Zen Yai

They serve authentic thai food! I ordered boat noodles and it came just as what i had in Thailand! My friend also ordered Pad Kapao crispy pork and it tasted great (even though i prefer not to have the green beans in pad kapao). Price is great. The servers seemed kind. My phone was running out of battery in their restaurant and the server lady charged it for me using their outlet! The only con would be the location because this restaurant sits on where there are many homeless people. We were walking there and it was our first time walking in San Francisco so it was a little scary.

Amazing Thai food. Very reasonable price for this area. We visited this restaurant 3 times in one week. The best part is they have small bowl so I can try several things. My favorite is ต้มยำหมูสับ tom yum and pad see ew. Service is always excellent and attentive. However, the surrounding area is not the best, full of homeless. Hard to find parking spot

This was my first time here and the food was very very good! It's definitely in a sketchy area, but worth it! Go with a big group so you can try many different dishes. I wanted to try more. It's recommended and I would return!

Very authentic thai restaurant in the heart of SFO! We ended up here as suggested by a thai lady we met in a café. She suggesed Zen Yai as a genuine thai restaurant. Totally true! We ordered the sausage, papaya salad, cashew nut, pad thai and pad krapao ( last two not shown in the pictures). Everything was delicious. The waiters were very friendly. Regarding the price/quality, very reasonable. The only negative thing to mention, which is not related to the restaurant, is the fact that the neighborhood is full of people struggling with drug adiction in the streets. It is a bit shocking to see and if you come from abroad like us that we come from Europe, it was sad and confronting to see.

I never write reviews. This place is special. There is a level of care and technique in these dishes that you rarely find. It. Is. Delicious. This owner knows what she is doing. I'm truly impressed. In one month they change locations, but this current location made me take pause. Once the first pad see ew noodle hit I knew I was in the right place.

I just had food delivered to me from a different platform from this restaurant. The boneless duck 🦆 was perfectly cooked and somewhat spicy 🌶️. The ambience of the place looks really good from the pictures I have seen. I give this place a five star ⭐️. I highly recommend this restaurant. I may order from them again sometime again.

We stopped by after a long day of exploring San Francisco and we were ready for a delicious hot meal. I ordered the pad se ew (which has all but become my standard Thai dish when I try a new place). The chicken was tender but the broccoli was a bit tough — I think Chinese broccoli would’ve probably been a more suitable variant. The sweet and savory sauce was pretty typical for pad se ew! The portion size made for a nice leftover meal and the pricing was more than reasonable.

A gem in Tenderloin. They are open during Thanksgiving which saves our day. The food are very good. We had calamares, chicken wings, tom yum noodles, and spring roll. I recommend the spring roll because the sauce is so delicious. They serve the food fast and the price is very affordable. I notice there are locals who are familiar with the place and friends with the people in the restaurant. There are also some big groups coming to eat. I will go back to this place and try other dishes.

I love this place so much. They have boat noodles! And rad nah! I am obsessed with the tom yum noodle soup, seriously one of the most delicious things you can order in SF. Zen Yai clearly caters to Thai expats (specials on the walls are in Thai and most of the customers are asian), so if you order online or over the phone it comes Thai spicy. They did look at my pasty ass face and tone it down when I ordered in the restaurant, so if you like spicy but not quite to Thai levels I'd recommend "medium" if ordering online or "spicy" if clearly not Thai and ordering in house. The only real disappointment on the menu was the pad kee mao, kinda bland because not enough garlic and soy. I'd also say the curries are competent but not standout. The soups are really where this place shines. Also fwiw the chicken satay is damn good. Great satay sauce and the chicken is super tender and juicy. And did I mention, they have rad nah!

Pretty bad. I had the crab fried rice and unfortunately it was terrible. There was hardly any crab inside the fried rice, almost zero, just a few shredded slivers of tiny crab meat. I'm visiting San Francisco from Phuket, Thailand where I've lived for the past three years and I know that if they served this to a Thai where I live they would not be happy. Plus, for some odd reason the cook put sliced tomatoes in the fried rice. My Recommendation: If $16 is not enough to offer real crab fried rice you charge more until you can provide a proper amount of crab, which should look like large white chunks of crab meat. Charge $20 or $25 or whatever you need to, but deliver a decent meal. Also, remove the oddly placed tomatoes and go back to a traditional recipe. The taste is completely off. I'm very sorry to post this negative review because I've heard good things about this restaurant. Hopefully, I can return here to post something more positive in the future. But for now, mai aloy.

