Great service, great decor, and wonderful ambience. It doesn't have the authentic Thai feel, but it is indeed very welcoming. Me and my friend started off with the Tom Yum and I have to say it was spectacular. It definitely had an authentic Thai taste to it, not too sour or spicy. We had two noodle dishes. One was 62, a glass noodle dish with chicken, tofu, shrimp, cabbage, and various other ingredients. That dish was very flavorful and well prepared, the combination of the ingredients were perfect. The second dish which was 61, a crispy noodle dish was absolutely horrid. It was a crispy noodle dish with a sweet-salty sauce, tofu and shrimp. The noodles were flaky, I felt like I was literally eating cereal given the oddly sweet sauce overpowering the lightly salted ingredients. It was so dry and overly sweet I couldn't down it, asked for dessert promptly. I was disappointed that I wasnt able to try the Siam Gems dessert, since they no longer had that. We got the dessert of the day which was mango w/ sticky rice in a sweet coconut sauce. This has to be the best place where I'v had this dessert. The mangoes tasted rather fresh and the sticky rice had the perfect thick consistency. Overall, I did like the place, the crispy noodle dish definitely threw me off and badly finished the meal, but all the other dishes were worth trying. The area is rather inconvenient and slightly unsafe at night.
(3)
Gregory N.
This is my go-to Thai restaurant in the city. The fried fish used to be the best, but sometimes the filets are small and the price has risen. Curries are still good. Prices are reasonable for San Francisco. All my friends love the place, especially out of towners. Thai iced tea is great, has a touch of chrysanthemum I think, so it's a good indicator that the rest of the menu is good.
(5)
Bella B.
Yep, I still go here as often as possible. Yep, I am upgrading to 5 stars since as Marlene put it "this is the best Thai place in San Francisco". No, I don't like everything on the menu, but none of what I had ever tasted like chlorine (yikes)! Yep, I have tastebuds, thank you! Yep, I highly recommend Manora's. Yep, I am still a fan, can you tell? Enjoy, and try the shish kabob (beef baby!) it is amazing....
(5)
Lisa T.
This place definitely deserves all the hype it gets on yelp. Not only was it one of the best pad thai's that I tried (perfectly cooked noodles, bean sprouts on the side so it doesn't take up extra space, with the perfect sprinkling or peanuts). My boyfriend and our friend also tried the garlic quail which was followed by what they called a necessary moment of silence. The price was also extremely affordable! What a nice little gem in the midst of SOMA!
(4)
Angela L.
Great Decor and Ambiance- and they have fresh flowers! I went for lunch and the portions are very generous for the price. Also very well made and fresh. I had the Thai Iced Tea, Lunch Combination of Curry Chicken and Fish Cakes. Happily full when I left.
(4)
Judson C.
I've been here plenty of times over the past 6 years. Always good service and good Thai food :-)
(4)
Mico S.
The only reason I don't eat there more often is the portion sizes, I am trying to control my weight. The food is fresh, delicious, service is exceptional. I work nearby, so I come only for lunch, and I cannot comment on the dinner. Lunch combos are awesome: all of them come with chicken lemon soup (a meal in itself), and three choices of something else - and I mean not one out of three, but three out of about ten. Definitely great value and a pleasant experience.
(5)
Natasha C.
the best pad thai in sf, hands down!
(5)
Skye W.
Went out for dinner within walking distance of bf's new place. I love thai food and decided Manora's would be a decent choice. Walked in and was promptly seated- ok there were a ton of tables open, but still... The restaurant is cute and nicely decorated. The bathroom (well the women's) is teeny tiny and cramped. The food is well priced when compared to similar thai places in the area. Shared the green curry with chicken and pad thai. Both were yummy with flaws. The curry was more watery and tasted watered down, the pad thai's tofu was soft tofu and not the normal fried kind (strange). All in all decent food, decent price, decent portions...
(3)
Seong P.
So I somehow managed to get people to leave a lovely bar serving free drinks and all sorts of porcine delights to go out in the rain and walk 4 long blocks to Manora's. They are nice and we passed a lot of leather stores. Once we arrived, we had a chicken and seafood in coconut milk soup, claypot beef, sauteed beef, vegetables, calamari in spicy garlic sauce, giant prawns, an omelette and a claypot seafood combination, everything without fish so as not to kill one in our party. My favorites were the seafood dishes and the omelette. The shrimp and the calamari were both really flavorful without being too salty. I could've handled a greater degree of heat but it was still good. The portions must've been fairly large because we had a lot of leftovers. Or maybe we just ordered too much. I learned a lot about HCM and hair implants that night. I hope I never need it but it was kind of interesting. I probably won't walk over in the rain again but I'll be back.
(5)
Dan W.
Excellent authentic Thai cuisine. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Good sizes portions, decent prices.
(5)
Zeba E.
This place has the best thai food...I have been to many in the bay area and none compare to the thai tea they serve here. I think I had the chicken in lobster sauce and it tasted veryyy good. It is not the classiest place so if you are thinking for a first date the restaurant - looks wise is not that impressive. However, the food is great!
Their lunch combo for $8.95 is great! Soup, 2 items & fried rice. Good place for a quick delicious lunch. Go with a friend and you can try various items on the list. 11 to choose from. Their tom ka soup is the best I've had. They use (lots of) shredded chicken! Definitely different from other places. Staff is very nice & friendly too.
(5)
Bella A.
I came here twice and twice I received good service and yummy dishes. I like the decoration here, it's very traditional and authentic. I also like fresh flowers on the table. I always touch the flower to see if they are real. This time they have Freesia and it smells so great! It was quite busy at lunch here. We ordered the lunch combination which I think is the best value. It includes Thai fried rice and a cup of lemon chicken soup and your choice of 2 dishes out of a list of 11. I took me a while to think what I want because all of them looks good to me. I tried satay beef and Thai BBQ chicken in sweet garlic sauce while this time I went for fish cake with fresh/sweet cucumber which compliment the fish cake very well with the sweet sauce. I also ordered the saute beef in chili garlic and basil. I would say the beef is a bit tough but it is very beefy indeed and I like it. My coworker had the BBQ chicken which he likes very much, it's juicy and tender he said and no need for the sauce because it's very tasty already and I agree. He also likes the spicy beef curry with sweet basil. I like the fact that they use beef brisket so it's very very tender and juicy. I also forgot, the lemon chicken soup is very good too. There is nothing we do not like there. 4 thumbs up and I'll be back to continue to try the rest on the lunch combo =)
(4)
Clarence A.
5 stars I think i've tried almost everything on the menu and things not on the menu. all appetizers are good, food is tasty and well prepared customer service is excellent, ambiance also very colorful. my regular order consist of kao pad (combination fried rice) not on the menu, gang gari gai (yellow curry chicken), nur pad pik (slices of beef in chili, garlic and basil sauce), Panaeng-Sam-Ros (A combination of crisp chicken, pork and beef deep-fried, topped with spicy red curry sauce), anything you order is really good at this place never had a bad experience.. food ***** excellent 5 stars customer service **** 4 1/2 excellent it they are busy it is difficult to get a refill ambiance ***** very different not like all cookie cutter thai resturants got its own feel
(5)
Kristin N.
LOVE. THIS. PLACE. We always get the Tom Ka Gai soup and I'm practically licking the bowl every time. We always get the duck curry, and again, I'm licking the plate. The Siam Gems desserts are such a perfect cold and light finish to a spicy-ish meal. I've also had the chicken and beef skewers, and I love the sauce that comes one them. The chicken basil is super tasty, too. Okay, I haven't eaten anything here that I HAVEN'T liked.
(5)
Max Z.
Great Service. Great Pad Thai. Cheap Prices
(5)
Jenna L.
Excellent Thai food. Inexpensive. Super delicious diet coke - it must be the "real" diet coke with cane sugar because it's seriously good. Service is great. Interior is...interesting but the food is amazing so it doesn't matter.
(4)
Laurent L.
The service was ok, though as somebody else mentioned, the servers didn't look too happy. Maybe it's because they have to wear these hideous multicolor shirts... Had dinner there --- it's well priced, and the ambiance is pretty nice. As for the food, the panang curry with beef was delicious, and the pad thai was a bit greasy. Overall, decent thai food, and relatively inexpensive.
(3)
Heidi W.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place! Everything Ive tried so far is SO good and the prices is so affordable!!! If you like Thai food, come here and then theres a chocolate store right behind them. Nothing but pure heaven!!!!
(5)
Dallas S.
Hands down the best place to get Thai food! Food comes out quickly and the taste hasn't changed ever since I started coming here in 2004. The BBQ Chicken and fish cakes & fried rice make you wanna do a back flip and slap yo mamma twice!!!
(5)
Jegan A.
Manora's is a great place to get a wide range of dishes that are all good to great. The soup that comes with the daily lunch specials is delicious. I'd recommend the Gai Kra Pow and Yellow Curry. The Garlic Pork is great as well. Arrive before 12pm or after 1pm during the week to avoid the crowds.
(5)
Liz T.
Another week, another Thai restaurant. If you can't tell, I'm eating my way through all of them--15 bucks at a time. Manora's food is worthy of three stars, but the service is spectacular--and not just for an Asian restaurant. So four stars. My friends and I ordered a bunch of dishes and shared them, including Tom Yum Talay (spicy seafood soup), Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang (roast duck curry), Pad Thai, Asparagus with Lobster Sauce, and Mango with Sticky Rice. It was a lot of food for three people, but we love to eat and have a little of everything. The Tom Yum Talay was dynamite--I just couldn't get enough of the flavors and spiciness. The Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang was delicious--duck is my new favorite meat in curry (it's all about the fatty but fabulous skin). The Pad Thai was pretty good but I prefer the one at King of Thai Noodle House, which is more saucy. The Asparagus with Lobster Sauce was all right--you'd think lobster would make everything superb but you're wrong. The Mango and Sticky Rice was a good, sweet ending to our night. I'm pretty sure I went to sleep at 11PM (very early for me) because I couldn't stay awake after inhaling all that. Can't wait to try more Thai restaurants, though. Where shall I go next?
(4)
Reese E.
Great service, great food for a great price! My parents have been coming to this restaurant before I was even born and still the same servers and flavorful food! Try the tom ka gai and the beef with mushroom sauce and the beef egg rolls. Love this place! Can't get any better thai food anywhere else in the city... believe me I have tried it all! They have been here for 24+ years for a reason, because the restaurant is great!
(5)
Jerrod E.
Great food with fast service. Place smells a bit dingy, but once your food is in front of you, you can't smell anything else. Worth seeking out.
(4)
Manny A.
AMAZING FOOD. I am a pretty picky eater -- I rarely have an amazing food experience, and this was one of them. The neighborhood isn't all that great, but the food is amazing. Food - 5 stars Service - 4 stars Decor - 4 stars
(5)
Today Y.
Usually lively inside when i go, and i always like everything, but always have gotten take-out because it's still just a usual thai dining room, nothing special to eat in. Usually get the veggi pad thai and mango sticky rice. Both are always packed to go very pretty with an orchid flower in the mango sticky rice. Wish there were more veggie options. It's good priced and easy to call ahead and pick-up, and always friendly. Best, ravenous meat eating certain soon to be ex's and friends can get Nate's BBQ across the street, while you can get much better, prettier, yummier thai, and not be a pain in their wanting-to-start-drinking-and-watching-movie asses.
(3)
Josephine H.
Manora's is a little hidden gem in the SOMA area. I wouldn't have ever discovered this place if it weren't for someone taking me here. It's a great local Thai place to dine in or get takeout. The fresh fried fish is really good. All the basic staple Thai dishes are solid choices - pad thai, spring rolls, etc. Try the mushroom lover salad - this is soo yummy especially if you love mushrooms like I do. Service is friendly and very quick. This place also has a full bar in case you want a cocktail with dinner.
(4)
Geae D.
My favorite Thai place in the city! The seafood appetizer that comes in the giant shell is my favorite. And the ice cream/banana/coconut dessert is outstanding (if you still have room after all the excellent food).
(5)
Chris S.
An X-girlfriend introduced me to this spot in the SOMA district. I'm glad she did because I shared it with many friends and coworkers and everyone was impressed, even my boss! The lunch menu allows you to order two items which has a variety of chicken, meats, and vegetables. With that you get a soup and your choice of rice. Their fried rice has vegetables which isn't bad. It's a lot of food. You can sit down but it gets noisy. Or you can take out. They are pretty fast when you order for pick up. Let me just say the chicken soup is some of the best. It has lime, cilantro, mushrooms and sometimes on a cold day, that is all I need! The curry bbq chicken is some of the best and the Gai Gro Pow is awesome. You can get it mild, medium or hot. However you like the spicyness, they accomodate. You are allowed to order ala carte and they are open for dinner but the $ on the menu increases. The staff is very friendly. Service - if you sit down is great and if your in a rush to get back to work, they get you outta there. They also need to seat the many people waiting. So yea it gets busy. Keep in mind parking can sometimes be sketchy. Someone once told me a secret about asian restaurants: "If it is busy and crowded, that means the food is good. But if you see an empty restaurant, then that means the food isn't that great". I live by those words. Keep in mind, San Francisco has some of the best asian cuisine in the country. I had my chance to try some in New York but didn't get to, maybe next time. From what I here, its not the same as SF's! Sorry NYC!
(4)
Polly C.
Love Love LOVE Manora's. Bf and I have been here a few times and we thoroughly enjoy their Gang-Gari-Gai (Chicken curry) and Panaeng-Sam-Roos (Red curry with fried chicken, pork and beef). Yum. We went for dinner tonight, and they even had Mango and Sticky rice which was absolutely delightful. Being Thai, I have a hard time finding Thai restaurants that have food anywhere near the caliber of my grandma's cooking, but Manora's comes awfully close.
(5)
Emily C.
Yum! The minced chicken is so flavorful and the filet mignon cubes are pretty tasty as well. Thai is so overdone in SF but Manora's does it right. I'm so glad I finally got to try it. I will definitely be back!
(4)
Eileen R.
Manora's Thai is yummy, not too spicy and reasonably priced. I have a hard time going and not having some fresh mint rolls and pad thai. I love their fresh mint rolls, they're simple and tasty every time. The salad kak is sinful for a salad, but soo good.
(5)
Tom L.
In comparison to Basil a few blocks away, I'd say Manora's scores lower on decor but higher on the food. (Hmm, where's the Zagat rating system when you need it...) I usually try to direct people over here if they're not in a big group and are just looking to get some great Thai food. One coworker of mine didn't even like Thai, until the day I took him here and he ordered the garlic pork. Seriously, I'm changing people's lives here. One garlic pork at a time.
(4)
Asha H.
Great, reasonably priced Thai food. What more could you ask for. My roomates and I are lucky that this place is just down the street from us. The service is great, the food is done very Thai-style and when I'm done eating, I am thoroughly satisfied with the food.
(5)
M P.
greasy, just like any other night in the soma. i agree that it's vegetarian unfriendly, but the service is stellar. nothing to yelp home about.
(3)
Jason M.
Totally solid Thai food, cheap lunch special under 10 bucks. Only been for lunch, but service is firendly and super fast.
(3)
Amlan S.
Food is really great and the staff is very helpful and friendly. If you can handle spicy food, try their spicy calamari. Feel free to ask them to spice it up ... Itsss hooooooootttttt but very gooooooooodddd.
(5)
Chris S.
Pretty average Thai joint. I forget the names of the 3 dishes we had but they were a seafood soup, duck curry, and peppered beef. Typical fare, typical taste, typical price. Typical Thai decor inside. This place is very typical of a Thai restaurant in America. I'm unsure why it's currently rated at 4 stars, must be the location.
(2)
J J.
The baked oysters covered in sauce are fantastic. I'm never afraid to try new things here.
(4)
Mitch A.
I went here for lunch. The soup I had was just OK and the chicken seemed a little on the cheap side (fat and brown meat). For my main dish I had the chicken satay which was real creamy tasting and it seemed like it was sitting around for a while. I had some kind of chicken curry for my main dish which for very average for Thai food. The chicken here also seemed very cheap (more like chinese chicken) and it came with friend rice (also chinese style). Yes, it is cheap (like 8.00 for the lunch special), but I'd rather pay a few more bucks for something worth enjoying. The decor seemed a little old and cheezy too, and I've been to Thailand so I know what good Thai food is. This place don't cut it.
(2)
Jojo L.
YUM! The best thai food I have ever had. My boyfriend and I are regulars here.
(5)
Jim B.
Great lunch. I've paid more for a lot worse.
(4)
Holly M.
This thai is legit! The food comes out so fast you won't believe it's yours, so if you want to sit for a while, take your time ordering. The atmosphere is unique, each table with an individual fresh flower every day....very cute touch.
(4)
Heinz G.
Had dinner for the first time at Manora's last night. I have been walking buy the restaurant for years. What great food. Who knew? I was very impressed with all of the dishes and the service was awesome. I would recommend this place.
(5)
Jay D.
I love the place. It always satisfies. Try the beef Larb, so spicy and so tasty
(5)
Julia W.
Delicious thai! The appetizers are tasty but only meant for two. Not a great place to bring a first date, fun for friends and relationships well past the dress to impress phase.
(4)
xo x.
Not a huge fan of the decor, I guess it's more a neighborhood type place Had better luck with entrees (green curry chicken, item 59 = garlic prawns) than appetizers (poh pia were actually warm and too much meat, who woulda thought?, beef larb was too spicy, so so on the meat) Service was a bit off, lot of wine by the glass (house wine is like $3.25) I would say Basil Thai is still best for the area
(3)
cristina s.
i love this place. spring rolls, larb and tom yum goong are my fav appetizers. everything on the menu is good...check out the chef's specials and specials of the day. full bar too!
(5)
Gregor D.
I have a hard time with Thai food in general, since a lot of dishes are really sweet. We had chicken curry, tom ka gai, pad thai and some pork rolls. All of them were packed with sugar. I wasn't looking for desert, yuck!
(2)
Allison K.
Good Thai food found with the help of Yelp! Delicious appy and the meal was just what the doctor ordered since I was starved. I wish I had room for mango/sticky ride but the portions here were surprisingly large. The thai iced tea will blow your mind and the wait staff are very pleasant.
(4)
Srinivas R.
The food was ok. I've been here several times in the past and the food was fantastic. But this weekend the food was somewhat mediocre, and the service was unbelievably bad. It took us 30 mins to order drinks at the bar, and it was clear the guy had no bartending experience at all. I guess the only upside was that he poured our drinks way too strong.
(2)
Wesley W.
The food was pretty good, and the portions were large also. The wait staff seemed stretched a little thin on a Saturday night, and the drinks were definitely stronger than I'd expect from a restaurant.
(3)
Michael E.
Not a bad little spot. It's just sort of out in no man's land. Maybe that means trendy to you, but that means inconvenient to me. The food is good, just not knock your socks off good. Glass noodles and the duck dish were delicious, but the other dishes were sort of just okay. I'll have to go back and give it another go-round to see if it's really worth it.
(3)
Chard M.
Manora's has one of my favorite little things that I get everytime I go there: Mint Spring Rolls. You have to get there early too b/c they only make a certain amount each night (if they make them, which they usually do). Combined with their tasty p-nut sauce and I coud just eat that for dinner. Plus, they are a stones throw away from my favorite watering hole (Wish). Eating and drinking.... my two favs!
(4)
Riz N.
Food is really good and the service is just as good too. I even ordered take out and the lady was really nice and accomodating.
(5)
Michelle B.
This is another one of those places that 5 years ago I would have given them 5 stars, went recently w/ friends and was not impressed. Especially since I was raving about it. it was good, but not great. #45 was alright.
(3)
Jared F.
Mmmm. So this place is open late, I think till 11pm during the week, which makes for a great late night dinner. Order the BBQ Chicken, no matter what you want to eat, no no, don't argue, just order the damn chicken. It's not like traditional BBQ, but it is FANTASTICALLY amazingly good. Their pad thai wasn't so great, I'd go to Best of Thai Noodle House on haight for that, but the BBQ chicken is worth the trip, and it's pretty inexpensive!
(4)
gary a.
They give a Lime wedge with their Pad Thai, not a lemon wedge. Their pad thai is my favorite in town, and it's not just of the lime wedge. I know SF has tons of Thai restaurants, but Manoras stands out with their flavors & quality. Their staff is pretty friendly and so is the bill. I also like their makeur pad prik a lot!
(4)
Val U.
I have to agree with Tom L. on this one. Decor could be better, but the food is top notch. The yellow curry chicken is very tender, moist, and flavorful. Basil chicken is superb as well. Friendly, attentive service, good prices. Best Thai in the city in my book.
(5)
Stellah D.
Manora's is pretty good, but like many Thai places in San Francisco they use a too heavy hand with the palm sugar. It's better than Thep Phenom though.
(3)
Art D.
Fantastic Thai food! The was the first great Thai restaurant I went to, and I keep going back.
(5)
Marina K.
I love how cheap this place is. MUST get the glass noodles. I crave that on a daily basis, oh that and the thai iced tea :) Parking is kind of a hassle though if you're trying to go for dinner.
(4)
tiffany m.
All I have to say, "Sweet & Sour Catfish"!!
(4)
T-Bone L.
You can't beat it with a stick.
(4)
Dave L.
Probably my favorite Thai restaurant in the city (better than that Thep Phenom which I think is overrated personally). Not to mention that everything is priced so reasonably. Definitely recommended if you have a group of 6-8 people and want a good meal in a relatively quiet atmosphere. The waitstaff are also very nice and friendly!
(4)
Merri L.
my friends and i went here after the up your alley dore alley fair the other week. my friend nate was gushing about it, and i wanted to try it because the outside is purple. (i like purple). it was just ok. i've had a lot better at a lot of places. we had to ask for water a few times. they were busier than usual cuz of the fair, so i forgive that and them running out of something, i forget what. there is no sticky rice on their menu and my food was ok but kinda sweet and vaguely fast foodish. jesse didnt like it too much. ben thought it was ok. so yah, go i guess if you're there. but thai basil isnt too far away and that is YUM so just go there instead.
(3)
brian g.
for some reason, after moving back to SF from NYC, i had a lot of trouble finding a good thai place. i know, there's osha, but, i don't know. anyway, this place is great. it's unassuming, everything i've ever had is delicious (especially the green curry), it's always easy to walk into and get seated without a huge wait or reservations or anything, and the proximity to the leather bars makes for some pretty hilarious juxtaposition of clientele. i'm a big fan.
(4)
Amy E.
Is still having a Best Thai Restaurant certificate from 1988 posted a good sign or a bad sign?? As a vegetarian it bugs me that there is virtually nothing vegetarian actually listed on the menu, although they will make most dishes with tofu (don't talk to me about fish sauce). Every time I've been there, it has also been extremely loud because it is very crowded. Overall, the food was good but not exceptional, and I don't think it is that much of a bargain.
(4)
Rich B.
great Thai food, best i've had in SF for sure! fast service, which maybe is a problem, too much food on the table. there were 4 of us splitting dishes, and not enuff room to move, what a hardship! definitely check this place out
(4)
JP Z.
Loco means crazy in spanish and that's what all these glowing reviews below are. Just because you have a trendy location, does not make up for an average at best Thai food joint. Prices are good, food is ok and service is fine, but compared to Thep Phenom!! That's just nuts, not even close.
(2)
Hal C.
Best Thai I've had in the city, and best prices I've seen for Thai in a long time.
(5)
Victoria G.
Went here based on a recommendation and was disappointed with their lack of vegetarian options. When I asked our server for any suggestions, or what dish can be made vegetarian, his reply was vague and unapologetic. It was as if my question was making him work above and beyond his regular duties. Perhaps he was having an off night, but he was not very helpful. I ordered the glass noodle dish, which was lacking in spice but not so much in flavor. It was pretty good. My partner ordered a beef dish covered in peanut sauce, which looked like it had been regurgitated (sorry, but it did). He said it too was lacking in spice. Maybe they assumed we were weaklings to spice, but I'm used to Thai restaurants asking me what spice level I like my dish at, and our server failed to inquire. Anyhow, it wasn't the worse Thai food I've ever had, and I'm sure some of their other dishes are much better, but for first impressions it was just OK. I'm sure there are plenty of other great Thai places to choose from in SF in the meantime.
(3)
Swarup B.
passable thai food. not the best in the city and not the worst. if i'm too lazy to walk "all the way" to basil thai then this place is a suitable alternative.
(2)
octavia h.
Manora's Thai food is very good and the food is very inexpensive. It is located in the Folsom area so their tends to be more parking after 6pm. Their choices in soups are great...Thom Kai Gai is my very favorite, along with their Salad/shrimp rolls
(4)
Sam K.
This place has excellent food, decor, prices, and service. My fiance and I have eaten here a bunch of times and it's always good. Sometimes we order for pick up -- and they consistently get everything right and on-time.
(5)
daniel c.
this place is straight quality through and through... the food is utterly delectable. i've been there on many occasions and have tried a wide array of their dishes and they never fail to deliver. you can tell straight off the bat they use high quality ingredients in all their dishes; their prawns are big and tasty; their meat isnt fatty nor chewy; the veggies fresh as fuck. their spice factor is great, they know how to bring a big heat in their dishes while maintainting a high taste level and it's not just hot for the sake of being spicy. reasonable prices and a wonderful atmosphere with great service makes this place a winner, no question.
(5)
Dhoris P.
that spicy beef salad with mint leaves is my favorite.... I think it's called "beef larb".... i give them 4 stars!
(4)
Roshni R.
good food, nice standard decor, and quite affordable. this is a great place for dinner if you decide to hit the soma club circuit for the night.
(4)
Stephen F.
Taking into account price, service and food, I think this is the best Thai in San Francisco. We've been coming here for ten years and never get bored with the menu. And the bonus is that you can park without having to circle the block fifteen times!
(5)
Kevin L.
Manora's has become my gold standard for Thai in San Francisco! The pad thai was a hefty portion with the magical level of flavor and heft to the noodle that many places get wrong. Eggplant with garlic sauce was also well done, and not just an oily mess. Decor is old-school with decorative wood paneling. Conveniently by a bunch of Folsom bars if you're looking for a post or pre-dinner drink.
(5)
Priti K.
I was walking during my commute home mid-week and had the sudden insatiable urge for Thai. After traveling through SEA for 6 months last year, I'm only now starting to crave the delicious savory and spicy flavors again. We landed at Manora Thai Cuisine after Yelping for a little bit. Yelp did us right. The restaurant was pretty quiet for a Thursday evening. It's really peaceful inside and decorated nicely. Three dishes to share *Gang Gari Gai -- yellow chicken curry cooked in coconut milk with potato. It was served with a little portion of sweet cucumber salad. This dish was fantastic. The favor of the curry rich, but not overwhelming and chicken was so soft and tender. The added potato carb also went really well in the dish. It was completely drenched in gravy. 5/5 *Nur Pad Prik -- Sauteed beef with sweet basil in spicy chilli garlic sauce. Just as good if not better than the chicken dish. More savory, beautiful color and perfect with white rice. We went for medium spice, which was pretty mild for us. I would come back for these two dishes alone. 5/5 *Pad Thai -- with how good the first two dishes were, we were expecting a pretty good pad thai, but this is where there was a drastic drop in quality. Reason being the excessive use of fish sauce. It tasted funky because they used way too much. My partner doesn't eat seafood, but loved pad thai. This took away the dish for him and I was left to finish all of it. Which I didn't do because the portion is HUGE. 2/5 The service is friendly. All the male servers wore tropical shirts, but it didn't quite go with the restaurant's ambiance. Of course that should not deter you. Great choice for Thai and we will probably get take out from here again. The prices were reasonable too. $36 for all that plus two rice bowls. Sweet deal.
(4)
Catherine Y.
Just got off the phone with them. Horrible customer service on the phone. I nicely said I wanted to order for pick up. The guy who answered in a very rude tone, "WHaT do you want", "What else!" I was taken aback by his tone. I haven't tried their food yet and it was my first time ordering, so hopefully when I pick up the food maybe I'll slightly change my mind about the horrible.. Outburst-like service. Oh also I ordered a Tom yum soup, and he said no because that's on the dinner menu and they don't make dinner menu right now. Ok, I don't get it. I mean yea if that's really just part of your dinner menu, then fine. Please speak to customers In a better way when telling them. Also, it's a small size soup. Why don't you have soup for lunch? Don't understand.
(2)
Elizabeth S.
Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines. So I must jump at the sight of a Thai restaurant I've never been too. Manora's is on the corner of Folsom and 12th- easy to find but hard to find parking. The experience is worth it though. Apparently, they've been around for thirty plus years. That explains the older looking architecture inside, but it's embellished nicely with Thai motifs of wood carved panels and artwork. There is something cozy about the "old world" ambiance - similar to a dark color schemed interior space in a Victorian house. The staff here adds to the comfortable ambiance with their affability and attentive service. I indulged in a fresh, flavorful chicken larb salad. It was a little on the salty side but nevertheless very good. I'm pleased to report, they do not use MSG here. It's a been a few hours, and I'm cotton-mouth free! I'd love to come back and try another one of my favorite spicy Thai basil and pepper dishes and of course, multiple other items on the menu!
(4)
Damian M.
Okay you are busy, but not acknowledging us then giving us the side eye and walking away as we try to get your attention, no thank you. This is among the worst service ever for me.
(1)
Jennifer W.
Come here for the lunch specials. You can choose a couple of dishes and have the house fried rice on the side. But the single best part of the lunch combo is the lemon chicken soup. Both the beef and chicken satay are okay, but a little dry. Even though the soup calls to me, I like the noodle dishes. I've tried the pad thai and pad kee mao. I've also had the chicken and fish ball noodle soup. Recently, I also tried the duck served with rice and it was simply delicious. The cuts where big and fatty. Plus, the thai iced tea hits the spot.
(4)
Helen L.
I'm rating on their lunch combos which is $9.50, what a deal. The lemongrass chicken soup is the best with chunks of chicken and mushrooms. Pick two items, and you get fried rice, piece of orange, and vinegar cucumbers, which is delicious. I had the yellow chicken curry. It was okay. Lots of potatoes. The minced chicken with garlic basil sauce. That was okay too. Brown rice is $1.00 extra. The food comes out super fast. Service is always good and fast. They actually clear the dishes. They are efficient! The decor is lovely, so that you don't have to think you are out in the boonies of Folsom. My table mates enjoyed their tempura shrimp and veggies. I wasn't in a frying mood. The papaya salad looked good.
(5)
Ali H.
This is definitely a strong 3.5 - 4 star but not quite a 4. - Service was great - Food was good quality. Got a couple of dishes, including Tom Yum , Pad Prik (with Chicken), Eggplant with Garlic sauce, and Pad Thai. Food was good not great. - Wish they had a few more noodle dishes on the menu. In all fairness, if I lived in the area I'd probably go all the time..but would likely not make a trip out of my way to here.
(3)
Kathleen U.
I came here on a Wednesday with my co workers. Apparently, this is the go to spot for thai in this neighborhood. I've heard good things about this place from numerous people at my department. I had high expectations and I was not disappointed. A group of us 6 ordered ahead for our lunch orders. The restaurant was able to accommodate our request. Our food straight out of the kitchen was set on the table when we arrived. Wow, I never went to a restaurant that would do that for you. I ordered the chicken pad thai. Definitely the most generic item you could order at a thai restaurant. This pad Thai here was delicious! There was a big amount of portion of noodles and meat on the dish. I couldn't even finish my pad thai so I had the rest of my meal put in a box. The customer service was excellent. Not only they were able to accommodate us. One of the waiters even gave one of my co workers a heads up to order take out immediately because it'll take 20 minutes for the food to be ready. They knew we had to go back to the office which was nice. This will probably be one of my favorite to go lunch place on the weekdays.
(5)
Maht D.
Went tonight for dinner before heading back north. The food was good and the staff was very nice. The drinks from the bar are way expensive but the food was very authentic. would go back!
(5)
Sam P.
Really looked forward to this place after reading some solid reviews. Unfortunately, Manora's did not live up to any of the accolades. Upon entering we were assessed by an inquisitive host; he seemed to wonder what could have possibly compelled us to walk in the door. Perhaps he was trying to warn us. We were invited to sit at "any of the tables for two." The only other two-top had us shoulder to shoulder with another couple. I don't mind close quarters, but the fact that the large restaurant was nearly empty left us feeling crammed in a corner for no good reason. Once seated we noticed the table and place-mats were quite sticky. Gross. The waiter was genuinely helpful, pleasant to interact with, and knowledgeable about the menu. He politely offered recommendations which we happily took him up on. He was the least-bad part of the experience. The food came quickly, too quickly. I ordered green curry with chicken that somehow managed to be spicy yet bland; a bowl of goo so thick it bordered on gelatinous, riddled with mushy grey chicken. The dish conjured memories of the cheap Chinese food I consumed too regularly in the mid-aughts, drunkenly walking home down a soon-to-be-gentrified Nostrand Ave; a gut full of booze my only shield from food poisoning. Gnarly as it was, I can't stand wasting food and attempted to finish the "meal." My resolve was no match for the goo though. I took some small solace knowing that a substance of such dubious taste and texture should not be consumed by anyone. We paid and left, disappointed, never to return.
(1)
Jessica F.
I absolutely love this place for the lunch special. I haven't had the dinner but if the food is as good as the lunch, I'm sure its well worth it.The lunch special comes with a side of chicken coconut soup that is so yummy. The only thing I could change about the chicken in the soup is that it's not necessarily clean of the chicken fat. You cannot go wrong with the 2 sides and fried Thai rice for the price. I've tried almost everything on the lunch special and if you like beef than you should go with the spicy basil thin slices of steak with the yellow curry chicken.
(5)
Travis B.
I wanted some Thai food and this placed popped up on chefs feed. I had an excellent meal here! Not a typical Thai restaurant, I saw many unique options on the menu that I normally do not see elsewhere which made it hard to decide what to order! I went with three dishes: Larb - this is my go to dish anytime I get Thai food. This one was great, it had a good spice level but not overkill so I could taste all the ingredients, not too saucy as well as I've had Larb that was drowning in itself before. The bonus was the big avocado slice! It had a good amount of minced chicken and all the greens were crisp! Salad Kak - Listed on the menu as seasonal veggies this salad mostly consisted of bamboo sprouts, greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, half an avocado and hardboiled eggs. It was topped with fried tofu slices and a peanut sauce. Without the tofu and peanut sauce this would have been a pretty basic salad, but this particular dish introduced me to an amazing flavor combo: hard boiled egg + peanut sauce! Ohhh my I fell in love with that flavor combination! Kai Yad Sai - aka Thai style omelette. This is what I imagine Thai "soul" food to be. A thin layered omelette stuff with crab, shrimp, and minced chicken with thai spices (not spicy though). It also contained peas, onions and peppers and came with a mild red semi-sweet chili sauce. The peas were an unexpected but nice addition. It was so satisfying it gave me that homey feel. The restaurant itself was nicely decorated, with a small flower and candle on the table. Large red cloth napkins are provided and the placemats are leather embossed with the logo. I went in on a Tuesday night around 9PM it was not busy and the service was quick and attentive. My water was refilled as needed and I had different employees check on me and run my food. Price was good as I spent $28 on three dishes before tip! I will be back when I want a Thai experience outside the usual curries and fried rice dishes!
(4)
Julie D.
Manora's Thai Cuisine is one of my favorite Thai restaurant in SoMa of San Francisco. If you love Thai food like me then you should come here for their lunch combination special. I have been going here for so many years now and they never fail to disappoint. For under $11 you will get soup, choice of two items with thai fried rice....can't beat that! I always get their garlic pork with yellow chicken curry they are so yummy together. If you want dessert then you should get their sticky rice with mango it is delicious! Everything is good for lunch combo you have to slowly try them all. The service is super friendly and the easy street parking made dining here less stressful. Lunch starts at 11:30-2:30. Just a note it can get pretty busy for lunch. I highly recommend this place.
(5)
Diana K.
I ordered takeout from here yesterday - it was quick and very mediocre. Not the best pad thai I've had. Maybe their lunch offerings are better. Restaurant itself was kind of quiet and the colors of the interior were dark and bleek. I don't know if I would stop in to eat.
(2)
Kia B.
Manora's never, I mean never, disappoints!!! The coconut lemongrass chicken soup has always been my favorite (nothing in this world like it!) When my 14 year old came home saying she had Thai food for the first time with her family...I thought "girl, you ain't had Thai food if it ain't Manora's"... So tonight was our date night...chicken satay, coconut lemongrass chicken soup, yellow curry chicken and fried bananas for dessert! My 14 year old had nothing to say after that...except to say that there's a party in her mouth!!! LOL This place definitely sets the bar for all Thai restaurants in the area...the food is authentic, the price reasonable and the customer service is on point!!! What can I say...whether dining in or taking out...I'm a customer for life!!!
(5)
Hayley T.
Go with the most reviewed option: duck curry! Yellow chicken curry was ok, crispy duck also ok but doesn't stand out as much as the duck curry.
(4)
Anita O.
This is by far the new gold standard in Thai cuisine for me, and I've tried a lot. I had the shrimp drunken noodles (not on the menu but if you ask for it, they can make it- as spicy as you like too) and the sweet chili basil beef dish with jasmine rice. Incredible food and good service. It was not super busy around 7:30 to 8 on Saturday night so we were seated quickly. Food portions are on the smaller side, though, and my party of 2 was not incredibly full after our meal. Otherwise, I would've given this place five stars!
(4)
Richard A.
Nice to take a friend there for her first visit only to have her say "the Pad Thai was delicious!" I liked my lunch combo a lot: it's what I always get.!
(4)
Rebecca C.
3.5 stars. I have heard about this place from a couple of people and finally had the chance to try it out. Ambience - a bit loud with some traditional Thai decorations. Out of the dishes that we ordered, the lemon chicken soup was phenomenal, very tender, aromatic soup, great balance of spices and coconut milk -must have. The duck curry and calamari with garlic sauce were suppose to have different sauces but tasted very similar. A bit sweet for my curry taste but still pretty good.
(3)
Tenaya C.
The best Thai food in the Bay Area. Prices are reasonable
(4)
Sophia H.
I LOVE this place! I'm not really a very Thai food person but this one is so good. I literally like every dish I have tried. I will definitely go back and try more! (Personally like it better than Osha thai which is the first Thai place I tried in SF)
(5)
Dyana P.
Came here for lunch with a few friends. Pretty good service minus the waitress. She must be having a bad day. Pad see ew was good. Limited lunch menu in my opinion. Chicken basil was alright. It's really hot in there on a sunny day
(4)
Klondike B.
Best damn Pad Thai ever. Makes you want to rush to Thailand to hug the grandmother you never had (cuz ur white).
(4)
Angela D.
I was looking forward to returning to this restaurant with a fairly large group of friends but unfortunately the food that night was not nearly as good as the other numerous times I've dined here. Every dish we ordered was either heavily salted or overly sweet. I'm not sure if the inconsistency was due to the size of our party or if it was a different chef that night? I've had such great experiences eating here so many times and for a Michelin recommended place, I can't believe I left that night so disappointed. I am willing to give this place a second chance and hoping that one night was just a one-off .
(2)
David C.
Love this place. Great Thai food and some of the best prices in the area for this cuisine type. It's a little dark and low-energy inside, but the service is friendly. Great lunch specials too.
(5)
Thai D.
We were driving around SF looking for a place to eat. We ending up at Manora after seeing some good reviews on yelp. My first impression was, ok it's pretty packed. Must be good. The restaurant itself was a bit on the small side. The waitress sat the four of us next to what looks like a loud group, celebrating a birthday. We noticed that we were given only three menus for the four of us. upon asking the waiter for another menu, he replied, "we don't have enough. " WTF? really? Then as we made our order, we asked the waiter if we can make it two separate bill? The waiter stood back and gave us this dirty ass look, like are you serious? He took a 30 second pause and finally opened his mouth and said, it's too busy I don't think we can. " I almost wanted to slap the taste out of his mouth for giving us that dumb ass look. Now as far as the food goes, we ordered the special soft shell crab appetizer, crispy duck, seafood pong ping? , and egg rolls and larb. The duck and soft shell crab was delicious. I don't know if $9 for one small crab was worth the price. but it was good. I do appreciate my water being refilled often, which was a nice surprise. other than that my experience here was mediocre given the fact that this place had won a few awards for their food. I may give this place another try, just because it was quite busy.
(3)
Nikole S.
Tasteeeeee. A little pricey for lunch but their green curry is just the right amount of spice and creaminess to satify the Thai food lover. Thumbs up for this little jewel.
(4)
Tina F.
{ service : 3 stars } * service is a bit slow, hard to find waiters/waitresses when you want them { atmosphere : 3.5 stars } * thai-ish, looks traditional (although i wouldn't necessarily know) * paper napkins * tables can be close together / cozy (share conversations with the table next to you) { food : 4 stars } * Tom Yum Goong : 4.5 stars - broth was amazing, shrimp was good, wished mushrooms were cooked a bit more, too many huge chunks of onions, good amount of heat/spice * Beef Shish-Ka-Bob : 3.5 stars - meat was a bit dry and over cooked, 2 skewers * Moo-Gra-Tiam : 5 stars - so much flavor! so much garlic (get the beano or gas-x ready, pre + post dinner), but it's sooo good and worth it! great quantity too * Panaeng-Sam-Ros : 3.5 stars - curry was good, but the meats were a little flavorless (the pork one was the best) * Som-tum : 4 stars - good flavors TIP: street parking isn't bad and free at night (maybe after a certain time? not sure what that time is)
(4)
Haley D.
Best Thai food in the Bay, hands down!!!! It's a tiny place, bursting with flavor. We always order the same thing: Tom Yum Talay - coconut seafood soup (mild). A MUST! Gai-Kra Trao - mom's favorite, not mine Pad Thai - a little dry The best part of the meal is always the soup. If I had to choose my favorite food, this would be it. It is excellent every time. Everything in it is always so fresh, especially the seafood. They must get their own special delivery. Scallops are cooked to perfection, not tough at all, and the squid is just the same. Perfectly tender in the soup. Shrimp is superb as well. Fresh ginger and lemongrass. The mushrooms are delish. Mmmmmm... My mouth is watering just thinking about it. You can get it spicy or mild. I'm not a big spice person, but the mild is just perfect for me :) This soup takes all that's good in the world and makes it edible. I cannot stress how amazing it is. This soup changed my life!
(5)
Raktim M.
Best Thai food ! The chicken green curry chicken soup were just amazing ! The price is good and the service is quick.
(5)
David S.
This was unfortunately pretty bad. The staff was great and the place was lovely and clean, but the food was just not good: Mint Spring Rolls: These were alright, if a little boring. Pad Thai: This was just blah. It didn't have much flavor and even looked bland. Duck Curry: When you cook duck, you really need to render the fat under the skin. If you don't, it is rubbery and gross. The meat was also somewhat chewy. What could have been a fantastic dish was kinda gross. White rice: Really, I shouldn't need to even mention ordering this, but they put too much water in their rice and instead of nice, slightly firm grains, it was more of a mush.
(2)
Susie C.
Been here over 5 times with BF. The staff is always great and quick. A really nice ambient and vibe that is intimate yet casual still. Fresh flowers on table every single time (really?!?! it's the small things that matter). Parking isn't too difficult and walking distance from my house (1 mile). Food is yummy! Everything that we've gotten has always come out fresh, quickly and most importantly, delicious.
(5)
Thugnisch ..
Never disappoints. The chicken lemongrass soup is delicious. Lunch specials are great! Staff is always friendly and attentive.
(4)
Anon A.
Fun date night Thai place. We went with all of the servers recommendations: coconuts soup, spicy beef appetizer and eggplant. The soup and appetizer were delicious (and hot!), the eggplant main course was yummy as well but a little too salty.
(4)
Deborah N.
I have been coming here for over 25 years. This used to be THE Thai restaurant in the City. I remember needing to wait almost 45 minutes to get dinner in the past. The stiff competition has really affected the number of customers. However, if you are looking for good, reliable food and efficient service, this is still the place to come. I like coming for the lunch special since the price is excellent for the amount and quality of food that you get. The price of $8.95 includes a cup of spicy coconut chicken soup (rich and delicious), two mix and match choices (i.e.. curry chicken, beef stew, fried prawns, etc.) and fried rice. I as well as many people around me cannot finish and end up taking a doggy bag home. The only knock is that the interior is a little "tired" and needs some refreshing. I think a more modern feel would go a long way here.
(4)
Tori F.
I told them I was vegetarian and they told me they could substitute a salad for the chicken soup. When my veggie curry arrived, it had (wait for it) chicken stock! Note to the owners and staff: vegetarians do no eat chicken stock! When my bill came I asked them why the lunch special was a $1 more? "For the salad" she replied. They did not tell me it would be a $1 more. Maybe they though I would not notice. The food was not good and it was a terrible experience.
(1)
Nikita K.
Great lunch special they have here! I came here with with a friend who works at UCSFMission Center, and she said she comes here often. I got the lunch special with beef and prawns. Both were good and came with rice and coconut soup. The coconut soup had large pieces of white chicken meat, which was a little strange, but i liked the broth. We also got pad thai on the side, and it was standard pad thai, but I would come back to this place if I was at UCSF Mission Center again.
(3)
Chris S.
I got the lunch special with the yellow chicken curry and the Thai Bar-Be-Que with sweet garlic sauce. It comes with a really delicious soup that was probably the highlight of the meal. The entrees were also really scrumptious. One caveat was that this doesn't really taste much like any thai place I've ever been. The curry sauces are thinner and clearly still curry, but they're less in-your-face about it than many thai places. It's like the curry is the shy guy at school instead of your hard-of-hearing grandmother that shouts everything. I can't deny my love for these more traditional places, but I also can't deny that Manora's was great in its own right. Service was fast and pleasant, and the prices and portions are very good too. Lunch for less than $10 in soma is great, and the portions aren't as gratuitously (and unhealthily) huge as many places. The lunch special is just enough to fill you up and then some, not enough for two meals. Their menu is highly diverse, and I can't wait to come back and try other things...including dinner items that aren't around at lunch :)
(5)
Tiffany H.
Our friend recommended this thai restaurant to us, so we decided to try it since we were in the neighborhood. I was a bit skeptical but I saw all the Michelin recommended and Zagat signs on the door, then I told myself this place must be good!!! Although we weren't really hungry, we still ordered three dishes. 1. papaya salad: we have to order this to compare this thai restaurant to others we like in SF. It was not as spicy as I had hoped, but overall pretty good... but nothing too exciting.. i guess it's hard to mess up papaya salad? 2. tom yum talay: it's a soup dish, and i had requested them to add glass noodles to the soup. It was good, but didn't blow my mind away. I've had better soup elsewhere. i have to say there were a lot of spices used for this soup... maybe a bit too much??? I was really thirsty after drinking the soup! 3. pad thai: Of course we had to order pad thai to ultimately make our judgement of this thai restaurant. I am glad we did. Pad thai was the best dish for us here. every strand of noodle was very flavorful, and the noodles were cooked and stirred fried just right. I think they are very good at stir frying or pan frying at this restaurant. Overall, it was A-OK for a Michelin recommended restaurant.
(3)
Jesse R.
The two soups we ordered were awesome. The red beef curry was Chuck and way over done carrots in a supper weak unspicy gravy. Like a messed up pot roast or something?? The green curry was decent but nothing special. The service was like good cop bad cop routine. The head waitress was nice at first, but when we told her we wanted to order our soups first then give her the rest of our order once they arrived she got kind of bitchy. I kind of got the feeling she does not like white people only their money?? The water boy came to our table completely expressionless even when we said thank you politely like he had been playing Russian roulette or something in the back. Then the second male waiter brought us our main dishes with a warm smile and spoke with us for a moment leaving us a little bewildered after the first two encounters??? Weird staff, awesome soups.
(2)
D C.
Got take out and it was barely edible. Did the chef change recently? Nothing like I remember from a few months ago. Mango sticky rice - why serve it if your mangos aren't ripe??
(1)
Kim N.
It used to be that this area had very few choices before a show at Slim's or other nearby venue. This has changed in recent years but before all that was Manora. Im a huge fan of duck and Manora serves it in three different ways. Ped-Tod-Ka-Na-Grob - Crispy pieces of roast duck fried in batter with greens, served with sweet chili garlic sauce Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang - Roast duck curry cooked in coconut milk and red chili sauce with pineapple and spinach are two of my favorite ways with the last being roast duck over rice. Im generally in a hurry when im here so hopefully one of these days Ill actually go with a lot of people and try other things. Solid regardless.
(4)
blaine s.
Lovely ambience, delicious food, handsomely dresses waitstaff, parking easier than most areas of San Francisco. Classic Thai - not California fusion Thai that are becoming popular. It would have been nice if the waitress had offered to change our messy plates after finishing appetizers. We had to ask. Also, the server just brought us a bill without asking if we wanted dessert or tea. It is all in the details. If the restaurant is going to keep its Michelin rating, it must earn it's wings everyday! All the food was excellent - just a few details were amiss.
(4)
Riana L.
Best green curry I've found in the city so far and the price is right! They have a good handful of lunch specials to choose from.
(5)
Deena D.
I love it here! It's like it always has been, authentic, yummy SF Thai food! It's never crazy busy. Usually all old school locals. I hope it never changes!
(5)
Elizabeth H.
Came here with some friends last night before going across the street to The Willows for drinks and board games. We ordered tom yum goong, beef satay, pad thai, and som-tum. My favorite was the pad thai, which I actually don't usually order if the restaurant has pad kee mao, but I still enjoy nonetheless. The highlight of the pad thai here is definitely in the flavors - savory, a little sour, not too sweet, and some spice. I'm not a fan of peanuts, which is unfortunate because I love Thai and Vietnamese food, but I deal with it. However, the beef satay had too strong of a peanut flavor for me, and was a little dry as well. That being said, if you like peanuts, that`s probably a great dish. The papaya salad was on par with the pad thai in terms of quality, so not much to say there. But tom yum goong is one of my favorite soups in the world because it incorporates all my favorite flavors: salty, spicy, and sour. Sadly, it was a bit of a disappointment last night because it wasn't spicy at all, and too sweet for me. The meats and vegetables in the soup, on the other hand, were great! Reasonable prices, and great service. In fact, we left to go play games across the street at around 8PM. At around 10:45, we were getting ready to leave The Willows when I realized that my DSLR wasn't there, so I ran across the street to check if I had left it there. Despite already being closed for the day, they let me in, and handed me my camera back - having kept it in a safe place behind the cash register. So thankful!
(4)
Chelsey G.
Ventured out of my usual Clement Street Thai food circuit and tried out Manora. Pleasantly surprised. The place was very clean, beautifully decorated, and the food was better than at most Thai places. The Tom Yum was real spicy and perfect for clearing a stuffy nose. Mint roll was also delicate and delicious. Good little date spot.
(4)
Tim G.
Manora's is a hidden gem tucked away in SOMA. I would never have stumbled upon it if it weren't for the Yelp app on my phone. Getting here was a real breeze and finding parking was even easier. It wasn't hard to find a 2 hour parking spot less than a block away from the restaurant on a weekday. The lunch specials are indeed worth it! I ordered the Kow-Gang Panaeng and it was very filling. I ordered it medium spicy and it wasn't spicy enough so I had to add some extra chili powder. I like my food really hot. My friend ordered the Pad Thai and the ingredients were really fresh. That's really key and I usually avoid Pad Thai due to old bean sprouts at other restaurants. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the portions were quite large. I highly recommend getting the Pad Thai! We also ordered Thai Iced Tea as well. We will be back again and Manora's might turn into our regular lunch spot.
(4)
Sheena L.
I came in for dinner yesterday night and ordered soup Tom ka talay and some beef entree dish #36. The soup was tasty. The beef dish was incredibly small in portion. There were 6 pieces of hard to chew beef on a mountain of baby greens. That being said, half way through the meal I noticed that their health inspection score of a 66 was hung in the corner behind the bar. I went over to take a closer look and the inspection date on the score was very recent. That night... food poisoning. Won't come back :(
(1)
L T.
I would have ratde 5 stars but just ordered togo: Kow-Gang-Kiew-Wan, minus any meat. Excellent spicy green curry sauce, MSG is non-detectable. Dish only came with two little slices of eggplant Previous orders consisted of more than 1 slice of eggplant. Hopefully this was a one-time mistake. Menu description: "Spicy green curry with you choice of chicken, pork or beef, mixed with slices of eggplant and green beans with a touch of basil, served with steamed rice." Great service otherwise.
