Zab Zab Thai Cuisine

We went for dinner right after opening time at 4:15pm and only one other group was there with us, but it was slowly getting crowded. The staff was overall very friendly and the service was very quick. We had two appetizers (fresh spring rolls and deep fried egg rolls), Thai iced tea, two main courses (Panang curry with Tofu and basil fried rice with Tofu) and sticky mango rice for dessert. All the dishes were very tasty and well prepared. We particularly enjoyed the curry. We will definitely be back to try more dishes from the menu.

Cute, cozy, no-frills Thai restaurant with a super friendly staff and all your favorite classics dishes cooked to perfection. I visited Zab Zab for dinner after a long day of exploring the Monterey Bay Aquarium, so we were absolutely famished. We tried their tom yum soup, cashew stir fry, mango coco curry, and pad see ew, all of which were delightful. The tom yum was refreshing and creamy, with a great balance of coconut milk and spice. It had a generous portion of veggies and tofu, and the fire pot it was served in was super fun. My second favorite had to be the mango coco curry — it was refreshing and fruity, yet perfectly savory and slightly spicy. It was a bit sweet from the fruit, but that helped balance out the other spices and flavors. The shrimp was tender, and I loved the chunks of mango inside. You also can never go wrong with a good cashew stir fry or pad see ew — all of them were cooked well and tasty. I do think the pad see ew and, across a few dishes, the tofu could have used a tiny bit more seasoning, but it was still solid.

Centrally located, near Cannery Row, with a well manicured entryway! This is a tiny restaurant, so it may not accommodate large groups. Service was quick and courteous, but the food- both the spring rolls and green curry- bland. The sticky rice with mango was the clear winner. The green colored rice was unusual, but made for a pretty presentation!

The atmosphere around this restaurant gives off a really cozy and relaxing vibe. The foods here are very authentic Thai food (as a Thai person myself), and I really enjoy eating here. The menus are all tasty and flavorful. Staffs here are very friendly and positive! 10/10.

We arrived at this restaurant around 6:30pm, and there were plenty of parking, which is a plus. The restaurant location is perfect. The patio is beautiful. Our party of 3 ordered 4 dishes: Pok Pok, Tom Yum Fire-pot with tofu, Pad Cashew with chicken and Pineapple Curry with Pork. All of them were delicious, especially the Pok Pok and curry. Service was top notch. Everyone was caring and attentive to our needs. We had a great experience at this restaurant.

Cute little thai restuarant with cozy outdoor patio with plenty of shade. There is parking in the back!!! The food was great and you can choose your spice level. They have levels 0-4 for spice! I got the chicken pad thai. So yummy!!!

Papaya salad... 3/5 stars...they use a Pre-made dressing, not real lime. No flavor just sour and sweet Beef namtok...1/5 stars..not flavor. They use pre sliced thick beef strips. No flavor. Again they use the same dressing at the papaya salad. Pad thai 4/5 stars.. very good but the noodles were not soft. Won't come back.

Trashy servers. I called before going there to check if they take walk ins. The lady on the phone said yes. I got there and both the servers at the reception didNOT bat an eye. I stood there for 5 minutes when they were attending other people but not me. I then approached one of the ladies and she looked at me and said “wait a second” OH EXCUSE YOU. Then finally I got handed the menu and was told to sit wherever, I chose outside. There were three tables remaining. One was secluded. I wanted to go to the other table in the corner but a server was cleaning it up. He asks while I approach the secluded chair “seating there?” I point to the one he is cleaning and said “Oh maybe there😄” Tell me why this man yells at me and says “Not here” with an ugly stank face!!!!??????? I would AVOID this place overall. Entitled servers with the attitude of literal royalties . Mid food . Basil rice was oily and hardly edible, egg rolls I ordered had 162829 cilantro leaves. I am not a cow, next.

The inside of the restaurant is fairly small. They do offer outdoor seating in the front. Staff is so patient and sweet! We sat and talked for awhile and the staff didn't make us feel rushed (Thank you!!) Food is always a hit! The fire pot is my go to with a side of rice!! I get the Chicken TomKa Soup medium spicy! If you haven't tried the fried banana it's ...well perfect.

