Taste of Thailand

Words cannot express how much I love this place. I’ve been coming here for 20 years. Literally EVERYTHING is delicious. Lampai (I believe that is how you spell her name?) is the lady who runs the place. Nicest human ever. Her food is to die for. Please go support this small business. Her curries are so freaking fresh and delicious. Seriously, just go try it yourself. You won’t be disappointed. It’s cheap too!

Delicious meal. We were the only people in the restaurant and were truly catered to. The owner gave me hope in humanity as she shared her outlook on life and when we commented on how she cut the vegetables in the dishes with such incredible attention to detail she brought out a knife and a carrot and gave us lessons. The service was timely but the experience was timeless.

They ask how spicy you want it on a scale of 1-10… I asked if that was a Minnesota 1-10… They said no a Thailand 1-10… I picked a 7…

The food is great, I had no problem with it. The staff was a bit underrepresented but the food still made up for it. The spring rolls were great but my favorite dish here is the Tom yum soup.

We are repeat customers. Delicious and authentic Thai food. We ordered vegetable egg rolls, green curry chicken and pad see yew chicken. So flavorful! Also, very thoughtful attentive service, fair prices and healthy portion sizes (we usually have leftovers). Bonus there are very few items served in plastic containers so we can get take out without all the plastic trash. 100% recommend.

This is a small business and it's run by one of the sweetest little women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The food was fresh and delicious. There are so many options, each with their own special element. They just started dining in, and I can't wait to see them flourish:) highly recommend the pork wontons !!

food was delicious! I got chicken friend rice and Mild chicken Peanut curry(I’m a baby when it comes to heat and spice). Both were huge and generous amounts. The lady was working alone and she was so sweet and nice. I am new to the neighborhood and walked down to place an order. I ordered two pops and I think she forgot to ring them up so have them to me for free! Definitely will be ordering here again. It was delicious!

I live in California but whenever I visit my grandparents in Minnesota, I visit this place. It is the best Thai food I have ever had, and I've had Thai food in many states! The owner is incredible and does everything on her own. She answers the phones, cooks, cleans, and preps ON HER OWN! She is the only employee and she is absolutely brilliant. Her creations are incredible. She can make most dishes gluten free, vegetarian, or even vegan! I would eat anything she put in front of me. If you don't believe me, try this place for yourself. ♡

Me and my partner visited Taste of Thailand today and were very pleased. We got Tom Yum and Tom Kha. The woman who runs the restaurant told us she uses fresh vegetables, everything is made to order! I believe she also grows her own herbs. the soup was delicious, and i will be coming back to try her egg roles. overall, the ambiance of this restaurant is amazing. perfect for those who prefer no music/no tvs, for those who love Tibetan buddhist culture, and for those who love plants! The owner is incredibly friendly and hard working.

The best fresh spring rolls I have ever had. Go for the herb-packed "special" ones. She makes them truly fresh to order and with the brightest, freshest ingredients. Everything this sweet woman makes is FANTASTIC.

Pro-tip: this place has no website and always appears to be closed, but it's actually open (despite its lights being off). There's one little old lady who takes orders over the phone only. The only place you can see a menu is a Facebook page for "Taste of Thailand and Kanom Thai" (skip the duplicate "Taste of Thailand" FB page which has no menu listed). I love the tucked-away residential location of this restaurant. It's old-world St. Paul at its finest. As always, three stars is not a bad review in my book. It means a place is perfectly fine, but nothing special. They don't use fish sauce here, which is great for vegans. That said, the curries do have shrimp paste pre-mixed, so you can't get a curry. I liked the vegetarian egg roll ($6 for 3) which had a nicely seasoned filling. The pad med mamuang himaphane ($15) was a decent cashew stir-fry, but not amazing. The rad na ($15) is vegan w/tofu and pretty good. The dish is tasty, though the sauce is liquid, rather than the viscous consistency I expect from rad na (sometimes called lad nah). The pad bai kra prao ($15) is vegan w/mock duck but not that good. It was a mishmash of vegetables with no flavor. All told, I'm glad this place is around and will likely return, even though it's a hassle to order from here.

