Soi 38 Melbourne
Thai restaurant · Melbourne ·

Soi 38 Melbourne

Thai restaurant · Melbourne ·

Authentic Thai street food, boat noodles, Isaan dishes, BBQ

boat noodles
papaya salad
crying tiger
authentic thai food
street style setting
lively atmosphere
crispy pork
tom yum soup
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by Melanie Desa
Soi 38 Melbourne by Audrey Bourget
Soi 38 Melbourne by Melanie Desa
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null
Soi 38 Melbourne by null

Information

38 Royal Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia Get directions

A$20–40

Order delivery
See Menu
Usually a wait
Restroom
Accepts reservations
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner

Information

Static Map

38 Royal Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia Get directions

soi38.com
@soi38

A$20–40 · Menu

Features

•Usually a wait
•Restroom
•Accepts reservations
•Popular for lunch
•Popular for dinner
•Trendy
•Family friendly
•Good for groups

Last updated

Jan 20, 2026

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@infatuation
132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

The 33 Best Restaurants In Melbourne 2023

"Melbourne’s fixation on hidden bars and restaurants has tapered off over recent years, but one mainstay is this colorful Thai spot concealed in a city car park. To order, check off items on a paper menu and hand it to staff as they dash about the tiny, rowdy space, which is decked out with blue and red tables and framed pictures of Thai royalty. Most dishes are $10, including the signature boat noodles, which come with braised beef or pork in an anise-rich pork broth. Don’t let the line put you off, it moves fast." - ellen fraser

https://www.theinfatuation.com/melbourne/guides/best-melbourne-restaurants
Melanie Desa
Soi 38 Melbourne
@eater
391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

The 38 Best Restaurants in Melbourne | Eater

"A CBD parking lot is home to one of Melbourne’s most-lauded Thai noodle shops. Soi 38 is always busy, but you’ll eventually score a seat at one of the colorful tables. Grab a form, fill out your order, then bring it to the “counter,” which is actually an old cart the owner used to sell soup from. There are a few different noodles and soups to try, including tom yum, but Soi 38 is mainly known for its boat noodles with beef (braised, sliced, and meatballs), water spinach, bean sprouts, and pork crackling. The sweet, aromatic broth can and should be customized with chile, fish sauce, and sugar. At night, the restaurant offers a more extensive Thai street food menu." - Audrey Bourget

https://www.eater.com/maps/best-melbourne-restaurants-38
Audrey Bourget
Soi 38 Melbourne
@infatuation
132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

Soi 38 - Review - Melbourne - The Infatuation

"Melbourne’s fixation on hidden bars and restaurants has tapered off over recent years, but one mainstay is this colorful Thai spot concealed in a city car park. To order, check off items on a paper menu and hand it to staff as they dash about the tiny, rowdy space, which is decked out with blue and red tables and framed pictures of Thai royalty. Most dishes are $10, including the signature boat noodles, which come with braised beef or pork in an anise-rich pork broth. Don’t let the line put you off, it moves fast. photo credit: Melanie Desa" - Ellen Fraser

https://www.theinfatuation.com/melbourne/reviews/soi-38
Melanie Desa
Soi 38 Melbourne

Nate W.

Google
I enjoyed the experience and atmosphere here but they don’t have photos of the dishes on their menu so you have to know what you are ordering and have prior knowledge of Thai dishes. I ordered a pork dish and I had no clue what I had ordered and was surprised when a massive hotpot arrived of Pork back bones (I expected slices of pork). The dinner opening hours are mainly for sharing groups as I only wanted a single dish for myself. I wish the staff had warned me upon ordering or there were visual photos of the dishes so I didn’t order incorrectly. The staff were really nice but it does get busy here with a queue lining outside the door. Best to come with a group of 4-6 people.

J K

Google
Like the authentic hot and sour flavors in their food. Quite different from the Thai restaurants I have had in Australia, but was told that their food resembled the southern Thai style. The pork was beautifully marinated and grilled. Papaya salad dressing was surprisingly nutty. Crispy pork fried rice was delicious. Overall, had a good experience at the restaurant, though wishing the portion size could be more generous.

Ye

Google
The food was great, the staff were very friendly and the service was fast. Ordering was simple—you fill out a paper menu with your selections and quantities, hand it to the server. The paper menu doesn’t have photos but there’s a QR code you can scan to see pictures of the dishes, which was helpful. We ordered mostly spicy dishes, and they were full of flavour and really good. Overall, a very enjoyable experience.

KANYA C.

Google
An absolute hidden gem. Despite they were busy on 2nd Jan lunch, staff were still attentive to many tables and swift service. Tom yum noodle soup was good! Broth was nice and fresh. Boat noodle was also nice. Probably one of the closest thai style street food we have outside thailand and in down under.

Wye T.

Google
Very popular venue. Long queue from 2nd floor entrance right to the ground floor outside. No booking available, just show up and queue. However, there are many tables and turnover is quick. Depending on your group size, we had 3 pax, so a table turned up in about 5 mins. If you're a fan of pork lard, the pork lard fried rice is to die for. Never seen such large size lards before, and the rice is full of it. The fried vermicelli (bee hoon) tasted authentically Thai, sweet and sour and savory all at the same time. Roasted chicken is very tender. Not a fan of the skewered pork, over on the sweet side.

JACK SOOO (Jack S.

Google
Ordered the boat noodles for lunch, but when it came out it looked more like Kuay Chap soup. Don’t fool me, It’s not authentic Thai, but it’s not bad either. Maybe I feel this way because I’m Thai and expect the real flavour I’m used to. Overall, it was still decent.

Debby D.

Google
Great food and atmosphere. The monent you walked in the restaurant, you knew you will get good food here by the smell . Must try fish : duck larb, pork jowl, tomyum soup . A must visit restaurant in Melbourne if you like Thai food.

Am I X.

Google
I saw this place all over TikTok, so I was curious to try it. The concept is unique — the tables and décor mimic a street-food setup, but you get to enjoy it indoors in a warm, cozy space. I arrived around 7 PM on a weekday, and the restaurant was full. We waited about 5–10 minutes for a table. Our group of four ordered four dishes, total bill AUD 123: - Crying Tiger: Perfect meat-to-fat ratio, very tender, and the dipping sauce was delicious. - Thai Hotpot: Includes 3–4 types of meat, prawns, squid, and a mixed veggie tray. The broth is bone-based, clean and warming — great for cold weather. Not spicy or sour, so it’s easy for anyone to enjoy. - Kung Chae Nahm Pla: Raw prawns with bitter melon, garlic, chili, and Thai sauce. Fresh prawns, but overall the flavor was just okay. - Ultimate Bowl: Their most viral dish, but unfortunately the most disappointing for me. The instant-noodle smell overpowered everything, the tomyum broth barely covered the ingredients, and the seasoning felt incomplete. Toppings included prawns, baby octopus, scallops, roast pork, and three egg yolks: but the scallops tasted fishy. Overall, it’s a decent spot; but I’d recommend choosing meat dishes over seafood. The staff were quick and polite, which is definitely a plus.