Great local spot Boat noodles Pad ka proa Will definitely be back again another time

I have fond memories of this space. When I was a kid, my dad would bring me here when it was Racha Café. "We'll have the Spicy Basil Chicken but NO spicy". I was young so I had no idea. But now? Thai food should light your booty hole on fireeee! J/k, but it should be at least a little spicy. Zen Yai took over Racha Café over 20 years ago but it's like time has stood still. Inside and out, it hasn't changed much other than fresh paint and a mural. Takeout, delivery, and indoor dining only. Beer available. Visited on a weeknight around 7 pm and was promptly seated. (+) Budget friendly! NOTHING is over $16.95. (+) Thai menu available on the weekends (ask servers to translate). (+) Four variations of Boat Noodles, a Thai street food made with a fragrant broth of pork blood, spices, and herbs. Served with rice noodles and array of pork, beef, liver, and/or seafood. (+) Array of Thai chilies and hot sauces to turn things up...if you're eating with someone who can't take the heat. This may be a negative for some but yea, it's located in the TL. It's not as scary as some make it out to be. You come to the TL for good ethnic food and to support local mom and pop businesses. F O O D * Catfish Prik Khing: Fried Catfish w/ prik khing paste, lime leaf ($15.95): https://tinyurl.com/5d5drb5b - Request medium spicy Jam packed with robust spices AND heat! Good bold flavors but the catfish were sliced thin (~1/4 inch) so you mainly tasted the batter. * Pad Se Ew: Pan-Fried Flat Noodle w/ choice of protein, egg, broccoli ($13.95): https://tinyurl.com/5fmhjb7n - $1 upgrade to shrimp Our fav thing here. Love that they use the extra wide noodles, soft and chewy with good wok hei (smoky char). Nice savory sweet flavor with firm shrimp and crisp broccoli. Ordered it again on our second visit and it was just as good. * Thai BBQ Pork w/ sticky rice, carrot salad ($14.95): https://tinyurl.com/4ayhyf58 Generous portion of tender pork (shoulder?) with a nam jim jeaw dipping sauce, a fish sauce and tamarind based sauce that lacked punch. Served with sticky rice and crisp carrot salad lightly seasoned with vinegar. * Kra Prow Moo Krob: Spicy Holy Basil Pork Belly ($13.95): https://tinyurl.com/4ayhyf58 - Request medium spicy Lean pork belly with a slightly crispy rind stir-fried with green beans, peppers, and several leaves of basil. Too mild in flavor tho. Was surprised that it included rice. S E R V I C E Polite and prompt. Wave down staff if you need something. A M B I A N C E Clean and bright with over a dozen tables. P A R K I N G Challenging parking during the day but we easily found street parking since we came for dinner. Overall, Zen Yai serves up decent Thai food (3.5 star-ish). Yes, there's better Thai food in the area but you can't beat the value here. If you're looking to leave with a full belly with leftovers and without making your wallet cry, Zen Thai is a good option!

We stopped by after a long day of exploring San Francisco and we were ready for a delicious hot meal. I ordered the pad se ew (which has all but become my standard Thai dish when I try a new place). The chicken was tender but the broccoli was a bit tough -- I think Chinese broccoli would've probably been a more suitable variant. The sweet and savory sauce was pretty typical for pad se ew! The portion size made for a nice leftover meal and the pricing was more than reasonable.

Still 5* for the boat noodles and piping hot soup! The #2 and angel wings are only ok.

I had food delivered to my address from this restaurant and the boneless duck basil I ate here was great . I take it back is was exceptionally delicious. The service was great and the overall ambiance was amazing from what I have seen in pictures. I can see myself coming to this restaurant in person someday. I highly recommend this place. I give them 5 stars. What are you waiting for? Please come eat at this restaurant.