Incompetent. Wrong meal served to both my wife and me. A few minutes later another sever brings my real entree and then walks away with it. I chase her down and get it. My wife continues with her wrong entree. Bill delivered for 3 entres because I ate a few bites of wrong entree. Vegetables were almost raw. Hot sake was room temperature. Never again for me.

Great thai place in the Monterey area! Delicious food and great service. It's a small place though that fills up quick so get there early or be prepared to wait! When: New Years Day lunch 1pm, 4 people dine in Overall: 4.7/5 Food: 4.7/5 - we ordered chicken green curry, pork pineapple fried rice, chicken thai fried rice, chicken pad kee mao and chicken tom yum fire pot. It was all soooo delicious! Especially loved the tom yum soup and pineapple fried rice. You really can't go wrong with anything here. Service: 4.7/5 - there was only one server on new years day serving over 15 tables. What a champ! She did it all very well herself and kept a smile on her face despite all the stress. Everyone was understanding with the slower service being a holiday but she got everything we needed and all correctly :) Vibes: 4/5 - inside what looks like it used to be an old home. Small and tight inside but cozy. Outdoor patio seating too! Nothing crazy from this place. Other: free surface lot in the back of the building

The food was pretty good. We ordered a pad Thai and a mango sticky rice. The pad Thai was tasty and had a pretty good portion. The mango sticky rice didn't have much rice in it unfortunately. They seem really busy and hectic, which resulted in our food being late past the time it said it was ready by 30 minutes. We ordered to go so that might've affected it as well.

Came by here yesterday to grab a few deserts to go and a Thai Tea and Thai Coffee. I ordered the Fried Banana with coconut Ice cream and the sticky rice with mango. The service was excellent. They gave me a nice box to carry everything in. As I was putting the food in my car the lid fell off the Thai tea and it spilled. I walked back across the street to order another one and they gave it to me for free after finding out what had happened. I wasn't expecting that at all. It was very nice. Food was great, my friend and I enjoyed everything very much! I'll have to come back and eat at the restart time. It's a very cute little home converted into a restaurant and is very quaint and cozy looking. Give them a try!

It feels like you are eating authentic Thai food in Thailand. It is cute place on lighthouse street pretty close to cannery row. They have wheelchair access. It had both indoor and outdoor seating and a wonderful waiter Tong who is cheerful and always ready to vaccinated your wishes. We had vegetable Spring rolls, and vegetable stir fry with tofu. My husband ordered chicken satay., The taste and quantity was just right., Because I do not like sweet sticky rice, he substituted it with coconut ice cream without any issue. The sauce in the curry, the dip and the cream on the desert all tasted very different, fresh and authentic

Have to first share how incredible their customer service is. From putting a phone order, to entering their restaurant, they are just so damn delightful. This place was tied for our favorite Thai place California. But it may have taken the top spot...! The guaranteed items are the Pad See Ew with beef and the Pork Fried Rice. Anything else is an adventure. I will say that the duck was a bit dry. But everything else is amazing. One of two places we are guaranteed to visit when we come into Monterey!

This is a really tasty Thai restaurant in a homey older building. Enjoyed the pumpkin curry and Gulf of Siam mixed seafood entree. Service was great. Really pleased. Will return.

The food at @zabzabmonterey was incredible! I had the vegan chowmein with tofu and vegetables, and it was one of the best chowmeins I've ever had! So much flavor. I also treated myself to a Thai iced tea with coconut milk, also delish. And great and fast service. (instagram: jax.vegan.eats)

5/5 - chicken and curry was super flavorful and authentic - lunch special combo super worth it. - service was very good and all the staff were very nice and welcoming - Papaya salad and Thai soup were also tasty and felt fresh - unexpected to find such good and authentic Thai food in Monterey - mango sticky rice very delicious and filling, took me back to Bangkok - I will be back thanks

Zab Zab is hands down the best Thai food restaurant I've been to. I get the Pad Thai nearly every time and it is always delicious. Take out is what I'll typically go for - and the staff is kind and the service is speedy. I couldn't recommend this place any higher. Outdoor seating also creates a great ambiance. There is parking in the back if you can't find any out front.

I've been here before a few years ago and so happy to find Zab Zab is still in business and as delicious as ever! Everyone at the table loved their food. I had the lunch special with green curry and papaya salad. Came with a small soup, white rice, and a salad. Perfect portions filled me up and were absolutely delicious. And of course I had to get the Thai iced tea too! Small cute place with limited seating inside and some patio seating. Great service.