(3)
Emilia P.
Delicious food. We had the lemongrass chicken coconut soup and the salmon curry. Both fabulous and for a very reasonable price. Staff were quick and attentive. Would definitely come again.
(5)
Julia T.
We have been here a few times now, and the food has always been delicious. Everything is always so fresh and the staff is very friendly. I have tried a few other Thai places around the city, and this remains my favorite thus far.
(5)
Michelle R.
Let me start my saying that I began coming here in my mother's womb! This has been a long time favorite restaurant of hers, and I guess it's genetic because I admit it's one I frequent also. Environment: When you first walk in there is a large tree that looms over the entry doors. Lovely paintings adorn the walls. A large wooden partition wall breaks up the open room nicely. There are always fresh cut, health flowers on vases on each table. Service: The service is always prompt and polite. All of the staff wear seemingly authentic colorful Thai clothing that certain adds to their charm. Cuisine (The most important part!) Delicious! I've had almost every item on the menu, and I have no complaints. The highlights I'd recommend would be the coconut chicken soup. It's my absolute favorite. Moist chicken swimming in a tangy lemongrass coconut milk broth with white button mushrooms and cilantro floating on the surface. The Pad Thai is also not to be missed. Pad Thai is the go-to for many, and this restaurant must put magic in their sauce, it's just too good to be true. The papaya salad is really lovely. I normally order it mild. I love the crunchy, sour, spicy refreshing salad. The menu options are very affordable and you get quite a large portion for the price. Overall This place is a gem that's been around much longer than I have been (referencing the first paragraph) and I'm glad to see it's still here and thriving. If you're looking for a good Thai spot in the city, this is a great option.
(5)
Priya S.
This is our go-to Thai take out near our place m. It's incredibly consistent, fresh and tasty. We especially like the green curry and pad Thai. It's noir greasy or heavy the good has a lot of traditional Thai flavors. It's good to dine in has a pleasant ambiance.
(4)
Jake B.
So, I've been to Manora many times over the last decade and it's gotten steadily worse. My partner and I went this past Friday after probably 2 years away. We were originally going to go to another place, but it wasn't open yet so we opted for Manora. As we sat down, we noticed some rather foul scents in the air...not ones I am used to. Once we acclimated, we ordered our food. I wanted Pad Si Ew, but realized that it wasn't on the menu (even though it's listed on the site) so I had to settle for another noodle dish. It had chicken and shrimp along with veggies. I started eating it and had a piece of chicken on my fork. I noticed that the chicken looked a little uncooked, but I ate it anyway. When I bit down on it, it was indeed raw on the inside. There's nothing worse on the teetch than raw chicken. The entire dish was rather one savory note. There was just salt and a bit of spice...nothing else. I was very disappointed. I was pretty much done after a few bites. My partner had the Green Curry Chicken. He asked the waiter if it was spicy and he said no, so he ordered it as he has a sensitive stomach. Needless to say, it was INCREDIBLY spicy. So much so that my partner had stomach issues right after the meal. I had stomach issues after we left, later that evening and I knew it was the chicken. I am not impressed with this restaurant anymore. It used to be a fun place to go for relatively good food, but those days are gone. The interior needs an update...badly...and please remove the stained carpet from the floor. One last thing I noticed was the health score posted on the wall by the bar. They scored an 80 out of 100!!! Wouldn't you, as a place that serves food, want to be at 100? I won't eat at any place now with that kind of a score. Please, clean your restaurant and your food up. Thanks...
(2)
Nyomi B.
Love this place! I can call in my order for the lunch specials & pick it up in 15 minutes or less. I work near by and they are always have my food waiting nice , fresh, and hot!
(5)
Pizzle D.
We showed up on a friday around 11:30 am and we were maybe the 5th table out of maybe 30 or so seated. By noon every seat in the restaurant was filled. It being my first time I thought this to be a good thing. The service was very on it, they seemed to all work well and efficiently together. The plates were taken away promptly after finishing, we always had water/drinks refilled before going empty, etc. The food was probably 3.5 out of five stars for me. I cant remember what the name of the salad we had but it was my favorite! It had prawns, mint, lemongrass, glass noodles, lettuce, and a yummy sweet Thai dressing. The pad Thai was really good at the restaurant, but meh for leftovers. The papaya salad needed much more heat, and garlic. The BBQ chicken was dry and over cooked, but had good flavor. As I looked around I saw a lot of soups or curries being ordered, maybe we just didn't get the memo!
(4)
Angela L.
Saw that this place had relatively good reviews and it was walking distance, so I thought I would give it a try. Meal started off with the Tom-Ka soup which was pretty satisfying. Broth was coconuty and flavorful aaaand a good amount of spicy. It had a lot of goodies in there - mussels, squid, calamari, shrimp, and mushrooms. Pad Thai was alright. I always love me some chili powder that made it better. Nothing to rave about, but also nothing to complain about. Yellow curry chicken was extremely disappointing. Only had dark chicken meat (I'm more of a bones fan and white meat fan myself) and potatoes in there. Was not what I was hoping for at all. Didn't have any coconut flavor either.. which I'm pretty sure is a staple of thai restaurants! Service was whatever. The servers there definitely don't look the happiest, but they get the job done. One last thing - their menu is kinda hard to read if you're lazy like me.. or not a fob from Thailand. It took me forever to find a curry and didn't even realize there was a green curry which I had been craving (only found out when I heard the table next to us ordered it). They should reorganize their menu into type categories as opposed to meat categories. All in all, I probably would not recommend this place unless you're starving for thai and everything else is closed for some odd reason.
(3)
Dan D.
Manora's is one of the best Thai restaurants I've been to-- and I eat a lot of Thai food. Gang-ped-ped-yang (Pineapple Curry Duck), Som Tom (Papaya Salad), Larb: all amazing. It's just great.
(5)
Tiffany V.
Service is fantastic, food is decent, decor is so over the top it makes one think they were trying to be ironic. All was well in the entirely empty restaurant until this family sits at the table perpendicular to ours and this mans back is literally just on our fucking table. Awesome.
(3)
Jane L.
I was at happy hour at a lounge near by after work today with a friend and we got hungry and walked right on over around 8PM. A little later and the place was packed and so many people were waiting at the bar area for seats. A good sign. My friend and I ordered the paad-kin-na-ree and the nur-pad-prik. I really liked the paad-kin-na-ree. It was very flavorful and I liked the noodles it came with. There was plenty of mushrooms, shrimp, and other seafood in the dish. The staff didn't skimp at all. The nur-pad-prik was okay. The server recommended it to my friend. He said it was just a bit spicy, but it we actually didn't taste the spice at all. The beef was cooked fine, with just a tiny bit pink left. But the beef didn't taste all that flavorful. I only wish the plates were a little bigger since the noodles had me wanting for more. All in all, good food, good price.
(4)
Marfel L.
You get a lot of value for your dollar on the weekday lunch menu. I thoroughly enjoy their lemongrass chicken soup, cucumber salad, yellow chicken curry and chicken satay. I've tried others on the menu and have not been disappointed, these are just my favorite dishes.
(5)
Pascal G.
Manora's Thai Cuisine is one of my fav's in SF! The food tastes authentic, the atmosphere is homey and relaxing, as well as parking isn't that bad in the neighborhood compared to other parts of the city. Some of the dishes I recommend: Tod-Mon, Som-Tom, Tom Yum Goong, Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang, Pra-Ram-Long-Song, Pong-Pang, & the classic Pad Thai. You should try anything that looks delicious to you of course.
(4)
Meghan P.
Manora Thai is good but, with the other options very nearby, I'd choose elsewhere. In my opinion, both Basil Canteen and Basil Thai are more delicious. I ordered a non-coconuty soup (as I always do at thai restaurants), we shared spring rolls, and Zack ordered a fairly simple chicken dish. The service was fast but I found the food somewhat un-inspiring. Also, I would have preferred that the lighting be less bright. It did appear like they might have a full bar though so that could be a redeeming feature!
(3)
Ty T.
The Nur Toon (marinated beef cubes with mushroom and garlic clay pot) served over brown rice is perfect for cold weather! It comes mildly spiced, and a little bit of spice, really does this boy nice. So, I like to add a wallop of chili sauce for a bit more focused heat, and for good measure.
(4)
Ed U.
Oh yeah, I've been to Manora's. Why is it I forget it's here? I don't think I've been to Manora's since I've been Yelping, and that's a long time not to go to a neighborhood Thai place, don't you think? Nothing horrible happened to me. I honestly can't remember why I never returned. But in need of a Thai fix, Jamie W. and I decided to give it a go. Heavy on traditional Thai decor or at least the Cost Plus version of it, Manora's offers pretty decent food albeit in rather skimpy servings. We tried three dishes, so let me give you an itemized checklist. First, we went predictable and ordered the $8.95 Pad Thai, which was the standard mix of pan-fried rice noodles with shrimp, tofu, egg and bean sprouts (see photo). Good enough but skimpy. Then, we segued into the $8.95 Ped-Tod-Ka-Na-Grob, crispy, batter-fried slices of roast duck served with fried basil and a sweet chili garlic sauce (see photo). Tasty stuff but not nearly enough. Last was the $7.95 Kai-Yad-Sai, a seafood-stuffed omelet with crab, shrimp and some chicken as well (see photo). This was the right size but it wasn't helped too much by the chile sauce. Now the rice they give you plenty of, for sure. Oh now, I remember why I haven't come back. We were still kinda hungry when we were done and weren't in the mood for fried banana balls, whatever those are. Service, I have to confess, was on the perfunctory side like automatic pilot with a flickering light. I just like the quality and quantity to be found at Basil Thai further up Folsom, even if they don't have the Bangkok-style ambiance. Now wait, what was the name of the place I talking about? FOOD - 3 stars...pretty good Thai but they should give seconds AMBIANCE - 3 stars...heavy on the Bangkok vibe in here SERVICE - 2.5 stars...they buzz by with haste TOTAL - 3 stars...I think I'll come back if I can only remember the name
(3)
D B.
Calling all players. It's time to analyze the game. Here are but a few genres of Thai server outfits. Solids & Wovens: Ploy II, Koh Samui & The Monkey Shines, Marnee, etc.. All-Black: Million Thai, Thai Place II, Gecko Gecko, etc.. Street Clothes: Tawan's, Wat Mongkolratanaram, Jarin, etc.. Generic Business Casual: Lers Ros, Bai Som, Jitlada, etc.. Mash-Up: Thep Phanom, which is quirky in just about every aspect anyway. Then Manora's makes its play. I hadn't completely stepped in yet when I found myself facing a man in a SUNFLOWER shirt. Not yellow like the color of a sunflower - I'm talking about sunflower drawings all around. Another server had an all-over print of a PAINTING similar to the ones on the walls. The third server I saw broke the steelo with a solid faded WINE color. Who knows what he was thinking. Everything I ordered materialized quickly. #11 Pirate Treasure $6.95: Duh. It starts with "pirate". Don't read the description (it doesn't really prepare you, anyway). Just get it. #42 Answer to the Universe Omelette $8.95: Middle of the road, give or take. I appreciate its umami over Bai Som's sweet version. #00 Ice Water $0.00: Even when the crowd picked up, my glass kept getting filled. Possibly among the best water service I've had. #58 Mussel Gooey Pajeon $10.95: I didn't get it, but it could be semi-adventurous if it's like Amphawa's hoi-tod / hoy tod rendition. NOTE: The servers can seem a little ex-conish, but I think you want that. You're here for Pirrrrrate Treasurrrrre, not Double Rainbow Pot o' Gold.
(3)
Rosie M.
I walked in with ordering from the lunch specials in mind. Then, I couldn't decide which dish I should have the yellow curry with to compliment the flavors. So, I opted for Khew-Tew Rad-Na with chicken and Thai Iced Tea. I was craving the chow fun type noodles anyway. I liked the fact that the gravy was a little thinner than usual Rad-Na. I guess because it was a rather hot day, and I did order gravy. I was pretty happy with the fact that the portion size was decent for the price. I will visit again, and update my post. Hopefully, it was just the dish that I ordered. I should try something super common like pad thai.
(3)
David Z.
I had heard about this place from some co-workers and went to try it last week for lunch. I had a delicious beef panang curry for lunch along with a tom ga soup that was out of this world. I don't know what was better - the presentation or the quality of the food, but it was a cut above your average Thai place (of which there are many in SF) Everything tasted so good that I will definitely be back for more.
(5)
Dick L.
Manoras has been serving the best Thai in SF for over 25 years. Great food and great staff.
(5)
Lantz G.
My fav Thai restaurant in the city. The lunch special is pretty much a no brainer. You get 2 choices of entree and it comes with soup and rice. $9 with my tummy full and happy with very attentive service, water is always filled and the food and bill come promptly. everything is delicious and the portion is more generous then most Thai place. The little pickled cucumbers and a piece of fruit are a nice refreshing touch to a meal. Note: fresh flowers, usually orchids in a blue Orangina bottle always put me in a good mood.
(4)
Jen R.
I have nothing new to add that the masses haven't already chimed in on, I'm sure. I liked the Hawaiian shirts all the waiters were wearing, but they got the Hawaii 5-0 theme song stuck in my head. Very good food in a comfortable setting (not fancy, not a dive), with a full bar. So there.
(4)
Alex T.
My fave Thai in the city... and the evil waitress no longer works here!
(+) The Tom Ka Gai soup is the only reason I come here. I'm addicted to it. (+) Big, generous portion sizes vs. price. (-) Parking on the street. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Mark L.
Lunch special here is the best. Tom yum soup is awesome. Be warned, it comes out super hot, but it's so good I'll risk scalding my mouth.
(4)
Shawn C.
Can't go wrong with this place: great food, nice setting, good service, and low prices. I love the pad thai--they know how to do it right. The soups ain't bad either--some of them are loaded with tons of good stuff. The interior isn't overly fancy, but nicely put together with little thai accoutrements abound. There's a small but well-stocked bar near the front. Parking usually isn't too difficult at night--all you have to worry about is if your car will still be there intact when you emerge with a belly full of thai food.
(5)
Stacey L.
Great lunch spot. 2 Item Combination w/fried rice & soup $ 8.95 1. Satay Grilled beef or chicken on skewers served with peanut sauce 2. Garlic Pork Barbeque thin slices of pork marinated in garlic and black pepper 3. Tod-Man Fried fish cake served with sweet cucumber 4. Por-Pia-Tod (choice of meat or vegetarian roll) Fried imperial roll stuffed with shrimp, chicken and glass noodles in oriental herbs, served with sweet plum sauce 5. Gai-Yang Thai Bar B-Q chicken served with sweet garlic sauce 6. Gang-Ga-Ri Yellow chicken curry served with sweet cucumber 7. Panaeng-Nur Spicy beef curry with sweet basil 8. Gai-Graprao Sauteed chopped chicken with spicy basil garlic sauce 9. Goong-Tod Deep fried prawns with vegetables served with plum sauce 10. Nur-Toon Marinated beef stew with mushroom sauce 11. Nur-Pad-Pik Sauteed slices of beef in chili, garlic and basil sauce
(4)
Kandi P.
I went to dinner the other night and it was pretty good. I'm not from the San Francisco area - I'm from the South Bay which has some decent Thai food. This place was really good...we ordered an appetizer which was the Larb: Most poppular northeastern Thai dish made of-quick grilled beef or chicken cooked in roasted rice powder, chili and-spicy lemon sauce with a touch of fresh mint, this was super yummy! Extremely flavorful. My entree was the...Nur-Toon: A combination of beef cubes and spices cooked in mushroom and garlic sauce served in a clay pot, this was delicious! The prices weren't that bad either, I'd definitely go back and try something else on the menu.
(3)
Victor H.
I've walked by this place a million times and I never walked inside. To my surprise this place is one of the most amazing Thai Restaurants I've ever been to. Everything from the art on the walls to the hospitable staff made me feel like I was getting a home cooked meal from my imaginary Thai mother (I'm not Thai obviously) ;) but in any case stop reading my review and eat freagin' here right freagin' now!!
(5)
Tammy C.
(See pics) Their lunch combo is an amazing $8.95 deal that comes with soup and 2 items (I got the satay and curry chicken) and a giant bowl of fried rice. There are 11 items you can choose from for the dishes. The food was quite delicious and inexpensive. However, if you go with a big group the food tends to be put together too early and not hot enough. With a smaller group (like a few people) the food was put together when ordered. The setting is pretty and colorful. Service was good and courteous. If you get to sit by the window on a warm afternoon you can also enjoy some fresh air from the sliding windows. Service was also very friendly and fast.
(4)
Kevin C.
I remember eating here in its heyday in the mid to late 90's when it was always packed, but over the years the decor has become a tad run down and a bit depressing. The food here is still delicious and I believe they have the best Penang Beef Curry, Green Curry Beef, and Roast Duck Curry in San Francisco bar none! I usually get take out these days and the service is always friendly and courteous. Basil Canteen is just up the street and they are usually packed due to its ambiance but the food pales in comparison to Manora's. If the owner gave it a minor face lift, Manora's would be packed every night like they used to be. Did I mention that they have a full bar? They do!
(4)
Steve L.
This place is great all around - the food is great and the restaurant environment is cozy and clean. It's the only Thai place I go to in San Francisco. I'm a really big fan of their combo meals, I try something different each time and it's never disappointed!
(5)
M C.
This is a fairly decent Thai food in the area. The ice tea taste pretty authentic, just watered down. The plates are small in servings, and that stuff that they call fried rice is a joke. The only thing good is that lemon grass soup that comes with the lunch sets.
(3)
Kim W.
According to Yelp, there are 13 Thai places within a 4 block radius of our house. We picked Manora because it was the highest rated. The food was really good but the portions were skimpy. We had to feed four people and expected to receive white take out containers filled to the brim with Thai goodness but instead received black plastic ones which contained probably 2/3 what the white ones do. Our take out order was done in 20 minutes. Everything was good with only the Moo-Prik-King spicy pork and green beans being the stand out dish. Nothing else was memorable and the chef's special Panaeng-Sam-Ros was a big fail! It was 3 fried meat patties with hardly any curry sauce. Save your money. I think I'll shop around a few more places before coming back here...I'm still hungry.
(4)
Joel C.
The 2 of us went on a Wed. nite. Plenty of tables at 7pm, but it filled up a short time later. Service was excellent, food was good. The tum ka soup was very good. They also had a soft-shelled crab appetizer, which I've never seen in a Thai restaurant. That shows creativity. And it was tasty, tho not great (breaded & fried). We shared a dish of curried orange roughy that was very nice. Finally, we found street parking less than a block away.
(4)
Steven C.
Excellent lunch! From what I understand the restaurant has been around forever, but it was my first time. I had the Thai BBQ chicken, garlic rice, and papaya salad - amazing. It came with a sweet/hot dipping sauce. Really, really good. The service was fast and friendly. And it was packed, so popular too. Loved it!
(5)
George D.
My granddaughter recently introduced me to Manora's. I have had Thai cuisine a handful of times before but not in a long time. We came for lunch during the week and did not have to deal with a big crowd. As I looked at the menu I figured that I could not go wrong with a plate from the portion of the menu entitled "Chef's Special." I chose the 'Kow Mon-Gai-Yang and Som-Tum'. Very delicious. A very filling lunch consisting of a thai style bbq chicken, garlic rice and a spicy salad. There was not one thing on my plate that I did not like and there were no left overs. I loved the level of spice in the lunch; I am a fan of spicy food but I was afraid that this thai cuisine might be too spicy but that was not the case. Easy 4 stars. A great lunch spot and I look forward to trying them for dinner.
(4)
Madison H.
Amazing! No other words need be said! The Gai-Tom-Ka soup was the best I have ever had and I am a soup kind of girl! I can't find another restaurant that even comes close to the awesomeness that they have so artfully mastered. The thai tea was a wonderful way to cool down the spiciness that I added to the soup with the spice tray. The perfect end to the perfect meal was the mango and sticky rice. Delicious!
(5)
Nancy S.
More of a 3.5 star. Got to go lunch with some coworkers today. Not bad...not bad at all! I wasn't expecting super delicious Thai food, or any other food, around us, but I wanted to try a new place today. Ordered the lunch combo ($8.95) with #7 and #11, the spicy curry beef stew and basil beef. I must say this is a really good deal for a 2 item with rice and soup for less than $10. The soup was a lot better than expected. They actually have a lot of chicken in soup...the lemon chicken soup with mushrooms. Loved it! The combination selection had 11 items on the list, which is great if you're going with friends and can all share and try each other's! Their portions are pretty generous. Beef curry stew was satisfying, but the beef basil was a little off. The beef tasted a little too tough, but the taste was good. The combo comes with fried rice, which I thought was pretty bad. I think steamed rice would've tasted a lot better with the combo meats I ordered. I could barely finish my meal and had to save it for dinner. The food was better than expected and left my tummy happy!
(3)
Armando H.
Manora Thai is a delicious predictable and authentic local Thai experience. Some of the waiters have been there for over 20 years. A standard delicious appetizer that many times is gone before 8:30 PM most nights are the mint rolls. Rice paper with fresh mint, veggies make for a refreshing start to the meal. My favorite is the duck in curry. The pad thai is also a consistently well executed standard. The ambience is nice casual and usually not too noisy. There is a bar in front to wait and the staff is quietly helpful. Portions are good size so you could easily split a main course for 2 people if you aren't starving. Good value and always a pleasant experience.
(4)
Jean T.
When ever I am in the South of Market, I make it a point to come here to satisfy my Thai craving. My review is limited to lunch service only as I have not been here for supper. Depending on my mood, the two-item lunch combo is always my go-to meal. There are about ten options to choose from. It is served with the best/tastiest bowl of lemon chicken soup (Gai Tom Ka), which includes sizable chunks of chicken. The restaurant tailors to vegetarians as well. The portions are more than satisfying. My favorites are yellow curry chicken, garlic pork, and spicy beef. Aside from the combo plates, I recommend the Pad Thai noodle also. I think the best deal is still the lunch combo at $8.95 including soup and fried rice. I always come before noon to avoid the crowd. The restaurant draws a lot of regular clients from nearby businesses. Street parking is usually available if you arrive before noon. Otherwise, there is a paid garage 1/2 block around the corner. This is a clean/nice casual restaurant with attentive staff and prompt service.
(4)
P G.
I must say, I have never had food I didn't like here. Many creative dishes, some regulars for your comfort. Even when the place is packed, the server gives you his/her attention. It's all good !
(5)
Bibi B.
We came in for dinner hoping to order the hoi tod- a traditional Thai omelet with mussel only to be disappointed by finding out that they don't make hoi tod anymore. The restaurant has a romantic ambience with a candle and flowers on each of the table. We ordered Tom Yam Kung which I found quite delicious and as a matter of fact, it might be one of the best soup in town. It was flavorful- with the right amount of sweet, sour,spicy- . We also ordered the duck curry which I could careless for. The duck had to much fat, but the curry flavor was good. And I ordered Pad Thai- you have to try the Pad Thai when you come in to a Thai restaurant. The Pad Thai was ok. The price was decent and the portion was ok. The service is excellent. I would recommend the soup in this restaurant.
(4)
Tina S.
3.5 stars. Good lunch specials if you know which ones are good. Coworkers enjoy the pad Thai but my favorite is the basil chicken with rice. I don't like the garlic pork one. It sounds better than it tastes.
(3)
Scott L.
We were craving Thai and chose Manora based on the reviews we saw here on Yelp. We got some food to go and were not disappointed. We got both Tom Kha and Tom Yum Soups and both were good, but the Tom Kha was a little sweeter than I like it. Both had very good, fresh ingredients and everyone really enjoyed it. For our mains we had Basil Chicken, Pad Thai, a spicy Pork with Green Beans, and a meat assortment with Panang Curry. Everything was fresh and flavorful. The prices were very reasonable. I'm sure we'll be back.
(4)
j m.
#6.-Larb- mmmmn tastay!! Perfect blend of spices, and texture was juicy. #10.- Por-Pia-Tod "I don't know what to say about the little rolls, they were really good" Pad ke mao (not on menu but I asked for it (drunken noodles) and enjoyed. I would've liked more spice but I did not specify the spiciness request so I can't fault that. I can say that I did think the four little lavender spice jars that the waiter brought were super cute, and I was able to spice it up. #51. - Talay Hot Plate..fiance says "delicious" and "It made me fat and happy" (no seafood for me) Thai Iced tea- creamy with crushed ice goodness. Nice ambiance. Will return : )
(4)
Andrew S.
The best Thai food in California. Friendly service. Nice atmosphere. Reasonable prices. Decent parking. No Healthy SF bull. Really, there's nothing I can think of that's a detractor-- hence the 5 stars.
(5)
Regina C.
i wonder why this place doesn't have more hype around it. the food is really good! coconut soup was super tasty with tender pieces of chicken unlike the dry/overcooked pieces you typically find in thai restaurants. the pad thai had a very good consistency to the noodles. if i were in the neighborhood more i might frequent it but due to it's location it's not that desirable. maybe that's why it doesn't get the hype..there's not a ton to do out there during sunny hours.
(4)
Jason B.
A cold day is a good reason to have soup for dinner. So is recovering from a late night to help reverse any immune system damage. And if you are dealing with both, well, it's definitely soup time. That last scenario led me to Manora's and their Gang Jurd, a chicken broth filled with shrimp, chicken, tofu, spinach and noodles. That's right. No choosing. You get everything. It's absolutely delicious and exceptionally priced ($8), one of the best soups I've ever had. The people who created this bowl of brilliance are super friendly and the service very quick. A gem of a place. This might be a new tradition after epic nights. Which means I plan to return often.
(5)
Gohar J.
Simply put, not impressed. My friend raved about this place so I finally had a chance to check it out for a Tues night dinner. Got dishes which you typically can't go wrong with (pad thai and yellow curry). The yellow curry was a weird consistency, way to spicy, and topped with this stewed chicken. The server was friendly about suggesting an alternative given we were not touching hte Yellow curry, and brought out a Prawn dish which was quite tasty. Get THIS! In the end they had the nerve to charge us for the curry (which we literally had a bite of) AND the replacement dish. RUDE. It was an awkward restaurant overall. Strange man who was also I server I think was literally in the corner by the kitchen staring over at us the entire meal. Definitely will not be returning here....have had my fair share of Thai in the city, and know there's countless better options out there!
(2)
Di Yin L.
The curries were fine, as was the pad thai. For whatever reason, the flavors tended to fall on the sweet side, whereas I expected savory with more spices.
(2)
S L.
My favorite Thai place to go to when I am in the city! We had a rehearsal early dinner here for a party of 10 and decided to have it here and we all really enjoyed ourselves. Staff was very friendly. So many dishes that are delicious and so little time - really liked the beek steak over lettuce with dipping sauce, beef larb, and tom yum soup with shrimp and mushroom. My favorite thing to order here is a long island iced tea or mai tai. The bartender is always the same person and he makes the BEST long island iced tea. Don't let this drink fool you - it creeps up on you later on! When you are in the area and looking for a place to eat, check this place out!
(5)
Danielle L.
Everything is very flavorful and satisfying. Also, apparently they no longer have sake.
(3)
Madrone J.
Pretty solid Thai Food a date took me here and we shared a couple of shrimp dishes that were pretty yummy. Service was really good and very polite and sweet.
(4)
Rob C.
One my favorite restaurants in SF. Absolutely the best Thai food. Lunch is really tough, as you have to choose one thing to order. It's agonizing as there are too many wonderful choices. An over the top lunch selection. Our special tonight was baked oysters. Exotic and complex flavors. Creme, spinach, garlic and chilis.
(4)
Sumit K.
Felt like we may not have gotten their best effort or something, but our dinner last night was lacking in many ways. Service was not great as it took a while to get a menu, and then to order, and our waitress wasn't very friendly. The food itself was mediocre at best. We are vegetarian and there are limited options, so perhaps that had something to do with it. While they were flexible in terms of modifying some dishes to make them vegetarian, they just werent that good, and were too similar to one another. Prob not come back, as I have a number of thai restaurants i prefer to this one.
(2)
Josie M.
i've given this place two solid tries. the first time it was pretty good, but nothing amazing. appetizers were probably better than the entrees. the last time it totally sucked. everything was super bland and i felt like the portions skimped on meat and veggies, all sauce! i prefer basil thai, they are more consistent in their quality and generous with portions.
(2)
joyce l.
Oh Manora Thai, how I missed thee.... How did I forgot about this gem of a Thai place? I suppose when you move to suburbia you forget some of your favorite city haunts. The hubby and I were at city lights and I realized I couldn't think straight because I was starvin' Marvin. So I yelp manora right fast, see it is still rating well and hop across the street. Within 5 minutes of ordering we had our tea drinks, and my hubby had his yummylicious lemon chicken curry soup. Within another 3-4 minutes, my prawns and spicy green curry arrives. Then bam! his fried prawns and yellow chicken curry plate arrives. The lunch special is a steal at $8.95! Portions are substantial. Most of all, the food is how i would imagine it wold be in Thailand, and lilftkd2 is a happy clam. Happy wife, happy life (hence hubby is happy too haha) not sure if the dinner wait is still long, but my lunch experience was great. Manora Thai, I promise I will be a stranger no more!!
(5)
Mike T.
Food was fantastic. Service was great. We highly recommend. Glad we stopped here.
(5)
Elaine C.
If you're in the mood for Thai food (during lunch), I'd definitely recommend this place. They've got some pretty good lunch combination specials. For about $8.95, you can get yourself 2 items on their lunch menu which comes with a coconut chicken soup (very very yum) and rice. Large proportions. The Thai BBQ chicken is awesome and super juicy. They've also got bbq skewers, angel fish cake and curry on the lunch special menu. Thai tea is very good. Service is great, decor kind of resembles a nice pub, parking is on the street.
(3)
Pat S.
You can't go wrong with their lunch combination for $8.95. This combo comes with lemon chicken soup, fried rice, and your two choices of items. The soup contains large pieces of mushroom and chicken, and is slightly sour in taste (but is something that I like for its "zing"). I would suggest you get beef satay as one item and fried pork imperial rolls as the other item - both are very good. I especially like the sweet and sour sauce you get with the rolls - I like adding a little bit of this sauce with the rice. They have some chicken offerings on the list of items for the combo, such as Gai-Yang or chicken satay, but I have found their chicken to be somewhat dry, so I would suggest you either go with the two previous suggestions I made, or give some of their other items a shot. Their service is pretty good. Even when the place is fairly busy, I don't think I've waited more than 8-10 minutes for my food to arrive. $8.95 is reasonable for a lunch combo, especially for Thai food. I would say their portions are larger than the other Thai place down the street (Basil Canteen).
(4)
Kioko O.
Food-wise, this place is just as good as Osha if not better. And, servers are all friendly and attentive to your needs. Price-wise, this place is way better than Osha! I had their "Lunch Combination" at $7.95. It is served with a soup (Lemon Chicken...yum!), two choices, and fried rice. I chose #5, Gai-Yang (BBQ Chicken) and #11, Nur-Pad-Pik (Sauteed slices of beef in chili, garlic and basil sauce). Honestly, I wouldn't order the BBQ Chicken again. I was disappointed because the meat was really dry. I think I'm going to order #10, Nur-Toon (Marinated beef sauteed in spicy onion and mushroom sauce), which sounds really delicious. I'm a sucker for mushroom :-)
(3)
Alex K.
What a great place for lunch. Their lunch specials are around $9 and you get two items, rice, and soup, and it's very very good. I was with some heavy eaters so we each got one and ordered a Pad Thai to share, and that meal stuffed the four of us good. I had the Imperial Rolls and the Beef Curry and loved every bit of it. Everyone at the table were very happy with their meals and we ate the Pad Thai clean. I would go back any other time I'm in Soma. I did regret that I couldn't eat more!
(4)
Elaine S.
Does not look like a Thai restaurant from the outside. Hmm, come to think of it, this place doesn't really look like a Thai restaurant on the inside either. But the food speaks for itself. This food is fantastic. The Tom Ka Gai soup is really surprisingly good in a complex way that is pretty hard to describe. Geez, I wish I could remember the name of the fish dish we ordered that was so excellent. I think we found our go-to Thai place!
(4)
claudia y.
10 of us strolled in here at around 9pm thursday night and they had no trouble accommodating us. they actually have a full bar too with grey goose etc. so we could continue getting our drink on. i ordered two things. tom yum gong. and pad thai made with with silver noodles. the silver noodles took forever to come out ... i think at one point they told someone they didnt have it. but it came out later anyways.
(3)
Cate Z.
Waitstaff has been very gracious about working with me to identify menu items that have no glutinous ingredients. It's always refreshing when waitstaff can reel off a list of ingredients for any dish they have. That so many of their dishes are made to order means that even more of the menu is open to us gluten-free folks when we are specific about needs. Manora's Thai Chuisine is tasty, not too noisy, and much more reasonably priced than Zadin (which has a bunch of designated gluten-free menu items) over in the Castro. Convenient place to grab a good meal before heading out to Slim's, DNA Lounge, and various other very nearby bars and clubs. I've been here on dates, and with friends (sheesh, no, not at the same time!). The ambience is definitely better fit for the latter.
(4)
Natalie N.
Who knew? This place has great service, great prices and great food. I ordered the Pad See Ew and it was deeeelicious. I came with my cousin who used to live in the neighborhood 2 years ago. As soon as he walked in, they greeted him like an old, long lost friend. They not only remembered his name but also what his favorite dish was. This might be because he used to come here a lot an order the exact same thing everytime, but who cares. i am glad he introduced me to Manoras's. I will definitely be coming back here again.
(5)
Roy T.
the food is great!
(4)
Jane L.
Frank. Dark-horse! Generous. Manora's is a foodies gem on this malnourished block in SOMA! The place get packed during lunch, but if you're solo, bar seating is always ample, and if you call ahead, they'll have a table waiting for you or ready in no more than 10 minutes. The chicken noodle soup is NEVER-ENDING. After an hour of slurping and sipping, I looked down to see that my bowl was still nearly full...and so was I! And at 7 bucks, what a steal! The pad thai, the chocolate chip cookie of baking if you will, hopefully represents all of Manora's entrees: abundant, high-quality, and most importantly - scrumdidilyumptious! Don't let the grungy neon sign (that I've never seen on) fool you! This place is Michelin Star nominated, pleases your soul, and takes it easy on your wallet! Know Before You Go: 1. want soup to go?! They'll separate the broth and noodles for you! 2. lunch rush? call in and they'll have your order ready upon arrival!
(4)
John C.
If you're debating whether to hit up Koh Samui and the Monkey or Manora's for Thai tonight, I highly recommend choosing the latter! While both do charge for rice (one of my only criticisms of Manora's), Koh Samui charges $2.50 for a single bowl vs. $1.50 at Manora's. And the pricing between the two places pretty much follows suit. Sure, both places have delicious Thai cuisine, but do you really want to pay about 50% more at Koh Samui? I didn't think so. As usual, I recommend getting the Gang-Gari-Gai (yellow chicken curry cooked in coconut milk and potato cubes) and Pad Thai (they even give you shrimp at no additional charge). The chicken comes in several larger pieces than usual, but you can easily pull pieces off (it's obvious they slow-cooked it for hours). What a great dish! The Pad Thai is plentiful, though it could be a bit more flavorful. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have mango sticky rice on this occasion, but I'm sure they had a good reason. Please have it next time! The servers are very friendly and treat you well. You'll enjoy Manora's a lot more than walking out of Koh Samui with an empty wallet.
(4)
Elizabeth L.
I would probably give the food here 3 1/2 stars but their service is decent so I'll bump it up to 4 stars. I've been here several times and their food is pretty standard Thai. Some of their appetizers are good (I like the Larb Gai salad) but others are just okay (I didn't think the Pirate Treasure is that good). The beef with basil was a bit overcooked, but the yellow curry chicken was good with rice (although the chicken pieces were cut quite large). I do like their mango sticky rice as dessert - I love mango and I love sticky rice and a lot of places don't do it that well. This place is also great for take out. They pack the food in the nicer plastic containers versus the paper take out boxes so it's harder to spill. The flat plastic containers also maintain a better presentation. I think it's a nice touch.
(4)
Marco M.
I love the soup they give you with lunch. The yellow curry is great, so is the garlic grilled chicken. However the spring roll had a long black hair in it. The waiter came by right as I was inspecting it and he quickly swooped it away and replaced it with a hot order of 3 rolls but I wasn't so excited about them at that point. He responded well and really at that point, what else can be done. If not for this I would have given them 4 or 5 stars...had been there numerous times before the hair was found.
(2)
Megumi C.
I love Monora's! Try oyster, mint roll !! Yummmmy!! Don't forget Tai iced tea!
(5)
Sam T.
Manora's combo lunch special is a pretty nice deal. You get a cup of Lemon Chicken Soup and a choice of two items with some Thai Fried Rice. I ordered the Beef Satay and the Yellow Chicken Curry. The soup was light and refreshing with a generous amount of chicken. The satay was pretty good but the curry was a little light and watery. Also, the Thai Ice Tea I tried wasn't that great. But all and all a decent meal for about $9. But I suggest you should go to Basil Thai instead for better Thai food.
(3)
Dalia C.
Love there pad Thai... very good food and friendly service.
(5)
Ryan V.
This is Thai food at its best. Wait, this any food at its best! I had perhaps the most satisfying lunch in a long time here. For about $8 I saw I could get lemon chicken soup, yellow chicken curry, Thai Fried Rice, cucumber salad, and fried shrimp/vegetables on a lunch special. I wasn't expecting everything to be good, but it was actually all delicious. The lemon chicken soup had just the right amount of lemon to coconut milk ratio and generous, tender pieces of chicken. My chicken curry also had a spicy and savory flavor and again the chicken was extremely tender. The shrimp and vegetables were also perfectly crispy and really fresh. Really, everything was just so good. On top of that, the service was good and the decor was quite pleasant. There's no way I'll be able to avoid this place for my Thai fix in the future.
(5)
Rob L.
This place is located right where the Mission district ends and SOMA begins, as well as close to all of those bars/clubs along Folsom Street. This Thai place has good food along with the nice exotic atmosphere, though the space can be limited at times. I took a few dates here before, as it's exotic enough to make it a cut above a casual date place, yet subtle. I can't say anything negative about them to be honest, and the only reason I don't give them 5-stars is because there's probably better food out there if you pay more, but this place has it all working for them other than being located near a freeway that's a bit noisy.
(4)
Cynthia W.
It was okay. Had been many years since I had been there. food was consistent, but not great.
(3)
Mark W.
Brought my mom here for her birthday recently and the service was excellent! They knew it was my mom's birthday and all of the staff wished my mom a Happy Birthday as we left. Each one individually. All smiled and they all worked like a team seamlessly. I swear, they filled up my water about 20 times that night. Every 2 minutes it seemed like, and a different staff rotating around the dining room. They all worked with precision and were one of the most efficient teams of servers and bussers I can remember in a long time. In terms of the food, also very good. I've been to quite a few Thai places in my day but it seemed like their menu was fairly unique. There were a number of dishes I did not recognize so I'd definitely recommend this place if you are sick of your "standard" Thai restaurant....
(4)
Priscilla P.
OMG so GOOD and the prices are pretty good we got the pad thai, some kind of curry and other stuff. SO GOOD!!! too bad there's no good thai place like manora down here...=(
(5)
Alena G.
I needed to find a place that my whole family, cousins and grandma would enjoy. I actually saw Manora's review on Zagat and was blown away by their 25 rating. A 25 in my neighborhood? I had to check this out. My whole family thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. The green papaya salad was oh so good and not the least bit overspiced. Just the right amount of kick. We enjoyed a variety of other dishes, loved their soups, shrimp, chicken, beef. Really anything that came out of the kitchen was good. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They even offered some other Thai resturaunt suggestions in the city for us to try that had more northern thai influence (Manora's specializes in southern thai food). I would gladly return! Now if only they delivered...
(4)
Sonya D.
It's rather sad, but lately I realized that I have become a regular here- a weekly regular. It's only sad because there are so many other amazing restaurants in this city. However, for being Thai food (my favorite) and right up the street, this place rocks! Everything I've tried has been yummy, and some very interesting, or at least have made good stories to look back on (aka their desserts). The prices are average, the company I have brought here have consistently enjoyed their meals, and the servers are friendly. Sounds good to me!
(4)
J L.
One of the best in San Francisco. Many Thai restaurants in catering to the broad mass market, serve "gravy food." That is, slopping strong flavored curries riddled with fats (i.e. coconut oil) over rice. Of course it will taste pretty good, but Manora tastes great. The analog of my thai example is w/ hamburgers. A hamburger always tastes good, but there are only a few grills that do a _great_ burger. Manora's dishes are _great_ because the flavors are brought together so well. In Chinese cooking, there is something called "Wok Hai" -- literally translated as "essence of the wok." This place definitely has that taste that just makes you feel good. Service is pretty good- they move tables fast and are attentive w/o rushing you. Good to see them doing so well.
(4)
Marie L.
I'm a HUGE fan of Thai cuisine, and Manora's is a little gem located in SOMA. I wouldn't have ever discovered this place if it weren't for my friend taking me here. It's a great local Thai place to dine in or get takeout. The fresh fried fish is really good. All the basic staple Thai dishes are solid choices - pad thai, spring rolls, etc. The BBQ pork or chicken is also very flavorful. Service is friendly and very quick. This place also has a full bar in case you want a cocktail to sip on with dinner!
(4)
Barry A.
Definitely worth a stop if you're in the SoMa and are in the mood for Thai food. I work a block away so I've been here a gazillion times... Personal faves are Gai Tom Ka, Kow Pad Talay, and Ped Tod Ka Na Grob... One thing I can't get over... ...every time I've eaten here for lunch it's just been too hot inside to be comfortable....
(3)
Milk n.
Another "new neighborhood" adventure. The dog and I grabbed take out here last night. Yellow Curry - as mentioned, the chicken is in GIANT FREAKIN' PIECES. More like one (thankfully) bone free slab in a carton. Huge potato chunks. Oily. Not very hot. No other veggies seemed to be involved. C- Papaya Salad - All the little cherry tomatoes was a nice add. Decent enough but really light on the dressing and not nearly spicy enough. I spoke Thai to the person on the phone and everything! C Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) - really good. The rice noodles they use are very thin and fresh tasting. They formed the familiar blob in the box but were so light and tasty they came apart easily. Nice mix of veggies involved but also sadly non-pet (spicy). B Basil Beef - ok, yummy. Beef tender and flavorful, plenty of basil taste. Also not spicy in any way. Painfully lacking in veggies, this may be a plus to some people. B+ The hostess was very nice. I feel guilty because she pet my dog before I could mention the Advantage I'd applied to her neck that morning. Ew. Hope she washed her hands. Sorry nice Manora lady. Overall grade-"meh"
(3)
Stephen H.
Excellent, everything was well prepared. I've eaten at more pretentious places with food less tasty than the dishes here. I had the Orange roughy red curry and the mi krob. Both were excellent. Service was fast and the decor is amazing. I normally give Thai places 4 stars but these guys get the last one thanks to the experience I had!
(5)
Kiersten S.
Wow. After searching yelp to find a thai restaurant in the SOMA, I came across Manora's . After reading many good reviews I thought I'd give it a shot. I was absolutely impressed and that is a considerable feat considering I walked in with high expectations. I barely set down my cup before my server was their to fill it to the brim. His timing was impeccable. The food was fresh, filling, affordable, and delicious. The atmosphere was just perfect for me to dine alone, with my nose buried in one of my beloved books. The place is just big enough to accommodate good sized parties but intimate enough to feel like a private experience. It is tastefully decorated and the seating is comfortable. Love it. I will be returning... and soon.
(5)
Charlene K.
LUNCH COMBO SPECIAL is the way to go!! My friend and I come here for lunch any time we can get together. The portions are perfect! Pick from two items with rice, and my favorite - chicken soup. It's a great deal and absolutely delicious!
(5)
Adam R.
Despite the great reviews, I found this to be a below average Thai place with poor execution and sloppy prep. The meat (chicken) seemed to be previously frozen by the taste and texture, was not butchered well (for example, there was cartilage in the soup and in the curry) and was really fatty (obviously not cleaned correctly) The Fried shrimp dish had obviously been fried in oil that was used to fry a lot of fish, from both the odor and the taste. Pretty disappointing overall. How the HELL they got a Michelin Recc I have NOOOOOOO idea.
(2)
D D.
Possibly my favorite thai spot in SF, and that's saying a lot since they're not even my favorite pad thai in SF. Everything I've eaten here has been great.
(4)
Catherine W.
Manora Thai is fondly referred to as "Purple Thai" where I work, because of the eggplant colored exterior of the restaurant. I went here for lunch one afternoon. The interior is enjoyable, clean and decorated with a more sophisticated taste than the exterior lets on. Prices are very moderate, with lunch specials in the $8-9 range. I ordered the green curry with chicken. My food was delivered quickly and they attentively refilled my water. The food however, was not memorable. My green curry was subtly flavored and nearly bland. It really only served the purpose of adding much needed moisture to the bits of chicken in the bowl. Although the appearance of the curry seemed right and the green color was vibrant, the consistency was very watery, a little greasy and it tasted as though the curry sauce was not left to simmer long enough for the flavors to really marry. When I spooned it over my rice, it disappeared and got lost - making an already bland curry virtually undetectable. Digging into the curry veggies, I stumbled upon a piece of something green, which looked like another green bean. I was taken back in the midst of my conversation, by a sudden spiciness that caused me to stop and compose myself for a second or two. I think I played it off pretty well and my companion didn't notice that my mouth had been ambushed... by a formidable chile pepper. Bear in mind that I love really spicy food. However, I was not prepared for this sudden spike of heat, in an all too bland curry sauce that registered a 0 on the heat scale, until I unearthed the hidden chile. I can vouch for the service, affordability and the atmosphere, but my green curry was a step below average. Where was the slightly herbaceous flavor of Thai basil, where was the subtle consistency that distinguishes a curry from a soup, and finally where were the complex layers of protein, fresh veggies and curry (the sweet, savory, spicy, salty) that typically make my taste buds dance? I'd give this place another chance, but on this visit alone, I wouldn't give it high marks.
(2)
Kristina R.
I can't stand parking in this neighborhood. It's pretty sucky. But the food is great at Manora's, so I go anyway and pray for good parking karma. The curries are really yummy. I love the basil chicken, which is perfectly balanced between hot and mild for me. They are very accommodating about their dishes, so if you want mild, they'll tone it down...but if you want hot, they'll make it lava HOT. The Siam Gems...is that what they're called? They're awesome. The coconut milk and the crushed ice and the crunchy, squishy things...mmmm. Actually, when I write it out and read it the thing sounds a little gross. Oh well...works for me. I could eat two in one sitting (after eating dinner)...and HAVE.
(4)
Joshua W.
I think this is some of the best Thai cuisine in the city! This was the 2nd or 3rd time I've been. Great satay, and Thai cucumber salad? I could live off the stuff. I make it at home. I came about 6pm and it quickly started to fill up shortly after. And the service is excellent. MANY other restaurants in the city could take a few lessons. They were soooo friendly and attentive without "hovering" I stayed with the chicken theme and got chicken and potatoes in coconut milk. MAN this was good! I will go back soon to try a seafood dish very soon.
(4)
Moe J.
One of my favorite Thai places in the city. They have a great lunch combo where you can pick two dishes, soup, and some other stuff that I can't remember at the moment. The parking in the area is ok but can be tough sometimes. They are not open for lunch on the weekends which kinda stinks but so it is.
(5)
Shweta V.
Good flavorful food - the coconut tofu soup was delicious. The green curry as well as eggplant and tofu (vegetarian version of #41) were great as well. Loved that they had added plenty of vegetables (esp. Thai eggplant) in the curry. They brought out the food as it was prepared. Friendly and attentive service, and very willing to accomodate vegetarian requests. For a Michelin-rated restaurant, the tab wasn't bad at all. Easy parking as well. Only downer was that I didn't see flat rice noodles (pad kee mao) on the menu - that's usually my yardstick for Thai restaurants. Nonetheless, I'd go back to Manoras.
(4)
Laura P.
Green curry.... I love you so much. I love how you are filled with yummy veggies and tofu. I love how you are so spicy and can be made even spicier if I feel like it. I I want to eat you everyday, I love you green curry.
(5)
Dave S.
Had an unexpectedly good dinner here the other night. My normal reaction to thai restaurants is a shrug, as I usually expect generic McThai food. So it was that we wandered into Manora's with low expectations after wandering around SoMa looking for a place to eat. We had several dishes from the dinner menu which were reasonable thai standards, if a bit overly sweet. The memorable standout was the beef larb. Most places give you a bunch of chili and lime soaked grade Z beef or chicken and call it larb. Manora's gives you a flank steak freshly grilled, sliced, and thrown into a spicy chili lime sauce with veggies. Yummy to say the least. Next time, we will order two beef larb and a pile of rice, and dine happy. Service was fine, contrary to other reviews. Suriya's on Valencia is better overall but I would gladly come back here.
(4)
Richard L M.
I've been coming here since 1985 and this is the best Thai in town. Not fancy. Just VERY GOOD.
(4)
Pete B.
OK, I'm over being angry at them, but their refusal to help me when I needed it will still cost them two stars. The Talay Hot Plate is magnificent. When friends from flyover country want Thai, this is where we take them, even though we live in San Jose. They should have helped me out when I was pressed for time and all they had to do was cook two dishes so I could pick up at opening time. Cost 'em.
(3)
Freckles H.
A great, local, place to go for lunch. I work nearby so I've been here on several occasions for dine-in and take-out. Their food has always been consistent and well flavored, namely pad see ew, papaya salad, tom yum soup, and roast duck over rice. The prices are fair and service is good. No complaints about this place. Good food at good prices!
(5)
Nini D.
Yum Thai Food:-) I was looking for a place in SOMA that had good thai food and I think I just found what I was looking for. Loved the Gai Tom Ka (Chicken Coconut soup) and MaKeur-Paad-Prik (japanese Eggplant with chicken, pork and shrimp). Too bad this place does not deliver- if they did I will eat it everyday!
(4)
Mami T.
One of rare dining spots around my home that fulfill two hungry people for about $40. But avoid the chicken -- it is smelly. And avoide the squid -- it is wimpy. But who knew! Tonight I realized that their wines are sooooo cheap (meaning low mark ups). Moet & Chandon White Star sold for $32 at K&L, BevMo, etc. was only $36. Cakebread Chardonnay going for roughly $35 at stores was offered at $40. Dude, that's so darn good. Next time I'll just get their wine and not bring my own.
(3)
Laura G.
Ambiance - okay... they can totally make it prettier. The decor is very old fashioned and the tables are not very intimate. Lighting is dull. But their food and pricing is amazing. Service is great - super nice. I loved it.
(4)
Kitty K.
Absolute LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! I can't wait for a chance to come back into the city to eat at this place again. The Thai Ice tea is so yummie. The Pad Thai is not dry (which is a very common problem at a lot of Thai places). The Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang (duck in the curry) was absolute fantastic, as was the Gang-Gari-Gai (yellow chicken curry). Their curry has lots of flavor which I greatly enjoyed. The decor is nice and the staff was attentive even though the place was packed. They definitely made a huge fan out of me!
(5)
H M.
Best Thai food outside of Thailand! Great pad thai, curries and seafood platters. I have been coming here for more than 20 years and it's always good. The only place I've had better pad thai was Thailand itself. I had lunch here once and it wasn't stellar but dinner is always great.
(5)
Laura M.
Went there last night based on the great reviews on Yelp and some suggestions in the reviews that they were happy to accommodate vegetarians and vegans. As it turns out, they put chicken broth, shrimp paste, or fish sauce in pretty much everything. To his credit, the waiter was very nice and helped us figure out a couple of dishes -- pra ram tofu (tofu in peanut sauce with spinach) and pad prik khing (spicy wide rice noodle with vegetables). I was really hoping to have a curry, but none of their curry pastes are vegan, or even vegetarian. The two dishes we got were average. For better vegan options, we'll be sticking to Pad Thai on the other side of the Mission.
(3)
Kat L.
