Sovereign Modern Thai Cuisine

Stopped by this place for dinner just by the way it looked outside and based on the reviews. We were not disappointed and left completely satisfied with the experience. Starting with the drinks - they were delicious! We ordered the Thai Basil Gimlet which was refreshing. The Killer Bee is topped with egg white which was great and Heat Wave was a spicy margarita - very flavorful! Definitely try the Hat Yao Fried Chicken which was super crunchy and not oily at all - very fresh. The Braised Beef Panang Curry was very good as well and comes with a side of rice. We also ordered a side of garlic brócoli which was the healthy side option for us. I would definitely come back to try the other drinks and specials. The service and staff was friendly and attentive, always checking on our table. It is also a nice atmosphere for a romantic date note. Highly recommend!

I don’t eat Thai food very often but there is one place that I always go to and recommend and that’s sovereign modern Thai. I come here for a few reasons 1 it’s down the street from our house 2 they have 4 Michelin stars 21,22,23,24 3 I don’t have to get all dressed up and 4 the food and service is amazing. The food is full of flavors no matter what dish you order spice sweet and savory. Hudson was our waiter and was very attentive and gave a few suggestions. We went a little light and had their beef spicy soup Thai tacos and beer peanut Thai style. Trust me when I say this there food is amazing and filled with so much flavor give them a try if your in the downtown east village area and tell them rob sent you!!

Saw on Google Maps this was one of the better rated Thai places in downtown San Diego. We did not know this was Michellin Gourmand and it definitely lived up to the hype. We came here at 5:45 pm on a Wednesday night so not too busy at the start but quite busy when we left. We started off ordering the Chicken Larb (Thai salad with ground chicken tossed in a tangy lime dressing. Lettuce leaf, rice powder, mint, and Thai chilies). This was quite refreshing and a nice starter. Than for the main dish we ordered Shrimp Pad Thai (Mexican jumbo shrimp, peanuts, scrambled eggs, and bean sprouts tossed in Pad Thai Sauce) and Duck Curry Noodles (Twist on Khao Soi, mildly spiced yellow curry, duck confit, fermented mustard greens, bok choy, and beansprouts). Both dishes were amazing and we were absolutely stuffed after this.

Delicious Northern Thai dishes with elevated presentation in a casual setting. Great services that's willing to help you find the options best for your group and amazing cocktails.

I’d like to start off by saying that the food is good! However, I took my husband out for his birthday and would not recommend going for birthdays. The wait staff had no idea what to do and instead ended up charging us for a dessert we didn’t want. I initially asked if they do something for birthdays and instead of saying no, our waitress decided to charge us for a dessert that she recommended. I would definitely go back for the food but not a special occasion.

This place is absolutely amazing! We drove over 2 hours just to try Sovereign Thai Cuisine. We discovered this gem while watching the tv show Triple D, in which Guy Fieri showcased their whole fried rockfish. We were very impressed and satisfied with the great customer service. The entire staff were so friendly, attentive and caring. I would specifically like to mention our server Nui. She was so happy and always had a smile whenever she would help us. As mentioned, the entire staff were great. Zaki and Ray were very kind and friendly when checking up on us. The food was ridiculously delicious! Fresh flavors and quality ingredients. The Tom Zap cocktail was so uniquely delicious, with hints of Thai basil, coconut and Thai chili oil. I was a bit intimidated when I first saw it, but after one sip I realized it was one of the most unique and memorable drinks I’ve had. We started with ordering the glazed chicken wings as appetizer. Wow, these were served piping hot and crispy. Just perfect! We also had the Thai beef jerky for appetizer. What a fantastic and unique dish, I would definitely recommend both appetizers. We wanted to try everything on the menu! We definitely ended up ordering the whole fried rockfish. It was crispy and epic with an amazing sauce that was topped with green onions and peanuts. This is a must try item. We also ordered the New York steak and shrimp pad Thai. Both dishes were excellent. Great customer service, amazing food and vibes!!! The restaurant is very clean and nicely decorated.

Great food! Reasonable price. Creative cocktails and fav cold beers on tap. Plan for parking. Hard to find a place that comes close to being in Thailand. The search continues.

Excellent food and impeccable service. Far better than the other downtown Thai options. Mushroom larb and eggplant were both great. Sticky rice was a bit overcooked. Will definitely be back.

