Restaurants in Thailand

Reviews of restaurants in Bangkok, Koh Samui and Phuket, Thailand

Here is a selection of restaurants in Bangkok, Koh Samui and Phuket  that are recommendable when in Thailand. They are organized by area and are in no particular order. We have tried to focus more on the restaurants outside of the five star hotels, as they are not only cheaper but we believe that venturing out can in itself be a small adventure that adds many special memories to a trip. We will be constantly adding to this section. If you have any recommendations, please do contact us and send them in, noting the type of food, location, and why you feel that it is special. 

 Vientiane Kitchen Sukhumvit Soi 36. This restaurant is an excellent place to see a real piece of Bangkok. The food is mainly from Isaan province and Laos, and is of the highest quality. They actually do serve foreigners really spicy food when you ask for it, unlike a lot of restaurants that still take a little out for the farang (foreigner). A live band plays traditional music, and with the open air atmosphere really makes for a special evening. The prices are special as well, for three people including drinks it would be extremely difficult to spend more than 1,000 Baht. Do not be surprised to see the occasional elephant pop by to say hello!

Dairy Queen - Not to be confused by the hot dog and ice cream stands you see around Bangkok. This restaurant is in our view one of the finest and most enjoyable Thai / Seafood restaurants in all of Bangkok. It is exceptionally well priced, enjoys a wonderful location (although some may consider a little far) on the Chao Phraya River and offers guests excellent food. The Dairy Queen offers guests a nicely decorated but very relaxed Thai style restaurant with both indoor and outdoor dining. The restaurant is extremely popular with Thai's which speaks volumes for the quality of the food you can find there. As it is a Thai style restaurant you can take your own bottle(s) of wine or whisky and the restaurant will just charge you a very small corkage fee. The restaurant also a moored part to the restaurant which offers floor seating and actually sits on the river. The Dairy Queen also has a boat which allows you to eat onboard while enjoying a cruise from the restaurant to around the Grand Palace area and back, this cruise only costs you around 70 Baht per person on top of whatever food etc you order. The restaurant is located adjacent to Saphan (bridge) Param Gau on Rattanathibet Road, and is only a 25 minute drive out of Bangkok (outside rush hour times) by expressway. Yes it may be a little out of the centre but that only adds to the adventure. We strongly recommend reservations at this restaurant especially if you prefer to be seated outside and / or next to the river. Call the restaurant on: 02-9218670 up to 5.    

Pierside Seafood Restaurant - Located adjacent to the Chaopraya River, in the River City Shopping Centre next to the Royal Orchid Hotel & Towers, this new seafood restaurant is a pleasure in itself to experience. Decorated by a highly respected designer who has worked on many International 5 star hotels around the world, the restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining. Prices are not the cheapest in Bangkok but the atmosphere is enjoyable if only because of the setting. Reservations are highly recommended please call 02-237 0077-8.       

Prikly Prik - On Soi Covent off Silom. Great Thai food at excellent prices. The decor is very basic but is inductive to a good time.

Basil - A new Thai restaurant in the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel. Beautiful decor and spacious seating arrangements add to a great atmosphere for a wonderful evening whether you are dining for business, pleasure or celebrating. The food although good, is "farang Thai", by which I mean that if you want the food really spicy you almost have to beg, we had to send two dishes back because they were not truly Thai spicy. Watch out for the water as well - if you ask for a glass of water each glass will be charged at THB 40 ++ this is because they give you mineral water without explaining it, so you only find out when you get the bill. Having said that this is a great and very stylish restaurant to enjoy the exotic delicacies of Thai food.         

Delaneys - If you are craving something a little different, a pint of Guinness, and some beef stew for example then this is a great place to be. It gets very busy over the weekends, and a lot of local expats and Thais alike use it as an after work drinking and meeting place. It can be found along Soi Convent, just off Silom.

Emporium - Although not officially a restaurant, this ultra modern shopping centre houses some very good restaurants. One that is definitely worth trying is the Food Court, here you buy coupons, and then choose from an enormous selection of Thai food that is on display. It is a great way to get to know a little about Thai food and experiment, as you can see what the food looks like before giving it a go. Cheap, clean, and great food.

Tescos - Tesco's ?! Tesco's I hear you scream, in a restaurant review ?!! Not really but if you are new to Thailand then the food courts are a great experience, and Tesco's along with the Emporium, Central etc offer a nice clean environment to enjoy such food. Located on Rama IV, just close to Sukhumvit Soi 26, the newly opened Tesco's is again more a shopping mall / supermarket (an absolutely enormous supermarket) that has a food court on the upper floor. They have a wide variety of food, and you buy an electronic cash card instead of coupons, and are able to choose from a great selection of inexpensive Thai food on display. This is a great place to visit especially if you have children as they have a lot of activities for children to enjoy, including a mini theatre where, songs and dance, are performed, small trains, and miniature roller coaster rides. It looks like great fun, just a pity they don't allow adults to join in the games !!

Le Dalat - On Sukhumvit Soi 23, an individual wooden house that provides a beautiful environment to enjoy some of the best Vietnamese food in Bangkok. Very nice setting that seems to be full of expats most of the time. This restaurant has featured in many books, written about or based from Bangkok. Beautiful restaurant.  

Le Moghul Room - Rated by many guides and even the local newspapers and magazines as one of the best Indians restaurants in Bangkok, this small restaurant is located off Sukhumvit Soi 11. The decor on the second level is just great and very relaxing, with the tables being of Indian design and the seats being of the lower variety where you sit pretty much on the floor. The food however leaves you wondering how they have managed to build such a good reputation, we tested the mutton, which was fatty and very tough. There are better.           