This place was close to where I was staying and it sounded good so my sister & I drove over one night. They have a wide array of items to choose from. There are new items with a fusion/upscale touch and some traditional items. For full pics and review go to kats9lives.com/2008/04/p… I think the appetizers were the best part of the meal. The main courses we chose were only so-so. We had to try the Pirate Treasure that everyone on yelp raved about and it was very very tasty. The mix of flavors work wonderfully. We kept the remaining sauces at the table to mix in with the rest of the food! ^_^ The second appetizer we chose was the Katong Ton. It's fried crispy cups stuffed with mixed curry inside. This was not bad, but it's no Pirate Treasure. If I come back a next time I would definitely try more appetizers and maybe skip the main course, then end with a dessert. I don't know why people rave about the Pad Thai. It was a little bland for me, but maybe it was an off night for the chef? If I get to go back a next time maybe I will try some of their other noodle dishes. The Mango and Sticky Rice was great. I didn't really care for the mango, but the sticky rice was done to perfection. I really enjoyed the sweetness and flavor. Yum Yum!
(4)
Ron Z.
Absolutely, the best Thai Food I've had in The City. The Red Curry Duck is soooooo gooood! Fat chunks of duck meat, with less of the filler (pineapple, tomatoes). It's usually the other way around in other Thai Restaurants. I hate yellow curry, but these guys make it well. And the lemon grass beef is awesome. Friendly staff, a nice and cozy environment, reasonable prices, and I love that they play Thai music over their speakers. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
(5)
Joel M.
Love this place. Food and service is great! Not baby friendly since they didn't have a high chair for my daughter. But still well worth it.
(4)
Ben T.
Been here a couple of times, the most recent to celebrate 8 years that my coworker has been with our company. Sad times call for happy Thai food, right? Right. I honestly forgot what we ordered, but the food was good, especially the duck curry, which was very succulent and quite amazing. I never had duck in such a delectable preparation. I was very thoroughly impressed and will definitely order that again.
(4)
Dan B.
How much do I enjoy the combo lunch special? Let me count the ways . . . I enjoy having the number six (chicken yellow curry) and number eight (minced chicken with basil). I know other combinations exist but this is my winner. Did I mention that it also comes with soup? Good deal. Overall, the food is ok. For better curry, try Basil Thai. yelp.com/biz/basil-thai-…
(2)
L. K.
Why I give this place 5 stars is because this is the best Thai place in San Francisco, and as everyone knows, San Francisco has more Thai restaurants per square foot than it has Starbucks. Seriously. To compare, once I was in Connecticut, and drove an hour and a half to get to a Thai restaurant. It takes 3 hours to drive through the entire state. The white people I was with had never had Thai.... but that's another story entirely... Thankfully, San Francisco is only 6 miles in radius, so Manora is really pain-less to get to, even for people in the Peninsula. The location is near all sorts of freeways and parking is easy. Rainbow grocery is right across the way. Rainbow sells no meat, so Manora is a good stop off for non-vegetarians, especially during lunch! Dinner would be better though, because unless you're a complete lush, the Mai-tai's aren't to be missed. They're cheap as well. They make the BEST yellow curry chicken with potatoes and onions I've ever had. I judge all Thai restaurants on this dish, and none live up to Manora's curry. The chicken is stew like and the spices are cooked perfectly. The chef special of eggplant, chicken, shrimp, pork and basil in an oyster type sauce is delish, even if you don't like eggplant. The Pad Thai is perfect, (most places screw it up) There's a string bean and beef dish... You get the point. Have dinner, followed by many many cocktails, and walk down the street towards downtown, and go into the little clubs littering both sides of the street... if you're into that sort of thing. I myself prefer Mai-tai's, dinner, more Mai-tai's and the other direction towards the Mission/Potrero, but that's what's so great about Manora. It really is the center of whatever direction you please.
(5)
ASIANDIVAH A.
Love this place!! If you are looking for traditional, authentic Thai restaurant, this is the place to be. I love the decor. Very, very intricate and exotic. It took a good 5 minutes of me admiring the decor before looking at the menu. The food is more fantastic than the menu. I drool over their pad thai, the spicy eggplant (can't recall the name), the huge fish and their skewers. I must say all the food we had that night is excellent. And the price is almost the same as all other Thai place in the city. This place is highly recommended to everybody especially to those who haven't tried Thai food, traditional or fusion.
(4)
jota j.
I was craving Thai food in San Francisco. I remembered this restaurant on the corner of Folsom and 12th as a good alternative for Thai fare at a fair price. I'm happy to say I was not disappointed! The restaurant looks exactly the same way, but more importantly the food was as flavorful, unpretentious and well served as I remembered it. As appetizers we shared a Tom Yum Goong soup and a Soft Shell Crab, the soup was excellent with mushrooms and some prawns, and the crab was fresh with the right amount of batter. Later, we had the Pooket Skewer, grilled prawns, scallops and veggie skewer, the seafood was perfectly cooked and the spicy sauce was just right. To finish we ordered one of the specials, Bay Oysters, they were baked in a garlicky creamy sauce. It was tasty but we could have done without them because we had enough food and wine already. The service was friendly and timely, our waiter never made us feel rushed. I'm glad to see this kind of neighborhood restaurant thrive in a city where now you see them, now you don't. Keep the good work!
(4)
Amelia M.
One of the better Thai Restaurants I have been to in SF. I have yet to have a bad meal here. It is best when you go in a larger group (just beware of the long wait here if you go at dinner time) so you can try a lot of dishes. I am a huge fan of their Pad Thai... not greasy at all. Something that I tend to find at other Thai establishments. Dishes to try: Kow-Graprao (Minced Chicken) Kow Pla Muk Pad-Ped (Sauteed Calamari) Pad-Thai (Noodles) Pad-See Ew (Pan fried flat noodle) Fresh Mint Roll (fresh roll with Shrimp) Beef Shish-Ka-Bob Moo-Gra-Teiam (Pork) Pla-Muk-Pad-Ped (Calamari) Drinks: Great drinks from the full bar (Cosmos are good here) Hot tea Thai Iced Tea Dessert: (I always share because after all the food one is just too full!) Fried Banana Balls with Ice Cream The staff is very nice and friendly. Just make sure to have your entire party there. It takes time to get seated. Parking is not too bad as long as it is not too late and people are heading out to the clubs, which will make parking a bit harder in the area.
(4)
Alvarito M.
Maybe my opinion of this place is bias after 10+ as a regular but I still love it; great flavors; friendly service, fair prices, you can't go wrong
(5)
Wa W.
This is a great Thai restaurant. Great green curry which I almost order every time. The flavor is neither overly rich nor diluted. Want to spice up your life? Ask the waiter for the Thai chili in fish sauce and you wont regret it!
(5)
Veronica H.
3.5 stars, minus 1/2 star for not being as great as it use to be When I dine here, it's always during my lunch hour and b/c it's close to work. It tends to get very busy during normal lunch hours, between 12-1, so arriving by 11:30 gets you seated right away. I go for the $8.50 lunch combo. It comes w/a cup of lemon chicken soup, Thai fried rice, and your choice of two entrees from a list of 11 items. The items range from veggie to meat dishes. The soup is delicious w/a light yellow curry like consistency w/huge pieces of shredded chicken, mushroom, and cilantro. The flavors blend in very well together; not spicy at all. The rice use to be very good, but has become a little bland since the last time I ate here. Nonetheless, you get a huge mound of rice and it still goes well w/the food. For the entrees, i've had satay chicken, gai-yang (thai bbq chicken), gang-ga-ri (yellow chicken curry), panaeng-nur (spicy beef curry - it wasn't spicy for me at all ...this coming from somebody who can barely handle spicy food), and nur pad pik (sauteed slices of beef). All entrees were very well cooked, meats were juicy and not dry, it had the right consistency and flavors were unique and well balanced. No complaints about any of the entrees. Service is good. Friendly staff.
(4)
Carolyn J.
One of the few Thai places for lunch in the South Van Ness x Mission area but hey, you work with what you got and Manora's is a good place to spend your lunch money. My usual is the lunch combo 6 and 9. oh yeah. Gang-gi-ri (yellow chicken curry with sweet cucumber) and Goong-tod (fried prawns and veggies served with plum sauce). Each combo is served with lemon chicken soup and thai fried rice. tasty :) Portions are just right and prices don't put that much of a dent in the wallet.
(3)
Regi K.
I took my friend for her birthday here for lunch last week. . I had eaten at Manora years ago, but just haven't been back. Well the food was delicious and I aim to come back! We started with a spicy lemon sweet basil seafood soup. Then we moved onto the Pad Thai, the Spicy green curry with beef, mixed with slices of eggplant, and then the combination Seafood Fried Rice. I had never had thai fried rice before. Didn't feel the need especially with the yummy curry over the jasmine rice. But the fried rice was very good. The seafood was super fresh. The fried rice is a little more wet than the Chinese version and filled with all the thai spices. So very good. Lunch was excellent. My friend and I got so comfortable we didn't want to leave!!!!
(4)
Lauren S.
WO-OW. After having been to Thailand, and scoped out manyspots int he East Bay, this has to be one of the sweetest spots I ever could have stumbled upon before the Saul Williams show at Slim's in SOMA. We started with the fresh mint wraps and peanut sauce, followed by the delicious soup, spicy and much heartier than I expected. Yummy lemongrass heaven. .... and the Mango Sticky rice made my night. Great service for a busy and obviously popular place, and BEAUTIFUL ambiance; the place was POPPIN OFF on that Friday night.... the traditional paintings and woodworks along the walls were lovely, and my favorite touch were the fresh cut red roses on each table. Sweet. Its the little things that matter.
(5)
Liz C.
Appetizer: soft shell crab with a lemony dip accompaniment. Perfectly sweetened Thai iced tea. Oh, and the other stuff is very good as well.
(4)
Jill T.
I love this place!! I used to work down the street and get the green curry at least weekly. The food is good, fresh, and has that something special that sets it apart from the the rest of the 1,000,000 Thai restaurants in the city. It's a good place for a good meal. The inside is crowded and kind of loud so it's not a stay and linger dining experience. Go here for good solid traditional Thai food, you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Gertrude V.
One of the best Thai restaurants I've been to. One shy of 5 stars = no pumpkin curry.
(4)
Joseph G.
I have always been skeptical and not a big fan of Thai food (from a very bad experience in the early 90's in Chicago...but that's another story), so I always past on opportunities to try it again. But I have to say though, this place is absolutely wonderful and I am a HUG FAN! My opinion on Thai food has been changed forever because of this place! The food is absolutely delicious, the atmosphere and service at the restaurant is wonderful and I would give it 5 stars, but have nothing to compare it, so for now they get 4 stars for now. It's a great place for a first date or a big group of friends to enjoy! I will definitely be going there again and let's just say, I am now a HUGE FAN of Thai food! KUDOS TO THE CHEF and OWNER!
(4)
Laura M.
This is one of my favorite Thai spots in the Bay Area. I love all their dishes. I wish I was there right now.
(5)
Scott P.
According to what I was told "this is the best Thai food in the city and they always use fresh chicken and not frozen" I will agree it was yummy. Spicy basil chicken really rated high, but the aforementioned comment about the chicken being fresh and not frozen....I don't know if you can tell the difference. The food is so spicy and flavorful so the difference between fresh and frozen chicken is hardly noticeable. I still don't know if it was fresh or frozen chicken. I just know it was damn tasty! Perhaps I will have to ask to see the kitchen next time. Oh I didn't give it 5 stars just because the atmosphere was nothing to write home about, but not bad.
(4)
Faisal M.
Please go away. Everything here smells and tastes like chlorine and for SF, I can't believe this place is still open with way better options out there. Come on people! Have you lost your taste-buds???
(1)
Ashley S.
I LOVE this resturaunt, haven't had anything here that wasn't delicious.
(5)
cindy j.
I've been dining at Manora's for years. I went to the restaurant when they were on Mission street, that's how long I've been going to Manora's. The larb is to die for. Everything they make is consistently fresh and wonderful. The staff is very efficient and if you are on a lunch, during the work day, you can get in and out without feeling rushed. The spicy calmari lunch special is melt in your mouth delicious. Never, ever overcooked or rubbery. My favorite thai restaurant in the city.
(5)
FairMe R.
Very cheap and at the same time extremely delicious! We have been going there very often for about 3 years already. Things stay on the same great level. Once we came to the place when I was 8 months pregnant, and suddenly left because I did not feel good. The waiters ran after us to ask how I was feeling. Very nice people.
(5)
Melissa T.
I'd give this place a 3.5. I've had better Thai food. Their portions are small for the price you pay, and the menu is very limited. I came here because my boyfriend spoke so highly of this place and LOVES it. I'm not a fan :( Sorry. The most typical dishes.. they do not have. I was just disappointed because I'm a huge Thai food fan! Maybe it was overhyped. I just found this place mediocre. The flavor was VERY Americanized which is surprising since they are actual Thai people (unlike other places).
(3)
G K.
I've had worse Ordered pad thai pickup, by bicycle Attractive, thin (but still curvy) hostess with a nice smile, dressed in traditional garb was friendly and spoke english I'd go back just for that
(4)
Scott S.
Excellent Thai cuisine, and very authentic compared to what you can actually get in Thailand. I had the green curry and ordered it spicy, and they really delivered - it was done exactly right. All the dishes we had were impressive and authentic. The service is fast and friendly, and the prices weren't bad either.
(5)
Gregg C.
Went for dinner with a party of five. Food taste, quality and price is a solid Four Stars. Service on the other hand was Two Stars - very prompt but lacking in two areas: One, the server was rather terse overall and additionally seemed annoyed when we asked for an off menu item, and Two, the tea cups are small (but the tea is very good) and if you want a refill you have to keep asking them to come back and fill up your cup otherwise you will sit there with an empty cup in front of you. Recommended for the food, not for the service.
(3)
Tara V.
THE BEST. THAI RESTAURANT. IN THE CITY. Well, you can tell how I feel about it. :) -I reccomend the gang ga ree (yellow curry) -the chicken is slow-cooked and so soft and tender that its hard to not eat this plate too fast. Also, try the desserts -a true Thai dining experience is never completed without dessert.
(5)
Leah M.
Excellent food, surprisingly low prices, nice ambiance. The pad thai is killer, as is the asparagus with lobster sauce! I went with a big group (8) and we all shared plates-- everything I tried, I loved. Prompt and friendly service. Five stars well earned!
(5)
Michael F.
It is rare that I ever rate something 5 stars, and Manora's is not a fine dining establishment. Instead I'm talking about quality, tasty, and authentic Thai Cusine, and after living in the city for over a year, I'm disappointed (mostly at myself) for not finding more places like Manora's. I've been here around 5 times now, mostly with a friend who speaks Thai and her Husband (I'm thinking of moving a few blocks away so I can make Manora's a weekly rotation). And below are some of my absolute favorites. #2 Tod-Mon: Fried fish cake mixed with minced green beans in Thai spices, served with sweet cucumber. $5.95. Kind of like southeast asian crab cakes (without the creaminess of any crap mayo sauce). The cucumber sauce is sweet, slightly spicy, and perfectly balances the pan fried fish cakes. So good. #27 Gai-Krapao: aka Basil Chicken. Sauteed minced chicken in sweet basil and fresh chili garlic sauce. $7.95 A perfect topping to rice. The flavors blend so well, and I get this every time. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some crack in it. #50 Pla-Jean. Get the whole Thai Snapper topped with mushroom, ginger, and tamarind sauce. (Fillets of catfish also available). $10.95. I grew up on an Island, I know fish. This is some good fish, very similar to Chinese whole fish preparations, it also reminds me of the Hawaiian Euro Fusion cusine back home. In any case, I doubt you could go wrong with those three gems above, but the menu is very large, and printed on gold floral embossed paper that would be fit for a Thai princess if it wasn't protected by a plastic menu holder, but I certainly appreciate the detail. Try everything out, and for $40 the Cakebread Chardonnay is probably one of the best deals you'll find on any wine list anywhere, retails for $36 at K&L.
(5)
Dudley F.
I'm a fan. I've been here three times now and have ordered something different each time. Every dish I've tried is really good. I'd try to repeat the names here, but I can barely pronounce the names let alone spell it. So, try everything, per my recommendation. The service is friendly, the atmosphere is cozy, and parking has been manageable the times I've been there. I will say, try the fried banana ball and ice cream dessert. yum!
(5)
Christine M.
Vegetarian UN-Friendly The people who work here are not nice. They seem genuinely unhappy with what they are doing and more than slightly put out by someone who orders vegetarian. Upon asking for tofu instead of chicken in a dish, our server actually turned and walked away, apparently annoyed, then came back to finish our order. Though food arrives quickly, I actually felt shamed by the waiter. Wow. If rude service doesn't bother you (and keep in mind I only had one server out of what is undoubtedly many), then you're in for a treat, because the food is quite good. I enjoyed the green curry and Pad Thai (even though they refused to serve it with tofu).
(3)
Jessica L.
Prior to Manora I had only been to two of the Osha locations; while I think the quality at some of the Oshas is a bit better, Manora's prices are amazing (lunch specials, awesome!) and the food is still really good. A bit more authentic than Osha but not as flavorful either, oddly enough, it's definitely more than an acceptable lunch option. Small lunch groups recommended, this place gets ridiculously packed during the weekday.
(4)
Sean B.
I recently took a job in the area and was looking for a good, affordable lunch alternative in the old SOMA area and found a good one. I believe you choose two different entrees and it comes with rice and some other stuff and its priced right...around $7-8 bucks. Add a thai iced tea and your out the door for about $10. Food was good, had a good variety for the lunch combo including BBQ chicken satay, different types of curry and even a spicey chicken dish. All and All probably one of the best places if your work in SOMA near Holy Cow and Butter area unless you want a $2 Costco dog.
(4)
sarah c.
Huge fan. I havnt had good pad thai since i lived in Tucson...and so have always been hesitant to order it anywhere now but last night at Manoras i gave them the test and they passed with flying colors! GREAT pad thai, great eggplant, chicken, tofu, garlic chef special, and great papaya salad. Great meal in a super nice atmosphere for under 30 bucks!
(5)
Jennifer C.
Please don't go here for lunch. It's always packed and for those of us who work in the area, we love that we can pop in here and get quick, cheap decent food. If you didn't know, this is one of a handful of restraurants in the neighborhood that cater to the government employees in the area. These restarants all have similar price points, same rate of service, similar quality of food. If you are looking for a new restaurant to try on a lark, pleased go here after 2 p.m. or in the evening or weekend. Thank you.
(3)
Wakako U.
I don't even like thai food and I love Manora's. Even Zagat's loves Manora's. Everything is delicious. Egg roll stuffing is one of a kind. Whole fried tai snapper is a feast for the stomach and eyes.
(5)
Ambrose A.
I usually can tell if I am in a good restaurant or a great restaurant -- by the smell of the place and the cleanliness of the entire dining room, tables and the ambience (it was soft-focus, candlelit-radiance on this night) ...also by the way guests glare and stare (salivating?) at each other's starters and exotic and flavorful entrees that pass by their tables. So, I knew I was in a great neighborhood restaurant cos the warmth was immediate. The smell of the dishes was fresh and unmistakably Asian -- flavorful burst of crushed and blistered lemongrass, chopped cilantro, basil leaves, familiar curry paste and sweet sour plum sauce rule the air. This place ranks very high in my book (the kind of dishes I feature on my food blog ( queergam.blogspot.com ). Manora's is as good as it gets for me. People always find ways to fault dishes esp the so-called Asian food experts. This popular restaurant, located on the corner of Folsom St and 12th St in San Francisco, is as good as it gets. I've eaten Thai at so many places in NY and CA, but one bite of their beef curry and the green salad with hard boiled eggs and drizzled with sweet plum sauce and crushed peanuts, swept me away! Their Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce is, well, quite decent:) (I cook it at home, I have high standards since this is one of Singapore's and Malaysia's signature/national dishes). Definitely come back over and over again with local and visiting friends. The price is good, the service is always better than ok and the boys are hot usually:) The reason I didn't give this a 5-star because of its location (I am not a fan of this area in SF) and the parking here is bad esp on weekends. But I am definitely a fan.
(4)
Susan G.
I've been coming to Manora's for 20 (?) years. Everything is delicious and the wait staff is helpful and welcoming.
(4)
Hen A.
past visit before pre-yelp days...introduced to manora as "best thai" in city...second visit yesterday....singha beer to start....beer first since of greatest importance...ordering variety with group of six...a claypot beef and sauteed beef....a vegetable platter...wait...who wasted their order on vegetables?...turns out to be not a waste...quite delicious with flavorful sweet salty seasonings great....claypot also sweet and tasty with deep liquid saucing...great on rice!...sauteed beef the tastiest item...jumbo prawns enormous and well-seasoned.....thai gai-tom-ka sweet coconut milk seasoned soup starting fantastic....great meal and service at $twenty-five per person with beers....
(5)
Lindsey M.
This place is the local "nice place out" for birthday lunches, etc. at my old office. The food's decent, for a good price. However, I was just there last month, and I have a friend who's allergic to MSG, so I asked if they used it. Rather than vehement denial, what got was, "Oh, yes!...but we can use less, if you want!." So, food rating would be 3 stars if I didn't know the place was awash in cancer causing particles. If you don't care about MSG, the food's okay, portions okay size, and service efficient.
(2)
Blake J.
I visited this place for the first time this week to get some take out and I must say that the Gai Yang was the best I've had in the city....It was fresh, hot and very flavorful. I would get it again. We also got the Pad See Ew, it was good as well. I'd come back. As we waited for our take out, the bartender came over and gave us two glasses of water while we waited...it was nice since we didn't ask for it.
(4)
Cheryl C.
Great food and service! Everything I tried was delicious.Not a typical pad see ew restaurant, there were a lot of authentic thai dishes. Found this restaurant by accident, and thought, "what a happy accident. This place is so good." As I was leaving the place, I saw a sticker on their door and found out the spot was Zagat rated. No wonder ... I definitely recommend this place as a good change from all the Oshas in the City.
(5)
zoe h.
I have wanted to try Manora for a long time. Finally, on Sunday, after a long day of couch shopping in SOMA and a craving for Thai, we stopped in Manora. It was 5:00 and we arrived just as they turned out their lights to start seating for dinner. The restaurant was initially freezing, probably because they had just opened. We immediately ordered tea and some hot appetizers to warm up. They brought out our two appetizers within minutes and they were delicious. We had the Pirate's Treasure which was a spicy mix of shrimp, chicken, and bean thread sheets and the Vegetarian Delight which was fried tofu and taro. Both were excellent. The taro was lightly fried and melted in your mouth. When we finished our appetizers, the restaurant had warmed up and had almost completely filled up. For dinner we ordered Pad Thai, MaKeur-Paad-Prik (Japanese eggplant with prawn, chicken, and pork in a spicy basil garlic sauce), and Goong Ping (charbroiled jumbo prawns served with a spicy lemon garlic sauce). All three dishes were delicious. I especially loved the eggplant dish. The sauce wasn't too heavy and was just spicy enough to give it a kick. The prawns in the Goong Ping were charbroiled on skewers and the skewers were stuck into an orange so that the shrimp were radiating out of it. Nice preparation. The pad thai was one of the better pad thais I've had in the city. We all had leftovers which is always an added bonus. I think that sometimes Thai food tastes better the next day after the spices and sauces have been soaked into the meat and veggies. I look forward to coming back and trying more of the menu!
(5)
Kris O.
Tom-Ka-Talay and just that the food here is better than Thailand. Nuff' said.
(5)
Bree G.
This was my first time here and I honestly didnt think it was going to be great based on my "judge a book by its cover" skill. However, their vegetarian Pad Thai was outstanding! The best I think I've ever had and the left-overs tasted just as great later. Definitely reccommend it!
(4)
Mattew W.
you know this place is really really good for an inexpensive Thai dinner or lunch. the food is not what i would consider the most inventive or even the most authentic but it is really good. the place is clean, has a full bar and service is really good. give it a try for a nice lunch or dinner.
(4)
Derk C.
I've been here for lunch many times, never dinner though The Good: Lemon Chicken Soup - Chicken is tender and moist, coconut milk gives it a nice sweet creaminess, one of the best things there and it comes with the lunch combo. Pad-See Ew - Noodles have a nice texture, and a hint of sweetness. I like to add chili sauce to it. Meat can be dry though. Satay - tastey Seafood Thai Fried Rice Fish Cake The Decent: Pad Thai - Way better than King of Thai Noodle BBQ Chicken - Mine was not dry like some other reviewers. Most of the flavor comes from dipping in the sweet garlic sauce. The Bad: Panaeg Nur - Spicy beef curry was dry and a lil tough, but at least it was in curry sauce. The curry was ok, not great. Online Menu - The prices on their online menu are dated. Add about $1.50.
(4)
gordon g.
We went here tonight, Manora's has always been a great place to dine. I always leave it up my friend Manora to recommend dishes and they are always delicous. We usually get a papaya salad, a soup, and 2 entrees, and dessert. Sometimes theres a wait but hey, good restaurants always have a line. If you're down for some yummy Thai cuisine, you can't go wrong here. You will leave satisfied.. Dont forget the Mango Sticky Rice.. Oh and plan ahead cuz parking is tough here.
(5)
Kimby T.
food's great, the soft shell crab app is totally a must try. the dinner-time waitress is absolutely beautiful and service consistently great. went there also for lunch and for something like $7 you get yummy coconut lemon soup, and a lunch plate with friend rice and TWO sides! 1 star off because there is no excuse for overcooked, dried out chicken (only experienced this at lunchtime). love this place!
(4)
John B.
Manora's Thai cuisine has very authentic thai cuisine. It is a very good place to go for lunch. they serve a lunch combo that only cost $8.50 for a big plate of thai food, soup and rice. this place is great
(5)
Ron T.
This is my go to place for lunch as I work just down the street. When Liz and I are able to have some time together for lunch, she always asks if we can go to Manora's. This place has some of the best Thai food in SF. It's ALWAYS good. The staff are really nice, attentive and efficient. I've never had a bad dish at Manora's. Usually it's lunch but recently Liz and I went to dinner and enjoyed wonderful dishes not on the lunch menu. The duck in particular was fantastic. If you want great Thai food, this is the place to go for a very traditional Thai meal and dining experience. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Avi H.
I've been to lunch here many many times, and I've yet to be disappointed. I have regular cravings for the green curry, which is just spicy enough that you don't need the side jalapenos/crushed pepper/ whatnot assortment that they'll bring if you want to make your food more picante. I also recommend the pork with the lemon garlic sauce (lunch). My coworkers swear by it. In regards to vegetarians, in my experience they have been very accommodating. They don't list any veggie options on the menu, but they've prepared green and red curries w/ tofu instead of meat for a coworker, and I'm sure it comes out just as good. You just have to ask nicely :-)
(4)
Esther R.
If you want to eat yourself into a coma with spicy minced basil chicken, yellow chicken coconut curry, and jasmine rice, this is the place. The mincing in the former allows the spicy flavor to pack a more forceful punch per bite. The large, tender, boneless chunks of perfectly cooked chicken and potatoes in the latter, float in an ambrosia-like curry that has a little kick and a little cucumber salad sidekick. These two dishes were the first Thai ones we ever had almost exactly 17 years ago at the Manora in the Outer Mission (long gone) for our 2nd wedding anniversary when we were young, scared kids. Back then, we thought Thai food was exotic and fancy, but then again, growing up in the 'burbs, burritos and Chinese food seemed adventurous. I had forgotten how tasty and satisfying this inexpensive meal was. It's because of the coma... You know, the one that follows the greedylicious overeating and belt-loosening. Since it gets quite crowded here, we now exclusively get it to go.
(4)
Bobby B.
curry chicken is good quail is to die for always packed on wknds
(3)
Rich n Nancy C.
Kick ass Thai! Order it hot or just stay home already... Nuf said. You should go....
(4)
Twist' D.
The key is to this place is make reservations if you can. The number of times I have been to this place, around 7:ish the dinner room is filled and there's people waiting around to get a table. This place is great for a big party, you can order more things to try and share. We like the - Por-Pia-Tod aka egg rolls - Tofu Salad (ask for the sauce on the side) - Pla-Rad-Prik (get the filet it's easier to eat) - Talay Hot Plate (it has a slight kick to it but my 8 year old loves this dish with lots of rice) Funny thing is that I love curries, but the sea food here is so great, I just never get to the curries, and we always order more than wecan eat. All the other dishes I've tried over the years are great, but I can't remember thier names.
(4)
Ken p.
Solid traditional Thai. Good for the atmosphere inside, or great for takeout. Nothing fancy, but a good consistent flavor spectrum, with consistent quality.
(4)
Rika K.
Last night the 3 of us had 4 entree plates and we literally scarfed them down n it was gone within 20 minutes! it was by far the fastest meal I've ever had in a restaurant. first of all let me say that I was introduced to Manora by my caucasian boss =) I was surprised that this restaurant turned out really good! all of us had the best Thai iced tea ever...it was not too sweet so its perfect. then we ordered the Pad thai, thin sliced garlic bbq pork, crispy duck and filet fish with ginger sauce. it was soo amazing and this place became one of my favorite Thai restaurant in the city. if u ordered the foods that we ordered then u will get what I mean by one of the BEST Thai restaurant in the city....
(4)
Alan T.
We moved from the Bay Area around 5 years ago. Thankfully we're close enough to indulge in the wonderful San Francisco on a regular basis visiting friends and eating like it's our last day on earth. It's funny but we visit there equally as often as when we lived in San Carlos... An old friend I haven't visited for a long time (since well before Yelp was a gleam in Jeremy's eye) is Manora's Thai. We used to fill up here prior to heading to one of the many music venues for the rest of the evening (anyone remember The Covered Wagon?). Goodness, what food! The Tom Ka Gai (Chicken Coconut Soup) is like nowhere else. Anything with the red chili sauce is awesome. On top of that, the Pla Chu Chee (Orange Roughy with Red Curry) is outstanding. It can get busy and service can get a little spotty during that time but I'm not going to ding them for that. The food makes up for it. So happy to have good friends like this in SF!
(5)
Yelper F.
Wow. Manora's is my favorite Thai Restaurant in the City. Make that anywhere. Service is prompt, the food is EXCELLENT, and the price is right. I have yet to order something from this restaurant that I didn't like. If you want to eat in for lunch, I recommend getting there at 11:30 when they open. Otherwise you may have to wait a while for a table. Ordering out is great--10-15 minutes max and your food is ready, no matter how busy they are. EAT HERE!!!
(5)
West P.
Green curry with chicken! The food was pretty good, but the staff was probably the best part - they were all super friendly!
(4)
Marc S.
Absolutely one of my favorite places to eat Thai food in San Francisco. I strongly recommend the soft shell crab appetizer - perfect for two split in half like butter - the tom ka gai soup, and the chicken satay. Basically, you cannot go wrong with any entree dish you might choose to order here. I return here time and again for the friendly waiters, excellent service, and tasty meals that I can count on. BIG TIP - dining after 9pm on weeknights almost guarantees you a quiet dinner with a restaurant to yourself, which is fun for sure. The reason why this restaurant has remained so successful in San Francisco for so many years is because it is just SO GOOD!
(5)
Joe B.
Sorry, but Manora is a bit overrated. Food tends to be bland, and maybe I'm a bit cheap, but a $9 lunch special seems pricey (it *is* a lot of food though). Service is really very good and the atmosphere is nice. Gotta agree with some of the other reviewers, Basil Thai is better. Yelpers, why do you persist in giving decent but unspectacular restaurants four stars? I'm totally losing faith in the rating system. It's grade inflation, I tell ya.
(3)
Elizabeth B.
What 's the big deal? I was excited to try this thai place because it close to our house and it got such good reviews. Sorry to say, it was nothing special, and the food was pricey for what you get. We ordered take out so maybe it's better to eat it in the restaurant but I doubt it. The yellow curry was boring and watery and not very flavorful and the fresh spring rolls were anything but fresh. No thanks.
(2)
e w.
Stumbled into this place unexpectedly and it delivered nicely. As far as neighborhood thai places go this has great food and service, nice atmosphere and is quite affordable. A soft shell crab special was less than $8; I was comparing the quality and price in my head to what something similar would have been at a downtown trendy restaurant and figured at least twice as much. Creative cuisine and soft on the pocketbook.
(4)
Jill L.
this is my favorite Thai place in the city - food is excellent, prices are very reasonable, and just a great place for small or large dinners with friends - everyone loves Manora! food is tasty, service is good, people are friendly, and parking is relatively easy in the area. all in all, a perfect pick.
(5)
Sion S.
It is the best taste and service for the price in San Francisco. Parking is not too bad either. The only thing on the menu I disliked was the duck and the soft shell crab... not fresh or presented well. The curries are spectacular and the service is lightning fast and the wallet is never harmed here. Do wish they would invest in a better wine selection.
(4)
Margaret R.
Great Thai food. Food was outstanding. Everything was wonderful, with the exception of the quail dish (can't bring myself to eat the State bird) and the Thai Ice Tea could have been better, I think I like those for the cream content, anyway.
(5)
Christi S.
Ate here for dinner recently. Can't judge them on their lunch yet. Dinner: awesome!! Everything was perfectly mildly spicy. Nothing too extreme. Just enough hot sauce to enjoy the true flavors of fresh herbs. Ordered: -Gai-Tom-Ka (Thai style lemon chicken soup in coconut milk and oriental herbs) 6.95 -Gang-Gari-Gai (Yellow chicken curry cooked in coconut milk and potato cubes. Served with cucumber salad) 7.95 -Paad -Kin-Na-Ree 7.95 A combination of prawn, calamari, chicken and glass noodle pan-fried sauted with baby corn and green onion in oriental sauce -Pad Thai All of these are my recommended dishes. The soup and curry were sweet n spicy enough!! It lost a star because they can't add. Just make sure to check your bill before paying. Otherwise, I would go back once every 3 months or so.
(4)
Mike Z.
After my last Thai food experience, I really needed this to be good and hell yeah! did they ever deliver. Great lunch special with lots of choices. Well spiced and the quality of the meat is really good. I will be going here again and again.
(5)
Bobby P.
Ive been here twice. Once sober, once wasted. Loved it both times equally, which says a lot about a restaurant.
(4)
Rafa R.
This is my favorite Thai restaurant in San Francisco. The food is authentic -- if a little on the mild side -- and prepared with care. I like the service, the atmosphere and the interesting crowds Manora's attracts. The pad Thai is the best I've had since I lived in Tokyo.
(5)
Christine P.
The Boyfriend and I were quite happy to find this place because it's so close to his apartment. The menu was a little different from most Thai restaurants I've been to but all the stuff you want is there. I think it took a long time for our food to come out but that may have been because we were so hungry. The food is tasty without being salty and the portions are good for the price. Take-out is fast and the service is friendly. We've had the pad thai, gang-kiew-wan (spicy red curry), pa-naeng-nur (beef curry), mixed veggies and some sort of marinated chicken dish. They were all delicious! All of the meat is so tender. They only accept Visa or Mastercard. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a delicious Thai alternative to its more greasy relative, Chinese food.
(4)
dana l.
Initially I didn't want to go here, but my parents were visiting and since there is nothing within walking distance of my house that they won't bitch about we have to get into the car and go somewhere... Saturday night without reservations anywhere and after a few laps around the mission I gave up and headed to Manora's because you can always score parking within a block or so (or maybe I'm just really, really lucky). So anyway, in the past I thought the food was OK, but nothing remarkable, but I think perhaps I wasn't ordering the right things because today what we had for dinner rocked. Duck curry, sauteed veggies, and some kind of spicy soup that I actually am so remiss as not to remember what it was. Prices are decent, though it was funny that my mom volunteered to get the check (thanks, mom!) and she misread the bill and thought it was over $300. This is a woman who is so frugal she would dry seawater to gather the salt if she could. Heh. The only thing that wasn't great is that the tables are spaced pretty close together and when the dining room gets full, its pretty easy to find the big guys at the table next to you constantly crowding and bumping you. Ack.
(4)
Ateh M.
I've heard of this place a decade ago. I've visited probably a dozen times only but each time it's always surprisingly good. Chicken satay was superb and their peanut sauce is just damn good! I love my Thai food and I can only recommend a few, this is one of the original ones to go to in the city. My favorite to order here is the chicken satay (the only place that serves it the way I like it!)
(4)
Vitor L.
Was looking for local Thai and saw great reviews for this place. Did not disappoint. It felt like that is the food my mom would cook for me if I was from Thailand. Not too fancy and that is always a great thing.
(4)
Yo M.
I recommend: 1. Pad Thai - Easy peasy right? Yes! and they get it right....See...there are a lot of Thai restaurant's that can't seem to get this right. (See my review about Keoni's by Keo) I judge restaurants by the basics and their extras. They get the basics down. Pad Thai...Thai Restaurant basic... 2. Panang (chicken) Love this...favorite basic thai curry dish over rice.They do it well. If anyone finds one in the city that is any better, let me know! I'll be there..and I'll buy if you're right. 3. Satay ...basic...great! I've had more dishes in this restaurant than I can recall right now, but know one thing; they do Thai food really well. I've been to Thailand...and no. They could never match up to what I had there...but they come pretty close.
(4)
Mister X.
5 - 16 - 28 - 41 - 43 - 44 The combination that will unlock your taste buds to a whole...*slap* WTF am I writing? Sorry about that. Let me try again: I've only been here for dinner. On weeknights and Sundays the parking is not that bad, usually within a block. On Fridays and Saturdays you'll compete with the club goers down the street (way down the street). 5: Pooket Express. You must love fish sauce because this appetizer, served in a shell, has tons of it. 16: Tom Yum Goong. Spicy, Lemongrassy soup. Delicious. Good for about four people as an appetizer. 28: Gang Gari Guy. Chicken in Yellow Curry. Everyone loves this dish, comes with potatoes that soaked up the flavor. If I could only have one dish, this would be it. Or maybe 44. 41: MaKeur-Paad-Prik. Yummy sauted Japanese eggplant with prawn, chicken and pork. 43: Sahai-Pad-King. Sweet combination of shrimp, pork and chicken. It reminds me a little of sweet and sour Chinese dishes. 44: Asparagus with Lobster Sauce. When asparagus is out of season they will substitute it with another vegetable. Right now it's sweet peas. Amazing. Everything I've tried here I've really liked, except for the pad thai which was just OK.
(5)
Sean M.
Great food. Fast too. Perfect for a quick lunch. Some of the menu items are hit or miss, but interesting altogether. Their lunch specials are awesome.
(4)
Julian M.
Nice little place and most importantly affordable. Meat skewers are delicious as are all of the entrees I have tried. Eat here for $10-$15. The rice plates are my favorite but the soups are great on a cold day specially the Tom Yum Goong. Friendly staff too. I'm gonna miss this little place when I leave the neighborhood next week.
(4)
Faffy L.
Manora is a Thai place with a menu so interesting and prices so right that you lose the urge of ordering Pad Thai. Went with 3 other people on a Thursday night, although the place was comfortably packed, we were quickly seated by the window. We ordered a pancake with mussels, lobster with snow peas (normally asparagus), quail, plus one other dish. Everything was fresh and we all just scarfed it down. The service is quick and the atmosphere is homey. No pretentious decor, just solid good food.
(4)
JR D.
This little corner establishment serves up some of the best Southeast Asian fare in SF with good seafood selections (pirate treasure!!!) and fresh daily specials. Portions are ample and is accompanied by a quant dinning room. Service is OK, but that is because most of the servers don't speak much English, mostly Thai, but that's fine by me, a good sign of authentic cuisine. Reservations recommended on the weekend.
(3)
Ameer N.
i didn't have high hopes coming here, nobody has told me about this place so i figured it was run of the mill. the service was great. not overzealous, yet i didn't find them leaving us with empty water glasses. we ordered a beef stew-soup sorta dish, some seafood skewers, a yellow duck curry, and the thai staple pad thai. all 4 dishes were awesome. a garlic sauce accompanied the skewers and that made my day. overall, i'll for sure keep this on my thai food radar. i'd like to cruise back and try some of the other dishes.
(5)
Marsha Z.
The food came out lightning quick, quicker than King of Thai, which I like to think of as being the 'Fast Food of Thai' restaurants. The food was good, nothing great, but the portions were generous for lunch. The dining area seems spacious compared to other Thai joints. One of my gripes are that there is no vegetarian menu, so you have to ask for substitutions to be made. The waiter was very accomodating, though. And again, service was fast and efficient, especially for being as busy as they were. The other downside is its location. I doubt it's something I'd go out of my way for. But it's a definite lunch spot worth considering if you happen to be in that part of SOMA, especially if you're of the meat loving variety. You've got plenty other lunch combos to choose from. The dinner menu looks appealing. I'll have to come back for that.
(3)
Jenny S.
I just returned from a trip to Thailand, so with my new found expertise in Thai food and my new found love of Thai chilies I've been returning to my top Thai restaurants in the city. Two down, one to go. Thep Phanon disappointed. Manora did not. Everything we ordered was very good, the Som Tum (green papaya salad), Pooket Express (spicy seafood salad), Tom Yum (spicy lemongrass soup with shrimp), and chicken with green curry. I would have liked it spicier but I asked for fresh chopped Thai chilies and that did the trick. I've had better Thai food in Thailand, but not in San Francisco.
(3)
Dennis Y.
Manora is solid, no-nonsense tasty Thai food... The service is friendly, everything is just as you would expect, and best part is.. it's pretty easy on the wallet too. However, it's not really that fancy or anything, the decor is kind of unforgettable, and I feel like the lighting may be too bright or something. That said, it's clean and inviting, but not really in a homey way.. I last went here like 5 years ago, and then again last night, and it's exactly as I remember it. I guess that means it's pretty consistent (or more likely, my memory of a mean 5 years ago isn't very detailed.)
(4)
kmaintl L.
Usually stopby here for lunch on a work day, service is fast and food was excellent. Great value. Sometimes the meat dishes are just a little bit overcook, so dry. This is where it is inconsistent as sometimes their meat dishes are excellent.
(4)
K F.
Pretty positive across all fronts.
(4)
Angela N.
Damn good thai food. not overpriced. they have been here for-ev-ah! and have always been fantastic. they serve the usual thai fare. it does get busy especially during the weekend.
(4)
shaun d.
I had heard for years that Manora's was some of the best Thai around. I am not a fan of spice food so I never really tried any Thai. I ended up going on a date here as my date really wanted to show me the wonders of Thai food. All he really wanted to do was show off and impress me with all the exotic dishes he knew of. I never tried Thai again after that. Fast forward a few years...my new BF loves Thai food. So I told him that people who like Thai love Manora's. He brought me back to Manora's and I fell in love with Thailand's rendition of comfort food: yellow chicken curry. WOW was I shocked how much I liked it. So gradually I tried other dishes and now I there are quite a few things things I really enjoy. I have tried other Thai food places, but I am so spoiled by the subtle differences that Manora's really does right. Two major things: They have BEEF Satay. Can't find that hardly any place else. Their chicken in the curry is not just a chopped up chicken breast added to the curry at the last minute before serving. It is dark and light meat chicken stewed in the curry which makes all the flavors really meld. Little things like this, I feel, make for exceptional Thai.
(5)
Jennifer G.
This place is a deal...if you can find parking. This has to be one of the best thai places in the bay area. Prices are reasonable, the service is good and the place isn't a dive, which is nice. Just try to time getting there before/after the dinner rush because it gets crowded. I don't think I've ever had a single bad dish at this place. The seafood is FRESH! Order up a whole grilled fish or their seafood skewers, they don't skimp. Great tom kha gha and fish cakes too. I never leave without ordering the fried banana dessert...not just because it's good, but because i'm a twelve year old boy trapped in an old lady's body...the presentation looks just like an erect penis with two vanilla balls served up on each side. TASTY! bathroom situation: serviceable, but let's just say i'd rather hold it.
(5)
Ranier B.
The owner of this place holds a self proclaimed title for trying the most Thai dishes around the world, or something along those lines as I read from the entrance. I'm not sure if its necessarily a reflection of the dishes they put together, but the food is really tasty. I usually order their garlic pork, yellow curry chicken and pad thai. The food is great for what you pay if you can catch them during lunch hours. The service is fast and friendly.
(4)
michael d.
food is good. not great but good. not a large selection of curries. prices are a little more than some of the great Thai food I've had in sf
(3)
Karsten M.
I haven't eaten alot of thai, but this place was the first that I actually enjoyed enough that I wanted to eat thai again. The interior was thoughtfully done with a pleasent atmosphere. I had a lunch combination with Panaeng-Nur and Nur-Toon. Both were delicious. Their soup was awesome. We asked for seconds on the soup. Finally I've got a thai food gem in the city.
(5)
Casey D.
full discloure: I live across the street Manora's is pretty darn good, but maybe a little greasy. The waiters are very attentive, and service is very quick for take out. I have always had my food within 10 minutes of ordering.
(4)
TiMarie S.
Well, as a number of folks have pointed out, it is time to lose my "review" virginity, so what better place to start than one of my all time favorite restaurants. pro's: A superb, filling meal at an inexpensive price, and great variety. con's: Parking can be really tough there and the service, whilst very prompt, is not terribly friendly. Even having been there for years, it often feels like they want you in and out rapidly! The prawns and egg rolls are very very greasy, but there are at least 10 other excellent choices for the combo plate that will thrill you! The first time Manora's was recommended to me, I wondered why the hell I wanted to cross town at lunch time for Jewish food. After a brief moment of complete embarrassment, and much laughter by my pals, the distinction was pointed out and off we went. I think that Manora's is the absolute best lunch place in San Francisco. It started me on my quest for and discovery of Thai food. They have a fantastic lunch option where you can choose any 2 of about 12 items for your lunch which also include Thai Rice (absolutely the best Spanish rice I have ever tasted including a good sized hunk of chicken hidden in the middle)! The meal starts off with the best Tom Kha Gai soup I have ever had. This is basically a Thai chicken soup chock full of chicken, straw mushrooms, bamboo shoots, lemon grass, cilantro, chili oil, chicken broth and coconut milk. It is the most wonderful balance of sweet, savory and spicy I have ever had! Next your meal is served with your two choices, (I recommend the red beef curry, served in a small bowl on the plate, just hot enough that you have to eat it with a spoonful of rice in order to keep the temperature manageable to me). It amazing how much food is held in that bowl and I still have one more entree in another bowl on my plate! My second choice sometimes changes but primarily I go for the peppery fried pork which I dip in a sweet and hot sauce served on the side. Their satay is fantastic and their chicken in really tiny bits with fresh basil is also one of my favorites. Friends have raved over the BBQ chicken, the Pad Thai, and everyone raves about the soup! What can I say. I have actually sent my husband on a trek for just soup to take out when I have been sick and needing some major comfort food. I have trained classes and used the Manora as a catering service and even their take out for 40 people held up fantastically! For those who are not interested in the combo plate, there is a page of noodle, chicken and seafood dishes as I recall but why go for one entree when you can taste a couple of items? Lunch price was about 8.50 and Thai Ice Tea an extra 1.50 on top of that. I've never been able to fit dessert so I have no idea even what is offered. Since I always leave there stuffed I feel the value of the meal is a heck of a bargain! I have been to many many Thai restaurants all over the state and up in Canada and still this is my favorite place where I celebrate all my birthdays and any anniversary of note!
(5)
Animal K.
Very very good thai food at affordable prices. Very hearty portions. Their soups are divine. My favorite so far is the Tom-Ka-Talay (seafood coconut soup with thai spices). I've yet to find a better thai place in this city. I was expecting parking to be terrible after reading the complaints on here, but so far, I've had no problems and have found parking within less than a block away from the restaurant, all after 7pm.
(5)
Michelle M.
Food is delicious. Waiters are attentive but not constantly bothering you seeking approval. 2 people can enjoy a filling dinner for $40 and have left overs to take home. My favorite order: - Chicken Satay - 34. Pra-Ram-Long-Song Broiled tender sirloin of beef on bed of spinach, topped with spicy peanut sauce. - 45. Panaeng-Sam-Ros A combination of crisp chicken, pork and beef deep-fried, topped with spicy red curry sauce. Meat was crunchy yet still tender. - both of us had a serving of rice We could have easily shared one dish and been content, possibly even have dessert. I will definitely come back. If I hadn't had shrimp for lunch, I might have tried the pad thai because I heard it was good here.
(4)
rie k.
This is definitely the place you should try out if you are looking for a good Thai dining place in the city. My husband and I enjoyed their food very much. We will go back again to try different dishes whenever we have taste for Thai food. I am very picky about seafood taste. I tasted them like they are using fresh seafood and they know how to cook them as well. The price is also reasonable. The store is not located in the mid downtown, so it is easy to find a parking space nearby. Enjoy! :-)
(5)
Melyssa W.
This place used to be just blocks from my place in San Fran...so imagine how surprised I was when I happened to go after living so close for 4 MONTHS! A co-worker took me one night after a late day at the office and I have to say, thank goodness to W for that! This is some of the best Thai I have had. The service is always friend, the food is always hot and delicious and the price is good too! We would hit up this place and then head back to our place for drinks or hit butter, which is cute if you want a white trash bar.
(4)
Benjamin B.
Tom-Ka-Talay - Or known as Tom-Ka-Guy (that is how it is pronounced), and it is the best coconut milk soup I have ever had. Delicious! I love the button mushrooms and chicken soaking away... mmm. The crunchy bean sprouts in the pad-thai makes this dish exquisite. The Gang-Gari-Gai and Satay is also something to try. I have never had, but everyone who has always say that the Thai Ice Tea is the best. Not an iced-tea drinker, but everyone has their likes and dis-likes. I also like the very large single stem flowers adorned on the table... very large.
(3)
Jeffrey L.
I stumbled upon this place in one of those restaurant books I found in Borders. The food and service here is pretty good (well, there weren't too many people at the time I was there). The prices are relatively low for SF, the food is smooth/well adjusted and the seafood was very fresh. I would recommend getting something with curry/sauce so you can enjoy yourself - the rice is absolutely scrumptious.
(4)
Stephen H.
Amazing Value! This place is one of my favorite lunch spots. For less than $10, you get soup, tasty rice, and two choices of lunch items. The food is fresh, the place is clean and the staff is friendly. What else is there to say?
(5)
Jennifer L.
I tried to win a man over by bringing him here, but it wasn't enough to turn his heart away from his favorite Thai joint over in the Trendyloin. Can't blame a girl for trying. I read such good reviews from you all and mistakenly thought I stood a chance. Service was great, and the food was pretty damn good. We even had a nice sweet (cheap) Gewurztraminer. If the food we ordered had been a bit spicier it would've been perfectly paired. We started with Katong-Tong which was good, but not great. I'm not used to having peas in my Thai food, and the shrimp were a bit rubbery. The crunch of the little shell and the flavor of the filling were good though. The Sahai-Pad-King was my favorite dish - Thai sweet n sour. The shrimp were delish, the veggies yum and not over cooked (who knew I'd like warm cucumber?), and the pork had the best ginger flavor. And because I was feeling wild and crazy, I got the Gai-Yang. That's right non-Thai speakers. I had bbq chicken. But I was really curious as to how it might be different than bbq chicken anywhere else. In case you're now curious as well, it's not really. But it was cooked perfectly - tender, juicy and falling off the bone. Next time I think I'll ask for Sriracha as nothing we ordered had any heat to it and I was kind of in the mood for heat. I suppose we probably should've ordered other dishes, but back off. I order what I want. Jeez. It's a bit remote for me to make it a regular destination, but I certainly wouldn't turn up my nose at it.
(3)
linda l.
Tuesday my pal called me and said " lets got for thai" We had the usual satay , steamed white rice and pickled cucumbers. The coconut milk chicken soup was surprisingly sweet and creamy-- i liked the bite sized pieces of chicken breast in it. can't wait to try the pad thai.
(5)
Aaron T.
always busy, never crowded, calm and relaxed. I used to work next-door to this place - I always got their Lunch beef curry, substitute chicken, it's not on their Dinner menu but I still ordered it when I was lonely and have nothing better to do than get Thai beer at 8:15pm. Their curry sauces are great - and incredibly tasty peanut sauce. Everyone I know likes the food here, some love it. Crowd varies - not very distinct, but mainly high 20's to 40s. Very affordable for lunch($7), and moderately priced for dinner($10-$15) - not an 'upscale' place, but good for casual, tasty, non-pretentious eating on a budget. Not a boozer's paradise - don't come here looking for amazing drinks.
(4)
Caroliina F.
This is my 2nd time here and I was happy that it was just as good or actually even better then my 1st experience. Wasn't in the mood to drink wine so I ordered a cup of tea. The best hot thai tea I've ever had in my life. Then my friend and I ordered the tom yum soup, the pirate treasurer as an appetizer, the chxn w chili, and basil hot sauce and the curry beef. All really good and flavorful. But I must say the beef was just a bit too stewy for our taste. After all we ate, and having tons of leftovers, our bill came out to only $50 for 2 people! I will definitely be back again soon.
