4. Restaurants

Bangkok Chef

1626 Nuuanu Ave, Honolulu, HI, 96817
  • (808) 585-8839
  • Store is closed

Bangkok Chef Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Ha N.

    They're a garage store. Like in 3rd world asian countries. Lol. That's how you know they're good though. Authentic. Anyway, I can't account for all the items on the menu, but I definitely love the green curry. Think of a to-go plate lunch; the bottom is filled with curry, and the top two compartments have rice. Simple enough, and it's only $6. You could also opt for the no rice option, and they'll give you the curry in a cylindrical soup container. It's a lot more curry (prob 2x as much) and I think it's $8-9. Perfect for on-the-go esp if you're someone who already has rice in the cooker at home. :) I definitely don't account for the tom yum. It was bland and sour without having enough spice and lemongrass kick! Kinda sad because it was about $8. For a dollar or two more, you can get kick*ss tom yum at Dee Thai or Siam Garden Cafe. I skimmed through the soup and ate all the mushrooms. :( I felt bad dumping the soup & shrimp, but the shrimp was just bad. The frozen taste was very apparent. The parking in front is pretty bad too, but there's also a parking lot in the back. Opt for that instead if you can.

    (4)

  • Val D.

    We ordered take out the ala carte the Panang and green curries and the Radnah because it has better taste than the Nimitz Bankok Chef. They raised their prices 65 cents, but it is still cheap compared to other thai restaurants: Green Curry - 4 stars - a lot of flavor. This is one of my favorite curries to buy. It's flavorful, and a lot spicier than the Nimitz location. My mouth was burning a little from this curry. I mentioned to the lady at the counter that the niimitz restaurant doesn't have the same taste as Nuuanu, and she said that a lot of customers have mentioned that. She did confirm that they use the same ingredients, but of course different chef since the main cook is at their location. Because this location has spicier curry, I think it's the amount of spices they use that's what makes the curry more flavorful because the rest of the ingredients taste somewhat the same. Panang curry - 4 stars - a nice peanut/pork flavor, and a whole lot spicier and flavorful than the nimitz location. Although Nimitz is along the way, I will detour to the Nuuanu location because of the flavor of the curries. Radnah - pretty much the same as the Nimitz location.

    (4)

  • Kylie K.

    I love this place! This a great place for good thai food and the price is so reasonable. My favorite dishes here is papaya salad, spring rolls, panang curry, and the pad thai. papaya salad--spicy salad made from green papaya. This is a tasty low calorie salad that so delicious! spring roll--deep fried spring comes with mint leaves, lattice, cucumbers, and tasty dipping sauce. The best way to eat is make a lattice wrap and dip into sauce-yummy! curry--All the curry are all really good but my favorite is the panang curry, comes with white or brown rice. Pad thai--is stir fried noodles with bean sprouts, tofu with your choice of shrimp or chicken with crushed peanuts. I like to add a little bit of hot sauce to spice it up. This place is a hole in the wall restaurant, you order at the counter and you pick up your own food. The prices are great and food is tasty and healthy. I took off one star for the ambiance, there is no ambiance.

    (4)

  • Wayne S.

    Once again I had the Ginger Chicken with basil (I asked for basil with my order) and it was great! I do believe that the Ginger Chicken is my go to there. 3 plates of food for $17. Good food, good prices.

    (4)

  • Asako O.

    Bangkok Chef on Nuuanu Avenue is the place to go for inexpensive Thai food. Recommend parking on the street as there is limited parking stalls in front. Make note this place gets busy during lunch so go early. Ordered #11 on the menu, Cashew Nut Chicken at $6.65. This is a non spicy dish with thinly sliced pieces of chicken, crunchy cashew nuts, bell peppers and onions stir fried in a tasty sauce. The cashew nuts compliments very well together with all the ingredients. It was very good. Also reasonable priced at $6.65 is their Pad Thai which was okay although I had better tasting noodles elsewhere. Their curries, Panang Pork Curry (medium-spicy) cooked with chunky potatoes in a coconut curry sauce was very tasty along with the Thai Green Curry (medium-spicy) with sliced chicken, eggplant, bamboo shoots, and basil in a green curry coconut milk sauce.

    (4)

  • Beth I.

    Ka pun ka Bangkok chef! After a trip to Thailand years ago I was on a mission to find food that tasted authentic and Bangkok Chef in their humble green garage is as close to what you get in Thailand. I've been eating here for years before they expanded to Manoa and took over the liquor stores space. I've also seen them get busier and busier over the years and glad they are doing well but I miss the days when food came out in 5 min (now it's more like 10-15 min)! The prices have gone up a little but you still can't go wrong with the huge portions for 5.90. My favorite dishes are the fish patties, green curry, yellow curry, basil chicken, and the walnut chicken. Fyi- They are adding a new location in Nimitz soon.

    (5)

  • David B.

    My introduction to Thai food was via Bangkok Chef. First dish I tried from here was the panang pork curry ($5.70). Since then, that has been my regular dish. Portion for the price you pay is a deal. They curry was tasty with a hint of spiciness. Another dish I've tried was the chicken sateh (6 sticks for $6.95). Nothing too special about the chicken itself, but the peanut sauce makes it a lot better. I usually get an order of spring rolls (6 for $5.95) and split with my lunch buddies. The rolls are huge. One order by itself will fill you up good. They're even more dangerous when paired with a main dish, as I've come close to sleeping after lunch many times! On a recent visit there, I tried the pad si you ($6.95). Was alright, but I'll probably stick to the pad thai ($5.70) next time I want a noodle dish. They do add a good amount of chicken to the pad si you though. Parking is tight, so either bring a compact or park on the street and take a short walk. I also recommend calling in advance to avoid the wait during peak hours. Last year they expanded to the space next door so there is much more room now.

    (4)

  • Kelly G.

    Cheap Eats !!! I like the papaya salad & tom yum soup .... they pack the soup like your buying live fish - in a clear bag that is then placed in a bowl - very cool !!! unfortunately not a fan of the curries here.

    (3)

  • lisa h.

    3.5. Used to be a 5, but I've been disappointed a couple of times lately... We come here ALL the time (well, we DID; I am favoring Kaew's more now...) and it's pretty reliable--good prices, realllll nice portion sizes, and awesome, authentic Thai, dive-y feel. My kids get a litlte sick of "eating in the garage", but I like it. And I like when my husband walks down to 7-11 and gets us a Large Kirin (yes, I realize that is Japanese, but am pretty sure 7-11 doesn't have Chang...dammit) to have with our dinner, too. We always appreciate a little BYOB action; you could pay more, but why?? And eating only 2 feet away from your car?? Priceless! Green curry is good, as is the panang. Larb's alright, spring rolls are YUMMY, pad thai is good, but sort of plain (good for picky kids). We also like the satay, though the peanut sauce can be iffy sometimes, and the fried rice is good, standard fare. The last time I was there we got some sort of chicken and bamboo entree (can't remember what it was called) that I wasn't fond of at all. We also had a chicken and eggplant that was just so-so (and I love some eggplant)...that combination of two sub-par dishes was a little disappointing, espeically having been happy here every other time. But we'll persevere and come back for sure. I wish they didn't use SO much styrofoam, but whaddya gonna do? General thoughts on Bangkok Chef: it's good, solid Thai food at a decent price, with generous portions. There's nothing super special about it (except the feel, which I love, ok, and the spring rolls) but it's pretty reliable, if uninspired. Having been over to Kaew's lately, I'm thinking that BKK Chef has a COOk, while Kaew's has a CHEF. You know what I mean? There's just a little extra something, or more thought, that seems to go into Kaew's food (more along the lines of Opal Thai in Haleiwa, which is the BOMB....but, alas, so far away from our now-Windward existence :( ). But this place does have some good, standard Thai, for sure.

    (3)

  • Donna A.

    Earlier tonight, as I walked thru the hallway from the parking lot, I saw a kitchen worker cover one of his nostrils and blow the contents of the other into a trash can. Unsettling, to say the least. I should have asked for the manager and said something but didn't. When I left, the same guy was coming back in from having a smoke. I watched him to see if he'd use the sink - 5 feet from the kitchen entryway - to wash his hands. But no. Really debating about eating that Pad Thai at this point.

    (1)

  • Russel M.

    If your craving Thai Food and your near downtown Honolulu then this is your place. The prices are low and the quality is above average. Parking can be tricky but at least they have several spots available. The Pad Thai ordered Spicy can be almost a whole meal by it self. I tried the Thai Coffee and it wasn't overly sweet which is a good thing.There are several other dishes we plan to try at future visits.

    (4)

  • Lee H.

    The price is great for Hawaii. However, the taste is so so and I don't like dealing with the people at the counter. They seem to be cheap on their condiments. I always get the same two condiments, fish sauce and chili peppers. I wish they will stop acting like I'm asking for their first born. One of my favorite Thai dish is the Pad Kee Mao. They seem to use chow fung noodles for their Pad Kee Mao and I wished they used the more authentic Pad Kee Mao noodles. I guess one could argue that the Pad Kee Mao was influenced by the Chinese therefore the chow fung noodles are appropriate... But, I just think it's easier to buy chow fung noodles in Hawaii and most people they serve would not notice the difference. I am looking for authentic Thai food in the area... ok authenticity is difficult for Thai food, but please message me if you know of a Thai food restaurant in town that caters to people who knows authentic Thai food.

    (2)

  • Jody S.

    My coworkers and I always call in takeout to Bangkok Chef because 1) they are fairly slow, 2) always busy and 3) right up the street from our workplace so it's super convenient. The menu offers over 20-plus items to choose from. My fave is #17 of which I substitute the shrimp for tofu and ask for "no baby corn." Baby corn, for whatever reason, totally freaks me out. It's like I'm eating the babies of corn...lol! Okay enough digressing...so my coworkers either order the ginger chicken or the basil chicken with brown rice. I add sticky rice to my order. The vegetables are ALWAYS fresh--the snow peas are bright green and crunchy, the tofu soft and delectable and the carrots soft to the taste. Overall the food is wonderful, cost-effective and the perfect take-out for eating at your desk--plus the meals are SO big, you can eat half and save the rest for dinner or lunch the next day.

    (3)

  • Kelly M.

    Can't say this place knocked my socks off. Had the pad thai and the cashew chicken. Can't tell you what it tasted like, cause it was too bland. Lots of tables, not much parking.

    (2)

  • Steph J.

    I typically order take out from here. It's not really a place I consider as a dine in type of establishment. Nonetheless, the food is yummy and I typically stick to my usual. Tom Kha Gai (Chicken lemongrass soup) and sticky rice. It's THE best one I've eaten anywhere. It's not as creamy as some other places make it so I like it as a quick, relatively healthy alternative to a plate lunch. But I've also tried their pad thai (also yummy), shrimp with snow peas (this is okay), their fried chicken (crispy deliciousness) and summer rolls (and their decent dipping sauce). I've eaten their curries and green papaya salad as well...seems like you can't go wrong with whatever you order here. There are some stalls up front but I swear, you need to hop the sidewalk in order to get to them and if some douche bag is parked a little too far out at the point where you have to hop the curb, they have more parking in the back. Prices and very reasonable and you can't go wrong for your quick Thai fix.

    (4)

  • GT O.

    How did I end up getting the senile Thai lady. so unprofessional!! i would give 5 stars for the food and value but to me, service is everything.

    (2)

  • Ruthie C.

    11/6/2009 If you want great Thai food as good it gets, this is the place! It's one of those hole-in-the-wall local restaurants that unless you're local or know anyone local who will take you there, you probably wouldn't try it (unless your palate is just that adventurous). My friend who has been to Thailand a few times told me, 'it's just like the type of restaurant you'll find on the streets." And yeah, he said, the food is pretty much as original as it could be. Above the ordering and cashier counter is a menu board with pictures so you can pick what you want. They also have paper menus for those who have to have something to hold to order from. You order and pay at the counter. This place is always busy. If you go during traditional food hours, expect to wait for a little while for your food; however, it is not any longer than the average restaurant. And trust me, it's worth the wait. The tables and chairs are regular metal folding ones. There is no actual door that you walk in through. One whole wall is open. And no, there is no air conditioner, but it's Honolulu. The weather is most frequently nice. The common square to-go box is filled to the brim plus whatever type of rice you want. The cost is pretty reasonable. Most entrees are under $6. Well worth what you get in quantity and quality. I've had all the curries and the eggplant dish. They were very ono. My favorite so far, was the mango ice cream on top of sweet sticky rice. Enough for two to share. Deeeelisshhh!! Can't wait to go there again. I gave it 5 stars because I definitely recommend it and the food is just fantastic. If you are looking for a Thai-themed posh restaurant, this is not the place for you. If you want food that satisfies and doesn't rob your wallet, try this place.

    (5)

  • C L.

    Adding another star because although your changes have been frustrating, you are still very convenient and food taste has been consistent lately. Some of the ladies taking orders can't understand English well and several times our orders were completely wrong.

    (3)

  • Ko J.

    This little hole in the wall thai restaurant is the best bang for your buck, as far as thai food goes. I've had their appetizers, soups, salads, and several entrees there and I always go back for more. You get a HUGE portion for only $10 and the food is really, really tasty. Plus, they use no msg. I highly recommend this place if you want good, filling food for a fraction of the price.

    (5)

  • Brittney W.

    The food is always delicious and good however the wait is sometimes long if you're taking out. The location also isn't the best but it is the original venue. I only come to this location if I am ordering out, it is too hot to sit down and eat here.

    (3)

  • Ben D.

    Bankok Chef is great! Its not a fancy restaurant, but the food is the best Thai i've ever had. Great price for a ton of food and fast! I prefer the Pad Thai and the summer rolls! The original location on Nuuanu is I.M.O. the best and whenever i go there (like once a week) i look forward to it! Dont know why i need to Yelp about this place cause everyone already knows how amazing it is! Def a local favorite.

    (4)

  • Li Y.

    Tasty and not too expensive. Used to be cheap but with the popularity and additional locations opening up around town, have noticed the prices going up. Still, will continue to go back 'cause the portion size and therefore the value for the dollar just can't be beat! I am usually a pad thai fan...but have to admit, not my favorite here. Its all good 'cause their #4 stir fry long rice noodles are more than delicious! Other regular orders: papaya salad or mango salad, panang curry (usually served with pork but I prefer the chicken), and the fried rice. Actually, you can't go wrong with any of their curry dishes, depending on the spicyness and the type of vegetables you might want in the curry. Parking is less than desireable but is doable. If there is no parking in the front, there is always the back of the restaurant, if there is none there, there is always the street...and just around the corner the old huckleberry farms parking. Don't go looking for ambience...you are not paying for it here. Still, they must be doing something right as they recently took over the storefront next door and doubled their size for dining! If a converted garage is not your style...just order takeout!!

    (4)

  • Daphne F.

    I feel like I should be hiding this review from all of the yelpers and yelpy friends that seem to love this place. Maybe I have too many expectations, but this place was just MEH. My experience wasn't awesome, so I probably won't be back, but I'll break it down for you. We came in when it was empty, but it still took them almost 10 minutes to take our order. I'm partial to places that let you order chicken satay in different order sizes (3pc, 4pc, 6pc, etc) and they didn't offer that here, just one size, 6 pieces. Their satay was admittedly good and there was spice in the peanut sauce, which I'm not used to, but I thoroughly enjoyed. The sticky rice is so-so to me, it's sweet and yummy, but I guess I've just had better, so I was expecting more. One thing they're good at is refilling your beverage. I'm a huge believer in beverage fulfillment as a sign of attentive service. Now, that's the funny part, since they were pretty stand-offish about everything else. Food comes out when it's ready, not all together, which I am neither here nor there on the issue - I like my food hot, even if it's not together. Strangely, though, the appetizer came out after the main portion. At a little more than $10 a plate, it's not too expensive, but I just don't love their food enough to warrant the cost. Servers can be a little awkward, but they don't have terrible service and their food is served hot. Overall, it's not a favorite for me, but maybe if I was a die hard thai foodie, this would be a banging spot.

    (2)

  • Misha B.

    OK food- got the pad thai and the cashew chicken, not great but not bad. Wouldn't eat here again though.

    (3)

  • John R.

    It should be illegal to eat at a place as much as I eat at Bangkok Chef. Love #14 and all the curries... I think everything on the menu is good!

    (5)

  • G N.

    The green curry was too salty for me! and I like at least a little curry to just spoon out of the bowl, but there was none at all. First time I've seen peas in a curry too. The lady was extremelyyyy nice though. Treated me like family. I will try again just because of her.

    (3)

  • Sheila G.

    The food is quite good here. My favorite dish by far has to be the pad thai. I've tasted other dishes (forgot the names already) and they were flavorful. I've noticed though that they put a lot of basil in the foods they offer. I use to love eating thai curry. I can't stand eating any of the curry's anymore because of one incident in which they put too much basil. Now, when I smell or see curry with basil, I feel sick. As for customer service it is a hit or miss. If you have the two guys up front doing the cashier, you will have a good experience. If the cashier is an old lady, good luck. She will give you attitude. I highly recommend you go during non-busy hours. I mistakenly went during lunch time and I didn't get my order until maybe half an hour later. My friend had a worse experience. She phone-ordered hers. They told her to come in half an hour. Half hour after her order, she was at BC. Then, she had to wait another half hour at the restaurant to get her order. Yikes!

    (3)

  • Tien E.

    Yay! I'm a fan....for the original Bangkok Chef on Nuuanu ave. Some how the tastes didn't quite carry over to their new location across from Best Buy in Kalihi. My favorite things to order here is their Eggplant with chicken and Thai iced tea. I like to order their Green curry too. For desert they have some variety of tapioca flavored puddings and mango ice cream. Can't really go wrong with anyone of the menu choices...the ones above is just my preference and default for this place. Mind you this is not a gourmet type of place, no wait service. You just order your food at the counter and wait for your name to be called. Either grab a table or take it to go. If you have high expectations then this is not the place for you; but if you want some decent Thai food, good quantity, and cheap....then you are in the right place.

    (4)

  • Quinn S.

    The first time I heard of this place was after a potluck where the curry dish was one of the highlights. I enjoyed it, but definitely did not pin-point the taste as being Thai. Since then, I have been to the actual place a couple of times and was somewhat disappointed. I am used to exploding flavors and spicy-ness beyond belief at other Thai restaurants. However, the taste and the amount of meat you actually get with your Curry dish is lacking. The flavor is good, but nothing special. You will find more onions - or whatever veggie they use - than actual meat in your dish. I guess that could mean it's healthier than other Thai places?!! Umm... I don't know about that! The Tom Yum soup is YUM, however! I had this when the Vog was attacking almost every single person in my office and it seemed to soothe my troubled throat. It had a great citrus-y flavor, but wish it had a little more spice! All-in-all a decent place for quick Thai food during a lunch break. Nice staff - but also looking at a couple of other reviews, it reminded me that they did look at you a little funny when you asked for a take-out box or a small cup for water.

    (3)

  • Leon H.

    everyone knows this place is good... but I want to thank the lady for making special for me.. no rice and substitute shredded cabbage... then giving me more cabbage for free with my curry sauce... thank you so much

    (5)

  • Chad Y.

    Ok...I had high hopes for this place after hearing so many really good things from so many people. After eating their food I thought it was ok. Maybe, I was spoiled by the thai food on the west coast, but in all honesty Bangkok Chef was ok but leaving me wishing for more. The flavors are certainly there but seem to be lacking. I wish they would just add a bit more seasoning to get the full flavor of their curries and satays. It is good, but just needs a bit more to be "wow...that brought a buckle to my knees." Service is fantastic, the food does take a bit longer than some might like, but it is thai food and it does take time to prepare! Call ahead and order to save some time.

    (3)

  • t h.

    The food is pretty good, my girlfriend and I really like the tom yum goong soup. But the staff can be impatient. While placing an order, they'll glare at you to hurry up. I've had them start turning the lights off on us while waiting for our takeout 5 minutes before closing time.

    (2)

  • Megan J.

    Best Thai food in town!!! I love this place. Probably helps that it is literally a block from my house, open till 9, and has quick service. But the portions are huge for the price. Usually a meal lasts me for dinner, breakfast, and lunch the next day. The fried rice is the best I've had, and the number 19 Pad Si Yu? Is to die for. My friends and I go here at LEAST twice a week and it never gets old. Thank you Bangkok Chef for being so amazing! Oh and it is BYOB!

    (5)

  • Pamela T.

    It's a hole in the wall and it's very casual but don't let that stop you from trying the food. Oh so GOOD! Try the green curry dish with the eggplant. And the Pad Thai....Yummy!

    (4)

  • Tara S.

    Cheap food, generous portions, and pretty tasty! Call in your order ahead to save from waiting. Flexible for vegetarians: ask for no fish sauce or no egg, and they'll leave 'em out. Someone said they weren't friendly; my experience is that when they're absolutely slammed, they just don't have time to be friendly, but if I go in there before or after the rush, they're very sociable and some even greet me by name. One even asks after my sweetie by name when he isn't with me. They recently expanded their Nuuanu location so there's lots of seating. And they're now open Sundays noon 'til 8pm. And if you didn't know, they opened a location in Manoa, which has better ambiance.

    (4)

  • Jason S.

    This place was better when it was a single restaurant on Nuuanu than the small chain it is today. The food was never that good, but at least the portions were huge and it was cheap. Now that the prices have gone up and the portion size has gone down, its a bad deal. Curries aren't good at all. Pad Ki Mao is ok. Spring rolls are OK. Get your food in the takeout container. It will be a bigger portion.

    (2)

  • Kyle G.

    Decent food, but not the best quality.

    (3)

  • jonah A.

    Love the food and the prices. Thank you...it's the go to place when I'm too lazy to cook. As for the service...I wish that the people at the counter would be a little bit more friendly. It would really help when I frequent there at least once a month.

    (4)

  • Makeitcount M.

    i appreciate the fact that the place actually has a thai worker which is always a good sign and also for their large servings. But what really disappointed me was that the potatoes in my panang curry was semi-cooked. The curry itself was good but not great! i've tasted similar thai curry made by own thai or southeast asian friends. two stars for their uncooked potatoes!

    (2)

  • J G.

