What A Meals

I don't know why our dinner at What A Meal was not very good. Maybe it was because the chef had a day off. The service was excellent, but the dishes we ordered were from bad to below average. We came to What A Meals because of their outstanding reviews, but everyone in our group is disappointed.

Delicious and straightforward. Highly recommend. If you're used to American portion sizes, you'll think the portions here are a bit small. It's affordable, so just order an extra appetizer! We loved the tom yum and fried wontons.

Before writing this review, I was scrolling through the other reviews, and I can't really say much that the other reviews have not stated already about this place. I was so happy to see all the rave reviews - they deserve it!! I absolutely love the people here, so welcoming and wonderful, and the food is simply amazing. I was lucky enough to live in Thailand for a period of time, and it is usually pretty disappointing when I try to get Thai in the states - pricy and flavors are lacking. Not at What a Meals! Keep it up, we love you being here!

We were surprised to find this really delicious and authentic Thai food in the Half Moon Bay Area. We had some of the noodle soups and they were delicious. To top it off the prices were extremely reasonable. The staff were also friendly and hospitable as well. Would highly recommend.

I am from Los Angeles, born and raised, and I've had decent Thai food. This? It is far from Thai! I ordered Lord of Noodles with a BBQ steamed bun. First off, as a 35 year old guy, the portion size was tiny (a small, rectangle microwave tray). The broth was watery, without flavor, the shrimp was generic and boiled (no flavor), the noodles were the same, topped with a lot of bean sprouts and a bit funky shiitake mushrooms that were very firm (this has to be dry mushrooms that had been sitting in water for too long, this happened to me at home). I think it was repurposed and quickly thrown together, not an actual dedicated dish (by any means). Worth $14? No. The steamed bun was worse. I experienced an overpowering "ammonia" ordor in my nose, I spit it out and threw it away. It was not flavorful and way too sweet and a bit creamy. Overall, $20+ was *absolutely* a rip-off and DEFINITELY not worth the money. The food is amateur and bland, or just "bad." I do not recommend eating here. I will not come back and wish I could get my money back.

Service was fast, friendly, and great. The prices are good too. The food however was just OK, unfortunately. After expecting a 4.9 star experience, we were pretty disappointed. We can enjoy a hole in the wall place if the food is great, but it wasn't. We went to the sushi place near it after to get a little bit of food in order to get over the disappointment. It was in contrast delicious.

Great local spot with amazing street food! The people are loving and treat you like family. Prices are great with the noodles being 12$ The pork is amazing with any of the flat noodles and make sure to get it spicy. 10/10 new business in town be sure to check it out!

Food was good and service was excellent. Will definitely visit again next time we are in half moon bay.

The food here is amazing "Khao moo daeng" is my favorite,the sauce is savory as I was eating Khao moo daeng in Thailand. Pork Boat Noodle is such a great choice for this kind of weather I can slurping the soup till the last drop and still enjoy every drop of it. Hagow is delicious as well as their homeade Shumai. The hospitality of the staff is Beyond, I definitely gonna be the regular here Good job guys.

Their Panang Beef is amazing. Get that with the pineapple fried rice and throw some of their pepper fish sauce on top. Hospitality is great too. I eat here often and it's delicious every time. Highly recommend if you looking for Thai food

I visited What A Meals on a cooler, overcast night and this establishment brought a warmth and comforting vibe. The staff was very quick to accommodate our large group, and I really felt like we were being taken care of. The first thing I noticed when looking at the menu was how affordable this place was. I was blown away by the cheap prices on just about everything. I ordered the Chicken Pad Kee Mao and definitely enjoyed it! I really enjoyed the chicken and the various vegetables, but was hoping for a larger portion of noodles. Overall, I still really enjoyed the meal - especially for the price!

This place was an accidental discovery, and what a happy accident. This is hands down the best Thai food we've ever had - fresh, not greasy, delicious. It's so good that we had it 2x in the 3 days we were in half moon bay. There is not a single thing that wasnt good -- make sure to get the mango sticky rice for dessert. The owners/staff are also wonderful people - very kind. We will literally be dreaming about this Thai food until we come back to HMB

Food 4.5/5 Really love the boat noodle soup here. Fried tilapia is fried freshly and serve hot. Basil fried rice is very fragrant and they have a variety of spicy condiments for customers to adjust to their own liking. Only downside about this place is that their beef is on the tougher side. Service 5/5 Service here is absolutely . Everyone is super friendly and nice! Ambiance 5/5 The restaurant is quite small and located in a plaza near half moon bay. However, it is usually not packed and good for all ages!