I cannot say enough great things about this place! We are visiting from out of town. The service was extremely friendly. The food was exquisite! We ordered the Pineapple Fried Rice (it actually comes in a pineapple bowl!!), the Chicken Pad Thai (a little over-sauced, but tasted wonderful), and the Tom Kha soup in a flaming bowl (huge!!), and Sweet and Sour Chicken. All were so delicious and very sharable. This was a hit for my whole family!

They're back!!! They actually reopened Christmas Day if I remember correctly. I know a lot of people missed them because the place was packed! Not to mention lots of people picking up their to-go orders. Tonight was a bit fast paced because of all the people wanting to eat in. But even with that we didn't feel rushed. We enjoyed our food at our own pace. Food is always delish! They're definitely at a different level! I don't even like ordering from ANY Thai restaurants because I feel like it's not going to be as enjoyable and will be a waste of money. Casual ambiance, clean, and good size restaurant. The staff are super pleasant and friendly! We love coming here for the food and energy! Say hi to Tong (I hope I spelled it right) when you come here!

We really liked the food and the service. Will defiantly go back. It's within walking distance which is another plus

Zab Zab is a great option for Thai food in the Monterey area. The service is quick and the restaurant is cozy. They have a great selection of options, but each dish is just so yummy! I recommend their curries and the satay. Both are well seasoned and definitely do the job when I'm craving Thai food. Most recently I tried the Tom kha rice and it was absolutely fantastic, so savory and it had great texture.

We have been her at least 15 times! The food is always delicious, consistent, and they are able to adapt to dietary constraints. It is our go-to Thai restaurant when visiting Monterey! We have tried most of the items on the menu and have never been disappointed. As a matter of fact, we have been delighted with each dish.

This small restaurant is located on Lighthouse Ave, not too far from Cannery Row. We ordered the Pad See Ew with chicken and it was perfect. It was delicious with just the right flavor and not too salty. There is a patio for those warmer sunny days. Would stop by here to try some of their other items if I'm in this part of Monterey again.

I have been coming to Zab Zab since 2015. When I first started coming, I had just lost my job and came for some peace and to have a Tai iced coffee once a week to keep my spirits up. During that time and ever since, the owner has always been so generous, kind, and caring that it made me feel like I had family in a time of turbulence. I have continued coming to Zab Zab at least once a week since 2015 and this has been the most incredible place to come enjoy a meal that is both absolutely delicious beyond words and to receive care that is beyond any stars Yelp can give. I am also Celiac and have never had any issues here, which is such an amazing find! This is my favorite restaurant I've ever been to in my life (America, the UK, Taiwan, and Australia - to me, no place compares to this). Zab Zab is a quality, genuine place of integrity, heart, soul, and totally delicious food.

I wouldn't reccomend Zab Zab, the flavors are not authentic Thai. You don't get your traditional sweet, spicy, tangy flavors with fresh lime, chilis and fish sauce. The flavors are dull. What a bummer!

Had an amazing lunch at ZabZab Thai Cuisine! The Panang Curry with Tofu, shrimp Shaomai, and sticky rice with mango were all delicious. The service was quick, and the ambience was lovely. Plus, there's parking in the back and street parking, which made it super convenient!

I got the yellow chicken curry. It was pretty good. I'd give it a 8/10. I got take out so I can't say much about dine in but it looked very clean and nice. The staff was nice and my order was ready at the time they promised.

The food was spot on! Service was friendly and it seemed like the locals knew the owner well or were regulars. We loved the soup presentation and it was a busy but comfortable vibe. Flavors were great and we will be back to try more.

Great service. Located in a home-like location with outdoor patio seating and a private parking area. Tried the Tom Yum which was too salty and slightly sweet and green curry which was ok. The Thai ice tea was way too sweet.

It's a busy place so expect some wait time. The food is extremely flavorful and spicy. If you want mild food make that very clear, but if you enjoy spicy food this is your best! Great service and over all great food!

It was a small cute spot in Monterey, and it had a nice ambience. We sat in the back and was served pretty quickly. I got a tom yum soup with noodles and chicken, and my friend got a pad thai. Both looked really good, and I loved my soup. I don't recommend getting the chicken in a soup dish though, because it was really dry and bland, but the rest of the soup was delicious. I would definitely come back and try other options. Parking around the restaurant isn't too bad either - I recommend parking on the street behind, as there are typically a lot of spots open.