    I've been going to Bangkok Chef since 2001. The food is consistently good at reasonable prices. I usually order the Red curry, Panang curry, Pad Thai noodles or fried chicken. The tapioca desserts are great too. Everything is ono-licious. I've got BC's phone number programmed in cell phone. I call in advance and it's usually ready by the time I get there.

    (4)

  • Tom S.

    I have been a Bangkok Chef devotee for many years, but I have to say I think the love is over. My last few trips there confirmed that this shining star is burning out. Their food which used to be bright and flavorful has become sloppy and without any distinctive flavors. Curries don't have richness or fresh flavors. The summer roll was almost all noodles. The Pad Thai had so few fresh sprouts you could count them on your fingers. I LOVE the idea of cheap delicious Thai food. Sadly I think this place has become victim to their own success. There are too many other good Thai restaurants to put up with this extreme mediocrity. Come on Bangkok Chef . . . get your mojo back!

    (2)

  • Connie W.

    To give you an idea of how fond we are of Bangkok Chef, we discovered the place last week and have been back three times since. One overlying theme seems to be bamboo.. because it's been in nearly every dish that I've tried -- basil chicken, red chicken curry, panang pork curry, thai green curry.. I love bamboo, but it makes me feel like I'm ordering the same thing over and over again. The pad ki mao is great and will satisfy basil-lovers. Although entrée prices have recently increased by $0.55, it's still an enticing bargain considering the heaping amount of food that's served. The man that's usually at the cash register is friendly and helpful, but unfortunately, the same can't be said about everyone else.

    (4)

  • Hungry W.

    Our office got lunch here yesterday! We got papaya salad, shrimp salad, yellow curry with fish, and pad thai w chicken and tofu. I thought curry with fish would be weird, but it was good! Papaya salad was super spicy and yummy! My coworkers like the shrimp salad, but I didn't care for it. Too much Patis! I was also a little disappointed with the pad thai. I think it might have just been a bad batch? The prices are good and the food is overall good! I'll definitely keep eating here when I want a quick thai meal ;)

    (3)

  • E L.

    Eggplant with chicken - 2 stars Pad si you - 3 stars Fish patties - 2 stars I have to agree with Tom S. I used to love this place when we lived in Honolulu. but now.....

    (2)

  • Myong C.

    After all the hype on Yelp and Cheap Eats, decided to check this place out last weekend. First of all, ambience gets a big fat zero. Wide open air dining area with cracked concrete floors and pukey color schemes. The only good thing is that the tables are pretty far apart so at least you have your privacy. But that's okay that the atmosphere is lacking. I'm only there for good Thai food. We ordered the cashew nut chicken, pad thai, and shrimp salad. Start with the good, or shall I say slightly better than average. The cashew nut chicken was edible and I actually liked the sauce. The chicken was cut into weird Mobius like strips which I found a bit odd but I liked the veggies that came with it and this entree by itself (served with sticky rice) wouldn't serve as a bad plate lunch meal. The pad thai was quite uninspiring to say the least. No wow flavors and the noodles were a bit mushy for my liking. But the dish overall was edible but I thought it was a tell tale sign that I didn't like the dish when there was about half left over. I'm usually a noodle killer and wouldn't have left a drop if it was even halfway decent. The shrimp salad was horrendous. The large pieces of shrimp themselves were juicy and delicious but man, that dish was just overpowered with the fish sauce! So salty!!! Couldn't take more than one bite of the salad and noodles without washing it down with big gulps of water. Yucky! Overall, yeah, it was a cheap meal (about $22 for the 3 dishes) but I don't see myself going back any time soon.

    (2)

  • Mike N.

    This review is for the Nimitz location. I come here every once in a while and have never been disappointed. I usually get take out and they have a seperate section for take outs which is nice so you dont have to stand by the front and have people staring at you. I tried the pad thai (their signature dish), spring rolls, papaya salad, fried long rice and they were all good. The place is clean but parking is always full (theres a couple of 5 minute stalls in front for pick up) They also have great tapioca desserts.

    (4)

  • Crissy K.

    Bangkok Chef gets a high rating only because the food is dirt cheap -- they have 15 main courses, including common favorites like pad thai and the curries, that go for $5.25 per generous plate. BUT, you kinda get what you pay for. The pad thai here is palatable, but I wouldn't say it's tasty, exactly -- the flavor doesn't reflect the huge blend of ingredients that typically go into pad thai (thanks, Alton Brown). Try the veggie rolls. Sure, they cost a whole 70 cents more than the pad thai, but you get six, and you can split the order with a friend. Good sauce, and they're yummy wrapped in lettuce.

    (4)

  • BagLady M.

    The best panang pork curry on this island!!! I love it so much, I can eat it every week and never get tired of it. I frequent the Nuuanu location, and only wish the parking was a little more easy. I know there are stalls in the back, but the area is still tight. I've also tried the Nimitz location, eating in. It's really nice and fancy. If you choose to order take out, keep in mind that you cannot eat there as the tables are for sit-down customers only. I always get my order with sticky rice. Love it. The only thing is I can't do anything else after eating here; they give so much food, I just need to take a nap--talk about a kanak attack!!!

    (5)

  • Inthira M.

    At $5.70 per plate (you can buy a la carte) how do you go wrong here. I love jasmine rice and would prefer it over regular white rice so it's a plus that the plate automatically comes with jasmine rice (or for 50 cents you can pay for sticky or brown rice). Their portion sizes are huge. I mean I only ate less than half and was stuffed beyond belief. They just recently opened their 2nd location in Manoa which is the one I always go to (there are definitely NO pigeons flying around in this restaurant). I've only been here twice and these are the dishes that I've eaten/tried: -Red Chicken Curry (I like spicy stuff so why did I even bother ordering this "medium spicy "dish. lol) -Basil Chicken (tasty) -Thai Green Curry (like this one waay better than the red curry) -Thai Crispy Noodles (NEVER order this dish. Nice flavor except that it's literally those crispy rice sticks that come as a garnish on some oriental salads... except the whole salad is that. wtf?) Will definately keep coming here and trying a new dish every time...

    (4)

  • Matthew C.

    I was'nt sure if I wanted to eat out of a garage door but, since I have eaten meat of questionable origins in other parts of the world I figured how bad can it be? It was not bad at all. I mean the price is set just right. I can feed me and some one else for 6 or 7 dollars. the parking is not the best but, there is a few in the back. The only thing I can say thats bad is I cant understand there accent when they yell my name. It sounds different everytime. My solution is to order the same thing all the time so they just yell my name and what i Ordered. Works everytime. "MMMmmmaaAAAAANummaaelevaaastickyrye" if you here that, thats me. Hands off my order, bought and payed for.

    (5)

  • Liana S.

    I like the chicken curry, but this is the second time I ordered pad Thai and it was mediocre. No military discount. The Aunties behind the counter are extremely nice.

    (3)

  • Yvonne B.

    I love Thai Food, and the prices in here very affordable. The reason I gave 3 stars is...I love hot food. And every time I ordered in here (Nuuanu), I made a really strong point...THAI HOT or VERY VERY HOT...but they didn't care about that. Even my haole husband said "this is mild"

    (3)

  • Kaiulani K.

    So, I come here a lot (I live right up the road- in case anyone wants to stalk me) and after a while you kind of get used to the people at the counter. My best friend, who lives with me, keeps saying "that woman at the counter is so nice"-- WHAT?! Is this anyone else's experience? It seems like whenever I go I'm barely acknowledged and just have to assume they heard me order. Not a real complaint, just confusion. It's probably because she knows I'm yelping about all of it... Anyway, the yellow curry is my absolute favorite. And I also never order anything "hot" here: the spice is too much for me. Good portion sizes, good price, and delicious Thai.

    (4)

  • Henry S.

    Absolutely love the food here! Altho service is quite lacking (minus one star). But in a busy family-type business, it's to be expected that they'll never remember you no matter how many times you come here. The staples are all great; pad thai, spring rolls, curry, etc. My favorite is the cashew chicken and is my default dinner if I'm looking for an excellent and filling mean on the way home when I'm too lazy too cook, since I love right up the street. One order usually lasts me two or three meals, so it's a good deal and makes me immensely happy! The atmosphere is quaint, especially since the original location has a big lime-green garage door! You can't miss it! They've since taken over the space next to them so the dining area is pretty extensive now. They have an old tv up on the wall for entertainment, but the company you bring usually overpowers that. Good friends share good food! Parking in the front is tight as it's only one row, but there is also a small lot in the back and a back door entrance that comes in handy when it's full in front. Overall, one of my favorite places to do take-out.

    (4)

  • Stephanie P.

    even for take out thai place... this was not good. the soup (tom kha ga) or whatever was the best dish they had. the pad thai was not very flavorful, kind of dry. basil chicken beef should have been called bamboo chicken because it was 90% bamboo, 5%chicken, 4%other and only 1% basil.

    (2)

  • Kate J.

    The best pad Thai in Honolulu. The summer rolls are also delicious. It is interesting to eat Thai food in a garage but the taste clearly makes up for the location. They are very fast an offer great food at a great price.

    (5)

  • Tania K.

    Ok so I've passed this place MANY times (since I live right up the road) but I had no idea that it was a Thai restaurant. I actually just thought it was a garage. Lol. So when my coworker suggested eating @ the Manoa one I decided to give it a try. I got the spring rolls. Sooo goood! Wrap it w/the lettuce and dip it in that sweet chili sauce :) it was about $6 for 6 rolls. So not bad. We also tried the Pad thai. It was good but I wouldn't order the spicy one if you dont care for hot food cause it'll burn your mouth off! The ginger chicken was pretty good too! Bad things are the parking and if you don't phone order you have to wait kinda long!

    (4)

  • Conrad G.

    What did we order? 1 Thai Green Cury 1 Mango Salad 1 Pad Si You 1 Basil Chicken How was the taste on a scale from 1 through 5? 3 How was the service on a scale from 1 through 5? 3 Did we feel it was worth the price? Yes Will we visit Bangkok Chef in the future? Yes

    (3)

  • Aki D.

    Got take out today from here for the first time today. For the price, this is great Thai food! My favorite place for Thai is still Spices, but if I have craving for decent Thai food and don't want to spend too much, I'll be coming here. I got the 2 full orders of the pad thai, 2 orders of the veggie spring rolls and 3 orders of the summer rolls and spent only $36. It fed 10 hungry teenagers and I had leftovers! The pad thai was quite tasty without it being too spicy. The summer rolls were refreshing and the veggie spring rolls were quite flavorful as well.

    (3)

  • John C.

    This is our favorite neighborhood eatery just a 15-minute walk away. I remember when Bangkok Chef started as a small grocery store with food as a welcome addendum. Since then they have become a shining beacon in Nu'uanu for those seeking the best in Thai food. On our most recent visit I ordered the Mango Salad and Chicken Wings and my wife ordered the Spring Rolls. As usual the menu items did not disappoint. The salad was spicy hot and tasty. I like spicy foods especially ones like their salad which don't destroy your taste bids and render you lips inoperable for 72-hours. With just the right amount of spice to bring out the flavor of the mango and cashews the salad is a good pick for "hot stuff" lovers. The chicken wings were very well done, fried but not greasy and piping hot for quite some time! The rolls of course are always a winner. Bangkok Chef has plenty of table seating and they are BYOB too! Staff is attentive and the service is generally very quick. Parking out front is like a giant chess game however there are stalls available behind the restaurant off of Hialoa Street. Bangkok Chef ROCKS!

    (4)

  • Emily L.

    Emi H was right. If you're an avid Thai food eater you will stick to your comfort dishes at every Thai place you eat at. I had never been to Bangkok Chef and I will admit I stuck to my comfort dishes. But heyyyy, it's the only way I'll know if this place was good or not!! We ordered the Spring Rolls, Panang, Pad Si You, Thai Iced Teas, Satay Chicken, and for dessert Tapiocas. NOMNOMNOM! So good so gooood. Emi H said there used to be the hot dessert tapiocas but they decided not to make them anymore, just the cold ones. I watched Emi H throw a hissy fit about the end of their hot dessert tapiocas and just fed her her first bite of some Pad Si You to calm her down and all was good. JK about the hissy fit, but we all agreed the Pad Si You was simply delicioso! I have no complaints about any of their dishes. Everything was perfect (if perfect existed). I want to give their Spring Rolls some extra praise. THEY WERE SO GOOD AND "CHEAP"!!!! Other places give you 3 rolls cut in half for 6 bucks. Here at Bangkok Chef they gave you 6 for about 5 bucks. Shut uppp say whatttt??? I was in spring roll shock. I'll be going back for those Spring Rolls. Yelp 365 10/365

    (5)

  • David J.

    I give these guys a 4 star for having a decent Thai food for super cheap! This place is located on Nuuanu Ave near School St and so pretty convenient for many people especially on lunch break. There's plenty of parking nearby. This place is pretty busy during lunch time so good to go early if you can. They have a wide selection to choose from and all average between $5 - $6. They're also not too stingy on their servings. The food itself is ok, but good enough for me to keep coming back for more. I've had the: Panang Pork Curry, Basil Chicken, Pad Thai and their papaya salad. All were pretty good - again, not exceptional but great for the price and a plate lunch place. Pad Thai is one of my fave dishes and was a little bland here. In summary, this is one of my fave lunch break places because of the price and I love Thai food! They're actually opening up another branch in Iwilei, so it'll be even closer to my work place. I definitely recommend this place for lunch.

    (4)

  • Laura B.

    For the price the food is good. I love the summer rolls with the spring roll sauce. Good place for lunch. Call ahead for takeout. During lunch the wait can be kind of long.

    (4)

  • Jonathan D.

    I'm eating my peanut curry right now with my sticky rice and i'm feeling HOT HOT HOT! As in i'm dying. Dying because mild isn't mild its HOT HOT HOT as in my mouth is on fire. As in Im having a "mild" heart attack while sweating and crying at the same time. Who knew that was possible. And as i'm dying, and crying, I can't help but eat more. It's delicious but I'm having second thoughts as the potato is slowly clogging my throat. Maybe I should stop eating but I'm SO HUNGRY! And it's so GOOD! I'm so confused! Anyways short story is, lets just say "mild" isn't mild for the faint hearted weak tongue people like me. So I would recommend if you can't tank this stuff because I'm only on my fifth bite, but that's not the point because once you've eaten this spicy thing you might be feeling a little... HOT HOT HOT. PS: There's a parking lot behind this place with TONS of parking!

    (4)

  • Tina S.

    Plenty of veggie options to choose from. I especially enjoy the pad si you w/tofu and no egg. It's a great noodle dish with a soy-based sauce, broccoli, and garlic. The menu claims they'll make any dish vegetarian by substituting tofu for the meat, BUT beware of the curry, which has shrimp cooked into the sauce. :o/ The veggie spring rolls are a must-have!

    (4)

  • Alex U.

    My favorite cheap and fast place to get a good Thai fix. Location is convenient and has plenty of parking in the front or back. Service is good and if you don't want to wait call ahead of time.

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    #004/365 If you like "Hole-in-the-walls", this is definitely one of those. I think it was actually a "Hole-in-a-house" since they converted what seemed to be a garage to a kitchen and eating area. Either way there's some good stuff coming out of that hole-in-a-what!! Nestled slightly back off Nuuanu, past School St, lies this lil Thai hidden gem. Once you see the laundry mat on the right side, its about two doors up. Be cautious as parking is limited in front, but you can park down in the shopping center on the corner and walk up. IHMO this place has the most authentic Thai food, its cheap, and the people are THAI! I usually get out of there spending 30 bucks buying food for two, but it's usually enough to feed a small village. Things we typically order: Spring Rolls, Papaya Salad, Chicken Curry, Pad Thai, Tapioca for the lady, and two Thai Iced Teas. This usually comes out to about 26-30 bucks and ends up becoming left overs for the next few days. Theres plenty of sit down seating now that they've knocked down the wall and added another 3-400 sq ft. Be forewarned, to dress casually as there is no A/C. I don't know about you but I hate sweating my ass off and eating. Those are two things I can't do at the same time. They accept phone orders which do help to make life convenient when you are on the go. It usually takes them about 10-15 minutes to get your phone order ready, so call in advance. I say we throw a party in the garage, bring some beer, a box TV with antennas w/ foil, and a slip-n-slide. Who's down?!

    (4)

  • Sean K.

    OK, the dude working the counter is now sport'n a serious mustache! Point earned just for that. Best, best, best Summer Rolls hands down on island. Papaya salad is terrific...a bit spicy. Pad Se U (?) is subpar...on the border of bland. I've had better, but I'll still eat it. Biggest issue: f!#~king styrofoam containers and plastic bag central. What the sh!t Bangkok Chef, where is the love for the Aina. This ain't Thailand mustache guy...take care of the Aina! I still eat there, but it's ridiculous how many bags if trash are carried...all filled with styrofoam containers. The kick-ass Summer Rolls help reduce the guilt for eating there. By the way, as I wrote this some old school Whitney "before cracked out with Bobby Brown" Houston was jamming on the radio. Oh, the good ole days!

    (4)

  • Darren S.

    I've been to this Nuuanu location twice and each time, staff was very friendly, patient and hospitable when I didn't know what to have. On my first visit, I had the pad thai as a start to see how this place was - then, on my next (and latest) visit, I decided to go with the spicy chicken wings on the recommendation of several friends. Both dishes were not a disappointment - I'm ready for my next visit! Who knows, this may be a regular place in my dining experience!

    (4)

  • Norm G.

    A great place to order take-out, since it's not fancy inside, but the food is great. I love their yellow curry, red curry, it's all so good. I would strongly suggest picking up a menu, and phoning your order in, because it can get extremely busy, especially around dinner time. Delicious!

    (5)

  • Ritsuko K.

    I luv this place. But i think the one on Nuuanu gives you bigger portion. My favorite dishes are, green curry, panan curry, eggplant & chicken and pad thai.

    (4)

  • Arisa G.

    I am so so so sooooo thankful to be with the guy I'm with now because he introduced me to this place. Is that kind of pathetic? Maybe. But I guess you shouldn't really judge because let's be honest, the food is freaking good. As a poor college student, all it takes to please me is a cheap filling meal. Lucky for me this thai restaurant is also amazingly delicious, so major bonus points here! My appetite can only really digest half the meal before I am hit with a full fledged itis situation. The staff there isn't exactly friendly, but they're always busy regardless of the day of the week, so it's expected that the staff is a little less than plesant. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I've never really had to wait *that* long. I find that calling my order in advance seems to work out, too. So if you're in a bit of a rush or are generally impatient, just give them a call before you head down.

    (5)

  • Susan F.

    I can't understand why so many people love this place. The food here is mediocre, I guess its the whole idea of you doing fast food through a garage door that everyone gets excited about. I had the pad thai and the green curry. The usual... pad thai tasted like BBQ sauce and the green curry was okay. Portions were decent for the price you pay and be prepared because they usually have a line.

    (2)

  • Jeff C.

    Cheap and good. It takes them time to make the food. Be prepared. We often order 15 minutes in advance for take out, knowing they might take a little longer, but it's so worth the wait. Phad Thai is cheap and good. Yellow chicken curry with sticky rice is above average for the price. Their summer rolls are awesome!

    (5)

  • Marie C.

    One of the best thai places to eat in HAWAII. Has two location. They have a wide selection and their curry is AMAZING!! I love this place. It is pretty cheap for large portions.

    (5)

  • David G.

    I gave this place another try & it plain sucks. I know there are a bunch of people drinking the Bangkok Chef Cool Aid and are going to think I'm crazy, etc. However, if you really taste what they offer and compare it to Siam Garden there is no comparison. In fact, I think there are many other Thai places that are far superior to Bangkok Chef. Maybe, I'm just ordering the wrong things and am missing out on the good stuff. If that is the case, please feel free to yell at me and tell me what to order! I really want to like this place because it is so close to my house, prices are great and the portions are nice.

    (2)

  • Kekoa D.

    Great place too eat. Fast and affordable for a quality tasting Thai joint! This is a diamond in the heart of Honolulu.

    (5)

  • Sean L.

    Okay, so I can't write as much about a place as the next reviewer and the only Thai Food I ever eat, really, is the yellow chicken curry but this place is sincerely the best Hawaii has to offer. The value is very conspicuous at less than $6 for an entree. The food is consistently delicious. And I now only eat yellow chicken curry thanks in whole to Bangkok Chef, I think it's that good. I have tried their rolls (vegetable rolls of some sort) and they're also very delicious. Based solely on taste and price, I won't short change these guys on stars.

    (5)

  • Amber W.

    I ended up here recently because traffic was all jacked out and I thought I'd try a creative way home. I got my standby: the Cashew Chicken with Tofu substituted and veggie spring rolls. The restaurant has knocked out a wall and double the dining space but the food was just as good as I remembered it and still an amazing bargain at under $6 for an entree that lasted me two meals.

    (5)

  • Ellen Mae V.

    Tasty, cheap, large portions... nothing new here. Looking for good Thai, I'd recommend it. Parking is kind-of a squeeze, but I bike/bus so it doesn't matter... haha, sorry. No secrets either, they sell a few of their ingredients in the store (spices, noodles, etc.) Remember though: the place looks like a scene from a Nickelodeon cartoon but rest assured IT IS a Thai place. =)

    (4)

  • Mark G.

    This place takes only 15 minutes to walk to from Hotel Street. So it's a good place if you want to go for a nice walk and get some really good food. The flavor of the Basil Chicken was very good. They say it's medium-spicy which makes it warm but not too hot. Also tried the Pad Thai noodles, which really weighed down the plate; good sized portions. So as many people have said, this is a good value restaurant. It may not be some people's idea of culinary perfection but it's damned good for the buck.

    (5)

  • George R.

    the house delight desert... coconut sticky rice with mango ice cream and mint leaves ....I can't drive by without stopping...

    (3)

  • The Puppydawg ..

    CONCEPT/ATMOSPHERE (4 stars) Fun and noisy atmosphere...where else can you eat in a garage? This restaurant set-up is similar to many of the restaurants in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (where I worked). EXECUTION (2 stars) The wait today was apparently a bit longer than usual and there was some confusion over my order. FOOD (4 stars) Authentic tasting food (I ate the red chicken curry with brown rice). The Thai iced tea is good. PRICE (3 stars) Pricing is good, but I can find slightly better deals in SF! Fulfilling portions. FLYING KITCHEN PIGEONS (1 star) 1 star--We counted 4 pigeons flying from the kitchen out into the street. Amusing at first, but not by the fourth bird!