What a gem! This is the place to go for Pad See Ew, Soups, Fried Rice and especially the Wham Roll. Everything is fresh and flavorful and the service is so kind and thoughtful.

We came a little past the usual lunch hour so we were able to be seated right away. The service here is very friendly and prompt with making sure you have water and your water is filled. The menu is pretty straightforward with small images next to every dish which is pretty helpful. I got the pineapple fried rice and I enjoyed that they didn't give you a little bit of cashews and it was a good amount. The pineapple chunks were plenty and juicy. Something to keep in mind is the portions here aren't too big.

Excellent Thai restaurant! My husband and I dined here while visiting HMB on our last night of our anniversary trip, after reading the stellar reviews. Luckily, we were able to find a table to dine at, since this is a very small establishment with limited tables inside. We were promptly greeted by our nice waiter and the first thing I noticed when we chose from their menu was how affordable their offerings were. We ended up ordering the fried wontons, basil beef, and pineapple fried rice, all of which were very delicious ! The wontons were a huge order and were addicting and the other two dishes were super delishioys! Next time we visit, we are coming back!

A look place carries wonderful food. This restaurant is so good that we came back two days in a row when we visited half moon bay. Big fan of it, and got a reason to love this place. Highly recommended.

This review of WHAT A MEALS (or Whats A Meal as their restaurant front sign shows) is a compilation from multiple visits because I keep going back before I have time to put a review together! Everything about WHAT A MEALS is, in a word, GREAT! From their extensive menu (including dim sum & some more unique traditional Thai dishes); the excellent preparation of their dishes; the generous portions; and great value--to the consistently friendly & good service; basic but comfortable and clean interior; and the convenient & plentiful free parking--all make WHAT A MEALS worthy of repeat visits. Everything I've tried (too many to detail) I've thoroughly enjoyed. Worth highlighting are their baked barbecue pork buns (they're HUGE, tasty & amply filled for a mere $3.50 ea); egg tarts (also larger than the average Chinese bakery egg tarts & with a perfectly silky custard filling in a delicate flaky crust); sesame balls (a must try--crispy and chewy on the outside with a not-too-sweet filling); Pad Ke Mao (perfectly seasoned); ugh...so so so many more that I could list. Do your tastebuds & tummy a favor and do like me--go to WHAT A MEALS. Then go back and order something else. Then go again, and again and again...

Not very good! The people that are raving about this place, must be getting complimentary meals. I had the Tom yum soup. The shrimp were the most disgusting rubbery foul tasting shrimp I've ever eaten. One positive note, the server is very nice.

Wow! We were walking by and saw the shrimp rolls on the menu in the window. Not only were they absolutely delicious, they were very reasonably priced! Can't wait to go back! Yum!

Food is excellent at this little gem in Half Moon Bay. Take out is best as they do not have much seating and the staff if very friendly and make incredible food.

I started coming here when they first opened and have loved it every time! It's hard to find authentic Thai! Just went again today and got the green curry for the first time and it was soo good! Like top 2 green curry good. I'm from San Jose which has a lot of Thai food so I have a good reference point I'd say. Their sesame balls are also amazing! The staff is sooo nice and they really make the place feel homey. I congratulated them on making The Infatuation's "The 19 Best Restaurants In Half Moon Bay" and they didn't even know about it! Truly a hidden gem and wish I could keep it to myself but I more so want them to get the recognition they deserve. And I hope they always keep the name What A Meals!!

What a hidden gem! I spent the morning at Lemos Farm with my daughter and was looking for a spot to grab some Asian lunch. Found "What A Meals" on Yelp, loved the menu, arrived at 1:30pm on a Sunday and was able to get a table right away. They serve both Cantonese dim sum and Thai food. I ordered the bbq pork bun, chive and shrimp dumplings and the Khao Kha Moo (pork leg on rice, which is my FAVORITE dish from Thailand!). Everything turned out very delicious and tasted authentic. The staff were very friendly and the price was very reasonable. I'd def come back for more next time.

Authentic Thai Cuisine in Half Moon Bay in the Strawflower Shopping Center from the talented Chef formerly of Spice Me. My review is for takeout, the service was friendly and helpful in selecting the level of spice to the Basil Chicken. The Pineapple Fried Rice with Prawns was the perfect accompaniment to the Spicy Basil Chicken. The Shui Mai were served with a delicious dipping sauce, we also enjoyed the Shrimp Rice Noodle Rolls and the Baked Pork Bun. All items were packaged separately with the dipping sauces. There are tables if you choose to dine in.