Sovereign Modern Thai! Ben going here for years before covid and before they were recognized by Michelin guide. Their good is consistently great. Not good, not subpar..... great. You know how when u go to one restaurant because you're craving something specific? Well, at Sovereign Modern Thai you can go wrong with all their dishes. Do I have a favorite? Several! My go to, beef tallow fried rice and sirloin steak... perfectly seasoned and not over powering topped with fried crispy garlic and shallots and freshly chopped green onions. The steak: not your typical regular no flavor steak. It's marinated u get a little bit of char a balance of salty and sweet (I'm guessing from the fish sauce and a Lil sugar?) Whatever and however this steak is marinated, it's a perfect flavor of everything ;smoky, salty, sweet. It's not a dish you'll find at any Thai restaurant... I have several favorites so I can't say just one dish. Every person I've introduced this place has loved it and now made it their go to spot. Every ingredient placed on all these dishes down to chili saté is home made. AND they're consistently great! It's rare to find a restaurant that has more than one or two great dishes! Sovereign Modern Thai does it right and they do it well. Today, I was craving the Laos Angus New York Beef salad. They Steak was cooked to a medium rare tossed with the toasted rice powder, lime, fish sauce, a Lil sugar, Mint and Cilantro. Served with Romaine Lettuce and topped with red onions. If u want protein and greens this is it. It's usually more protein than greens, but that's normal and I'm not complaining. I also had their chicken fried rice cooked in beef tallow and man.... it's been a minute since I've had great chicken fried rice. When I tell you each grain was perfectly seasoned and not dry or too wet....sheepshead! And the chicken...I rarely order chicken because let's be real. It's always dry and overcooked and hard to chew. Not here. Juicy pieces of chicken in the beef tallow(fat) fried rice was amazing. I'm not basic, but this chicken fried rice!!! Call me basic but feed me that fried rice! I also had their dessert, smashed bananas served with coconut ice cream and fresh coconut milk and for texture, crispy toasted slices of coconut! So good. What i appreciate about Sovereign Modern Thai is that each ingredient is thoughtful and purposeful. They know what they're doing. Don't take my word for it... give them a try. You'll fall in love.

I love Thai food and so when this popped up on Yelp with over 4 stars I had pretty high expectations. However based on my experience tonight I would say it was alright and hovers around a 2.5-3 for me. We arrived before 430 PM and seated in a booth. We placed our order with a server who then informed us he's handing us off to someone else due to a break. I think because of this our new server was uninformed of things related to our order and so we didn't get part of our dish till we were almost leaving. For a while I couldn't find staff willing to help even with just one other table being serviced and so we just had to wait. We ordered the Peppercorn Chicken Noodle, Eggplant, Shrimp Pad Thai, and Flame grilled New York steak. Out of the dishes we ordered I would say the two that I would order again are the chicken and the eggplant dish as both of these were cooked well and tender and the flavor profile was balanced. I even thought it was interesting how the eggplant was cooked so tender it could have passed for a scallop. The other three dishes were just meh to me. The shrimp pad Thai came with 4 shrimps and most weren't cleaned well and one was so bad I couldn't even eat it. The noodles were more al dente and the flavor a bit more tangy than other dishes. The green onions might be less in your face if diced finer. The fried rice didn't have much flavor and was clumpy and the steak was cooked a little more well done than what I'd like for my medium rare preference.

The papaya has a kick yall, I know it's spicy but we ordered mild and that was the most I could handle. The food was delish and the restaurant looked so pretty. We made reservations beforehand but we also got there pretty early in the day, so we were the first group in. There was so many things I wanted to try, but we were stuffed after the meal. I'm defiantly returning and trying other items.

Sovereign Modern Thai is a great spot in downtown San Diego, especially if you love spice! They don't shy away from heat for the hotter levels, which I really appreciated. The fried rice had the perfect balance of savory and sweet, and the Hat Yai was super crispy with a sauce that paired perfectly with the chicken. I'd recommend making a reservation, as it can get busy, and while there's some street parking nearby, it can be tricky depending on the time. They also have nice drink options, like a refreshing Thai iced tea, which complements the meal well. If you're craving flavorful Thai food in San Diego, Sovereign Modern Thai is definitely worth checking out!

Solid Thai food in San Diego! Loved the Hat Yai Fried Chicken here. The portion size seemed a bit small for the price, but I would still come back and try other dishes.

If only So wrong wasn't so far away from me.... Sadness aside this was stupendous. We had a Thai feast and each dish was so good. We sat at the bar and had great service and the whole reason we came was because they were featured at an API film festival earlier in the year. We ate like queens and had a joyous time. I would suggest taking the trolly in if you can as parking is not fun or plentiful and make sure you have a reservation - they are not large and are deservedly busy and bustling. It was cozy and cute and fun. Great for any occasion and a place I will be back to.