    (3)

  • Aaron B.

    one of the best food places under $7.00 per plate. I like the Panag pork curry, the spicy sour soup, the pad thai, and the fish patties. All good quality meals for cheap. The parking more than sucks at the nuuanu location. Best bet is to call in your order before you arive, pull up and have someone run in while you wait in the car.

    (4)

  • Keoki O.

    Ho brah, gotta try the Green Curry and Sateh Chicken. Garenz.

    (4)

  • Bob L.

    I stopped by once again last night and tried the Chicken Cashew... I don't care what you order at Bangkok Chef as you CAN NOT go wrong. All of the food is great.. I have been to Thailand several times and going to this restaurant makes me dream about the great vacations I have had in Thailand. Try any of the Curries as well.... I have not found any better thai here in Hawaii

    (5)

  • Kevin W.

    fastest, cheapest, tasty thai! appearances can be decieving, dont judge this place by its looks. with the green garage door and crappy parking, its a diamond in the rough! Far better here then the other locations, though i cant tell u why that is since its the same menu, but this is by far the better locale. if you dont say SPICEY, it probably wont be, im not sure if i look like i dont like spicey, or if that the rule for everyone, but i have to request it for it to happen, but i dont mind one bit. the phad thai is outstanding, and the basil chicken is fresh and fantastic! the spring rolls are great as well. the staff is fun and effecient, i see them cleaning often, though as i said, the place looks like a dive, but its not!

    (4)

  • Cathy C.

    3 1/2 stars. Food is fresh, fast and affordable. This is such a staple take-out option for my parents that they have the number programmed in their cell phones and store a menu in the car. Medium is still too spicy for me, but chefs are happy to prepare dishes without chilis so you get flavor without the hot tongue. K likes the food more than I do but I'm an advocate for the place. I think I just haven't found a favorite dish that I MUST get, but I have enjoyed everything I've ever eaten here.

    (3)

  • jessica a.

    For that price and that portion? OMG!!! I usually hate chicken anywhere.. the the chicken here tastes fresh. You can take your own drink and sit there casually with a few friends and hangout CHEAP. Noone will tell you to leave, and its nice for a change. Definately a good find. But I agree... a few weired people gaping at you like its their right. Besides that.. I LOVE their chicken friedrice.

    (4)

  • J A.

    A bunch of us at work ordered from here today and it was delicious as usual. I shared with a work mate of mine and we ordered pad thai, sticky rice, and red chicken curry. I also got a iced thai tea. This place provides generous servings at a reasonable cost and is very tasty.

    (4)

  • Kona Boy P.

    ono grinds poi dog style thai fill you up for a little money buy a beer next door also thai caned goods and raw noodles if you want it spicy or mild tell them parking in the rear

    (4)

  • Ahjeck K.

    If you want cheap and delicious Thai food, this place is as good as it gets! My favorite Thai restaurant on the island! Food: My favorite is the Basil Chicken, it's delicious! It has a lot of bamboo shoots in case you do not like those btw. Their curry is also pretty good; although I'm not a curry fan, if I had the choice, I would get either the Green curry. Service: No complaints here. People here are alright. This place is self-served; you order the food, get it and find a place to sit down and eat. Ambiance: If you're looking for a nice quiet place to sit down and eat, this is not the place. Seating is abundant, pretty clean, and nothing fancy at all. Overall: Cheap and delicious food! That's the best combination you can have!

    (5)

  • Shannon C.

    I was really excited to try their food. On my way home, I stopped here to order mango salad, fried wings and spring rolls. They were really busy so that shows me how good the food must be. I waited for about 10 minutes and got my food and went on my jolly way home. At home my husband who doesn't care for asian food really enjoyed the spring rolls and chicken but for me the mango salad was a miss. It was a little too sweet and not sour or spicy enough. Oh and the mango wasn't crunchy, it seemed soggy and old. Ewww. Next time I'll stick to papaya salad. Overall the food was okay but had much better Thai food elsewhere.

    (3)

  • Tim T.

    Great place for a cheap plate of pad thai. I tried making some myself and it is never quite right. You also need a lot of non usual ingredients. The curry is ok, it lacks a little kick and the chicken meat is always a bit dry. The eggplant chicken has the best flavor all all their stir fry dishes. they seem to be giving less and less everytime i go though.

    (3)

  • Will C.

    sure you eat in a garage, but who cares? large menu and probably the cheapest thai on the island there are only two proteins served chicken and shrimp and most of the chicken entrees are under $6. they're big enough for non-gluttons to have 2 meals out of them. they recently took over the store next door and knocked a wall down; more cement floor space. it's not a pretty space, nor does it have those really bright, super fresh flavors of kick ass thai and yes i feel guilty eating out of styrofoam; but for bang/buck ratio you can't go wrong. parking can be a female dog.

    (4)

  • Keith N.

    Cheap Eats! Reasonably priced Thai food. The Nuuanu location is awesome. If you don't like to wait, please phone your order in ahead of time. They are really busy during lunch and dinner. House special is awesome! If you like Thai food for a great deal, try Bangkok Chef on Nuuanu Avenue. Great Taste and portions are generous.

    (4)

  • Christina H.

    I llllllllllooooovvveee their food!! It's so flavorful, a really great bang for your buck, and chhhhheeeaaappp!!!

    (5)

  • Rex H.

    Tasty Thai food at very reasonable prices. 5 star for take out, 4 star for dine in (bruddahs gotta sweep once in a while). Panang curry is great, pork long rice is my fav, spring rolls, fried rice, eggplant chicken are all on my list of usual suspects. Upgrade to sticky rice or brown jasmine rice for 50 cents more. Thai coffee is nice. Cannot beat the price or taste. Nuuanu location is really laid back, Manoa is nicer for dine-in.

    (4)

  • Danielle Y.

    Cheap (Less than 6 dollars for almost everything), tasty, plentiful Thai from behind a garage door. Even I, a BIG EATER could not finish a dish all on my own (to be fair, I also had half an order of summer rolls...). Mmmmm. I'm not positive I'd crave it when away, but when it's about 3 miles from my house I give it a Big Thumbs Up.

    (4)

  • Lily D.

    I've been here a couple of times and am never impressed. (why i went back i dont know) The food tastes as cheap as it costs. Probably popular with HPU students on a budget. The only summation i can come up with is that it is "dirty" thai. Afterward there is a rock in your gut full of fishsauce and other nasty coagulants. I'd rather smoke a cigg then waste the calories on this subpar thai food.

    (1)

  • James T.

    Great Thai food cheap and with great portions. The spring rolls come with mint leaves which really set them off. The panang curry is flavorful and not over spiced. The mango delight dessert combines mango ice cream, hot coconut sticky rice, and peanuts to a delicious cold/hot/crunchy/fruity peak.

    (4)

  • Ian W.

    We usually take out from the Manoa location. It is best to call a head rather than wait as the restaurant is usually crowded. Food is tasty and prices are reasonable. Faves include fried rice, red curry, yellow curry and spring rolls.

    (4)

  • Lisa C.

    This is a great place if you are looking for good Thai food at a very reasonable price. This place is an actual garage-complete with a Genie electric garage door. We sat by the garage door opener and I was very tempted to press it see if it would actually close the garage door. It was a neat place to eat because it has a Southeast Asian coffee shop feel to it. At the same time, I didn't quite enjoy the experience ..... It was hot in the garage. There was a worker making quite a racket , compacting trash by practically immersing the lower half of this body into the trash can. Lastly, I was afraid the people parking in front of the garage were actually going to drive into the garage. You order at the counter and the food is freshly prepared within minutes. We ordered the Spring Rolls which came 6 to an order. The order came with all the accoutrement-- leaf lettuce, cucumber slice, Thai basil, and dipping sauce as in other restaurants but at Bangkok chef, all is presented in a plastic produce bag. The spring rolls were fried to a nice, golden brown. Wrapped in lettuce and dipped in the sauce, they taste comparable to spring rolls from a fine Thai restaurant . The crispy fried thai noodle is basically fried rice stick noodles glazed with a lightly sweet sauce. The noodle pieces were more broken up than I am used to,but it was tasty nonetheless. The Basil chicken was quite good--nice kick of chili and Thai basil with lots and lots of bamboo shoots and a few slices of chicken breast. The prices at Bangkok Chef are low (approx. $6 per dish) and portions are huge so they hold back on the meat. The Panang Pork Curry was delicious. A rich coconut milk based curry with chunks of potatoes and sliced pork loin. A sprinkling of peanuts added a unexpected crunch to the dish. As with the Basil chicken, there wasn't much pork in the curry. I enjoyed the food and you can't beat the prices, but I think next time I will take it to go instead of digging into styrofoam containers out of a hot garage.

    (4)

  • Stacy S.

    Tasty Tasty food, reasonably priced, lots of tables inside, AC'd, clean, pretty fast service. I love the spring rolls..okay i have a "thing" for fried food with sweet sauce. Normally, i get a thai iced coffee, spring rolls, and a curry dish..whatever hits me at the time. You can even do "family style" the portions are large. Yummy!!!

    (4)

  • Grimeater A.

    So good I broke my no carb diet for Yellow Chicken Curry with Sticky Rice....twice! The chicken satay is some of the best I've had and you just can't beat the prices at this place. Don't let the location and looks fool you. The taste and portions are far superior to many fancy schmancy sit down Thai restaurants. Writing this review is actually making me hungry. Think I'll pick up a Yellow Curry after the gym :)

    (5)

  • Joy W.

    This place has really gone downhill. It used to be a place to get cheap, yummy Thai food. It's only natural that over time, prices will go up but not for quality to go down as a tradeoff. The last time we went, the green curry had lost its zing and the green papaya salad was bland. What used to be my favorite pad Thai was now a mushy mess. The quality seemed to go down when they opened the Manoa location (which never had as good food as Nuuanu). They might want to close one location and just focus on getting back to basics and making delicious food at reasonable prices. Just like old times.

    (2)

  • Allie J.

    So, last night my friend came over with a heaping plate of green curry she got from Bangkok Chef and it was amazingly good. Seriously, amazingly good. I just went there tonight and figured I'd diversify. Not a good idea. I ordered the Pad Thai and Chicken Larb. The Pad Thai was pale in color (strike one), dry (strike two) and bland (strike three). I ended up dousing the whole thing in Sriracha - an action I saw three guys doing in the restaurant. At first I thought they were crazy to cover up what looked like good thai food in chili sauce but now I know better. This is how my boyfriend described the Chicken Larb: "I feel like I've just eaten an old man's sweaty armpit" Now, the larb we've had before and enjoyed was most likely severely Westernized, I'll admit, but this stuff was pretty vile. We threw out all but a few bites. So, in sum. Curry = good , Most everything else = ick. I realize it's really cheap, but as far as taste goes, I'd say it's not really worth it. One of my two stars goes for value and the other goes for the green curry.

    (2)

  • Srta L.

    Best Thai food ever! cheap and good.

    (5)

  • Kent I.

    Ok, let get this out of the way first. I am not a big fan of Thai food, maybe I was traumatized on the mainland by my ex, who used to force me to eat at her favorite Thai place (literally weekly). The food was expensive, portions small and I didn't think much of the food. Bangkok has started my rehab, the food is pretty good (better than most Thai places here), the portions are generous and it is very reasonable. The people who work there are friendly and efficient. I really like the fried chicken wings and the larb (sp?). Really tasty stuff.

    (4)

  • Alex T.

    This place is really good. One of the best Thai places I ever eaten at and the prices are really good for how much food you get. We come here every time we go to Oahu. It like a little hole in the wall place and really busy just for locals. Parking is a bitch but the food is well worth it.

    (4)

  • Scott K.

    Located on busy Nuuanu ave. I love there pad thai noodle with chicken. There HOT curry isnt that hot but it fits the taste of what many would like.

    (4)

  • Vickie K.

    patrick and family are great... cutest twins girls:) price the very very fairest for their fresh tasty quality that is consistent ,..... food is the best thai i have had... mango salad ! tom yum soup wow... fishcake ...... even the simple lettuce with spring rolls are the best!...... the best thai food ... beats even thailand..... no wonder patrick has currently 3 !locations u are missing out if you have never eaten their food

    (5)

  • Boki C.

    not the best thai food i've had EVER, but i'd prob say it's the best i had in hawaii. cute lil spot. simple resataurant: order, seat yourself, they call ur name, u eat =) huge variety. prices are good. portions are good. can't complain =)

    (4)

  • Jess C.

    Love the food here, but must admit disappointment as compared to out last trip to Oahu 3 yrs ago. They no longer serve angel wings, just fried chicken wings. They are very good, but definitely no comparison to the old angel wings. Also I'm certain that their Pad Thai recipe has changed. It's still very good, but the prior version was excellent. Some might say it's selective memory, but we had another trip prior to 3 yrs ago and did not feel anything was lost @BK between those visits. We'll still return, but not with the same enthusiasm we had before.

    (4)

  • Kimmy C.

    This place is awesome, Cheap, tasty, fast.... you cant go wrong. The parking may be the only obstacle. The are now open on Sundays and have extended the dining area (they took over the exsiting space next door)!!! My favorite is the green curry with brown rice. The brown rice consistency is like rice pilaf, loose and separated. We love the pad thai and spring roll. I've also cater from here for our office parties, bridal and baby showers, they even deliver. They give a lot and the menu is vast. I love this place.

    (4)

  • C G.

    Standard Thai fare. Nothing overly exotic. Not super authentic. Inexpensive and full of "character'. I liked it enough to eat there twice. Roll 'em up spring rolls highly recommended. All the mint cucumbers and lettuce is typically very fresh and delicious.

    (4)

  • Sherry T.

    i eat at this place more now that I live 25 miles away then when I was living less then 2 miles away. weird. I usually order the eggplant chicken or the pad sieu you (chow funn wide noodles with chicken/brocolli in a tasty sauce.) The thai iced tea is good too. I so need to try the mango icecream with tapioca but I'm always taking out and it's kinda hard to take icre cream out. my pet peeve: the stupid birds that keep walking in and out and flying over people's heads. (yeah I got a crazy phobia with birds.) why is this place soooo good? ok so there's no ambiance but the food is tasty, they give a lot and it's cheap!!!

    (5)

  • Blane K.

    Great thai food for a reasonable price! Always fast service too.

    (4)

  • Chi-Hye M.

    This is a great place for quick and cheap Thai food. Most of the plates are about $5.00 so its really cheap. Its not really fancy or anything...its just a garage turned restaurant. just a couple tables and chairs. Parking is limited so try to come early or if your going to take out phone in your order. They also have like a mini open market kinda thing on one side of the store. you can find some veggies and Thai sauces and spices here. I like the green chicken curry with brown rice and the apple banana dessert. **they accept credit cards but i think you have to order a certain amount...or i think there is a additional fee for paying with card...something like that....

    (3)

  • Stanley S.

    Best in the budget-Thai food category on Oahu that I can think of. A $6 plate will feed a small village in equatorial Africa. The food is tasty, portions very generous. I don't go there for the ambiance, but for a quick lunch, or dinner. byob. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Cydnee C.

    Wanting to try something different try the Bangkok chef at nuuanu, it's reasonably prices with different selections to try. From soups to noodle dishes to fried cuisines. If thus food ain't to your fancy try the spring rolls and the fried chicken, it is delicious with a sweet and hot dipping sauce. Hope you enjoy!

    (4)

  • Sheri M.

    It was a Saturday evening 9/13/08 and we were driving around town looking for a place to have dinner. My bro suggested Bangkok Chef...it had great reviews on Yelp. So....here we come! The Green Curry was a bit spicy at first but as I dug in further and further it was delicious....a bit too much on the jasmine rice though. The Bro's Pad Thai wasn't that great, I've had better. Tasted like they used bad oil. Bebe's Eggplant Chicken was delicious except when he ate a spicy chili. Where's the water ! ! ! ! Chicken Sateh was delicious, the summer rolls were not bad either. We'll be back for the food and especially for the price. Every penny counts!

    (3)

  • Leo K.

    What can I say about this place? The location is literally like a garage in the wall type of place but I gotta say grinds on the cheap. The Basil Chicken, as generic as you can get is especially tasty chock full of bamboo shoots (winner). I only wish I can get extra, extra bamboo shoots. Try it with the Brown Jasmin rice. A plate full of food and get this, a little over 5 bucks, wow... If you're looking for something different try the red curry. till next time.

    (4)

  • Doris D.

    Super ghetto, super cheap. Don't bring a date here! A bang for your buck but don't expect anything mind-blowing.

    (4)

  • Julia G.

    crappy service!! im sorry, the food can be awesome, but when the service sucks you lose customers.

    (2)

  • Lee H.

    I love you Bangkok Chef. Your spring rolls are divine and your yellow curry is unforgettable. Thank you for starting our vacation off just right.

    (5)

  • Dijon Y.

    Fast food Thai plain and simple. Mediocre. But fast and convenient. Just good enough that you would order from here again either take out or eat in. The curries are not very rich and creamy. Just barely enough to call them curry. But it tastes ok. I would buy from here again, since its so convenient and fast and most Thai restaurants are expensive a long and slow dining experience.

    (3)

  • Mililani M.

    Consistently good food! The curry and phat thai are awesome! I've had no problems with placing a take-out order.

    (5)

  • Sara C.

    We love this place! We live very close by, so we usually end up getting take out from here 2 or 3 times a month. My husband likes all of the curry dishes, and I'm a big fan of the noodle dishes. Their pad thai is very good in my opinion, but might be too bland for most people. It doesn't come spicy at all, so if you want spice you will have to ask when you order. I also enjoy the fried long rice, but I get it with chicken instead of pork. The pad see ew (sp?) is also very good. The spring rolls are very tasty as well for an appetizer. If you're up for desert the house delight is fantastic. It's mango ice cream on top of sweet warm coconut sticky rice, mmmm. Anyway the prices are great, and most dishes are about $5 to $7, and the portions are huge. Definitely a great value for high quality food (no scary unchewable meat). The only complaint is that the parking situation isn't exactly ideal. However we always park at the larger portion of the plaza by Radio Shack and have no problem finding a space. I recommend calling ahead though if you're going in the evening, even if you plan on eating there, they often quote a 20 minute wait time on the phone for pick up, but there have been a few times when I show up 25 minutes after I call and still have to wait another 10 or 15 minutes. They are just usually VERY busy, but I take it as a good sign because you know people love their food.

    (5)

  • Gayle N.

    I'm a fan of the food, but not the "service". Best thing is to call a couple of hours in advance...even then, once my order wasn't ready. They said they were too busy....huh? Take out is a better option here because it is stifling hot in there and very uncomfortable with the "take out people" staring at you while you eat. Take out seems to have a little more food than eat-in so you could always eat leftovers later. The food is better than some upscale places like Phuket and lots less moola. Parking can be tricky because of the laundromat next door being so busy. I've seen some pretty wild arguments about parking there...so you get entertainment too.

    (4)

  • Ericka M.

    I first tried this place a while ago, and I loved it. But for some reason when I went back, I just didn't think much off it. The food was really just okay. With the exception of the fried rice and spring rolls I didn't think much of it. The fried rice and spring rolls were really awesome and I'd give it 4 stars. The place was kind of...greasy, and could be much cleaner. I had to wipe down our tables twice because there was a sticky layer of grease. The customer service was not that great. They seem to know my father who's a regular customer, and seemed to have this wise butt attitude towards me even though it was my first time there so that wasn't flying too nicely with me. I found the guy taking my order to be really rude, he kept saying rude things about the amount of food I was ordering (mind you I was feeding 7 people) which was bad enough for me to bring it down to 2 stars. To end on a positive note though I love the vegetables they give with every dish. It evened out the plate well. And the rice mango desert is very tasty. I would eat there again, try other things, probably just do a take out next time though.

    (2)

  • Waynele Y.

    if you don't feel like cooking, think bankok chef... if you're starving, and want to eat fast, think bankok chef... if you're having people over for dinner, think bankok chef! cheap, good and fast are probably the best words to describe this place. we have fed five people for dinner with enough leftovers for everyone to have lunch the next day--all for $30. what a deal! i love their eggplant chicken and brown rice, but i haven't ordered anything i didn't like. you gotta love a place where you feel like you're eating in someone's garage.

    (5)

  • Thegigglybaby C.

    The positive thing about this place is that it's cheap and fast. Only problem I have is with their pad thai... doesn't taste like pad thai is supposed to ( I lived in Thailand and Los Angeles-where they have REALLY GOOD pad thai). I haven't tried most of their dishes except for their pad thai, egg rolls and cashew nut chicken which is good. Their egg rolls don't come with sweet and sour sauce so I guess you have to ask for some.

    (3)

  • Jodie B.

    Had take out from here a couple of times and I wasn't impressed so when a group of my friends mentioned this for a group dinner I said, really? But being the peace loving individual I am I went along with the plan and I checked it out on yelp and the reviews were mostly good so I decided to give eating in a try. Now the atmosphere is nothing to write home about. It is a hole in the wall, but it looks clean and it's got a lot of room for bigger groups ( we had 8 so we just put a couple of tables together). The service was good. The BF and I shared an order of spring rolls which came with lettuce and cucumbers to roll them in, which I love. I got the panang curry with pork and sticky rice (I figure you're eating thai food so get the sticky rice) the BF got the chicken Larb with a side of jasmine rice. I really enjoyed the panning curry. I little heavy on the potatoes but the taste is spot on. The chicken Larb was a little weird tasting. Not my thing. I've had their pad Thai and I've had better for sure. But over all for the spring rolls, 2 entrees and rice our total was 21 bucks which is what we would have spent for just the entrees and still had to tip at a Thai restaurant so the price can't be beat. So if you're not too concerned with ambience and just want some quick and cheap but very tasty Thai go here!

    (4)

  • Dan F.

    This place isn't the same as it used to be about 3 years ago. Did they change chefs? Everytime I order something here all I get is disappointment. The Chicken Fried Rice which is my favorite is now just oily. The red curry taste bland. The basil chicken is now oily and salty. The eggplant chicken was mostly 90% eggplant and 10% chicken. They even forgot my order 3 times on different occasions. Strange how there's a sign telling the employees to smile when that one lady doesn't smile herself. I honestly think they should've gone back to their original style. I didn't care how long I waited, as long as the food was made properly.