Not very authentic cuisine very Americanized overpriced for the quantity being served. Everything was too sweet and all I could taste was the sweet soy sauce Kwong Hung Seng being used for all the dishes even the dipping sauces for the dim sum. Got the spiciest level for the main dishes but the spice was on vacation or something. 1. Pad Kra Pow was way too sweet 1/5 2. Pad Kee Mao was way too sweet 1/5 3. Har gow was a good size but the wrapper wasn't fully cooked and left flour particles in your mouth 1/5 4. Shrimp rice roll was decent 2/5 but you can't really mess that up 5. Char Sui Bao was pretty good, nice balance of flavors and a soft fluffy bun 3/5 6. Pad Thai was way too sweet not much flavors going on but sweetness. Overall definitely not coming back and I think this place is very overrated and this is coming from a person who has lived in Thailand. To each their own I guess.

Really well done food great service so glad they're here in Half Moon Bay. They also carry some dim sum for so for those of you that like that you'll be happy

A great local Thai place that hit the spot after hours of driving. We loved the Baked BBQ Pork Bun and the Pineapple fried rice. We also had the Pad Sew Ew and the steamed BBQ Bao. Very good flavors and nice portions. The staff was very friendly and helpful as well.

Every time I come here, they always greet you in a friendly manner. Their options for food are amazing. I absolutely love their mango and sticky rice, crab rangoons, and the satay! Their fried rice is great as well. It can be a little loud when it gets busy, but I think it's a great spot with great service.

What a gem of a place to eat! We were visiting the area and checked Yelp. We were not disappointed! Every dish was excellent!

We love this place! No one would know about it unless someone who lives here would gel you to stop. The Thai food is so authentic and the flavors are amazing. The are so sweet and often stay open a few more moments just to make sure clients get food when its close to after.hours.

I love the eggplant salad in Spice me but they were closed today so I came here! It's a small Thai restaurant in the Safeway complex in Half Moon bay. The older person with short hair was so warm, friendly and did not try to upsell! I enjoyed the food. I had spice level 2 I think and it was spicy - I enjoyed it very much! Loved the spicy condiments on the side too! I would recommend putting a lid on the little bowls. I am definitely coming back here! Came back the next day and had the Senior special for $10! I am not a senior but they didn't say I couldn't have it! Congee was good. The hot tea was good. The shumai was okay. The hargow was as expected. The fried dough with condensed milk was okay - the oil seemed stale. The fried wontons with a tiny bit of pork was very disappointing! The fried wontons were greasy and burnt tasting. The amount of pork was minuscule so couldn't really taste it. The Thai coffee tasted a bit like Oyster sauce. The rice with chives was also greasy and the chives tasted bitter. Next time, I am listening to the recommendations of the person with short hair :)

DELICIOUS! The flavors were spot on from the egg rolls to the Spicy Thai Basil with chicken over rice. There are certain dishes from years ago that I have searched for, and this was just like one of my favorites in my twenty's. The medium spicy was exactly the heat you would expect so next time I will be trying spicier. Huge bonus points for such friendly staff!

The food was yummy! Theirs shop small but they make simple and clean, the dish small but fit with the prices. The staffs friendly.

Very good food and reasonable prices! Only have gotten takeout so far but will definitely continue to eat here. Very nice staff as well.

We ordered the pad Thai, pad se ew, and the Tom yum soup. The food was underwhelming for the price and the service was terrible. Seems like they just want a quick dollar. Have my money this time but I won't be back again.

Absolutely the best place to eat in HMB. Whatever we order is always great. Super clean and nice vibe there. My kids love their porridge.

So authentic and so so so tasty. Has harder to find dishes in Americanized-Thai restaurants like Khao Man Gai. Really excited that they're here!

Food is FANTASTIC! Best meal in Half Moon Bay. What A Meals is a hole in the wall near the Safeway and it's easy to miss. I felt like I was eating at an old friend's house. The stir fry flat noodles are a 10/10. The tilapia, pork bun, soup, and egg roll are all great and they have lots of tasty sauces on the side. The tea is super good too. If you're in the area, don't miss this one. I've eaten at a lot of places in Half Moon Bay and this is now my favorite by far.