The boat noodles were SO good! It was my first time trying boat noodles. This was recommended to me by a Thai friend. Very authentic flavors!

One of the neighborhood staples. Not in the most glamorous location in tenderloin but a long standing reputation and great food with very affordable prices keeps the restaurant busy nevertheless. If you are a fan for Thai food this is a must- try. E-Saan Sausage : 9.5/10 Tom Yum Noodle: 9/10 Pad See Ew: 9/10 Green Curry: 9.5/10 Thai Ice Tea: 9/10 Overall Food: 9/10 Price Value: 10/10 Ambience: 7/10 Wish they could install some translucent curtains to the windows to screen the street.

The boat noodles were incredible! I have been wanting to try this place for so long after a friend recommended it to me. The restaurant was pretty empty on a Friday at 6:30 PM, but that seemed to be more because of the restaurant's location rather than quality because it got busier as the night went on (but never too loud). The waitstaff are friendly, and there's a variety of chili flakes and other toppings on the table for you to add to dishes to your liking, I got the Beef Combination Boat Noodles with regular noodles, and my two friends and I shared the Catfish Phig Khing, which we got mild. The Catfish Phig Khing came with a good sized side of white rice and was smaller than I expected, but the boat noodles were massive in portion! Great deal for that price. Catfish Phig Khing: 5/5, deliciously crispy and the flavors pack a punch! The pieces are cut in a cross-section so it goes through the spine, and there are smaller bones in the fish but you could honestly eat through them easily. The mild spice level allowed us to enjoy the fish texture more, as it was fried to perfection. A tangy, spicy, smoky dish! Beef Combination Boat Noodles: 5/5, these were amazing! So much meat, and all of it was delicious. Even though I'm not the biggest liver fan, I loved it here along with everything else. Perfect noodle texture for me: soft but with enough bite to be a carrier of flavor. The broth is unlike anything else I've had before -- so rich and aromatic yet not heavy. Every spoonful was a delight! Overall, I loved my experience here. I can definitely see myself coming here/ordering from here regularly. I found a new favorite food, and I'm excited to have it again!

I've visited this place a few times when I'm in San Francisco, and every time it reminds me of home. I've tried the papaya salad, Thai boat noodles with beef and egg noodles, kana moo krob, and keaw Tod everything is so delicious! The flavors are authentic, just like being back in Thailand. It really brings back memories and makes me feel at home.The only downside is the environment outside the restaurant it's not the best. But honestly, the food is so good that it's worth it. I'll definitely be coming back again!

A cute little spot tucked away in the corner of tenderloin. The food was good, the spice and flavor was strong. The server was patient and answered my question regarding their most popular dish. Check them out. Ig@blacktigereats

One of the best Thai places in the city!! They have such an extensive menu, and the prices are extremely affordable and a lot cheaper than almost any other place in the city. My boyfriend and I love their BBQ Thai Style Marinated Pork; it is one of our favorite dishes from an SF restaurant. Their Thai tea tastes really delicious and strong too; I order it almost every time I come here. I also like getting their combos as they are great value. Some other dishes I have tried from here are Pad Thai (which is at a great price since it comes with shrimp), fried chicken over fried rice, duck noodle soup, and Prig Khing Moo Grob (crispy pork belly with string bean and their homemade Prig Khing chili paste), which are all delicious. You can't really go wrong with any item from here. For service, the service here is good. I have never had an issue with the service here. The food comes out extremely quickly. The restaurant always has plenty of seating, so you don't ever have to worry about waiting. Although the neighboring area may not be the best in the city, Zen Yai is really a hidden gem in the city.

Zen Yai's delicious and authentic Thai food is definitely worth venturing into the Tenderloin. I've been here twice now for dinner on the weekend and both times have been excellent. They have a varied menu - I appreciate that they offer a variety of Thai dishes. Their pad kee mao is delicious. I especially enjoyed it at the 'spicy' level (I didn't think the 'moderate' spice level was too spicy). My partner ordered a rice, chicken, and mushroom dish served in a clay pot that was also delicious. He also really enjoyed the boat noodles. The staff are friendly and efficient. They asked if we minded moving tables to accommodate a large group and they brought us both complementary Thai iced teas. :) Overall, Zen Yai is probably the best Thai food I've had in SF. I'll be back!