(4)
Derek B.
OK kids...you must have the duck curry here. It's sooooo good. Really. My veggie friend was literally begging us for the sauce on this stuff (even though it had been cooked with the duck!) This is what you need to make your life complete.
(4)
Tawny A.
mmmmmmmm, the food here is really really good. i only give it four stars though because the portions are just right and the dishes are more on the pricey side. i do like it though because it's like a block from my house and it's a great place to bring the baby. staff here is nice. we ordered: Vegetarian Delight - Slices of - fried - tofu and taro in batter, served with sweet and sour peanut sauce. very very good! Ped-Tod-Ka-Na-Grob - Crispy pieces of roast duck fried in batter with greens, served with sweet chili garlic sauce. Yum! i don't remember what else we ordered, but we like coming here.
(4)
Bridgette A.
Manora's has become THE place for Thai takeout for me and my fiance. It is close to our apartment, there is a driveway next to it for an easy turn around and temporary parking spot, it is cheap, the portions are huge, and most importantly--it's GOOD! The best curries are the yellow chicken curry and panang beef. They are huge, and it is impossible to finish one serving in a sitting... which means Thai food leftovers for lunch the next day! The chicken isn't all white meat, but it is yummy and they give you a TON of it (great for the meat-lover). It isn't too greasy and the seasoning is really great. I am not a huge fan of the other dishes I've tried there (green curry, red curry, tom kha gai), but just the yellow and panang--plus the value and convenience--keep us coming back for more!!
(4)
kim l.
If i could give this place 10 stars I would. They have the best pad thai and really great service. They're always friendly and have really efficient people working there, so efficient one of the waiters cleaned our table and carried 5 entree dishes, a rice pot, and a water pitcher all at once. AMAZAZING!
(5)
Amy J.
Manora's has been consistantly good for many years. The spicy asparagas with lobster sauce is always a winner. And there's lots of chicken in the soup, alrighty. Nice environment- not over the top, but simple and exotic. A fine place for a meal if you find yourself in the 'hood and hungry. Skip the Tod Mun fish cakes, though- rubbery and bland.
(4)
Will A.
Manora Thai is a fairly authentic Thai place, with reasonable prices and a rather inconvenient location. The menu has a lot of selection, including dishes you don't find elsewhere. Lunch is a good time to go as they have a lunch special where you can chose two items along with rice and soup. I was neither impressed nor disappointed, so let's call it 3 stars. I'll probably go back for lunch during work, but can find better places on the weekend.
(3)
Christian M.
Pro The Beef Larb is absolutely fantastic.
(5)
Steve F.
I've only been here once for lunch, but I know Thai food, and this place really made me commit it to memory. Their food was awesome, spicy, good portions. Get a Thai Iced Coffee too. De-rated one star for a bit iffy service. My water sat empty for half of my lunch, and this was in an uncrowded restaurant.
(4)
Aaron W.
An awesome lunch combo deal. Hearty and delicious - go with the thai bbq chicken and the thin sliced garlic pork. The beef curry was also delicious!
(5)
Javi V.
Good and tasty Thai food, that I love. What I can't find here is "the vibe", the reason why I would go back, or anything that catches my attention. But the food is good, and sometimes that is all you need.
(3)
Gourmet G.
It's funny to hear someone describe this as a 'trendy' location, because this place has been here since back in the day when there was nothing in SoMa except warehouses and seedy gay bars. Now the warehouses are overpriced condo complexes and the gay bars are . . . well, still seedy. You'll find the usual array of Thai favorites, and while none of them warrant excessive praise, charbroiled eggplant with prawns, chicken, and hard-boiled egg in a lemon-garlic sauce deserves honorable mention, and everything else passes muster. The kitchen is willing to temper the heat according to your specifications. The casual-elegant decor - with carved teak details and ornately framed Thai prints - and low prices earn it an extra star.
(4)
Candice B.
The lunch specials are awesome! But last night I drove from San Mateo to here for dinner and had the lemongrass soup (Tom Ka Gai), Baked Oysters (Special Appetizer), and Pad Thai. all AMAZING and great price ($31 before tip). this is a family favorite and my parents' #1 thai spot.
(5)
joolia f.
For under $10, you get a delicious and filling lunch. The portions are generous and flavorful. I had the noodle soup and it hit the spot on this cold and rainy San Francisco day. Wait staff is quick and attentive. I think this could be a nice place to take a coworker for a birthday lunch. It was packed but not at all noisy. I'll come back again, for sure.
(4)
Ben G.
What is everyone talking about? I live near Manoras and have tried to eat there four times. Each time the food was worse than the last: greasy, vinegary, bland, gray. Everything tastes stale and old, like the place looks, and half the time I couldn't identify what I was eating. Perhaps this is "authentic" Thai food, in comparison with other local Thai places that have changed their recipes to conform to American tastes. But I've had Thep Phanom or even Basil, just down the street, a million times, and those restaurants are almost always great. So if that's "Americanized," then guilty as charged of liking fresh, clean food. I have no idea what everyone here is eating, and why this place is getting good reviews. It's like the "Everyone Loves Raymond" of restaurants: what does everybody see in it?
(2)
Michael J.
I'm a native San Franciscan, so I've had the pleasure of eating out at some of the finest restaurants in the world, and I've gotta say that this is the best Thai Food I've ever had. The place smells great, the food is wonderful, and the service is second to none. Food comes out super fast too! Please go check it out! I can't believe it wasn't on Yelp until I recommended it?!?! Love this place! Love it!
(5)
Wendy H.
They make drinks here similar to the ones I made to haze my sorority sisters. Thai Food's great, but service FRICKIN' SUCKS!!!!! "and according to Srini...this is an understatement"
(2)
Ken B.
A reliable stand-by. Inexpensive lunchtime special plates. Dependably grumpy wait-staff. Delicious cuisine. It gets crowded quickly, so either reserve or arrive before 12:00 PM.
(3)
Eva R.
My now-husband and I used to eat at Manora's once a week. In 1998, (the year of endless rain) we'd slog 4 blocks over from 8th and Howard to eat crisp fried taro and tofu, spicy beef larb salad and this wonderful crispy duck on a bed of greens. We live on the other side of the City now, but we had an occasion to eat there before going out to the DNA Lounge. It's been almost a decade, but Manora remains inexpensive and accessible and the food hasn't slipped a bit.
(5)
kim n.
this has got to be one of my favorite thai restaurants - every dish is consistently flavorful and done well. i live 1 block away and get take-out from here once per week. if i eat in, i always order the oyster appetizer. my favorite dishes: por-pia-tod (fried rice rolls), tom yum goong (spicy/sour prawn soup), woon sen pad, and duck curry. they also have a full bar - so great for a weekend dinner before heading out. i wish they'd dim their lights a bit though.
(4)
Rose E.
I've passed by this place a few times and never realized all the great reviews it has received until recently. A friend and I had dinner here and had the pad thai, bbq chicken and fish w/red curry which were all pretty good. We came at a good time, right when they opened at 5:30 on a Sunday but when we were leaving, the place was packed. I will definitely come here again.
(4)
Chris C.
Manora's is just about my favorite Thai place, & I love Thai food! I've never been disappointed w/ a single item there. Great pad thai, curry duck is awesome, I had an eggplant dish that was fantastic (can't remember the name of it now). The best thing is the bar - you can order a well drink & it actually tastes good, which is unusual at ANY bar, lol. Love it!
(5)
Jen Jen W.
I came here once for lunch with my coworkers and I thought the food was just OK..the portion was big enough and the price was right. But unfortunately for me it wasn't anything special....
(3)
Naomi N.
I came here for dinner - they give you good portions and it was all really good. The service was awesome - the server was prompt, attentive and super nice - I had to give an extra star because of that.
(5)
Michelle R.
I really like it here. They're really nice and the food is great. Spicy! I love the duck curry and this grilled beef app. Yummmmmm
(4)
Norah N.
My husband used to work just a corner from Manora...we love their food and their service is excellent. We moved to east bay now but we still occasionally go there whenever is possible.
(5)
Danny C.
It was pretty good
(4)
S. M.
So this place was good. Not great. Didn't really blow me away. The decor was interesting, bright gold colors, but almost a little tacky and the tables are too close. The service was good, attentive, not overwhelming, quick. The mushroom cabbage appetizer thing was really flavorful. I had a nice experience here overall. But like I said it didn't really WOW me to give it a full five stars.
(4)
Carlos C.
My friend and I had not seen each other in a few years, so we decided to dine here. We were catching up on each others lives, so we didn't immediately look at the the menu. Our server was very patient and gracious. When the food came, it was flavorful with generous portions. To top it off, my firend and I shared a coconut ice cream with mango slices...yum! The ice cream tasted as if it was house made, that alone makes me a fan!
(5)
E.Mo. ..
Five stars!! Out of sight, alright, get some tonight. Best decorated, best tasting, best service, what a great establishment.
(5)
Envytime I.
I had dinner here and was not disappointed. Luckily most of the dishes can be made vegetarian which I have encountered as a problem in other restaurants (Only ginger chicken, no tofu?!) . I had the ginger mushroom dish and I loved how it had pineapple. It added a whole new dimension. mmm. Love the plants that grow all along the wall. The service was quick and the waiter very helpful Watch out though, the staff is very zippy in their steps.
(4)
Cheryl C.
Very disappointing. They had very few vegetarian options on the menu, although we had heard they could make anything vegetarian. We tried a vegetarian version of their Mee Grobb crispy noodles and it was a plate of bland noodles smothered in sticky sweet and sour sauce. We also had two appetizers, their Por Pia Tad fried rice rolls (with sweet and sour sauce), which were fine but nothing exceptional, and their Vegetarian Delight - fried tofu and taro that was just that, bland served with "sweet and sour peanut sauce" consisting of the same sweet and sour sauce everywhere else with crushed peanuts mixed in. We went with some omnivore friends who enjoyed their meal somewhat more, although the general consensus was "OK, but nothing special." One friend found a hair in her food and was comped the dish.
(2)
Bert T.
There's only one reason why I go this place- The chicken curry! #28 Gaang Gary Gai. I have never eaten curry like this. The sauce is great mixture of coconut milk and spices. It's not runny, and not so spicy that you can't taste anything else. The chicken itself, in the curry, isn't the usual dried out over cooked breast meat. It's actually very tender and it's dark meat. I 've been to so many thai places in the city and there's not one place that makes it like this. The service is great too. Very friendly, and attentive. Parking isn't bad if you get there before 7pm. The only thing is the noise level. It's a small place and it can get a bit loud but hey you're there for the food right? Here's a quirky thing but a nice touch- Everytime I've gone there they would always have a different kind of fresh flower on each table.
(4)
Sirima S.
Came here for the first time a bazillion years ago. Went back again the other night because a group of friends were craving Hoy Tod. Its apparently the only place we've found that makes it in SF but only for dinner. Not as nearly as good as mom used to make but still good. Nothing here is very spicy unless you ask for it in Thai.
Hands down, the best Thai food I've had in a long time. Not only was the food mighty tasty, but the service was great. Everyone was friendly and very accomodating. One of our friends came by to eat with us "unexpectedly" halfway through our meal during their friday dinner service and they gladly moved a chair to our table eventhough the place was so packed. We had the chicked larb, basil chicken, garlic eggplant with beef, pad thai and beef red curry. No one could stop eating!!!
(5)
ITesh J.
This looks and feels like a more expensive establishment but the food is inexpensive and fabulous. We ordered Larb - basically a meat "salad" made from quick grilled beef or chicken and cooked in rice powder and spiced with chilli and spicy lemon sauce. It was a unique taste. Not sure if I'd go for it again. We also had Kai-Yad-Sai - Thai style omelets stuffed with crab, shrimp and chicken in a mixture of Thai herbs. And for dessert it was Thai tapioca beads stuffed with water chestnuts with a combination of young coconut meat, lotus seed, toddy palm seed and jack fruit in icy coconut milk. Now that was yummy and different
(4)
Frankie D.
I love Manora's! They've started accomodating me at lunch and letting me order other stuff a la carte and their food remains fucking delicious. Maybe they saw my old review and figured out that THE MONARCH'S secret identity is that of a squirrelly little nerd girl. To boot, I have a little crush on the one waiter who has a Misfits patch sewn on to the collar of his traditional Thai shirt. And I don't even like the Misfits that much. Old review: I'm torn. Manora's dinner menu is really broad and very inexpensive and well prepared. It's always been one of my favorite Thai places in the City. Their lunch menu is extremely limited and there are very few decent selections on it. I once asked for something off the dinner menu for lunch and was informed in no uncertain terms that they would not do it. Too bad. (Old rating: 3 stars)
(4)
ashley n.
they do not deliver!
(3)
farmta s.
I haven't been here in a long time, but still love the place. All the food is good and decent price for the ambience. It feels very authentic and the service also feels very authentic. They don't try too hard and still manage to be very attentive. I wouldn't recommend this place for big groups since it's a small place and more intimate for maybe dinner for 4.
(4)
Sarah W.
Really inexpensive and delicious thai food.. can't get much better! I had the Pad Thai, Larb, and Pang Pong and they were all great. The Pang Pong was definitely my favorite! The service wasn't anything to write home about, but the food was great!
(5)
CINDY K.
My clubbing days are waaaaay over, and I would've never stepped into Manora, located at random-clubs-central (Folsom & 11th), were it not for New Wave City Night (ie - the night for those whose clubbing days are waaaaay over) at DNA Lounge, and my fellow Yelpers. The standout to me was their seafood lemongrass coconut milk soup - it's name starts with "Tom..." but they usually do. How helpful am I? I really could've slurped up the entire quart sized clay serving bowl, but this being my first time doing sit-down dining with some of my companions...I felt I shouldn't frighten them w/my greedy, bestial ways. We also had Pad Thai, and an asparagus & something else green curry - Sah-PAY-sey! Good for not being greasy, but obviously none-too-memorable for me. I was disappointed with the Thai iced coffee - it wasn't strong at all, and on a night when I'm trying to pretend like I'm not hella old, I needed all the caffeine I could get! But if I'm shooting for another evening in the area, I'd be down to come back. 3.5 stars
(3)
Adam X.
Top 10 lunch in the SOMA, Top 5 places for Thai in SF. Maybe even top 3.
(5)
Betty N.
3.25 stars. It's good, but not that good. Maybe I am ordering the non-spectacular dishes, but for the most part, it was good at best, but not enough to get itself 4-5 stars. Ate dinner here on a Fri. night before going to a bday party. They did not take 2 person resos, so we had to wait for approximately 10-15 minutes. We were impressed by the many accolades on the walls; from Best Thai Restaurant in SF, Zagat Rated, Best 100 Thai Restaurant in the World, etc. This place has to be good, right? Um, yeah, sure. The place was packed and we were seated against the front window. It is super casual here. I mean, we were not that dressy, but we looked like a homecoming couple compared to the other customers. I thought I was eating in SJ for a second. Nothing wrong with that, but don't expect lipstick glam and LA glitter here. We ordered the following with comments: 1. Soft Shelled Crab - this was their special for the day and it was below average. The batter was so thick, we felt like we were eating fried batter, not the crab. 2. Tom Yum Goong (spicy and sour prawns and mushroom soup with a touch of lemon grass and roasted chili) - The prawns were jumbo. Good flavor, good soup. 3. Gang Ped Ped Yang (roast duck curry cooked in coconu milk and red chili sauce w/ a combo of pineapple and spinach) - This was also pretty good, but I like Osha's duck curry better. Personally, the pineapples were a bit too much and took away from the flavor of the curry and duck. 4. Red Curry Snapper with greens - our favorite dish of the evening. The fish was cooked perfectly and the greens were nicely flavored with the red chili sauce, not much curry, which was pleasant. Service was good. They refilled our water glasses promptly and there was not a long wait period between dishes. Add one beer and the total was $47 dinner for two. Not bad. I will return because I am sure there are other mind-blowing dishes somewhere within here. I just didn't hit the jackpot this time around.
(3)
Vanessa F.
Food was good, but the service BLEW. We made reservations for a party of 8 at 7:30 pm. Turns out a party of 8 came in a few minutes before us and the restaurant gave them our table leaving us to wait about 45 minutes to be seated. Apologies from the restaurant were provided through free soda or thai iced tea about 40 minutes into our wait. The meat dish I had of beef and green beans in chili sauce was good. We ordered extra extra spicy... as in "as spicy as you can make it." It wasn't spicy at all. Boo. The pad thai was eh. Again, ordered extra spicy but didn't get it. For dessert we had the coconut ice cream with fried banana balls. It wasn't cheap and you didn't get very much ice cream or banana balls. They weren't "balls" either. Probably wouldn't go back unless we were meeting friends. There's places closer to home that are better.
(2)
Dave C.
Great lunchtime spot with affordable, high-quality Thai food. I'm sure dinner is great too. Not big on decor, but food is top notch.
(4)
Johnny W.
Probably my favorite Thai spot in San Francisco. Their Five Spice Chicken and their coconut chicken soup are the best here. Get that combo in your lunch special and you will not be dissapointed. Better than Osha Thai!
(5)
Mar H.
Its situated in a very industrial area with warehouses and near the Freeway. Walking distance to the Gift Center. We got there just mins before they are closing the lunch service. We are so glad we made it. Lunch combo has the most valued Thai food around. I had the garlic chicken and fried shrimp. The roast chicken was juicy and a nice amount. I don't think I would order the shrimp again because it is not very crispy. My friend have the rice plate which is a hardy beef curry stew. $7.50. Wow melts in your mouth meat and hot + spicy sauce which really hits the spot in a cold day. I think I stole all his food! The decor is great, not as cramp as other places I have been. Definitely the best Thai I have run into. This is the not kind of Thai place that left you hungry. Another good thing that is rare in the city: we found parking!
(4)
Shay L.
Would not recommend. Tom Kha soup was tasty but meat in soup was unappetizing. Had imperial rolls which were just ok, beef basil curry which was horrible - tough meat, very oily sauce. The thai fried rice did not taste good. Also, the tofu in the pad thai had a funny/sour taste. I am surprised at all the good reviews here. And yes, Basil thai down the street is better.
(2)
Patti I.
This food was so yummy, my eyes rolled back in my head and I'm still trying to see straight! Great variety of flavors. Best choices this evening were squid in some kind of heavenly red sauce and #41 (I think) eggplant with basil and other assorted tidbits. My dining companions and I were stuffed but couldn't waddle out without first sampling sticky rice with mango for dessert. Heavenly! And besides the fabulous food, we loved the friendly, unpretentious atmosphere of the place. Manora's had the most cheerful waitstaff I've experienced in months. I'd go back just to say "Hi." No, that's a lie, if I went back again I wouldn't just say hi, I would eat a bunch more of their fabulous food. I live in Menlo Park and this restaurant was worth the drive!
(5)
Jenn C.
Delicious neighborhood thai place - I have many fond memories of ordering to go and eating in while I lived in that neighborhood. I love the fried tofu & taro - light, crispy and not too oily (even if you get it to go!). They do a good job making food spicy without killing all the other flavors in the dish. Excellent curries! Very vegan friendly.
(4)
Tracy W.
I was pleasantly surprised when I went to Manora's. And that's an understatement. My boyfriend has been asking me to go for some time, but I never saw an urgency in the matter. And when I approached and entered the restaurant, I thought, hmm, how strange. A Thai restaurant that looks like an English pub? But wow! I have to say this was the best Thai food I've ever had. It's true that I only tried 2 dishes there since only 2 of us went, and it's true that I'm not the ultimate authority on quality Thai food; I must say there are some Thai restaurants out there that I know I will not bother to return to unless I really must. The Thai Iced Tea was pretty good, but not as strong as I'd prefer. It was also served with shaved ice, while I prefer ice cubes. But that's not really the point of a dinner. We started with Tom Kha Gai. Best. Ever. The portion was perfect, and they didn't leave in the ingredients that you can't eat, like galangal, lemon grass, and etc. The soup had a good creamy consistency, with a decent amount of heat. The highlight was the chicken. Oh, the chicken! There were large chunks of it in the soup, cooked so tender that it was falling apart. Yum! And then came the yellow curry with chicken. And yes, the chicken was just as tender as what was in the soup! The portions were great too. We had enough to stuff ourselves with seconds, plus some for leftovers. Some people call that skimpy but I call it the right amount. I'd definitely return and try other dishes when I'm in the area!
(5)
Claudia P.
Absolutely love this place! I have been coming here for years, delicious food, reasonably priced and fast, friendly service. Some of my favorite dishes are eggplant with prawns and chicken and also the seafood claypot. It's especially fun to come with a group of people and order family style and try a lot of different dishes and flavored. I will keep coming back.
(5)
Mika D.
My first time here for lunch yesterday with ace. I was craving thai food and this hit the spot! I ordered a plate of pad thai and the duck rice plate for lunch as we shared throughout our meal. The duck rice plate is quite reminiscent of the duck dish I always get from Sanamluang Cafe in Hollywood. The skin is crispy and roasted and is sliced thinly over a bed of spinach and drizzled with soy. It was the perfect lunch. The pad thai tasted grand with the mix of shrimp and tofu, bean sprouts and peanuts. I'm coming back here again!
(5)
Annalisa S.
Awesome awesome awesome. And there's only 1 other thai restaurant I'd say this about. We had Beef Larb, Chicken Coconut Soup, Chicken Eggplant Basil & the Quail. Crazy good. great atmosphere, no trouble parking.
(5)
Nicole L.
I think it was Dec 16th that I went here to meet up for one of my friends' birthday dinner. My friend has quite the taste palate so I trust that the food was good, but that night I didn't even get to try it! So here's what happened. I go there and one of my friends is sitting at the bar and immediately she starts complaining about the waitresses rude behavior towards her when all she asked was if we could sit further from the door to avoid the cold draft. Apparently that wasn't okay =/ When everyone arrived we were looking through the menus while chatting trying to decide what we could all get since there were vegetarians and shrimp allergic people in our party. In a matter of minutes the lights went out - black out! From what it looked like the other businesses on the block had power except for Manoras. For the next hour we sat in the dark and watched as the staff frantically waited for PG&E. The issue was that they didn't even think to continue to serve their customers, we got 2 candles for our table of 12 and weren't asked if we wanted to be served despite sitting in the dark. Basically we were ignored - after getting no response from the servers we all got up and left.
(2)
Jenny L.
This used to be my neighborhood go to spot for Thai food, before I moved away. Everything is authentic (at least it feels that way), and they have a lot of variety and specials for you to choose from. Their soups are delicious, and so is the pad thai. And their meat entrees. Best of all, their prices are really reasonable, and the portions are large enough that you can have a meal the next day and still be satisfied.
(4)
Julia C.
3.5 stars In the Mission after dance practice, B famished, the usual. We yelped, we found, we ate. Manora's is an out of the way little Thai restaurant. When we got there it was mostly empty, but it filled up pretty quickly. Only significant complaint I had was that we sat there for while perusing our menu and dying of thirst, and they didn't bring us any water until B placed our order and specifically asked for two glasses of water. Tom Yum soup was deeeelicious! But buyer beware - the menu advertises it as serving 2-4 people but really it's only enough for 2 (or 3 if you're skimpy with portions). We also ordered the Red Curry from Chef's favorites. The curry sauce itself was good, but it was poured over tempura fried cuts of pork, steak, and fish. Kinda weird, and not what we wanted in terms of our Thai curry. Also we ordered the garlic grilled quail - tiny tiny bird, flavor was good but not stand out. After taking a look at all the meat and starch we had on the table (and certain persons taking recent bowel movement into consideration) B decided it would be a good idea to order some veggies. We got a mixed greens stir-fried type dish, most likely stir fried with garlic, soy sauce, and basil. Satisfying dinner, albeit in a kinda scary location on the corner of nowhere.
(3)
Jessica D.
If I could give it a 2 and 1/2 I would, but I tend to round up to give places the benefit of the doubt. Honestly, I think we were just there on the wrong night (Friday). I don't live in the city, so I highly doubt I will be going back, which is a shame because the food was good. It was the service that spoiled it. I was quite impressed with how fast our drinks and appetizers came. I am pregnant and was ravenous, so I was really happy about the speedy arrival. We soon received our second course, they got mine wrong, but I ate it anyway without complaint because it looked good. That was kind of the first sign that things were going wrong. My hubby had asked me to bring him some food home and I was told to put in the order towards the end of our meal. Unfortunately for us, sometime around our second course a huge party of 15-20 sat down right next to us. I kind of wonder if they were trying to get us fed and get us out before that party arrived, because they were so fast to begin with! As we were eating our main course, our water glasses were empty for a really long time before we got any water. It was almost impossible to get our waiters attention. I actually felt bad for him, he looked so frazzled and was running all over the place. We were also stuck in a corner, which meant we didn't get noticed. After we ordered our to-go food, we must have waited for at least a half hour before we had to ask for it again, which then took another 15 minutes to produce. Plus, they didn't have the dessert which was on the menu :( I was definitely disappointed. If it hadn't been for the good company then I think I would have gotten really annoyed.
(3)
Sharon T.
Our friend from Thailand recommended this place and of course, I was gonna trust her judgment! We've only had take out from here (we normally get Osha Thai on 3rd or 2nd st). The restaurant is cute, not fancy, and has all of that Thailand decor that we all expect to see and the service is great. The food here is really good and satisfying. I really like the pad thai here and they had this crab omelet dish that was yummy too. The other stuff we got here was good too, but nothing memorable. My hubby still likes Osha better. I can't decide. We get Osha all the time and I love their food, but I think it's nice to have a new change. Will definitely be getting more of Manora's for take out when I get a craving for some Thai!
(4)
Mark J.
King of Thai used to be my favorite Thai spot in The City, but you know what? As of 2 Saturdays ago, they've been dethroned by Manora's! When I came here with 2 of my friends, I noticed how they had Zagat awards near the door, so I figured this had to be a pretty good restaurant. The family-style dishes we ordered were all awesome. I remember looking at their menu for a while and finding it hard to settle on just one thing, because the descriptions in there all looked really good. Not only was it some of the best Thai cuisine I'd had in a long time, but it was some of the best food I had tasted in a long time. The service was pretty good...our waiter was attentive, and even when he told us that the kitchen was closing down pretty soon (because we had ventured in there shortly before closing time), he said, "Take your time, guys." when he brought out all of our food. We still ate pretty quickly because we were super hungry. not to mention the food was REALLY good. I can't stress enough how much I liked the food here. It's safe to say that my friends and I will definitely be making a return trip to Manora's whenever we're in the area. I may not be The Terminator, but "I'll be back."
(5)
Salernitana A.
I went here with a friend for dinner, and I actually thought that the place would be awesome since it's in the middle of a not-so-great district. I wanted it to be awesome, and my friend said it was awesome, but I disagree. Overall: 1. The larb is crazy good. We wolfed it down in about three seconds, like how cartoons eat corn on the cob. The basil chicken was also fragrant and yummy. 2. I had the pad thai, which was OK. They didn't pan sear the tofu, they sort of mixed it all in at the last second, and they made it so spicy I well, you don't need to hear that. 3. Their menu says Diet Coke, but all they had was Diet Pepsi. Thai iced tea next time! Our waiter was very kind and knowledgeable about the menu, and I have definitely had worse Thai. But I've also had way better. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing.
(3)
Sheila A.
Delicious food. Terrible service. We had a group of 8 which they were willing to accommodate on a rainy night. We were organized, knew what we wanted, and tried to be low-maintenance (we did not ask for split checks, for example). And the food was delicious - my crispy duck with greens and sweet chili is still haunting me. Unfortunately, the service was nothing short of terrible. We were left waiting for long periods of time - waiting to order drinks, waiting with only half our drinks served, waiting to order food long after we indicated we were ready. The few appetizers and soups that were ordered came out fairly fast, but then the rest of us were left sitting for nearly 25 minutes without food (putting those who were having soup as their meal in the awkward position of finishing long before everyone else.) We could not get refills on drinks. Half the table did not receive the rice they ordered (and after we ordered rice, the server said to us "you know that costs extra, right?" as if we could not read the menu on our own - I think charging for rice is terribly cheap, but if your guests have noticed it has to be ordered separately, at least don't condescend to them about it.) We asked the table of 4 next to us if their service was similarly inconsistent, and they reported that indeed it was - everything came out at different times, one person waited ages for her food while everyone else was nearly finished, etc. We discerned this while waiting endlessly for the check. I really want more of that duck and greens, but I think I'll see if they offer carryout.
(3)
Rich H.
Summary based on 1 lunch: --decent food, with an interesting variant on usual preparation --ok service during a busy lunch with several large parties --slightly more expensive than usual; right at the upper border of cheap --came on foot, so can't comment on parking --better than average ambiance for a cheaper Thai restaurant
(3)
Sasha C.
i'm going to be honest. i love thai food. i love places like this that look like ma and pa restaurants/shops that make it in the culinary world. i was in the area, and specifically decided to take my family to dinner here although the neighborhood was a bit sketchy.. we parked our car and prayed it would be safe when we got back from dinner(which it was). the restuarant was bustling, and cutesy, the food was great and my boyfriend is in LOVE with the soft shell crab here. he dreams of it back in nyc til this day. we'll make another visit in the future !
(5)
Gracie L.
#1 thai spot for takeout lunch. Lunch specials are huge portions and quality food for the price. Always super fast.
(4)
Sean H.
Wow. What an absolute gem of a place Manora is. Amazingly delicious, and authentic Thai food, at amazingly delicious prices. Seriously, it's almost crazy how good the food is for how much it costs. Some of the best Thai food I've had, and I just got back from a couple of weeks in Thailand earlier this year. In a good spot for street parking too, as it's not too crazy around there and we didn't have any trouble. But all in all, great service, great great food, and really awesome prices. I'm not sure I could have asked for anything better for when we wanted to have Thai for dinner on a Saturday night. We are so going to be back here, and probably often.
(5)
Melanie G.
Love it! Really good soups.. but didn't have my favorite (Pad sew ew)
(4)
Cori W.
Nice place for lunch, cheaper than Basil Canteen but not as ~fancy~. The interior is very thai and cozy. I had a thai iced coffee and veg pad thai, both were delicious. The pad thai had a good flavor, thin delicate noodles and nice amounts of egg and tofu. It'd be cool if they listed more veg options rather than having to ask for them.
(4)
Sophia Z.
At the corner street of Folsom, this lil spot looks deceiving on the outside. But once you step into the restaurant, you will feel so comfortable and at ease as the waitress immediately sits you down and takes your order. I only got the lunch combo, but it was both delicious and filling (enough to split in half and save some for dinner!). The cost ($8.95 + tax or $9.80) is decent for what you get in a lunch combo (this place only accepts cash or visa/mastercard credit cards). For the combo, you get two side dish choices with thai fried rice and some savory thai chicken soup. For this visit, I got: 5. Gai-Yang Thai Bar B-Q chicken served with sweet garlic sauce 9. Goong-Tod Deep fried prawns with vegetables served with plum sauce The chicken was very tender and moist. (they cook it wrapped so all the natural juices stay within the chicken) Though I would have enjoyed a more bold flavor on the chicken, it was still delicious. If you like tempura, then you'll love the goong-tod. I thought these prawns and veggie would be deep fried like typical chinese food, but this place actually cooked a variety of fresh veggies and prawns tempura style, accompanied by a yummy sweet and sour plum sauce. THIS SAUCE IS ESSENTIAL! The fried rice was a good filler to balance the taste pallete for your lunch, and the soup was a delicious and welcomed surprise for my tummy. Creamy and bold flavored, this soup was a great signature of thai flavors. I'll definitely be coming back here!
(4)
F. C.
On our last night in SF, we came for dinner since I wanted Thai Food. Growing in a house where I get the real thing, you ask why I would pay for such food you ask? Well, Mom was about 6 hrs away at the time. But EVERY Thai place I have ever visited, nothing compares to Mom's cooking @ home. Even my parent's Thai restaurant in Naples, FL doesn't taste the same as if we were eating at home. That being said, I'll do my best not to be bias & compare it to my Mom's cooking. So back to Manora's. Small place, but very cozy. Nice decoration, and very attentive wait staff, always a plus. Our h2o glass were never empty. My Thai Ice Tea was too sweet for my taste, but the hubby enjoyed his hot tea. We started off w/ Por-Pia-Sod (spring rolls filled w/ veggie, pork, chicken, shrimp & it was suppose to have crab, but I didn't taste/see it, top w/ a sweet tamarind sauce). It was different but good. Had to use a knife & fork to eat this because it was laid out on a dish w/ the sauce covering it. I would have prefer the sauce to be on the side so I can dip like how I'm use to eating spring rolls. I had their Gang-Gari-Gai (yellow chicken curry). Chicken was very tender & glad they had more chicken & not cheat us w/ putting more potatoes than chicken. The hubby had the Panaeng-Sam-Ros (combo of crisp chicken, pork & beef deep fried drench in spicy red curry sauce. Tasted the chicken & it was pretty good, but I didn't taste the other two meats. From the hubby's empty dish after, I take it that it was good as well. Hubby can not handle spicy & he was able to eat it, so their spicy probably is suited for the "white" tongue. Which is perfect for him. All in all, good food & reasonable price.
(3)
Don W.
Great Thai food, great atmosphere. Location is a bit dodgy at night but whatever. The lemon chicken soup was out of this world.
(5)
francis c.
We went here for the first time last night. Compared to our fav. thai spot this is relatively cheaper. I had the yellow curry with chicken and potato, which was huge pieces vs. small pieces like i've seen on other plates. The service was okay, the waitress was sweet and checked-in when need be. The place is not big, but decent size and the decor is really nice. To me it shows they value their venue. Parking was easy but I also think it was because of the time and day, it is just one block away from Holy Cow.
(3)
Soul G.
Soup thy name is Manora...Tom Yum bombay treat for your Tum Yum. Soup is on your brain Hungover from the black night Tom Yum in your bum Word to the food but the place is too small if you go on a weeknight its actually nicer and bit more intimate. All in all 4 stars; the service is great and I love the native decor, the bowls and cups they serve the soup are dope looking. I like the beef with basil with a egg overy easy on top...DAMN its good. Haiku
(4)
Wes M.
There are plenty of diamonds in the SOMA rough, to be sure, but they tend to be uber-divey or inconveniently wholesale-centric or some such. So to see a large, gaudy, almost suburban Thai restaurant just chillin' at 12th & Folsom was a surprise. You sure don't get a lot of casual passersby here, so there must be something that keeps them in business, right? And sure enough, Manora's food launches it into the rarefied realm of top-tier SF Thai, along with a few others like Ploy II (and to think there was a time when I doubted the existence of any good Thai in the city). Now, Pad Thai and I got off on the wrong foot a long time ago, and I've rarely ordered it since, but I took another crack at it based on the Yelp-omendations. I can easily say it's the best Pad Thai I've ever had, so consider me back in the habit. Their lunch combo plates are a great deal too, and come with some lemon-chicken soup that you absolutely must try. All in all, quite the beacon in the wasteland, and you can even follow up your meal with a bite from the chocolate factory next door.
(5)
John O.
I love this restaurant. My favorite dish, which I get every time, is Kow Pad Talay. Thai ice tea is also a great treat.
(5)
James V.
Great Seafood Skewer! And the service was great.
(4)
Jenn W.
I had been looking forward to the "Vegetarian Delight" as I had a serious taro craving. I was disappointed, I had been hoping for a yummy deep fried ball of delicious taro goo & instead received really bland taro fries with some tofu triangles. I had one of the appie specials as my main - baked oysters. Probably an odd thing to order at a Thai restaurant as they were baked with cream & spinach, but served with sweet & sour peanut sauce and lime wedges. So yeah, with my menu selections, Manora's Thai delivered epic fail. Three stars and a return trip are in order though, as my husbands fish dish was in such a perfect delicious red coconut curry sauce that I greedily sopped it up with plain rice after finishing my sad small portion of strange oysters. Obviously I just ordered wrong.
(3)
C L.
Not the best Thai food I've had, and the iced tea was pretty awful, not sweet at all. However, the waitress was very accommodating. When my bf tried to order the duck flat noodle soup, she told him that it wasn't on the menu, but she would ask the cook if he could make it.
(1)
Mindy L.
This place is delicious. I've been coming here since I was a little girl. So when I came back as an adult I was shocked to find that it was, not only, as good as I remembered but better. Clearly, I'm not the only one who thinks so given all the wonderful reviews. This, in my opinion, is one of the best Thai restaurants in the city. And it's cheap!! The decor is lovely. They have all this imported intricate wood work and paintings. But it's still casual enough that you can walk in wearing jeans and look like part of the regular crowd. If you go for lunch, their chicken with saffron rice is woooonnnderful. I learned at a young age (from my father) that if you wanted to be able to eat this dish, you should call ahead and reserve your order, because they sell out every single day. It's no wonder Manora's is still in business and thriving after so many years. Let's keep it that way as long as possible!
(5)
Emily P.
I have been a fan of this restaurant for a long time, but recently had a HORRIBLE experience with their wait staff. I tried to place a to go order for my company, which I have done many times in the past, and the person on the phone at Manora's asked for a credit card to secure the order. I have never been asked for this in the past and told them i would be paying in cash. This is the moment when the waiter started SCREAMING at me and another person in restaurant over the phone. I then asked to speak to the manager who told me that they would not take our order, PERIOD! The food is great as long as they don't yell at you or refuse your order. RESPONSE FROM RESTAURANT: Your order was worth more than I was willing to take a responsibility. If you don't like the way it was handled, don't EVER eat here!
(2)
Ashkahn M.
My favorite Thai food spot in the Bay! I've tried about 25 of them, and this is the only place that actually listens when you say spicy. I know, I know.....you have to play to the masses. But when a customer walks in and says I want it Thai Hot, and you go back and forth three or four times on how hot Thai Hot is, you'd figure they would know you like it spicy. I end up going with a friend and getting the Tom Kha, the Panang Nur, and the minced pork Gra Pow. Do it and thank me later.
(5)
Evan S.
Caveat: It has been several years since I've eaten here. I used to live in SF, and still visit the city every so often. I wanted to review some of my favorite places there, for friends who live there or visit. I used to live in SF, and this quickly became one of my favorite restaurants in the city for several reasons: great food, very spicy food options, great prices, and excellent service. They had specials running frequently, and I never had something here I did not enjoy.
(5)
Ann T.
their lunch menu offers combos! and if you order the combo, the even start you off with the coconut chicken soup! mMm... i usually get the satay skewers and spring rolls with garlic rice instead of fried rice. prices are really reasonable too! i definetely prefer coming here over king of thai.
(4)
sally b.
The best yellow curry chicken in town! It's the way I measure a Thai restaurant and nothing has beat it.
(5)
Michael K.
Best. yellow. curry. evar.
(5)
Kimberly L.
Manora's is my #1 Thai spot. The staff is really attentive and the restaurant is always clean. The food is well priced and the portions are just right (not leaving you hungry is always a plus!) My top two dishes would have to be the #45 (thats right, all you have to say to order this dish is #45. Another one would have to be the Yellow Curry Chicken w/Potato cubes in coconut milk, it is to die for! I suggest you end your meal with the Fried Banana w/Coconut Ice Cream. Overall...I have nothing bad to bash this place about.
(5)
Amy B.
Wow. Who knew this little place could pack such a punch! We happened to be in the neighborhood and were starving around 9:30pm. Manora's was open, so Manora's it was! I loved the decor and the authenticity as soon as we walked in. We started with some hot tea, which was amazing! It was a red thai tea blend and smelled and tasted fabulous. We had the Yum Hed appetizer (combination of various types of mushrooms, prawn, and chicken in Thai spices, laid on a bed of greens), which was very good. It actually started sweet then went to spicy as we kept eating. Great flavor combination. We then shared 2 of the "Chef's favorites" dishes: the Pooket Skewer and the MaKeur-Paad-Prik. Now, I don't really like things too spicy, and I've never seen a server seem so disappointed and personally offended by me asking for something mild. I was a little perturbed by that, but the taste of the dishes easily made up for it. The skewers--with charbroiled scallop, prawn, fish, and vegetables with yummy dips--was amazing. And the Japanese eggplant in the other dish was perfectly done. My only real complaint is that they do not have brown rice, so we went with the jasmine rice, which was also really good. Of course, you can't have Thai food without having some mango with sticky rice, so indeed we ordered that as well. The presentation, taste, service, and ambiance all surpassed my expectations for a corner place that was going to ease my late-night starvation. I will definitely be back!
(4)
Kit K.
I like to eat at this restaurant. I come here about once a month and mostly for their Rice noodle soup with chicken and fish ball. It really hits the spot on a cloudy/rainy/cold day. The quality is very consistent and the service is friendly. I will have to admit I was a little annoyed today. I asked for a cup of tea not knowing that there is a charge and to come to find out it was $1.75. The Iced Thai Tea is only $2.00. How can you charge $1.75 for regular tea. This is just my beef. I should have checked the prices before asking for a cup of tea. The four star goes for the food and friendly service, not the tea.
(4)
Joanna W.
Great lunch combos. $8.95 + tax for 2 items with Thai fried rice and lemon coconut soup. It's only great if you can find two items you like. I always have trouble deciding on the second item. Minus one star for no string beans.
(3)
Erik P.
I've never been to Thailand, so there's that. This food, though? Makes me feel like I have. Like someone up and dropped an entire chunk of Southeast Asia into my mouth. But in a good way! Much of my visits here are a blur of blissful devouring, but I distinctly remember loving the chicken satay so much that I may have asked its hand in marriage. Given that cooked chicken lacks cognizant functions such as speech, I left with that dream unfulfilled. I highly recommend you try it - the consumption of Manora's chicken satay, that is, not the misguided attempt at matrimony.
(5)
Ladi Da A.
I'm finally writing a review on Manora's, because I'm soooooo craving it right now....despite the fact that I just ate there yesterday. *oink" One word I would use to describe Manora's is... "YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmY!" I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this place!!! Their Lunch Specials are FANTASTIC!!! GREAT price$ and GOOD PORTIONS!!! My coworkers refer to Manora's as "That really good Thai place M****** goes to!" I should clarify that it was actually Christine at our office that told me to try this place...I keep getting all the credit on good eats! =P What I love about this place is that the food tastes good, and doesn't have that stinky/dirty after taste you get at some other ethnic restaurants. If you're a first timer and not sure what to get, I'd suggest the grilled pork! Other than the grilled pork here, I hardly ever eat pork -yes! it's that good. I've gotten everyone else at work hooked on it. Now when we place lunchtime pick-up orders...all of our orders are pretty much identical. =( If you haven't checked this place out, you need to go ASAP!
(5)
Kristina S.
Food is amazing!! Went here for dinner on a Saturday night and loved it! The fact that everything is reasonably priced is a big plus. Definitely going back reslly soon.
(5)
Frank P.
Consistently excellent service, food, attitude. Great people and great meals.
(5)
Alicia P.
One of my favorite places to eat in the whole world. I realize it might not appeal to a majority, but I don't care. My husband and I come here when we want to feel good about ourselves. lol! Bottom line is: food is always fantastic, consistent, and delivered promptly at your table. They don't look it, but they are family friendly, and the servers are very welcoming and just plain do a good job serving. Thai style omelette, lemongrass soup, and fish fillet with sweet chili sauce are highly recommended!
(5)
Janina V.
I think this is my favorite Thai restaurant at the moment. The fact that it's a walking distance from my work is probably one the main reasons why. Love their Lemon Chicken soup. I would give it 5 stars but service isn't perfect, probably because I always go there during lunch time and they are ALWAYS very busy for lunch, so I don't get as much attention as I want whenever I eat there. Other than that, food is really gooooodd and I am definitely a regular.
(4)
Jen D.
I don't even remember everything that we had, but I will tell you this. Manora's is one of the best Thai eateries in the whole Bay Area. Yeah I said it. ONE OF THE BEST!!! We had 6 people so we at least had 6-8 dishes and there wasn't a single thing we ordered that wasn't good. And the service is great. Price? CHEAP!!
(5)
apple r.
This is probably the closest and tastiest example of the Thai restaurants of old. The fresh spring rolls here are very unique. They are made with a unique wrap that is not your typical rice paper. They put mint and other ingredients in that make it very flavorful. I also like the Angel Wings and the seafood clay pot. The rice comes in a big tin container much like a restaurant in Thailand, rather than in skimpy bowls. Go here. Will not disapoint.
(4)
S M.
we went here for lunch, the food was ok, the service was odd........my biggest complaint about this place is that we ordered our food and in less than 5 minutes our food was at the table and some of the food was not hot........so my guess is that they had the plates are ready served and they just brought it out? i dont know i didnt feel right about this place.
(3)
kristen v.
This place is awesome. We've never once made a reservation here but we're always able to get a table. Another place I like is Suriya (see my review), but if I'm taking a group of people out, I would choose Manora. Suriya seems like a more intimate setting, while this place is great for 4 or more people without being a big place.
(5)
Berna T.
After getting a little tipsy at Wish, I needed some carbs to absorb all the alcohol in my system so I wouldn't get a DUI on my three mile drive home. I stopped in and ordered the one thing that serves as my measuring stick for Thai food - Pad Thai. And it was DELICIOUS! Chunks of tofu, chicken, and shrimp in some flavorful noodles with a squeeze of lime on top....mmmm.....I also had a fresh spring roll and some of Graceypoo M's fried banana with ice cream. Oh, I will be back for that, and then some. Mos' def.
(4)
Gelsomina L.
YUM, this was one of my favorite Thai places back in the day - I used to eat here at least once a week when I went clubbing in SOMA. Took my coworkers to lunch here a few weeks ago and I'm happy to say that it's still as delicious as ever! I would recommend it over trendier places like Koh Samui any day.
(5)
amayzin p.
Hmmm I disagree with Adam. I had the coconut soup with chicken and it was the best chicken that I've had in a soup for the last several years! Unlike many restaurants that cook their chicken to death, probably refrigerate it too and cook it again, this stuff was tender and moist. Greasy, not in the least. I like that they used both dark and light meats. The four of us shared a serving and there wasn't a drop left over in anyone's bowl. They accomodated our request to vegetarian adding a FRESH soft tofu which we all loved. Prices were surprisingly reasonable for this type of food. I will never go to that strange Thai restaurant on Market near Castro in this lifetime. Yuck but Manora's was YUMMY!
(4)
Avner A.
Manora's Thai Cuisine was my first exposure the fine Thai cuisine and I have visited this location on it's week of inception (1987). I was blown away by the amazing food. I have returned to this restaurant again many times and they never let me down. If you have to choose to go to one Thai in San Francisco, this is the one to choose.
(5)
Winter R.
this place always puts me in some kind of time warp, like i'm eating at a 70's dinner party. they have all the reliably tasty coconutpalmsugarfishsauce-laden curries, soups, and salads you would expect from a decent thai restaurant here in sf, but then they also have a few curious offerings, like this curried chicken mixture served in pastry cups. hmm. i guess it's like primitive fusion cuisine. it's rather endearing. always a good call when you're hanging with those friends who live somewhere around 12th and folsom.
(3)
Law G.
I came over to Manora for a quick lunch at the recommendation of a friend. From the outside, I didn't expect much, but I must say, the basil chicken was one of the tastiest dishes I've had in years. I was in a hurry, and was working through lunch, but all I can say was that the flavor "popped" on everything I tasted there. Will go again and hopefully write a more detailed review. But if first taste impressions count for anything, I was very impressed.
(4)
Jay S.
One of my faves! Simple as that!
(5)
Jeff C.
eh. what the big deal about this place? I went here way back after a drinking event next door at the defunct Hamburger Mary's. Since I didnt recall any bad memories I made our group of 5 go back recently The food is good. But getting to your food required that you reduce your expectations for space and accomations. This place has too much furniture in it! Thumbs UP: Green curry chicken and satay with peanut sauce from Heaven Thumbs DOWN: Wierd location in SOMA and they should consider moving into another space (like accoss the street where Hamburger Mary's was) cause they need more room.
(3)
Lisa C.
Convenient lunch spot for me on extra busy days at work. Service is always friendly and fast and the rice plate lunch specials are excellent deals.
(4)
jaja w.
went here recently for dinner and was vastly underwhelmed. service was horrible -- at a table of six, our waiter only took two drink orders at a time and disappeared into the back 3 times before we all got our beverages. he then seemed peeved that we wanted to order appetizers as well, and left again without asking if we were ready to order entrees (which we were). by the time we got all our orders in, we had been there for at least 30-45 minutes. the food came and was good, but not great. they do have a varied menu so there are lots of options, but if i ate here again, i would get take-out.
(2)
jong-il k.
was somewhat confused, thought this was gonna be a hanukkah-themed thai kosher deli. grievously mistaken... except for the thai part. have to admit, it was the best thai food i've had since, well... since the last time i had thai food. green bean with shrimp, good. pad thai with shrimp, good. shrimpy portions, not so good. still, i'd go again if forced to against my will.
(3)
A B.
Talk about the best Yellow Curry Chicken on the planet. A coconut flavor so rich with chicken that is fall-off-the-bone tender. They also have good Tom Yum soup if you're into the sour tamarind flavors.
(4)
John C.
We had dinner here tonight and the food was very good, although they ran out of the mint rolls, which was the thing I was most looking forward to. The guy sitting at the table next to us ordered first, joking that they'd run out of mint rolls, and of course they did after he got his. But he let me have one, and it was indeed good. The soup we ordered, a coconut milk soup with chunks of chicken and mushrooms, was a little salty. In general, I think this is a decent Thai restaurant and a great place to go for dinner before hitting one of the clubs nearby.
(3)
Simi J.
My friend Pau took me here. I don't really like Thai food as much as most SFers, but this place is for real! Try the tom yum with shrimp, the lobster w/asparagus, and the green beans with chili sauce and fresh tofu. Comfort comfort comfort.
(5)
Alexis D.
I have to agree w/Stephen F. I remember going on my first date here back in '92! I loved it then and still love it now - it's still my favorite Thai joint! I'm glad that the menu is still pretty much the same.
(4)
TR T.
Better Thai food than in Thailand. I think it's just that the Bay Area produces such superb provender - much better than generally available in Thailand. After hundreds of meals over tens of years, Manora's keeps consistently high standards both in the kitchen and in the dining room. It's not the place for a languorous, romantic meal, since they are so busy I feel rude keeping other diners waiting. But for great food at reasonable prices, an acceptable Fetzer Gewurtz for a bargain and always a doggie bag or two, you can't help but love Manora's.
(4)
Jessica S.
I want to love it.... but... I went during lunch, and granted, it was VERY busy. But I don't think I could have felt more invisible. I went by myself, which straight away marks me as someone they aren't going to get very much money from. BUT STILL. I was feeling sad about eating lunch by myself anyway, and then I got totally ignored by the staff. My water was set down without a word, menu, and then my food was put down - still nothing said to me. Then throughout my entire meal not a single person came up to ask me how it was, or give me more water (which was totally empty). So I was a little dissapointed. The food was good though! And good prices. I will go back - maybe at not such a busy time, and maybe they will acknowledge me this time!
(3)
Kyle T.
Very excellent Thai, weird location. I live two blocks away and I still think it's weird. But it's Thai to die for.
(4)
Angela N.
It smells a little musty inside, and the carpet is begging for a steam clean, but the food is awesome. I am a dork and always order pad-thai because I am slightly addicted to it. Their pad-thai is definitely a cut above what you'd find at your standard Bay Area Thai restaurant. The fresh mint spring rolls with shrimp were also excellent and the wrapper was fresh. (Chewy, hard rappers-no good!)
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Veronica N.
Great service, great decor, and wonderful ambience. It doesn't have the authentic Thai feel, but it is indeed very welcoming. Me and my friend started off with the Tom Yum and I have to say it was spectacular. It definitely had an authentic Thai taste to it, not too sour or spicy. We had two noodle dishes. One was 62, a glass noodle dish with chicken, tofu, shrimp, cabbage, and various other ingredients. That dish was very flavorful and well prepared, the combination of the ingredients were perfect. The second dish which was 61, a crispy noodle dish was absolutely horrid. It was a crispy noodle dish with a sweet-salty sauce, tofu and shrimp. The noodles were flaky, I felt like I was literally eating cereal given the oddly sweet sauce overpowering the lightly salted ingredients. It was so dry and overly sweet I couldn't down it, asked for dessert promptly. I was disappointed that I wasnt able to try the Siam Gems dessert, since they no longer had that. We got the dessert of the day which was mango w/ sticky rice in a sweet coconut sauce. This has to be the best place where I'v had this dessert. The mangoes tasted rather fresh and the sticky rice had the perfect thick consistency. Overall, I did like the place, the crispy noodle dish definitely threw me off and badly finished the meal, but all the other dishes were worth trying. The area is rather inconvenient and slightly unsafe at night.