    (3)

  • Kaci K.

    Best Thai food here in Hawaii, in comparison to Osha Thai in San Francisco. I always order the Pad Thai, Spicy eggplant & Spring Rolls. I like my springs rolls crispy with good fillings. They always come through!!!

    (4)

  • Dake V.

    After running by this restaurant about seven years ago and seeing the crowds, i decided i needed to try it out... what a great find. In those seven years i have tried all the items on the menu, turned lots of friends on to the food, and have enjoyed every item on the menu. My favorite is the basil chicken (with no bamboo shoots) and the sticky rice. The atmosphere is identical to many restaurants in Thailand and the staff just as friendly.

    (5)

  • Amy Y.

    8 years ago, this was my first thai place. A few days ago, I took my family here and this was my 2nd time. It's a decent size restaurant located across 7 eleven gas station, around the corner of Walgreens. It gets busy during peak hours. Parking is really limited and very tight. We parked by Walgreens to make life easier. Shhh.. The restaurant is spacious. There were a lot of choices on the menu. It took us a while to decide. Finally, we made our final decisions: chicken cashew with rice, chicken pad thai, pork curry, and chicken yellow curry. Our food were ready in 10 minutes~. We were soo hungry we started eating it before I can take a picture. The chicken pad thai was more on the sour side than sweet side. My mom noticed the noodles were pho noodles. I thought it seemed a little different. The chicken curry was better than the pork curry. The pork had too much fat on the meat and there were too much potatoes. The chicken cashew was a little spicy. Overall the food wasn't too salty. It was quite yummy. This is a cheap eats place. Big portion for under $10. Our total came out to $40 for 4 plates. It was a great deal!

    (4)

  • Kris O.

    I have tried, from all the depths within, to love Bangkok Chef, but when you've had better Thai food, you just know this just won't do. If you're on a mission for *good* Thai food, go anywhere else. If you're just looking for something to satisfy your Thai food cravings, give this place a shot. For all that it is, Bangkok Chef definitely lives up to its mission as being convenient Thai food, with locations all over the island. But for the authenticity and quality of cuisine, you may want to employ your Yelp app for another Thai restaurant. (*cough* Drive to Thai Lao in Kapolei *cough*)

    (3)

  • Stefan L.

    Excellent Thai food with bold flavors. Portion size is ample and the price very reasonable. The 'spicy' dishes really are spicy so beware :) They seem to be doing just as much take away as in-house service so the place does get really busy at dinner time, but still they manage to get the food out quite fast. They don't accept table reservations. Lacking a liquor license, they don't serve alcohol (not even beer) but you are allowed to bring your own.

    (4)

  • Mei-Lan C.

    Love the coconut sticky rice with mango ice cream here. The warm rice with the the cold ice cream is just perfect. ( 3.75 $ )

    (4)

  • Pabs G.

    Good Thai food at an affordable price. Spacious area to enjoy a meal with friends and family. Parking in the back, front, or on the street. Many around the area place phone orders, which is the better way to go, especially during lunch and dinner as it can get pretty busy in there. They've messed my order up a few times, but I never complain. The food is delicious and the staff try their best to service each customer.

    (4)

  • Joshua K.

    Can't get enough of this place. For newbies the ambience might throw you off b/c it looks like it used to be a car repair shop. Dont let that fool you! Food is always above par! My favorite it the panang pork curry with sticky rice. Just enough kick and a whole bunch of flavor. cheap, delicious, worth a shot

    (5)

  • Jon L.

    Bangkok Chef is a popular Thai chain in Honolulu. This location on Nuuanu Avenue is the original shop. It is easy to locate as the storefront is painted bright green. I was nearby and looking for a lunch spot, so I decided to check Bangkok Chef out for the first time. The restaurant has a few spaces in front of the shop. Though the parking is VERY tight. It was a good thing it was a Sunday since there are a couple of other businesses that utilize this parking. But Bangkok Chef is the only one of them open on Sunday. Restaurant interior is utilitarian. If you are looking for ambiance, you won't find here. I did notice that the restaurant seems to have expanded into a space next door to offer additional seating. The order setup is fast food style. You pay at the counter and wait for your food. Thai food tends to be higher priced than other Asian cuisines, but I found the prices here to be reasonable. You can get a filling meal here for $8. I was dining with my dad so we got two entrees to share. Ordered the Panang pork curry ($7.95) and chicken pad kee mao ($9). The food took a while to come out. I would estimate 20-30 minutes. Bangkok Chef has a bustling takeout business. So I would recommend calling in your order or be prepared to wait a bit. The meals were served in styrofoam containers filled with tons of food. The portions are large. You could probably share one meal and be full. The Panang pork curry was decent. Could have used a little more spice, but tasty and filling. The pad mee kao is basically a Thai chow fun for those unfamiliar. Rice noodles were nice and fresh. Chicken used appears to be lean chicken breast which was alright. Not a whole lot of flavor. I would rather use beef or pork instead though. My suggestion would be to douse some of the curry over the pad kee mao for more flavor. If you are looking for large portions of decent Thai food, Bangkok Chef is the place to go in Honolulu. Though I would highly recommend calling in your order ahead of time.

    (3)

  • Mailin C.

    Always great for a quick takeout! Love their Pad Thai and ginger chicken! Not too much fan of their coconut sauces but that maybe be personal taste... Definitely one of our top takeout locations!

    (4)

  • Yena C.

    I am seriously addicted to this place. I've been coming here for years now and I've never been disappointed. The dishes that I've tried are all amazing and full of flavor. I highly recommend the basil chicken with sticky rice, that is my all time favorite and go to dish. It is full of flavor and has a little kick to it which I love. The portions are usually very generous and the food comes out quickly. Their spring rolls and chicken sateh are also amazing along with any of their desserts, although I urge you to try their house delight. I definitely recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Kelly W.

    So, I know that this is supposedly the cheaper version of Thai food but I LOVE the food here and yeah, it's so much cheaper for the amount you get compared to other restaurants! I always call ahead (on my way to the restaurant), pick up the food and take it home to eat. I love the pad Thai and Panang chicken curry...I always ask for them a little spicier. Parking here is a pain but there is a lot in the back or sometimes I'll just park at Walgreens and run over so I don't have to deal with the hassle. I do wish they would switch from styrofoam though and get something more environmentally friendy- they use so many containers per day since it's the only way they serve food.

    (4)

  • Vina P.

    I have only eaten take out at Bankok Chef. I would call in the food, & my friend will always grab it & we are happy people afterwards. I am addicted the the green curry! The green curry has a lot of bamboo shoots, vegetables, thin strips of chicken breast over a heaping bed of rice. The amount of curry itself is little because they pour it on top the rice instead of ina soup take out container. The red curry has the same amount of spiciness as the green curry but less vegetables. I think it's the same curry base but different food coloring. Haha. The fried chicken is crispy, and the dipping sauce is sweet, spicy, & tangy. They have two pieces of cucumber in the plate lunch. The pad ki Mao chicken tastes a lot like peanuts! The noodles were fat & thin, & there was thin pieces of chicken breast.

    (4)

  • Eddie Y.

    "Cheap Date" Sometimes I feel as though my day off is meant for me to become a "couch potato" Living in the downtown area for many years I had yet to walk up to the end of Nuuanu Ave and since I was feeling guilty of not making it of the couch to the gym I decided what we needed was a walk and so it was off to walk and Nuuanu seemed a good direction. Shortly after the Foster Botanical Gardens, the city quickly changes into an older charming Hawaiian neighborhood and suddenly what appears to be a neon green garage with its door open beams its light into the neighborhood. It was Bangkok chef which I remembered reading on Yelp and after two miles of walking we were ready to eat. Many people were eating in and even more people were waiting for takeout and what a takeout business they have! Most items were under $6.00, which is inexpensive compared to other Thai food restaurants in Hawaii, but what about taste? We ordered Pad Thai, spring rolls, basil chicken and Tom Yum Gong. We were pleasantly surprised at what came to the table. Great crispy spring rolls(six pieces) came with good portions of lettuce, cucumber, mint and a house sauce. The basil chicken was sauteed with lots of bamboo shoots and fresh basil a little on the spicy sude but we loved it. Tom Yum Gong was exactly what we expected, a sweet, sour, salty and spicy shrimp soup with plenty of lemongrass and Kaffir lime leaves. This is one superior soup! The Pad Thai available with chicken or tofu was of the standad fare a bit above the average score for this one and a great place for beginners of Thai food to start. Most menu items can be prepared with chicken, pork or shrimp and for vegetarians with tofu. Thai iced tea or coffe, tapioca pudding and mango ice cream(for your sweet tooth) are available for dessert. Portions are generous and great for sharing. OK, we walked, we saved gas, dinner was almost half price and good. A happy "cheap date."

    (3)

  • Phuong M.

    Been going to this place since 2009 when it was really a hole in the wall. The food was cheap and tasty and authentic Thai food! They give you good portions and always makes for great lunch the next day! It's grown so big now triple the size of what it used to be. I can do without the green walls but the food I can deal with! Their panang curry ooooh ono'licious! Their Pad Thai is what Thai food should be and I always enjoy their summer rolls, though the noodles are thinner than Vietnamese summer rolls it still quite delicious! And how can anyone forget the soup of some young guy...kidding I mean their tom yum soup..right tartness, and spiciness to warm you up on a cold night living on Nuuanu with cold air and rains from the Pali! Still cheaper than most and good food it's always my go to for Thai'

    (5)

  • Jack W.

    1. Value: good food without having to pay for the price of a fancy environment! 2. Food: our latest trip here saw us ordering #5 - Panang Pork Curry ($7.45) with sticky rice ($1 extra) which had a bit of a kick to it, but featured tender pork and potatoes. The sticky rice is ono with the curry sauce and well worth the $1 extra. We also got #16 - Pad Raumit ($8.30) which was really a dish of pan-fried mixed vegetables, all of which was still crispy and featured beans, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, mini cobs of corn, tofu, and cherry tomatoes - a great way to keep the Thai meal flavorful yet healthy! 3. Service: Choose from a board of 25+ items, pay at counter and help yourself to water or purchased soda fountain drinks. Pick up your takeout containers of food when your name is called. Not much in the way of service, but what is there is reasonable. 4. Atmosphere: Imagine someone opening up a three-car garage and making it a cafeteria/restaurant - you're not in fancy surroundings but it's clean and comfortable enough to enjoy good food with friends for a while. They sell Thai-style foods and spices on the side. 5. Verdict: Just outside of downtown, you're in for a Thai treat - what is lack in atmosphere compared to other Thai sit-down restaurants, it makes up with a decent level of food quality and low prices. Bravo!

    (4)

  • Jenn Y.

    Honestly, I was scared to eat Thai food, because I had a bad experience in the past. I never knew how to order and I did not know what I was ordering. This place has pretty decent Thai food for take out. Great thing is they deliver! We would fax in or call in our order and they are pretty quick to deliver. Plus the portions are big and the food was cheap. Haven t been to the physical location.

    (3)

  • Jennifer A.

    I had a craving for Bangkok Chef. I haven't been here in awhile. It's good for take out Thai food. There's a few parking stalls in the front and back of the restaurant, or street parking. I ordered the Thai Basil Chicken (mild) cause I can't handle there medium spice. For the plate lunch you can choose what kind of rice you want i.e. Jasmine or sticky rice. They also offer delivery but you have to order over a certain amount. We sometimes order at work. They also have two other locations: Manoa and on Nimitz.

    (5)

  • Hanna M.

    This place is awesome! For the price it is so good. Whenever we want to host guests but don't want to cook we order from here. It's a hole in the wall so don't go for the decor. I love the green curry chicken and pad kee mao. Definitely a local eat!

    (5)

  • Alan L.

    Their food is average at best. We end up getting takeout a lot because they're close to home and my wife likes the tom yum gai (tom yum goong with chicken instead of shrimp) soup. I usually get tofu cashew - I'd get chicken but they use low quality chicken. The other stir fry that I get, tofu basil, is heavy on bamboo shoots and not much else. The curries are OK but nothing special. Pad thai is ok, sometimes on the dry side. Spring rolls are OK but a bit greasy. The orders are usually out quick. We've never eaten in but the front part of the restaurant is open air. The place looks clean enough and there's a tv going if you want to watch that while you eat. There's some parking in the back but it's limited. If you're jonesing for quick Thai food on your way home from work, this might be a decent choice for you.

    (3)

  • Gary F.

    Go Eat!Food is cheap and good. I like all the choices here. Curry is good. ALL good. Prices are cheap compared to other places. Call in for take out and it will be ready to go. They are always crowded some have some patient. Big G

    (4)

  • Tiffany O.

    I've recently become a fan of Thai food and my friend took me here when I was craving some Thai curry! It's like a take out place with a lot of seating area. We usually do take-out and they are usually pretty quick. The parking around here sucks, but we just park at the lot where Walgreens is. I've only tried the Panang Curry and Pad Thai and both are yummy! I'm usually pretty picky about my Pad Thai being oily and greasy, but it is pretty good and not dry either. The curry was good as well, can't really remember too much though. I just know that the portions are pretty big. Me and my friend just share and we usually can never finish it. I want to try more dishes on their menu when I visit next, but definitely one of my first choices for Thai food!

    (4)

  • Dan E.

    I was thoroughly underwhelmed. Order taker lady: surly. Atmosphere: hot and sticky (no air conditioning). Summer rolls: above average, actually. Pad Thai: very vinegary. Pad see-ew: sauce not very flavorful.

    (2)

  • Cariann N.

    This was absolutely my fave spot for thai fastfood. I always order fried chx wings... so yummy! Their prices were reasonable and their portions, esp the BIG costco sized chicken wings, were worth every penny. However, this last time I went (since they opened their new location on Nimitz) gave me such a sad face :( They put a notice up saying the prices increased $0.55, no prob its worth it... Until I got my plate, my fried chicken wings were tiny with almost nothing but bone! I thought it was a joke! From steroid costco sized wings to meatless chinatown wings. I wont be back for a while. :(

    (3)

  • Victoria J.

    Food here is just soso. Out of the dishes I tried: Pad Si Yoo, Green Curry, and Papaya salad, all of them were very unbalanced. The Green Curry was very watery, papaya salad desperately needed more lime, and the pad si yoo was a bit too mushy. Ambiance is very casual. I unfortunately wouldn't recommend.

    (2)

  • Yoselyn F.

    This is still one of my favorite spots on the island. My favorites haven't changed, just adjusted. These days I tend to get 14 and 5. Tonight I went to the classic yellow curry for comfort. It has been a while since I had the curry an while the flavor is good the sauce was less creamy than I remember. It actually had a goo like consistency. Not at all what I'm used to in curry. Otherwise all was yummy especially the flavored tapioca! I recommend the purple potato.

    (4)

  • Laura S.

    Yum! Yum! Yum! This place is my go to. If I don't feel like cooking, it right around the corner and is the right price. I have probably eaten here 50 times in the past 6 months. I love all their food. Overtime I try something new, its great. Its so convenient and I love that you walk up to the counter and order and don't have to wait for table service. You can also call ahead and they will have it hot and ready for you in about 10 minutes. Parking is a little tight, but most nights I don't have any problem. Try this place, you won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Johanna M.

    Have you ever thought "you know what? I'd like to eat in a garage." Well, you can do so while enjoying the yummy options offered at Bangkok Chef. Their shop is actually a good size, and it is essentially a garage that's been converted into a restaurant. They have some food items for sale and a refrigerator filled with tapioca, drinks and other items too. They leave the garage door open to let the outdoor breeze in, but to be honest...it is hotter than a Florida July in there. It is what I imagine Bangkok to actually feel like. So if the goal is for it to feel like a hot day in Bangkok, then well done! We were sweating soooo much, but that didn't stop us from ordering spicy food, which made us sweat even more...lol. I've seen their little delivery vehicle all over town and thought they were just a catering company. As it turns out, they have a legit restaurant and....IT'S BYOB!!!! What more could you want? Well, an AC unit would be dope, but I'm not going to get too picky. We walked up to the counter to order our food, found a table to sit at, and they called our name to let us know when the food was ready. Your food comes out in styrofoam containers, which I kind of cringed at because we were eating in, and it is wasteful. I can see how this is convenient though, if you have leftovers and just want to take your food home. It's easy because it's already in a box! We enjoyed all of the food items we had. We met a couple of friends of ours, so that granted us the opportunity to order lots of food. We got the pad Thai, the pad see ew, tom kha gai soup, and massaman curry. We ordered these items at the medium spicy level, which was just right. The tom kha gai soup was alright, but not the best I've had. I could see the coconut milk in the soup, but it wasn't as strong a flavor as I like it to be. I also enjoyed the pad see ew and pad Thai noodles a lot because they were well prepared and the noodles weren't stuck together. That happens all too often at some other places, so I love that they make a note to properly toss the noodles while cooking, so they don't stick together. The massaman curry was actually my favorite item that we purchased. It was really good and well-seasoned. I definitely recommend the massaman curry. Oh! And how could I forget the spring rolls?! We ordered spring rolls and they were good. The spring rolls are pretty much on par with all the other Thai places I've been to. I liked the menu options at Bangkok Thai and they are priced well too. I will definitely be back to try the papaya and mango salads. I also want to try their rice noodles with Thai basil and beef because I am obsessed with Thai Basil. Overall, I had a good time and will be back.

    (4)

  • Debi V.

    I had lunch today at Bangkok Chef with a friend. I had the Pad Thai Noodles and I really liked it. This is a open air restaurant and very casual. If you are looking for a fast Thai food meal, this is the place. The parking is tight but there is also parking spaces in the back the building.

    (4)

  • Amy B.

    I wasn't expecting this open cafe, Thai fast food style place when I walked up to the entrance. Kinda neat. We were greeted and served with kindness. I read this one dude's review and expected to walk into the Thai version of the "Soup Nazi" but all was good. As usual, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and we ordered the chicken larb, Panang curry, and pad thai. We also didn't realize the serving sizes would be huge! The food really hit the spot. I've never seen potatoes in Panang curry before though-- still good. The pad thai came with chicken and tofu- delicious. My favorite out of the three was the chicken larb. There were some amazing flavors in there. It's also a healthy dish! My only complaint is that even though everything from their logo to their ceiling tiles are green, the place itself isn't very "green." I'm not a total treehugger or anything, but dang that's a lot of styrofoam! I can't imagine how much they go through in a day. Maybe get some plates for people that are going to be dining in? Also, i could see how parking is an issue. Just time it for when you need some toilet paper or something and park at Walgreens and then walk over :P

    (4)

  • Katie L.

    BLEH! How does this place have 4 stars?! The flavorless Phad Thai & drunken noodles reminded me of nasty mall food that has been sitting out all day. Seriously, don't even waste your money. I was sad that I did.

    (1)

  • Patricia I.

    Great food! Recommendations: Yellow Curry, Chicken Pad Thai, Spring Rolls, Chicken Wings and Pad Si You! And for dessert: Mango Ice Cream. Accepts phone orders, cash and credit/debit cards. They also have another convenient location on Nimitz Hwy.

    (5)

  • Fita N.

    Great location spot, lots of room for large group and the service is quick and food was onolicious!

    (5)

  • AndrewSumi G.

    Went here after my hike and I was starving and bangkok chef did not disappoint. I got the spring rolls, the green curry with chicken and brown rice ( was happy they let me have this as an option) and the tarot tapioca. The spring rolls were crispy and came with a peanut based sweet and sour sauce. Amazing! I asked them to make the green curry spicy and boy did they. I was really glad they understand spicy!! The tarot tapioca was sweet but not too sweet. The portions are huge. I have leftovers in the fridge for tomorrow. Score!!

    (5)

  • Phonesavanh R.

    I was excited to try this place since it had an authentic feel to place as it if was located in Thailand. I had the Papaya salad, panang curry, fish cakes and thai tea. The Papaya salad sucked. It was just plain sour no other distinguished flavors . The panang wasn't good either. Lacking in flavor. The cakes were decent. I had the kaprow stir fry too but wasn't that good. I thought maybe the thai would be good but it wasn't. It was a little bitter . I was pretty disappointed in the food. I thought the food was going to be great. The parking is very very tight

    (2)

  • Jong Soo L.

    This place isn't the nicest place to dine in but it offers lots of seating. I usually get take out since parking isn't the greatest. It's very tight and narrow with only a few stalls. I sometimes end up parking at Walgreens and walk over (I don't know if that's allowed). They are quick at making the food and if I call 10-15 minutes ahead of time it is ready when I get there. I think I've tried almost everything on the menu. I love most of their stuff but my favorite is the red curry with sticky rice (thai spicy). I love spicy food and this is the closest thing they have that is spicy. The workers are very nice, both in person and on the phone. They also provide hot sauce or pepper if you're taking it to-go. The prices are great for the amount of food the give. The one down side I think is that almost all thai restaurants let you choose your meat. Whether you want beef, pork, chicken, vegetarian or shrimp. At this location, they mainly use chicken for all their entrees. Unless you get the pork panang curry or other few things.

    (4)

  • Amber-Lynn H.

    Is it the best Thai food you'll ever have? Probably not. But for the price point and the portions, you can't beat Bangkok Chef! The price has gone up over the last few years. It used to be 5.25 for the same amount. But that's understandable. I normally get the ginger chicken, papaya salad and order of spring rolls. Love the spring rolls! Comes with dipping sauce, mint, cucumber, and lettuce to wrap it in. And if I'm feeling it's ok to splurge a little bit, I'll get the curry instead of the healthier (maybe??) ginger chicken. Never been disappointed at any of their locations- Nuuanu, Manoa, & Nimitz. They also have baked goods if you have a hankering for sweets. Definitely a good go-to spot for fast, affordable, filling food.

    (5)

  • Kelly L.

