatuation

You might also like

The 16 Best Thai Restaurants In San Francisco - San Francisco - The Infatuation

Best Thai Restaurants in San Francisco | Eater SF

Sai Jai Thai - Review - Tenderloin - San Francisco - The Infatuation