(3)Gregory N.
This is my go-to Thai restaurant in the city. The fried fish used to be the best, but sometimes the filets are small and the price has risen. Curries are still good. Prices are reasonable for San Francisco. All my friends love the place, especially out of towners. Thai iced tea is great, has a touch of chrysanthemum I think, so it's a good indicator that the rest of the menu is good.
(5)Bella B.
Yep, I still go here as often as possible. Yep, I am upgrading to 5 stars since as Marlene put it "this is the best Thai place in San Francisco". No, I don't like everything on the menu, but none of what I had ever tasted like chlorine (yikes)! Yep, I have tastebuds, thank you! Yep, I highly recommend Manora's. Yep, I am still a fan, can you tell? Enjoy, and try the shish kabob (beef baby!) it is amazing....
(5)Lisa T.
This place definitely deserves all the hype it gets on yelp. Not only was it one of the best pad thai's that I tried (perfectly cooked noodles, bean sprouts on the side so it doesn't take up extra space, with the perfect sprinkling or peanuts). My boyfriend and our friend also tried the garlic quail which was followed by what they called a necessary moment of silence. The price was also extremely affordable! What a nice little gem in the midst of SOMA!
(4)Angela L.
Great Decor and Ambiance- and they have fresh flowers! I went for lunch and the portions are very generous for the price. Also very well made and fresh. I had the Thai Iced Tea, Lunch Combination of Curry Chicken and Fish Cakes. Happily full when I left.
(4)Judson C.
I've been here plenty of times over the past 6 years. Always good service and good Thai food :-)
(4)Mico S.
The only reason I don't eat there more often is the portion sizes, I am trying to control my weight. The food is fresh, delicious, service is exceptional. I work nearby, so I come only for lunch, and I cannot comment on the dinner. Lunch combos are awesome: all of them come with chicken lemon soup (a meal in itself), and three choices of something else - and I mean not one out of three, but three out of about ten. Definitely great value and a pleasant experience.
(5)Natasha C.
the best pad thai in sf, hands down!
(5)Skye W.
Went out for dinner within walking distance of bf's new place. I love thai food and decided Manora's would be a decent choice. Walked in and was promptly seated- ok there were a ton of tables open, but still... The restaurant is cute and nicely decorated. The bathroom (well the women's) is teeny tiny and cramped. The food is well priced when compared to similar thai places in the area. Shared the green curry with chicken and pad thai. Both were yummy with flaws. The curry was more watery and tasted watered down, the pad thai's tofu was soft tofu and not the normal fried kind (strange). All in all decent food, decent price, decent portions...
(3)Seong P.
So I somehow managed to get people to leave a lovely bar serving free drinks and all sorts of porcine delights to go out in the rain and walk 4 long blocks to Manora's. They are nice and we passed a lot of leather stores. Once we arrived, we had a chicken and seafood in coconut milk soup, claypot beef, sauteed beef, vegetables, calamari in spicy garlic sauce, giant prawns, an omelette and a claypot seafood combination, everything without fish so as not to kill one in our party. My favorites were the seafood dishes and the omelette. The shrimp and the calamari were both really flavorful without being too salty. I could've handled a greater degree of heat but it was still good. The portions must've been fairly large because we had a lot of leftovers. Or maybe we just ordered too much. I learned a lot about HCM and hair implants that night. I hope I never need it but it was kind of interesting. I probably won't walk over in the rain again but I'll be back.
(5)Dan W.
Excellent authentic Thai cuisine. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Good sizes portions, decent prices.
(5)Zeba E.
This place has the best thai food...I have been to many in the bay area and none compare to the thai tea they serve here. I think I had the chicken in lobster sauce and it tasted veryyy good. It is not the classiest place so if you are thinking for a first date the restaurant - looks wise is not that impressive. However, the food is great!
(5)Tinna H.
The one thing I order at all Thai places upon first visit is the Thai Iced Tea. If they can make a good Thai Iced Tea, basically setting the tone of my meal, chances are I'll enjoy the experience whether the food or service is phenomenal or not. At Manora's, not only was the Thai Iced Tea spot on, the food was delicious and the service was great. We wandered in rather early for dinnertime, so I suppose the attentive service would have been expected. We started out with the Tom Yum Goong [spicy and sour prawns and mushroom soup with a touch of lemon grass in roasted chili aroma]. My oh my, this soup is SPICY! Next time I'll have to ask for one step down in the spice. My sinuses, which have been bothering me for over a week, cleared up instantaneously. The prawns were perfect, probably thrown into the soup at the very last second so that they wouldn't be smooshy. To share, we ordered the Gai-Kraprao [sautéed minced chicken in sweet basil and fresh chili garlic sauce] and the Nur-Toon [a combination of beef cubes and spices cooked in mushroom and garlic sauce served in a clay pot]. One dish was a little on the saltier side, perfect for eating with a generous helping of Jasmine rice, which is ~$1 per person. The clay pot was nicely flavored. All portions were generous, and we had to take some food to go. Considering the portions [good and plenty], the price [entrees average around $8 to $10], and the service [very attentive early on], I'd eat here again. You know, especially if I happen to be in the neighborhood, shopping at Costco or perhaps for a MINI/BMW, or spending the evening at Butter or Wish nearby.
(5)Jessica L.
Their lunch combo for $8.95 is great! Soup, 2 items & fried rice. Good place for a quick delicious lunch. Go with a friend and you can try various items on the list. 11 to choose from. Their tom ka soup is the best I've had. They use (lots of) shredded chicken! Definitely different from other places. Staff is very nice & friendly too.
(5)Bella A.
I came here twice and twice I received good service and yummy dishes. I like the decoration here, it's very traditional and authentic. I also like fresh flowers on the table. I always touch the flower to see if they are real. This time they have Freesia and it smells so great! It was quite busy at lunch here. We ordered the lunch combination which I think is the best value. It includes Thai fried rice and a cup of lemon chicken soup and your choice of 2 dishes out of a list of 11. I took me a while to think what I want because all of them looks good to me. I tried satay beef and Thai BBQ chicken in sweet garlic sauce while this time I went for fish cake with fresh/sweet cucumber which compliment the fish cake very well with the sweet sauce. I also ordered the saute beef in chili garlic and basil. I would say the beef is a bit tough but it is very beefy indeed and I like it. My coworker had the BBQ chicken which he likes very much, it's juicy and tender he said and no need for the sauce because it's very tasty already and I agree. He also likes the spicy beef curry with sweet basil. I like the fact that they use beef brisket so it's very very tender and juicy. I also forgot, the lemon chicken soup is very good too. There is nothing we do not like there. 4 thumbs up and I'll be back to continue to try the rest on the lunch combo =)
(4)Clarence A.
5 stars I think i've tried almost everything on the menu and things not on the menu. all appetizers are good, food is tasty and well prepared customer service is excellent, ambiance also very colorful. my regular order consist of kao pad (combination fried rice) not on the menu, gang gari gai (yellow curry chicken), nur pad pik (slices of beef in chili, garlic and basil sauce), Panaeng-Sam-Ros (A combination of crisp chicken, pork and beef deep-fried, topped with spicy red curry sauce), anything you order is really good at this place never had a bad experience.. food ***** excellent 5 stars customer service **** 4 1/2 excellent it they are busy it is difficult to get a refill ambiance ***** very different not like all cookie cutter thai resturants got its own feel
(5)Kristin N.
LOVE. THIS. PLACE. We always get the Tom Ka Gai soup and I'm practically licking the bowl every time. We always get the duck curry, and again, I'm licking the plate. The Siam Gems desserts are such a perfect cold and light finish to a spicy-ish meal. I've also had the chicken and beef skewers, and I love the sauce that comes one them. The chicken basil is super tasty, too. Okay, I haven't eaten anything here that I HAVEN'T liked.
(5)Max Z.
Great Service. Great Pad Thai. Cheap Prices
(5)Jenna L.
Excellent Thai food. Inexpensive. Super delicious diet coke - it must be the "real" diet coke with cane sugar because it's seriously good. Service is great. Interior is...interesting but the food is amazing so it doesn't matter.
(4)Laurent L.
The service was ok, though as somebody else mentioned, the servers didn't look too happy. Maybe it's because they have to wear these hideous multicolor shirts... Had dinner there --- it's well priced, and the ambiance is pretty nice. As for the food, the panang curry with beef was delicious, and the pad thai was a bit greasy. Overall, decent thai food, and relatively inexpensive.
(3)Heidi W.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place! Everything Ive tried so far is SO good and the prices is so affordable!!! If you like Thai food, come here and then theres a chocolate store right behind them. Nothing but pure heaven!!!!
(5)Dallas S.
Hands down the best place to get Thai food! Food comes out quickly and the taste hasn't changed ever since I started coming here in 2004. The BBQ Chicken and fish cakes & fried rice make you wanna do a back flip and slap yo mamma twice!!!
(5)Jegan A.
Manora's is a great place to get a wide range of dishes that are all good to great. The soup that comes with the daily lunch specials is delicious. I'd recommend the Gai Kra Pow and Yellow Curry. The Garlic Pork is great as well. Arrive before 12pm or after 1pm during the week to avoid the crowds.
(5)Liz T.
Another week, another Thai restaurant. If you can't tell, I'm eating my way through all of them--15 bucks at a time. Manora's food is worthy of three stars, but the service is spectacular--and not just for an Asian restaurant. So four stars. My friends and I ordered a bunch of dishes and shared them, including Tom Yum Talay (spicy seafood soup), Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang (roast duck curry), Pad Thai, Asparagus with Lobster Sauce, and Mango with Sticky Rice. It was a lot of food for three people, but we love to eat and have a little of everything. The Tom Yum Talay was dynamite--I just couldn't get enough of the flavors and spiciness. The Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang was delicious--duck is my new favorite meat in curry (it's all about the fatty but fabulous skin). The Pad Thai was pretty good but I prefer the one at King of Thai Noodle House, which is more saucy. The Asparagus with Lobster Sauce was all right--you'd think lobster would make everything superb but you're wrong. The Mango and Sticky Rice was a good, sweet ending to our night. I'm pretty sure I went to sleep at 11PM (very early for me) because I couldn't stay awake after inhaling all that. Can't wait to try more Thai restaurants, though. Where shall I go next?
(4)Reese E.
Great service, great food for a great price! My parents have been coming to this restaurant before I was even born and still the same servers and flavorful food! Try the tom ka gai and the beef with mushroom sauce and the beef egg rolls. Love this place! Can't get any better thai food anywhere else in the city... believe me I have tried it all! They have been here for 24+ years for a reason, because the restaurant is great!
(5)Jerrod E.
Great food with fast service. Place smells a bit dingy, but once your food is in front of you, you can't smell anything else. Worth seeking out.
(4)Manny A.
AMAZING FOOD. I am a pretty picky eater -- I rarely have an amazing food experience, and this was one of them. The neighborhood isn't all that great, but the food is amazing. Food - 5 stars Service - 4 stars Decor - 4 stars
(5)Today Y.
Usually lively inside when i go, and i always like everything, but always have gotten take-out because it's still just a usual thai dining room, nothing special to eat in. Usually get the veggi pad thai and mango sticky rice. Both are always packed to go very pretty with an orchid flower in the mango sticky rice. Wish there were more veggie options. It's good priced and easy to call ahead and pick-up, and always friendly. Best, ravenous meat eating certain soon to be ex's and friends can get Nate's BBQ across the street, while you can get much better, prettier, yummier thai, and not be a pain in their wanting-to-start-drinking-and-watching-movie asses.
(3)Josephine H.
Manora's is a little hidden gem in the SOMA area. I wouldn't have ever discovered this place if it weren't for someone taking me here. It's a great local Thai place to dine in or get takeout. The fresh fried fish is really good. All the basic staple Thai dishes are solid choices - pad thai, spring rolls, etc. Try the mushroom lover salad - this is soo yummy especially if you love mushrooms like I do. Service is friendly and very quick. This place also has a full bar in case you want a cocktail with dinner.
(4)Geae D.
My favorite Thai place in the city! The seafood appetizer that comes in the giant shell is my favorite. And the ice cream/banana/coconut dessert is outstanding (if you still have room after all the excellent food).
(5)Chris S.
An X-girlfriend introduced me to this spot in the SOMA district. I'm glad she did because I shared it with many friends and coworkers and everyone was impressed, even my boss! The lunch menu allows you to order two items which has a variety of chicken, meats, and vegetables. With that you get a soup and your choice of rice. Their fried rice has vegetables which isn't bad. It's a lot of food. You can sit down but it gets noisy. Or you can take out. They are pretty fast when you order for pick up. Let me just say the chicken soup is some of the best. It has lime, cilantro, mushrooms and sometimes on a cold day, that is all I need! The curry bbq chicken is some of the best and the Gai Gro Pow is awesome. You can get it mild, medium or hot. However you like the spicyness, they accomodate. You are allowed to order ala carte and they are open for dinner but the $ on the menu increases. The staff is very friendly. Service - if you sit down is great and if your in a rush to get back to work, they get you outta there. They also need to seat the many people waiting. So yea it gets busy. Keep in mind parking can sometimes be sketchy. Someone once told me a secret about asian restaurants: "If it is busy and crowded, that means the food is good. But if you see an empty restaurant, then that means the food isn't that great". I live by those words. Keep in mind, San Francisco has some of the best asian cuisine in the country. I had my chance to try some in New York but didn't get to, maybe next time. From what I here, its not the same as SF's! Sorry NYC!
(4)Polly C.
Love Love LOVE Manora's. Bf and I have been here a few times and we thoroughly enjoy their Gang-Gari-Gai (Chicken curry) and Panaeng-Sam-Roos (Red curry with fried chicken, pork and beef). Yum. We went for dinner tonight, and they even had Mango and Sticky rice which was absolutely delightful. Being Thai, I have a hard time finding Thai restaurants that have food anywhere near the caliber of my grandma's cooking, but Manora's comes awfully close.
(5)Emily C.
Yum! The minced chicken is so flavorful and the filet mignon cubes are pretty tasty as well. Thai is so overdone in SF but Manora's does it right. I'm so glad I finally got to try it. I will definitely be back!
(4)Eileen R.
Manora's Thai is yummy, not too spicy and reasonably priced. I have a hard time going and not having some fresh mint rolls and pad thai. I love their fresh mint rolls, they're simple and tasty every time. The salad kak is sinful for a salad, but soo good.
(5)Tom L.
In comparison to Basil a few blocks away, I'd say Manora's scores lower on decor but higher on the food. (Hmm, where's the Zagat rating system when you need it...) I usually try to direct people over here if they're not in a big group and are just looking to get some great Thai food. One coworker of mine didn't even like Thai, until the day I took him here and he ordered the garlic pork. Seriously, I'm changing people's lives here. One garlic pork at a time.
(4)Asha H.
Great, reasonably priced Thai food. What more could you ask for. My roomates and I are lucky that this place is just down the street from us. The service is great, the food is done very Thai-style and when I'm done eating, I am thoroughly satisfied with the food.
(5)M P.
greasy, just like any other night in the soma. i agree that it's vegetarian unfriendly, but the service is stellar. nothing to yelp home about.
(3)Jason M.
Totally solid Thai food, cheap lunch special under 10 bucks. Only been for lunch, but service is firendly and super fast.
(3)Amlan S.
Food is really great and the staff is very helpful and friendly. If you can handle spicy food, try their spicy calamari. Feel free to ask them to spice it up ... Itsss hooooooootttttt but very gooooooooodddd.
(5)Chris S.
Pretty average Thai joint. I forget the names of the 3 dishes we had but they were a seafood soup, duck curry, and peppered beef. Typical fare, typical taste, typical price. Typical Thai decor inside. This place is very typical of a Thai restaurant in America. I'm unsure why it's currently rated at 4 stars, must be the location.
(2)J J.
The baked oysters covered in sauce are fantastic. I'm never afraid to try new things here.
(4)Mitch A.
I went here for lunch. The soup I had was just OK and the chicken seemed a little on the cheap side (fat and brown meat). For my main dish I had the chicken satay which was real creamy tasting and it seemed like it was sitting around for a while. I had some kind of chicken curry for my main dish which for very average for Thai food. The chicken here also seemed very cheap (more like chinese chicken) and it came with friend rice (also chinese style). Yes, it is cheap (like 8.00 for the lunch special), but I'd rather pay a few more bucks for something worth enjoying. The decor seemed a little old and cheezy too, and I've been to Thailand so I know what good Thai food is. This place don't cut it.
(2)Jojo L.
YUM! The best thai food I have ever had. My boyfriend and I are regulars here.
(5)Jim B.
Great lunch. I've paid more for a lot worse.
(4)Holly M.
This thai is legit! The food comes out so fast you won't believe it's yours, so if you want to sit for a while, take your time ordering. The atmosphere is unique, each table with an individual fresh flower every day....very cute touch.
(4)Heinz G.
Had dinner for the first time at Manora's last night. I have been walking buy the restaurant for years. What great food. Who knew? I was very impressed with all of the dishes and the service was awesome. I would recommend this place.
(5)Jay D.
I love the place. It always satisfies. Try the beef Larb, so spicy and so tasty
(5)Julia W.
Delicious thai! The appetizers are tasty but only meant for two. Not a great place to bring a first date, fun for friends and relationships well past the dress to impress phase.
(4)xo x.
Not a huge fan of the decor, I guess it's more a neighborhood type place Had better luck with entrees (green curry chicken, item 59 = garlic prawns) than appetizers (poh pia were actually warm and too much meat, who woulda thought?, beef larb was too spicy, so so on the meat) Service was a bit off, lot of wine by the glass (house wine is like $3.25) I would say Basil Thai is still best for the area
(3)cristina s.
i love this place. spring rolls, larb and tom yum goong are my fav appetizers. everything on the menu is good...check out the chef's specials and specials of the day. full bar too!
(5)Gregor D.
I have a hard time with Thai food in general, since a lot of dishes are really sweet. We had chicken curry, tom ka gai, pad thai and some pork rolls. All of them were packed with sugar. I wasn't looking for desert, yuck!
(2)Allison K.
Good Thai food found with the help of Yelp! Delicious appy and the meal was just what the doctor ordered since I was starved. I wish I had room for mango/sticky ride but the portions here were surprisingly large. The thai iced tea will blow your mind and the wait staff are very pleasant.
(4)Srinivas R.
The food was ok. I've been here several times in the past and the food was fantastic. But this weekend the food was somewhat mediocre, and the service was unbelievably bad. It took us 30 mins to order drinks at the bar, and it was clear the guy had no bartending experience at all. I guess the only upside was that he poured our drinks way too strong.
(2)Wesley W.
The food was pretty good, and the portions were large also. The wait staff seemed stretched a little thin on a Saturday night, and the drinks were definitely stronger than I'd expect from a restaurant.
(3)Michael E.
Not a bad little spot. It's just sort of out in no man's land. Maybe that means trendy to you, but that means inconvenient to me. The food is good, just not knock your socks off good. Glass noodles and the duck dish were delicious, but the other dishes were sort of just okay. I'll have to go back and give it another go-round to see if it's really worth it.
(3)Chard M.
Manora's has one of my favorite little things that I get everytime I go there: Mint Spring Rolls. You have to get there early too b/c they only make a certain amount each night (if they make them, which they usually do). Combined with their tasty p-nut sauce and I coud just eat that for dinner. Plus, they are a stones throw away from my favorite watering hole (Wish). Eating and drinking.... my two favs!
(4)Riz N.
Food is really good and the service is just as good too. I even ordered take out and the lady was really nice and accomodating.
(5)Michelle B.
This is another one of those places that 5 years ago I would have given them 5 stars, went recently w/ friends and was not impressed. Especially since I was raving about it. it was good, but not great. #45 was alright.
(3)Jared F.
Mmmm. So this place is open late, I think till 11pm during the week, which makes for a great late night dinner. Order the BBQ Chicken, no matter what you want to eat, no no, don't argue, just order the damn chicken. It's not like traditional BBQ, but it is FANTASTICALLY amazingly good. Their pad thai wasn't so great, I'd go to Best of Thai Noodle House on haight for that, but the BBQ chicken is worth the trip, and it's pretty inexpensive!
(4)gary a.
They give a Lime wedge with their Pad Thai, not a lemon wedge. Their pad thai is my favorite in town, and it's not just of the lime wedge. I know SF has tons of Thai restaurants, but Manoras stands out with their flavors & quality. Their staff is pretty friendly and so is the bill. I also like their makeur pad prik a lot!
(4)Val U.
I have to agree with Tom L. on this one. Decor could be better, but the food is top notch. The yellow curry chicken is very tender, moist, and flavorful. Basil chicken is superb as well. Friendly, attentive service, good prices. Best Thai in the city in my book.
(5)Stellah D.
Manora's is pretty good, but like many Thai places in San Francisco they use a too heavy hand with the palm sugar. It's better than Thep Phenom though.
(3)Art D.
Fantastic Thai food! The was the first great Thai restaurant I went to, and I keep going back.
(5)Marina K.
I love how cheap this place is. MUST get the glass noodles. I crave that on a daily basis, oh that and the thai iced tea :) Parking is kind of a hassle though if you're trying to go for dinner.
(4)tiffany m.
All I have to say, "Sweet & Sour Catfish"!!
(4)T-Bone L.
You can't beat it with a stick.
(4)Dave L.
Probably my favorite Thai restaurant in the city (better than that Thep Phenom which I think is overrated personally). Not to mention that everything is priced so reasonably. Definitely recommended if you have a group of 6-8 people and want a good meal in a relatively quiet atmosphere. The waitstaff are also very nice and friendly!
(4)Merri L.
my friends and i went here after the up your alley dore alley fair the other week. my friend nate was gushing about it, and i wanted to try it because the outside is purple. (i like purple). it was just ok. i've had a lot better at a lot of places. we had to ask for water a few times. they were busier than usual cuz of the fair, so i forgive that and them running out of something, i forget what. there is no sticky rice on their menu and my food was ok but kinda sweet and vaguely fast foodish. jesse didnt like it too much. ben thought it was ok. so yah, go i guess if you're there. but thai basil isnt too far away and that is YUM so just go there instead.
(3)brian g.
for some reason, after moving back to SF from NYC, i had a lot of trouble finding a good thai place. i know, there's osha, but, i don't know. anyway, this place is great. it's unassuming, everything i've ever had is delicious (especially the green curry), it's always easy to walk into and get seated without a huge wait or reservations or anything, and the proximity to the leather bars makes for some pretty hilarious juxtaposition of clientele. i'm a big fan.
(4)Amy E.
Is still having a Best Thai Restaurant certificate from 1988 posted a good sign or a bad sign?? As a vegetarian it bugs me that there is virtually nothing vegetarian actually listed on the menu, although they will make most dishes with tofu (don't talk to me about fish sauce). Every time I've been there, it has also been extremely loud because it is very crowded. Overall, the food was good but not exceptional, and I don't think it is that much of a bargain.
(4)Rich B.
great Thai food, best i've had in SF for sure! fast service, which maybe is a problem, too much food on the table. there were 4 of us splitting dishes, and not enuff room to move, what a hardship! definitely check this place out
(4)JP Z.
Loco means crazy in spanish and that's what all these glowing reviews below are. Just because you have a trendy location, does not make up for an average at best Thai food joint. Prices are good, food is ok and service is fine, but compared to Thep Phenom!! That's just nuts, not even close.
(2)Hal C.
Best Thai I've had in the city, and best prices I've seen for Thai in a long time.
(5)Victoria G.
Went here based on a recommendation and was disappointed with their lack of vegetarian options. When I asked our server for any suggestions, or what dish can be made vegetarian, his reply was vague and unapologetic. It was as if my question was making him work above and beyond his regular duties. Perhaps he was having an off night, but he was not very helpful. I ordered the glass noodle dish, which was lacking in spice but not so much in flavor. It was pretty good. My partner ordered a beef dish covered in peanut sauce, which looked like it had been regurgitated (sorry, but it did). He said it too was lacking in spice. Maybe they assumed we were weaklings to spice, but I'm used to Thai restaurants asking me what spice level I like my dish at, and our server failed to inquire. Anyhow, it wasn't the worse Thai food I've ever had, and I'm sure some of their other dishes are much better, but for first impressions it was just OK. I'm sure there are plenty of other great Thai places to choose from in SF in the meantime.
(3)Swarup B.
passable thai food. not the best in the city and not the worst. if i'm too lazy to walk "all the way" to basil thai then this place is a suitable alternative.
(2)octavia h.
Manora's Thai food is very good and the food is very inexpensive. It is located in the Folsom area so their tends to be more parking after 6pm. Their choices in soups are great...Thom Kai Gai is my very favorite, along with their Salad/shrimp rolls
(4)Sam K.
This place has excellent food, decor, prices, and service. My fiance and I have eaten here a bunch of times and it's always good. Sometimes we order for pick up -- and they consistently get everything right and on-time.
(5)daniel c.
this place is straight quality through and through... the food is utterly delectable. i've been there on many occasions and have tried a wide array of their dishes and they never fail to deliver. you can tell straight off the bat they use high quality ingredients in all their dishes; their prawns are big and tasty; their meat isnt fatty nor chewy; the veggies fresh as fuck. their spice factor is great, they know how to bring a big heat in their dishes while maintainting a high taste level and it's not just hot for the sake of being spicy. reasonable prices and a wonderful atmosphere with great service makes this place a winner, no question.
(5)Dhoris P.
that spicy beef salad with mint leaves is my favorite.... I think it's called "beef larb".... i give them 4 stars!
(4)Roshni R.
good food, nice standard decor, and quite affordable. this is a great place for dinner if you decide to hit the soma club circuit for the night.
(4)Stephen F.
Taking into account price, service and food, I think this is the best Thai in San Francisco. We've been coming here for ten years and never get bored with the menu. And the bonus is that you can park without having to circle the block fifteen times!
(5)Kevin L.
Manora's has become my gold standard for Thai in San Francisco! The pad thai was a hefty portion with the magical level of flavor and heft to the noodle that many places get wrong. Eggplant with garlic sauce was also well done, and not just an oily mess. Decor is old-school with decorative wood paneling. Conveniently by a bunch of Folsom bars if you're looking for a post or pre-dinner drink.
(5)Priti K.
I was walking during my commute home mid-week and had the sudden insatiable urge for Thai. After traveling through SEA for 6 months last year, I'm only now starting to crave the delicious savory and spicy flavors again. We landed at Manora Thai Cuisine after Yelping for a little bit. Yelp did us right. The restaurant was pretty quiet for a Thursday evening. It's really peaceful inside and decorated nicely. Three dishes to share *Gang Gari Gai -- yellow chicken curry cooked in coconut milk with potato. It was served with a little portion of sweet cucumber salad. This dish was fantastic. The favor of the curry rich, but not overwhelming and chicken was so soft and tender. The added potato carb also went really well in the dish. It was completely drenched in gravy. 5/5 *Nur Pad Prik -- Sauteed beef with sweet basil in spicy chilli garlic sauce. Just as good if not better than the chicken dish. More savory, beautiful color and perfect with white rice. We went for medium spice, which was pretty mild for us. I would come back for these two dishes alone. 5/5 *Pad Thai -- with how good the first two dishes were, we were expecting a pretty good pad thai, but this is where there was a drastic drop in quality. Reason being the excessive use of fish sauce. It tasted funky because they used way too much. My partner doesn't eat seafood, but loved pad thai. This took away the dish for him and I was left to finish all of it. Which I didn't do because the portion is HUGE. 2/5 The service is friendly. All the male servers wore tropical shirts, but it didn't quite go with the restaurant's ambiance. Of course that should not deter you. Great choice for Thai and we will probably get take out from here again. The prices were reasonable too. $36 for all that plus two rice bowls. Sweet deal.
(4)Catherine Y.
Just got off the phone with them. Horrible customer service on the phone. I nicely said I wanted to order for pick up. The guy who answered in a very rude tone, "WHaT do you want", "What else!" I was taken aback by his tone. I haven't tried their food yet and it was my first time ordering, so hopefully when I pick up the food maybe I'll slightly change my mind about the horrible.. Outburst-like service. Oh also I ordered a Tom yum soup, and he said no because that's on the dinner menu and they don't make dinner menu right now. Ok, I don't get it. I mean yea if that's really just part of your dinner menu, then fine. Please speak to customers In a better way when telling them. Also, it's a small size soup. Why don't you have soup for lunch? Don't understand.
(2)Elizabeth S.
Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines. So I must jump at the sight of a Thai restaurant I've never been too. Manora's is on the corner of Folsom and 12th- easy to find but hard to find parking. The experience is worth it though. Apparently, they've been around for thirty plus years. That explains the older looking architecture inside, but it's embellished nicely with Thai motifs of wood carved panels and artwork. There is something cozy about the "old world" ambiance - similar to a dark color schemed interior space in a Victorian house. The staff here adds to the comfortable ambiance with their affability and attentive service. I indulged in a fresh, flavorful chicken larb salad. It was a little on the salty side but nevertheless very good. I'm pleased to report, they do not use MSG here. It's a been a few hours, and I'm cotton-mouth free! I'd love to come back and try another one of my favorite spicy Thai basil and pepper dishes and of course, multiple other items on the menu!
(4)Damian M.
Okay you are busy, but not acknowledging us then giving us the side eye and walking away as we try to get your attention, no thank you. This is among the worst service ever for me.
(1)Jennifer W.
Come here for the lunch specials. You can choose a couple of dishes and have the house fried rice on the side. But the single best part of the lunch combo is the lemon chicken soup. Both the beef and chicken satay are okay, but a little dry. Even though the soup calls to me, I like the noodle dishes. I've tried the pad thai and pad kee mao. I've also had the chicken and fish ball noodle soup. Recently, I also tried the duck served with rice and it was simply delicious. The cuts where big and fatty. Plus, the thai iced tea hits the spot.
(4)Helen L.
I'm rating on their lunch combos which is $9.50, what a deal. The lemongrass chicken soup is the best with chunks of chicken and mushrooms. Pick two items, and you get fried rice, piece of orange, and vinegar cucumbers, which is delicious. I had the yellow chicken curry. It was okay. Lots of potatoes. The minced chicken with garlic basil sauce. That was okay too. Brown rice is $1.00 extra. The food comes out super fast. Service is always good and fast. They actually clear the dishes. They are efficient! The decor is lovely, so that you don't have to think you are out in the boonies of Folsom. My table mates enjoyed their tempura shrimp and veggies. I wasn't in a frying mood. The papaya salad looked good.
(5)Ali H.
This is definitely a strong 3.5 - 4 star but not quite a 4. - Service was great - Food was good quality. Got a couple of dishes, including Tom Yum , Pad Prik (with Chicken), Eggplant with Garlic sauce, and Pad Thai. Food was good not great. - Wish they had a few more noodle dishes on the menu. In all fairness, if I lived in the area I'd probably go all the time..but would likely not make a trip out of my way to here.
(3)Kathleen U.
I came here on a Wednesday with my co workers. Apparently, this is the go to spot for thai in this neighborhood. I've heard good things about this place from numerous people at my department. I had high expectations and I was not disappointed. A group of us 6 ordered ahead for our lunch orders. The restaurant was able to accommodate our request. Our food straight out of the kitchen was set on the table when we arrived. Wow, I never went to a restaurant that would do that for you. I ordered the chicken pad thai. Definitely the most generic item you could order at a thai restaurant. This pad Thai here was delicious! There was a big amount of portion of noodles and meat on the dish. I couldn't even finish my pad thai so I had the rest of my meal put in a box. The customer service was excellent. Not only they were able to accommodate us. One of the waiters even gave one of my co workers a heads up to order take out immediately because it'll take 20 minutes for the food to be ready. They knew we had to go back to the office which was nice. This will probably be one of my favorite to go lunch place on the weekdays.
(5)Maht D.
Went tonight for dinner before heading back north. The food was good and the staff was very nice. The drinks from the bar are way expensive but the food was very authentic. would go back!
(5)Sam P.
Really looked forward to this place after reading some solid reviews. Unfortunately, Manora's did not live up to any of the accolades. Upon entering we were assessed by an inquisitive host; he seemed to wonder what could have possibly compelled us to walk in the door. Perhaps he was trying to warn us. We were invited to sit at "any of the tables for two." The only other two-top had us shoulder to shoulder with another couple. I don't mind close quarters, but the fact that the large restaurant was nearly empty left us feeling crammed in a corner for no good reason. Once seated we noticed the table and place-mats were quite sticky. Gross. The waiter was genuinely helpful, pleasant to interact with, and knowledgeable about the menu. He politely offered recommendations which we happily took him up on. He was the least-bad part of the experience. The food came quickly, too quickly. I ordered green curry with chicken that somehow managed to be spicy yet bland; a bowl of goo so thick it bordered on gelatinous, riddled with mushy grey chicken. The dish conjured memories of the cheap Chinese food I consumed too regularly in the mid-aughts, drunkenly walking home down a soon-to-be-gentrified Nostrand Ave; a gut full of booze my only shield from food poisoning. Gnarly as it was, I can't stand wasting food and attempted to finish the "meal." My resolve was no match for the goo though. I took some small solace knowing that a substance of such dubious taste and texture should not be consumed by anyone. We paid and left, disappointed, never to return.
(1)Jessica F.
I absolutely love this place for the lunch special. I haven't had the dinner but if the food is as good as the lunch, I'm sure its well worth it.The lunch special comes with a side of chicken coconut soup that is so yummy. The only thing I could change about the chicken in the soup is that it's not necessarily clean of the chicken fat. You cannot go wrong with the 2 sides and fried Thai rice for the price. I've tried almost everything on the lunch special and if you like beef than you should go with the spicy basil thin slices of steak with the yellow curry chicken.
(5)Travis B.
I wanted some Thai food and this placed popped up on chefs feed. I had an excellent meal here! Not a typical Thai restaurant, I saw many unique options on the menu that I normally do not see elsewhere which made it hard to decide what to order! I went with three dishes: Larb - this is my go to dish anytime I get Thai food. This one was great, it had a good spice level but not overkill so I could taste all the ingredients, not too saucy as well as I've had Larb that was drowning in itself before. The bonus was the big avocado slice! It had a good amount of minced chicken and all the greens were crisp! Salad Kak - Listed on the menu as seasonal veggies this salad mostly consisted of bamboo sprouts, greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, half an avocado and hardboiled eggs. It was topped with fried tofu slices and a peanut sauce. Without the tofu and peanut sauce this would have been a pretty basic salad, but this particular dish introduced me to an amazing flavor combo: hard boiled egg + peanut sauce! Ohhh my I fell in love with that flavor combination! Kai Yad Sai - aka Thai style omelette. This is what I imagine Thai "soul" food to be. A thin layered omelette stuff with crab, shrimp, and minced chicken with thai spices (not spicy though). It also contained peas, onions and peppers and came with a mild red semi-sweet chili sauce. The peas were an unexpected but nice addition. It was so satisfying it gave me that homey feel. The restaurant itself was nicely decorated, with a small flower and candle on the table. Large red cloth napkins are provided and the placemats are leather embossed with the logo. I went in on a Tuesday night around 9PM it was not busy and the service was quick and attentive. My water was refilled as needed and I had different employees check on me and run my food. Price was good as I spent $28 on three dishes before tip! I will be back when I want a Thai experience outside the usual curries and fried rice dishes!
(4)Julie D.
Manora's Thai Cuisine is one of my favorite Thai restaurant in SoMa of San Francisco. If you love Thai food like me then you should come here for their lunch combination special. I have been going here for so many years now and they never fail to disappoint. For under $11 you will get soup, choice of two items with thai fried rice....can't beat that! I always get their garlic pork with yellow chicken curry they are so yummy together. If you want dessert then you should get their sticky rice with mango it is delicious! Everything is good for lunch combo you have to slowly try them all. The service is super friendly and the easy street parking made dining here less stressful. Lunch starts at 11:30-2:30. Just a note it can get pretty busy for lunch. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Diana K.
I ordered takeout from here yesterday - it was quick and very mediocre. Not the best pad thai I've had. Maybe their lunch offerings are better. Restaurant itself was kind of quiet and the colors of the interior were dark and bleek. I don't know if I would stop in to eat.
(2)Kia B.
Manora's never, I mean never, disappoints!!! The coconut lemongrass chicken soup has always been my favorite (nothing in this world like it!) When my 14 year old came home saying she had Thai food for the first time with her family...I thought "girl, you ain't had Thai food if it ain't Manora's"... So tonight was our date night...chicken satay, coconut lemongrass chicken soup, yellow curry chicken and fried bananas for dessert! My 14 year old had nothing to say after that...except to say that there's a party in her mouth!!! LOL This place definitely sets the bar for all Thai restaurants in the area...the food is authentic, the price reasonable and the customer service is on point!!! What can I say...whether dining in or taking out...I'm a customer for life!!!
(5)Hayley T.
Go with the most reviewed option: duck curry! Yellow chicken curry was ok, crispy duck also ok but doesn't stand out as much as the duck curry.
(4)Anita O.
This is by far the new gold standard in Thai cuisine for me, and I've tried a lot. I had the shrimp drunken noodles (not on the menu but if you ask for it, they can make it- as spicy as you like too) and the sweet chili basil beef dish with jasmine rice. Incredible food and good service. It was not super busy around 7:30 to 8 on Saturday night so we were seated quickly. Food portions are on the smaller side, though, and my party of 2 was not incredibly full after our meal. Otherwise, I would've given this place five stars!
(4)Richard A.
Nice to take a friend there for her first visit only to have her say "the Pad Thai was delicious!" I liked my lunch combo a lot: it's what I always get.!
(4)Rebecca C.
3.5 stars. I have heard about this place from a couple of people and finally had the chance to try it out. Ambience - a bit loud with some traditional Thai decorations. Out of the dishes that we ordered, the lemon chicken soup was phenomenal, very tender, aromatic soup, great balance of spices and coconut milk -must have. The duck curry and calamari with garlic sauce were suppose to have different sauces but tasted very similar. A bit sweet for my curry taste but still pretty good.
(3)Tenaya C.
The best Thai food in the Bay Area. Prices are reasonable
(4)Sophia H.
I LOVE this place! I'm not really a very Thai food person but this one is so good. I literally like every dish I have tried. I will definitely go back and try more! (Personally like it better than Osha thai which is the first Thai place I tried in SF)
(5)Dyana P.
Came here for lunch with a few friends. Pretty good service minus the waitress. She must be having a bad day. Pad see ew was good. Limited lunch menu in my opinion. Chicken basil was alright. It's really hot in there on a sunny day
(4)Klondike B.
Best damn Pad Thai ever. Makes you want to rush to Thailand to hug the grandmother you never had (cuz ur white).
(4)Angela D.
I was looking forward to returning to this restaurant with a fairly large group of friends but unfortunately the food that night was not nearly as good as the other numerous times I've dined here. Every dish we ordered was either heavily salted or overly sweet. I'm not sure if the inconsistency was due to the size of our party or if it was a different chef that night? I've had such great experiences eating here so many times and for a Michelin recommended place, I can't believe I left that night so disappointed. I am willing to give this place a second chance and hoping that one night was just a one-off .
(2)David C.
Love this place. Great Thai food and some of the best prices in the area for this cuisine type. It's a little dark and low-energy inside, but the service is friendly. Great lunch specials too.
(5)Thai D.
We were driving around SF looking for a place to eat. We ending up at Manora after seeing some good reviews on yelp. My first impression was, ok it's pretty packed. Must be good. The restaurant itself was a bit on the small side. The waitress sat the four of us next to what looks like a loud group, celebrating a birthday. We noticed that we were given only three menus for the four of us. upon asking the waiter for another menu, he replied, "we don't have enough. " WTF? really? Then as we made our order, we asked the waiter if we can make it two separate bill? The waiter stood back and gave us this dirty ass look, like are you serious? He took a 30 second pause and finally opened his mouth and said, it's too busy I don't think we can. " I almost wanted to slap the taste out of his mouth for giving us that dumb ass look. Now as far as the food goes, we ordered the special soft shell crab appetizer, crispy duck, seafood pong ping? , and egg rolls and larb. The duck and soft shell crab was delicious. I don't know if $9 for one small crab was worth the price. but it was good. I do appreciate my water being refilled often, which was a nice surprise. other than that my experience here was mediocre given the fact that this place had won a few awards for their food. I may give this place another try, just because it was quite busy.
(3)Nikole S.
Tasteeeeee. A little pricey for lunch but their green curry is just the right amount of spice and creaminess to satify the Thai food lover. Thumbs up for this little jewel.
(4)Tina F.
{ service : 3 stars } * service is a bit slow, hard to find waiters/waitresses when you want them { atmosphere : 3.5 stars } * thai-ish, looks traditional (although i wouldn't necessarily know) * paper napkins * tables can be close together / cozy (share conversations with the table next to you) { food : 4 stars } * Tom Yum Goong : 4.5 stars - broth was amazing, shrimp was good, wished mushrooms were cooked a bit more, too many huge chunks of onions, good amount of heat/spice * Beef Shish-Ka-Bob : 3.5 stars - meat was a bit dry and over cooked, 2 skewers * Moo-Gra-Tiam : 5 stars - so much flavor! so much garlic (get the beano or gas-x ready, pre + post dinner), but it's sooo good and worth it! great quantity too * Panaeng-Sam-Ros : 3.5 stars - curry was good, but the meats were a little flavorless (the pork one was the best) * Som-tum : 4 stars - good flavors TIP: street parking isn't bad and free at night (maybe after a certain time? not sure what that time is)
(4)Haley D.
Best Thai food in the Bay, hands down!!!! It's a tiny place, bursting with flavor. We always order the same thing: Tom Yum Talay - coconut seafood soup (mild). A MUST! Gai-Kra Trao - mom's favorite, not mine Pad Thai - a little dry The best part of the meal is always the soup. If I had to choose my favorite food, this would be it. It is excellent every time. Everything in it is always so fresh, especially the seafood. They must get their own special delivery. Scallops are cooked to perfection, not tough at all, and the squid is just the same. Perfectly tender in the soup. Shrimp is superb as well. Fresh ginger and lemongrass. The mushrooms are delish. Mmmmmm... My mouth is watering just thinking about it. You can get it spicy or mild. I'm not a big spice person, but the mild is just perfect for me :) This soup takes all that's good in the world and makes it edible. I cannot stress how amazing it is. This soup changed my life!
(5)Raktim M.
Best Thai food ! The chicken green curry chicken soup were just amazing ! The price is good and the service is quick.
(5)David S.
This was unfortunately pretty bad. The staff was great and the place was lovely and clean, but the food was just not good: Mint Spring Rolls: These were alright, if a little boring. Pad Thai: This was just blah. It didn't have much flavor and even looked bland. Duck Curry: When you cook duck, you really need to render the fat under the skin. If you don't, it is rubbery and gross. The meat was also somewhat chewy. What could have been a fantastic dish was kinda gross. White rice: Really, I shouldn't need to even mention ordering this, but they put too much water in their rice and instead of nice, slightly firm grains, it was more of a mush.
(2)Susie C.
Been here over 5 times with BF. The staff is always great and quick. A really nice ambient and vibe that is intimate yet casual still. Fresh flowers on table every single time (really?!?! it's the small things that matter). Parking isn't too difficult and walking distance from my house (1 mile). Food is yummy! Everything that we've gotten has always come out fresh, quickly and most importantly, delicious.
(5)Thugnisch ..
Never disappoints. The chicken lemongrass soup is delicious. Lunch specials are great! Staff is always friendly and attentive.
(4)Anon A.
Fun date night Thai place. We went with all of the servers recommendations: coconuts soup, spicy beef appetizer and eggplant. The soup and appetizer were delicious (and hot!), the eggplant main course was yummy as well but a little too salty.
(4)Deborah N.
I have been coming here for over 25 years. This used to be THE Thai restaurant in the City. I remember needing to wait almost 45 minutes to get dinner in the past. The stiff competition has really affected the number of customers. However, if you are looking for good, reliable food and efficient service, this is still the place to come. I like coming for the lunch special since the price is excellent for the amount and quality of food that you get. The price of $8.95 includes a cup of spicy coconut chicken soup (rich and delicious), two mix and match choices (i.e.. curry chicken, beef stew, fried prawns, etc.) and fried rice. I as well as many people around me cannot finish and end up taking a doggy bag home. The only knock is that the interior is a little "tired" and needs some refreshing. I think a more modern feel would go a long way here.
(4)Tori F.
I told them I was vegetarian and they told me they could substitute a salad for the chicken soup. When my veggie curry arrived, it had (wait for it) chicken stock! Note to the owners and staff: vegetarians do no eat chicken stock! When my bill came I asked them why the lunch special was a $1 more? "For the salad" she replied. They did not tell me it would be a $1 more. Maybe they though I would not notice. The food was not good and it was a terrible experience.
(1)Nikita K.
Great lunch special they have here! I came here with with a friend who works at UCSFMission Center, and she said she comes here often. I got the lunch special with beef and prawns. Both were good and came with rice and coconut soup. The coconut soup had large pieces of white chicken meat, which was a little strange, but i liked the broth. We also got pad thai on the side, and it was standard pad thai, but I would come back to this place if I was at UCSF Mission Center again.
(3)Chris S.
I got the lunch special with the yellow chicken curry and the Thai Bar-Be-Que with sweet garlic sauce. It comes with a really delicious soup that was probably the highlight of the meal. The entrees were also really scrumptious. One caveat was that this doesn't really taste much like any thai place I've ever been. The curry sauces are thinner and clearly still curry, but they're less in-your-face about it than many thai places. It's like the curry is the shy guy at school instead of your hard-of-hearing grandmother that shouts everything. I can't deny my love for these more traditional places, but I also can't deny that Manora's was great in its own right. Service was fast and pleasant, and the prices and portions are very good too. Lunch for less than $10 in soma is great, and the portions aren't as gratuitously (and unhealthily) huge as many places. The lunch special is just enough to fill you up and then some, not enough for two meals. Their menu is highly diverse, and I can't wait to come back and try other things...including dinner items that aren't around at lunch :)
(5)Tiffany H.
Our friend recommended this thai restaurant to us, so we decided to try it since we were in the neighborhood. I was a bit skeptical but I saw all the Michelin recommended and Zagat signs on the door, then I told myself this place must be good!!! Although we weren't really hungry, we still ordered three dishes. 1. papaya salad: we have to order this to compare this thai restaurant to others we like in SF. It was not as spicy as I had hoped, but overall pretty good... but nothing too exciting.. i guess it's hard to mess up papaya salad? 2. tom yum talay: it's a soup dish, and i had requested them to add glass noodles to the soup. It was good, but didn't blow my mind away. I've had better soup elsewhere. i have to say there were a lot of spices used for this soup... maybe a bit too much??? I was really thirsty after drinking the soup! 3. pad thai: Of course we had to order pad thai to ultimately make our judgement of this thai restaurant. I am glad we did. Pad thai was the best dish for us here. every strand of noodle was very flavorful, and the noodles were cooked and stirred fried just right. I think they are very good at stir frying or pan frying at this restaurant. Overall, it was A-OK for a Michelin recommended restaurant.
(3)Jesse R.
The two soups we ordered were awesome. The red beef curry was Chuck and way over done carrots in a supper weak unspicy gravy. Like a messed up pot roast or something?? The green curry was decent but nothing special. The service was like good cop bad cop routine. The head waitress was nice at first, but when we told her we wanted to order our soups first then give her the rest of our order once they arrived she got kind of bitchy. I kind of got the feeling she does not like white people only their money?? The water boy came to our table completely expressionless even when we said thank you politely like he had been playing Russian roulette or something in the back. Then the second male waiter brought us our main dishes with a warm smile and spoke with us for a moment leaving us a little bewildered after the first two encounters??? Weird staff, awesome soups.
(2)D C.
Got take out and it was barely edible. Did the chef change recently? Nothing like I remember from a few months ago. Mango sticky rice - why serve it if your mangos aren't ripe??
(1)Kim N.
It used to be that this area had very few choices before a show at Slim's or other nearby venue. This has changed in recent years but before all that was Manora. Im a huge fan of duck and Manora serves it in three different ways. Ped-Tod-Ka-Na-Grob - Crispy pieces of roast duck fried in batter with greens, served with sweet chili garlic sauce Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang - Roast duck curry cooked in coconut milk and red chili sauce with pineapple and spinach are two of my favorite ways with the last being roast duck over rice. Im generally in a hurry when im here so hopefully one of these days Ill actually go with a lot of people and try other things. Solid regardless.
(4)blaine s.
Lovely ambience, delicious food, handsomely dresses waitstaff, parking easier than most areas of San Francisco. Classic Thai - not California fusion Thai that are becoming popular. It would have been nice if the waitress had offered to change our messy plates after finishing appetizers. We had to ask. Also, the server just brought us a bill without asking if we wanted dessert or tea. It is all in the details. If the restaurant is going to keep its Michelin rating, it must earn it's wings everyday! All the food was excellent - just a few details were amiss.
(4)Riana L.
Best green curry I've found in the city so far and the price is right! They have a good handful of lunch specials to choose from.
(5)Deena D.
I love it here! It's like it always has been, authentic, yummy SF Thai food! It's never crazy busy. Usually all old school locals. I hope it never changes!
(5)Elizabeth H.
Came here with some friends last night before going across the street to The Willows for drinks and board games. We ordered tom yum goong, beef satay, pad thai, and som-tum. My favorite was the pad thai, which I actually don't usually order if the restaurant has pad kee mao, but I still enjoy nonetheless. The highlight of the pad thai here is definitely in the flavors - savory, a little sour, not too sweet, and some spice. I'm not a fan of peanuts, which is unfortunate because I love Thai and Vietnamese food, but I deal with it. However, the beef satay had too strong of a peanut flavor for me, and was a little dry as well. That being said, if you like peanuts, that`s probably a great dish. The papaya salad was on par with the pad thai in terms of quality, so not much to say there. But tom yum goong is one of my favorite soups in the world because it incorporates all my favorite flavors: salty, spicy, and sour. Sadly, it was a bit of a disappointment last night because it wasn't spicy at all, and too sweet for me. The meats and vegetables in the soup, on the other hand, were great! Reasonable prices, and great service. In fact, we left to go play games across the street at around 8PM. At around 10:45, we were getting ready to leave The Willows when I realized that my DSLR wasn't there, so I ran across the street to check if I had left it there. Despite already being closed for the day, they let me in, and handed me my camera back - having kept it in a safe place behind the cash register. So thankful!
(4)Chelsey G.
Ventured out of my usual Clement Street Thai food circuit and tried out Manora. Pleasantly surprised. The place was very clean, beautifully decorated, and the food was better than at most Thai places. The Tom Yum was real spicy and perfect for clearing a stuffy nose. Mint roll was also delicate and delicious. Good little date spot.
(4)Tim G.
Manora's is a hidden gem tucked away in SOMA. I would never have stumbled upon it if it weren't for the Yelp app on my phone. Getting here was a real breeze and finding parking was even easier. It wasn't hard to find a 2 hour parking spot less than a block away from the restaurant on a weekday. The lunch specials are indeed worth it! I ordered the Kow-Gang Panaeng and it was very filling. I ordered it medium spicy and it wasn't spicy enough so I had to add some extra chili powder. I like my food really hot. My friend ordered the Pad Thai and the ingredients were really fresh. That's really key and I usually avoid Pad Thai due to old bean sprouts at other restaurants. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the portions were quite large. I highly recommend getting the Pad Thai! We also ordered Thai Iced Tea as well. We will be back again and Manora's might turn into our regular lunch spot.
(4)Sheena L.
I came in for dinner yesterday night and ordered soup Tom ka talay and some beef entree dish #36. The soup was tasty. The beef dish was incredibly small in portion. There were 6 pieces of hard to chew beef on a mountain of baby greens. That being said, half way through the meal I noticed that their health inspection score of a 66 was hung in the corner behind the bar. I went over to take a closer look and the inspection date on the score was very recent. That night... food poisoning. Won't come back :(
(1)L T.
I would have ratde 5 stars but just ordered togo: Kow-Gang-Kiew-Wan, minus any meat. Excellent spicy green curry sauce, MSG is non-detectable. Dish only came with two little slices of eggplant Previous orders consisted of more than 1 slice of eggplant. Hopefully this was a one-time mistake. Menu description: "Spicy green curry with you choice of chicken, pork or beef, mixed with slices of eggplant and green beans with a touch of basil, served with steamed rice." Great service otherwise.