    I've never been to Thailand, but I love Thai food, and I've eaten it all over the United States. Boston and SF are my favorite cities for Thai. In Hawaii, I don't have a lot of places that I love for Thai food. But when I'm craving something inexpensive, fast, and satisfying, I often go to Bangkok Chef. Its not five star, but its super yummy! Its my comfort food after a long day when I know my refrigerator is empty - lol. They fill orders fast, so be ready to pick it up and don't let it sit too long. Its best to eat it fresh and hot! Parking available at all locations. I recommend the chicken satay, pad thai, tom ka soup, and the mango sticky rice dessert (heavenly).

    (4)

  • CD B.

    I hear this place has a lot of tasty foods but I never get around to trying anything new because I'm so in love with the chicken wings! It comes with a side of rice, veggies & fish sauce. Sooo good & they give a lot so it's very filling ! The wings are nice & crispy & they are a bit sticky from all the yummy flavoring on them ! Parking can be a hassle & its kind of like an out door restraunt on the side of a busy street. I always just grab take out & eat at home. Good thing I live close ! I've tried to green papaya salad here as well but I don't like the sauce they use with it so I don't get that anymore. Stickin with them yummy wings though !

    (3)

  • Lily B.

    This is our take out spot when we order food at work. Bangkok Chef on Nuuanu will deliver to us for FREE! (granted they want a minimum order of $60, but that's easy for us since we have a lot of staff) The portions are VERY generous, and the prices are BEYOND reasonable. For $9 you get A LOT of food! My coworkers enjoy the curries and the basil chicken. I love the long rice noodles, and the shrimp salad is also popular and refreshing. We have no complaints when we order from here and they have never messed up an order (knock on wood!). I usually get a thai tea and tapioca as well. Ordering is easy, and they call in the AM to confirm as well. I've also picked up take out from here before and they're pretty efficient with making the orders quickly. Definitely recommended!

    (4)

  • ChristiaN L.

    Food is always good. Too bad lady is rude and wait is long even when you call in your order.

    (3)

  • Crystal V.

    I had the #20 and asked for it mild - I forget what it's called but they go by the dish numbers anyways. Noodles, chicken, lots of basil and bean sprout. Very good dish, was filling but light and not too spicy. If you're not a big basil fan I wouldn't recommend it as you can def. taste the basil. Plenty of seating, parking is tricky but available, and staff was friendly. Food came out quickly and was nice and hot.

    (4)

  • Demi R.

    The food was great but the experience was not so great. My family and I went to eat here for dinner. First thing lots of homeless people come in here and one of them had the worst B.O. Ive ever smelled. Second because we came during the night time there was termites flying everywhere and even into our food :( they were attracted to the lights I guess because this place is located in a garage so there are no closed doors.

    (3)

  • Hailey H.

    I had pad Thai and summer rolls for take out. The chicken in the pad Thai was over cooked and overall the fish was dry. In addition the rice paper on the summer rolls were hard.. I don't think I'll be coming back

    (1)

  • Stephen H.

    Had the "eggplant chicken" for lunch today. That's #10 for $7.60 for those of you left-brain dominant. The same major ingredients---sliced chicken breast meat, eggplant, basil, and enough chili pepper for a "medium spicy"---as the "Thai green curry". But without the too-often cloying coconut milk I was trying to avoid. Eggplant sliced too small, too thin. Overcooked. No nasubi goodness in this dish. Didn't taste much of the oyster and "bean" (black?) sauces either. Fair portion served with jasmine rice ($0.50 more for brown). Cheap, quick, hot. A'ight. I'll order the #12 next time. I'll take a curry, cloying though it might be, over bland and non-descript any day. o o ~ That's for you right-brain folk.

    (3)

  • Miss P.

    Love this place! Their Thai iced tea, shrimp fried rice, spring rolls and red curry...pretty much everything, delish!!

    (5)

  • Isa R.

    I came here with some classmates last week during our lunch break, and we parked in the Nuuanu Plaza shopping center that was next door and walked over. There are some questionable parking stalls in front, but I'd rather park in the private lot. Food tasted exactly the same as the Manoa location (which is good). I hate when different locations of the same restaurant have inconsistent food. This location is bigger and more spacious than the Manoa location that I usually go to. I would definitely recommend calling in your order as this place can get busy. My favorites are the panang pork curry and the stir fried long rice noodles with pork. That is all I ever order from here, and yes I order both just for myself.

    (5)

  • Kimo K.

    Good grub but not Bangkok authentic. Friend come back BAngkok and food there is insanely fresh spicy flavor through roof brah and eat here depressed cause Hawaii Thai already Hawaiianized and diluted not even close but this a nice place no MSG so healthy and very popular with regulars and Japanese Embassy with real Thai staff and no parking but food half Price compared Waikiki good idea need night atmosphere with dancing and nice music and outdoor seating along the sidewalk valet parking.

    (4)

  • Taylor W.

    I love it here the foods always so fresh and so simple and the spices and sauces are just right! The people are also really nice. My boyfriend and I always get the pad si you because it's fatter noodles than the pad Thai and it has more flavor I think. The basil chicken is also good if you like a little spicyness with lots of bamboo shoots. The yellow curry is also good! And the fried rice is good too I just like it with a little sriracha for more flavor. The chicken sauteh is really good, it's just grilled chicken kebabs with a peanut sauce. It also takes a little while to cook (longer than other dishes) so I would order it ahead of time if you could. I never tried the iced coffee but the Thai iced tea is delicious!

    (5)

  • Cindie Z.

    I like this place before, but have not returned for a while until last week. I just found they raised the price to almost the same as a regular restaurant, such as Siam Garden, but quality is still similar to food court. I ordered panan curry with toufu. The taste is similar as before, but the food made me very sleepy after lunch. I had leftover for second day lunch, and was sleepy again. I am not sure what they put in the dish, but definitely not I like.

    (2)

  • Sachie O.

    The food here was amazing! They had the best green papaya salad & pad thai I've had in my life! My husband had the wings and they were delicious as well. If I were rating this place strictly on the food, it would be a 5. But although the food came out quickly, the waiters were not very friendly and didn't come even once to check on how we were doing.

    (4)

  • Joy M.

    Felt like having thai food the other week, so we ordered the usual from Bangkok Chef (pad thai, penang curry, pad see ew and green curry.) While the pad thai, etc. tasted yummy as usual, the penang curry looked and tasted different. The coconut milk seemed to be missing. The dining room is a lot more spacious since they acquired the space next door. Parking is limited up front, but there's additional parking available in the back.

    (2)

  • Johnny L.

    If you are not sure what to get here, the yellow chicken curry is a safe bet. Some items cost much more than others and the menu has no prices. Some items are so spicy, you may not be able to handle it. This place is located minutes from the Foster Botanical Garden. The dining room is air conditioned with nice tables although the chairs are ragged. During busy times you may have to wait 10 minutes or more to get your order.

    (3)

  • Wendy Y.

    Pretty good Thai food (3 stars)... awesome prices (5 stars). Good Thai food if you are on a budget. Go to the Manoa BC for parking :)

    (4)

  • Kit T.

    A converted garage space home to quantity-oriented, affordable Thai food. Some of the tradeoffs: odd cuts of meat (the chicken is all this sort of shaved white meat, kinda weird). The soups have good spicing, but they use older white mushrooms instead of the usual and more costly straw mushrooms. This is budget, workingperson's food, not high-end cuisine...and that is cool. Amazing menu standouts: the chicken sateh (made from good old chicken thighs boneless and grilled on skewers - the sauce is great - a standard sateh, a little thick, very savory and delicious, and does take some time to grill to order, so do call ahead if u can. The pork panang curry is also really awesome (but never spicy enough for me, they really don't do a serious "thai hot" here, but it can be remedied with splats of shiracha. When I am feeling broke or prole and hanker for Thai, I hit BC Nuuanu!

    (3)

  • Live Love Laugh D.

    I love this place! My favorite of all time. Everything is so good here.

    (5)

  • Levi T.

    Best thai food on island...just raised prices but still a full lunch under $9.00.

    (5)

  • Carol T.

    This place is really good. The portions are very big, you can order 2 plates and share with 4 or 5 people. The prices are super cheap, for a very large portion, and you will always have left overs. Always made fresh when you order, It usually takes forever to wait for your order, but well worth it. I usually get the green curry, and chicken pad thai. Its located in nuuanu, right by sam's deli, and radio shack. There is no parking, but usually you can just park at radio shack and walk over. The staff is alright. You kind of need to know what you want to order before you walk up to the cash register. Its usually crowded, but we just get take out. Don't forget the Thai iced tea!

    (4)

  • Karen H.

    Have gone to all three sites -- happy that they opened the Nimitz site as it is much more convenient for me and parking is not a problem That being said, will not eat lunch in the Nimitz restaurant again -- with the high, bare walls and glass, the room was incredibly noisy (as it was a weekday, there were at least two small groups conducting lunch meetings which contributed to the noise level) In contrast, dinner at the Nimitz site when approximately half of the tables were occupied (again a weekday night) was much quieter -- however, be warned that if you eat in the restaurant, portions are noticeably smaller than what you get in the take-out orders (so much so that we had tor get a side order of rice) and it costs a little more -- Table service is tentative -- servers don't seem to be very experienced -- they don't seem to be assigned to specific tables nor check on diners often so we literally waved at the people at the counter to get a server to come over -- I like their eggplant chicken, green curry and papaya salad -- have tried their pad thai and two other noodle dishes on the menu and would not order these again -- also tried the tapioca dessert and found it very strange -- the coconut milk they poured over the tapioca was salted (but way too much for my taste!)

    (3)

  • Elijah-Jaymie F.

    This was our go-to thai food restaurant. They had good tasty food with a very good price tag attached to it. But a recent trip back there after the renovations it seems that we got a lot less meat in our dishes and a lot more veggies. But, regardless, the food quality and taste is still the same. Just wished we had a little bit more meat to go with all that vegetables.

    (3)

  • Nicole M.

    Cheap, generous, fast, delicious. I eat here at least five times a month, and that's restraining myself.

    (5)

  • Shannon H.

    Being big Thai food fans, we decided to try this hole in the wall courtesy of my fellow yelpers. I can't help it if I am a follower, I don't want to waste my money, time, or calories on bad food and/or service. Not bad for cheap (or what the USA considers cheap) Thai food. We had: 1) spring rolls - which came with lettuce, mint, and cukes. The dipping sauce was sub-par. Almost like mae-ploy, but watered down. I prefer the homemade fish sauce type, but at this price I keep coming back. 2) Mango salad - was super spicy, but didn't notice the heat...well we did, but the heat did not linger. 3) Chicken Pannang - pretty good, but who puts potatoes in curry? Certainly not in Thailand, but I am thinking they are trying to fill you up. Oh all their curries come with rice, regular or sticky. I got sticky and made the mistake of getting a side order because I didn't realize it came with it...too used to Phuket Thai, and other "uppity" Thai places. 4) Phad Thai - the husband was a fan...and yes you can mess this dish up, we have when cooking it at home! 5) Desserts - Banana Tapioca (good, but weird consistency) and Thai Tea Tapioca (tasted just like it!). We will be going back, and only a mile or two away from our house, we could technically walk, but the hills in Makiki are killer.

    (4)

  • Kang X.

    For cheap eats, definitely try this place. For about $20 +/- you can get a delicious meal for about 3-4 people. However, if you're allergic to MSG some of the foods might not work well for you. The restaurant itself isn't anything fancy, and it's open air. Take out usually works for us, they have a menu available for download online at : bangkokchefexpress.com Pad ki mao & spring rolls are our favorites.

    (4)

  • Maria G.

    Yes, it is a neon green garage. Best thai food on the island, though. The pad thai isn't as good as most places - it's a little dry - but the curries, noodles, and spring rolls more than make up for that. I had a hard time moving away from the yellow & green curry for awhile, but after expanding my horizons, I have now discovered that the fried long rice, basil chicken/shrimp and pretty much everything else is amazing. It's BYOB, but taking out and eating at home is my favorite way to enjoy their food. Huge portions, for a very very cheap price.

    (5)

  • Shannon T.

    Food was great and very reasonably priced!

    (4)

  • Gabby V.

    Most Thai food is less portioned and moderately expensive. But at Bangkok Chef, the portions are big and the price is reasonable. I always like coming here for the yellow chicken curry with brown rice. And it's not bland brown rice, their brown rice is actually different and tasty. They have a wide variety to choose from to satisfy any tongue. They also have the classics like the crispy spring rolls and pad thai noodles. They also have green tea tapioca which I haven't seen anywhere else before. The people are friendly and the service is fast. I've seen these people still give great service under pressure. Great job!

    (5)

  • Lena H.

    i live around the corner from this place! omg it's so good! we drive by it EVERYDAY and i see people there all the time. tonight i finally went in. it was crowded as usual and it was so yummy to my tummy. i found my new favorite place close to home! i mean this place is like 60 seconds away from my doorstep. such a relief to find good food! i'm so excited about this place. you must try the yellow curry chicken and the vegetable spring rolls. it was the best thing ever! they were really nice there too. you know how sometimes places that are really busy are really rude? well they weren't and i'm glad because sometimes that ruins everything. try bangkok chef! you'll love it!!!

    (5)

  • Saane M.

    Good tasting food for very little from your pocket book. I haven't had anything sucky from here yet. This is one of those hole-in-the-corner places where if you judge it by the way it looks from the street, you are sooooo missing out...

    (4)

  • Scott H.

    Large portions, dirt cheap food, but you may wanna spice it up a bit with some sambal, soy, or hoisin souce. Also if you like meat in your food it is also a great idea to double up.

    (4)

  • Dave L.

    good prices and good food, it also helps that its down the street from me. Most of the time I get the green curry with brown rice. The eggplant chicken is another favorite. Sometimes I imagine I'm in Thailand while waiting for my food, I mean their store is actually a garage door.

    (4)

  • rowena w.

    Gotta try: Any of their curries Chicken Larb Satay Fried chicken wing Thai ice tea Brown rice available available

    (4)

  • Joy S.

    I heard about this restaurant and tried it tonight. At first, I checked the menu in their web site, then called to order. By the time I got there, my order was ready (nicely & carefully wrapped) to take out! I liked their green curry and red curry. Pad Thai was not quite my kind, but with this price and convenience who could complain! I'm glad that I found this place.

    (4)

  • Linda K.

    5 stars for the price, 4 stars for the food. This place reminds me of being in Thailand. I don't know why some of the other reviews care so much about the decor. When I was in Muang Thai, I can tell you that most Thais care only about #1 does the food taste good?, #2 is it affordable? I can answer yes to #1 and #2. The food here is cheaper than all the other Thai places I've been on the island. Usually a plate of noodles or fried rice runs about $9 in most other restaurants. Here it's $5 something. So if you want good, cheap, authentic Thai food, then eat here. This place reminds me of a restaurant I ate at on Soi 13 on Sukhimvit Rd, that also had roll up garage doors. If you want pretentious Thai food, eat at Phuket Thai. If you want Thai food that Thai people would eat and pay for I would pick here. Have I had better Thai food before? Yes on Soi 13 on Sukhumvit. But if you can't make it there, eat here

    (4)

  • Porky Penguin S.

    Great food at a great price. Located in a garage, I just love the idea! Very slow service, so you can't be in a rush. But, the flavors are good, and for $5.60, enough food for two people. Spring rolls are especially good!

    (4)

  • Ronnie M.

    I was craving for thai..so i decided to drive to this food establishment..luckily i found parking in front of radio shark on the street side.The food is delicious. i recommend the spring rolls.

    (4)

  • Russell M.

    Thai plate lunch for under $6? I love this place! limited space, so hard to find a table to accommodate a large group. green curry is my favorite, then red and yellow curries. they sell their curries so you can make at home... but for the price, I would just rather eat there.

    (5)

  • ann t.

    Visited the new manoa market place venue. The place was clean and pleansant to eat in. No alcohol. Kinda fast food atmosphere. Prices very reasonable. Ordered Green chicken curry, srping rolls & pad thai. Each were about 6-7 dollars. Big portions, Kinda average in the taste department. No liquore license.

    (3)

  • Jon B.

    This place is great for a quick meal. Good food and incredibly reasonable prices. You eat in a converted garage and many folks bring their own bottle of wine - ask for a bottle opener at the counter. The mango ice cream and coconut rice dessert they have advertised on the walls was pretty tasty. Enjoy.

    (4)

  • R O.

    I think i love this place even more just because it's so darn cheap. Less than $7/plate. Spring rolls, long rice and chicken satay are awesome. Yellow curry and chicken eggplant are tasty. I was a little disappointed with the pad thai. Kinda tasteless. overall, a great restaurant!

    (4)

  • Robyn S.

    Where does one start with a place where everything I've tried does not disappoint?! My husband and I have been going to this place for almost 3 years and have never left dissatisfied. For starters I love the authentic feel of the place being in a garage. It reminds me of this place I ate at in Thailand which was also in a garage but 10 times hotter and almost no ventilation, it's also where the laborers eat at. I don't think it was meant for tourist but we got lost and stumbled upon it. Anyways, Bangkok Chef is one of the most authentic Thai places I've eaten at. The owners are from Thailand and they cook the food so you know you're getting the real deal. My favorites there are the Pad Thai, Yellow Chicken Curry, Cashew Nut Chicken, Fried Spring Rolls, Fried Chicken Wings, Papaya Salad, and the Mango Salad. I do like some of the other stuff like the Tom Yum Gung (Kung?), Green Curry, and Fried Rice but I usually stick to what I know is really good. I always get the sticky rice with everything except for when I order Pad Thai. With all things on their menu you can request that they make it less or more spicy. I always choose the latter cause I love me some food that burns your mouth so much that you can't stop eating it. I know some of you know what I'm talking about!! I've seen some people bring in their own bottle of wine which is pretty cool. I don't think any review will do this place any justice, you just have to go and try it for yourself. Ohhh Thai Iced Tea is bomb and try the sweet sticky rice with mango ice cream dessert (sorry I don't know what it's called) it hits the spot. Lastly I feel like I'm entitled to say this since I've actually been to Thailand and have tasted authentic Thai food. . . This is the closest you will get to Thailand and their food. Unless of course you flew a chef down from Bangkok to prepare you a home cooked meal, which I'm sure few of us have the luxury to do so.

    (5)

  • Lisa M.

    My boyfriend and I live down the street from here and we always go to Bangkok Chef when we need a quick, cheap dinner. The food here is good! It's not exactly fine dining or anything like that, but for the price you pay, it's pretty decent thai food. I love the green curry here! My boyfriend always gets the panang.

    (4)

  • J Det D.

    This place is cheap! I only decided to try this place based on yelp reviews and it was surprisingly yummy!! Usually if we want Thai takeout we order it from Phuket Thai and it can add up fast...usually $22 for two meals. We didn't dine in the garage, but ordered take out and got a lot of food for about $12 and had leftovers. I highly recommend this place if you want cheap, fast food. Also, order take out and head down to the beach for a fun, cheap date dinner :)

    (4)

  • Erika B.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! My bf and I shared the pad thai, yellow curry, and green papaya salad and had plenty left over for lunch the next day. I've been here three times and had great experiences each time. Inexpensive & delicious.

    (5)

  • Albert F.

    Great low priced thai food as everyone else wrote. It started as a produce market and found its home as a Thai restaurant. Love the cashew chicken and the red curry.

    (4)

  • Eric S.

    Garage-thai is the shit. BYOB

    (5)

  • Jen T.

    i must have been here at least a hundred times and i still love this place. great curries (green and panang, my faves!), decent pad thai, fresh crispy spring rolls, good fried chicken, convenient produce section, and cheap, cheap, cheap! i can't get over how great of a deal this place is, even if they have raised their prices recently. nice staff and owners. i have and will be coming here again and again and again. word of advice, you should call in your order 20 minutes before you want to eat. then you'll never have to wait for your tasty thai food ever again. p.s. byob! love it!

    (5)

  • Lee R.

    Absolutely love Bangkok Chef. Last time I went there I did a double take because my Basil Chicken plate was less than $5! This place get's five stars just for being so good for so little $. BYOB, and there's a liquor store literally next door. Nothing like some spicy thai food and a nice cold beverage to wash it down. The thing I like best about the place is it is basically a garage with tables...complete with garage door on the open end. Parking is limited but I always seem to find a space right in front. They close early (8PM I think) so plan ahead.

    (5)

  • Matthew C.

    Parking is rediculous.. BUT, the food is cheap. There is no A/C... BUT, the food is decent. I have to say, I was impressed at how much you can make a garage look like another country. And feel like one too. I guess you can say, Ambiance. The food.. don't expect a 5 star rating from me. But it will fill you up after the beach. And it doesn't taste half bad. Couldn't tell you the names of what I ate. Some noodles that resembed chow fun. And some Green Curry. Spring rolls. And some sticky rice. The price, what a deal.

    (3)

  • vanny j.

    awesome thai food that's suuuper cheap! the portions are pretty big, I always share...my favorite is the green curry with tofu and my boyfriend loves the pad thai. also, there's still a super tiny grocery area where you can buy japanese eggplant, curry paste, and other thai cooking ingredients. plus, the garage-to-cafeteria aesthetic is kind of awesome...

    (5)

  • Jason L.

    Pretty good Thai food for pretty cheap. Although they've gone up in price. It's alright. Still moderately priced.

    (4)

  • Jaime K.

    5 reasons why I LOVE Bangkok Chef Manoa: 1. Can't beat the price! Most dishes start at $5.70. 2. Almost everything on the menu is consistently delicious * 3. Good desserts 4. Convenient location in Manoa, ample parking street side if the parking lot is full. 5. Clean * I didn't like the pad thai. It's on the sweeter side. Our last visit we ordered: -Spring rolls -Yellow chicken curry -Basil shrimp -Cashew nut chicken *YUM YUM YUM* -Chicken Satay - 5 sodas -Sticky rice All for $39.06!

    (5)

  • Harlan S.

    Originally was a vegetable market for Thai cuisine, they are now one of the finest resturants on the island for this ethnic cuisine. Reasonable prices. Fresh food. Efficient service. Lively but not hectic ambiance. Only problem is that they take a little bit at times to prepare your meal. Call ahead your order to avoid waiting.

    (4)

  • Kristi C.

    1st time there, didn't expect much but was pleasantly surprised. My family had the House Special, Chicken Fried Rice & Ginger Chicken (lots of chicken dishes here). It was good...had to add a bunch of shoyu to my Ginger Chicken, but I left satisfied. The only JUNK part was that they had no sticky rice! My husband enjoyed his House Special & the kids said the Chicken Fried Rice was "good". Overall, good food at a great price. Bonus: the UH football game playing on the TV. Drawback: exhaust in my face from a reversing Harley.