We love this restaurant. Most of the dishes we have tried are very flavorful. Our favorite is the sirloin steak fried rice. I decided to try something else and went for the shrimp pad thai. Presentation was good, however i didn't get to eat 4 out of the 5 big shrimps upon discovering that it was overcooked which left the shrimp and a little tough and fishy. I even had my husband try it and he concurred. I'm usually not the type who would say something to the server about the flavor of the food but this time, i felt compelled to share in a nice way just to give them heads up so it doesn't happen to the next customer. So, when the staff came to our table, i gave him heads up that the shrimps were overcooked and couldn't eat it because it had fishy taste to it. His response was that 'it's normal'? I didn't quite understand what that means and i didn't try to ask. He also said that he just works there... then brings us a business card with an email and number where i can write my concern. Not the professional response or action i was hoping but i just didn't make a big deal out of it. The dish was $25 about and ii'm just disappointed that i couldn't eat /enjoy the shrimps. The staff saw that i left all the shrimps on my plate. the flavor of the sauce was also dominating. Perhaps i will try something else on the menu next time. To sum it up, i thought they could have had a better action on the situation. Presentation on the shrimp pad thai was a 4.5/ overall taste 2 for the price.

THE CHIVE CAKES! So so good! All of the food we had was extremely authentic to Isaan cuisine. This was definitely slightly different from regular Thai food because of the regional focus. We loved everything we got, and also received great service. Would definitely come back - on my list of favorite Thai restaurants!

Sovereign has been a consistently excellent dining location for us. Everything we have tried on the menu has been delicious and wonderfully presented. Your only challenge may be finding parking on the street; however, your experience inside will be well worth the parking competition. Let the games begin!!!

Upscale Thai food. Delicious, flavorful and fresh! The curry duck noodles were so unique and it was clear a lot of thought was put into the amazing broth.

Simply the best Thai Restaurant I've been to. My favorites are the Steak with fried rice, Panag Beef Curry & Massaman Curry.

Extremely impressed with this place! I came here for dinner with a few colleagues and this place surpassed expectations. Everything we ordered was flavourful and perfectly cooked. I loved the crispy pork belly which I shared with a colleague, it was a part of their seasonal menu. The peppercorn noodles were everything I expected them to be - perfect! My colleagues enjoyed their pad thai - everyone had clean plates! Since I was the only one with a sweet tooth, I ordered the sticky mango rice and it turned out to be one of the best I've had in a very long time. All my colleagues tried it and loved it so much! Highly recommend this restaurant, we had a fantastic experience!

This place was DELICIOUS! I can't wait to go back to try more. Everything on the menu looked so good that it was hard to decide. I came across this restaurant while in the area. Luckily, we were there when they opened so we were able to be seated without any prior reservation. I believe this place gets popular, and reservations may be required normally for this Michelin-recommended restaurant. We ordered the luscious lychee cocktail to start. A delicious, fruity and sweet drink with vodka. Loved it. For our entree, we got khao soi (a fried duck leg with noodles in curry broth). The duck leg was tender and fried to perfection. The noodles could've been a little more flavorful, but the curry was enough to make up for it. We also ordered shrimp pad thai, which was perfectly executed. No notes. The shrimp was huge and tender. I loved how this place remains authentic while also being upscale. The smell of incense burning brought me back home. Look up! The lampshades are made from bamboo sticky rice steamer baskets, which was an amusing touch. I can't wait to return to try the beef fried rice and penang curry next.

4/5: Food was good but was quite salty especially the duck noodle. The duck was crispy and beef was so tender. The flat noodle was probably least salty. If all the dishes were less salty would be ranked higher.

I've been wanting to come here for some time. In the heart of east village, this small Thai restaurant seemed to hold promise with its Michelin accolades. We were seated quickly, and the service for the most part was fast and friendly (except for the check which seem to take a while after we finished our meal) The food started really strong. The pork belly, although simple, came with a perfect light dipping sauce and extremely crispy skin. The chicken larb was the star of the night, with just the right amount of spice at our requested medium heat level. Fresh with bold flavors, but not completely in your face kind of way. The crispy Asian sticks were also delicious, with a perfect fry and delicious seafoods inside that shined through the pencil thin form factor. Then the mains came. We ordered their often recommended fried chicken, which was whelming. Not over or under, just whelming. The accompany sauce seemed to be overly sweet for the chicken, but I could see what they were going for - almost an amped up version of a tonkatsu sauce. We then had our last dish which came highly recommended from the waiter: the lamb curry. This was not a delicious dish. The curry was so sweet I couldn't tell that lamb was the meat that was hiding in the cloying mileu. It was a horrible way to end the meal. The last thing I feel I need to mention is that there were two dogs that did not appear to be service animals. One was unleashed and in a booth close to us and was jumping around, at one point landing on the woman next to us. Finally, for the price point (~180$), this meal was not worth the experience. I am afraid to say that I have no desire to return.

We were seated immediately. It was a slower Sunday night but we still sat at the bar. Ordered the clams as an appetizer for my brother and I, as the kids would say, they slapped. The Hat Yai was perfect, boneless chicken lightly fried was incredibly tender the tomato chili jam sauce was such an awesome accompaniment. Jasmine rice was paired nicely, sake was a great extra touch. The overall vibe of the restaurant was super chill and laid back. The servers were very helpful in navigating the menu with recommendations and conversation. It wasn't too loud and the lights were at a pleasant level. I will certainly return!