(3)Emilia P.
Delicious food. We had the lemongrass chicken coconut soup and the salmon curry. Both fabulous and for a very reasonable price. Staff were quick and attentive. Would definitely come again.
(5)Julia T.
We have been here a few times now, and the food has always been delicious. Everything is always so fresh and the staff is very friendly. I have tried a few other Thai places around the city, and this remains my favorite thus far.
(5)Michelle R.
Let me start my saying that I began coming here in my mother's womb! This has been a long time favorite restaurant of hers, and I guess it's genetic because I admit it's one I frequent also. Environment: When you first walk in there is a large tree that looms over the entry doors. Lovely paintings adorn the walls. A large wooden partition wall breaks up the open room nicely. There are always fresh cut, health flowers on vases on each table. Service: The service is always prompt and polite. All of the staff wear seemingly authentic colorful Thai clothing that certain adds to their charm. Cuisine (The most important part!) Delicious! I've had almost every item on the menu, and I have no complaints. The highlights I'd recommend would be the coconut chicken soup. It's my absolute favorite. Moist chicken swimming in a tangy lemongrass coconut milk broth with white button mushrooms and cilantro floating on the surface. The Pad Thai is also not to be missed. Pad Thai is the go-to for many, and this restaurant must put magic in their sauce, it's just too good to be true. The papaya salad is really lovely. I normally order it mild. I love the crunchy, sour, spicy refreshing salad. The menu options are very affordable and you get quite a large portion for the price. Overall This place is a gem that's been around much longer than I have been (referencing the first paragraph) and I'm glad to see it's still here and thriving. If you're looking for a good Thai spot in the city, this is a great option.
(5)Priya S.
This is our go-to Thai take out near our place m. It's incredibly consistent, fresh and tasty. We especially like the green curry and pad Thai. It's noir greasy or heavy the good has a lot of traditional Thai flavors. It's good to dine in has a pleasant ambiance.
(4)Jake B.
So, I've been to Manora many times over the last decade and it's gotten steadily worse. My partner and I went this past Friday after probably 2 years away. We were originally going to go to another place, but it wasn't open yet so we opted for Manora. As we sat down, we noticed some rather foul scents in the air...not ones I am used to. Once we acclimated, we ordered our food. I wanted Pad Si Ew, but realized that it wasn't on the menu (even though it's listed on the site) so I had to settle for another noodle dish. It had chicken and shrimp along with veggies. I started eating it and had a piece of chicken on my fork. I noticed that the chicken looked a little uncooked, but I ate it anyway. When I bit down on it, it was indeed raw on the inside. There's nothing worse on the teetch than raw chicken. The entire dish was rather one savory note. There was just salt and a bit of spice...nothing else. I was very disappointed. I was pretty much done after a few bites. My partner had the Green Curry Chicken. He asked the waiter if it was spicy and he said no, so he ordered it as he has a sensitive stomach. Needless to say, it was INCREDIBLY spicy. So much so that my partner had stomach issues right after the meal. I had stomach issues after we left, later that evening and I knew it was the chicken. I am not impressed with this restaurant anymore. It used to be a fun place to go for relatively good food, but those days are gone. The interior needs an update...badly...and please remove the stained carpet from the floor. One last thing I noticed was the health score posted on the wall by the bar. They scored an 80 out of 100!!! Wouldn't you, as a place that serves food, want to be at 100? I won't eat at any place now with that kind of a score. Please, clean your restaurant and your food up. Thanks...
(2)Nyomi B.
Love this place! I can call in my order for the lunch specials & pick it up in 15 minutes or less. I work near by and they are always have my food waiting nice , fresh, and hot!
(5)Pizzle D.
We showed up on a friday around 11:30 am and we were maybe the 5th table out of maybe 30 or so seated. By noon every seat in the restaurant was filled. It being my first time I thought this to be a good thing. The service was very on it, they seemed to all work well and efficiently together. The plates were taken away promptly after finishing, we always had water/drinks refilled before going empty, etc. The food was probably 3.5 out of five stars for me. I cant remember what the name of the salad we had but it was my favorite! It had prawns, mint, lemongrass, glass noodles, lettuce, and a yummy sweet Thai dressing. The pad Thai was really good at the restaurant, but meh for leftovers. The papaya salad needed much more heat, and garlic. The BBQ chicken was dry and over cooked, but had good flavor. As I looked around I saw a lot of soups or curries being ordered, maybe we just didn't get the memo!
(4)Angela L.
Saw that this place had relatively good reviews and it was walking distance, so I thought I would give it a try. Meal started off with the Tom-Ka soup which was pretty satisfying. Broth was coconuty and flavorful aaaand a good amount of spicy. It had a lot of goodies in there - mussels, squid, calamari, shrimp, and mushrooms. Pad Thai was alright. I always love me some chili powder that made it better. Nothing to rave about, but also nothing to complain about. Yellow curry chicken was extremely disappointing. Only had dark chicken meat (I'm more of a bones fan and white meat fan myself) and potatoes in there. Was not what I was hoping for at all. Didn't have any coconut flavor either.. which I'm pretty sure is a staple of thai restaurants! Service was whatever. The servers there definitely don't look the happiest, but they get the job done. One last thing - their menu is kinda hard to read if you're lazy like me.. or not a fob from Thailand. It took me forever to find a curry and didn't even realize there was a green curry which I had been craving (only found out when I heard the table next to us ordered it). They should reorganize their menu into type categories as opposed to meat categories. All in all, I probably would not recommend this place unless you're starving for thai and everything else is closed for some odd reason.
(3)Dan D.
Manora's is one of the best Thai restaurants I've been to-- and I eat a lot of Thai food. Gang-ped-ped-yang (Pineapple Curry Duck), Som Tom (Papaya Salad), Larb: all amazing. It's just great.
(5)Tiffany V.
Service is fantastic, food is decent, decor is so over the top it makes one think they were trying to be ironic. All was well in the entirely empty restaurant until this family sits at the table perpendicular to ours and this mans back is literally just on our fucking table. Awesome.
(3)Jane L.
I was at happy hour at a lounge near by after work today with a friend and we got hungry and walked right on over around 8PM. A little later and the place was packed and so many people were waiting at the bar area for seats. A good sign. My friend and I ordered the paad-kin-na-ree and the nur-pad-prik. I really liked the paad-kin-na-ree. It was very flavorful and I liked the noodles it came with. There was plenty of mushrooms, shrimp, and other seafood in the dish. The staff didn't skimp at all. The nur-pad-prik was okay. The server recommended it to my friend. He said it was just a bit spicy, but it we actually didn't taste the spice at all. The beef was cooked fine, with just a tiny bit pink left. But the beef didn't taste all that flavorful. I only wish the plates were a little bigger since the noodles had me wanting for more. All in all, good food, good price.
(4)Marfel L.
You get a lot of value for your dollar on the weekday lunch menu. I thoroughly enjoy their lemongrass chicken soup, cucumber salad, yellow chicken curry and chicken satay. I've tried others on the menu and have not been disappointed, these are just my favorite dishes.
(5)Pascal G.
Manora's Thai Cuisine is one of my fav's in SF! The food tastes authentic, the atmosphere is homey and relaxing, as well as parking isn't that bad in the neighborhood compared to other parts of the city. Some of the dishes I recommend: Tod-Mon, Som-Tom, Tom Yum Goong, Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang, Pra-Ram-Long-Song, Pong-Pang, & the classic Pad Thai. You should try anything that looks delicious to you of course.
(4)Meghan P.
Manora Thai is good but, with the other options very nearby, I'd choose elsewhere. In my opinion, both Basil Canteen and Basil Thai are more delicious. I ordered a non-coconuty soup (as I always do at thai restaurants), we shared spring rolls, and Zack ordered a fairly simple chicken dish. The service was fast but I found the food somewhat un-inspiring. Also, I would have preferred that the lighting be less bright. It did appear like they might have a full bar though so that could be a redeeming feature!
(3)Ty T.
The Nur Toon (marinated beef cubes with mushroom and garlic clay pot) served over brown rice is perfect for cold weather! It comes mildly spiced, and a little bit of spice, really does this boy nice. So, I like to add a wallop of chili sauce for a bit more focused heat, and for good measure.
(4)Ed U.
Oh yeah, I've been to Manora's. Why is it I forget it's here? I don't think I've been to Manora's since I've been Yelping, and that's a long time not to go to a neighborhood Thai place, don't you think? Nothing horrible happened to me. I honestly can't remember why I never returned. But in need of a Thai fix, Jamie W. and I decided to give it a go. Heavy on traditional Thai decor or at least the Cost Plus version of it, Manora's offers pretty decent food albeit in rather skimpy servings. We tried three dishes, so let me give you an itemized checklist. First, we went predictable and ordered the $8.95 Pad Thai, which was the standard mix of pan-fried rice noodles with shrimp, tofu, egg and bean sprouts (see photo). Good enough but skimpy. Then, we segued into the $8.95 Ped-Tod-Ka-Na-Grob, crispy, batter-fried slices of roast duck served with fried basil and a sweet chili garlic sauce (see photo). Tasty stuff but not nearly enough. Last was the $7.95 Kai-Yad-Sai, a seafood-stuffed omelet with crab, shrimp and some chicken as well (see photo). This was the right size but it wasn't helped too much by the chile sauce. Now the rice they give you plenty of, for sure. Oh now, I remember why I haven't come back. We were still kinda hungry when we were done and weren't in the mood for fried banana balls, whatever those are. Service, I have to confess, was on the perfunctory side like automatic pilot with a flickering light. I just like the quality and quantity to be found at Basil Thai further up Folsom, even if they don't have the Bangkok-style ambiance. Now wait, what was the name of the place I talking about? FOOD - 3 stars...pretty good Thai but they should give seconds AMBIANCE - 3 stars...heavy on the Bangkok vibe in here SERVICE - 2.5 stars...they buzz by with haste TOTAL - 3 stars...I think I'll come back if I can only remember the name
(3)D B.
Calling all players. It's time to analyze the game. Here are but a few genres of Thai server outfits. Solids & Wovens: Ploy II, Koh Samui & The Monkey Shines, Marnee, etc.. All-Black: Million Thai, Thai Place II, Gecko Gecko, etc.. Street Clothes: Tawan's, Wat Mongkolratanaram, Jarin, etc.. Generic Business Casual: Lers Ros, Bai Som, Jitlada, etc.. Mash-Up: Thep Phanom, which is quirky in just about every aspect anyway. Then Manora's makes its play. I hadn't completely stepped in yet when I found myself facing a man in a SUNFLOWER shirt. Not yellow like the color of a sunflower - I'm talking about sunflower drawings all around. Another server had an all-over print of a PAINTING similar to the ones on the walls. The third server I saw broke the steelo with a solid faded WINE color. Who knows what he was thinking. Everything I ordered materialized quickly. #11 Pirate Treasure $6.95: Duh. It starts with "pirate". Don't read the description (it doesn't really prepare you, anyway). Just get it. #42 Answer to the Universe Omelette $8.95: Middle of the road, give or take. I appreciate its umami over Bai Som's sweet version. #00 Ice Water $0.00: Even when the crowd picked up, my glass kept getting filled. Possibly among the best water service I've had. #58 Mussel Gooey Pajeon $10.95: I didn't get it, but it could be semi-adventurous if it's like Amphawa's hoi-tod / hoy tod rendition. NOTE: The servers can seem a little ex-conish, but I think you want that. You're here for Pirrrrrate Treasurrrrre, not Double Rainbow Pot o' Gold.
(3)Rosie M.
I walked in with ordering from the lunch specials in mind. Then, I couldn't decide which dish I should have the yellow curry with to compliment the flavors. So, I opted for Khew-Tew Rad-Na with chicken and Thai Iced Tea. I was craving the chow fun type noodles anyway. I liked the fact that the gravy was a little thinner than usual Rad-Na. I guess because it was a rather hot day, and I did order gravy. I was pretty happy with the fact that the portion size was decent for the price. I will visit again, and update my post. Hopefully, it was just the dish that I ordered. I should try something super common like pad thai.
(3)David Z.
I had heard about this place from some co-workers and went to try it last week for lunch. I had a delicious beef panang curry for lunch along with a tom ga soup that was out of this world. I don't know what was better - the presentation or the quality of the food, but it was a cut above your average Thai place (of which there are many in SF) Everything tasted so good that I will definitely be back for more.
(5)Dick L.
Manoras has been serving the best Thai in SF for over 25 years. Great food and great staff.
(5)Lantz G.
My fav Thai restaurant in the city. The lunch special is pretty much a no brainer. You get 2 choices of entree and it comes with soup and rice. $9 with my tummy full and happy with very attentive service, water is always filled and the food and bill come promptly. everything is delicious and the portion is more generous then most Thai place. The little pickled cucumbers and a piece of fruit are a nice refreshing touch to a meal. Note: fresh flowers, usually orchids in a blue Orangina bottle always put me in a good mood.
(4)Jen R.
I have nothing new to add that the masses haven't already chimed in on, I'm sure. I liked the Hawaiian shirts all the waiters were wearing, but they got the Hawaii 5-0 theme song stuck in my head. Very good food in a comfortable setting (not fancy, not a dive), with a full bar. So there.
(4)Alex T.
My fave Thai in the city... and the evil waitress no longer works here!
(4)Diane B.
I'm a sucka for marketing but all the awards hanging near the front door + a full restaurant bode well, as did the super easy parking, so in we went. And we were NOT disappointed! All the raves for the chicken lemongrass soup (aka Gai-Tom-Ka) are warranted. This stuff immediately transported me back to my Thailand trip 2 yrs ago. It was the first time I tasted something so similar to the "real deal": amazingly tender chicken in prominent and enticing segments swimming in the soothing, not overly-spicy coconut milk with ample chunks of mushrooms (the photos in these reviews don't lie) was the perfect warmup. I couldn't decide between the Nur-Toon (beef cooked with mushrooms & garlic in a clay pot) and the Nur-Pad-Prik (sautéed beef with sweet basil in spicy chili garlic sauce), and went with the latter on the rec of the waitress. It was *really* tasty: again, not overly spicy but certainly enough kick to satisfy. My BF got his favorite Thai selection, yellow chicken curry with potato (aka Gang-Gari-Gai) and this was a total league of its own, standing far out (in a good way) from the other versions he's ordered. It was completely healing and comforting. If I hadn't become so satisfied I would have continued to scarf off of his plate as well. The prices were certainly reasonable and the service very attentive. No wonder it was nearly at capacity on a mellow, otherwise uneventful night in an uneventful micro-hood. Totally worth revisiting.
(4)Kalea K.
(+) The Tom Ka Gai soup is the only reason I come here. I'm addicted to it. (+) Big, generous portion sizes vs. price. (-) Parking on the street. I will definitely be back.
(4)Mark L.
Lunch special here is the best. Tom yum soup is awesome. Be warned, it comes out super hot, but it's so good I'll risk scalding my mouth.
(4)Shawn C.
Can't go wrong with this place: great food, nice setting, good service, and low prices. I love the pad thai--they know how to do it right. The soups ain't bad either--some of them are loaded with tons of good stuff. The interior isn't overly fancy, but nicely put together with little thai accoutrements abound. There's a small but well-stocked bar near the front. Parking usually isn't too difficult at night--all you have to worry about is if your car will still be there intact when you emerge with a belly full of thai food.
(5)Stacey L.
Great lunch spot. 2 Item Combination w/fried rice & soup $ 8.95 1. Satay Grilled beef or chicken on skewers served with peanut sauce 2. Garlic Pork Barbeque thin slices of pork marinated in garlic and black pepper 3. Tod-Man Fried fish cake served with sweet cucumber 4. Por-Pia-Tod (choice of meat or vegetarian roll) Fried imperial roll stuffed with shrimp, chicken and glass noodles in oriental herbs, served with sweet plum sauce 5. Gai-Yang Thai Bar B-Q chicken served with sweet garlic sauce 6. Gang-Ga-Ri Yellow chicken curry served with sweet cucumber 7. Panaeng-Nur Spicy beef curry with sweet basil 8. Gai-Graprao Sauteed chopped chicken with spicy basil garlic sauce 9. Goong-Tod Deep fried prawns with vegetables served with plum sauce 10. Nur-Toon Marinated beef stew with mushroom sauce 11. Nur-Pad-Pik Sauteed slices of beef in chili, garlic and basil sauce
(4)Kandi P.
I went to dinner the other night and it was pretty good. I'm not from the San Francisco area - I'm from the South Bay which has some decent Thai food. This place was really good...we ordered an appetizer which was the Larb: Most poppular northeastern Thai dish made of-quick grilled beef or chicken cooked in roasted rice powder, chili and-spicy lemon sauce with a touch of fresh mint, this was super yummy! Extremely flavorful. My entree was the...Nur-Toon: A combination of beef cubes and spices cooked in mushroom and garlic sauce served in a clay pot, this was delicious! The prices weren't that bad either, I'd definitely go back and try something else on the menu.
(3)Victor H.
I've walked by this place a million times and I never walked inside. To my surprise this place is one of the most amazing Thai Restaurants I've ever been to. Everything from the art on the walls to the hospitable staff made me feel like I was getting a home cooked meal from my imaginary Thai mother (I'm not Thai obviously) ;) but in any case stop reading my review and eat freagin' here right freagin' now!!
(5)Tammy C.
(See pics) Their lunch combo is an amazing $8.95 deal that comes with soup and 2 items (I got the satay and curry chicken) and a giant bowl of fried rice. There are 11 items you can choose from for the dishes. The food was quite delicious and inexpensive. However, if you go with a big group the food tends to be put together too early and not hot enough. With a smaller group (like a few people) the food was put together when ordered. The setting is pretty and colorful. Service was good and courteous. If you get to sit by the window on a warm afternoon you can also enjoy some fresh air from the sliding windows. Service was also very friendly and fast.
(4)Kevin C.
I remember eating here in its heyday in the mid to late 90's when it was always packed, but over the years the decor has become a tad run down and a bit depressing. The food here is still delicious and I believe they have the best Penang Beef Curry, Green Curry Beef, and Roast Duck Curry in San Francisco bar none! I usually get take out these days and the service is always friendly and courteous. Basil Canteen is just up the street and they are usually packed due to its ambiance but the food pales in comparison to Manora's. If the owner gave it a minor face lift, Manora's would be packed every night like they used to be. Did I mention that they have a full bar? They do!
(4)Steve L.
This place is great all around - the food is great and the restaurant environment is cozy and clean. It's the only Thai place I go to in San Francisco. I'm a really big fan of their combo meals, I try something different each time and it's never disappointed!
(5)M C.
This is a fairly decent Thai food in the area. The ice tea taste pretty authentic, just watered down. The plates are small in servings, and that stuff that they call fried rice is a joke. The only thing good is that lemon grass soup that comes with the lunch sets.
(3)Kim W.
According to Yelp, there are 13 Thai places within a 4 block radius of our house. We picked Manora because it was the highest rated. The food was really good but the portions were skimpy. We had to feed four people and expected to receive white take out containers filled to the brim with Thai goodness but instead received black plastic ones which contained probably 2/3 what the white ones do. Our take out order was done in 20 minutes. Everything was good with only the Moo-Prik-King spicy pork and green beans being the stand out dish. Nothing else was memorable and the chef's special Panaeng-Sam-Ros was a big fail! It was 3 fried meat patties with hardly any curry sauce. Save your money. I think I'll shop around a few more places before coming back here...I'm still hungry.
(4)Joel C.
The 2 of us went on a Wed. nite. Plenty of tables at 7pm, but it filled up a short time later. Service was excellent, food was good. The tum ka soup was very good. They also had a soft-shelled crab appetizer, which I've never seen in a Thai restaurant. That shows creativity. And it was tasty, tho not great (breaded & fried). We shared a dish of curried orange roughy that was very nice. Finally, we found street parking less than a block away.
(4)Steven C.
Excellent lunch! From what I understand the restaurant has been around forever, but it was my first time. I had the Thai BBQ chicken, garlic rice, and papaya salad - amazing. It came with a sweet/hot dipping sauce. Really, really good. The service was fast and friendly. And it was packed, so popular too. Loved it!
(5)George D.
My granddaughter recently introduced me to Manora's. I have had Thai cuisine a handful of times before but not in a long time. We came for lunch during the week and did not have to deal with a big crowd. As I looked at the menu I figured that I could not go wrong with a plate from the portion of the menu entitled "Chef's Special." I chose the 'Kow Mon-Gai-Yang and Som-Tum'. Very delicious. A very filling lunch consisting of a thai style bbq chicken, garlic rice and a spicy salad. There was not one thing on my plate that I did not like and there were no left overs. I loved the level of spice in the lunch; I am a fan of spicy food but I was afraid that this thai cuisine might be too spicy but that was not the case. Easy 4 stars. A great lunch spot and I look forward to trying them for dinner.
(4)Madison H.
Amazing! No other words need be said! The Gai-Tom-Ka soup was the best I have ever had and I am a soup kind of girl! I can't find another restaurant that even comes close to the awesomeness that they have so artfully mastered. The thai tea was a wonderful way to cool down the spiciness that I added to the soup with the spice tray. The perfect end to the perfect meal was the mango and sticky rice. Delicious!
(5)Nancy S.
More of a 3.5 star. Got to go lunch with some coworkers today. Not bad...not bad at all! I wasn't expecting super delicious Thai food, or any other food, around us, but I wanted to try a new place today. Ordered the lunch combo ($8.95) with #7 and #11, the spicy curry beef stew and basil beef. I must say this is a really good deal for a 2 item with rice and soup for less than $10. The soup was a lot better than expected. They actually have a lot of chicken in soup...the lemon chicken soup with mushrooms. Loved it! The combination selection had 11 items on the list, which is great if you're going with friends and can all share and try each other's! Their portions are pretty generous. Beef curry stew was satisfying, but the beef basil was a little off. The beef tasted a little too tough, but the taste was good. The combo comes with fried rice, which I thought was pretty bad. I think steamed rice would've tasted a lot better with the combo meats I ordered. I could barely finish my meal and had to save it for dinner. The food was better than expected and left my tummy happy!
(3)Armando H.
Manora Thai is a delicious predictable and authentic local Thai experience. Some of the waiters have been there for over 20 years. A standard delicious appetizer that many times is gone before 8:30 PM most nights are the mint rolls. Rice paper with fresh mint, veggies make for a refreshing start to the meal. My favorite is the duck in curry. The pad thai is also a consistently well executed standard. The ambience is nice casual and usually not too noisy. There is a bar in front to wait and the staff is quietly helpful. Portions are good size so you could easily split a main course for 2 people if you aren't starving. Good value and always a pleasant experience.
(4)Jean T.
When ever I am in the South of Market, I make it a point to come here to satisfy my Thai craving. My review is limited to lunch service only as I have not been here for supper. Depending on my mood, the two-item lunch combo is always my go-to meal. There are about ten options to choose from. It is served with the best/tastiest bowl of lemon chicken soup (Gai Tom Ka), which includes sizable chunks of chicken. The restaurant tailors to vegetarians as well. The portions are more than satisfying. My favorites are yellow curry chicken, garlic pork, and spicy beef. Aside from the combo plates, I recommend the Pad Thai noodle also. I think the best deal is still the lunch combo at $8.95 including soup and fried rice. I always come before noon to avoid the crowd. The restaurant draws a lot of regular clients from nearby businesses. Street parking is usually available if you arrive before noon. Otherwise, there is a paid garage 1/2 block around the corner. This is a clean/nice casual restaurant with attentive staff and prompt service.
(4)P G.
I must say, I have never had food I didn't like here. Many creative dishes, some regulars for your comfort. Even when the place is packed, the server gives you his/her attention. It's all good !
(5)Bibi B.
We came in for dinner hoping to order the hoi tod- a traditional Thai omelet with mussel only to be disappointed by finding out that they don't make hoi tod anymore. The restaurant has a romantic ambience with a candle and flowers on each of the table. We ordered Tom Yam Kung which I found quite delicious and as a matter of fact, it might be one of the best soup in town. It was flavorful- with the right amount of sweet, sour,spicy- . We also ordered the duck curry which I could careless for. The duck had to much fat, but the curry flavor was good. And I ordered Pad Thai- you have to try the Pad Thai when you come in to a Thai restaurant. The Pad Thai was ok. The price was decent and the portion was ok. The service is excellent. I would recommend the soup in this restaurant.
(4)Tina S.
3.5 stars. Good lunch specials if you know which ones are good. Coworkers enjoy the pad Thai but my favorite is the basil chicken with rice. I don't like the garlic pork one. It sounds better than it tastes.
(3)Scott L.
We were craving Thai and chose Manora based on the reviews we saw here on Yelp. We got some food to go and were not disappointed. We got both Tom Kha and Tom Yum Soups and both were good, but the Tom Kha was a little sweeter than I like it. Both had very good, fresh ingredients and everyone really enjoyed it. For our mains we had Basil Chicken, Pad Thai, a spicy Pork with Green Beans, and a meat assortment with Panang Curry. Everything was fresh and flavorful. The prices were very reasonable. I'm sure we'll be back.
(4)j m.
#6.-Larb- mmmmn tastay!! Perfect blend of spices, and texture was juicy. #10.- Por-Pia-Tod "I don't know what to say about the little rolls, they were really good" Pad ke mao (not on menu but I asked for it (drunken noodles) and enjoyed. I would've liked more spice but I did not specify the spiciness request so I can't fault that. I can say that I did think the four little lavender spice jars that the waiter brought were super cute, and I was able to spice it up. #51. - Talay Hot Plate..fiance says "delicious" and "It made me fat and happy" (no seafood for me) Thai Iced tea- creamy with crushed ice goodness. Nice ambiance. Will return : )
(4)Andrew S.
The best Thai food in California. Friendly service. Nice atmosphere. Reasonable prices. Decent parking. No Healthy SF bull. Really, there's nothing I can think of that's a detractor-- hence the 5 stars.
(5)Regina C.
i wonder why this place doesn't have more hype around it. the food is really good! coconut soup was super tasty with tender pieces of chicken unlike the dry/overcooked pieces you typically find in thai restaurants. the pad thai had a very good consistency to the noodles. if i were in the neighborhood more i might frequent it but due to it's location it's not that desirable. maybe that's why it doesn't get the hype..there's not a ton to do out there during sunny hours.
(4)Jason B.
A cold day is a good reason to have soup for dinner. So is recovering from a late night to help reverse any immune system damage. And if you are dealing with both, well, it's definitely soup time. That last scenario led me to Manora's and their Gang Jurd, a chicken broth filled with shrimp, chicken, tofu, spinach and noodles. That's right. No choosing. You get everything. It's absolutely delicious and exceptionally priced ($8), one of the best soups I've ever had. The people who created this bowl of brilliance are super friendly and the service very quick. A gem of a place. This might be a new tradition after epic nights. Which means I plan to return often.
(5)Gohar J.
Simply put, not impressed. My friend raved about this place so I finally had a chance to check it out for a Tues night dinner. Got dishes which you typically can't go wrong with (pad thai and yellow curry). The yellow curry was a weird consistency, way to spicy, and topped with this stewed chicken. The server was friendly about suggesting an alternative given we were not touching hte Yellow curry, and brought out a Prawn dish which was quite tasty. Get THIS! In the end they had the nerve to charge us for the curry (which we literally had a bite of) AND the replacement dish. RUDE. It was an awkward restaurant overall. Strange man who was also I server I think was literally in the corner by the kitchen staring over at us the entire meal. Definitely will not be returning here....have had my fair share of Thai in the city, and know there's countless better options out there!
(2)Di Yin L.
The curries were fine, as was the pad thai. For whatever reason, the flavors tended to fall on the sweet side, whereas I expected savory with more spices.
(2)S L.
My favorite Thai place to go to when I am in the city! We had a rehearsal early dinner here for a party of 10 and decided to have it here and we all really enjoyed ourselves. Staff was very friendly. So many dishes that are delicious and so little time - really liked the beek steak over lettuce with dipping sauce, beef larb, and tom yum soup with shrimp and mushroom. My favorite thing to order here is a long island iced tea or mai tai. The bartender is always the same person and he makes the BEST long island iced tea. Don't let this drink fool you - it creeps up on you later on! When you are in the area and looking for a place to eat, check this place out!
(5)Danielle L.
Everything is very flavorful and satisfying. Also, apparently they no longer have sake.
(3)Madrone J.
Pretty solid Thai Food a date took me here and we shared a couple of shrimp dishes that were pretty yummy. Service was really good and very polite and sweet.
(4)Rob C.
One my favorite restaurants in SF. Absolutely the best Thai food. Lunch is really tough, as you have to choose one thing to order. It's agonizing as there are too many wonderful choices. An over the top lunch selection. Our special tonight was baked oysters. Exotic and complex flavors. Creme, spinach, garlic and chilis.
(4)Sumit K.
Felt like we may not have gotten their best effort or something, but our dinner last night was lacking in many ways. Service was not great as it took a while to get a menu, and then to order, and our waitress wasn't very friendly. The food itself was mediocre at best. We are vegetarian and there are limited options, so perhaps that had something to do with it. While they were flexible in terms of modifying some dishes to make them vegetarian, they just werent that good, and were too similar to one another. Prob not come back, as I have a number of thai restaurants i prefer to this one.
(2)Josie M.
i've given this place two solid tries. the first time it was pretty good, but nothing amazing. appetizers were probably better than the entrees. the last time it totally sucked. everything was super bland and i felt like the portions skimped on meat and veggies, all sauce! i prefer basil thai, they are more consistent in their quality and generous with portions.
(2)joyce l.
Oh Manora Thai, how I missed thee.... How did I forgot about this gem of a Thai place? I suppose when you move to suburbia you forget some of your favorite city haunts. The hubby and I were at city lights and I realized I couldn't think straight because I was starvin' Marvin. So I yelp manora right fast, see it is still rating well and hop across the street. Within 5 minutes of ordering we had our tea drinks, and my hubby had his yummylicious lemon chicken curry soup. Within another 3-4 minutes, my prawns and spicy green curry arrives. Then bam! his fried prawns and yellow chicken curry plate arrives. The lunch special is a steal at $8.95! Portions are substantial. Most of all, the food is how i would imagine it wold be in Thailand, and lilftkd2 is a happy clam. Happy wife, happy life (hence hubby is happy too haha) not sure if the dinner wait is still long, but my lunch experience was great. Manora Thai, I promise I will be a stranger no more!!
(5)Mike T.
Food was fantastic. Service was great. We highly recommend. Glad we stopped here.
(5)Elaine C.
If you're in the mood for Thai food (during lunch), I'd definitely recommend this place. They've got some pretty good lunch combination specials. For about $8.95, you can get yourself 2 items on their lunch menu which comes with a coconut chicken soup (very very yum) and rice. Large proportions. The Thai BBQ chicken is awesome and super juicy. They've also got bbq skewers, angel fish cake and curry on the lunch special menu. Thai tea is very good. Service is great, decor kind of resembles a nice pub, parking is on the street.
(3)Pat S.
You can't go wrong with their lunch combination for $8.95. This combo comes with lemon chicken soup, fried rice, and your two choices of items. The soup contains large pieces of mushroom and chicken, and is slightly sour in taste (but is something that I like for its "zing"). I would suggest you get beef satay as one item and fried pork imperial rolls as the other item - both are very good. I especially like the sweet and sour sauce you get with the rolls - I like adding a little bit of this sauce with the rice. They have some chicken offerings on the list of items for the combo, such as Gai-Yang or chicken satay, but I have found their chicken to be somewhat dry, so I would suggest you either go with the two previous suggestions I made, or give some of their other items a shot. Their service is pretty good. Even when the place is fairly busy, I don't think I've waited more than 8-10 minutes for my food to arrive. $8.95 is reasonable for a lunch combo, especially for Thai food. I would say their portions are larger than the other Thai place down the street (Basil Canteen).
(4)Kioko O.
Food-wise, this place is just as good as Osha if not better. And, servers are all friendly and attentive to your needs. Price-wise, this place is way better than Osha! I had their "Lunch Combination" at $7.95. It is served with a soup (Lemon Chicken...yum!), two choices, and fried rice. I chose #5, Gai-Yang (BBQ Chicken) and #11, Nur-Pad-Pik (Sauteed slices of beef in chili, garlic and basil sauce). Honestly, I wouldn't order the BBQ Chicken again. I was disappointed because the meat was really dry. I think I'm going to order #10, Nur-Toon (Marinated beef sauteed in spicy onion and mushroom sauce), which sounds really delicious. I'm a sucker for mushroom :-)
(3)Alex K.
What a great place for lunch. Their lunch specials are around $9 and you get two items, rice, and soup, and it's very very good. I was with some heavy eaters so we each got one and ordered a Pad Thai to share, and that meal stuffed the four of us good. I had the Imperial Rolls and the Beef Curry and loved every bit of it. Everyone at the table were very happy with their meals and we ate the Pad Thai clean. I would go back any other time I'm in Soma. I did regret that I couldn't eat more!
(4)Elaine S.
Does not look like a Thai restaurant from the outside. Hmm, come to think of it, this place doesn't really look like a Thai restaurant on the inside either. But the food speaks for itself. This food is fantastic. The Tom Ka Gai soup is really surprisingly good in a complex way that is pretty hard to describe. Geez, I wish I could remember the name of the fish dish we ordered that was so excellent. I think we found our go-to Thai place!
(4)claudia y.
10 of us strolled in here at around 9pm thursday night and they had no trouble accommodating us. they actually have a full bar too with grey goose etc. so we could continue getting our drink on. i ordered two things. tom yum gong. and pad thai made with with silver noodles. the silver noodles took forever to come out ... i think at one point they told someone they didnt have it. but it came out later anyways.
(3)Cate Z.
Waitstaff has been very gracious about working with me to identify menu items that have no glutinous ingredients. It's always refreshing when waitstaff can reel off a list of ingredients for any dish they have. That so many of their dishes are made to order means that even more of the menu is open to us gluten-free folks when we are specific about needs. Manora's Thai Chuisine is tasty, not too noisy, and much more reasonably priced than Zadin (which has a bunch of designated gluten-free menu items) over in the Castro. Convenient place to grab a good meal before heading out to Slim's, DNA Lounge, and various other very nearby bars and clubs. I've been here on dates, and with friends (sheesh, no, not at the same time!). The ambience is definitely better fit for the latter.
(4)Natalie N.
Who knew? This place has great service, great prices and great food. I ordered the Pad See Ew and it was deeeelicious. I came with my cousin who used to live in the neighborhood 2 years ago. As soon as he walked in, they greeted him like an old, long lost friend. They not only remembered his name but also what his favorite dish was. This might be because he used to come here a lot an order the exact same thing everytime, but who cares. i am glad he introduced me to Manoras's. I will definitely be coming back here again.
(5)Roy T.
the food is great!
(4)Jane L.
Frank. Dark-horse! Generous. Manora's is a foodies gem on this malnourished block in SOMA! The place get packed during lunch, but if you're solo, bar seating is always ample, and if you call ahead, they'll have a table waiting for you or ready in no more than 10 minutes. The chicken noodle soup is NEVER-ENDING. After an hour of slurping and sipping, I looked down to see that my bowl was still nearly full...and so was I! And at 7 bucks, what a steal! The pad thai, the chocolate chip cookie of baking if you will, hopefully represents all of Manora's entrees: abundant, high-quality, and most importantly - scrumdidilyumptious! Don't let the grungy neon sign (that I've never seen on) fool you! This place is Michelin Star nominated, pleases your soul, and takes it easy on your wallet! Know Before You Go: 1. want soup to go?! They'll separate the broth and noodles for you! 2. lunch rush? call in and they'll have your order ready upon arrival!
(4)John C.
If you're debating whether to hit up Koh Samui and the Monkey or Manora's for Thai tonight, I highly recommend choosing the latter! While both do charge for rice (one of my only criticisms of Manora's), Koh Samui charges $2.50 for a single bowl vs. $1.50 at Manora's. And the pricing between the two places pretty much follows suit. Sure, both places have delicious Thai cuisine, but do you really want to pay about 50% more at Koh Samui? I didn't think so. As usual, I recommend getting the Gang-Gari-Gai (yellow chicken curry cooked in coconut milk and potato cubes) and Pad Thai (they even give you shrimp at no additional charge). The chicken comes in several larger pieces than usual, but you can easily pull pieces off (it's obvious they slow-cooked it for hours). What a great dish! The Pad Thai is plentiful, though it could be a bit more flavorful. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have mango sticky rice on this occasion, but I'm sure they had a good reason. Please have it next time! The servers are very friendly and treat you well. You'll enjoy Manora's a lot more than walking out of Koh Samui with an empty wallet.
(4)Elizabeth L.
I would probably give the food here 3 1/2 stars but their service is decent so I'll bump it up to 4 stars. I've been here several times and their food is pretty standard Thai. Some of their appetizers are good (I like the Larb Gai salad) but others are just okay (I didn't think the Pirate Treasure is that good). The beef with basil was a bit overcooked, but the yellow curry chicken was good with rice (although the chicken pieces were cut quite large). I do like their mango sticky rice as dessert - I love mango and I love sticky rice and a lot of places don't do it that well. This place is also great for take out. They pack the food in the nicer plastic containers versus the paper take out boxes so it's harder to spill. The flat plastic containers also maintain a better presentation. I think it's a nice touch.
(4)Marco M.
I love the soup they give you with lunch. The yellow curry is great, so is the garlic grilled chicken. However the spring roll had a long black hair in it. The waiter came by right as I was inspecting it and he quickly swooped it away and replaced it with a hot order of 3 rolls but I wasn't so excited about them at that point. He responded well and really at that point, what else can be done. If not for this I would have given them 4 or 5 stars...had been there numerous times before the hair was found.
(2)Megumi C.
I love Monora's! Try oyster, mint roll !! Yummmmy!! Don't forget Tai iced tea!
(5)Sam T.
Manora's combo lunch special is a pretty nice deal. You get a cup of Lemon Chicken Soup and a choice of two items with some Thai Fried Rice. I ordered the Beef Satay and the Yellow Chicken Curry. The soup was light and refreshing with a generous amount of chicken. The satay was pretty good but the curry was a little light and watery. Also, the Thai Ice Tea I tried wasn't that great. But all and all a decent meal for about $9. But I suggest you should go to Basil Thai instead for better Thai food.
(3)Dalia C.
Love there pad Thai... very good food and friendly service.
(5)Ryan V.
This is Thai food at its best. Wait, this any food at its best! I had perhaps the most satisfying lunch in a long time here. For about $8 I saw I could get lemon chicken soup, yellow chicken curry, Thai Fried Rice, cucumber salad, and fried shrimp/vegetables on a lunch special. I wasn't expecting everything to be good, but it was actually all delicious. The lemon chicken soup had just the right amount of lemon to coconut milk ratio and generous, tender pieces of chicken. My chicken curry also had a spicy and savory flavor and again the chicken was extremely tender. The shrimp and vegetables were also perfectly crispy and really fresh. Really, everything was just so good. On top of that, the service was good and the decor was quite pleasant. There's no way I'll be able to avoid this place for my Thai fix in the future.
(5)Rob L.
This place is located right where the Mission district ends and SOMA begins, as well as close to all of those bars/clubs along Folsom Street. This Thai place has good food along with the nice exotic atmosphere, though the space can be limited at times. I took a few dates here before, as it's exotic enough to make it a cut above a casual date place, yet subtle. I can't say anything negative about them to be honest, and the only reason I don't give them 5-stars is because there's probably better food out there if you pay more, but this place has it all working for them other than being located near a freeway that's a bit noisy.
(4)Cynthia W.
It was okay. Had been many years since I had been there. food was consistent, but not great.
(3)Mark W.
Brought my mom here for her birthday recently and the service was excellent! They knew it was my mom's birthday and all of the staff wished my mom a Happy Birthday as we left. Each one individually. All smiled and they all worked like a team seamlessly. I swear, they filled up my water about 20 times that night. Every 2 minutes it seemed like, and a different staff rotating around the dining room. They all worked with precision and were one of the most efficient teams of servers and bussers I can remember in a long time. In terms of the food, also very good. I've been to quite a few Thai places in my day but it seemed like their menu was fairly unique. There were a number of dishes I did not recognize so I'd definitely recommend this place if you are sick of your "standard" Thai restaurant....
(4)Priscilla P.
OMG so GOOD and the prices are pretty good we got the pad thai, some kind of curry and other stuff. SO GOOD!!! too bad there's no good thai place like manora down here...=(
(5)Alena G.
I needed to find a place that my whole family, cousins and grandma would enjoy. I actually saw Manora's review on Zagat and was blown away by their 25 rating. A 25 in my neighborhood? I had to check this out. My whole family thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. The green papaya salad was oh so good and not the least bit overspiced. Just the right amount of kick. We enjoyed a variety of other dishes, loved their soups, shrimp, chicken, beef. Really anything that came out of the kitchen was good. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They even offered some other Thai resturaunt suggestions in the city for us to try that had more northern thai influence (Manora's specializes in southern thai food). I would gladly return! Now if only they delivered...
(4)Sonya D.
It's rather sad, but lately I realized that I have become a regular here- a weekly regular. It's only sad because there are so many other amazing restaurants in this city. However, for being Thai food (my favorite) and right up the street, this place rocks! Everything I've tried has been yummy, and some very interesting, or at least have made good stories to look back on (aka their desserts). The prices are average, the company I have brought here have consistently enjoyed their meals, and the servers are friendly. Sounds good to me!
(4)J L.
One of the best in San Francisco. Many Thai restaurants in catering to the broad mass market, serve "gravy food." That is, slopping strong flavored curries riddled with fats (i.e. coconut oil) over rice. Of course it will taste pretty good, but Manora tastes great. The analog of my thai example is w/ hamburgers. A hamburger always tastes good, but there are only a few grills that do a _great_ burger. Manora's dishes are _great_ because the flavors are brought together so well. In Chinese cooking, there is something called "Wok Hai" -- literally translated as "essence of the wok." This place definitely has that taste that just makes you feel good. Service is pretty good- they move tables fast and are attentive w/o rushing you. Good to see them doing so well.
(4)Marie L.
I'm a HUGE fan of Thai cuisine, and Manora's is a little gem located in SOMA. I wouldn't have ever discovered this place if it weren't for my friend taking me here. It's a great local Thai place to dine in or get takeout. The fresh fried fish is really good. All the basic staple Thai dishes are solid choices - pad thai, spring rolls, etc. The BBQ pork or chicken is also very flavorful. Service is friendly and very quick. This place also has a full bar in case you want a cocktail to sip on with dinner!
(4)Barry A.
Definitely worth a stop if you're in the SoMa and are in the mood for Thai food. I work a block away so I've been here a gazillion times... Personal faves are Gai Tom Ka, Kow Pad Talay, and Ped Tod Ka Na Grob... One thing I can't get over... ...every time I've eaten here for lunch it's just been too hot inside to be comfortable....
(3)Milk n.
Another "new neighborhood" adventure. The dog and I grabbed take out here last night. Yellow Curry - as mentioned, the chicken is in GIANT FREAKIN' PIECES. More like one (thankfully) bone free slab in a carton. Huge potato chunks. Oily. Not very hot. No other veggies seemed to be involved. C- Papaya Salad - All the little cherry tomatoes was a nice add. Decent enough but really light on the dressing and not nearly spicy enough. I spoke Thai to the person on the phone and everything! C Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) - really good. The rice noodles they use are very thin and fresh tasting. They formed the familiar blob in the box but were so light and tasty they came apart easily. Nice mix of veggies involved but also sadly non-pet (spicy). B Basil Beef - ok, yummy. Beef tender and flavorful, plenty of basil taste. Also not spicy in any way. Painfully lacking in veggies, this may be a plus to some people. B+ The hostess was very nice. I feel guilty because she pet my dog before I could mention the Advantage I'd applied to her neck that morning. Ew. Hope she washed her hands. Sorry nice Manora lady. Overall grade-"meh"
(3)Stephen H.
Excellent, everything was well prepared. I've eaten at more pretentious places with food less tasty than the dishes here. I had the Orange roughy red curry and the mi krob. Both were excellent. Service was fast and the decor is amazing. I normally give Thai places 4 stars but these guys get the last one thanks to the experience I had!
(5)Kiersten S.
Wow. After searching yelp to find a thai restaurant in the SOMA, I came across Manora's . After reading many good reviews I thought I'd give it a shot. I was absolutely impressed and that is a considerable feat considering I walked in with high expectations. I barely set down my cup before my server was their to fill it to the brim. His timing was impeccable. The food was fresh, filling, affordable, and delicious. The atmosphere was just perfect for me to dine alone, with my nose buried in one of my beloved books. The place is just big enough to accommodate good sized parties but intimate enough to feel like a private experience. It is tastefully decorated and the seating is comfortable. Love it. I will be returning... and soon.
(5)Charlene K.
LUNCH COMBO SPECIAL is the way to go!! My friend and I come here for lunch any time we can get together. The portions are perfect! Pick from two items with rice, and my favorite - chicken soup. It's a great deal and absolutely delicious!
(5)Adam R.
Despite the great reviews, I found this to be a below average Thai place with poor execution and sloppy prep. The meat (chicken) seemed to be previously frozen by the taste and texture, was not butchered well (for example, there was cartilage in the soup and in the curry) and was really fatty (obviously not cleaned correctly) The Fried shrimp dish had obviously been fried in oil that was used to fry a lot of fish, from both the odor and the taste. Pretty disappointing overall. How the HELL they got a Michelin Recc I have NOOOOOOO idea.
(2)D D.
Possibly my favorite thai spot in SF, and that's saying a lot since they're not even my favorite pad thai in SF. Everything I've eaten here has been great.
(4)Catherine W.
Manora Thai is fondly referred to as "Purple Thai" where I work, because of the eggplant colored exterior of the restaurant. I went here for lunch one afternoon. The interior is enjoyable, clean and decorated with a more sophisticated taste than the exterior lets on. Prices are very moderate, with lunch specials in the $8-9 range. I ordered the green curry with chicken. My food was delivered quickly and they attentively refilled my water. The food however, was not memorable. My green curry was subtly flavored and nearly bland. It really only served the purpose of adding much needed moisture to the bits of chicken in the bowl. Although the appearance of the curry seemed right and the green color was vibrant, the consistency was very watery, a little greasy and it tasted as though the curry sauce was not left to simmer long enough for the flavors to really marry. When I spooned it over my rice, it disappeared and got lost - making an already bland curry virtually undetectable. Digging into the curry veggies, I stumbled upon a piece of something green, which looked like another green bean. I was taken back in the midst of my conversation, by a sudden spiciness that caused me to stop and compose myself for a second or two. I think I played it off pretty well and my companion didn't notice that my mouth had been ambushed... by a formidable chile pepper. Bear in mind that I love really spicy food. However, I was not prepared for this sudden spike of heat, in an all too bland curry sauce that registered a 0 on the heat scale, until I unearthed the hidden chile. I can vouch for the service, affordability and the atmosphere, but my green curry was a step below average. Where was the slightly herbaceous flavor of Thai basil, where was the subtle consistency that distinguishes a curry from a soup, and finally where were the complex layers of protein, fresh veggies and curry (the sweet, savory, spicy, salty) that typically make my taste buds dance? I'd give this place another chance, but on this visit alone, I wouldn't give it high marks.
(2)Kristina R.
I can't stand parking in this neighborhood. It's pretty sucky. But the food is great at Manora's, so I go anyway and pray for good parking karma. The curries are really yummy. I love the basil chicken, which is perfectly balanced between hot and mild for me. They are very accommodating about their dishes, so if you want mild, they'll tone it down...but if you want hot, they'll make it lava HOT. The Siam Gems...is that what they're called? They're awesome. The coconut milk and the crushed ice and the crunchy, squishy things...mmmm. Actually, when I write it out and read it the thing sounds a little gross. Oh well...works for me. I could eat two in one sitting (after eating dinner)...and HAVE.
(4)Joshua W.
I think this is some of the best Thai cuisine in the city! This was the 2nd or 3rd time I've been. Great satay, and Thai cucumber salad? I could live off the stuff. I make it at home. I came about 6pm and it quickly started to fill up shortly after. And the service is excellent. MANY other restaurants in the city could take a few lessons. They were soooo friendly and attentive without "hovering" I stayed with the chicken theme and got chicken and potatoes in coconut milk. MAN this was good! I will go back soon to try a seafood dish very soon.
(4)Moe J.
One of my favorite Thai places in the city. They have a great lunch combo where you can pick two dishes, soup, and some other stuff that I can't remember at the moment. The parking in the area is ok but can be tough sometimes. They are not open for lunch on the weekends which kinda stinks but so it is.
(5)Shweta V.
Good flavorful food - the coconut tofu soup was delicious. The green curry as well as eggplant and tofu (vegetarian version of #41) were great as well. Loved that they had added plenty of vegetables (esp. Thai eggplant) in the curry. They brought out the food as it was prepared. Friendly and attentive service, and very willing to accomodate vegetarian requests. For a Michelin-rated restaurant, the tab wasn't bad at all. Easy parking as well. Only downer was that I didn't see flat rice noodles (pad kee mao) on the menu - that's usually my yardstick for Thai restaurants. Nonetheless, I'd go back to Manoras.
(4)Laura P.
Green curry.... I love you so much. I love how you are filled with yummy veggies and tofu. I love how you are so spicy and can be made even spicier if I feel like it. I I want to eat you everyday, I love you green curry.
(5)Dave S.
Had an unexpectedly good dinner here the other night. My normal reaction to thai restaurants is a shrug, as I usually expect generic McThai food. So it was that we wandered into Manora's with low expectations after wandering around SoMa looking for a place to eat. We had several dishes from the dinner menu which were reasonable thai standards, if a bit overly sweet. The memorable standout was the beef larb. Most places give you a bunch of chili and lime soaked grade Z beef or chicken and call it larb. Manora's gives you a flank steak freshly grilled, sliced, and thrown into a spicy chili lime sauce with veggies. Yummy to say the least. Next time, we will order two beef larb and a pile of rice, and dine happy. Service was fine, contrary to other reviews. Suriya's on Valencia is better overall but I would gladly come back here.
(4)Richard L M.
I've been coming here since 1985 and this is the best Thai in town. Not fancy. Just VERY GOOD.
(4)Pete B.
OK, I'm over being angry at them, but their refusal to help me when I needed it will still cost them two stars. The Talay Hot Plate is magnificent. When friends from flyover country want Thai, this is where we take them, even though we live in San Jose. They should have helped me out when I was pressed for time and all they had to do was cook two dishes so I could pick up at opening time. Cost 'em.
(3)Freckles H.
A great, local, place to go for lunch. I work nearby so I've been here on several occasions for dine-in and take-out. Their food has always been consistent and well flavored, namely pad see ew, papaya salad, tom yum soup, and roast duck over rice. The prices are fair and service is good. No complaints about this place. Good food at good prices!
(5)Nini D.
Yum Thai Food:-) I was looking for a place in SOMA that had good thai food and I think I just found what I was looking for. Loved the Gai Tom Ka (Chicken Coconut soup) and MaKeur-Paad-Prik (japanese Eggplant with chicken, pork and shrimp). Too bad this place does not deliver- if they did I will eat it everyday!
(4)Mami T.
One of rare dining spots around my home that fulfill two hungry people for about $40. But avoid the chicken -- it is smelly. And avoide the squid -- it is wimpy. But who knew! Tonight I realized that their wines are sooooo cheap (meaning low mark ups). Moet & Chandon White Star sold for $32 at K&L, BevMo, etc. was only $36. Cakebread Chardonnay going for roughly $35 at stores was offered at $40. Dude, that's so darn good. Next time I'll just get their wine and not bring my own.
(3)Laura G.
Ambiance - okay... they can totally make it prettier. The decor is very old fashioned and the tables are not very intimate. Lighting is dull. But their food and pricing is amazing. Service is great - super nice. I loved it.
(4)Kitty K.
Absolute LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! I can't wait for a chance to come back into the city to eat at this place again. The Thai Ice tea is so yummie. The Pad Thai is not dry (which is a very common problem at a lot of Thai places). The Gang-Ped-Ped-Yang (duck in the curry) was absolute fantastic, as was the Gang-Gari-Gai (yellow chicken curry). Their curry has lots of flavor which I greatly enjoyed. The decor is nice and the staff was attentive even though the place was packed. They definitely made a huge fan out of me!
