Sala Thai Restaurant

We routinely visit this cozy Thai restaurant and our experience is always fantastic! The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with friendly service that make us feel right at home. The mango chicken is phenomenal! It is perfectly cooked chicken in a rich, slightly sweet mango sauce that has just the right balance of flavor. If you're a fan of sweet and savory dishes, this one is a must-try but honestly every item on their menu has been delicious. We highly recommend this amazing hidden gem!

IF YOU KEEP SCROLLING YOU'RE MISSING OUT!!! My wife and I always have a superb meal whenever we come. The food is exquisite and savory. We always order the mango chicken and I Love the pork Kra Prow with a bit of heat 🔥. I have worked and cooked at family restaurants before so I can taste the love and care put to their craft. This place is DEFINITELY worthy of becoming your go-to for Thai delicacy. If you don't go Im gonna feel bad for you, but that's nothing pork Kra Prow or Mango Chicken here can't fix. 😍 🍛🔥💯💯

Can’t say much about atmosphere. But they do have delivery option through DoorDash and their Pad Thai is pretty good. They do have BOGO deal sometimes which is a nice perk.

Check this little place out! On the outside it looks very unassuming but inside the ambience is quite lovely! The food is really flavorful and not greasy at all. Great vegan options. Not just tofu but you can get just veggies, tofu, mock chicken and mock duck. The service is really personal. Its a small family establishment thats been around for 35 years. Its owned by a really sweet older lady and her son. He was very sweet and was talking with me about the place. He grew up in the restaurant basically and now helping to run it. How much more “family owned business” can you get? Glad I stumbled into this little gem after going to a yoga class next door at yoga box. Its one of very few places open till 11pm. I had the red curry with brown rice and a plain, clear vegetable soup. Really enjoyed my meal.

My family loves this restaurant. They are super friendly and the food is always delicious and fresh whether it be take-out or enjoyed at a table. We have been coming here for nearly 2 decades and they never disappoint! Some of the best Thai food we've ever had. Curry, noodles, appetizers, soups; it's all delicious! Especially the Tom Kha and their panang curry with duck are my favorites. Cannot recommend this place enough!

Lovely Thai restaurant. The food here is delicious. We enjoyed a noodle dish (Pad Thai), soup (tom kha), and a rice dish (cashew nut delight). All were tasty. The service was friendly and relatively fast. The menu appears to be well-rounded. The decor was pleasing as well. I look forward to exploring other dishes here.

I had the summer rolls, shrimp wonton hot pot and mango sticky rice! All of it was really good and came out quickly. The peanut sauce with the summer rolls was really good and the hot pot had lots of wontons and a really yummy broth. The mango sticky rice was really good too, as the other reviews say lol. No pics unfortunately, but the plating was really cute and picture worthy!!

Absolutely fantastic! The food is terrific - flavorful and spicy. Best Khao Soi I’ve ever had. We also loved the garlic pepper wings and the stir fry. Very cute family runs the place - they were so gracious and welcoming. 10/10, will be back!

Great place for when you're craving some delicious Thai comfort food. The Pad Thai is really good and a big portion. Not spicy, but lots of flavor. The Thai tea is really refreshing and it's not too sweet, the perfect balance. I've had their fried rice, spring rolls, and cream cheese wontons before. I've never had a bad experience here. Everyone is so nice and inviting. 10/10, Sala Thai for the win.

Sala Thai, a small spot on El Cajon Boulevard, was an absolute delight. The service was excellent, and the food was delicious. While it isn't a fancy place, the food and service are extraordinary. I'd give it a 10/10. If you're ever in the San Diego area, I highly recommend visiting this restaurant. It has a distinct atmosphere and a unique menu that makes it worth the trip. Gil Tower

Food: 5/5 We ordered their chicken pad thai, yellow curry, caramelized wings, thai tea and thai coffee Togo. Their pad thai was extremely flavorful and they did not skimp on the protein or egg. Their yellow curry was also rich in flavor but only contained pork and potato (no other vegetables which was disappointing). The wings were definitely the star of the show - sweet, but salty and umami fish sauce flavor and the chicken itself was fall off the bone. The thai tea and coffee were good- overall everything was at or above par. Price: super reasonable for what you're getting.