Got pad Thai for $15 out the door Togo. Staff was nice. Pad Thai generous portions, came with shrimp and chicken. Noodles moist with sauce but would have preferred just a tad bit more sauciness. Used thin noodles, so just a slight bit last "al dente" and thin noodles not my favorite for pad Thai. Despite my criticisms, for the price, getting generous portions AND with two types of protein, I feel it deserves 4 stars. Not my definite pad Thai, but definitely good value when out the door at $15 these days!!!

Location of restaurant not really desirable, so ordered take out. All the dishes ordered were good.

Although it felt like we were stumbling upon a hidden gem, the restaurant was so popular and only got busier throughout our time here. We ordered a few things for the table, and each dish that came out was so good - probably some of the best I've had in the bay. We ordered papaya salad, pumpkin curry, pad see ew, and fried pork belly. Typically, at Thai restaurants, I tend to stick to a few items on the menu, but this restaurant made me want to explore the entire menu. Service was a little slow, but they were super busy so it made sense - they offered us free drinks to make up for it (which we didn't take), but it really made their service feel above and beyond.

Wow, really affordable and tasty Thai food! You can tell it's legit since they have Thai only written on the menus on the wall. We got the pad kee mao, duck noodle soup, green curry, and drinks and were astounded by how tasty and affordable it all was when we split the bill. Haven't tried all of Thai places in the area, but so far my favorite and go-to that I would recommend to others and that I've actually re-visited (which is actually quite rare for me).

Torn between a 4 and a 5 for this one. The guys working there seem really friendly, and I've eaten here twice, trying the green curry and the Tom yum boat noodles. The to-go packaging was fantastic. The food was solid but not mind-blowing, which is definitely something I've experienced at Thai restaurants. I think the Tom yum was more the standout, having strong flavors but not trying to be something super rich; I could see someone making this at home. Nevertheless, the menu is huge so I would like to come back to try more options.

I have always loved this place. Not just for the service, but for the food. They have this amazing way of making you feel as if you are home. I started coming here because I noticed a lot of Thai folks eating there so I figured the food must be good and well, I have never been disappointed. I actually went to the Thai Boat Markets in Thailand where I think the soup may have originated and this place makes it tastier than they did. The place is awesome, the people are amazing, and the ambiance is relaxing. A great place to go with the family, with friends, or after a hard days work by yourself; you just can't go wrong. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been able to come here for many years.

The quality of the duck was actually just okay with the meat being kind of ropey and tough. The soup and noodles were AMAZING though! I loved how the broth was light and refreshing but with a huge punch of garlic to it. I got wide rice noodles but you can pick and choose your preferred noodle shape if you want. Note that this is not in the nicest part of town but I would say well worth the trek! I will definitely be back, though I'll probably order something other than duck in my noodles.

We came here late in the evening just before the kitchen closed, but we still got our food super quickly. Everything was delicious, it was the best Thai food I've ever eaten! We had tom kha soup, green curry and chicken sate, everything was so tasty and flavourful. The service was excellent and the server even made sure to check in and see if we wanted anything else from the kitchen before it closed. The street outside the restaurant isn't the best area, it felt a little sketchy to walk there at night, but we didn't have any problems. Once you're inside the restaurant it's quiet and peaceful, we didn't hear any noise from outside. All in all I can highly recommend, and I hope to come here again some time!

If you are brave enough to wander into the Tenderloin, don't miss out on Zen Yai. My Thai boss makes the trek into the city from SSF to get her fix of authentic Thai food! We came for boat noodles, which are a sort of choose your own adventure menu item. I went with beef, with blood in broth, thick noodles. It was a great broth, rich with beef flavor and super quick to eat the entire bowl. It even has authentic pricing at $4 a bowl (albeit a small portion). The papaya salad uses pungent fermented crabs and a good amount of Thai chilies, so I loved the flavor of this! But, it's not for people who don't like seafood or low-spice tolerance. The chicken rice was pretty standard. The crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli was great if you love pork cracklings. The mango sticky rice was excellent with a juicy, ripe mango. We also loved the coconut dessert they had for sale at the register - one was make with black rice and the other some sort of jelly. Both were a delectable balance of sweet and lighted salted coconut cream! The service was so friendly, although it helped to have a native Thai speaker to help us order the good stuff! If you want legit Thai food, come to Zen Yai (or better yet, Uber or do take about to stay safe!)