(5)H M.
Best Thai food outside of Thailand! Great pad thai, curries and seafood platters. I have been coming here for more than 20 years and it's always good. The only place I've had better pad thai was Thailand itself. I had lunch here once and it wasn't stellar but dinner is always great.
(5)Laura M.
Went there last night based on the great reviews on Yelp and some suggestions in the reviews that they were happy to accommodate vegetarians and vegans. As it turns out, they put chicken broth, shrimp paste, or fish sauce in pretty much everything. To his credit, the waiter was very nice and helped us figure out a couple of dishes -- pra ram tofu (tofu in peanut sauce with spinach) and pad prik khing (spicy wide rice noodle with vegetables). I was really hoping to have a curry, but none of their curry pastes are vegan, or even vegetarian. The two dishes we got were average. For better vegan options, we'll be sticking to Pad Thai on the other side of the Mission.
(3)Kat L.
This place was close to where I was staying and it sounded good so my sister & I drove over one night. They have a wide array of items to choose from. There are new items with a fusion/upscale touch and some traditional items. For full pics and review go to kats9lives.com/2008/04/p… I think the appetizers were the best part of the meal. The main courses we chose were only so-so. We had to try the Pirate Treasure that everyone on yelp raved about and it was very very tasty. The mix of flavors work wonderfully. We kept the remaining sauces at the table to mix in with the rest of the food! ^_^ The second appetizer we chose was the Katong Ton. It's fried crispy cups stuffed with mixed curry inside. This was not bad, but it's no Pirate Treasure. If I come back a next time I would definitely try more appetizers and maybe skip the main course, then end with a dessert. I don't know why people rave about the Pad Thai. It was a little bland for me, but maybe it was an off night for the chef? If I get to go back a next time maybe I will try some of their other noodle dishes. The Mango and Sticky Rice was great. I didn't really care for the mango, but the sticky rice was done to perfection. I really enjoyed the sweetness and flavor. Yum Yum!
(4)Ron Z.
Absolutely, the best Thai Food I've had in The City. The Red Curry Duck is soooooo gooood! Fat chunks of duck meat, with less of the filler (pineapple, tomatoes). It's usually the other way around in other Thai Restaurants. I hate yellow curry, but these guys make it well. And the lemon grass beef is awesome. Friendly staff, a nice and cozy environment, reasonable prices, and I love that they play Thai music over their speakers. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
(5)Joel M.
Love this place. Food and service is great! Not baby friendly since they didn't have a high chair for my daughter. But still well worth it.
(4)Ben T.
Been here a couple of times, the most recent to celebrate 8 years that my coworker has been with our company. Sad times call for happy Thai food, right? Right. I honestly forgot what we ordered, but the food was good, especially the duck curry, which was very succulent and quite amazing. I never had duck in such a delectable preparation. I was very thoroughly impressed and will definitely order that again.
(4)Dan B.
How much do I enjoy the combo lunch special? Let me count the ways . . . I enjoy having the number six (chicken yellow curry) and number eight (minced chicken with basil). I know other combinations exist but this is my winner. Did I mention that it also comes with soup? Good deal. Overall, the food is ok. For better curry, try Basil Thai. yelp.com/biz/basil-thai-…
(2)L. K.
Why I give this place 5 stars is because this is the best Thai place in San Francisco, and as everyone knows, San Francisco has more Thai restaurants per square foot than it has Starbucks. Seriously. To compare, once I was in Connecticut, and drove an hour and a half to get to a Thai restaurant. It takes 3 hours to drive through the entire state. The white people I was with had never had Thai.... but that's another story entirely... Thankfully, San Francisco is only 6 miles in radius, so Manora is really pain-less to get to, even for people in the Peninsula. The location is near all sorts of freeways and parking is easy. Rainbow grocery is right across the way. Rainbow sells no meat, so Manora is a good stop off for non-vegetarians, especially during lunch! Dinner would be better though, because unless you're a complete lush, the Mai-tai's aren't to be missed. They're cheap as well. They make the BEST yellow curry chicken with potatoes and onions I've ever had. I judge all Thai restaurants on this dish, and none live up to Manora's curry. The chicken is stew like and the spices are cooked perfectly. The chef special of eggplant, chicken, shrimp, pork and basil in an oyster type sauce is delish, even if you don't like eggplant. The Pad Thai is perfect, (most places screw it up) There's a string bean and beef dish... You get the point. Have dinner, followed by many many cocktails, and walk down the street towards downtown, and go into the little clubs littering both sides of the street... if you're into that sort of thing. I myself prefer Mai-tai's, dinner, more Mai-tai's and the other direction towards the Mission/Potrero, but that's what's so great about Manora. It really is the center of whatever direction you please.
(5)ASIANDIVAH A.
Love this place!! If you are looking for traditional, authentic Thai restaurant, this is the place to be. I love the decor. Very, very intricate and exotic. It took a good 5 minutes of me admiring the decor before looking at the menu. The food is more fantastic than the menu. I drool over their pad thai, the spicy eggplant (can't recall the name), the huge fish and their skewers. I must say all the food we had that night is excellent. And the price is almost the same as all other Thai place in the city. This place is highly recommended to everybody especially to those who haven't tried Thai food, traditional or fusion.
(4)jota j.
I was craving Thai food in San Francisco. I remembered this restaurant on the corner of Folsom and 12th as a good alternative for Thai fare at a fair price. I'm happy to say I was not disappointed! The restaurant looks exactly the same way, but more importantly the food was as flavorful, unpretentious and well served as I remembered it. As appetizers we shared a Tom Yum Goong soup and a Soft Shell Crab, the soup was excellent with mushrooms and some prawns, and the crab was fresh with the right amount of batter. Later, we had the Pooket Skewer, grilled prawns, scallops and veggie skewer, the seafood was perfectly cooked and the spicy sauce was just right. To finish we ordered one of the specials, Bay Oysters, they were baked in a garlicky creamy sauce. It was tasty but we could have done without them because we had enough food and wine already. The service was friendly and timely, our waiter never made us feel rushed. I'm glad to see this kind of neighborhood restaurant thrive in a city where now you see them, now you don't. Keep the good work!
(4)Amelia M.
One of the better Thai Restaurants I have been to in SF. I have yet to have a bad meal here. It is best when you go in a larger group (just beware of the long wait here if you go at dinner time) so you can try a lot of dishes. I am a huge fan of their Pad Thai... not greasy at all. Something that I tend to find at other Thai establishments. Dishes to try: Kow-Graprao (Minced Chicken) Kow Pla Muk Pad-Ped (Sauteed Calamari) Pad-Thai (Noodles) Pad-See Ew (Pan fried flat noodle) Fresh Mint Roll (fresh roll with Shrimp) Beef Shish-Ka-Bob Moo-Gra-Teiam (Pork) Pla-Muk-Pad-Ped (Calamari) Drinks: Great drinks from the full bar (Cosmos are good here) Hot tea Thai Iced Tea Dessert: (I always share because after all the food one is just too full!) Fried Banana Balls with Ice Cream The staff is very nice and friendly. Just make sure to have your entire party there. It takes time to get seated. Parking is not too bad as long as it is not too late and people are heading out to the clubs, which will make parking a bit harder in the area.
(4)Alvarito M.
Maybe my opinion of this place is bias after 10+ as a regular but I still love it; great flavors; friendly service, fair prices, you can't go wrong
(5)Wa W.
This is a great Thai restaurant. Great green curry which I almost order every time. The flavor is neither overly rich nor diluted. Want to spice up your life? Ask the waiter for the Thai chili in fish sauce and you wont regret it!
(5)Veronica H.
3.5 stars, minus 1/2 star for not being as great as it use to be When I dine here, it's always during my lunch hour and b/c it's close to work. It tends to get very busy during normal lunch hours, between 12-1, so arriving by 11:30 gets you seated right away. I go for the $8.50 lunch combo. It comes w/a cup of lemon chicken soup, Thai fried rice, and your choice of two entrees from a list of 11 items. The items range from veggie to meat dishes. The soup is delicious w/a light yellow curry like consistency w/huge pieces of shredded chicken, mushroom, and cilantro. The flavors blend in very well together; not spicy at all. The rice use to be very good, but has become a little bland since the last time I ate here. Nonetheless, you get a huge mound of rice and it still goes well w/the food. For the entrees, i've had satay chicken, gai-yang (thai bbq chicken), gang-ga-ri (yellow chicken curry), panaeng-nur (spicy beef curry - it wasn't spicy for me at all ...this coming from somebody who can barely handle spicy food), and nur pad pik (sauteed slices of beef). All entrees were very well cooked, meats were juicy and not dry, it had the right consistency and flavors were unique and well balanced. No complaints about any of the entrees. Service is good. Friendly staff.
(4)Carolyn J.
One of the few Thai places for lunch in the South Van Ness x Mission area but hey, you work with what you got and Manora's is a good place to spend your lunch money. My usual is the lunch combo 6 and 9. oh yeah. Gang-gi-ri (yellow chicken curry with sweet cucumber) and Goong-tod (fried prawns and veggies served with plum sauce). Each combo is served with lemon chicken soup and thai fried rice. tasty :) Portions are just right and prices don't put that much of a dent in the wallet.
(3)Regi K.
I took my friend for her birthday here for lunch last week. . I had eaten at Manora years ago, but just haven't been back. Well the food was delicious and I aim to come back! We started with a spicy lemon sweet basil seafood soup. Then we moved onto the Pad Thai, the Spicy green curry with beef, mixed with slices of eggplant, and then the combination Seafood Fried Rice. I had never had thai fried rice before. Didn't feel the need especially with the yummy curry over the jasmine rice. But the fried rice was very good. The seafood was super fresh. The fried rice is a little more wet than the Chinese version and filled with all the thai spices. So very good. Lunch was excellent. My friend and I got so comfortable we didn't want to leave!!!!
(4)Lauren S.
WO-OW. After having been to Thailand, and scoped out manyspots int he East Bay, this has to be one of the sweetest spots I ever could have stumbled upon before the Saul Williams show at Slim's in SOMA. We started with the fresh mint wraps and peanut sauce, followed by the delicious soup, spicy and much heartier than I expected. Yummy lemongrass heaven. .... and the Mango Sticky rice made my night. Great service for a busy and obviously popular place, and BEAUTIFUL ambiance; the place was POPPIN OFF on that Friday night.... the traditional paintings and woodworks along the walls were lovely, and my favorite touch were the fresh cut red roses on each table. Sweet. Its the little things that matter.
(5)Liz C.
Appetizer: soft shell crab with a lemony dip accompaniment. Perfectly sweetened Thai iced tea. Oh, and the other stuff is very good as well.
(4)Jill T.
I love this place!! I used to work down the street and get the green curry at least weekly. The food is good, fresh, and has that something special that sets it apart from the the rest of the 1,000,000 Thai restaurants in the city. It's a good place for a good meal. The inside is crowded and kind of loud so it's not a stay and linger dining experience. Go here for good solid traditional Thai food, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Gertrude V.
One of the best Thai restaurants I've been to. One shy of 5 stars = no pumpkin curry.
(4)Joseph G.
I have always been skeptical and not a big fan of Thai food (from a very bad experience in the early 90's in Chicago...but that's another story), so I always past on opportunities to try it again. But I have to say though, this place is absolutely wonderful and I am a HUG FAN! My opinion on Thai food has been changed forever because of this place! The food is absolutely delicious, the atmosphere and service at the restaurant is wonderful and I would give it 5 stars, but have nothing to compare it, so for now they get 4 stars for now. It's a great place for a first date or a big group of friends to enjoy! I will definitely be going there again and let's just say, I am now a HUGE FAN of Thai food! KUDOS TO THE CHEF and OWNER!
(4)Laura M.
This is one of my favorite Thai spots in the Bay Area. I love all their dishes. I wish I was there right now.
(5)Scott P.
According to what I was told "this is the best Thai food in the city and they always use fresh chicken and not frozen" I will agree it was yummy. Spicy basil chicken really rated high, but the aforementioned comment about the chicken being fresh and not frozen....I don't know if you can tell the difference. The food is so spicy and flavorful so the difference between fresh and frozen chicken is hardly noticeable. I still don't know if it was fresh or frozen chicken. I just know it was damn tasty! Perhaps I will have to ask to see the kitchen next time. Oh I didn't give it 5 stars just because the atmosphere was nothing to write home about, but not bad.
(4)Faisal M.
Please go away. Everything here smells and tastes like chlorine and for SF, I can't believe this place is still open with way better options out there. Come on people! Have you lost your taste-buds???
(1)Ashley S.
I LOVE this resturaunt, haven't had anything here that wasn't delicious.
(5)cindy j.
I've been dining at Manora's for years. I went to the restaurant when they were on Mission street, that's how long I've been going to Manora's. The larb is to die for. Everything they make is consistently fresh and wonderful. The staff is very efficient and if you are on a lunch, during the work day, you can get in and out without feeling rushed. The spicy calmari lunch special is melt in your mouth delicious. Never, ever overcooked or rubbery. My favorite thai restaurant in the city.
(5)FairMe R.
Very cheap and at the same time extremely delicious! We have been going there very often for about 3 years already. Things stay on the same great level. Once we came to the place when I was 8 months pregnant, and suddenly left because I did not feel good. The waiters ran after us to ask how I was feeling. Very nice people.
(5)Melissa T.
I'd give this place a 3.5. I've had better Thai food. Their portions are small for the price you pay, and the menu is very limited. I came here because my boyfriend spoke so highly of this place and LOVES it. I'm not a fan :( Sorry. The most typical dishes.. they do not have. I was just disappointed because I'm a huge Thai food fan! Maybe it was overhyped. I just found this place mediocre. The flavor was VERY Americanized which is surprising since they are actual Thai people (unlike other places).
(3)G K.
I've had worse Ordered pad thai pickup, by bicycle Attractive, thin (but still curvy) hostess with a nice smile, dressed in traditional garb was friendly and spoke english I'd go back just for that
(4)Scott S.
Excellent Thai cuisine, and very authentic compared to what you can actually get in Thailand. I had the green curry and ordered it spicy, and they really delivered - it was done exactly right. All the dishes we had were impressive and authentic. The service is fast and friendly, and the prices weren't bad either.
(5)Gregg C.
Went for dinner with a party of five. Food taste, quality and price is a solid Four Stars. Service on the other hand was Two Stars - very prompt but lacking in two areas: One, the server was rather terse overall and additionally seemed annoyed when we asked for an off menu item, and Two, the tea cups are small (but the tea is very good) and if you want a refill you have to keep asking them to come back and fill up your cup otherwise you will sit there with an empty cup in front of you. Recommended for the food, not for the service.
(3)Tara V.
THE BEST. THAI RESTAURANT. IN THE CITY. Well, you can tell how I feel about it. :) -I reccomend the gang ga ree (yellow curry) -the chicken is slow-cooked and so soft and tender that its hard to not eat this plate too fast. Also, try the desserts -a true Thai dining experience is never completed without dessert.
(5)Leah M.
Excellent food, surprisingly low prices, nice ambiance. The pad thai is killer, as is the asparagus with lobster sauce! I went with a big group (8) and we all shared plates-- everything I tried, I loved. Prompt and friendly service. Five stars well earned!
(5)Michael F.
It is rare that I ever rate something 5 stars, and Manora's is not a fine dining establishment. Instead I'm talking about quality, tasty, and authentic Thai Cusine, and after living in the city for over a year, I'm disappointed (mostly at myself) for not finding more places like Manora's. I've been here around 5 times now, mostly with a friend who speaks Thai and her Husband (I'm thinking of moving a few blocks away so I can make Manora's a weekly rotation). And below are some of my absolute favorites. #2 Tod-Mon: Fried fish cake mixed with minced green beans in Thai spices, served with sweet cucumber. $5.95. Kind of like southeast asian crab cakes (without the creaminess of any crap mayo sauce). The cucumber sauce is sweet, slightly spicy, and perfectly balances the pan fried fish cakes. So good. #27 Gai-Krapao: aka Basil Chicken. Sauteed minced chicken in sweet basil and fresh chili garlic sauce. $7.95 A perfect topping to rice. The flavors blend so well, and I get this every time. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some crack in it. #50 Pla-Jean. Get the whole Thai Snapper topped with mushroom, ginger, and tamarind sauce. (Fillets of catfish also available). $10.95. I grew up on an Island, I know fish. This is some good fish, very similar to Chinese whole fish preparations, it also reminds me of the Hawaiian Euro Fusion cusine back home. In any case, I doubt you could go wrong with those three gems above, but the menu is very large, and printed on gold floral embossed paper that would be fit for a Thai princess if it wasn't protected by a plastic menu holder, but I certainly appreciate the detail. Try everything out, and for $40 the Cakebread Chardonnay is probably one of the best deals you'll find on any wine list anywhere, retails for $36 at K&L.
(5)Dudley F.
I'm a fan. I've been here three times now and have ordered something different each time. Every dish I've tried is really good. I'd try to repeat the names here, but I can barely pronounce the names let alone spell it. So, try everything, per my recommendation. The service is friendly, the atmosphere is cozy, and parking has been manageable the times I've been there. I will say, try the fried banana ball and ice cream dessert. yum!
(5)Christine M.
Vegetarian UN-Friendly The people who work here are not nice. They seem genuinely unhappy with what they are doing and more than slightly put out by someone who orders vegetarian. Upon asking for tofu instead of chicken in a dish, our server actually turned and walked away, apparently annoyed, then came back to finish our order. Though food arrives quickly, I actually felt shamed by the waiter. Wow. If rude service doesn't bother you (and keep in mind I only had one server out of what is undoubtedly many), then you're in for a treat, because the food is quite good. I enjoyed the green curry and Pad Thai (even though they refused to serve it with tofu).
(3)Jessica L.
Prior to Manora I had only been to two of the Osha locations; while I think the quality at some of the Oshas is a bit better, Manora's prices are amazing (lunch specials, awesome!) and the food is still really good. A bit more authentic than Osha but not as flavorful either, oddly enough, it's definitely more than an acceptable lunch option. Small lunch groups recommended, this place gets ridiculously packed during the weekday.
(4)Sean B.
I recently took a job in the area and was looking for a good, affordable lunch alternative in the old SOMA area and found a good one. I believe you choose two different entrees and it comes with rice and some other stuff and its priced right...around $7-8 bucks. Add a thai iced tea and your out the door for about $10. Food was good, had a good variety for the lunch combo including BBQ chicken satay, different types of curry and even a spicey chicken dish. All and All probably one of the best places if your work in SOMA near Holy Cow and Butter area unless you want a $2 Costco dog.
(4)sarah c.
Huge fan. I havnt had good pad thai since i lived in Tucson...and so have always been hesitant to order it anywhere now but last night at Manoras i gave them the test and they passed with flying colors! GREAT pad thai, great eggplant, chicken, tofu, garlic chef special, and great papaya salad. Great meal in a super nice atmosphere for under 30 bucks!
(5)Jennifer C.
Please don't go here for lunch. It's always packed and for those of us who work in the area, we love that we can pop in here and get quick, cheap decent food. If you didn't know, this is one of a handful of restraurants in the neighborhood that cater to the government employees in the area. These restarants all have similar price points, same rate of service, similar quality of food. If you are looking for a new restaurant to try on a lark, pleased go here after 2 p.m. or in the evening or weekend. Thank you.
(3)Wakako U.
I don't even like thai food and I love Manora's. Even Zagat's loves Manora's. Everything is delicious. Egg roll stuffing is one of a kind. Whole fried tai snapper is a feast for the stomach and eyes.
(5)Ambrose A.
I usually can tell if I am in a good restaurant or a great restaurant -- by the smell of the place and the cleanliness of the entire dining room, tables and the ambience (it was soft-focus, candlelit-radiance on this night) ...also by the way guests glare and stare (salivating?) at each other's starters and exotic and flavorful entrees that pass by their tables. So, I knew I was in a great neighborhood restaurant cos the warmth was immediate. The smell of the dishes was fresh and unmistakably Asian -- flavorful burst of crushed and blistered lemongrass, chopped cilantro, basil leaves, familiar curry paste and sweet sour plum sauce rule the air. This place ranks very high in my book (the kind of dishes I feature on my food blog ( queergam.blogspot.com ). Manora's is as good as it gets for me. People always find ways to fault dishes esp the so-called Asian food experts. This popular restaurant, located on the corner of Folsom St and 12th St in San Francisco, is as good as it gets. I've eaten Thai at so many places in NY and CA, but one bite of their beef curry and the green salad with hard boiled eggs and drizzled with sweet plum sauce and crushed peanuts, swept me away! Their Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce is, well, quite decent:) (I cook it at home, I have high standards since this is one of Singapore's and Malaysia's signature/national dishes). Definitely come back over and over again with local and visiting friends. The price is good, the service is always better than ok and the boys are hot usually:) The reason I didn't give this a 5-star because of its location (I am not a fan of this area in SF) and the parking here is bad esp on weekends. But I am definitely a fan.
(4)Susan G.
I've been coming to Manora's for 20 (?) years. Everything is delicious and the wait staff is helpful and welcoming.
(4)Hen A.
past visit before pre-yelp days...introduced to manora as "best thai" in city...second visit yesterday....singha beer to start....beer first since of greatest importance...ordering variety with group of six...a claypot beef and sauteed beef....a vegetable platter...wait...who wasted their order on vegetables?...turns out to be not a waste...quite delicious with flavorful sweet salty seasonings great....claypot also sweet and tasty with deep liquid saucing...great on rice!...sauteed beef the tastiest item...jumbo prawns enormous and well-seasoned.....thai gai-tom-ka sweet coconut milk seasoned soup starting fantastic....great meal and service at $twenty-five per person with beers....
(5)Lindsey M.
This place is the local "nice place out" for birthday lunches, etc. at my old office. The food's decent, for a good price. However, I was just there last month, and I have a friend who's allergic to MSG, so I asked if they used it. Rather than vehement denial, what got was, "Oh, yes!...but we can use less, if you want!." So, food rating would be 3 stars if I didn't know the place was awash in cancer causing particles. If you don't care about MSG, the food's okay, portions okay size, and service efficient.
(2)Blake J.
I visited this place for the first time this week to get some take out and I must say that the Gai Yang was the best I've had in the city....It was fresh, hot and very flavorful. I would get it again. We also got the Pad See Ew, it was good as well. I'd come back. As we waited for our take out, the bartender came over and gave us two glasses of water while we waited...it was nice since we didn't ask for it.
(4)Cheryl C.
Great food and service! Everything I tried was delicious.Not a typical pad see ew restaurant, there were a lot of authentic thai dishes. Found this restaurant by accident, and thought, "what a happy accident. This place is so good." As I was leaving the place, I saw a sticker on their door and found out the spot was Zagat rated. No wonder ... I definitely recommend this place as a good change from all the Oshas in the City.
(5)zoe h.
I have wanted to try Manora for a long time. Finally, on Sunday, after a long day of couch shopping in SOMA and a craving for Thai, we stopped in Manora. It was 5:00 and we arrived just as they turned out their lights to start seating for dinner. The restaurant was initially freezing, probably because they had just opened. We immediately ordered tea and some hot appetizers to warm up. They brought out our two appetizers within minutes and they were delicious. We had the Pirate's Treasure which was a spicy mix of shrimp, chicken, and bean thread sheets and the Vegetarian Delight which was fried tofu and taro. Both were excellent. The taro was lightly fried and melted in your mouth. When we finished our appetizers, the restaurant had warmed up and had almost completely filled up. For dinner we ordered Pad Thai, MaKeur-Paad-Prik (Japanese eggplant with prawn, chicken, and pork in a spicy basil garlic sauce), and Goong Ping (charbroiled jumbo prawns served with a spicy lemon garlic sauce). All three dishes were delicious. I especially loved the eggplant dish. The sauce wasn't too heavy and was just spicy enough to give it a kick. The prawns in the Goong Ping were charbroiled on skewers and the skewers were stuck into an orange so that the shrimp were radiating out of it. Nice preparation. The pad thai was one of the better pad thais I've had in the city. We all had leftovers which is always an added bonus. I think that sometimes Thai food tastes better the next day after the spices and sauces have been soaked into the meat and veggies. I look forward to coming back and trying more of the menu!
(5)Kris O.
Tom-Ka-Talay and just that the food here is better than Thailand. Nuff' said.
(5)Bree G.
This was my first time here and I honestly didnt think it was going to be great based on my "judge a book by its cover" skill. However, their vegetarian Pad Thai was outstanding! The best I think I've ever had and the left-overs tasted just as great later. Definitely reccommend it!
(4)Mattew W.
you know this place is really really good for an inexpensive Thai dinner or lunch. the food is not what i would consider the most inventive or even the most authentic but it is really good. the place is clean, has a full bar and service is really good. give it a try for a nice lunch or dinner.
(4)Derk C.
I've been here for lunch many times, never dinner though The Good: Lemon Chicken Soup - Chicken is tender and moist, coconut milk gives it a nice sweet creaminess, one of the best things there and it comes with the lunch combo. Pad-See Ew - Noodles have a nice texture, and a hint of sweetness. I like to add chili sauce to it. Meat can be dry though. Satay - tastey Seafood Thai Fried Rice Fish Cake The Decent: Pad Thai - Way better than King of Thai Noodle BBQ Chicken - Mine was not dry like some other reviewers. Most of the flavor comes from dipping in the sweet garlic sauce. The Bad: Panaeg Nur - Spicy beef curry was dry and a lil tough, but at least it was in curry sauce. The curry was ok, not great. Online Menu - The prices on their online menu are dated. Add about $1.50.
(4)gordon g.
We went here tonight, Manora's has always been a great place to dine. I always leave it up my friend Manora to recommend dishes and they are always delicous. We usually get a papaya salad, a soup, and 2 entrees, and dessert. Sometimes theres a wait but hey, good restaurants always have a line. If you're down for some yummy Thai cuisine, you can't go wrong here. You will leave satisfied.. Dont forget the Mango Sticky Rice.. Oh and plan ahead cuz parking is tough here.
(5)Kimby T.
food's great, the soft shell crab app is totally a must try. the dinner-time waitress is absolutely beautiful and service consistently great. went there also for lunch and for something like $7 you get yummy coconut lemon soup, and a lunch plate with friend rice and TWO sides! 1 star off because there is no excuse for overcooked, dried out chicken (only experienced this at lunchtime). love this place!
(4)John B.
Manora's Thai cuisine has very authentic thai cuisine. It is a very good place to go for lunch. they serve a lunch combo that only cost $8.50 for a big plate of thai food, soup and rice. this place is great
(5)Ron T.
This is my go to place for lunch as I work just down the street. When Liz and I are able to have some time together for lunch, she always asks if we can go to Manora's. This place has some of the best Thai food in SF. It's ALWAYS good. The staff are really nice, attentive and efficient. I've never had a bad dish at Manora's. Usually it's lunch but recently Liz and I went to dinner and enjoyed wonderful dishes not on the lunch menu. The duck in particular was fantastic. If you want great Thai food, this is the place to go for a very traditional Thai meal and dining experience. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Avi H.
I've been to lunch here many many times, and I've yet to be disappointed. I have regular cravings for the green curry, which is just spicy enough that you don't need the side jalapenos/crushed pepper/ whatnot assortment that they'll bring if you want to make your food more picante. I also recommend the pork with the lemon garlic sauce (lunch). My coworkers swear by it. In regards to vegetarians, in my experience they have been very accommodating. They don't list any veggie options on the menu, but they've prepared green and red curries w/ tofu instead of meat for a coworker, and I'm sure it comes out just as good. You just have to ask nicely :-)
(4)Esther R.
If you want to eat yourself into a coma with spicy minced basil chicken, yellow chicken coconut curry, and jasmine rice, this is the place. The mincing in the former allows the spicy flavor to pack a more forceful punch per bite. The large, tender, boneless chunks of perfectly cooked chicken and potatoes in the latter, float in an ambrosia-like curry that has a little kick and a little cucumber salad sidekick. These two dishes were the first Thai ones we ever had almost exactly 17 years ago at the Manora in the Outer Mission (long gone) for our 2nd wedding anniversary when we were young, scared kids. Back then, we thought Thai food was exotic and fancy, but then again, growing up in the 'burbs, burritos and Chinese food seemed adventurous. I had forgotten how tasty and satisfying this inexpensive meal was. It's because of the coma... You know, the one that follows the greedylicious overeating and belt-loosening. Since it gets quite crowded here, we now exclusively get it to go.
(4)Bobby B.
curry chicken is good quail is to die for always packed on wknds
(3)Rich n Nancy C.
Kick ass Thai! Order it hot or just stay home already... Nuf said. You should go....
(4)Twist' D.
The key is to this place is make reservations if you can. The number of times I have been to this place, around 7:ish the dinner room is filled and there's people waiting around to get a table. This place is great for a big party, you can order more things to try and share. We like the - Por-Pia-Tod aka egg rolls - Tofu Salad (ask for the sauce on the side) - Pla-Rad-Prik (get the filet it's easier to eat) - Talay Hot Plate (it has a slight kick to it but my 8 year old loves this dish with lots of rice) Funny thing is that I love curries, but the sea food here is so great, I just never get to the curries, and we always order more than wecan eat. All the other dishes I've tried over the years are great, but I can't remember thier names.
(4)Ken p.
Solid traditional Thai. Good for the atmosphere inside, or great for takeout. Nothing fancy, but a good consistent flavor spectrum, with consistent quality.
(4)Rika K.
Last night the 3 of us had 4 entree plates and we literally scarfed them down n it was gone within 20 minutes! it was by far the fastest meal I've ever had in a restaurant. first of all let me say that I was introduced to Manora by my caucasian boss =) I was surprised that this restaurant turned out really good! all of us had the best Thai iced tea ever...it was not too sweet so its perfect. then we ordered the Pad thai, thin sliced garlic bbq pork, crispy duck and filet fish with ginger sauce. it was soo amazing and this place became one of my favorite Thai restaurant in the city. if u ordered the foods that we ordered then u will get what I mean by one of the BEST Thai restaurant in the city....
(4)Alan T.
We moved from the Bay Area around 5 years ago. Thankfully we're close enough to indulge in the wonderful San Francisco on a regular basis visiting friends and eating like it's our last day on earth. It's funny but we visit there equally as often as when we lived in San Carlos... An old friend I haven't visited for a long time (since well before Yelp was a gleam in Jeremy's eye) is Manora's Thai. We used to fill up here prior to heading to one of the many music venues for the rest of the evening (anyone remember The Covered Wagon?). Goodness, what food! The Tom Ka Gai (Chicken Coconut Soup) is like nowhere else. Anything with the red chili sauce is awesome. On top of that, the Pla Chu Chee (Orange Roughy with Red Curry) is outstanding. It can get busy and service can get a little spotty during that time but I'm not going to ding them for that. The food makes up for it. So happy to have good friends like this in SF!
(5)Yelper F.
Wow. Manora's is my favorite Thai Restaurant in the City. Make that anywhere. Service is prompt, the food is EXCELLENT, and the price is right. I have yet to order something from this restaurant that I didn't like. If you want to eat in for lunch, I recommend getting there at 11:30 when they open. Otherwise you may have to wait a while for a table. Ordering out is great--10-15 minutes max and your food is ready, no matter how busy they are. EAT HERE!!!
(5)West P.
Green curry with chicken! The food was pretty good, but the staff was probably the best part - they were all super friendly!
(4)Marc S.
Absolutely one of my favorite places to eat Thai food in San Francisco. I strongly recommend the soft shell crab appetizer - perfect for two split in half like butter - the tom ka gai soup, and the chicken satay. Basically, you cannot go wrong with any entree dish you might choose to order here. I return here time and again for the friendly waiters, excellent service, and tasty meals that I can count on. BIG TIP - dining after 9pm on weeknights almost guarantees you a quiet dinner with a restaurant to yourself, which is fun for sure. The reason why this restaurant has remained so successful in San Francisco for so many years is because it is just SO GOOD!
(5)Joe B.
Sorry, but Manora is a bit overrated. Food tends to be bland, and maybe I'm a bit cheap, but a $9 lunch special seems pricey (it *is* a lot of food though). Service is really very good and the atmosphere is nice. Gotta agree with some of the other reviewers, Basil Thai is better. Yelpers, why do you persist in giving decent but unspectacular restaurants four stars? I'm totally losing faith in the rating system. It's grade inflation, I tell ya.
(3)Elizabeth B.
What 's the big deal? I was excited to try this thai place because it close to our house and it got such good reviews. Sorry to say, it was nothing special, and the food was pricey for what you get. We ordered take out so maybe it's better to eat it in the restaurant but I doubt it. The yellow curry was boring and watery and not very flavorful and the fresh spring rolls were anything but fresh. No thanks.
(2)e w.
Stumbled into this place unexpectedly and it delivered nicely. As far as neighborhood thai places go this has great food and service, nice atmosphere and is quite affordable. A soft shell crab special was less than $8; I was comparing the quality and price in my head to what something similar would have been at a downtown trendy restaurant and figured at least twice as much. Creative cuisine and soft on the pocketbook.
(4)Jill L.
this is my favorite Thai place in the city - food is excellent, prices are very reasonable, and just a great place for small or large dinners with friends - everyone loves Manora! food is tasty, service is good, people are friendly, and parking is relatively easy in the area. all in all, a perfect pick.
(5)Sion S.
It is the best taste and service for the price in San Francisco. Parking is not too bad either. The only thing on the menu I disliked was the duck and the soft shell crab... not fresh or presented well. The curries are spectacular and the service is lightning fast and the wallet is never harmed here. Do wish they would invest in a better wine selection.
(4)Margaret R.
Great Thai food. Food was outstanding. Everything was wonderful, with the exception of the quail dish (can't bring myself to eat the State bird) and the Thai Ice Tea could have been better, I think I like those for the cream content, anyway.
(5)Christi S.
Ate here for dinner recently. Can't judge them on their lunch yet. Dinner: awesome!! Everything was perfectly mildly spicy. Nothing too extreme. Just enough hot sauce to enjoy the true flavors of fresh herbs. Ordered: -Gai-Tom-Ka (Thai style lemon chicken soup in coconut milk and oriental herbs) 6.95 -Gang-Gari-Gai (Yellow chicken curry cooked in coconut milk and potato cubes. Served with cucumber salad) 7.95 -Paad -Kin-Na-Ree 7.95 A combination of prawn, calamari, chicken and glass noodle pan-fried sauted with baby corn and green onion in oriental sauce -Pad Thai All of these are my recommended dishes. The soup and curry were sweet n spicy enough!! It lost a star because they can't add. Just make sure to check your bill before paying. Otherwise, I would go back once every 3 months or so.
(4)Mike Z.
After my last Thai food experience, I really needed this to be good and hell yeah! did they ever deliver. Great lunch special with lots of choices. Well spiced and the quality of the meat is really good. I will be going here again and again.
(5)Bobby P.
Ive been here twice. Once sober, once wasted. Loved it both times equally, which says a lot about a restaurant.
(4)Rafa R.
This is my favorite Thai restaurant in San Francisco. The food is authentic -- if a little on the mild side -- and prepared with care. I like the service, the atmosphere and the interesting crowds Manora's attracts. The pad Thai is the best I've had since I lived in Tokyo.
(5)Christine P.
The Boyfriend and I were quite happy to find this place because it's so close to his apartment. The menu was a little different from most Thai restaurants I've been to but all the stuff you want is there. I think it took a long time for our food to come out but that may have been because we were so hungry. The food is tasty without being salty and the portions are good for the price. Take-out is fast and the service is friendly. We've had the pad thai, gang-kiew-wan (spicy red curry), pa-naeng-nur (beef curry), mixed veggies and some sort of marinated chicken dish. They were all delicious! All of the meat is so tender. They only accept Visa or Mastercard. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a delicious Thai alternative to its more greasy relative, Chinese food.
(4)dana l.
Initially I didn't want to go here, but my parents were visiting and since there is nothing within walking distance of my house that they won't bitch about we have to get into the car and go somewhere... Saturday night without reservations anywhere and after a few laps around the mission I gave up and headed to Manora's because you can always score parking within a block or so (or maybe I'm just really, really lucky). So anyway, in the past I thought the food was OK, but nothing remarkable, but I think perhaps I wasn't ordering the right things because today what we had for dinner rocked. Duck curry, sauteed veggies, and some kind of spicy soup that I actually am so remiss as not to remember what it was. Prices are decent, though it was funny that my mom volunteered to get the check (thanks, mom!) and she misread the bill and thought it was over $300. This is a woman who is so frugal she would dry seawater to gather the salt if she could. Heh. The only thing that wasn't great is that the tables are spaced pretty close together and when the dining room gets full, its pretty easy to find the big guys at the table next to you constantly crowding and bumping you. Ack.
(4)Ateh M.
I've heard of this place a decade ago. I've visited probably a dozen times only but each time it's always surprisingly good. Chicken satay was superb and their peanut sauce is just damn good! I love my Thai food and I can only recommend a few, this is one of the original ones to go to in the city. My favorite to order here is the chicken satay (the only place that serves it the way I like it!)
(4)Vitor L.
Was looking for local Thai and saw great reviews for this place. Did not disappoint. It felt like that is the food my mom would cook for me if I was from Thailand. Not too fancy and that is always a great thing.
(4)Yo M.
I recommend: 1. Pad Thai - Easy peasy right? Yes! and they get it right....See...there are a lot of Thai restaurant's that can't seem to get this right. (See my review about Keoni's by Keo) I judge restaurants by the basics and their extras. They get the basics down. Pad Thai...Thai Restaurant basic... 2. Panang (chicken) Love this...favorite basic thai curry dish over rice.They do it well. If anyone finds one in the city that is any better, let me know! I'll be there..and I'll buy if you're right. 3. Satay ...basic...great! I've had more dishes in this restaurant than I can recall right now, but know one thing; they do Thai food really well. I've been to Thailand...and no. They could never match up to what I had there...but they come pretty close.
(4)Mister X.
5 - 16 - 28 - 41 - 43 - 44 The combination that will unlock your taste buds to a whole...*slap* WTF am I writing? Sorry about that. Let me try again: I've only been here for dinner. On weeknights and Sundays the parking is not that bad, usually within a block. On Fridays and Saturdays you'll compete with the club goers down the street (way down the street). 5: Pooket Express. You must love fish sauce because this appetizer, served in a shell, has tons of it. 16: Tom Yum Goong. Spicy, Lemongrassy soup. Delicious. Good for about four people as an appetizer. 28: Gang Gari Guy. Chicken in Yellow Curry. Everyone loves this dish, comes with potatoes that soaked up the flavor. If I could only have one dish, this would be it. Or maybe 44. 41: MaKeur-Paad-Prik. Yummy sauted Japanese eggplant with prawn, chicken and pork. 43: Sahai-Pad-King. Sweet combination of shrimp, pork and chicken. It reminds me a little of sweet and sour Chinese dishes. 44: Asparagus with Lobster Sauce. When asparagus is out of season they will substitute it with another vegetable. Right now it's sweet peas. Amazing. Everything I've tried here I've really liked, except for the pad thai which was just OK.
(5)Sean M.
Great food. Fast too. Perfect for a quick lunch. Some of the menu items are hit or miss, but interesting altogether. Their lunch specials are awesome.
(4)Julian M.
Nice little place and most importantly affordable. Meat skewers are delicious as are all of the entrees I have tried. Eat here for $10-$15. The rice plates are my favorite but the soups are great on a cold day specially the Tom Yum Goong. Friendly staff too. I'm gonna miss this little place when I leave the neighborhood next week.
(4)Faffy L.
Manora is a Thai place with a menu so interesting and prices so right that you lose the urge of ordering Pad Thai. Went with 3 other people on a Thursday night, although the place was comfortably packed, we were quickly seated by the window. We ordered a pancake with mussels, lobster with snow peas (normally asparagus), quail, plus one other dish. Everything was fresh and we all just scarfed it down. The service is quick and the atmosphere is homey. No pretentious decor, just solid good food.
(4)JR D.
This little corner establishment serves up some of the best Southeast Asian fare in SF with good seafood selections (pirate treasure!!!) and fresh daily specials. Portions are ample and is accompanied by a quant dinning room. Service is OK, but that is because most of the servers don't speak much English, mostly Thai, but that's fine by me, a good sign of authentic cuisine. Reservations recommended on the weekend.
(3)Ameer N.
i didn't have high hopes coming here, nobody has told me about this place so i figured it was run of the mill. the service was great. not overzealous, yet i didn't find them leaving us with empty water glasses. we ordered a beef stew-soup sorta dish, some seafood skewers, a yellow duck curry, and the thai staple pad thai. all 4 dishes were awesome. a garlic sauce accompanied the skewers and that made my day. overall, i'll for sure keep this on my thai food radar. i'd like to cruise back and try some of the other dishes.
(5)Marsha Z.
The food came out lightning quick, quicker than King of Thai, which I like to think of as being the 'Fast Food of Thai' restaurants. The food was good, nothing great, but the portions were generous for lunch. The dining area seems spacious compared to other Thai joints. One of my gripes are that there is no vegetarian menu, so you have to ask for substitutions to be made. The waiter was very accomodating, though. And again, service was fast and efficient, especially for being as busy as they were. The other downside is its location. I doubt it's something I'd go out of my way for. But it's a definite lunch spot worth considering if you happen to be in that part of SOMA, especially if you're of the meat loving variety. You've got plenty other lunch combos to choose from. The dinner menu looks appealing. I'll have to come back for that.
(3)Jenny S.
I just returned from a trip to Thailand, so with my new found expertise in Thai food and my new found love of Thai chilies I've been returning to my top Thai restaurants in the city. Two down, one to go. Thep Phanon disappointed. Manora did not. Everything we ordered was very good, the Som Tum (green papaya salad), Pooket Express (spicy seafood salad), Tom Yum (spicy lemongrass soup with shrimp), and chicken with green curry. I would have liked it spicier but I asked for fresh chopped Thai chilies and that did the trick. I've had better Thai food in Thailand, but not in San Francisco.
(3)Dennis Y.
Manora is solid, no-nonsense tasty Thai food... The service is friendly, everything is just as you would expect, and best part is.. it's pretty easy on the wallet too. However, it's not really that fancy or anything, the decor is kind of unforgettable, and I feel like the lighting may be too bright or something. That said, it's clean and inviting, but not really in a homey way.. I last went here like 5 years ago, and then again last night, and it's exactly as I remember it. I guess that means it's pretty consistent (or more likely, my memory of a mean 5 years ago isn't very detailed.)
(4)kmaintl L.
Usually stopby here for lunch on a work day, service is fast and food was excellent. Great value. Sometimes the meat dishes are just a little bit overcook, so dry. This is where it is inconsistent as sometimes their meat dishes are excellent.
(4)K F.
Pretty positive across all fronts.
(4)Angela N.
Damn good thai food. not overpriced. they have been here for-ev-ah! and have always been fantastic. they serve the usual thai fare. it does get busy especially during the weekend.
(4)shaun d.
I had heard for years that Manora's was some of the best Thai around. I am not a fan of spice food so I never really tried any Thai. I ended up going on a date here as my date really wanted to show me the wonders of Thai food. All he really wanted to do was show off and impress me with all the exotic dishes he knew of. I never tried Thai again after that. Fast forward a few years...my new BF loves Thai food. So I told him that people who like Thai love Manora's. He brought me back to Manora's and I fell in love with Thailand's rendition of comfort food: yellow chicken curry. WOW was I shocked how much I liked it. So gradually I tried other dishes and now I there are quite a few things things I really enjoy. I have tried other Thai food places, but I am so spoiled by the subtle differences that Manora's really does right. Two major things: They have BEEF Satay. Can't find that hardly any place else. Their chicken in the curry is not just a chopped up chicken breast added to the curry at the last minute before serving. It is dark and light meat chicken stewed in the curry which makes all the flavors really meld. Little things like this, I feel, make for exceptional Thai.
(5)Jennifer G.
This place is a deal...if you can find parking. This has to be one of the best thai places in the bay area. Prices are reasonable, the service is good and the place isn't a dive, which is nice. Just try to time getting there before/after the dinner rush because it gets crowded. I don't think I've ever had a single bad dish at this place. The seafood is FRESH! Order up a whole grilled fish or their seafood skewers, they don't skimp. Great tom kha gha and fish cakes too. I never leave without ordering the fried banana dessert...not just because it's good, but because i'm a twelve year old boy trapped in an old lady's body...the presentation looks just like an erect penis with two vanilla balls served up on each side. TASTY! bathroom situation: serviceable, but let's just say i'd rather hold it.
(5)Ranier B.
The owner of this place holds a self proclaimed title for trying the most Thai dishes around the world, or something along those lines as I read from the entrance. I'm not sure if its necessarily a reflection of the dishes they put together, but the food is really tasty. I usually order their garlic pork, yellow curry chicken and pad thai. The food is great for what you pay if you can catch them during lunch hours. The service is fast and friendly.
(4)michael d.
food is good. not great but good. not a large selection of curries. prices are a little more than some of the great Thai food I've had in sf
(3)Karsten M.
I haven't eaten alot of thai, but this place was the first that I actually enjoyed enough that I wanted to eat thai again. The interior was thoughtfully done with a pleasent atmosphere. I had a lunch combination with Panaeng-Nur and Nur-Toon. Both were delicious. Their soup was awesome. We asked for seconds on the soup. Finally I've got a thai food gem in the city.
(5)Casey D.
full discloure: I live across the street Manora's is pretty darn good, but maybe a little greasy. The waiters are very attentive, and service is very quick for take out. I have always had my food within 10 minutes of ordering.
(4)TiMarie S.
Well, as a number of folks have pointed out, it is time to lose my "review" virginity, so what better place to start than one of my all time favorite restaurants. pro's: A superb, filling meal at an inexpensive price, and great variety. con's: Parking can be really tough there and the service, whilst very prompt, is not terribly friendly. Even having been there for years, it often feels like they want you in and out rapidly! The prawns and egg rolls are very very greasy, but there are at least 10 other excellent choices for the combo plate that will thrill you! The first time Manora's was recommended to me, I wondered why the hell I wanted to cross town at lunch time for Jewish food. After a brief moment of complete embarrassment, and much laughter by my pals, the distinction was pointed out and off we went. I think that Manora's is the absolute best lunch place in San Francisco. It started me on my quest for and discovery of Thai food. They have a fantastic lunch option where you can choose any 2 of about 12 items for your lunch which also include Thai Rice (absolutely the best Spanish rice I have ever tasted including a good sized hunk of chicken hidden in the middle)! The meal starts off with the best Tom Kha Gai soup I have ever had. This is basically a Thai chicken soup chock full of chicken, straw mushrooms, bamboo shoots, lemon grass, cilantro, chili oil, chicken broth and coconut milk. It is the most wonderful balance of sweet, savory and spicy I have ever had! Next your meal is served with your two choices, (I recommend the red beef curry, served in a small bowl on the plate, just hot enough that you have to eat it with a spoonful of rice in order to keep the temperature manageable to me). It amazing how much food is held in that bowl and I still have one more entree in another bowl on my plate! My second choice sometimes changes but primarily I go for the peppery fried pork which I dip in a sweet and hot sauce served on the side. Their satay is fantastic and their chicken in really tiny bits with fresh basil is also one of my favorites. Friends have raved over the BBQ chicken, the Pad Thai, and everyone raves about the soup! What can I say. I have actually sent my husband on a trek for just soup to take out when I have been sick and needing some major comfort food. I have trained classes and used the Manora as a catering service and even their take out for 40 people held up fantastically! For those who are not interested in the combo plate, there is a page of noodle, chicken and seafood dishes as I recall but why go for one entree when you can taste a couple of items? Lunch price was about 8.50 and Thai Ice Tea an extra 1.50 on top of that. I've never been able to fit dessert so I have no idea even what is offered. Since I always leave there stuffed I feel the value of the meal is a heck of a bargain! I have been to many many Thai restaurants all over the state and up in Canada and still this is my favorite place where I celebrate all my birthdays and any anniversary of note!
(5)Animal K.
Very very good thai food at affordable prices. Very hearty portions. Their soups are divine. My favorite so far is the Tom-Ka-Talay (seafood coconut soup with thai spices). I've yet to find a better thai place in this city. I was expecting parking to be terrible after reading the complaints on here, but so far, I've had no problems and have found parking within less than a block away from the restaurant, all after 7pm.
(5)Michelle M.
Food is delicious. Waiters are attentive but not constantly bothering you seeking approval. 2 people can enjoy a filling dinner for $40 and have left overs to take home. My favorite order: - Chicken Satay - 34. Pra-Ram-Long-Song Broiled tender sirloin of beef on bed of spinach, topped with spicy peanut sauce. - 45. Panaeng-Sam-Ros A combination of crisp chicken, pork and beef deep-fried, topped with spicy red curry sauce. Meat was crunchy yet still tender. - both of us had a serving of rice We could have easily shared one dish and been content, possibly even have dessert. I will definitely come back. If I hadn't had shrimp for lunch, I might have tried the pad thai because I heard it was good here.
(4)rie k.
This is definitely the place you should try out if you are looking for a good Thai dining place in the city. My husband and I enjoyed their food very much. We will go back again to try different dishes whenever we have taste for Thai food. I am very picky about seafood taste. I tasted them like they are using fresh seafood and they know how to cook them as well. The price is also reasonable. The store is not located in the mid downtown, so it is easy to find a parking space nearby. Enjoy! :-)
(5)Melyssa W.
This place used to be just blocks from my place in San Fran...so imagine how surprised I was when I happened to go after living so close for 4 MONTHS! A co-worker took me one night after a late day at the office and I have to say, thank goodness to W for that! This is some of the best Thai I have had. The service is always friend, the food is always hot and delicious and the price is good too! We would hit up this place and then head back to our place for drinks or hit butter, which is cute if you want a white trash bar.
(4)Benjamin B.
Tom-Ka-Talay - Or known as Tom-Ka-Guy (that is how it is pronounced), and it is the best coconut milk soup I have ever had. Delicious! I love the button mushrooms and chicken soaking away... mmm. The crunchy bean sprouts in the pad-thai makes this dish exquisite. The Gang-Gari-Gai and Satay is also something to try. I have never had, but everyone who has always say that the Thai Ice Tea is the best. Not an iced-tea drinker, but everyone has their likes and dis-likes. I also like the very large single stem flowers adorned on the table... very large.
(3)Jeffrey L.
I stumbled upon this place in one of those restaurant books I found in Borders. The food and service here is pretty good (well, there weren't too many people at the time I was there). The prices are relatively low for SF, the food is smooth/well adjusted and the seafood was very fresh. I would recommend getting something with curry/sauce so you can enjoy yourself - the rice is absolutely scrumptious.
(4)Stephen H.
Amazing Value! This place is one of my favorite lunch spots. For less than $10, you get soup, tasty rice, and two choices of lunch items. The food is fresh, the place is clean and the staff is friendly. What else is there to say?
(5)Jennifer L.
I tried to win a man over by bringing him here, but it wasn't enough to turn his heart away from his favorite Thai joint over in the Trendyloin. Can't blame a girl for trying. I read such good reviews from you all and mistakenly thought I stood a chance. Service was great, and the food was pretty damn good. We even had a nice sweet (cheap) Gewurztraminer. If the food we ordered had been a bit spicier it would've been perfectly paired. We started with Katong-Tong which was good, but not great. I'm not used to having peas in my Thai food, and the shrimp were a bit rubbery. The crunch of the little shell and the flavor of the filling were good though. The Sahai-Pad-King was my favorite dish - Thai sweet n sour. The shrimp were delish, the veggies yum and not over cooked (who knew I'd like warm cucumber?), and the pork had the best ginger flavor. And because I was feeling wild and crazy, I got the Gai-Yang. That's right non-Thai speakers. I had bbq chicken. But I was really curious as to how it might be different than bbq chicken anywhere else. In case you're now curious as well, it's not really. But it was cooked perfectly - tender, juicy and falling off the bone. Next time I think I'll ask for Sriracha as nothing we ordered had any heat to it and I was kind of in the mood for heat. I suppose we probably should've ordered other dishes, but back off. I order what I want. Jeez. It's a bit remote for me to make it a regular destination, but I certainly wouldn't turn up my nose at it.
(3)linda l.
Tuesday my pal called me and said " lets got for thai" We had the usual satay , steamed white rice and pickled cucumbers. The coconut milk chicken soup was surprisingly sweet and creamy-- i liked the bite sized pieces of chicken breast in it. can't wait to try the pad thai.