This is a great, hidden takeout gem and was one of my favorite spots when I lived in the area. The pad Thai is excellent, although beware of the spice levels. If you aren't sure about spice get the mild for sure. Please go support this local business and the woman who runs it!

10/10 would recommend to anybody seeking authentic thai food!!! As mentioned in previous reviews, this place is ran by one singular elderly woman. You can taste the love she puts into the food. She takes orders, preps the food, cooks the food, and does the dishes all by herself. The pandemic did a number on her business, forcing her to let her employees go and hasn't been able to hire anybody since (my boyfriend found this out when he asked her why it's only ever her in there when he goes to pick up our food). So yes, the website isn't up to date and you may have to call to place an order, but you're supporting a woman who has put her business on her back despite her age. This is her livelihood. I'll always be a proud patron of this place.

Visited at the St. Paul food truck festival. Order came out fast, about 2 minutes. Everything except foe the salad tasted pre packaged, old and bland. And the spring roll was burnt. Waste of $18

Best thai food around. Only place that makes pad thai the traditional authentic way in the twin cities. Take out only but you're getting the real deal. Ask for a side of chili oil if you like spice, hers is the best because she makes it to order. She says that's what makes hers special and better than others. Go support her and her generational recipes.

Additional update below Ok wow. I've lived in the neighborhood for years and finally gave this spot a try. She did not disappoint. Before the pandemic, we had a spotty experience here and had not gone back. Then, we noticed she was still doing takeout and that some recent (glowing) google reviews had been published. I gave the owner/chef/FOH mgr a call and asked for the chicken wings, which she sadly did not have. She suggested I try the house special egg rolls and they were amazing. I also tried the home-grown holy basil and also the pad pak stir fries. They were incredible. Spicy, sweet, and complex. I eat a lot of Thai food, so I don't take this review lightly. Typically I go to On's or Thai Cafe and this spot potentially beats them out. Plus, all that for less than $50, which seemed especially reasonable. I'll def be back to try additional menu items. Update: went back last night and was able to try the spicy wings, as well as #38 and #44. All 3 were amazing - spicy, sweet and delicious. Plus all that for under $40! This is officially my new favorite Thai spot.

We were excited to learn that the same lady who has been here for years, is still here! This is our favorite place for Thai food. Due to staffing issues, she is only doing take-out. Lobby is closed. Take Out hours are: 4-8pm Tuesday - Sundays. Call ahead and order!! She is usually there prepping after 2pm! She is hoping to do a lunch buffet this winter! Check out her menu: https://tasteofthailandselby.com/menu/

I used to go to the location in Fridley which has been sold to new owners. This was my first time at this location. Same menu and same taste as the one that used to be in Fridley. I had the Tom Yum soup which was sour and spicy just as I like it! The vegetarian spring rolls were also good. A lot of fresh herb and green looking. Not full of noodles just to fill it up. The restaurant seemed empty for a Saturday evening, so it felt a little dreary. But I would go back and try other things.

#42 with chicken. Prad Prik King. Fan-f-ing-tactic. Chicken satay: excellent. I've eaten Taste of Thailand since my first days In MSP back in 2008 when it was just a few blocks from my house. #42 with chicken is a hot coconut curry with green beans. Whenever my mother comes to town she INSISTS on going to Taste of Thailand for #42. I've eaten Asian food all over America, #42 with chicken may be my all time favorite dish.

Taste of Thailand on Selby is not closed - it's just run by one person who does everything. You have to be persistent calling and ordering. The food is excellent, authentic taste, medium spicy is authentic medium spicy, not watered down, Americanised medium spicy. It's take out only and usually open after 4 pm. Call and order, you will be happy you did!!!

Fabulous Thai food and the owner is an amazing person. I especially like the veggie/vegan options on many dishes.