    (4)

  • JoAnna G.

    Ever wanted to eat some bomb thai food in the most awesome green garage? Well, I guess not necessarily, but now that you mention it... sounds pretty freaking awesome to me! I came here last week after dragging one of my friends out to koko head. Don't worry she loves koko head despite what she says. Anyway, we came maybe 8 or so I think and it was the perfect timing. Plenty of parking, no wait to order, food came out fairly quick. Got the eggplant chicken with brown rice. First off, these people are not playing around with the portions. Woah! Pretty sure I could work on a single dish for 2 days and hava happy full tummy. Definitely recommend sharing. I hardly eat meat now but the chicken was pretty incredible. Tried out a few bites of the ginger chicken and the yellow curry. Both were soooo gooood! Hada spring roll too with that delicious sweet chili sauce. mmmmm.. There are so many delicious things on the menu. Hard to decide what to get because it all sounds yummy. Such a great dinner! Good company, delicious cheap thai food, funky green garage (which was actually pretty spacious), and a nice night off enjoying the light rain outside. My kind of foodie heaven. I dig it. :)

    (5)

  • Ngan W.

    Our #1 goto- togo Thai food; esp since it's right up the block from us. We always get the Basil Chicken (medium for the fiance) and Cashew Nut Chicken - hot for me. App. $11 bucks and we get to eat it in the comfort of our own home as the colors at Bangkok chef abeit with the byob factor is a bit headache inducing. Parking is hardcore even if there is any available at the 5 designated stalls outside, but you can't beat the price and the food at that price!

    (5)

  • Sylvia F.

    Great bang for your buck. Haven't experimented much with requests for super spicy food (they have self service sriracha if you need an extra kick and those red chili flakes...i think), but for what it is - convenience, quantity, and decent taste - at a great price, and with yummy brown rice mixed whatever deliciousness, it's a spot to definitely hit up. Their springrolls are pretty awesome as well. OH YES, i'm forgetting. The papaya salad? I dont even like papayas, let alone green papayas, but it might as well be crack salad. Once it and the cabbage garnish it comes with is gone, you can definitely find me snififng my chopsticks and the styrafoam in comes in...i dont know what they put in it, but try it and you'll see what i'm talking about. It's a perfect meld of sweet sour salty crunchy tart goodness, perfect for a hot summer day. Plus - I'm happy they expanded Negative - they make bank, i mean how expensive can it be to make that food...can they upgrade to some biodegradable or recyclable/recycled containers please? the styrafoam is just too much...

    (4)

  • Gabe H.

    I never thought Thai take-out food would taste so good until I found Bangkok Chef!! VERY affordable pricing, GENEROUS portions, ONO food, fast and friendly service! LOVED: The quick service and the staff were funny and friendly. Picture menus definitely helped to decide your plate, especially if you're not familiar with Thai food and flavors. Also food came out super fast after ordering! *NEW EDIT: Moved up to FIVE starts simply because of the price + great food alone. Dinner for two with plates piled high? $14 and some change. NEW TRY - LOVED: Panang Pork Curry is now my ALL TIME FAVORITE plate to order of any plate lunch/take-out restaurant! The curry and pork has a flavor that blows me away and keeps me coming back for more! I also switch to brown rice, which is an exotic delicious brown rice, not the calrose crap stuff you get at L&L or Zippy's. NEW TRY - Was OK: The Cashew Nut Chicken plate is pretty much a stir fry and doesn't quite stand out as the rest of the plates. Ironically, as cheap as the plates are, I find the Eggrolls (like 99% of other restaurants) to be too expensive as usual for what you get. Just get another plate! Its the SAME PRICE!! I ordered the Yellow Chicken Curry w/sticky rice and my friend ordered the Red Chicken Curry w/brown rice (!?). I've never really been exposed too much to Thai food and wasn't expecting much but my yellow chicken curry was very flavorful and tasted incredible. I just love how it blended nicely with the sticky rice; potatoes, carrots, chicken, were all done very well and every bite was a good as the one before it. My friends Red Chicken Curry was just as good!! The brown rice was something exotic and was NOTHING like the bland calrose brown rice I'm used to eating. The Red Chicken Curry plate had a small spiciness to it that wasn't overpowering was very flavorful and delicious. P.S. Pick up a banana bread or pound cake while you're there! DID NOT LOVE: Ummm...dunno what the big hoopla on Yelp for the mango dessert. I ordered it because of yelp and was just ok, nothing extraordinary like their plates. For $3.50 I'd rather buy their banana bread instead. (Which I did, and was ONO by the way) OVERALL: Fast Thai food that converted me into a Thai food fan!!! I'm so glad I've come here and already picking up the phone to make a phone order RIGHT NOW! Satisfying and affordable, whats not to love about Bankok chef!! Add Fast Food Thai to my list of faves!

    (5)

  • Lei L.

    Get the... red curry veggie spring rolls basil eggplant chix soy milk

    (5)

  • Aaron S.

    Let me first say that i liked this place and i'd go back again. I know I only gave them three stars, but it should really be three and a half. The prices on the food are cheap (5.70 for pad Thai), the portions are generous (my girlfriend and I shared a dish), and it tasted pretty good. The pad Thai wasn't the best I've had, but for the price you'd be hard pressed to beat it. We also ordered the summer rolls. They were a bit dry. I probably wouldn't get those again. All in all its a pretty decent spot. Check it out yourself.

    (3)

  • O G.

    Because of a perv I knew in high school, I've always avoided restaurants with the word "Bangkok" in the name. With his Cinemax moustache and a body that resembled that of a prepubescent female, Mr. Perv was a perv in every sense of the word. He was an older student in my Spanish class--I loved being in classes with older students because it served as a beacon to the world how smart and precocious I was in high school ;)--who I was unfortunately paired up with during our "Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?" computer sessions (in Spanish, of course). He had a penchant for singing a song he made up with the word "Bangkok" in it (using the melody of a famous AC/DC anthem) every time Carmencita landed there. Since then, whenever I see a restaurant named "Bangkok" that stupid song of his plays in my head!!! Anyway. After weeks of naggi--er, encouragement--my wife finally dragged me here. The food is decent in taste but this place gets pushed to a higher star rating because of the portions (large enough to satiate those running around with gold teeth) and price (most dishes are only $5.70). Minus a star because of the pediatric size cups of water and the MSG bomb that caused us to pass out like we were watching a C-Span marathon about off-shore drilling. (At least that stupid song wasn't playing in my dreams!) Note: They seem to be doing some renovations, so don't be surprised if the prices go up soon. For bountiful food at a good price, this place gets 4 stars!

    (4)

  • Lyn L.

    I was pleasantly surprised at how good this food was! Had dinner with a friend who picked up take out...loved the Ginger Chicken and Pad Thai....I loved it so much that I went back a week later and had the Ginger Chicken and brown rice for lunch....it was great...and the portion was so huge that I ate half for lunch and the other half for dinner. I picked up food from there again last nite....the chicken eggplant is really spicy and the #19 was ok....I still like the ginger chicken....although I like the beans in it more than the chicken...too much white meat...still I think it's a great bargain!

    (4)

  • Ryan M.

    I tried this place for the first time not too long ago and I was impressed with the quality of food and for the price. I shared 4 plates with my girlfriend, pad thai, green papaya salad, curry, and the thai version of fried chicken (can't remember the name). They gave a lot of food and the taste was very good! If you like spicy food, you have to try the green papaya salad as it will invigorate your palette.

    (4)

  • Nicole B.

    Amazing place ! Fast & clean! Great prices! The tom yum soup is AMAZING especially when your sick. :)

    (5)

  • Gina B.

    Got my sticky rice + yellow tofu curry fix yesterday. I had enough for two meals and I think I only spent about $8. I burnt my tongue heating up my leftovers; I was so excited for Round Two that I couldn't even wait for my food to cool down. Five stars for value and tastiness. Bumped down to four stars because parking seems limited, however there is a lot behind the building. (Admittedly, I don't know how many stalls are available; there could be a huge parking structure back there for all I know.) And, my meal was a bit on the salty side yesterday.

    (4)

  • Stephanie H.

    So my love affair with Thai food now includes dishes from Bangkok Chef. My new favorite place for casual dining because it's fast, cheap and oh so yummy. The portions are huge! And the price is very nice. They make a very good Tom Kha Gai, ordered with my usual side of sticky rice of course. And the summer rolls with peanut sauce? Oh yes, I am a fan.

    (4)

  • Jerome B.

    To fill a styrofoam (not one with eywa yet with biodegradable take out) take out container with heaping mounds of sticky rice and green curry for less than $7.00 is a scrooge's delight. To fill the cavernous void that is my stomach is also a marvelous feat. To achieve both, you win the frugal foodie award (sound the trumpets bought from goodwill... frugal you know)! A celebratory belch from me! One caveat. The green curry did not leave a scorched path in my digestive track as I would've liked it. Some like it hot, some like to clear their sinuses with their food. I just wanted to build a good sweat, to which the green curry could not satisfy. But to pay near Thai street vendor prices for my food, I'm not really complaining. Next time though, bring on the hot goods!

    (4)

  • Johnna P.

    Warmed coconut sweet rice with a very big scoop of the creamiest mango ice cream, topped with crushed peanuts=so yummy. Thats all I usually come here for, but their chicken wings, pad thai, spring rolls are good too. Parking is a bit of pain.

    (4)

  • Chad K.

    This is my go to place for dinner when Im too lazy to make anything or Im tired of what I got. Ive been here about 30 times or so, enough times that the guy at the front taking orders knows my name and asks me if Im going to try something different lol. I order the chicken larp with extra lettuce not cabbage (it normally comes with half a head of cabbage why i dont know) and a side order of sticky rice but I tell them to only give me 1/4 of the serving of sticky rice or i'll over indulge. The chicken larp is basically minced chicken breast with a handful of herbs, i think its tasty and goes well with the crunchy lettuce, my friends think its dry. The entree and side order of sticky rice is costs under $9! such a good deal. One day I'll treat myself to some curry or pad thai (ive never had pad thai in my life) i promise. perhaps it says something about me because for all the places I frequent to eat I always order the exact same thing and wont stray. oh they also have a location in Manoa

    (4)

  • Jamm K.

    In my previous review, I said this place would not be worth it if they raised their prices even just 50 cents. Well, they raised their prices and to compensate they loaded up on rice so you'll be gettin a whole lotta rice and some mediocre food. I just can't see how anyone who really likes Thai food would like this place.

    (1)

  • Chancy C.

    I love this place! Everything I order here I enjoy...well except for the fish patties. Didn't care much for that..ehh. The portions are huge, probably enough for two or one really hungry person! Try anything on the menu and I'm sure you would like it. The one on Nu'uanu has extended so now there's more seating : )

    (4)

  • Min K.

    I didn't know what I wanted for dinner and I randomly thought of Bangkok Chef. Damn Yelpers were raving about this place, so I had to check it out. I live nearby so it wasn't a hassle to order my food. I've been craving the beef Pad Ki Mao so I went to order, but they don't have beef; only pork, shrimp, or chicken. :( Regardless, the Pad Ki Mao is flavorful with tons of basil and pork. Truth be told when I saw the color, I thought OMG it's not going to be spicy so I had packed some Sriracha with me; but boy was I wrong! Don't let the color fool you! It's spicy! So as I'm eating my noodles and writing this review, I love LOVE LOVE this place. I docked a star for no beef and the snappy guy snapping at me because I didn't know they have no beef for either the whole restaurant or for my dish. But next time I go, I'm calling in my order. The wait was unbearable!

    (4)

  • Mark S.

    One of the secrets to good Thai food is the freshness of its ingredients, particularly prik Thai, the famous Thai chili. Any Thai dish that has noodles involved or is not a curry should have plenty of prik Thai, fresh and scorching. Bangkok Chef does not have fresh prik Thai. Instead, it relies on dried prik Thai, which significantly alters dishes like Pad Kee Mao and Pad Kra Pow; the immediate, fleshy and hot taste of fresh chili is gone. This is something a number of Thai restaurants do, but not good ones. As such, this place can only get three stars as it is okay and uses Mae Ploy curries which are well made.

    (3)

  • L'Erin V.

    I never ate thai food before until I started working at Kaiser. We were ordering lunch one day & they decided to order from Bangkok Chef. So being that I never ate thai & don't like spicy I was hesitant to order. I'm also a picky eater. I looked over the menu & came across the yellow chicken curry. It's mild & has chicken breast, carrots, & potatoes in it. So I said "why not try that." When the food came, the plate was FULL!!! I ate the curry & man it was "ONO"!!!!! The prices there a very resonable.

    (4)

  • Lauren S.

    AWFUL pad thai. The rest of the peeps in my party ordered various curries and were split between "not the worst I've ever had" and "this is terrible" in their opinions. I will definitely not be back here.

    (1)

  • Lofa L.

    I could eat at Bangkok Chef everyday. I really love the panang curry and the pad thai. Spring and summer rolls are wonderful. Good food at great prices is all anyone really needs. Why spend your money at a pricey thai restaurant when you could come here, be full, and still have money left over!

    (5)

  • Sasha Y.

    my DH and I had dinner here tonight, this was our second time visiting this place, the food is very good for a reasonable price, I had eggplant chicken and my DH got the basil chicken,we will go back again to try other dishes.

    (4)

  • kathy y.

    I used to like Bangkok Chef (Nuuanu). They raised their prices and the portions got smaller. The last time I ordered my favorite: green curry with extra basil and sticky rice. I could see the bottom of my plate where they scooped the rice. The curry was BLAND and there wasn't much basil. Made me wonder what did I do to them to have them serve me that. Well, hot chili flakes and patis help fix my curry. What was more annoying was the owner schmoozing up and flirting out loud with the female customers. I will never go back there again.

    (1)

  • Cindy L.

    Haven't been to Bangkok Chef for a couple of years, and totally makes me wonder WHY I stopped going? It was excellent. The restaurant expanded the seating area, much much roomier and I think there's AC now. We ordered the pad thai, penang pork curry and thai green curry. Each for $5.75. OMG.... the portions were huge, two of us could have shared an entree. I did not particularly care for the pad thai, it was a bit citrusy for me. The Thai green curry was good, it was stir fried with chicken and eggplant (a hint of coconut). I loved the penang pork curry, it has a little bit of spice to it and no coconut taste, therefore I loved it.

    (4)

  • Travis D.

    Came here with my cousin after hiking up Lanikai Pillboxes and hitting Lanikai Beach. I ordered the spicy pad thai and he got a curry chicken dish. The pad thai came out to less than 6 dollars after taxes which is super cheap. I ordered it spicy and I wasn't able to enjoy my food that much. I was sweating profusely behind my ears. This was my fault of course. Next time I'm going to take it down a notch. However, it was cooked to perfection: not too dry, not too wet, with a good amount of meat for the price.

    (5)

  • diego m.

    Went there last week when I was so broke and still want to get a decent meal, yet delicious enough to be filling and satisfying. Their fried rice is tasty but not great. Their Chicken satay is great but not tasty. Wait. I am so confused here on defining the greatness of food. But when all is said and done, the price and quantity always overrides everything else. In this recessionary economy, it is the best bang for the bucks - besides eating ramen with vienna sausages. Good times that I remember while in college as a broker than broke student. Fried rice = Dried Fried Rice - More like Chinese style - with chicken pieces/carrots/peas without the Lup Cheong. Most Thai Fried rice has tomatoes inside - this one does not. I only wish it was a little oilier (I do not care about cholesterol level - it is only a number) and a little bit more salt/shoyu. I like all my food to be salty. Growing up, my Mom never held back on the salt factor - everything was salty in the kitchen. Chicken Satay - Taste better than it looks. Need to be currified a little bit more. Actually, this one has the right amount of saltiness but is missing on the spiciness factor. Fish patties - Great fish cakes with basil and other secret spices. The only legit complain is that they should give more but I am happy. Chicken Eggplant - This is a good one - with oyster sauce and chili and black bean. Iced Tea - Infused with condensed milk. One of my favorites. Not too sweet. Overall Linear Factorization Score: Quality of Food: 3.524564 Quantity of Food: 4.87564 Convenience of Parking: -1.78456 Price of Food: 4.99999 Customer Service: 3.94545 Overall Score: 4.24456 - Good luck on figuring how I come with a score of 4.2 or 4.3 as the summary result. Hint: I did use Subtraction and Addition.

    (4)

  • Trish P.

    still 3 stars for me - its not a bad thing.... it just means they're pretty decent food for a pretty reasonable price. i recently tried their Pad Ki mao... that is some pretty spicy noodles! but good tasting. the cashew chicken was good as well... if you like nuts in your food - not everyone does. the green papaya salad was just O.K.... not spectacular. they've expanded their restaurant and changed their take-out menu to include pictures too, so they must be doing very well. the crispy spring rolls are still really good; one of my favorite things to get here.

    (3)

  • Jyron S.

    I used to be a big fan of this place because of the combination of value and quality. For the price and the serving size, it had become one of my favorite lunch time destinations. Recently though, I'd say in the past year and a half, the quality of the curries has fallen wayside and the prices have since gone up by at least 15%. It seems like they have been skimping on the coconut milk and the curry which makes for a stir-fry that lacks that depth of flavor I am used to in any decent thai curry. It suddenly feels like a run of the mill chinese stir-fry dish. So, I have since stopped going here. Very disappointing, because I was a big fan before.

    (2)

  • Yvonne M.

    I've heard this was a popular, cheap place to buy Thai food. So, we had to try it. We ordered the Pad Thai (of course, we always try the Pad Thai at every Thai restaurant we go), Green Curry, and the fried chicken all with brown rice. Took a picture of them all and yeah looked good. Time to dig in. The fried chicken was good and seasoned right. Brown rice was different. I guess it was a Jasmine type brown rice. As for the Pad Thai and Green Curry, oh no. Pad Thai had no flavor/bland. I had to add the fried chicken dipping sauce and shiracha to it. The Green curry had very little sauce with too many bamboo shoots. I could hardly taste the flavor of the curry! I was sad because I really wanted to find a place with delish Thai food but for a reasonable price. I rated the food this way because I've tasted the Thai food at Siam Garden, Mekong, Champa Thai, and Keo's. Whoooa, what a difference. Now I know why those places charge more. But, if you only go here, you won't know. Sorry Bangkok Chef I wanted to give you 4 stars, but I just can't. For this sitting I give it 2. My husband did try the Chicken Basil before and said it was good. They also had good customer service. Cheap and large amount given. So in conclusion I will give it 3 stars.

    (3)

  • Yon S.

    Went here for the upteenth time yesterday. They have expanded. In a strange way. They took over the liquor store next door and make all of it a dining room and bathroom. I ordered 8 plates, and they made mistakes in 2 of them. I will still come here but I think maybe success is starting to go to their heads.

    (3)

  • brian o.

    Been to this place many times over the years and although I have not tried everything on the menu especially since im kinda allergic to spicy food everything that I had was always good. Only been to the original one on Nuuanu that was pretty much a garage turned into restaurant. Definitely recommended to try this place out. Cant say anything about the other locations since never been there and not all cooks are the same.

    (4)

  • Christy K.

    Okay, I love this place. The food has been delicious every time I've gone, the prices are incredibly affordable, and the portions are HUGE! With their portions, you can easily get two meals per order. I'm giving it five stars DESPITE the ambiance (or lack thereof), because this place truly reminds me of Thailand. I just went there this past summer and I swear this is the most authentic Thai food I've had in Hawaii. Yes, I've had Phuket Thai and Chiang Mai and Mekong... But this place does the food without being pretentious and showy. Honestly! Not only that, but you pay only 1/3 the price than if you were to go elsewhere. I've had the green curry, red curry, basil chicken, and pad ki mao. They were all very flavorful and of course massive. I guess it depends on who's cooking it, but there's usually not too much meat... but seriously-- you're spending $5.70. The basil chicken does have a lot of bamboo, but it's delicious. I love bamboo though, so maybe I'm a little biased. For dessert I've had the mango ice cream on sticky rice and the tapioca. The mango sticky rice is a little bizarre, but yummy. The tapioca comes warm and although a little cakey, I liked it better than the mango ice cream with stickey rice. Also, at $1.75 for the tapioca, it's a no-brainer. I just noticed the last time that I went to the Nu'uanu location the letter from the owner on the right wall near where you order. He talks about the history of the restaurant and how his wife's family owns a food stand in Bangkok and this is how she knows how to cook. Before I read this letter, I though the food tasted a lot like what I'd had there, and now my suspicions are confirmed! If you're into ambiance, they also have a location in Manoa with air con and it's not a garage.

    (5)

  • Jenel O.

    This is one of my favorites... good quality food and good quanity at very affordable prices. I found this hole in the wall when it was still more focused on the fresh produce market side... it has since gotten so much more crowded! The pad thai is the closest to what I had in Thailand. It's not that Americanized version that is very red/orange in color. I love the sauce for their spring rolls. Sometimes the line is very long though so be prepared to wait!

    (4)

  • Ron H.

    Just got lunch here and it never disappoints. Prices r cheap but the parking can get a bit tight. Their is parking in the back but some r hard to get out of if u got a big car or truck. Sticky rice is always a must and should never be an option. I got the panang pork curry. Pork, potatoes, basil some spice and coconut milk to pull it together. You get a little citrus from the lime leaves that accent the spices and the coconut milk gives it a richness and rounds out all the flavors. Prices r low and quality is high one of those local favorites everyone should know about.

    (5)

  • Haole B.

    Good food for the price - very affordable & generous portions. They give you tons of rice (I always choose brown - which is ok). As everyone that mentioned this before me, this place is in a rebuilt garage building with limited parking, but you can park at the shopping center just south of the shop if you're discreet. Been here at least 20 times. Our favorites: Ginger Chicken Chicken Satay Chicken Panang Eggplant Chicken Curry Chicken (sometimes potatoes are undercooked) Thai Iced Tea - for sweet-tooths only! Warm Thai Tapioca Pudding (recently discontinued, but it was THE BOMB! I still ask for it every time and act completely distraught when they tell me "no more.") Overall: highly reccommended for those on a budget.