i came here on a thursday around 6 pm for dinner with a group of 3. there were lots of open seats. the prices seemed pretty affordable compared to other thai places. the portions looked large but were actually quite reasonable - i think it's just that the plate is large but shallow. i was worried i wouldn't be able to finish my pad kee mao but i ended up finishing. service was pretty proactive with water refills and fast with bringing out the check. the area is a little sketchy so i'm not sure if i would make the trek again if i wasn't already in the area (ex. going to a concert at bill graham which is a ~10 minute walk), but my friend mentioned that she would start ordering delivery from here so delivery is always an option. overall a really solid thai spot!

Yummy and affordable Thai food! I got the catfish deluxe (pla dook pad phet) and it was delicious. The fish was nicely fried and crunchy and the sauce was so flavorful. I am Thai and this hit the spot for me :) We also got the fried calamari, and my boyfriend got pork belly basil stir fry (pad krapow moo krob). The calamari was tasty and crunchy, but I didn't eat much of his dish. The service was fast and attentive, and the ambiance is no-frills and very chill. Great place for lunch and definitely looking forward to coming back. Note: If anyone is interested, I am pescatarian and asked if they could do their tom yum without bone/meat broth and they said they could not.

Most delicious and delicately prepared Thai icon. Sadly they have fallen a bit on hard times because of the homelessness population right outside their door. Don't let that dissuade you- so wonderful!

I was recommended this restaurant and already nearby, so it seemed like a great idea to walk on over. It was not a great idea. I had never been in the Tenderloin before and it was the sketchiest walk of my life, but the food was good. The menu had a lot of authentic Thai dishes that I have not seen offered at most other Thai restaurants I've been to. This place does not play with their spice levels. Medium was extremely spicy. I def should have gotten mild spice on everything.

I've been here a bunch of times over the years and it's consistent. Good food, good service, cute interior, and crappy surroundings (I'm in the neighborhood a lot and you'll need to step over poop and avoid inhaling crack on the way. That's just the truth). But the food! They have a full menu of Thai classics at excellent prices, but I like to go for the combo for a fun feast. Find a whole section for those on the menu. This time I got Zen Yai Combo 2: shrimp pad thai, chicken yellow curry, rice, fried wontons, and salad. Each component comes in a pretty large portion and it's all tasty, though they go light on heat. Luckily, you can request a condiment tray with several types of chili to Thai-it up. On top of all that, the combo is on the menu for under $14 right now. Unbeatable.

I love this Thai place! It's not in the best location but they have the best affordable and delicious boat noodles! They have a variety of dishes and they are one of the places that are very authentic. I recommend trying the boat noodles and the bbq pork with sticky rice! 10/10

Some Thai friends told me that this is the best Thai restaurant in San Francisco! Zen Yai is the real deal if you're looking for authentic Thai food. The location isn't great, but I had no problem getting here during the day. I am not sure if I'd recommend coming here at night though. The menu is half in English and half in Thai. We asked for the owner's recommendations, and he recommended: - Green papaya salad ($12.95) - Pad kra prow ($13.95 for rice plate) - Kra prow moo krob ($13.95 for rice plate) - E-saan sausage ($9.95) - Boat noodle combination ($14.95) - Bar-B-Q chicken (half) ($14.95) The green papaya salad was super fresh and delicious. I would also highly recommend the combination boat noodles. Pad kra prow is delicious as well but I found the rice plate a little harder to share. It's better as an individual dish IMO. We ordered everything medium spicy and it was definitely spicy, so you might want to stay away from medium spicy if you can't handle spicy. Overall everything was delicious and the owner was really nice. The restaurant wasn't full the entire time we were there (for lunch on a Saturday), and it was easy to grab a table. The one thing to note, however, is that I suspect they use MSG in the food. All of us felt that our mouths were super dry after eating here, and we drank 5 carafes of water between the three of us. Other than that everything was super tasty and great!