I went on a Thursday evening to give Sala Thai a second chance. This time I was greeted by the server within a minute and was seated immediately. I met the owners tonight (the mom who is the chef in the kitchen and her son who helps with the front end). They were super friendly and attentive to their customers. I saw that the other customers enjoyed the food and were talking about how good their orders were. I had a variety of food this time around. The cream cheese and the fried shrimp rolls were crunchy and crispy. They were Paired with their sweet sauce and it went hand in hand with the fried appetizer. My most favorite appetizer of all was their garlic fried shrimp. It was crispy, garlicky, salty. There were green beans accompanied by the garlic shrimp and it balanced out the saltiness. I had 2 entrees: the shrimp pad Thai and the sausage fried rice. The shrimp pad Thai noodles were cooked well this time. There were plenty of the pad Thai sauce on it where I can taste the sauce with every bite of the noodles. The sausage fried rice was cooked well. Not too salty. Not too sweet. The owner recommended me to drizzle the spicy fish sauce on top and I loved the combo! Plenty of parking spaces and I love the vibes inside the restaurant. I would definitely come here again. I also found out that you can also order on their website at salathaisd.com

Hands down, Sala Thai has amazing food and amazing service! Walking into the restaurant, you're met with an amazing atmosphere. There are string lights illuminating the restaurant and sitting at a table, you feel not only cozy, but also at home. The staff here is also very friendly and make you feel super comfortable and welcomed in their establishment. Today I tried the yellow curry and the chicken khao soi, and needless to say, I would go back to try these dishes again. The yellow curry has a mild spice to it and it is more on the savory side and not overpowered by sweetness like other places. I ordered this dish with chicken, and they were not shy with the portion. It was also nice that the dish came with rice. The khao soi was also very tasty. It came with two chicken legs, noodles, and an array of garnishes. The soup base is their yellow curry, but it felt spicier than the yellow curry dish. With the addition of the lime, this dish was amazing and it had a refreshing aspect with the cilantro. Overall, this is a great and affordable restaurant if you're looking for a Thai restaurant that makes you feel at home.

Service here was outstanding. Locally owned restaurant and the workers were very passionate about providing the best service they can. They helped with recommendations and making sure we were set and happy the entire time. The food was great! I've had a lot of Pad See Ew before and was not disappointed at all. They were not cheap with the chicken and the taste was great. It was also very tastefully decorated and I was immediately impressed upon entering the restaurant. They are also opened late which was prefect for grabbing a bite to eat, especially since many places close early. I had a great experience and will be back!

I love the ambiance at Sala Thai. Kudos to making the ambiance of your restaurant so lovely! With a lighted-up tree in the back of the restaurant it creates such a cozy and magical vibe!! Sala Thai's customer service is impeccable!! We always feel so welcomed at their restaurant. So very thankful for Sala Thai for cooking me "Mee Krob." Next time, I can't wait to try it with pork! My family loves Mee Krob and sadly we don't see it anymore in the Thai restaurants we've been accustomed to going. Other than that, I also want to say that I really enjoyed Sala Thai's version of "Tom kha kai" - Thai coconut soup. I was also glad that I tried their Pad Thai Noodles with pork. It was delicious!! Thank you so very much Sala Thai for the invitation to try several of your delectable dishes!! Sala Thai is now my favorite Thai restaurant in San Diego.

Christian, our server, was so friendly and helpful! The ambiance is so vibey after their remodel and I really enjoyed the beautiful presentation of their dishes. I tried their tofu pad sew ew and chicken panaang curry. Both were tasty and the right amount of spice. I will absolutely be back again soon!

Wednesday wing day amazing flavor, I love their spicy wings and cold beer. The new remodel is beautiful and the servers are friendly attentive. Great vegan choices too.

Great restaurant for our girls' night out. The cloth napkins and soft lighting create a classy and intimate atmosphere. To stay within our low-carb meal plan we ordered the chicken lettuce cups and chicken satay. Both had really great sauce accompaniments. It was my first time trying red curry (I usually go for the yellow) and I was pleased to find I didn't really miss the potatoes at all. We ordered just the right amount of food for two people and left with a small box of leftovers.

I only leave a 1 star review when a business truly deserves it, and Sala Thai does. I ordered 4 food items and 2 drinks to go, totaling $70. 2 Thai teas- asked for 25% sweetness/sugar. Received full sweet (maybe even extra sweet), threw away. 2 Pad Thais were very sweet, overcooked, and containers were half full. Food itself, 1 star. Container filled halfway, 0 stars. 2 Yellow curries. Flavor was 1 star, and tasted like they put water in it for volume. And again, their unethical business practice filled each container only halfway. The containers aren't large to begin with, and filling them halfway is just stealing. Won't ever give this business another dime, and neither should you. There are plenty of delicious, ethical Thai businesses out there that care about both their food and customers to not do things like this. And the food here is less than mediocre. This is the McDonald's of Thai food

This is the second time we have food catered. It is the BEST! We have had the curry, pad Thai, egg rolls, sticky rice and the like. I definitely recommend their food to anyone. Looking forward to dinning in! Try them out!