Excellent, flavorful dishes! It's been years since we've been here and we were a little hesitant based on some of the reviews. Fear not and give it a try! We tried the special egg rolls. They were perfectly crisp, not greasy and were very tasty. We also tried the beef curry, based in a red curry sauce. My husband described it as "succulent, the best beef curry I've ever had". It had a really nice blend between a peanut and red curry sauce. The beef was extraordinarily tender and served with perfectly thin sliced bamboo shoots. We also tried the basil stir fry with fresh tofu. Flavors were excellent and will please a discerning palette. We also had the Tom kha with fresh tofu, also very good. We ended our meal with mango and sticky rice - not only was the presentation very aesthetically pleasing but the dish was to die for. Worth every calorie. Please know that they usually only have one wait staff so you may want to come before or after peak times if you are in a time crunch. All in all, an excellent experience for those who love Thai food!

The best best Thai food I've tasted anywhere in the twin cities. I've been going here for years because the food is consistent, fresh and full of flavor. The old woman who often cooks is very talented and makes unbeatable flavors. My favorite dishes are pad see ew, pad Thai, masaman curry, red curry, and curry fried rice. Their appetizers are great too. The special spring roll is fantastic, as well as their egg rolls. I have enjoyed every choice of protein, but tofu being my favorite. It is hard to make great, crispy tofu but Taste of Thailand nails it. Their veggies are crisp too. Because it is so popular and family owned, it often gets busy with take out orders, making it a long wait. If you have the time, order out from here or dine in. It is always worth the wait for me!

I love this place! The food is delicious! I love that the vegetables are cut into cute flowers! We've gotten food from her many times and it's ALWAYS great!

NOT closed!! Looks very closed, almost like it's out of business. But it's not. Not sure why they never have the lights off and the Open sign turned off. But if you call the number, you can order, and then pick it up. You call when you arrive, and someone will bring your food and you can pay. I love this restaurant and I always have. The vegetarian egg roll is delicious, and the Tom Yum with tofu is better than any other Tom Yum I've had. Everything we've gotten from here has been fantastic. I really hope they stay open -- Honestly I'm not really sure how they're still open, given that they look so closed and don't have a website. But I hope they stay open. Little bit of a hassle to order, but I HIGHLY recommend. Get it and help keep a great small family business open!

The best Thai food I have ever had! I recommend the pad thai & the chicken satay appetizer! If you like spice be care because even the mild/medium is intense! 4/5 stars because the restaurant itself isn't great but ordering take out will not disappoint!

If you like authentic Thai food, this is the place to come to. It is run by the sweetest woman, as another reviewer mentioned. The food is authentic, flavorful, beautiful. Spiciness levels are authentic so if you order a medium, it is Thai-medium, not US-medium... decide accordingly. The place has less than great reviews due to the decor and possibly the fact that one person takes the orders, serves, does literally everything, so lightning speed is not possible but I want to go somewhere for the quality of the food, not the decor or speed. You get the benefit of that in terms of affordable prices! We should all support businesses like this one, especially in these cruel times.

Hands down my favorite Thai food in the Twin Cities. Everything I've tried here is delicious, but my favorites are the cheese wontons, chicken satay, and chicken pad Thai. The pad thai spice level is hot- get mild to medium if you like spicy food. The dipping sauces are amazing- peanut sauce with the chicken and a cinnamon infused sweet and sour with the wontons. Only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the restaurant interior itself. I always get take-out here. The interior is small, quiet, and dark.

Don't believe the negative reviews: the food here is top notch. Back in the day you had to wait 30 min to get a table here. Now it's not difficult, mostly due to poor service over the last few years driving loyal customers away. But make no mistake: the food is authentic and, having tried many other Thai restaurants in the cities, still the best. Give this place a chance, and focus on the food. This is a hole in the wall. It's not 5-star service, but it is good. Really really good.

Came here once four years ago in July with Asian foodies: AC was not working. It was so uncomfortable I do not even remember what the food tasted like. The place looked old to me with smell of closed venue at entrance that needed un dusting.

Probably the rudest customer service I've experienced in a restaurant. I was with guests and very regretful I recommended we check this place out. No surprise it was dead vacant at peak dinner time. That said, the food was good (not nearly as good as Pad Thai) and reasonably priced. I would certainly not recommend dine-in.