This was my second time at this restaurant however it was disappointing this time around. Service was bad as we were overlooked several times. I had gotten the Chicken Pad Thai and had asked for it to be spicy. When I had tasted it, it was probably the sweetest pad thai I have ever had! The overall restaurant and location are great and fairly close to cannery row. Not sure if I will stop by here the next time I am in Monterey.

Wow oh wow, where to start. The restaurant itself is a nice house turned restaurant. Decor simple and homey. There appeared to be 1 server for the entire restaurant. Considering how many tables he had to take care of, he did as good as could be expected. If only the owner was present to lend a helping hand. Oh wait, she was there! But instead of helping expedite the dinner service, she would rather brag about being the only one to grow a specific type of basil to what appeared to be a table of regulars, than make sure her employee has the proper support and all of her patrons are being attended to timely. Despite the long wait to order and to pay our bill, it would have all been worth while if the food was amazing. Sadly, this place had the most bland Thai food, nay, any food I've ever had. My wife had the pad se ew and I had the Bangkok duck. Pad se ew was basically like eating flavorless jello. The duck did have flavor, if you count excessive sugar as a flavor.

By far my favorite Thai restaurant! I've been here several times over the years. Every time, the food and service are consistently great! This cute and cozy restaurant is a converted house with comfortable seating indoors and out. Some of my favorites: Pineapple Fried Rice, Chicken Satay, Green Papaya Salad, Pad Thai, any of the curries... Actually, I haven't had anything from here that I don't like! Everything tastes fresh and many of their condiments are homemade. I highly recommend Zab Zab for the next time you crave good Thai food.

One of the finest Thai food we have had around Monterey! This tiny spot was a strong recommendation by a friend and we ended up here for dinner. Glad we did as it was pretty amazing. A house turned into a cozy restaurant; it was completely empty when we entered. Seated on their round table by the fire place, we were handed out the menus quickly. We ordered potstickers (vegetarian), Pad Kee Mow, Panang Curry and Basil Fried Rice. The curry came with a side of white rice and all the food was out quickly. While the taste of rice, potstickers and the curry was great, the noodles could definitely have been better. There were barely any noodles in a mix of vegetables and unevenly mixed sauce. Their serving size is rather small and turns out quite expensive per person. The service was quick and the servers friendly. Only wish they were better priced to give it a five star review!

Went for dinner during Memorial Day weekend. The food was excellent, but the staff seemed unable to handle the crowd, felt very rushed and hard to get service. I would go back on a quieter day.

Great spot! Called for takeout and got the pork pad see ew and yellow curry with rice for a total of $37. They were super nice and gave my daughter a clementine when we went to pick up the food. The dishes were tasty and had a lot of meat and other goodies. Highly recommend!

We came here on the recommendation of a friend of ours. We came in on a cold rainy day. It was cold inside as it was outside. The dining room is clean. We were told to sit anywhere, the place was empty but filled up quickly. We both got lunch boxes. I got yellow curry tofu, egg rolls. It came with salad, rice and soup. The soup was good but lukewarm. The rice was fine. The salad was cut in big pieces and was hard to manage in a tiny square of the bento box it came in. I would prefer either bite sized pieces or a knife to cut it with. The curry was good. He got yellow and green curry. The green curry was fine, not my thing. We both had hot tea which came in individual pots which was cute. Service was friendly and just attentive enough. My chief gripe is I was freezing most of the time we were there. It's hard to eat when it's not even 60° inside. It was 48° outside and they had the bathroom window wide open. Blowing cold air in the whole time. It was enough that I may not return unless it was a warm day.

It was our first time trying here since we're looking for a Thai restaurant. We ordered it Togo. Their panang curry was very delicious and tasty. It doesn't come with rice. So far it's one of my favorites curry. Everything that we ordered it was good. Decent quality. Customer service was good. We waited for our order 45 minutes. It was a very busy day. Of course it' was on a Saturday. Sunday they're closed. It was our family trip and we got a nice cozy hotel near by too. I ordered extra rice but they didn't give me the extra rice .

Pumpkin and pangnang Curries and eggplant salad are good but has fish sauce in it so keep that in mind. Flavors are authentic and they will adjust heat to dishes which is nice. Always a stop when in monterey.