Went for dinner here with my parents and had an amazing experience! The atmosphere is perfect! The murals on the walls were very artistic and nice as well as the dining area lighting. All the staff were super friendly and accommodating! Christian in particular was super nice and went above and beyond to make our dinner experience a good one! We were also informed that they now offer the option for dark meat chicken which is super unique for places to offer and it was delicious! Prices were reasonable too as well as portions! I highly recommend this hidden gem if you love Thai food :)

The owner Kristian was an incredibly wonderful host with impeccable service. In addition the food was absolutely delicious. Will no doubt continue going back . Very reasonably priced especially the Thai tea.

Wow!!!! At Christians recommendation I tried the Crispy Duck with added Eggplant. Mind blowing textures. Crispy yet moist yet savory with perfectly cooked green beans. Eggplant perfectly prepared seamlessly integrated. This dish will be calling me back as soon as possible. This explains why Sala Thai has survived 35 years. What a fabulous neighborhood find. Thank you!! The updated green & gold decor and low light g make it a cozy NYC vibe right here in Rolando. See you soon Christian and team.

I tried Sala Thai for this first time today. I placed a pick up order for pad Thai and it was so delicious. The staff was super friendly too. I will definitely be back!

We had the yellow curry and the pad see eew, which was good but a bit too salty. I also found a long piece of hair in my food! The lady remade my dish, and the noodles were still overcooked and salty. Lunch special size of the food is not worth the price, so if you're coming with a big appetite around lunchtime then I suggest you go somewhere else!

Amazing tasting food, quick and super friendly service. No issues every time I have gone.

Christian was amazing server matching and pairing sauces. Recommendations worked perfectly. Pad Thai seafood combo Fried Rice Sea food combo, Crab Rangoon, Duck, Steak Curry, Calamari, and Thai Tea. Curry chicken rice. We will be back.

This is my favorite Thai restaurant anywhere. The food is always fresh and delicious, the service is excellent, and the owner and staff are friendly and personable.

We went in with high hopes and open mind. Thats where we went wrong. We ordered a meal that has a $10 deal, but apparently is only available online, but we weren't notified of that until after they had already brought us the order. Also the picture on the FRONT WINDOW showed it came with an egg but it was an extra charge . The pad thai was good, but we had asked for pork, and they gave us chicken, when we asked, they doubled down and said it was pork so we left it alone, all three of us at the table tried it and we all thought it was chicken. The Chinese sausage fried rice was decent. Also all three of us had to immediately run to the bathroom not even 30 minutes after eating. We will not be returning. The inside was dim and aesthetic tho. Im writing this still on the toilet

Best chicken kaprow in San Diego! Love this place so much! This place is a true gem and a San Diego staple!

Ordered on online... I bought the chefs fried rice with chicken and the yellow curry with chicken. Just delicious! The rice was very flavorful and I really enjoyed the curry. This is my new local thai spot when I cant drive all the way to north park.

the food is amazing. best dl thai spot ive ever tried so far in san diego. its so so good!!!!!

The Thai basil dish hit so different--packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. I asked for medium spicy, and it was just the right amount of heat to bring everything together without overpowering the dish. I also had the mango sticky rice, and wow... it was incredibly delicious--sweet, fresh, and the perfect ending to the meal. The portions are generous too, definitely worth the price. I'll definitely be going back to try more dishes!

Absolutely delicious! We got the vegetable egg rolls which were so crispy and delicious! The dipping sauce made me happy! THEN, the main course was the Yellow curry with chicken and added vegetables (only 3$) served with a side of white rice. I love getting the perfect bite but they all were! Soooooo good! Lastly but very importantly, we had the Tai Iced Tea to drink between all those delicious bites. Overall a very memorable meal for a great deal! (DoorDash order)

Love this Thai place! Portion sizes and prices are very good. The drinks and soups though are honestly the best - check out their Tom yum & Tom kha soups. The thai iced coffee and ice teas are both lit - definitely try it. Outside of the pad see ew, the rest were very good. I'd recommend getting the pad Thai and curries! Great service and nice indoor dining!