Although we had a reservation, it took quite a while for us to get seated. However, the servers were patient with us trying to figure out what to order for the group because we were HUNGRY. Chicken Pad Thai: 4/5 - The noodles were the perfect texture and they had a great portion of bean sprouts. I wish there was a bit more tamarind flavor but overall, pretty good. Duck Curry Noodles: 3/5 - The duck confit was cooked perfectly well. The crispy egg noodle topping was a great addition and the curry was very flavorful. However, the big let down was the actually noodles inside the curry didn't carry much flavor and the texture was slightly mushy. Steak Fried Rice: 5/5 - Order it! The char on the steak was perfect, the fried rice was well balanced between the rice and veggies and flavored well. Chicken Laab: 4/5 - Loved it! However, there wasn't enough lettuce to wrap the Laab, which would've been nice. The sauce was very delicious. Seafood Soup: 4/5 - Great flavor with the perfect amount of spice. However, there was barely any glass noodles and I wish there was more variety in seafood, it only came with shrimp and mussels. I would definitely come back and try their fried hat yai chicken!

Everything still wonderful, but the happy hour was removed last year. Dog friendly and the owner loves them!

This restaurant is mentioned in the Michelin Guide, and rightly so. Everything about this place was a positive experience. We arrived before noon and waited for them to open. We weren't the only ones. This place is a known spot, so make a reservation or get there early. Within the first 30 minutes of seating, I would say the place was at least 60% filled up-and there are not a lot of tables. By the time we left an hour and 20 minutes later, there were at least half a dozen or more people waiting out the front door. For lunch service, they only had one server/bartender for all the tables. That was probably ok, but she was busy the whole time and while service was great, it was relaxed and not at all rushed. But if you wanted things to move faster, you might be hard pressed to get in and out fast. If the place was really busy, it might get slow if they don't have another server on board.That being said, they do ask on the menu that parties do not stay more than 90 minutes in order to allow more guests in. So they know they can move diners in and out because the demand is there. Every dish was amazing. We started with the avocado spring rolls. Meticulously made and carefully wrapped, they had shredded carrot, cucumber, avocado, lettuce, and glass noodles in a rice wrapper. Served with a side of sweet chile sauce (not really hot) and a side of peanut dipping sauce. Both were good, I liked the sweet chile sauce. Additionally, we had the Thai taco appetizer. Two soft street tacos, with a slow cooked pulled pork but with thai seasonings, slices of jalapeño, on a corn tortilla. These were amazingly good. For our mains we had the Red Chicken Curry and Broccoli with garlic. The curry came with a side of rice. Curry with a nice amount of heat, the broccoli just erring on the side of tender yet crunchy, with a delicous garlicky broth. For dessert we had fried bananas, which were basically a banana wrapped up like a tube in a phyllo-like dough, the deep fried and served with a few drops of a sweet maybe simple syrup on the plate. A generous portion and just right. Ambience here is quiet and casual, and they have a few outdoor seats. They allowed us to bring our dog inside and sit in the booth with us, which was very cool. We ordered just about right for 2-3 people, appetizers are good for 1-2 people, and mains about the same. So 2 apps and 2 mains for two people is about right, if you're really hungry order another main dish. I would return without hesitation, it's a good value for food this good, service is on point, and it's a win-win all around.

The food was so good. The duck curry was very flavorful and sweet and didn't have too much heat to it. I got the steak at a spicy level and it had a pretty good kick, and the steak was cooked very nicely a little bit on the rare side.

4 stars for food. 3 stars for service. Although staff was pleasant, service was soooooo sloooooooowwwww... Dined in with a party of six and we waited around for quite some time before anyone came to take our order. Then we proceeded to wait and wait and wait for food to arrive. Food was tasty for sure! Might have been tastier if we were provided all the utensils bowls, plates etc to eat them with. Restaurant seemed severely understaffed and I felt it. Dish of the night was the crispy pork belly. I'd skip on the papaya salad if I were you. Would I come here again? Probably not.

Solid spot for elevated Thai food in East Village. On the pricey side for what you get, but good ambiance and service. Food is a bit on the sweeter side, wish it had more spice.

The restaurant is simple and quaint. Beware though, there is NO provided parking, so best of luck to you if you have a vehicle. Lotsa walkers with dogs, but parking is for the fortunate. No full bar, but the sake selection is decent! $62 for a tokobetsu 720ml. I'll just name my favorite dishes. I'm a dessert girl, the mango sticky rice and fried banana was excellent. The crab special, Thai curry noodles and pork belly made my heart smile. 4 stars to this Michelin mention. I can't say I loved everything enough to travel back to San Diego for it, but for dinner with my besties on a girls trip, it made us perfectly happy. Also, go family style and it's pretty affordable. We like to over order so my check isn't a realistic judgement of how normal humans order...k tootles!