    (4)

  • Rob G.

    Generous portions of tasty food! What more could you want? They're not the best Thai food on the island, but the value is hard to beat. The Pad Thai is tasty and filling, and the plate lunch container comes full of tasty noodle goodness. I also like the Green Chicken Curry had a nice sauce and strips of boneless chicken with rice and herbs. The only complaint I might make is that the food isn't terribly spicy by Thai food standards. Did I mention Delivery?!? Did I mention the Thai grocery section??! Pretty good stuff. They won't be edging out Mekong or Phuket Thai for higher end Thai food, but for a quick and tasty cheap lunch that is big enough to share, Bangkok Chef has my vote!

    (3)

  • Ruthie C.

    If you want great Thai food as good it gets, this is the place! It's one of those hole-in-the-wall local restaurants that unless you're local or know anyone local who will take you there, you probably wouldn't try it (unless your palate is just that adventurous). My friend who has been to Thailand a few times told me, 'it's just like the type of restaurant you'll find on the streets." And yeah, he said, the food is pretty much as original as it could be. Above the ordering and cashier counter is a menu board with pictures so you can pick what you want. They also have paper menus for those who have to have something to hold to order from. You order and pay at the counter. This place is always busy. If you go during traditional food hours, expect to wait for a little while for your food; however, it is not any longer than the average restaurant. And trust me, it's worth the wait. The tables and chairs are regular metal folding ones. There is no actual door that you walk in through. One whole wall is open. And no, there is no air conditioner, but it's Honolulu. The weather is most frequently nice. The common square to-go box is filled to the brim plus whatever type of rice you want. The cost is pretty reasonable. Most entrees are under $6. Well worth what you get in quantity and quality. I've had all the curries and the eggplant dish. They were very ono. My favorite so far, was the mango ice cream on top of sweet sticky rice. Enough for two to share. Deeeelisshhh!! Can't wait to go there again. I gave it 5 stars because I definitely recommend it and the food is just fantastic. If you are looking for a Thai-themed posh restaurant, this is not the place for you. If you want food that satisfies and doesn't rob your wallet, try this place.

    (5)

  • Bob S.

    Best Thai Deal in any state. Just happens to be in Hawaii. Cashew Nut Chicken, Yellow Curry, Chicken Wings, are my top three choices.

    (5)

  • Ed K.

    they should call this place.. "thai restaurant" or "aaahhnn" food in thai. place was very average. which wasn't good or bad. no angel wings.. and the panang tasted same as package from any asian grocery. u can go to the other one if u want to sweat. if it was an animal, it'd be a slow ass porkipine w/ no spikes.

    (2)

  • Lance T.

    Onolicious food and large servings.

    (4)

  • NickMitsTheDemiGod ..

    Rajanee Thai Cuisne was much better IMO

    (2)

  • Kristen C.

    #79/365 Finally came to this bangkok chef for the first time with my friend around 11 and it was empty. Only one other person was coming out with some take-out. When you dine here you have to park in the "900 stalls." The place is nice and spacious and the ceilings are really high. Me and my friend shared the pad thai and house special (which I got spicy) w/ jasmine rice. Food came out fairly quickly since we were the only ones dining so that was nice. The house special consisted of stir fried cabbage and bamboo shoots with chicken in a ginger sauce. It was good but too spicy for my friend hehe. The pad thai was pretty good; i've had better but it was still tasty. The prices are very reasonable here too so thats always a plus, esp with us college students haha :-P. They also sell some prepackaged cookies. Their dessert picture of i think mango ice cream looked delish and also their unique tapioca flavors of thai tea, green tea, banana, and sweet potato flavors also looked good. Overall, makes for some cheap and tasty good eats.

    (4)

  • Joshua C.

    Good Value Priced Thai what's not to love! This ghetto garage location, close to the laundromat on Nuuanu is a great little place to grab a cheap lunch or dinner. It's hard to go wrong here for the price...I love that Thai cooking has such a great variety of curries....each with a distinct personality...I like the laid back yellow curry (I'm resisting the temptation to call it mellow). Call ahead to avoid waiting, find extra parking in back of the building, stock up on Thai cooking supplies (it's also a market), and enjoy more than your money's worth of decent Thai food.

    (4)

  • Angela A.

    This place is clearly located in a garage, next to a laundromat, so we got our food to go so that we could eat from the comfort of our own couch :) I've tried thai food a few times and have liked it each time. I'm no expert so I never know what to get! I ordered the shrimp long rice and it was awesome. Not too many shrimps, but that was OK with me. I finished off my leftovers the next day for lunch, YUM. My BF got the cashew chicken, which was good, too! He ate his leftovers later that same night. Secretly I snuck into the fridge and ate most of the cashews, they're the best part! This place is priced very reasonably and we'll be back for more!

    (4)

  • Tom S.

    tried both bangkok chef's in nuuanu and in manoa. the portions are big, the price is fair. the food is tasty, but just not for me.

    (3)

  • Alyssa K.

    Delicious Dinner plate for $5.25 (good sized portions too) This place is housed in what looks like a garage. I really like the chicken basil. Ask for pi nampla if you want a little side of fish sauce with peppers ;)

    (5)

  • Iffat B.

    GREAT food for amazing prices! My friend got me take out from here, so I didn't get a chance to see the restaurant, but she told me it was a hole in the wall. She got me the red curry shrimp and the chicken pad kee mao and they were both excellent! I wish I had the chance to go back before I left Hawaii!

    (5)

  • Vivian L.

    A friend told us to come here for our last meal in Oahu on our way to the airport last week. I was a little skeptical since I never had good Thai food on Oahu but this place is totally LEGIT! I hadn't read the menu yet but walking into the place and then sitting down to wait for our order to be ready, it reminded me of being in Bangkok or Taipei, eating in the open air small, casual restaurants that are situated in all asian countires. And when the food came, WOW! The pad thai was ok but I like to judge a place by their tom yum and this one was really really good. The multiple layers of flavors was complex, had a good kick of spice to it, and it tasted so good! Wow. My mouth's watering right now thinking about it. We also got a red curry which was also very good but I would give anything to go back now for a big bowl of tom yum soup with the mushrooms, shrimp, and tomato cubes in it. They pack everything up for you as if you are taking it to go so no doggy bags needed if you can't finish. They give very big portions. We got 3 items for 2 of us and couldn't finish half of it. Another couple near us got one freaking item and shared it. We felt like piggies. They have a little area where they sell some market items and I was surprised to see they carried the good, authentic brand of curry paste until I tasted the food and realized these guys know their Thai cuisine, which was further confirmed when you read the back of the green menu and it tells the story of how the wife owner is from Bangkok and her family there runs a similar thai restaurant. If you want Thai, at a good price, casual atmosphere, and are in Honolulu, you have NO EXCUSE to not go here. The staff are friendly, food comes out pretty quick, 10 mins, and it's awesome! I miss that soup.

    (5)

  • Nobu K.

    Gourmet Garage. A local news paper wrote the place and called it. The article is on the wall. Yes, it is a small Garage restaurant but GREAT kind. We came here for my son's graduation lunch. 10 of us. We were looking for a special place for it. But special doesn't have to be expensive. THIS PLACE IS SPECIAL. Killer Fried Rice. FXXXin' Awesome Basil Chicken. Badly Good Green Curry Bloody Hella Yummy Spring Roll. Seriously Addictive sauté Fat Rice Noodle. The Bangkok Chef does good. BANG! KOK! Chef. What if,.... the chef was a bad ass gang from Bangkok. Gang Bang Cock. Whatever. I know I have a dirty mind. But Great Food. The chef is a great cook. Loved it.

    (5)

  • Rita D.

    This is the only place we tried at Oahu without viewing the reviews from yelp and we went back twice. The price and food both are good. it is probably the cheapest thailand in the town. The green curry is good. Another curry ( yellow or red) is also good. Love it.

    (5)

  • Mike D.

    It doesn't really matter which location you choose the only problem I have ever found is a lack of parking. If you really like food you will overlook that problem and enjoy the flavors. From their chicken fried rice, to their green papaya salad, their chicken sateh with the chili peanut butter sauce, the garlic basil chicken with sticky rice and the spring rolls with the sweet chili sauce fresh lettuce,cucumbers and mint are just great. i always ask for extra sweet chili sauce with my spring rollsits a must but most of all I truly enjoy all the fresh produce that they use in their food.

    (5)

  • Gene K.

    We tried this place on the recommendation of our Thai food loving friends. They say if you want better Thai food, eat at Mekong. If you want more for your money, eat at Bankok Chef--or at least pick it up here and eat it somewhere else. To my surprise, one day I came home from work and wifey had already had picked up food from here! We got started with the spring rolls that came with lettuce, cucumbers, mint leaves and house sauce. They were STILL hot and crispy and delicious! Then we got into the main dishes: the panang pork curry and the basil chicken. She got both with the sticky rice. The only thing about not eating this right away is that the rice starts to get hard. But other than that, the food is so good for the $5.70 for each dish. And there is so much you get! It's a little unusual to get thai curry with pork, but the pork was sliced thin and was so good. Oh, I just could NOT get enough of the panang curry! Mmm, mmm! Wifey really enjoyed the basil chicken more. Oh, so good. We will be visiting this place so much more and trying the other curries and dishes. Especially at $5.70 a dish! For so much food! It's not the best thai, but you really cannot beat it for the price.

    (4)

  • Kat P.

    Long wait, call in order 30 minutes ahead otherwise you will wait 30 minutes PLUS. Manoa is best location. Food is enormous. Stay away from vegetarian curry, all it is was eggplant and bamboo slices. GEt the panang curry and pad thai, spring rolls are good too.

    (3)

  • Kevin A.

    BEST THAI FOOD I'VE EVER EATEN OUT OF A GARAGE And when I say garage, I'm serious. Drive by when this place is closed and you'll see that they actually close up shop with a garage door. Hopefully no one out there has the same remote. In any case, I have much love for Bangkok Chef and the more I eat here, the more I'm convinced that Thai food is slowly, but surely replacing Chinese food as my go-to choice for takeout. The portions are gargantuan, the prices are reasonable, and food is great. You must try the fried long rice w/ pork (#4) and the red curry (#7). Skip the basil chicken (#9) though, as it's more bamboo shoots than basil or chicken. This place is a winner and I only wish I had one close by.

    (4)

  • S K.

    The food is good, it's not spectacular, but it's a solid choice for thai food. I frequent bankok chef for takeout. If you're not going for takeout I'd suggest Siam Garden Cafe on Nimitz, it's just as good and offers a better atmosphere (although I have not yet been to the new Bangkok Chef location on Nimitz which is the next block over from Siam Garden.)

    (4)

  • Fred S.

    Bangkok Chef is the bomb! Try the #5 Chicken Fried Rice & #16 Pad Raumit. This combination is enough for two. The Pad Raumit is a combination of vegetables and it's so ONOLISHES with the Chicken Fried Rice you'll moi moi after eating it. The Bangkok Chef that we tried is located on Nuuanu Ave. The service is good and the wait wasn't very long. If you're not eating there, call in a take-out order, much quicker. Driving in to town headed diamondhead I noticed a sign by the old Weyerhauser Bldg thats being renovated, it said, "Bangkok Chef" coming soon! New location! Closer to the Airport area!

    (4)

  • Dawn S.

    Me: So, what do we want for dinner tonight - we should pick something up before heading home, no? Hubby/Dad: Hmm...yes, good idea. There's nothing to eat at home. Me: What do you guys want? Hubby: How about Thai? Call in an order to Bangkok Thai on Nuuanu... (a few minutes later) Me: Where is this place? I only see garages, I don't see i....oh, never mind, I see it now. :) ========================== Nobu K. got it right in that review down there - it's a gourmet garage! They've been nominated for Star-Bulletin/Midweek's "best" lists...heck, I'd nominate them too! Talk about bang for the buck. Their curry portions are at easily twice the size of curry dishes at other Thai restaurants. Well, hold on a minute...take that back, EVERYTHING is at least twice the size of the portions you normally get at other Thai restaurants! Here's the rundown: * Red Chicken Curry: great flavor, very generous portion, lots of goodies in there! * Eggplant Chicken: very tasty with a slight spice kick aftertaste * Pad Ki Mao: excellent! Nice spice and great flavors! * Spring Rolls: I've been to places where they've screwed these up, Bangkok Chef definitely doesn't. 4 shakas, I hope it never changes!

    (4)

  • Aldora K.

    I love love love thai food! I especially love pad thai!

    (5)

  • Charli T.

    I love going here. I always hated the idea that you had to pay $$$ to get Thai cuisine. This place will give you food that is sometimes WAY better quality than expensive Thai food places (particularly one popular Thai place) at literally a fraction of their prices. The only place (that I know anyways) that provides Thai plate lunches.

    (4)

  • Kims K.

    Tom yum soup, panag curry, house special. Always a good choice to feed & be fed. Quick, quality, and satisfying. Who knew good food could come from a little green garage. Come see for yourself. Nothing fancy, all about the food!

    (5)

  • Curtis C.

    When I first tried Bangkok Chef, I thought it was good. Decent food at great prices and a funky atmosphere. Lately, however, they have been totally inconsistent. Super salty one day, funky shrimp(not in a good way) the next. I honestly think they need to devote more time and effort in to their meals; it's way too much of a "turn & burn" type place. For just a few dollars more you can get amazing Thai food at Phuket Thai, which in my mind has always been stellar. If you do go to B.C. get the mango salad and the Tom Yum with shrimp, but like I said beware of the salty factor and the fact that the shrimp is not the best quality.

    (2)

  • Cheryl O.

    Yummy Thai food at REASONABLE PRICES!!! It's casual/take out Thai food. I'm not used to peas and cabbage in my green curry, but the taste is so, so, good - who doesn't need a few extra veggies in their diet =)

    (4)

  • Allen D.

    I've been going here off and on for about 4 years now. maybe 3. I think it's a good choice if you are in the neighborhood and are looking for some Thai food. However, I am not in the category that raves about this place. It's good, it's alright, but it's not (IMO) the best on the island. Personally I dont see how people rave so much about this place. I've been eating Thai food since, oh perhaps early 1983 or so when would go to Santa Monica or Venice with my friend back in the day. Lincoln Blvd was THE place to get Thai in LA then. Bangkok Chef tastes good, but I find they put too many eggplant slices in their dishes and I'm a texture guy, and the way they slice their chicken just rubs me the wrong way. It's a personal thing. the pad thai is flavorless and almost tastes like plain noodles, it doesn't have that pad thai taste that I expect (as mentioned by others on ths board). I like their Pad See Yew and their "chinese" style dishes. Do not get me wrong, this is NOT a bad place. I just find there are better and PERSONALLY never understood the sheer amount of people lining up here. we all have personal tastes. Would I eat here again? Yes, I would and have recently, but because I lived in the area.I enjoy the ambience here, I like the seating and the outdoorsy feeling. Especially wonderful when it's pouring as you are outside-ish, but still protected. I've recently moved to chinatown and oh my, malee thai in maunakea marketplace is IT for me.

    (3)

  • Stacey K.

    Cheap, fast and GOOD. Now that I've been coming here consistently I've realized there seems to be two cooks. One makes food perfectly while the other is the salt king/queen. I always hold my breathe hoping i get the amazing one. I always order the same thing: tofu cashew no oyster sauce and extra spicy with the veggie spring rolls. The portions are huge and leftovers leave me with one or two extra meals.

    (4)

  • Brad N.

    This is probably the best Thai food I've had in Hawaii. The prices are about $5.70 for most dishes. The quantity is enough for two meals. Pad Thai 4.5 stars Red Curry 3.5 stars Thai iced tea 4 stars Price 5 stars Use of styrofoam even when dining in the restaurant 1 star

    (4)

  • Derrick C.

    Yay! I'm a fan of this place! Went here after work on a busy Monday night for some take-out. Parking: less than 10 spots and by a busy street. Environment: Crowded Mom and Pop hole-in-the-wall (looks like a garage filled with tables) Menu: lots of pictures of different thai dishes under 6 bucks Opinion: Cheap, A lot of food, tastey (not the best) and depending what you order, fast! (I ordered a pad thai and got it within 2 minutes...and a bunch of other people were waiting) and the plus... it takes credit card!

    (4)

  • sideshow b.

    Ok, 3.5 (man, Yelp really has to broaden the score range a bit). Yep, by now you know it is in a garage. And you also the know the portions are huge and very good. My green curry was fantastic except for the eggplant...weird taste and texture. Ok, maybe it wasn't eggplant. Whatever it was, it dropped the dish a point. She had the basil chicken...Awesome! Sticky rice was dried out and jasmine rice wasn't. Similarly, the spring rolls were unimpressive. Mind you, nothing here was bad. And if my curry just didn't have the bit of weirdness going on, both entrees would have carried this to at least a 4. Go. Seriously. You'll like it even if you don't love it. And who knows, maybe eating in a garage is on your bucket list. Go.

    (3)

  • Justin P.

    Cheap and delicious is what I was told by about 10 people. It was cheap, anyway. I don't remember exactly what I got. It was something like thai basil vegetables and mahi mahi. Mahi mahi stunk. As in smelled like bad fish. There were no other veg than canned bamboo shoots. The food just looked canned and dead. Nothing I or my gf ordered looked like it was fresh. No color. I threw it out after eating a few bites and I NEVER let food go to waste. I accept that this may have been a bad night for them or for me or whatever, but I am not likely to go back. Sam's Delicatessen down the mini-mall has cheap Korean and it's way better than this slop. The one picture on here of the food has some green and orange colors in it and looks leagues ahead of my grey/brown serving. Who knows. The highlight was the "maitre'd" stomping down the trash by jumping in the damn trash can (mentioned by previous reviewer) about a foot from these old white people eating their food, leaning away from him and looking semi-appalled. Also, the garage setting would be fun if the food wasn't such dog chow.

    (2)

  • Julio R.

    This place is amazing for cheap delicious eats. Located in Manoa and Nuuanu, I find it especially delicious as a broke college student. Most of their meals are under $7 and usually good for 2 meals. I usually get their cashew nut chicken with green peppers and onions, yummmmmyyyy. They also have delicious sticky rice. Anyway, they are always fast also, especially if you call ahead. I definitely would recommend this place to everyone. Go and have a good time and cheap delicious food.

    (4)

  • Jon L.

    Cheap and quick. The food is tasty enough for the price. I wish they put more meat portions in their meat based dishes. The place looks like they cut it out of Thailand as well, just super old school and ghetto - but in a tasty way. If you look closely you can see that the restaurant is actually in a garage. Ha! No fooling me Bangkok Chef!

    (4)

  • Rebecca S.

    The food is great, but takes a while to prepare (it's not fast food)!! I always call in my order and pick it up. It's ready in about 15 or 20 minutes. The portions are enough to split for two or three people (depending on how much you eat). My favorites include the spring rolls, pad thai, pad si you, and tom kha gai. Don't let the atmosphere scare you off. There is more parking in the back and the wait is worth it.

    (5)

  • Daniel C.

    Bankok Chef is a down to earth thai food spot! great food, great serivice, qwick service. not to expecive.... the list goes on and on. My personal favorite is vegetarian curry.

    (5)

  • E N.

    I've had good luck at Bangkok Chef the handful of times I have eaten here. The food has been really, really good for the price... and a few dishes have even been memorable. For example, this is the first place I realized that Chicken Satay could be a good dish. While other places strand dry chicken breast on the kabob.. here they use juicey thighs & the results are great... its no longer a dish I have to pretend to like in front of my non-gastronomically endowed friends. With that said the best Thai on the island is Kookie's Kitchen in Kalihi

    (3)

  • SUE S.

    Checked this place out for the first time a few days ago. I'm so glad my friend, whose family and friends have been frequenting this joint for years, showed me this spot. Tasty food, great value (big portions), quick service We ordered pad thai, yummy...and green curry, lots of chicken and veggies, could've had more curry sauce to pour over our brown rice. Brown rice is yummy too. Luckily we had gotten there just before noon. Beat the lunch crowd...come noon...place got packed. But it's quick so no worries. I'll definitely be back to try more of my favorites.

    (4)

  • Shar Z.

    I use to order from there all the time when they first opened; when they were still mostly a grocery store. The food was really tasty. Past couple of years, I noticed it was not as good. It lacked flavor. I tried it one more time ls night just because it was convenient and maybe it would be okay. It was worst. The Pad Thai was kind of dry and not much taste. It cost a little more, but I can understand that, but the portions should not get smaller. So sorry, but I have learned and I will not go there again.

    (2)

  • Jenni C.

    I love the food here, really can't complain it always taste good. The prices are great for the amount of food you get and the service is quick. I hope they stay that way.

    (4)

  • Clyde M.

    This place is horrible thai food. I was referred here a while back, being told that it was the best thai on oahu. WRONG. it was awful. I was way dissapointed and felt like I blew my money. If you want good thai driv up to haliewa and go to haliewa eats.

    (1)

  • Sharif B.

    Great Thai Food for the value. I wouldn't say it is the best Thai on the island, but for the price you can't go wrong.

    (4)

  • Olivia D.

    The cheapest Thai food you can possibly get on the island, and the best bang for your buck! Each plate comes with rice and most can be had for about five bucks. Order the tart green mango salad, the green chicken curry (the red curry is second best), the basil shrimp with straw mushrooms and bamboo, and pad thai. My big gripe is that they don't serve my favorite protein--beef. They only offer pork, chicken, or shrimp. A friend of mine who travels to Thailand frequently says that is because the food at this establishment is more traditionally Thai and beef is less commonly eaten there. I think his assessment is true, as I also found the tarter flavors of the salads to be truer to real Thai food.

    (4)

  • Maricar M.

    Are you for real? This place has four stars?! I was so mislead by these reviews. This was the worst thai food I have ever had in my life. My husband and I ordered pad thai and basil chicken. We often order these dishes in other Thai places, and we've had our share of okay to very tasty. Basil Chicken: First off, this should NOT be called "basil chicken." Instead, it should be renamed to "basil bamboo shoots." No wonder why the food here is so cheap. They fill up your food with bamboo shoots instead of the chicken. Additionally, there was hardly any flavor to this dish. Pad Thai: Nasty as nasty can get. The noodles literally tasted like they were washed in dirty sink water. So, all I could really eat was the chicken. It also had a weird color to it. So disappointed!