DELICIOUS. I can't speak to the service for dining in as we ordered takeout during covid times, but the food is excellent. Our order was ready in about 30 minutes. I got the vegetable red curry with tofu, and it is the best red curry I've had in the twin cities. My husband got the pad Thai, which we also loved - despite ordering medium or hot spice level at many places around town, the pad Thai is never spicy - Taste of Thailand actually spices their dishes really well. And the chicken satay appetizer is also awesome.

Disgusting! Yellow curry was watery and the chicken was questionable. Atmosphere was really sketch too!

During COVID, I crave new flavors, things I really can't replicate. The first time we got takeout it was a Monday so Taste of Thailand was closed. We ordered Thai from another place and were so disappointed. A few weeks later we ordered from our old favorite and it was incredible. Any issues with slower service have been fixed by take out. Amazing spring rolls, I love a holy basil dish and the Thai rice is insane. And the leftovers were fantastic, too.

Neighborhood place but never disappoints with the food. Amazingly friendly waitress ! We had the special egg rolls. Perfect. And then the beef salad. It was delicious with cilantro and peanuts! We had the peanut curry with chicken. My husband is not a big curry fan but it was wonderful and he enjoyed it. We each had a beer Tsingha for me and a Lao beer for him. Yum. Good food!!

My husband and I are regulars here (4x a month) but today was finally the last straw. The food here is good. It used to be my favorite but now Pad Thai on Grand has that status. What finally did it in is the service - which puts this place on a whole other dimension. It is AWFUL. There is an older (very nice but out of touch) woman who does most serving. She is constantly flustered, ignores the phone, and is always apologizing. Tonight, for example, I placed our usual order. I had to call twice

I went to this place on Tuesday and was highly disappointed. First off the waiter didn't quite understand my meal request. I asked for mushrooms to be added and triedd debating with me that I didn't get them as it didn't come with my entree. Ok so he later brought me a side of them. Whatever fine. So as I'm eating my food I am seeing these little black things. I tell myself that it's probably just large pieces of black pepper. Then I take a deeper look as I'm nearing the end of my bowl and definitely see a bug with legs. The waiter shows the cook and the cook says it's probably from the water!?!? No...that's what happens when veggies are not properly washed. Note this place only had one other occupied table so that was a bad sign in and of itself. So the waiter blankly stares at me and then finally asks me if I should have him remove it from the bill. That should have been obvious. He still charged for the appetizer and my friends entrée. Needless to say, I will not be returning. That's such bad business! It's a shame as I i like to try out new places and this was such a let down.

Got here at 5:30 left at 8 (close). Don't come here it is awful. Didn't get food until 6:45. When the food came out it was cold. Save your time and pass.

Cockroaches...on the tables!!!!!!! Had to leave. OMG!!!!!! Loved this place. Yikes!!!!

NEVER GOING AGAIN I am trying to support local businesses during this crazy time and was able to order and pay over the phone. I ordered at 4:07pm and they informed me it would be 20 mins for the food. I waited till 4:35 before heading over to pick up the food. I waited outside and knocked several times but no answer plus it didn't look like anyone was even there. I tried calling a few times but no answer. After an hour of trying to get ahold of them still nothing.

Wow. The service here is really bad. Called ahead for take out and they did not even start my food until I got there at the time I was told it would be ready. The host was swearing at the kitchen staff and making fun of them the whole time. It was a very uncomfortable place to wait for 30 minutes for my food to be done. Then get home and the Tom Yum soup had no flavor. Been going there for years. Last 2 times I have been there have convinced me never to come back.

When they are good, they are really good. But the last 4 times have been bad so we'll be done. Today's meal was dry and way too spicy. Last time there was zero flavor and spice. Time before that I ordered shrimp and got tofu. They knew it and didn't even offer to comp the payment difference. We've been going once a week and now won't be coming back for awhile.

I am not sure why Taste of Thailand isn't busier because the food here is dynamite. The place is always dead. I love their pad Thai, Curries, laab, pad see yew and pretty much everything I've ever had. Their cream cheese wonton sauce isn't my favorite on the planet and when I asked for spice level 3 of 5 it was too spicy and when I asked for spice 2 of 5 the next time there was no spice at all so that was a bit disappointing but overall the quality of food is really good. I typically order take out but when I've eaten in the restaurant the service takes more of a step back. They aren't the most attentive but they also get the job done by taking your order and getting you the great food they make. Check it out, if not for dine in, then definitely for take out.