This restaurant is pretty well-known and I think it was on the Michelin list. It does live up to it. I enjoyed the dishes here. It is a little pricey from the average casual Thai restaurant but it sure worth it. I highly recommend the beef Panang Curry , it was the best dish I tried that day. The Pat Thai was underwhelming, it was still good, but I would not say it was special. I will definitely be coming back to try other dishes. They have there the service was quick and easy. Very helpful.

Wanted to try this location so I decided to go for lunch.. The door was open, so I walked in, waited to be seated, and a gentleman inside the restaurant looked at me, shook his head no and mouthing something!!! How unprofessional!

Nouveau Thai cuisine in a modern setting while preserving the family-owned feeling. The two inventive dishes I tried utilize higher-end ingredients such as the Grilled Angus New York Steak & Beef Tallow Fried Rice, and the Duck Confit Curry Noodles. These nicer ingredients elevate what is already tasty Thai food to another level. Overall a nice experience if you are craving Thai food but want to kick it up a notch.

Really delicious. Lovely, zen environment. You can sit at a table or bar area. Very fresh ingredients, wonderful blend of complex flavors and spices with the right amount of heat Nice ambiance and staff is very polite, pleasant, and professional. The food is prepped/ready quickly (both takeout and dining in). My favorite dish is the eggplant - amazing flavors and melts in your mouth. Pad Thai is also excellent, especially the fresh local Mexican shrimp on top.

What an Amazing meal we had My father wanted a good fried rice and this was excellent taste was spot on. Atmosphere was so calming and best place to enjoy the meal. Wish all our food came at the same time other than that this definitely spot to come back whenever we visit San Diego. You never know we might even drive 2h to just eat the food it's that tasty!!!!

Tried something new at Sovereign last night and of course, it did not disappoint. The beef Panang was so delicious, I ate until my stomach hurt! Not pictured I also tried the Thai Tacos as an app, you can tell the beef in that was cooked in so much flavor, it was so unique and incredible. The service there is okay, the atmosphere is always great though. I'm sad they raised their menu prices, but the food never disappoints

Group of six and I were seated shortly after we arrived around 2ish on a Sunday. It was not very busy, which was perfect for us. The food I ordered was absolutely delicious. I got the Thai Tacos, as pictured, and they were mouthwatering. Just a nibble of the meat was so flavorful, but also didn't overpower the peanut sauce underneath it. I ate them in four bites, since I was stupid hungry. I wish I had known it was an appetizer, that it came with only two, and had asked how large the tortilla was. Those were my only cons, but otherwise the fried rice was tasty, as well. The rice had a honeyed but savory taste to it. It was a perfect portion for one, and I definitely recommend putting some lime on it. The zest of the lime brings out a pop of flavor. Also, this spot Michelin starred three times in a row. That raised some impressed eyebrows to some of us peeps from the valley. Affordable, comfortable, and to whoever chose the playlist this day, good job.

I was very excited to try this restaurant because it was in Michelin Guide and their menu items are so enticing. First off, the restaurant is small. However, I didn't have any trouble making a reservation for 4 ppl on a Sunday. But they do seem busy so I making a reservation is still advisable. I got the Blushing Geisha cocktail - which was bland in terms of flavor as well as alcohol-wise as I barely tasted anything. Now regarding the food - just an FYI, the portions are a bit smaller than your local Thai spot which is a bit understandable. Wasn't able to take a photo but we ordered their Papaya Salad twice because it was too good! We also got the thai chive cake for appetizer and while it was amazing, we did get it pretty late. We ordered the steak fried rice and let me tell you - IT'S THE BEST FRIED RICE YOU COULD EVER FIND PROBABLY IN SAN DIEGO. Every grain of rain is full of flavor. I would go back just for this dish. The rest of the dishes were good. The hat yai was a bit dry in my opinion. Highly recommend getting the mussels - our whole group enjoyed it as well. Overall, the food is definitely top-notch and I would love to come back and try the other items. Although, I was personally not impressed with the service as the food came slow, there is no proper coursing, and the servers seemed to forget our table numerous times. Hope it was just an off day.

love this place stumbled upon it on YELP yrs ago while vacationin inda gaslamp district of SD ~ it was within quite a walking distance from INDIGO, which was where i was stayin during that particular trip im kinda a creature of habit so i tend 2 order da same things repeatedly & im usually da 1 in my group doin most of da ordering grilled thai pork neck: 10/10 yumz but they no longer come w bamboo wrapped rice, tho i was given 1 after askin 4 it NY steak beef tallow fried rice: 8/10 ~ it was bit overcooked my last visit even tho i requested it 2b medium rare spicy thai basil beef: 9/10 ~ i pref it 2b minced chicken like other places but da flavors were amazing chefs signature whole fried fish (market price): def worth tryin but price is kinda steep this place is def a must-have every time im inda area

SO GOOD. Every dish was thumbs up. Grilled pork tenderloin fried rice. The meat was tender and flavorful. Curry with prawn crackers. We ordered one... then another. Chicken satay. Yum. Duck noodles. Great! Just wish there was more of that lovely broth. Braised beef. Very good. Hella spicy but delicious wings.