The food specials were very bland. The ambience was nice but definitely something nostalgic. Service was on point but they definitely made you want to tip them at least 20% for giving you your water refill every 30 minutes. No military or first responder discounts and all of their menu items were to be expected for the location. Kind of high for small portions.

Food was 6/10 prices were so high compared to the portions they gave you . I'll say restaurants in sacramento if you want a genuine thai food. Came from sacramento to try this was pretty disappointing .

Service: Not impressive. You would expect a better service. Very basic. Ambiance: Love the patio setting with flowers and air beautiful!! That was the part that I enjoyed de most. GOOD JOB!! FOOD: I am sorry to say this::The worst Thai food I ever tried.! The soup, the chicken, tasted like old meat. Not flavor. Shrimp was about $8.00 extra. It is not worth it. Pineapplea rice beautiful arrangement, but more Pineapplea than rice, a little bit of rice and rice over cook. But the Thai tea was the most horrible thing. It was that king that you buy instant powered, too sweet the boba hard. It's not a pleasant drink. I did not drink it. I do not recommend this place at all!!! Do not let the pictures lie to you.

Loved this slightly off the wharf spot. Nice cozy atmosphere. Great lunch specials that let you select 2 or 3 items. It was my nieces first Thai experience so they wanted to try everything. All the curries were fantastic. They left so happy. Will certainly return when back in the area.

The food was delicious!! We got the Pumpkin curry and I was really excited to see how generous they were with the kabocha - sometimes, places will have just one or two bites in the entire bowl, but this place gave enough that we could share! It was perfectly cooked as well. If I was local, I'd eat here all the time!

This is my favorite thai spot!! I have driven 4 hours in one day just to eat here. Absolutely delicious food

Went for lunch one day.There was one other person there picking up a to go order as we 1st came in so it's not like they were busy.We were sat down and given menus and water and nobody ever came to take our order. Sat there for 22 minutes and then we decided to take off. One of the staff was outside and asked what happened. We told him we sat for 22 minutes with no service. He was very apologetic. Might try again one day. It was our 1st time at this restaurant .

This food is amazing. Simple. Done right. Pad Thai, cubbed beef, pumpkin curry- amazing.

By far and away the freshest and highest quality Thai restaurant in the Monterey Peninsula. Not only are the dishes both original and traditional but they are artfully presented as well 5 Stars

Zab Zab Thai food are just OK on our day of visit because most of our dishes are on the salty side. Pretty much standard Thai food and drink menu. The place is naturally bright with the many windows and it gets busy. Service is prompt but on the mechanical side. Portions are small but not stingy. May be it is just Monterey. They have a small parking lot in the back plus street parking and do read the restrictions on signs. We will give it another chance in our future visit but it is not high on the list.

Restaurant is in a cozy intimate house with both indoor and outdoor patio-like seating. Service was quick and attentive. I got the khao soi which I don't see often in Thai restaurants in the US, and first tried it in northern Thailand. Was very tasty with mildly spicy creamy broth, chewy noodles, chicken, shrimp and egg. Finished the whole bowl. Fellow diner had the Tom kha soup which had nice tartness and full of veggies. Pad see ew with tofu was bomb with great flavorful noodles and pan fried tofu that seemed right out of the wok. Serving size of pad see ew seemed on the small side.

Terrible service and bad food. Not cooked at all. Waited over an hour for the food. Small place and could definitely improve on customer service and with more people waiting at the table.

Oh boy! Made a reservation and when we arrived they sat us right next to the toilet room. We hadn't even been greeted at our table yet and already had four people walk by to the bathroom 12 inches from my elbow. I could detect the odor of the bathroom as well. My intuition took over, and we stood up and left. There were two other tables available as well as a whole bunch of outdoor seating but they weren't sitting anybody outside. This place came across as a hole in the wall. Will not return. Zab Zab, you shouldn't feel the need to cram tables so close to one another, Particularly at the entrance to the bathroom. That's ridiculous, feels uncomfortable and is very unsightly. There are at least a couple very nice Thai restaurants elsewhere in town.

The best ever in the history of the Universe so best come get some!!! The service is amazing, the food is the best, and OP is one of the best cooks. Phuy is so sweet and welcoming and has the best staff and food anywhere in Monterey!!