Great food! One of my new spots if I'm in HMB. I tried a bunch of things. The bao was huge. My fave was the beef panang, it was very good and the meat was super tender. Did takeout. The staff was very service oriented and helpful. Will go back when I'm in the area.

I'm a local and eat here all the time. Absolutely the best Thai on the coast. Super nice service and very reasonable prices. Just wish they were open till 9.

Just had lunch here. Ordered har gow , wonton soup, and chow minn. Every item was perfect. Can't recommend this anymore. Great place to go

Literally everywhere I've ever lived there have been good Thai restaurants. For some reason the San Mateo area is the one big exception. None of the Thai places there are good, at least in my opinion. Thankfully, we stumbled upon this restaurant which serves really good Thai food. The staff is really nice and the prices are fair for the quality you get. Portions are a little bit smaller than I'm used to but match the price. We had a number of different dishes and they were all great.

Good for the coast side, but in the broader context of Bay Area Thai food 4 stars feels about right. Good flavors and lots of choices that include, but are not limited to Thai food.

Absolutely the best service and food! It's a small space 6-7 tables. Had the Pad Thai which was the best I've had in a long time. Not one of those version where all the noodles stick together in mounds. Also the wonton soup was delicious. So much flavor!

Amazing! This food is so good. Love that we came here on a whim!! Highly recommend. We will be back.

The food was so good! The pork buns are huge and delicious. Everything was flavorful and fresh. The service was attentive and kind. This will definitely become a go to place for Thai!

What a pleasant surprise, my husband and I had lunch here today. The egg rolls were great, pork buns outstanding and yellow curry was supurb. The staff was very friendly. Can't wait to try other items on the menu.

Curious about all the 5 star reviews...it did not disappoint! Super fresh ingredients, just the right amount of spice--reminded me of the great food we had in Thailand. Highly recommend!

Breakfast serve at 9AM and a lot of choices.. Baked bbq pork bun, egg tart, shu mai, ha gow.. yummmmmm..

A new Asian, mostly Thai, restaurant in town, in the Safeway shopping plaza. The chef is amazing. I followed her when she was at the Thai place in Stone Pine plaza, and then she was at Spice Me, and now she at What a Meals. There are items I've never had that the other two restaurants, and they have some dim sum, which I hope they expand on. They are great for takeout, or order quick shopping at Safeway and then it's done. There's a few tables inside that you can sit and eat, and the service is always good. They just opened, and its just two people hustling, so be kind until they get into their groove!

this place is great. would recommend the pad see ew and tom yum noodle soup. some of the best thai i've had in the bay area! the service was great as well

Wanted to try out this new restaurant when I was on my work break and I will definitely be returning. The service was accommodating, professional, and willing to help me choose items on their menu that I would enjoy. The wonton soup was fantastic and had a bountiful amount of fresh ingredients. I also ordered the pork and shrimp dim sum and was very pleased with the taste . This restaurant has fair prices for good sized portions. If you are a local definitely give this spot a try! I think you will be back for future visits. Their food is super delicious.

Best Thai in Half Moon Bay (although you would never guess by its name). The menu is straightforward. Every dish we've tried has been authentic and very delicious! Prices are fair and reasonable. What a hidden gem! We love and highly recommend this family run restaurant.

Happened upon this restaurant and were pleasantly surprised! Delicious Thai food and in a convenient location. Chef was very kind and helpful. We ordered the Pad Tai and Flat rice noodles (extra spicy) and the Tai Basil fried rice. The spice was on point, we thought we'd have leftovers, but we finished it all, it was that good. Will definitely be coming back, took a menu so we could order take out on the way home from work. Give it a try you won't be disappointed.

Very friendly staff and yummy food. Prices were reasonable I think for what I got, I ordered the Ba Mee Moo Dang and enjoyed the variety. Would eat there if I visit the area again!

It's good to have different cuisines in HMB. Love the food, price is very reasonable for Bay Area. Thai street food like boat noodle, Pad Thai and Tom yum, yummy! Can't ask for more. The restaurant opens recently, only 1 staff in the front to take care of the responsibilities of cashier, waiter and cleaner. Be nice with her, she is trying to do her best to serve/clean as fast as she can!

Great food wonderful service! We took the food to go but were treated as though eating here while we waited. We tried the shumai, shrimp rolls, pork bun, seafood soup and sesame rolls. All outstanding!! Great flavors in each dish. I highly recommend!