Here's why 3star is what I am giving this Michelin Recommended place to eat in San Diego 1. The place is next to a dog park - the smell outside of the restaurant is dog poop and urine YUCk 2. Food is great tasting that's for sure as this is my 3rd or 4th time here no question with their ability to provide amazing Thai/Lao dish. The problem I have in this place is the during my last visit on my anniversary lunch was flies . I cannot believe how this Michelin recommended restaurant has flies. I kid you not it was all coming over to our dish and we keep fanning out our food it's so off putting making me rethink of coming back here. 3. This place is super understaffed. There's only 1 server doing everything at the dinning room (taking orders, making drinks at the bar, bringing food out, cleaning tables) I can only imagine there's only 1 cook in the kitchen as the service is so slow

Amazing food, service, and ambiance! Ordered 2 apps and 3 entrees, all of which were super good and flavor forward! - thai tacos were so flavorful! Chinese 5 spice was very flavor-forward but it was so delish. tacos were very wet from the sauce so have a napkin or fork ready for eating - chive cake wasn't what I was expecting, which was more of a scallion pancake. it was served in cubes as it's baked as a cake, with a squishy/gummy texture from the different flours to make the cake. chives are heavily present and came with a sweet sauce - shrimp pad thai was one of the best pad thais we've had. saucy noodles and huge shrimp! got this dish for the kiddo but was a hit for everyone - char-grilled new york steak was amazing. we cut our steak pieces with a fork it was that tender. so much flavor! served on top of an egg fried rice - signature whole fried fish smelled amazingggg, full of beautiful aromatic. super crispy and fresh. the bottom of the fish absorbed the sauce it was served with and literally *chef's kiss*

I came in with my stomach growling and left in a happy food coma. I had the avocado spring rolls, Thai curry noodle and a passion colada. The spring rolls were fresh, but weren't necessarily outstanding. However, the serving size was generous and I enjoyed the dipping sauces (peanut and sweet chile sauce). The curry noodle was delicious. It arrived hot and was creamy and slightly spicy. It was served with duck that was moist with crispy skin. The mocktail was tropical and not too sweet. They have an extensive menu of cocktails, mocktails, beer and wine. Service was friendly and the staff did a great job of making recommendations. The place is casual and modern.

Stopped by this restaurant late Friday night and was pleasantly surprised when they were able to seat our group of three without a reservation! Food was extremely tasty, however the service could have been better / more attentive. They were busy though, so that may have been why. My group will come back again when we are in the area again! Positives - Super flavorful food - Sides are big enough to have as an entree if you order rice with them - Beautiful inside, dark/moody modern - They do online reservations - Very clean bathroom - Booth, bar, and regular table seating Negatives - Food comes as it's made, which they don't tell you ahead of time - Waitress kept forgetting our drink orders (despite reminding 3 times) - Very limited vegetarian/vegan options

I'm never more thrilled than when I'm presented with an entire animal to devour, and boy did Sovereign Thai deliver on this front. The food here was incredible. I had the whole fried rockfish and tore that baby to shreds. The flavors of the herb salad on top paired with the crispiness of the fish and a little piece of sticky rice...chef's kiss! I got the smallest size for myself, but they did offer a number of different sizes which I wasn't expecting but appreciated. One of the perks of San Diego living! This dish was fantastic and I would highly recommend to anyone not afraid of getting their hands a little dirty in the name of delicious food. We also got the chicken larb and the thai seafood soup. The larb was fresh and flavorful, some of the best I've ever had. My partner really enjoyed the soup, and it definitely had a nice kick to it. While the food was spectacular, we found the service and ambiance to be a bit lacking. It took quite some time for anyone to greet us at the host stand when we walked in, and the restaurant was definitely not very busy. It also took a while to flag down a server when we were done with our meal. The ambiance was a bit confusing; for a place serving pretty nice food, the environment didn't quite match. The restaurant was about half full but shockingly loud, while the table setup made the space feel sparse. There were standing fans everywhere, but that somehow did not help to keep the flies away, and there were so so many flies. It wasn't a dealbreaker for us, but definitely a bit of a nuisance. I'd absolutely return to Sovereign for the food alone, but will be prepared for the other factors next time.