Good experience Order 3 things. 1. Thai tea: yum! I enjoyed it. Sweet and creamy 2. Egg Rolls. More like a long sushi roll cut in pieces. The crust was different- not exact smooth egg roll skin like normal. Not sure what it is, just a lil more texture and actually yummy! I may have liked it a bit more crispy, but it was also delivered so it may be more crispy on the restaurant 3. Pad Thai. Well. This one put my star rating down the most. I have to say first, the ingredients tasted very fresh and quality of the noodles+chicken were very good. I also really liked that they were juicy and not all stuck together like most places. The one complaint I have (which I've seen others comment on) is the flavor. It was super bland. The actual flavor was good, but would compare it to a lightly buttered piece of toast vs garlic Bread lol- if that makes sense! It could use a LOT more spices, slightly thicker sauce, and a lil heat wouldn't hurt! Maybe it was my fault and I should have asked for a spicy level- but on door dash, I didn't see an option to add spicy. Overall- the food was good and fresh. If you order the Pad Thai- ask for spice level and possibly extra sauce? And if you like the green onions- I would ask for extra too!

Sala Thai is a super cute family run business with a great atmosphere and delicious food. I love their pad see ew and tom ka! The son (I did not catch his name) goes above and beyond with customer service, he even brought us out some fried egg rolls for free because he was adamant we should try them. They are delicious and very unique with peanut sauce on the inside! The interior is very cute, with a hand painted mural. Definitely recommend!

shorted me an order of chicken wings and gave me an extra fried rice. the fried rice was very under seasoned, the main flavor was bean sprout. the caramelized chicken wings are just pure sugar. thai tea was really good though.

I brought some friends tonight, and we had a great time. The food was amazing. The atmosphere was amazing. I was so glad because I told my friends. The food and atmosphere was good and it turned out to be exactly that!

3.5 so rounding to 4 When I used to work in the area, we used to stop here all the time! I would crave their egg rolls which had a good peanut flavor in them. We came to fulfill that craving after not coming here for years and unfortunately the egg rolls just aren't the same. If I had to compare them to something, it feels like it would be something I could get at the grocery store in the frozen section. Despite this, everything else seemed good. We ordered calamari, pad see ew, and the Chinese sausage fried rice. Calamari was solid. I definitely prefer rings and tentacles but these were strips. Mixed in with the calamari were other fried veggies which were ok. Pad see ew is good and is a a part of their lunch specials which allows you to select and entree and an appetizer. Lunch specials are M-F, 11-3. The Chinese sausage fried rice stole the show. There was something so satisfying about that rice and I would order it again if it were available. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be a regular menu item as we just saw it on a board and not on the menu. Staff are nice and friendly, and service is quick. I think the owner was the one who came out and gave us extra sauces and recommended which ones go best with what. She recommended vinegar on the pad see ew and it enhanced the flavor - was so good! She recommended the fish sauce for the rice and that was another winner.

Such wonderful hospitality! I'm a film major at SDSU and the owner so kindly let our production film in the restaurant. The ambience and scenery was beautiful! They also gave us student discounts on their food which was delicious!

Sala Thai is one of my favorite Thai restaurants to go to! I usually get the pad thai or the pad see ew, and always a thai tea. The last time my friend and I visited, one of the workers had us try a thai coffee as well. Both were delicious; we'll definitely be getting them again! We got our food to go. The portion sizes are perfect: you could finish it in one sitting or make multiple meals out of just one dish. The prices are fair, the service is fast, every worker has been kind and efficient, and the restaurant itself is beautiful! Highly recommend, and I can't wait to try more dishes from their menu!

Excellent value for servings AND ridunculous taste!! This was my favorite, go to, dinner out, or bring home food while I was at SDSU. Now I'm willing to drive the 25 minutes from Clairemont in order to get this food. No kidding, it's my birthday request annually. Creamy w/kick Tom Ka (w/tofu is my fav), perfectly tender satay, can't get enough Pad Thai w/shrimp (unless they can drench it in the house-recipe peanut sauce). Even after 10 years, the kindest owner/hostess will remember your face! Go. Go tonight, go again this weekend!

This is some of the best Thai food and best service I have seen in a long time. The portions are great and they were able to fit my accommodations with no problem, and they said that if I didn't like anything they would take it back and make me something else no charge. They are there to help you, and your experience at their family owned restaurant. Some of these reviews are absolutely not what I saw, and they are just hiding behind the phone, not experiencing the food and hospitality in person. Please give this family restaurant a shot, as it will make your day! Also they said they are always on the hunt for mangos, as they are out of season, but you are more than welcome to bring your own ripe mango for mango sticky rice!