The Tandoor - at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bangkok on Silom road is excellent, serving Northern Indian cuisine it is very popular among the local Indian community which says a lot for the quality of food. Great choice.

Akbar - Another Indian restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 3. Lively interior design but the food is good, the meat tender and they have a very good selection at reasonable prices. Good choice.

Angelini's - One of the more famous Italian restaurants in Bangkok. Located at the Shangri-La Hotel, it is a very 'in' place to be, with a lot of high society Thais, and expats. The restaurant is very large with three levels, and they also play live music in the evenings. The food is not cheap and not expensive at the same time, but do watch out for the glass of Champagne that will set you back a staggering 600 Baht !! Great food in a great location, but with some seriously overpriced drinks.

Senor Pico - Well if Mexican is your thing, then this must be the place to come. Located at the Rembrandt Hotel which is itself renowned trough Bangkok as offering some of the finest food offerings of any hotel in Bangkok (especially the Indian and Mexican). Great food and a live band in the evenings playing Latino sounds. The food is reasonably priced. We do recommend though that you try to reserve a sofa seat, as they hug the outer area of the restaurant. The other tables and chairs are in the middle. Great place just try and get a sofa seat !        

Anna's Cafe - This excellent restaurant has had to extend its' premises to keep up with demand. Very much an in place to dine in this stylish location. Great food and reasonable prices. Just off Silom.

Shin Daikoku between Sukhumvit Soi 19 and 21. A Japanese restaurant of the highest quality and surroundings. It serves ridiculously cheap set lunch menus in traditional private rooms, for parties of 3 or more, or if you prefer you may sit at the sushi bar, or even around the pond which decorates the interior. At dinner it is more intimate and less busy. With an obvious increase in price over lunch, it still remains a great deal.

Chicken Rice Man - We had to add this !! On Sukhumvit Soi 23 you will find a whole stretch of food stalls on the street serving, everything from fried noodles, soup noodles, chicken rice, and more. Although street stalls can be found pretty much on every street corner of Bangkok, the chicken rice man here deserves a special mention The quality is very good and for only 20 Baht a serving which includes soup you cannot go wrong. May not be worth travelling hours to get to but if you are in the area and what to try eating on the street which you should if you are in Thailand then try it. If you do not want skin and bones tell him (use charades if you do not know how to explain).

  The Islander off Soi Bagna. This pub if it can so be called, also has another branch in Samui. They are both excellent, when needing some English food (! no laughing please !). We especially recommend the New Zealand Roast Lamb, which is served as the special on Sundays, lots of meat and some vegetables and gravy - it is excellent. The apple pie is also a culinary master piece. They also have televisions that feature most live sports events.

Baan Rim Pa - This amazing restaurant has won three consecutive Premier Travel Awards for Excellence as the Best Restaurant in Asia. This alone speaks volumes for the quality of restaurant that you can find slightly perched off a cliff at one end of Patong Beach. More to come.

The Best - Dining on the Rocks - In our view Dining on the Rocks in quite possible the best restaurant in Samui and one of the best in all Thailand, Asia. It is actually located between Choengmon Beach and Bophut at the Sila Evason Hideaway & Spa. Read a full review of Dining on the Rocks here.

The Terrace - Is an excellent place to eat Thai food , whether for lunch or dinner. The restaurant can be found by turning right and then left down the first soi with the entrance of the Central Samui Hotel to your back. Excellent value and this is another restaurant that will serve you really spicy food if you ask for it. Best choice.

The Islander - Sister to the one in Phuket. Their menus are identical as far as we know, and the quality of the food is just as high. It is a great place to watch any sporting events that may be taking place as they have televisions around the restaurant and bar. Excellent food and atmosphere, they offer daily specials, such as the wonderful New Zealand Roast Lamb on a Sunday. For those that have been to Samui, you will be glad to know that they have recently moved to a larger establishment and can now be found next to Legends. 

Seafood Bazaar - An enormous restaurant owned by the same people as the Drop in restaurant. A great place for seafood. Located along the main high street of Chaweng. The seafood is extremely good value.

Drop In - is slightly more centrally located than Seafood Bazaar, they have an excellent variety of seafood in a lovely setting. The seafood is cheap, for example a good size squid will only cost about 60 Baht and they will cook it the way you prefer.

Lara's Dream - is on the second floor almost opposite the Bamboos restaurant, it is a little pricey and the service really needs some work but the food is very good.

The Deck - is an unusual bar more than restaurant although they do serve sandwiches, it is a very relaxing atmosphere and DEFINITELY worth a visit. See our Bars in Koh Samui section for more on this restaurant. 

Farmers Tavern - just outside the centre, this restaurant can easily be recognised by an enormous Swiss flag outside. The restaurant is on the second floor and specialises in, surprise surprise, Swiss Food. The portions are big, and if you like pork you will be in heaven. Average price for a main course is 200 - 250 Baht.

 There are some excellent restaurants next to the beach in Bophut in the area that local expats who live in Samui regard as the French 'quartier'.  It is fast developing itself as the Jimbaran Beach (Bali) of Samui. It is without a shadow of a doubt worth travelling here for at least an evenings fill and entertainment.

 Happy Elephant - A famous seafood restaurant in Samui located on the beach, in Bophut. Beautiful decor and a nice ambience.

Starfish - A very stylish restaurant in the same strip as the above. It is decorated in a Portuguese style, and has both indoor and outdoor tables, that are right next to the beach. Very nice restaurant/bar which closes at 10:30pm.