Simply put, I was not a fan because of the stubborn attitude in regards to the menu. I don't care if you are a Michelin restaurant, if you can't cater to different dietary needs in a friendly way, I won't be back and I won't recommend you to others. I was in San Diego for work, and so were some of my family members. Some of my cousins were visiting us, and made reservations at Sovereign since it was close to the convention center, and since one of my cousins likes Thai. There were six of us total, and three of us are strict lacto-ovo vegetarians. Our waiter seemed agitated when we asked about the vegetarian items on the menu. After leaving us for a bit to check with the kitchen and then coming back, he said that everything was ready-made and no modifications could be made. After accounting for some of the veggie dishes made with fish sauce, we were left with one appetizer and two dishes to choose from that were vegetarian. Now I'm wondering...if you are a Michelin restaurant, why is your food ready-made? Secondly, it is 2024. We are asking for more vegetarian options or at least simple modifications like not using fish sauce in veggie dishes. I don't think that's so hard, as there are plenty of Thai restaurants I've visited in the past that were able to accommodate. I ended up paying $57 for my share of the meal. At least it was a business expense, but I could have spent it on a dinner that was more worth my while...

Reservations are a must here. We were lucky enough to get seated without it. This place is always crowded. The food was delish. The stir fried pork belly was on the salty side. The restaurant is a little small. I would say it would fit about 50-60 people max. Service is nice and friendly.

I was pumped to go on a date here as I saw them on Guy's DDD and Michelin Guide San Diego. I loved the ambiance. The warm lighting, high ceilings, table candle, and comfy half booth seatings made for a great date night with my husband. The food was spectacular. We got the crispy pork belly, Hat Yai Fried Chicken, and Char-Grilled New York Steak that came with fried rice cooked in beef tallow. Everything was so flavorful and cooked to perfection. All of the proteins were crispy, juicy, and packed full of flavor. Too bad their whole fried Rockfish wasn't available which was my whole reason for wanting to come here. We were so nervous about the food because service was bad from the beginning. First the parking. There's 2 spots labeled with the name of the restaurant downstairs in the parking structure but unfortunately they're not for guests. We parked there unknowingly and when we confirmed with the very awkward and straight face hostess/waitress, she told us we had to boot our car. We finally found a spot on a quiet Saturday after circling the area many times. Our waitress was sooo slow. We made eye contact with her many times but she still took over 15 minutes to get our order when the restaurant wasn't even half full. There were 4 servers that night but 3 of them were just walking around not doing a damn thing. Before our food even came out, the same awkward server whispered if we wanted to order dessert... like how about we get our food first? Just really weird, slow, and awkward. She also never checked up on us to realize she forgot our sticky rice. I'd skip the drinks next time. They were really watered down and took so long to come out. Basically come for the food and food only. The amazing food called for 4 stars despite everything else. Service could definitely use some work.

Best Thai restaurant in San Diego. Hands down! Food was amazing, service is outstanding. The music wasn't too loud, we could hold a conversation. The drinks are perfectly made. 10/10 Price $$

Michelin-class restaurant with excellent food. Only the shrimps were a bit too chewy. All dishes with pork were - perfect. And the avocado spring rolls and chicken curry as well. The reason I'm taking a off - we were a group of 6 and the timing for the food arrival was off - the shrimp dish arrived first. The curry was next but it came at the point when the person who ordered the shrimp dish was done. By the time the first pork dish arrived the curry was consumed. Finally the last pork dishes arrived, but it took another 5 min for the sides of rice to arrive as well. I would have expected all dishes to arrive around the same time - instead most of us ate separately. Room for improvement.

Stop what you're doing and go now, you won't regret it! Their Pad Thai and Thai tacos are absolutely phenomenal, words can't even do them justice. We also tried the clams, which I'd rate a 6/10 (a bit too salty for my taste). This spot is perfect for a romantic date night with its relaxed, intimate vibe. The service was attentive, and the food came out quickly, making the experience even better. A heads up...it gets busy, so be sure to make a reservation. Even if you're not a fan of downtown (like me), this place is 100% worth the hassle of finding parking.