Gluten Free Options I got their Pad Thai and thought the dish was lacking in flavor. I mostly tasted the starch of the noodles and my meal consisted mostly noodles with a couple pieces of meat and veggies. Service was great and quick and they don't seem too busy. I may try some of their other dishes since I appreciate their awareness to gluten free offerings.

The food here was okay. I've never had Pad Thai that is soupy and with carrots & broccoli. Flavor was not there as well, wasn't savory, just sweet. My daughter and I were the only ones there, so although we got our orders fairly quickly, no one came by to fill our water or ask if we needed anything.. they were just sitting at the front table on their phones.

I've been going to this place weekly for the last 6.5 years. Food is always on point, customer service is the best, Chira the owner is such a good person. I highly recommend this place always. Prices are cheaper than most Thai places and quality is good. Support her small business! She's been around for over 30 years.

If you are looking for high heat flavor from wok go else where for thai food cos this place have no heat. I had their house fried rice no flavor at all! Taste like anyone can cook at home. Pad thai has no heat! No flavor. Seem like they just boil the noodle and mix the sauce in. Well atleast their egg rolls is delicious. Yellow curry was good too. Would not be back 2nd time. Their dish lack flavor! They probably cook in regular home stove.

The best Khao Soi in town!! Love this place, the owner is so nice and she makes sure that your food is good. Love the food and service. Sticky rice is bomb!

It was amazing! We had the beef wok, chicken pad Thai, and the lettuce wraps. Will definitely come back.

Pad Thai was not authentic , more like Italian with Thai ingredients. My problem is that I have been to Thailand many times

Not worth the price.... Came here for lunch with the hubby. Staff was friendly upon arrival. Seated for two the establishment was noted to be clean but the ambiance was a little dark dimmer than my liking sitting at the back of restaurant. Not many people here for lunch: we ordered the lunch special chicken curry which came with a choice of vegetables soup, egg roll of some sort, or salad with peanut dressing. I ordered the salad which was a super tiny plate and salad filled just the center of plate it. Literally could fork the salad with 2 fork full of ice berg lettuce, one half a slice of cucumber, and a slither of a half slice of a Roma tomato and a gob of peanut dressing on it. The chicken, curry and rice came out on a plate. I've never had anyone serve me chicken curry with all of the juices and rice on a plate & left with just a fork.... I ended up asking for a bowl the lady gave me this little bowl below to put it in.... You know the kiddy bowls you get sides in?... welp that the amount of food you get and the rice is most of that.. the chicken was skimpy but taste was ok. The hubby got the pad see eww which he found a hair in but lady was more than friendly to replace it. I personally would have been gagged... and ruined for lunch but my hubby was gracious and let her replace it. The noodles were overcooked both times as well and the taste was too salty for my liking. Honestly won't be back as the price was not worth the food presentation, taste expectations, and quantity.

Since before I lived in the area, I was regularly told to go to Sala Thai by my friends & coworkers. Now, my fiancé and I routinely enjoy Sala Thai as a staple of good thai food in the SDSU area. We have dined in a few times, but usually get takeout & the food is always hot when we get home - a must for takeout. Each and every meal at Sala has been standout and delicious! This is definitely a family-style restaurant experience, so expect a laid-back atmosphere and friendly staff. Speaking of... the staff seems to all be family of the owner, and they really do care about your meal and how much you liked it. I eat everything, but my fiancé doesn't. So, it was nice when Kristian (I think was his name) made some recommendations for her and I based off our preferences. They really understand the menu items and flavors that go into each plate - which can be hard to come by these days in the food industry. Last night we had pineapple curry - one of our favorites - and it was so freaking yummy! For being established in 1990, this place has not lost it's flavor or charm - a seriously impressive task for San Diego eateries.

The food is amazing, and they even cater to us who are vegan. The service is the best of the best, they make us feel like we are family everytime we walk in the door. The Ambiance is great, love the lighting and vibe but also it's very clean. Highly recommend this spot if you're a fan of Thai, they will make whatever you like and the way you like it. I love that about them. And if you want to have a party here. You can't go wrong either, I think we are going on 15yrs of birthdays here. It's just the perfect spot for it.

This place is truly amazing!! My sister and I always have such a great experience every time we come here- leaving with full and satisfied bellies! The food is always a 10/10 and comes so quick too! In addition, the service is amazing, you can tell the staff truly cares about their customers! Can't recommend this place enough!

Sala Thai! If you want delicious Thai food, Sala Thai is a great place with delicious Thai! I highly recommend this place!!

I just had their red curry and it was amazing. The staff was super friendly. And accommodating definitely will be coming back!