Finally. A Thai restaurant with good food that is actually decorated nicely. I was beginning to think that fluorescent lighting and white walls were the only indication that the Thai food would be delicious. I love the food, but they need to improve on the service. As long as your not in a rush I recommend this place on Selby.

OK, this place isn't updated or trendy or decorated well. It's kind of worn down. We have eaten here off and on for years, and it hasn't really changed. There are a lot of overgrown plants that look kind of droopy in the weak winter sun. There is some junk laying around. They have one kind of beer. But, decor be damned, I had a really delicious meal. Stir-fried beef tenderloin in oyster sauce with broccoli, red and green bell pepper. Absolutely fresh ingredients. Perfect beef. I would eat it daily. Mmmm. My table mates enjoyed their meals too. My girlfriend slurped her soup, her husband had the Masman curry with chicken, and he smacked his lips and nearly licked out the bowl. I think my husband had plain old chicken curry. I didn't pay any attention to him. I was chowing down. We had egg rolls, (not sure what kind) and they were good too. The waitress was very pleasant, and no one rushed us out. There were a ton of people across the street in a trendy new restaurant, and we were very glad that we didn't wait 45 minutes for a table where it was loud and felt kind of hyper. Taste of Thailand was sedate and perfect for conversation. The bathroom was clean. The place looks like it's closed because someone painted red all over the sign out front. But if you want to linger and visit with your dinner mates for 45 minutes, instead of shout to be heard for 45 minutes while you wait for a table, give it a shot.

Yes.. believe the negative reviews! Never got the chance to taste the food.. never will. When me and my boyfriend stepped in, not even a minute we instantly stepped out. We weren't greeted, we greeted them and they walked past us, gave us a dirty look, and ignored us. Wow really? Rude!!! Not worth it. Bye.

I use to love coming here, but now I don't. Service is slow when it's slow! Service sucks. Server is a kid with a little attitude. I ordered chicken wings and that should of been the first dish out as an appetizer. Nope! It wasn't. The server comes over and asked me if I wanted the chicken wings or not or if I want them to take them to go after getting all the main dishes. How the fuck are they going to come over to ask me that when I expected it to come out first. She didn't even apologize that it was taking awhile. Didn't even get refills on water. So I'm not coming here anymore. Bye!

Used to absolutely adore this place and held in higher esteem than just about everywhere. But it almost feels like they celebrate their reputation for taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R before you actually get your food. And then, if you're getting it to-go, you sure as heck better check your order for accuracy because it's a 50/50 chance it won't be correct. The food remains solid and the only reason to go to this place. But whether it's my imagination or real, it simply does not feel as excellent as it once did. Prices are fine and the people, though very slow, are friendly enough. The decor is cheesy but perfectly fine for what you might expect.

Very underwhelming. Food was just okay. The protein on the pad thai left a lot to be desired, maybe 5 or 6 thin slices.

Best Thai food in the Twin Cities. I always get the Pad Thai which you can get super spicy. The egg rolls are the best I've ever had. Thai Iced tea is good and full of flavor. I've tried other dishes but have forgotten their names. Takeout is usually the way to go with this place because service can be pretty slow. It's definitely worth the wait for the food!

I would LOVE to support my neighborhood Thai joint - but this place, leaves way too many things lacking. 75% of the menu has MSG, and while that in itself is not too big of a problem - the fact that you CANNOT remove it from the dish for most of them, implies a lot of pre-made sauce bases. I've been here multiple times, hoping I just caught them on an off-day or service - but they are consistently lackluster. Pricey too, for overcooked pork. At least they have decent beer. Delicious Mirror Pond Pale Ale was not enough to save the food. Yes, I have high standards for Thai food - but shouldnt we all?