I was looking for protein. Also, I been eating here for about 30 something years. I've ate here more recently and frequently. If you ask any Thai person they will agree that this is probably the most authentic Thai spot in San Francisco. The boat noodles are authentic and the pad see eww is quick and good too of cour

Best Thai food hidden gem in SF no cap. Despite being located in the rough area of the TL, this place serves authentic Thai food that's affordable and worth to dine in the city. Highly rated by my own Thai coworkers that vouch for this place as well. Thai flavors are just so good! Service is friendly and food comes out pretty quick. Casual dining, always love eating here.

Ohh my goodness! it was incredible! my friend and i loooooooove everything. foods, staff, drinks all perfect! highly recommended!

I've been curating a list of Thai places in the Bay Area over the years and I visit them based on my craving because places often specialize or just happen to be good at something specific like Northern Thai / Isan dishes or Noodle soups or Curries or Salads or Desserts. On a whim I browsed Yelp and decided to give Zen Yai a try. I have to say I'm surprised I hadn't tried it earlier given it's very close to the Larkin/Geary corridor which has half a dozen places I frequent. The Tenderloin location isn't great but that's where you're going to get good Thai food! If you're driving just don't leave anything in your car and you'll be fine. The restaurant is quite spacious for the location and also has a large kitchen. As always, on my first visit I have to execute my Thai restaurant litmus test ... and NO it is NOT Pad Thai! It is Pad Kra Pow Moo or Thai Spicy Basil with Minced Pork over Rice. I always get it Thai spicy AND with a Thai fried egg (fried to a crisp on both sides). Places that don't have this dish with ground pork and / or don't have the option to add the fried egg are not very authentic. The result.. Excellent and a clear 5/5 for the food - at least for that classic dish. I could tell they used real Thai Holy Basil as soon as the plate landed on my table from the aroma (it's different from regular basil). The basil was very fresh, the ground pork also tasted fresh and had just right amount of moisture / juiciness. The service was great.. very friendly wait staff who were happy to answer all my questions about the secret Thai menu. Zen Yai is also great in terms of value. The portion size of the dish also with the fried egg would be $20 or more at most places (including in the same neighborhood) before taxes and tip. Here it was just under $16. I can't wait to come back and try other items. BTW they have a secret menu that's written in Thai on the wall but they don't have an English translation of it. Word of mouth through the local Thai community is how you would find out about it! It includes things like Thai congee which is served on weekends and otherwise quite hard to find.

My daughter was craving for Thai Boat Noodle Soup. We decided to dine at this restaurant. Oh boy, the broth was so flavorful. They are very generous with the meat portions. I got the small meatball and beef noodles soup. It was the right portion for me since I wasn't too hungry. My daughter got the large portion. As you can see from the picture, it's a big bowl. We also ordered their spicy catfish. Beware, it's THAI spicy with bones and no veggies. I was disappointed. The chilies burned my mouth and I couldn't taste the delicate catfish flavor. NOTE: They have all the condiments on the table to add to your food... fish sauce, different types of chilies, etc.

Zen Yai Thai definitely serves the most authentic Thai cooking in Bay Area especially their boat noodles, chicken rice and jook moo rival some of the ones I had in Bangkok. Staffs are always friendly and welcome guests with a smile. Probably most authentic Thai food in the whole Bay Area imho.

This is one of my favorite Thai shops! The food taste very authentic and they make it really spicy! The service is great and the owners are very friendly. My favorite is the catfish dish which taste absolutely delicious and the tom yum noodles which you can make spicy. Def will always stop by when I am in San Francisco!

The food is very decently priced here! Be prepared for authentic Thai food, which comes with authentic Thai spiciness (even if mild)! The bowl of boat noodles is only $4. The mango sticky rice was good but not the best I've had in the city (in comparison to Naya in Hayes Valley). Service is good, the servers are very nice & prompt.