(5)Aaron T.
always busy, never crowded, calm and relaxed. I used to work next-door to this place - I always got their Lunch beef curry, substitute chicken, it's not on their Dinner menu but I still ordered it when I was lonely and have nothing better to do than get Thai beer at 8:15pm. Their curry sauces are great - and incredibly tasty peanut sauce. Everyone I know likes the food here, some love it. Crowd varies - not very distinct, but mainly high 20's to 40s. Very affordable for lunch($7), and moderately priced for dinner($10-$15) - not an 'upscale' place, but good for casual, tasty, non-pretentious eating on a budget. Not a boozer's paradise - don't come here looking for amazing drinks.
(4)Caroliina F.
This is my 2nd time here and I was happy that it was just as good or actually even better then my 1st experience. Wasn't in the mood to drink wine so I ordered a cup of tea. The best hot thai tea I've ever had in my life. Then my friend and I ordered the tom yum soup, the pirate treasurer as an appetizer, the chxn w chili, and basil hot sauce and the curry beef. All really good and flavorful. But I must say the beef was just a bit too stewy for our taste. After all we ate, and having tons of leftovers, our bill came out to only $50 for 2 people! I will definitely be back again soon.
(4)Derek B.
OK kids...you must have the duck curry here. It's sooooo good. Really. My veggie friend was literally begging us for the sauce on this stuff (even though it had been cooked with the duck!) This is what you need to make your life complete.
(4)Tawny A.
mmmmmmmm, the food here is really really good. i only give it four stars though because the portions are just right and the dishes are more on the pricey side. i do like it though because it's like a block from my house and it's a great place to bring the baby. staff here is nice. we ordered: Vegetarian Delight - Slices of - fried - tofu and taro in batter, served with sweet and sour peanut sauce. very very good! Ped-Tod-Ka-Na-Grob - Crispy pieces of roast duck fried in batter with greens, served with sweet chili garlic sauce. Yum! i don't remember what else we ordered, but we like coming here.
(4)Bridgette A.
Manora's has become THE place for Thai takeout for me and my fiance. It is close to our apartment, there is a driveway next to it for an easy turn around and temporary parking spot, it is cheap, the portions are huge, and most importantly--it's GOOD! The best curries are the yellow chicken curry and panang beef. They are huge, and it is impossible to finish one serving in a sitting... which means Thai food leftovers for lunch the next day! The chicken isn't all white meat, but it is yummy and they give you a TON of it (great for the meat-lover). It isn't too greasy and the seasoning is really great. I am not a huge fan of the other dishes I've tried there (green curry, red curry, tom kha gai), but just the yellow and panang--plus the value and convenience--keep us coming back for more!!
(4)kim l.
If i could give this place 10 stars I would. They have the best pad thai and really great service. They're always friendly and have really efficient people working there, so efficient one of the waiters cleaned our table and carried 5 entree dishes, a rice pot, and a water pitcher all at once. AMAZAZING!
(5)Amy J.
Manora's has been consistantly good for many years. The spicy asparagas with lobster sauce is always a winner. And there's lots of chicken in the soup, alrighty. Nice environment- not over the top, but simple and exotic. A fine place for a meal if you find yourself in the 'hood and hungry. Skip the Tod Mun fish cakes, though- rubbery and bland.
(4)Will A.
Manora Thai is a fairly authentic Thai place, with reasonable prices and a rather inconvenient location. The menu has a lot of selection, including dishes you don't find elsewhere. Lunch is a good time to go as they have a lunch special where you can chose two items along with rice and soup. I was neither impressed nor disappointed, so let's call it 3 stars. I'll probably go back for lunch during work, but can find better places on the weekend.
(3)Christian M.
Pro The Beef Larb is absolutely fantastic.
(5)Steve F.
I've only been here once for lunch, but I know Thai food, and this place really made me commit it to memory. Their food was awesome, spicy, good portions. Get a Thai Iced Coffee too. De-rated one star for a bit iffy service. My water sat empty for half of my lunch, and this was in an uncrowded restaurant.
(4)Aaron W.
An awesome lunch combo deal. Hearty and delicious - go with the thai bbq chicken and the thin sliced garlic pork. The beef curry was also delicious!
(5)Javi V.
Good and tasty Thai food, that I love. What I can't find here is "the vibe", the reason why I would go back, or anything that catches my attention. But the food is good, and sometimes that is all you need.
(3)Gourmet G.
It's funny to hear someone describe this as a 'trendy' location, because this place has been here since back in the day when there was nothing in SoMa except warehouses and seedy gay bars. Now the warehouses are overpriced condo complexes and the gay bars are . . . well, still seedy. You'll find the usual array of Thai favorites, and while none of them warrant excessive praise, charbroiled eggplant with prawns, chicken, and hard-boiled egg in a lemon-garlic sauce deserves honorable mention, and everything else passes muster. The kitchen is willing to temper the heat according to your specifications. The casual-elegant decor - with carved teak details and ornately framed Thai prints - and low prices earn it an extra star.
(4)Candice B.
The lunch specials are awesome! But last night I drove from San Mateo to here for dinner and had the lemongrass soup (Tom Ka Gai), Baked Oysters (Special Appetizer), and Pad Thai. all AMAZING and great price ($31 before tip). this is a family favorite and my parents' #1 thai spot.
(5)joolia f.
For under $10, you get a delicious and filling lunch. The portions are generous and flavorful. I had the noodle soup and it hit the spot on this cold and rainy San Francisco day. Wait staff is quick and attentive. I think this could be a nice place to take a coworker for a birthday lunch. It was packed but not at all noisy. I'll come back again, for sure.
(4)Ben G.
What is everyone talking about? I live near Manoras and have tried to eat there four times. Each time the food was worse than the last: greasy, vinegary, bland, gray. Everything tastes stale and old, like the place looks, and half the time I couldn't identify what I was eating. Perhaps this is "authentic" Thai food, in comparison with other local Thai places that have changed their recipes to conform to American tastes. But I've had Thep Phanom or even Basil, just down the street, a million times, and those restaurants are almost always great. So if that's "Americanized," then guilty as charged of liking fresh, clean food. I have no idea what everyone here is eating, and why this place is getting good reviews. It's like the "Everyone Loves Raymond" of restaurants: what does everybody see in it?
(2)Michael J.
I'm a native San Franciscan, so I've had the pleasure of eating out at some of the finest restaurants in the world, and I've gotta say that this is the best Thai Food I've ever had. The place smells great, the food is wonderful, and the service is second to none. Food comes out super fast too! Please go check it out! I can't believe it wasn't on Yelp until I recommended it?!?! Love this place! Love it!
(5)Wendy H.
They make drinks here similar to the ones I made to haze my sorority sisters. Thai Food's great, but service FRICKIN' SUCKS!!!!! "and according to Srini...this is an understatement"
(2)Ken B.
A reliable stand-by. Inexpensive lunchtime special plates. Dependably grumpy wait-staff. Delicious cuisine. It gets crowded quickly, so either reserve or arrive before 12:00 PM.
(3)Eva R.
My now-husband and I used to eat at Manora's once a week. In 1998, (the year of endless rain) we'd slog 4 blocks over from 8th and Howard to eat crisp fried taro and tofu, spicy beef larb salad and this wonderful crispy duck on a bed of greens. We live on the other side of the City now, but we had an occasion to eat there before going out to the DNA Lounge. It's been almost a decade, but Manora remains inexpensive and accessible and the food hasn't slipped a bit.
(5)kim n.
this has got to be one of my favorite thai restaurants - every dish is consistently flavorful and done well. i live 1 block away and get take-out from here once per week. if i eat in, i always order the oyster appetizer. my favorite dishes: por-pia-tod (fried rice rolls), tom yum goong (spicy/sour prawn soup), woon sen pad, and duck curry. they also have a full bar - so great for a weekend dinner before heading out. i wish they'd dim their lights a bit though.
(4)Rose E.
I've passed by this place a few times and never realized all the great reviews it has received until recently. A friend and I had dinner here and had the pad thai, bbq chicken and fish w/red curry which were all pretty good. We came at a good time, right when they opened at 5:30 on a Sunday but when we were leaving, the place was packed. I will definitely come here again.
(4)Chris C.
Manora's is just about my favorite Thai place, & I love Thai food! I've never been disappointed w/ a single item there. Great pad thai, curry duck is awesome, I had an eggplant dish that was fantastic (can't remember the name of it now). The best thing is the bar - you can order a well drink & it actually tastes good, which is unusual at ANY bar, lol. Love it!
(5)Jen Jen W.
I came here once for lunch with my coworkers and I thought the food was just OK..the portion was big enough and the price was right. But unfortunately for me it wasn't anything special....
(3)Naomi N.
I came here for dinner - they give you good portions and it was all really good. The service was awesome - the server was prompt, attentive and super nice - I had to give an extra star because of that.
(5)Michelle R.
I really like it here. They're really nice and the food is great. Spicy! I love the duck curry and this grilled beef app. Yummmmmm
(4)Norah N.
My husband used to work just a corner from Manora...we love their food and their service is excellent. We moved to east bay now but we still occasionally go there whenever is possible.
(5)Danny C.
It was pretty good
(4)S. M.
So this place was good. Not great. Didn't really blow me away. The decor was interesting, bright gold colors, but almost a little tacky and the tables are too close. The service was good, attentive, not overwhelming, quick. The mushroom cabbage appetizer thing was really flavorful. I had a nice experience here overall. But like I said it didn't really WOW me to give it a full five stars.
(4)Carlos C.
My friend and I had not seen each other in a few years, so we decided to dine here. We were catching up on each others lives, so we didn't immediately look at the the menu. Our server was very patient and gracious. When the food came, it was flavorful with generous portions. To top it off, my firend and I shared a coconut ice cream with mango slices...yum! The ice cream tasted as if it was house made, that alone makes me a fan!
(5)E.Mo. ..
Five stars!! Out of sight, alright, get some tonight. Best decorated, best tasting, best service, what a great establishment.
(5)Envytime I.
I had dinner here and was not disappointed. Luckily most of the dishes can be made vegetarian which I have encountered as a problem in other restaurants (Only ginger chicken, no tofu?!) . I had the ginger mushroom dish and I loved how it had pineapple. It added a whole new dimension. mmm. Love the plants that grow all along the wall. The service was quick and the waiter very helpful Watch out though, the staff is very zippy in their steps.
(4)Cheryl C.
Very disappointing. They had very few vegetarian options on the menu, although we had heard they could make anything vegetarian. We tried a vegetarian version of their Mee Grobb crispy noodles and it was a plate of bland noodles smothered in sticky sweet and sour sauce. We also had two appetizers, their Por Pia Tad fried rice rolls (with sweet and sour sauce), which were fine but nothing exceptional, and their Vegetarian Delight - fried tofu and taro that was just that, bland served with "sweet and sour peanut sauce" consisting of the same sweet and sour sauce everywhere else with crushed peanuts mixed in. We went with some omnivore friends who enjoyed their meal somewhat more, although the general consensus was "OK, but nothing special." One friend found a hair in her food and was comped the dish.
(2)Bert T.
There's only one reason why I go this place- The chicken curry! #28 Gaang Gary Gai. I have never eaten curry like this. The sauce is great mixture of coconut milk and spices. It's not runny, and not so spicy that you can't taste anything else. The chicken itself, in the curry, isn't the usual dried out over cooked breast meat. It's actually very tender and it's dark meat. I 've been to so many thai places in the city and there's not one place that makes it like this. The service is great too. Very friendly, and attentive. Parking isn't bad if you get there before 7pm. The only thing is the noise level. It's a small place and it can get a bit loud but hey you're there for the food right? Here's a quirky thing but a nice touch- Everytime I've gone there they would always have a different kind of fresh flower on each table.
(4)Sirima S.
Came here for the first time a bazillion years ago. Went back again the other night because a group of friends were craving Hoy Tod. Its apparently the only place we've found that makes it in SF but only for dinner. Not as nearly as good as mom used to make but still good. Nothing here is very spicy unless you ask for it in Thai.
(4)Cid T.
Cheap, delicious, flavorful. Attentive, quick, friendly. Convenient, charming, cute. Must go!!!
(5)glen o.
Hands down, the best Thai food I've had in a long time. Not only was the food mighty tasty, but the service was great. Everyone was friendly and very accomodating. One of our friends came by to eat with us "unexpectedly" halfway through our meal during their friday dinner service and they gladly moved a chair to our table eventhough the place was so packed. We had the chicked larb, basil chicken, garlic eggplant with beef, pad thai and beef red curry. No one could stop eating!!!
(5)ITesh J.
This looks and feels like a more expensive establishment but the food is inexpensive and fabulous. We ordered Larb - basically a meat "salad" made from quick grilled beef or chicken and cooked in rice powder and spiced with chilli and spicy lemon sauce. It was a unique taste. Not sure if I'd go for it again. We also had Kai-Yad-Sai - Thai style omelets stuffed with crab, shrimp and chicken in a mixture of Thai herbs. And for dessert it was Thai tapioca beads stuffed with water chestnuts with a combination of young coconut meat, lotus seed, toddy palm seed and jack fruit in icy coconut milk. Now that was yummy and different
(4)Frankie D.
I love Manora's! They've started accomodating me at lunch and letting me order other stuff a la carte and their food remains fucking delicious. Maybe they saw my old review and figured out that THE MONARCH'S secret identity is that of a squirrelly little nerd girl. To boot, I have a little crush on the one waiter who has a Misfits patch sewn on to the collar of his traditional Thai shirt. And I don't even like the Misfits that much. Old review: I'm torn. Manora's dinner menu is really broad and very inexpensive and well prepared. It's always been one of my favorite Thai places in the City. Their lunch menu is extremely limited and there are very few decent selections on it. I once asked for something off the dinner menu for lunch and was informed in no uncertain terms that they would not do it. Too bad. (Old rating: 3 stars)
(4)ashley n.
they do not deliver!
(3)farmta s.
I haven't been here in a long time, but still love the place. All the food is good and decent price for the ambience. It feels very authentic and the service also feels very authentic. They don't try too hard and still manage to be very attentive. I wouldn't recommend this place for big groups since it's a small place and more intimate for maybe dinner for 4.
(4)Sarah W.
Really inexpensive and delicious thai food.. can't get much better! I had the Pad Thai, Larb, and Pang Pong and they were all great. The Pang Pong was definitely my favorite! The service wasn't anything to write home about, but the food was great!
(5)CINDY K.
My clubbing days are waaaaay over, and I would've never stepped into Manora, located at random-clubs-central (Folsom & 11th), were it not for New Wave City Night (ie - the night for those whose clubbing days are waaaaay over) at DNA Lounge, and my fellow Yelpers. The standout to me was their seafood lemongrass coconut milk soup - it's name starts with "Tom..." but they usually do. How helpful am I? I really could've slurped up the entire quart sized clay serving bowl, but this being my first time doing sit-down dining with some of my companions...I felt I shouldn't frighten them w/my greedy, bestial ways. We also had Pad Thai, and an asparagus & something else green curry - Sah-PAY-sey! Good for not being greasy, but obviously none-too-memorable for me. I was disappointed with the Thai iced coffee - it wasn't strong at all, and on a night when I'm trying to pretend like I'm not hella old, I needed all the caffeine I could get! But if I'm shooting for another evening in the area, I'd be down to come back. 3.5 stars
(3)Adam X.
Top 10 lunch in the SOMA, Top 5 places for Thai in SF. Maybe even top 3.
(5)Betty N.
3.25 stars. It's good, but not that good. Maybe I am ordering the non-spectacular dishes, but for the most part, it was good at best, but not enough to get itself 4-5 stars. Ate dinner here on a Fri. night before going to a bday party. They did not take 2 person resos, so we had to wait for approximately 10-15 minutes. We were impressed by the many accolades on the walls; from Best Thai Restaurant in SF, Zagat Rated, Best 100 Thai Restaurant in the World, etc. This place has to be good, right? Um, yeah, sure. The place was packed and we were seated against the front window. It is super casual here. I mean, we were not that dressy, but we looked like a homecoming couple compared to the other customers. I thought I was eating in SJ for a second. Nothing wrong with that, but don't expect lipstick glam and LA glitter here. We ordered the following with comments: 1. Soft Shelled Crab - this was their special for the day and it was below average. The batter was so thick, we felt like we were eating fried batter, not the crab. 2. Tom Yum Goong (spicy and sour prawns and mushroom soup with a touch of lemon grass and roasted chili) - The prawns were jumbo. Good flavor, good soup. 3. Gang Ped Ped Yang (roast duck curry cooked in coconu milk and red chili sauce w/ a combo of pineapple and spinach) - This was also pretty good, but I like Osha's duck curry better. Personally, the pineapples were a bit too much and took away from the flavor of the curry and duck. 4. Red Curry Snapper with greens - our favorite dish of the evening. The fish was cooked perfectly and the greens were nicely flavored with the red chili sauce, not much curry, which was pleasant. Service was good. They refilled our water glasses promptly and there was not a long wait period between dishes. Add one beer and the total was $47 dinner for two. Not bad. I will return because I am sure there are other mind-blowing dishes somewhere within here. I just didn't hit the jackpot this time around.
(3)Vanessa F.
Food was good, but the service BLEW. We made reservations for a party of 8 at 7:30 pm. Turns out a party of 8 came in a few minutes before us and the restaurant gave them our table leaving us to wait about 45 minutes to be seated. Apologies from the restaurant were provided through free soda or thai iced tea about 40 minutes into our wait. The meat dish I had of beef and green beans in chili sauce was good. We ordered extra extra spicy... as in "as spicy as you can make it." It wasn't spicy at all. Boo. The pad thai was eh. Again, ordered extra spicy but didn't get it. For dessert we had the coconut ice cream with fried banana balls. It wasn't cheap and you didn't get very much ice cream or banana balls. They weren't "balls" either. Probably wouldn't go back unless we were meeting friends. There's places closer to home that are better.
(2)Dave C.
Great lunchtime spot with affordable, high-quality Thai food. I'm sure dinner is great too. Not big on decor, but food is top notch.
(4)Johnny W.
Probably my favorite Thai spot in San Francisco. Their Five Spice Chicken and their coconut chicken soup are the best here. Get that combo in your lunch special and you will not be dissapointed. Better than Osha Thai!
(5)Mar H.
Its situated in a very industrial area with warehouses and near the Freeway. Walking distance to the Gift Center. We got there just mins before they are closing the lunch service. We are so glad we made it. Lunch combo has the most valued Thai food around. I had the garlic chicken and fried shrimp. The roast chicken was juicy and a nice amount. I don't think I would order the shrimp again because it is not very crispy. My friend have the rice plate which is a hardy beef curry stew. $7.50. Wow melts in your mouth meat and hot + spicy sauce which really hits the spot in a cold day. I think I stole all his food! The decor is great, not as cramp as other places I have been. Definitely the best Thai I have run into. This is the not kind of Thai place that left you hungry. Another good thing that is rare in the city: we found parking!
(4)Shay L.
Would not recommend. Tom Kha soup was tasty but meat in soup was unappetizing. Had imperial rolls which were just ok, beef basil curry which was horrible - tough meat, very oily sauce. The thai fried rice did not taste good. Also, the tofu in the pad thai had a funny/sour taste. I am surprised at all the good reviews here. And yes, Basil thai down the street is better.
(2)Patti I.
This food was so yummy, my eyes rolled back in my head and I'm still trying to see straight! Great variety of flavors. Best choices this evening were squid in some kind of heavenly red sauce and #41 (I think) eggplant with basil and other assorted tidbits. My dining companions and I were stuffed but couldn't waddle out without first sampling sticky rice with mango for dessert. Heavenly! And besides the fabulous food, we loved the friendly, unpretentious atmosphere of the place. Manora's had the most cheerful waitstaff I've experienced in months. I'd go back just to say "Hi." No, that's a lie, if I went back again I wouldn't just say hi, I would eat a bunch more of their fabulous food. I live in Menlo Park and this restaurant was worth the drive!
(5)Jenn C.
Delicious neighborhood thai place - I have many fond memories of ordering to go and eating in while I lived in that neighborhood. I love the fried tofu & taro - light, crispy and not too oily (even if you get it to go!). They do a good job making food spicy without killing all the other flavors in the dish. Excellent curries! Very vegan friendly.
(4)Tracy W.
I was pleasantly surprised when I went to Manora's. And that's an understatement. My boyfriend has been asking me to go for some time, but I never saw an urgency in the matter. And when I approached and entered the restaurant, I thought, hmm, how strange. A Thai restaurant that looks like an English pub? But wow! I have to say this was the best Thai food I've ever had. It's true that I only tried 2 dishes there since only 2 of us went, and it's true that I'm not the ultimate authority on quality Thai food; I must say there are some Thai restaurants out there that I know I will not bother to return to unless I really must. The Thai Iced Tea was pretty good, but not as strong as I'd prefer. It was also served with shaved ice, while I prefer ice cubes. But that's not really the point of a dinner. We started with Tom Kha Gai. Best. Ever. The portion was perfect, and they didn't leave in the ingredients that you can't eat, like galangal, lemon grass, and etc. The soup had a good creamy consistency, with a decent amount of heat. The highlight was the chicken. Oh, the chicken! There were large chunks of it in the soup, cooked so tender that it was falling apart. Yum! And then came the yellow curry with chicken. And yes, the chicken was just as tender as what was in the soup! The portions were great too. We had enough to stuff ourselves with seconds, plus some for leftovers. Some people call that skimpy but I call it the right amount. I'd definitely return and try other dishes when I'm in the area!
(5)Claudia P.
Absolutely love this place! I have been coming here for years, delicious food, reasonably priced and fast, friendly service. Some of my favorite dishes are eggplant with prawns and chicken and also the seafood claypot. It's especially fun to come with a group of people and order family style and try a lot of different dishes and flavored. I will keep coming back.
(5)Mika D.
My first time here for lunch yesterday with ace. I was craving thai food and this hit the spot! I ordered a plate of pad thai and the duck rice plate for lunch as we shared throughout our meal. The duck rice plate is quite reminiscent of the duck dish I always get from Sanamluang Cafe in Hollywood. The skin is crispy and roasted and is sliced thinly over a bed of spinach and drizzled with soy. It was the perfect lunch. The pad thai tasted grand with the mix of shrimp and tofu, bean sprouts and peanuts. I'm coming back here again!
(5)Annalisa S.
Awesome awesome awesome. And there's only 1 other thai restaurant I'd say this about. We had Beef Larb, Chicken Coconut Soup, Chicken Eggplant Basil & the Quail. Crazy good. great atmosphere, no trouble parking.
(5)Nicole L.
I think it was Dec 16th that I went here to meet up for one of my friends' birthday dinner. My friend has quite the taste palate so I trust that the food was good, but that night I didn't even get to try it! So here's what happened. I go there and one of my friends is sitting at the bar and immediately she starts complaining about the waitresses rude behavior towards her when all she asked was if we could sit further from the door to avoid the cold draft. Apparently that wasn't okay =/ When everyone arrived we were looking through the menus while chatting trying to decide what we could all get since there were vegetarians and shrimp allergic people in our party. In a matter of minutes the lights went out - black out! From what it looked like the other businesses on the block had power except for Manoras. For the next hour we sat in the dark and watched as the staff frantically waited for PG&E. The issue was that they didn't even think to continue to serve their customers, we got 2 candles for our table of 12 and weren't asked if we wanted to be served despite sitting in the dark. Basically we were ignored - after getting no response from the servers we all got up and left.
(2)Jenny L.
This used to be my neighborhood go to spot for Thai food, before I moved away. Everything is authentic (at least it feels that way), and they have a lot of variety and specials for you to choose from. Their soups are delicious, and so is the pad thai. And their meat entrees. Best of all, their prices are really reasonable, and the portions are large enough that you can have a meal the next day and still be satisfied.
(4)Julia C.
3.5 stars In the Mission after dance practice, B famished, the usual. We yelped, we found, we ate. Manora's is an out of the way little Thai restaurant. When we got there it was mostly empty, but it filled up pretty quickly. Only significant complaint I had was that we sat there for while perusing our menu and dying of thirst, and they didn't bring us any water until B placed our order and specifically asked for two glasses of water. Tom Yum soup was deeeelicious! But buyer beware - the menu advertises it as serving 2-4 people but really it's only enough for 2 (or 3 if you're skimpy with portions). We also ordered the Red Curry from Chef's favorites. The curry sauce itself was good, but it was poured over tempura fried cuts of pork, steak, and fish. Kinda weird, and not what we wanted in terms of our Thai curry. Also we ordered the garlic grilled quail - tiny tiny bird, flavor was good but not stand out. After taking a look at all the meat and starch we had on the table (and certain persons taking recent bowel movement into consideration) B decided it would be a good idea to order some veggies. We got a mixed greens stir-fried type dish, most likely stir fried with garlic, soy sauce, and basil. Satisfying dinner, albeit in a kinda scary location on the corner of nowhere.
(3)Jessica D.
If I could give it a 2 and 1/2 I would, but I tend to round up to give places the benefit of the doubt. Honestly, I think we were just there on the wrong night (Friday). I don't live in the city, so I highly doubt I will be going back, which is a shame because the food was good. It was the service that spoiled it. I was quite impressed with how fast our drinks and appetizers came. I am pregnant and was ravenous, so I was really happy about the speedy arrival. We soon received our second course, they got mine wrong, but I ate it anyway without complaint because it looked good. That was kind of the first sign that things were going wrong. My hubby had asked me to bring him some food home and I was told to put in the order towards the end of our meal. Unfortunately for us, sometime around our second course a huge party of 15-20 sat down right next to us. I kind of wonder if they were trying to get us fed and get us out before that party arrived, because they were so fast to begin with! As we were eating our main course, our water glasses were empty for a really long time before we got any water. It was almost impossible to get our waiters attention. I actually felt bad for him, he looked so frazzled and was running all over the place. We were also stuck in a corner, which meant we didn't get noticed. After we ordered our to-go food, we must have waited for at least a half hour before we had to ask for it again, which then took another 15 minutes to produce. Plus, they didn't have the dessert which was on the menu :( I was definitely disappointed. If it hadn't been for the good company then I think I would have gotten really annoyed.
(3)Sharon T.
Our friend from Thailand recommended this place and of course, I was gonna trust her judgment! We've only had take out from here (we normally get Osha Thai on 3rd or 2nd st). The restaurant is cute, not fancy, and has all of that Thailand decor that we all expect to see and the service is great. The food here is really good and satisfying. I really like the pad thai here and they had this crab omelet dish that was yummy too. The other stuff we got here was good too, but nothing memorable. My hubby still likes Osha better. I can't decide. We get Osha all the time and I love their food, but I think it's nice to have a new change. Will definitely be getting more of Manora's for take out when I get a craving for some Thai!
(4)Mark J.
King of Thai used to be my favorite Thai spot in The City, but you know what? As of 2 Saturdays ago, they've been dethroned by Manora's! When I came here with 2 of my friends, I noticed how they had Zagat awards near the door, so I figured this had to be a pretty good restaurant. The family-style dishes we ordered were all awesome. I remember looking at their menu for a while and finding it hard to settle on just one thing, because the descriptions in there all looked really good. Not only was it some of the best Thai cuisine I'd had in a long time, but it was some of the best food I had tasted in a long time. The service was pretty good...our waiter was attentive, and even when he told us that the kitchen was closing down pretty soon (because we had ventured in there shortly before closing time), he said, "Take your time, guys." when he brought out all of our food. We still ate pretty quickly because we were super hungry. not to mention the food was REALLY good. I can't stress enough how much I liked the food here. It's safe to say that my friends and I will definitely be making a return trip to Manora's whenever we're in the area. I may not be The Terminator, but "I'll be back."
(5)Salernitana A.
I went here with a friend for dinner, and I actually thought that the place would be awesome since it's in the middle of a not-so-great district. I wanted it to be awesome, and my friend said it was awesome, but I disagree. Overall: 1. The larb is crazy good. We wolfed it down in about three seconds, like how cartoons eat corn on the cob. The basil chicken was also fragrant and yummy. 2. I had the pad thai, which was OK. They didn't pan sear the tofu, they sort of mixed it all in at the last second, and they made it so spicy I well, you don't need to hear that. 3. Their menu says Diet Coke, but all they had was Diet Pepsi. Thai iced tea next time! Our waiter was very kind and knowledgeable about the menu, and I have definitely had worse Thai. But I've also had way better. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing.
(3)Sheila A.
Delicious food. Terrible service. We had a group of 8 which they were willing to accommodate on a rainy night. We were organized, knew what we wanted, and tried to be low-maintenance (we did not ask for split checks, for example). And the food was delicious - my crispy duck with greens and sweet chili is still haunting me. Unfortunately, the service was nothing short of terrible. We were left waiting for long periods of time - waiting to order drinks, waiting with only half our drinks served, waiting to order food long after we indicated we were ready. The few appetizers and soups that were ordered came out fairly fast, but then the rest of us were left sitting for nearly 25 minutes without food (putting those who were having soup as their meal in the awkward position of finishing long before everyone else.) We could not get refills on drinks. Half the table did not receive the rice they ordered (and after we ordered rice, the server said to us "you know that costs extra, right?" as if we could not read the menu on our own - I think charging for rice is terribly cheap, but if your guests have noticed it has to be ordered separately, at least don't condescend to them about it.) We asked the table of 4 next to us if their service was similarly inconsistent, and they reported that indeed it was - everything came out at different times, one person waited ages for her food while everyone else was nearly finished, etc. We discerned this while waiting endlessly for the check. I really want more of that duck and greens, but I think I'll see if they offer carryout.
(3)Rich H.
Summary based on 1 lunch: --decent food, with an interesting variant on usual preparation --ok service during a busy lunch with several large parties --slightly more expensive than usual; right at the upper border of cheap --came on foot, so can't comment on parking --better than average ambiance for a cheaper Thai restaurant
(3)Sasha C.
i'm going to be honest. i love thai food. i love places like this that look like ma and pa restaurants/shops that make it in the culinary world. i was in the area, and specifically decided to take my family to dinner here although the neighborhood was a bit sketchy.. we parked our car and prayed it would be safe when we got back from dinner(which it was). the restuarant was bustling, and cutesy, the food was great and my boyfriend is in LOVE with the soft shell crab here. he dreams of it back in nyc til this day. we'll make another visit in the future !
(5)Gracie L.
#1 thai spot for takeout lunch. Lunch specials are huge portions and quality food for the price. Always super fast.
(4)Sean H.
Wow. What an absolute gem of a place Manora is. Amazingly delicious, and authentic Thai food, at amazingly delicious prices. Seriously, it's almost crazy how good the food is for how much it costs. Some of the best Thai food I've had, and I just got back from a couple of weeks in Thailand earlier this year. In a good spot for street parking too, as it's not too crazy around there and we didn't have any trouble. But all in all, great service, great great food, and really awesome prices. I'm not sure I could have asked for anything better for when we wanted to have Thai for dinner on a Saturday night. We are so going to be back here, and probably often.
(5)Melanie G.
Love it! Really good soups.. but didn't have my favorite (Pad sew ew)
(4)Cori W.
Nice place for lunch, cheaper than Basil Canteen but not as ~fancy~. The interior is very thai and cozy. I had a thai iced coffee and veg pad thai, both were delicious. The pad thai had a good flavor, thin delicate noodles and nice amounts of egg and tofu. It'd be cool if they listed more veg options rather than having to ask for them.
(4)Sophia Z.
At the corner street of Folsom, this lil spot looks deceiving on the outside. But once you step into the restaurant, you will feel so comfortable and at ease as the waitress immediately sits you down and takes your order. I only got the lunch combo, but it was both delicious and filling (enough to split in half and save some for dinner!). The cost ($8.95 + tax or $9.80) is decent for what you get in a lunch combo (this place only accepts cash or visa/mastercard credit cards). For the combo, you get two side dish choices with thai fried rice and some savory thai chicken soup. For this visit, I got: 5. Gai-Yang Thai Bar B-Q chicken served with sweet garlic sauce 9. Goong-Tod Deep fried prawns with vegetables served with plum sauce The chicken was very tender and moist. (they cook it wrapped so all the natural juices stay within the chicken) Though I would have enjoyed a more bold flavor on the chicken, it was still delicious. If you like tempura, then you'll love the goong-tod. I thought these prawns and veggie would be deep fried like typical chinese food, but this place actually cooked a variety of fresh veggies and prawns tempura style, accompanied by a yummy sweet and sour plum sauce. THIS SAUCE IS ESSENTIAL! The fried rice was a good filler to balance the taste pallete for your lunch, and the soup was a delicious and welcomed surprise for my tummy. Creamy and bold flavored, this soup was a great signature of thai flavors. I'll definitely be coming back here!
(4)F. C.
On our last night in SF, we came for dinner since I wanted Thai Food. Growing in a house where I get the real thing, you ask why I would pay for such food you ask? Well, Mom was about 6 hrs away at the time. But EVERY Thai place I have ever visited, nothing compares to Mom's cooking @ home. Even my parent's Thai restaurant in Naples, FL doesn't taste the same as if we were eating at home. That being said, I'll do my best not to be bias & compare it to my Mom's cooking. So back to Manora's. Small place, but very cozy. Nice decoration, and very attentive wait staff, always a plus. Our h2o glass were never empty. My Thai Ice Tea was too sweet for my taste, but the hubby enjoyed his hot tea. We started off w/ Por-Pia-Sod (spring rolls filled w/ veggie, pork, chicken, shrimp & it was suppose to have crab, but I didn't taste/see it, top w/ a sweet tamarind sauce). It was different but good. Had to use a knife & fork to eat this because it was laid out on a dish w/ the sauce covering it. I would have prefer the sauce to be on the side so I can dip like how I'm use to eating spring rolls. I had their Gang-Gari-Gai (yellow chicken curry). Chicken was very tender & glad they had more chicken & not cheat us w/ putting more potatoes than chicken. The hubby had the Panaeng-Sam-Ros (combo of crisp chicken, pork & beef deep fried drench in spicy red curry sauce. Tasted the chicken & it was pretty good, but I didn't taste the other two meats. From the hubby's empty dish after, I take it that it was good as well. Hubby can not handle spicy & he was able to eat it, so their spicy probably is suited for the "white" tongue. Which is perfect for him. All in all, good food & reasonable price.
(3)Don W.
Great Thai food, great atmosphere. Location is a bit dodgy at night but whatever. The lemon chicken soup was out of this world.
(5)francis c.
We went here for the first time last night. Compared to our fav. thai spot this is relatively cheaper. I had the yellow curry with chicken and potato, which was huge pieces vs. small pieces like i've seen on other plates. The service was okay, the waitress was sweet and checked-in when need be. The place is not big, but decent size and the decor is really nice. To me it shows they value their venue. Parking was easy but I also think it was because of the time and day, it is just one block away from Holy Cow.
(3)Soul G.
Soup thy name is Manora...Tom Yum bombay treat for your Tum Yum. Soup is on your brain Hungover from the black night Tom Yum in your bum Word to the food but the place is too small if you go on a weeknight its actually nicer and bit more intimate. All in all 4 stars; the service is great and I love the native decor, the bowls and cups they serve the soup are dope looking. I like the beef with basil with a egg overy easy on top...DAMN its good. Haiku
(4)Wes M.
There are plenty of diamonds in the SOMA rough, to be sure, but they tend to be uber-divey or inconveniently wholesale-centric or some such. So to see a large, gaudy, almost suburban Thai restaurant just chillin' at 12th & Folsom was a surprise. You sure don't get a lot of casual passersby here, so there must be something that keeps them in business, right? And sure enough, Manora's food launches it into the rarefied realm of top-tier SF Thai, along with a few others like Ploy II (and to think there was a time when I doubted the existence of any good Thai in the city). Now, Pad Thai and I got off on the wrong foot a long time ago, and I've rarely ordered it since, but I took another crack at it based on the Yelp-omendations. I can easily say it's the best Pad Thai I've ever had, so consider me back in the habit. Their lunch combo plates are a great deal too, and come with some lemon-chicken soup that you absolutely must try. All in all, quite the beacon in the wasteland, and you can even follow up your meal with a bite from the chocolate factory next door.
(5)John O.
I love this restaurant. My favorite dish, which I get every time, is Kow Pad Talay. Thai ice tea is also a great treat.
(5)James V.
Great Seafood Skewer! And the service was great.
(4)Jenn W.
I had been looking forward to the "Vegetarian Delight" as I had a serious taro craving. I was disappointed, I had been hoping for a yummy deep fried ball of delicious taro goo & instead received really bland taro fries with some tofu triangles. I had one of the appie specials as my main - baked oysters. Probably an odd thing to order at a Thai restaurant as they were baked with cream & spinach, but served with sweet & sour peanut sauce and lime wedges. So yeah, with my menu selections, Manora's Thai delivered epic fail. Three stars and a return trip are in order though, as my husbands fish dish was in such a perfect delicious red coconut curry sauce that I greedily sopped it up with plain rice after finishing my sad small portion of strange oysters. Obviously I just ordered wrong.
(3)C L.
Not the best Thai food I've had, and the iced tea was pretty awful, not sweet at all. However, the waitress was very accommodating. When my bf tried to order the duck flat noodle soup, she told him that it wasn't on the menu, but she would ask the cook if he could make it.
(1)Mindy L.
This place is delicious. I've been coming here since I was a little girl. So when I came back as an adult I was shocked to find that it was, not only, as good as I remembered but better. Clearly, I'm not the only one who thinks so given all the wonderful reviews. This, in my opinion, is one of the best Thai restaurants in the city. And it's cheap!! The decor is lovely. They have all this imported intricate wood work and paintings. But it's still casual enough that you can walk in wearing jeans and look like part of the regular crowd. If you go for lunch, their chicken with saffron rice is woooonnnderful. I learned at a young age (from my father) that if you wanted to be able to eat this dish, you should call ahead and reserve your order, because they sell out every single day. It's no wonder Manora's is still in business and thriving after so many years. Let's keep it that way as long as possible!
(5)Emily P.
I have been a fan of this restaurant for a long time, but recently had a HORRIBLE experience with their wait staff. I tried to place a to go order for my company, which I have done many times in the past, and the person on the phone at Manora's asked for a credit card to secure the order. I have never been asked for this in the past and told them i would be paying in cash. This is the moment when the waiter started SCREAMING at me and another person in restaurant over the phone. I then asked to speak to the manager who told me that they would not take our order, PERIOD! The food is great as long as they don't yell at you or refuse your order. RESPONSE FROM RESTAURANT: Your order was worth more than I was willing to take a responsibility. If you don't like the way it was handled, don't EVER eat here!
(2)Ashkahn M.
My favorite Thai food spot in the Bay! I've tried about 25 of them, and this is the only place that actually listens when you say spicy. I know, I know.....you have to play to the masses. But when a customer walks in and says I want it Thai Hot, and you go back and forth three or four times on how hot Thai Hot is, you'd figure they would know you like it spicy. I end up going with a friend and getting the Tom Kha, the Panang Nur, and the minced pork Gra Pow. Do it and thank me later.
(5)Evan S.
Caveat: It has been several years since I've eaten here. I used to live in SF, and still visit the city every so often. I wanted to review some of my favorite places there, for friends who live there or visit. I used to live in SF, and this quickly became one of my favorite restaurants in the city for several reasons: great food, very spicy food options, great prices, and excellent service. They had specials running frequently, and I never had something here I did not enjoy.
(5)Ann T.
their lunch menu offers combos! and if you order the combo, the even start you off with the coconut chicken soup! mMm... i usually get the satay skewers and spring rolls with garlic rice instead of fried rice. prices are really reasonable too! i definetely prefer coming here over king of thai.
(4)sally b.
The best yellow curry chicken in town! It's the way I measure a Thai restaurant and nothing has beat it.
(5)Michael K.
Best. yellow. curry. evar.
(5)Kimberly L.
Manora's is my #1 Thai spot. The staff is really attentive and the restaurant is always clean. The food is well priced and the portions are just right (not leaving you hungry is always a plus!) My top two dishes would have to be the #45 (thats right, all you have to say to order this dish is #45. Another one would have to be the Yellow Curry Chicken w/Potato cubes in coconut milk, it is to die for! I suggest you end your meal with the Fried Banana w/Coconut Ice Cream. Overall...I have nothing bad to bash this place about.
(5)Amy B.
Wow. Who knew this little place could pack such a punch! We happened to be in the neighborhood and were starving around 9:30pm. Manora's was open, so Manora's it was! I loved the decor and the authenticity as soon as we walked in. We started with some hot tea, which was amazing! It was a red thai tea blend and smelled and tasted fabulous. We had the Yum Hed appetizer (combination of various types of mushrooms, prawn, and chicken in Thai spices, laid on a bed of greens), which was very good. It actually started sweet then went to spicy as we kept eating. Great flavor combination. We then shared 2 of the "Chef's favorites" dishes: the Pooket Skewer and the MaKeur-Paad-Prik. Now, I don't really like things too spicy, and I've never seen a server seem so disappointed and personally offended by me asking for something mild. I was a little perturbed by that, but the taste of the dishes easily made up for it. The skewers--with charbroiled scallop, prawn, fish, and vegetables with yummy dips--was amazing. And the Japanese eggplant in the other dish was perfectly done. My only real complaint is that they do not have brown rice, so we went with the jasmine rice, which was also really good. Of course, you can't have Thai food without having some mango with sticky rice, so indeed we ordered that as well. The presentation, taste, service, and ambiance all surpassed my expectations for a corner place that was going to ease my late-night starvation. I will definitely be back!
(4)Kit K.
I like to eat at this restaurant. I come here about once a month and mostly for their Rice noodle soup with chicken and fish ball. It really hits the spot on a cloudy/rainy/cold day. The quality is very consistent and the service is friendly. I will have to admit I was a little annoyed today. I asked for a cup of tea not knowing that there is a charge and to come to find out it was $1.75. The Iced Thai Tea is only $2.00. How can you charge $1.75 for regular tea. This is just my beef. I should have checked the prices before asking for a cup of tea. The four star goes for the food and friendly service, not the tea.
(4)Joanna W.
Great lunch combos. $8.95 + tax for 2 items with Thai fried rice and lemon coconut soup. It's only great if you can find two items you like. I always have trouble deciding on the second item. Minus one star for no string beans.
(3)Erik P.
I've never been to Thailand, so there's that. This food, though? Makes me feel like I have. Like someone up and dropped an entire chunk of Southeast Asia into my mouth. But in a good way! Much of my visits here are a blur of blissful devouring, but I distinctly remember loving the chicken satay so much that I may have asked its hand in marriage. Given that cooked chicken lacks cognizant functions such as speech, I left with that dream unfulfilled. I highly recommend you try it - the consumption of Manora's chicken satay, that is, not the misguided attempt at matrimony.
(5)Ladi Da A.
I'm finally writing a review on Manora's, because I'm soooooo craving it right now....despite the fact that I just ate there yesterday. *oink" One word I would use to describe Manora's is... "YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmY!" I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this place!!! Their Lunch Specials are FANTASTIC!!! GREAT price$ and GOOD PORTIONS!!! My coworkers refer to Manora's as "That really good Thai place M****** goes to!" I should clarify that it was actually Christine at our office that told me to try this place...I keep getting all the credit on good eats! =P What I love about this place is that the food tastes good, and doesn't have that stinky/dirty after taste you get at some other ethnic restaurants. If you're a first timer and not sure what to get, I'd suggest the grilled pork! Other than the grilled pork here, I hardly ever eat pork -yes! it's that good. I've gotten everyone else at work hooked on it. Now when we place lunchtime pick-up orders...all of our orders are pretty much identical. =( If you haven't checked this place out, you need to go ASAP!
(5)Kristina S.
Food is amazing!! Went here for dinner on a Saturday night and loved it! The fact that everything is reasonably priced is a big plus. Definitely going back reslly soon.
(5)Frank P.
Consistently excellent service, food, attitude. Great people and great meals.
(5)Alicia P.
One of my favorite places to eat in the whole world. I realize it might not appeal to a majority, but I don't care. My husband and I come here when we want to feel good about ourselves. lol! Bottom line is: food is always fantastic, consistent, and delivered promptly at your table. They don't look it, but they are family friendly, and the servers are very welcoming and just plain do a good job serving. Thai style omelette, lemongrass soup, and fish fillet with sweet chili sauce are highly recommended!
(5)Janina V.
I think this is my favorite Thai restaurant at the moment. The fact that it's a walking distance from my work is probably one the main reasons why. Love their Lemon Chicken soup. I would give it 5 stars but service isn't perfect, probably because I always go there during lunch time and they are ALWAYS very busy for lunch, so I don't get as much attention as I want whenever I eat there. Other than that, food is really gooooodd and I am definitely a regular.
(4)Jen D.
I don't even remember everything that we had, but I will tell you this. Manora's is one of the best Thai eateries in the whole Bay Area. Yeah I said it. ONE OF THE BEST!!! We had 6 people so we at least had 6-8 dishes and there wasn't a single thing we ordered that wasn't good. And the service is great. Price? CHEAP!!
(5)apple r.
This is probably the closest and tastiest example of the Thai restaurants of old. The fresh spring rolls here are very unique. They are made with a unique wrap that is not your typical rice paper. They put mint and other ingredients in that make it very flavorful. I also like the Angel Wings and the seafood clay pot. The rice comes in a big tin container much like a restaurant in Thailand, rather than in skimpy bowls. Go here. Will not disapoint.
(4)S M.
we went here for lunch, the food was ok, the service was odd........my biggest complaint about this place is that we ordered our food and in less than 5 minutes our food was at the table and some of the food was not hot........so my guess is that they had the plates are ready served and they just brought it out? i dont know i didnt feel right about this place.
(3)kristen v.
This place is awesome. We've never once made a reservation here but we're always able to get a table. Another place I like is Suriya (see my review), but if I'm taking a group of people out, I would choose Manora. Suriya seems like a more intimate setting, while this place is great for 4 or more people without being a big place.
(5)Berna T.
After getting a little tipsy at Wish, I needed some carbs to absorb all the alcohol in my system so I wouldn't get a DUI on my three mile drive home. I stopped in and ordered the one thing that serves as my measuring stick for Thai food - Pad Thai. And it was DELICIOUS! Chunks of tofu, chicken, and shrimp in some flavorful noodles with a squeeze of lime on top....mmmm.....I also had a fresh spring roll and some of Graceypoo M's fried banana with ice cream. Oh, I will be back for that, and then some. Mos' def.
(4)Gelsomina L.
YUM, this was one of my favorite Thai places back in the day - I used to eat here at least once a week when I went clubbing in SOMA. Took my coworkers to lunch here a few weeks ago and I'm happy to say that it's still as delicious as ever! I would recommend it over trendier places like Koh Samui any day.
(5)amayzin p.
Hmmm I disagree with Adam. I had the coconut soup with chicken and it was the best chicken that I've had in a soup for the last several years! Unlike many restaurants that cook their chicken to death, probably refrigerate it too and cook it again, this stuff was tender and moist. Greasy, not in the least. I like that they used both dark and light meats. The four of us shared a serving and there wasn't a drop left over in anyone's bowl. They accomodated our request to vegetarian adding a FRESH soft tofu which we all loved. Prices were surprisingly reasonable for this type of food. I will never go to that strange Thai restaurant on Market near Castro in this lifetime. Yuck but Manora's was YUMMY!
(4)Avner A.
Manora's Thai Cuisine was my first exposure the fine Thai cuisine and I have visited this location on it's week of inception (1987). I was blown away by the amazing food. I have returned to this restaurant again many times and they never let me down. If you have to choose to go to one Thai in San Francisco, this is the one to choose.
(5)Winter R.
this place always puts me in some kind of time warp, like i'm eating at a 70's dinner party. they have all the reliably tasty coconutpalmsugarfishsauce-laden curries, soups, and salads you would expect from a decent thai restaurant here in sf, but then they also have a few curious offerings, like this curried chicken mixture served in pastry cups. hmm. i guess it's like primitive fusion cuisine. it's rather endearing. always a good call when you're hanging with those friends who live somewhere around 12th and folsom.
(3)Law G.
I came over to Manora for a quick lunch at the recommendation of a friend. From the outside, I didn't expect much, but I must say, the basil chicken was one of the tastiest dishes I've had in years. I was in a hurry, and was working through lunch, but all I can say was that the flavor "popped" on everything I tasted there. Will go again and hopefully write a more detailed review. But if first taste impressions count for anything, I was very impressed.
(4)Jay S.
One of my faves! Simple as that!
(5)Jeff C.
eh. what the big deal about this place? I went here way back after a drinking event next door at the defunct Hamburger Mary's. Since I didnt recall any bad memories I made our group of 5 go back recently The food is good. But getting to your food required that you reduce your expectations for space and accomations. This place has too much furniture in it! Thumbs UP: Green curry chicken and satay with peanut sauce from Heaven Thumbs DOWN: Wierd location in SOMA and they should consider moving into another space (like accoss the street where Hamburger Mary's was) cause they need more room.
(3)Lisa C.
Convenient lunch spot for me on extra busy days at work. Service is always friendly and fast and the rice plate lunch specials are excellent deals.
(4)jaja w.
went here recently for dinner and was vastly underwhelmed. service was horrible -- at a table of six, our waiter only took two drink orders at a time and disappeared into the back 3 times before we all got our beverages. he then seemed peeved that we wanted to order appetizers as well, and left again without asking if we were ready to order entrees (which we were). by the time we got all our orders in, we had been there for at least 30-45 minutes. the food came and was good, but not great. they do have a varied menu so there are lots of options, but if i ate here again, i would get take-out.
(2)jong-il k.
was somewhat confused, thought this was gonna be a hanukkah-themed thai kosher deli. grievously mistaken... except for the thai part. have to admit, it was the best thai food i've had since, well... since the last time i had thai food. green bean with shrimp, good. pad thai with shrimp, good. shrimpy portions, not so good. still, i'd go again if forced to against my will.
(3)A B.
Talk about the best Yellow Curry Chicken on the planet. A coconut flavor so rich with chicken that is fall-off-the-bone tender. They also have good Tom Yum soup if you're into the sour tamarind flavors.
(4)John C.
We had dinner here tonight and the food was very good, although they ran out of the mint rolls, which was the thing I was most looking forward to. The guy sitting at the table next to us ordered first, joking that they'd run out of mint rolls, and of course they did after he got his. But he let me have one, and it was indeed good. The soup we ordered, a coconut milk soup with chunks of chicken and mushrooms, was a little salty. In general, I think this is a decent Thai restaurant and a great place to go for dinner before hitting one of the clubs nearby.
(3)Simi J.
My friend Pau took me here. I don't really like Thai food as much as most SFers, but this place is for real! Try the tom yum with shrimp, the lobster w/asparagus, and the green beans with chili sauce and fresh tofu. Comfort comfort comfort.
(5)Alexis D.
I have to agree w/Stephen F. I remember going on my first date here back in '92! I loved it then and still love it now - it's still my favorite Thai joint! I'm glad that the menu is still pretty much the same.
(4)TR T.
Better Thai food than in Thailand. I think it's just that the Bay Area produces such superb provender - much better than generally available in Thailand. After hundreds of meals over tens of years, Manora's keeps consistently high standards both in the kitchen and in the dining room. It's not the place for a languorous, romantic meal, since they are so busy I feel rude keeping other diners waiting. But for great food at reasonable prices, an acceptable Fetzer Gewurtz for a bargain and always a doggie bag or two, you can't help but love Manora's.
(4)Jessica S.
I want to love it.... but... I went during lunch, and granted, it was VERY busy. But I don't think I could have felt more invisible. I went by myself, which straight away marks me as someone they aren't going to get very much money from. BUT STILL. I was feeling sad about eating lunch by myself anyway, and then I got totally ignored by the staff. My water was set down without a word, menu, and then my food was put down - still nothing said to me. Then throughout my entire meal not a single person came up to ask me how it was, or give me more water (which was totally empty). So I was a little dissapointed. The food was good though! And good prices. I will go back - maybe at not such a busy time, and maybe they will acknowledge me this time!
(3)Kyle T.
Very excellent Thai, weird location. I live two blocks away and I still think it's weird. But it's Thai to die for.
(4)Angela N.
It smells a little musty inside, and the carpet is begging for a steam clean, but the food is awesome. I am a dork and always order pad-thai because I am slightly addicted to it. Their pad-thai is definitely a cut above what you'd find at your standard Bay Area Thai restaurant. The fresh mint spring rolls with shrimp were also excellent and the wrapper was fresh. (Chewy, hard rappers-no good!)
(4)