This place continues to disappoint. I've avoided this place for some time now but the person I was with had "heard" this was a great place so I agreed to try it yet again. With soooo many great Thai restaurants in Minneapolis/St. Paul there is no excuse for this long standing trainwreck, except maybe, that it's near a collage. So perhaps the yearly influx of new students keeps them in business. First the food: Not awful. just bland and average. The stir fry vegetables were old and the cuts of meat were obviously cheap and low quality. My dish came out cold as some of the refrigerated/precut vegetables were obviously thrown in at the last moment as they still had ice on them and cooled of the entire dish. Their "fix" was to microwave it and bring it back out. Again, serviceable, but not quality. They could have at least tossed it back in the wok. Then the service: Iif you don't know from good Thai food, you can still find a good reason to stay away from here. The service. It's just not good. (see above reheat) If you have to ask for each and every service item, don't get your tea refilled, don't get offered chopsticks, don't clear empty dishes and you still have to get up to get soy sauce from the server station yourself, you might as well cook at home. And they weren't busy. And this isn't the first time, it's every time. Knowing that, I've even tried having it delivered on several occasions too and after twice having to wait over 2 hours and both times not getting everything on my order, I'm completely done with this place. With so many really first rate Thai restaurants in the cities, both corporate and family owned, I just don't know how such a consistently mediocre place continues to stay in business.

Worst worst the worst place ever! Asked for Thai tea Togo and did not even have lids and how they expect the drink not to spill? And did not even let me know ahead of time if it is ok!!! I ordered two and the sticky rice was old and hard and completely no flavor and does not even come with condensed milk !!

Hey Taste of Thailand...you need to learn how to answer your phone. Called 15 times and no answer. When you hear the ring you pick up the phone - simple. This has happened numerous times on previous occasions After no answer I called to On's Thai on University and guess what? They answered their phone and we ordered. Last time I will ever visit or call this place.

How can I describe the level of disappointment: colossal! It was a TERRIBLE dining experience. My sister and I were in desperate search of some Thai food and Pad Thai and Supatra's were both closed. So sticking to St. Paul, we were left with Taste of Thailand--or Taste of Sodium! The ambience is bleak in this place: laundromat-ish. But that was the least offensive part of the experience. Clearly when we got there and saw the rest of the patrons without food, we should have turned and run out the door. But we didn't. And so It took over 50 minutes to get the food that we ordered. We watched the one beleaguered server go from table to table without ever bringing food out to the customers. Finally he came to us with our bill after 45 minutes. But wait, we hadn't even had our food yet! We watched a couple leave before they got their order and we should have followed their lead. When our red curries finally got to the table, they looked like over-cooked vegetable soup. There was no taste of curry, only straight salt and soy sauce and droopy, chewy broccoli. My sister's dish was missing most of the vegetables it was purported to have. Needless to say, when he finally brought our bill, I told him that we didn't get the curry we ordered. He offered to bring it back to the kitchen. NO WAY!! Let me out of this hell hole. Horribly tasteless food. Slow-as-molasses service. Gross ambience and dingy environs. I will NEVER patronize these guys again. If you are short-staffed, just do everyone a favor and close shop for the night. You've just lost my business and you can bet I've told my family and friends to go elsewhere!

I wanted to like it, I really did. I even gave it three chances. Unfortunately, I've always been disappointed. The servers aren't great at pretending they care about their jobs. If you need a water refill, be prepared to flag someone down. My pad thai had way too much sugar, and my pineapple fried rice seemed too saccharine as well. This saddens me because it's the only Thai place within walking distance from my house. However, I think I'll take the trip over 94 to University to find my Thai food from now on.

On a trip back to the Twin Cities, I had a stop at Taste of Thailand on the agenda. This establishment gave me my first experience with Thai food in the late 90s during college; it became a staple of my diet back then. I was worried that the food wouldn't live up to my memory. What if my tastes had developed? What if their quality had declined? Not a chance. The spring rolls were divine. The pad thai was perfectly seasoned and wonderfully tasty. I wanted to put the restaurant in my suitcase and bring it back to Washington, DC. In the past ten years, I have not found a better reasonably priced Thai restaurant (one of the best values in town at around 10 bucks an entree). Taste of Thailand is the place to go. The only caveat: the kitchen can be slow when they're busy. Don't necessarily go in a rush at mealtime. That said, I got my pad thai in 20 minutes last time around. They have takeout and dine-in. Yum.