My partner wanted some authentic Thai food for his birthday, which he often yearns for after visiting Thailand a few years ago. On Yelp, I saw that they have a few variety of boat noodles and some other yummy looking dishes. So we decided to come here for his birthday, and after eating here, it really made my partner happy. He really enjoyed all the boat noodles (Yen Ta Fo, Tom Yum, and the original beef). I really liked the original beef boat noodles. And we both loved the Prig Khing Moo Grob (crispy pork belly with rice). It's so freaking good. And my son and daughter both loved the rice poriddge. Me and my partner were both able to get our spicy on, while the kids were also able to eat and enjoy, which is not always easy to do when we get thai food. So happy to learn about this place!

Love the food, specially the pork belly, I love the server they are accommodating and friendly Service is excellent!!

Great food overall. A little modernized Thai style dishes, but boat noodle and pad se ew was good and tasted authentic. Green curry was too sweet for my taste buds, would have liked more curry flavor. Servers polite and quick. Ambiance quiet and lovely. Neighborhood a little sketchy, but we went during the day. Lots of options. Would go back if in the area. Nothing outstanding.

Best takeout Thai in SF! It never disappoints and I appreciate that they allow different spice levels since I like very spicy and my partner prefers no spice at all. Very reasonably priced too!

Zen Yai was recommended to me by a friend for its authentic thai cuisine. I was with a walk-in group of 12 and we were promptly seated. Service was friendly and accommodating of our large party size. I greatly enjoyed the Yellow Curry Chicken, and many of my friends who ordered the boat noodle would not stop raving about it. Next time I am in this party of the city I would love to go back and try more of the menu. I am reading other diner's reviews and realizing there is much more left in store for me at this restaurant!

The place is kind of in a sketchy area. Lots of homeless people around. I came during APEC week so they moved all homeless people away from union square area to other areas. Clean place. Kinda like a hole in a wall but it's not. Sat down quickly and ordered quickly. Staff was friendly and attentive. Maybe 4-5 other customers at the time. Went around lunch time. Was a party of 1 and order Thai boat noodles combination. I got the beef and pork. I subbed the beef slices for ground pork. I'll probably ask for ground chicken next time. I wish they had tripe and intestine in it too. This is real authentic Thai boat noodles. I've been to so many places and they mainly use the boat noodle paste. Comes with lots of meat. Honestly you can share a large bowl with a friend and order another dish. I wanted to order more but I know I wouldn't eat all my food. If you do not like liver, get the one with meat only. The price is very decent and not expensive at all. I would definitely be coming back to try other foods and order this again.

Enjoyed my visit to this Thai restaurant. The food was tasty and reasonably priced. The Pad Thai was particularly good, and the Green Curry had a nice level of spice. Planning to return for another meal soon!

I had a high expectation of Thai restaurant since I'm Thai. The price was reasonable. The boat noodles was alright. The beef was a bit chewy. The pork rind wasn't that crispy. The soup was good though, quite flavourful. The noodles weren't that soft. All in all, it was alright.

I had pineapple fried rice and thai iced tea delivered. Both were good enough - not ones i would rave about, but it satisfied my Thai food cravings.

I've been a fan of Zen Yai Thai for many years. Their prices are affordable and they serve good quality dishes. My favorite dish is the Ka Na Moo Krob (chinese brocolli with pork belly). Their food is very spicy so unless you can handle it, I suggest getting medium spicy!

I wanted Thai food for dinner today. And I was thinking about either getting khao kan jin (pork+rice+blood sausage steamed in a banana leaf) and Plah pla muek (charred Monterey Bay squid in a spicy+tangy seafood sauce, peanuts, cilantro) from Kin Khao OR khao tung & ngop (mixed seafood curry grilled in a banana leaf served with crispy rice crackers) and gang bumbai aubergine (crispy eggplant in spicy bumbai curry with lemon basil & crispy shallots) from Nari. I don't know how I ended up here for some reason instead lol Anyway .. I tried four items from the menu. I ordered their small size yen ta fo which was delicious and vibrant. And also their green curry with rice and pork, large combination boat noodle, and som tum puu pla raa (green papaya salad with salted raw crab, fermented fish and hot & sour dressing) Other than the yen ta fo, the rest I ordered were pretty average.