Sovereign Thai Modern Thai cuisine: "B" or 3.5 stars, meaning "Good: a solid choice if in the area, but not a destination restaurant." Given the Michelin recommendation, I had very high expectations and wanted to be WOWED! Overall, it was a good experience, service was great, ambiance was nice, but the food, except for 1 dish, didn't wow me. That said, the prices were reasonable, so it might be worth another shot. A sidebar: parking is pretty horrendous! I did a couple loops trying to find street parking, but quickly gave up and parked at the Ace Parking lot on "K" street, two blocks away from the restaurant. The lot is 2 city blocks huge, and there was only one payment machine hidden in the NW corner of the lot. We took at least 5 minutes trying to look for this machine because having the machine by the entrance would be way to easy for customers. We then faced the challenge of dealing with an awful user interface and ended up keying in our plates four times before we got the printed parking ticket. You key in your plates, and get about 10 seconds to pay before the machine buggers out and starts all over again. The first time, we just weren't fast enough reading the instructions. We then found out that the credit card reader was dead, taking another two tries. Finally, we scrounged up $8 cash to feed the machine like a jukebox and all was well. If you meet the person of you dreams but want to confirm his/her patience, park at Ace parking on K street and for $8, you will have the answer. My sister-in-law came to visit, so I picked a Michelin recommended restaurant for the occasion and scored a 6:30pm Wednesday evening reservation. To my surprise, we were the third table in an otherwise empty restaurant. Not necessarily a good sign, but the attention we got was fantastic. Hat Yai Fried Chicken (A- ) : The Michelin recommended dish did not disappoint. Light, savory, crispy skin with very juicy, moist chicken. This was the highlight and thoroughly enjoyable. Eggplant (B ) : The sauce was sweet & savory, with basil notes, and a slight tangy flavor. Eggplants were cooked more al dente than other Thai versions I've had, making each bite quite fulfilling, but I missed the sweetness of more thoroughly cooked eggplants. Thai style grilled pork neck (B+ ) : Very nicely done dish. Good char on the meat, juicy and savory sweet, the runner-up dish to the fried chicken. Flame grilled new york steak with beef tallow fried rice (B- ) : Another one of their famous dishes. The steak had a slightly crunchy, savory outer "shell", I believe from fried garlic. Made for an interesting sensation. The fried rice was good, nice & light, a good partner to the steak. Unfortunately, we asked for a medium rare steak but what we got was a medium well. Shrimp pad thai (B ) : The shrimps tasted great - big, fresh, and perfectly cooked. But the noodles were a little heavy and wet, not something I expected with a Michelin recommendation. Flavor was decent, but no different than many other restaurants. Fried banana (B+ ) : I was so sad they ran out of mango sticky rice and settled for the fried banana. Fried bananas are generally always tasty and this was no different. I would have preferred the shell to be a touch thinner, but it was still tasty. The ice cream had strong coconut flavors and if there was more, I'd gladly finish it. Definitely one of the better Thai restaurants I've been to in San Diego, but I prefer the more traditional style of cooking where there's a myriad of wonderful sauces to go with rice. If in the area, I wouldn't hesitate to go again but it's not good enough to be a destination restaurant. ------------------------------------------- Food Grading Scale: A+: Life changing. You remember these bites for the rest of your life. Occurs very infrequently and when it does, you'll know it. You don't even know how to further improve it with a magic wand. A: Wow! Excellent. You felt happy biting into it. You're considering whether it's life changing, but know it misses the mark. A-: Very very good. Whatever it is, it's one of the best, but you can think of further improvements. B+: Very good. Very enjoyable, not to the point of "impressive," but worth revisiting. B: Good. A solid example of whatever it is, offering enjoyment, but not enough for making an effort to get. B-: Not bad. If in a pinch to eat something, this offers some enjoyment and is a reasonable option. C+: Mediocre plus. Pretty average, but with one or two positive characteristics you can identify. C: Mediocre. "Meh". Very average. Not bad enough to make you angry, but nothing good about it at all. C-: Bad. You recognize it for what it is, but a very bad rendition. Your foodie self is a little pissed, and feeling like a dummy you ordered it. D: Awful. Whoever cooked it should be ashamed of themself. Somehow, you still managed to swallow a bite. F: WTF is this? Inedible. One chew, you had to spit it out. Fire the chef.

Great food and friendly service from Diana! Monday Tuesday FSS

Super slow service which is not uncommon nowadays and maybe they're understaffed, OK fine, but a guy came in and looks like he's friends with everyone there so he got his order taken super fast, got a 2nd drink super fast, got his food super fast, and even got his check and checked out super fast, meanwhile I'm waiting forever for a little water and my check. It says they want you done in 90 min on a reservation but it took me 87 min just to get 1 dish (not marked in the menu as needing extra time) and 1 dessert. If I had had a drink and appetizer, would it have been over 2 hours? Waiter never even once came by to ask how I was doing. It was shortly after they opened on a weekday so not very many customers at all. Got the lamb curry which was really tasty but really oily, and the fried bananas which was surprisingly dry and nowhere near as good as the typical Thai place. Inside ambience is OK but outside is not very good, if you have to walk a few blocks to get here you have to walk over homeless through some really nasty smells.

Thai is my favorite cuisine. We ordered the shrimp pad Thai and the hat Yai fried chicken and while both were very good there was nothing mind blowing taste wise. I would say that ingredient quality was actually good. But for the price there are better Thai options. The service team was really good and were prompt and polite. The restaurant was spacious and neatly decorated. I think the biggest thing for me was that I don't think the food is worth fighting for parking and navigating through the cities homeless population especially at night. Really good but doesn't stand out enough.

Food, drinks, atmosphere, and service were all superb with the Chicken Larb being the real crowd pleaser!