    (1)

  • brandi b.

    I LOVE their curry. Red, Green and Yellow. MMmmMm. It's a little hole in the wall...ok a big hole in the wall. It's like a big garage, with ample seating. I usually do take out. Friendly service. You can even purchase curry paste etc and make your own dishes. I love thai food and they definately have my vote. I will be back here time and time again considering it's about a mile from where i stay. YAYY!

    (4)

  • Tellia W.

    Just like the one in Manoa, I love it. Been eating here for years and will continue to come back. Great Thai food that is affordable.

    (5)

  • mel d.

    Loveeeee Bangkok chef!! Everything on menu is delicious!

    (5)

  • James C.

    Great food and service. Love coming here for lunch or dinner when I crave to grind on thai food.

    (5)

  • Al D.

    Vegetarian dishes are legit. They almost always get my customized orders correct. Still a good price for what you get. I'd stay away from their seafood dishes though.

    (3)

  • Addie L.

    As a poker player, you have to take some risks at times to win. As Sammy Farha (2003 WSOP Main Event runner up and poker pro) once said "in order to win, you must gamble, if you don't gamble, you don't win". What does that have to do with Bangkok Chef? Took a slight a gamble when I decided to go here to cater for a business lunch. Had to consider it's choppy and inconsistent past quality vs. the reasonable prices for catering. The verdict: it's a pretty good choice for catering. The quantity and quality you get for the price is well worth it. Expect to pay about $10 per person. For some who really know and like their Thai food, they may think it's only ok. But for the casual eater, it's not bad. Here are the highlights: Spring Rolls - safe choice, surprised in a good way that it came with lettuce and basil and mint to wrap and dipping sauce. Pad Si Ew - not really meant for catering pan, when they do mass quantities, the noodles are too broken and veggies are over cooked. However, the taste was not bad. Pan Fried Long Rice - see above, long rice was too broken but again, taste was good. Red Curry - the most popular of the dishes, no leftovers here and was the quickest to run out. Curry had the right amount of heat and wasn't too watery, perfect amount of thickness. In the past, their curries was too watery and was going. Cashew Chicken - flavor was there, but expected bigger pieces for the chicken and cashews. Again, veggies was a bit overcooked. Would not suggest this dish. Shrimp with Snow Peas - peas were cooked ok, a small tad on the overcooked side, shrimp was small and also expected the knobs to be peeled off. But flavor was there. No leftovers here, a pretty good choice.

    (4)

  • Mike And Leslie B.

    This place serves very fresh food, very nice serving sizes and they have plenty of seating space inside for dining. It's very quiet with an upbeat clean decor. Prices are ok, although a little high, but you usually get what you pay for right? Parking is very limited, especially at lunch.

    (4)

  • t d.

    Everything was so yummy. I wish I was still in Oahu so I could lunch at Bangkok Chef weekly, at least. The prices are great, portions are big enough but not too big so I can't totally make a pig of myself. The food is excellent. Thai Salad with the bean threads have an excellent sauce and nice big shrimp. The sticky rice is perfectly prepared, oh it's up there with mac and cheese for comfort food. Not fancy, just great food. They made Pad Thai with no peanuts for us allergy people. Thank you.

    (5)

  • Liz M.

    Absolutely love this place. Went here for the first time as my friend took me to one of these restaurants and its a small mom and pops spot. They are so friendly, great food, and generous portions. Love it and will come back again in a few months

    (5)

  • Kelley L.

    Stopped here for lunch before heading to Waikiki beach, but the food was less than impressive. The lady taking our order was nice enough and attempted to answer our questions, although I don't think she understood what was being asked half the time... Oh well. I ordered the papaya salad (regular spicy) which ended up tasting like the same mass of slightly crunchy sourish green papaya bite after bite... It got old pretty quick, I think I barely finished half of it. I think this fish would be better as a side dish, not an entree. I asked for extra peanuts to add some texture to my lunch but it didn't make much of a difference. Overall a boring dish. ~$8.25 My partner in crime ordered the green curry (extra spicy) which was a very good amount of spice and a variety if vegetables and chicken. Came with sticky rice. $~7.60 If I came back I might try the pad Thai, but I think another review mentioned that it wasn't that good. Not sure if I'll be coming back here...

    (3)

  • Jarenn N.

    I had a $200 gift card here at one point and used in 3 months.... yeah... I always order their eggplant chicken with sticky or brown rice. Either for lunch or dinner, it hits the spot! My boyfriend likes the curries from here, and my mom likes the spring rolls. Another plus is they sell the Thai Mama ramen here! I love it!

    (4)

  • Will S.

    Thai tea and green curry are my favorite. They sell thai tea so you can make it yourself and enjoy at home.

    (5)

  • El M.

    Awesome food and prices, the pad Thai was really good and the service is pretty fast! 5+

    (5)

  • Chelyn Y.

    My favorite place to go when I don't feel like cooking. Great prices. Never a long wait time to get my food.

    (4)

  • John A.

    I have been here many times and the food has always been.......well OK. But tonight we had the yellow chicken curry, rad nah, spring rolls and other items. The yellow chiken curry was ok however the chicken tasted and looked like pre cooked chicken......you know what I mean, the pieces are just to perfectly cut to be fresh chicken cooked on site. The chicken just had no taste......we were disappointed. The rad nah had the same issue with the chicken. It tasted rancid so we did not even use the gravy on the noodles....it was bad, maybe too much vinager along with the crappy chicken? Who knows........ Spring rolls were good, very tasty and it was the best dish we had.

    (2)

  • Audrey S.

    Incredibly delicious curry, authentic and fresh...exactly what I was hoping for ! But beware the ala carte size, it will feed three people!!! Great prices and friendly service. Very simple seating, good for lunch at this location or take out.

    (5)

  • Blue M.

    Good, cheap, delicious Thai food. The cooks are a bit heavy handed when it comes to using spices -- even the mild had me chugging gallons of water. The vegetables taste fresh, portions are large, everything was good.

    (4)

  • Kyle H.

    Yes, I wrote it - 5 stars for Bangkok. Hear me out! FAST -(almost) immediate gratification: pretty much anytime, there's no more than a few minutes wait for a heavy plate full of goodness. CHEAP - I don't believe any item on their menu is more than $8-9. What I order is less than that (usually cashew chicken, pad thai or basil chicken). You're getting all your major food groups here! Protein, veggies, starch! yelp.com/biz_photos/bang… DELICIOUS - I'm not saying this is the greatest Thai food in the universe but of all my visits and the many different things i've tried, I've found nothing to complain about. Also, there's nothing siracha can't improve! Overall, I can't think of a better go-to spot for a super-filling (the portions are almost ridiculous for the price) and yummy meal. Of their three locations, I think the food tastes best from here (Nu'uanu), however painful it is sometimes to find parking, it's definitely worth it.

    (5)

  • Marjorie S.

    Delicious food and reasonable prices. Enjoy the Pad Thai and Chicken Wings. The Tom Yom Soup is great. Spicy and tangy. There is one near Manoa marketplace. I believe its the same owner. The red curry is good, Almost everything I tried is delicious.

    (4)

  • Mark A.

    Friend told me this place was bomb and he wasn't lying. Got the panang curry and it was great !

    (5)

  • Mei-Lin M.

    Dishes taste the same, not very authentic. Chicken satay was good though. Services are poor.

    (2)

  • Timothy B.

    Food was alright - nothing to write home about though. You can get a fairly large sized portion for under 10 bucks. So if it's quantity your looking for rather than quality then this place would be a viable option. I had the chicken pad thai. It appeared to come with what resembled tofu in addition to the chicken. The flavor was pretty standard. I personally have had better in Honolulu. So all in all - this place is a safe bet if you are looking for a large quantity of food for a relatively low price.

    (3)

  • Robert W.

    Of the three Bangkok chefs this is the original one and also the best for food and the worst for parking. My favorite is the chicken eggplant. Thai food is so popular as it is reasonable priced, healthy and tasty. My friend is Thailand born and her favorite is Bangkok chef.

    (4)

  • Nadia H.

    You can never go wrong with Bangkok... Especially if your a vegetarian... Spring rolls are to die for and their yellow curry has the best potatoes and creaminess to it.

    (5)

  • Peter M.

    Food is good, and not too oily or salty. I had the cashew chicken dish with rice, and it could have used more spices, but I left a satisfied customer. It is also nice how the front all opens up to the outside. Serving size is average. I would go again.

    (4)

  • Lani A.

    I enjoy coming here, I'm in love with their curry. It's pretty quick and decently priced. The location is good for me.

    (5)

  • Brenda L.

    I love the chicken larb and pad Thai. Papaya salad is good too. Service is fast and efficient. Parking is hard to find at times. Oh yeah, did I mention the dessert?! Sticky rice with mango ice cream with peanuts. So gooooood.

    (4)

  • Heather C.

    This is one of my favorite places to go when i visit Oahu. What the place lacks in ambience, it makes up for in food quality and very competitive prices. The food is consistently hot and fresh, and the portions are very large. I always get the green curry and substitute sticky rice, and the chicken skewers with peanut sauce. The soups are also fantastic, with lots of meat and veggies in them. I am a big fan of herby flavors, but when I went with friends, they found the thai basil and lemon grass were a little too strong, however, if you enjoy thai food, then this is right up your alley. Parking is very tight in the front, but there is parking in the back

    (4)

  • Marianne P.

    Their spring rolls are on point! The sauce is reaaaallly good and probably the only reason why I keep coming back here! Their service is good and the location/parking is a bit tight, so make sure you find a good parking stall that doesnt block the entrance and exit.

    (4)

  • Angela R.

    I love Bangkok Chef. The food is delicious and the prices are great. I am a return customer. The food is consistent every time.

    (5)

  • Connie M.

    The garish lime green walls called to me. Honestly, I haven't found a delicious Thai place in Hawaii... ever, so my expectations for Bangkok Chef wasn't high. My sister and I shared the yellow chicken curry and pad thai. The curry was mediocre at best; I didn't care for the watered down flavor or the eggplants. Pad thai was pretty unforgettable. I can only remember that it lacked seasonings. To sum up my experience: mehh

    (2)

  • BriAnna B.

    DEEEEEELICIOUS! I got the #8. Yellow Curry with Chicken, except I got mine with shrimp! It's delicious. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the potatoes and carrots were soft. I don't think I've had Thai good this good in a while. The flavor was awesome and goes perfectly with sticky rice. The two ladies up front were so sweet. I was kinda hesitant about getting the curry because they didn't have beef but she asked if I like shrimp and she said it's really good with it and she was 100% right. I was recommended this by a couple of friends and they were absolutely correct about this place. It's so worth the $10 (extra .50¢ for sticky rice) because it's good for 2 meals cause it fills you up.

    (5)

  • Grant K.

    I love this place. I have never been disappointed while eating at Bangkok Chef. My favorite dish to order is the Panang Pork Curry. It's not to spicy but it still has a little bit of a kick to it. I also enjoy the classic Pad Thai. The only complaint I have is that the staff can be rude at times but other than that this place is great!

    (4)

  • Nicole M.

    Okay, I don't understand the parking out front? I guess you have to just have a higher car or truck and just jump the curb. anyway... I got the pad thai, as I do whenever first visiting a new thai place. It came out fairly quick, and since I got it to go, I can't say much for service, though I don't think I'd want to eat in there. The pad thai came with literally a bag of cabbage. Straight up giant cabbage leaves, I was entertained by it! The pad thai was good, I wouldn't say anything different from anywhere else, if you want pad thai, this will satisfy. I wouldn't say it's different, or special, but like pizza, it's good even when it's not that good. I would return if I had a pad thai craving.

    (3)

  • Yeewah F.

    This is a review of the rad nah that I ordered the other day. It's been a long time since I've came here to eat and the restaurant looks different...new owners (they were speaking Mandarin in the back)? Nevertheless, I ordered rad nah which is not what people usually typically order but I was craving noodles with gravy that day. I'm glad they did not mix the noodles and the gravy together because then I would have definitely done something about it. I ended up eating the noodles by itself because the gravy smelled rancid! I'm not kidding! Something was definitely spoiled in the gravy. I'm disappointed to say the least. I didn't bring it to their attention because they will probably give me the eye and besides I already made up my mind that I won't be coming back for a long time. A $10 lesson learned. Tip: Don't order the rad nah! Something's wrong with the gravy and I had better elsewhere (i.e., my Laotian friend's house).

    (1)

  • Ruth S.

    I went here with my freind and we totally pigged out. The portions were huge. We came in really hungery, but still couldn't finish what we ordered. I got the tom kha soup, my all time favorite Thai dish, with tofu instead of chicken. The soup was good, except for the tofu in it. We also got spring rolls and summer rolls, both of which were really good. The seating area isn't really nice but I would definitely come back and get take out.

    (3)

  • Em G.

    This is what dreams are made of. I recommend the papaya salad, pad thai, red or green curry and the chicken wings. My gramps love their crispy wings. It's an easy take-out spot or you can sit in for a quick meal. One note is they should start using biodegradable take-out boxes because styrofoam needs to go. But hey, it's hawaii...

    (5)

  • Tuvale P.

    Consistent service and food quality. I call in from work when I am in the mood for Thai. The food is delicious and the service is quick and easy. This place is great for take out.

    (4)

  • Gayle H.

    This is our go to place when we need something fast, modestly priced and tasty. The atmosphere is 'clean, remodeled garage,' so you may not want to go for the first date, but it is great for (very) casual occasions. The spring rolls are my favorite because they come with a generous portion of lettuce and mint.

    (4)

  • Erika R.

    Bangkok Chef is totally over rated. Been there twice, second visit a few years from the first, and I still didn't care for it. I agree, very big portions, but the flavor of the curry and Pad Thai to other places just didn't compare. Part of me really wants to like this place cause I live so close by andI really enjoy Thai food, but the second visit just reminded me why we didn't try again for so long. Oh well...

    (2)

  • Li Z.

    Bangkok chef wasn't as great as I remembered it. I think the "garage" as it is known (the restaurant is literally in a garage) was better when it wasn't as popular as it is today... 1. Chicken wings - very crispy but tends to be cold when you get them 2. Curry Pork - it tastes great but again, I didn't find had the authentic thai flavour 3. Tom Yom - Loved the soup. It also had a lot of shrimp (if you order it with Shrimp) but I wasn't impressed with the quality of shrimp that was used. 4. Pad Thai - pretty decent but I do find it heavily sauced, more than what I enjoy. Prices are really great. Everything comes with rice so for me, that's already a winner! Well, everything except the soup. Mahalo!

    (3)

  • Ed L.

    Often times, my co workers would come to this place and order take out and I would place my order too, so I don't have to take the time to go out and get it myself and get more stuff done @ the office. So I would pay them back after they would pick up the order. When the entire office were out on a training seminar, it was just me and a few co workers to man the entire department. I never expected to get dramatic on a Friday @ work and it really stressed me out. So what so I do when I get stressed? I order Thai, among other things. So Bangkok Chef it was, and I asked my skeleton crew if they wanted lunch. Bangkok Chef is on Nuuanu Avenue, next to the Nuuanu Shopping Center. The parking got crazy scarce when we were told not to park at the shipping center just to go to Bangkok Chef and they hired security people to watch the property. It was weird, but I guess that's how it is. They watch you like a hawk, so I heard stories about they questioning people when they park @ the shopping center, where they are going to go shopping. I always thought that Bangkok Chef was part of the shopping center, but it appears not to be the case. When I walked in, the place was crowded, so you know that this place was crazy popular. I always order the #10, which is the eggplant chicks with sticky rice. So good! The wait is super long, if you don't call ahead. I estimate that it took about 20 minutes from ordering to pick up. It was almost like ordering at a another fast food restaurant, but the cuisine is Thai. They take credit cards, so that's my saving grace. My co workers like the pork panang curry, pad si you, and the Ginger chicken. I never order anything other than the #10 from Bangkok Chef, but maybe I should do that sometime soon. The feel of the eating area can be summed up like being in a McDonalds, only with actual tables and chairs, like in a Vietnamese restaurant. The staff can be not real friendly, but the service is ok and decent. Can't say anything about the 20 minutes of waiting I did. I probably should have heeded their advice of calling ahead and ordering beforehand. Totally recommended! Like their slogan says, Thai food at its best! Give em a try. B

    (4)

  • Rhonda F.

    Hands down the best Thai in town. Glad i live close by as it is my go to fast food. Appears to be a hole in the wall and the parking can be difficult but worth the trip

    (5)

  • Cheryl H.

    Great food all the time! I can't find anything to complain about this place. Only setback is the parking. I usually park on the street or at surrounding businesses (sorry!). Can't wait to go back for more!

    (5)

  • Krysten I.

    I have been to the NEWer bangkok chef on nimtz, and from the look of the one on nuuanu, you wouldn't guess that the two locations are connected at all. It was the exact same menu that jogged my memory and made me think of the nimitz location. The difference here is that everything is "to-go". even if you eat in, you pay to-go prices and are served your food in styrofoam containers. That being said. the food is pretty decent for the extremely low price. The green curry plate is around $7 and can feed almost 3 people. I also love the fishcake.

    (4)

  • Yvonne M.

    It was really a challenge to find parking but we got lucky and someone happen to pull out across the street. The menu had a good variety and we ended up sharing a papaya salad, spring rolls, and yellow chicken curry! The food was ONO. The Papaya Salad was not what I thought it would taste like. It was hearty and fresh with a little spicy taste too it. Spring Rolls were good, nothing fancy just spring roils. The Yellow Chicken Curry was Delicious. It had chunks of Chicken, Potatoes, and Yellow Curry (I will probably ask for it a little spicy next time). Counter Service was Fast.

    (3)

  • Sheryl M.

    Whether we go to the Nimitz or Nuuanu location, the food is always good! The only main difference is at the Nimitz location, it's a order and serve type of operation. Whereas at the Nuuanu location, it's an order and pick up type of operation, though they do provide you paper plates and utensils as needed since many of the dishes can be ordered as ala carte vs. entree in groups. My Dad can't handle any spicy foods, so if you're one that is looking for something on the mild side, these are our favorites: Thai Crispy Noodles - Light, sweet, and a fun texture in your mouth! Spring Rolls - It's not complete without the spring rolls. Crispy golden brown rolls that tastes good even when cold! Shrimp with Snow Peas - Very tasty. Made with mushrooms, carrots, baby corn. Pad Si You - Chow fun with stir fried chicken, broccoli in shoyu and fish sauce.

    (4)

  • Arlene A.

    We eat her at least 3xs a month! If my son had his way we would eat here 3xs a week! Now this review is after 3-4 years of consistently eating here. Ok so it's not like the other Thai restaurants that serve a finer menu but the food is ALWAYS FRESH and the quality is consistent. Prices are awesome. My only beef is that they use styrofoam take out plates but that's because I'm a little granola like that. They have this new chef special with flat noodles, shrimp, eggplant, basil, fried egg. Oh my god! So delicious that we order two of these because the family would fight over who ate the most! ( there's only 3 of us mind you). My mom even ordered catering for my baby shower here ( because I was a picky pregnant eater) and there portions were large enough to feed a bunch o shower goes with leftovers to beat!

    (4)

  • John C.

    Now that I live in the area, I stop by this place whenever I have nothing in the fridge or I'm hungry but have no energy to cook. Their servings are pretty big for me so it is a great place for my gf and I to split an order. I like their cashew nut chicken, and red curry. There are more that I want to try and I will get a chance. The tapioca dessert is cheap and really good too. I don't have any complaints about this place and would like to give it another star in the near future if their dishes continue to impress. Also, the spicy dishes aren't that spicy, which is great for some people. I'm going to ask them to make it more spicy next time.

    (4)

  • Justina B.

    Absolutely love this Thai food. I order from This spot at least once a week and I'm never disappointed by the taste. Chicken fried rice and summer rolls are a winner!

    (5)

  • T T.

    I, unfortunately, am also one of those that are not impressed with the food here :( was excited to try it out bc of the many reviews they have on yelp (at least when compared to other thai restaurants), and 4 stars average, it can't b bad, right? Well I have to say that the pad thai here is prob one of the least tasty that I have ever had. First, the color seemed off (in my opinion the noodles need to be a little bit more brown, from the sauce). Hey maybe it could still taste good? My husband and I each took a bite and we just decided to close up the box. Where's that complex flavor that normally accompanies a dish with that many ingredients? The Pad Si You was a little bit better, though this is the first time I've had it with regular brocoli instead of with Chinese broccoli. Not a big deal in my book, but overall, it was just ok. Anyhow, the place is spacious, prices are very reasonable, portions are generous, and I didn't have any problem with the service, that s why I added another star. Moving on to find another place for thai food.

    (3)

  • Bobbie W.

    The food has finally gotten back to the olden day Bangkok! My yellow curry tonight wasn't watered down! I stopped coming here for a while because the food quality went down. Then recently took a chance again because a friend told me it's gotten better again. Love their spring rolls here and the eggplant noodle dish. The yellow curry with shrimp and sticky rice is a fav as well. Couldn't give Bangkok the 4 stars because the guy at the counter top (could be the owner) has been rude and interrogates me about my order during pick up everytime!!! It's also his condescending bullying tone too! I think I would come here more often if not for him. Every time i experience this service I remember why I don't come here that often. If only there were a comparable Thai place close to my place I wouldn't mind taking my business elsewhere! I always end on a positive note though, so I recommend this place for affordable Thai and quick service if you can stomach the bully at the counter!

    (3)

  • Jess I.

    I recently moved to Manoa and have a taste for Thai food so i checked this place out. Bad idea! I'm addicted now and have been there 3 times in the past two weeks. Having spent some time in Thailand and SE Asia I've developed a taste for good Thai food. Once you go Thai you never go back... I can say, from my somewhat limited knowledge, that this place tastes very authentic. Ive had the Panang Curry, House Special and Pad Thai. The Panang Curry is by far my favorite and the Pad Thai was my least favorite. I would definitely recommend the Panang but I'm sure you'll be happy with anything on the menu. Some things i took from this place: 1. The service is fast. You also order at the counter. 2. The food is Authentic (albet its not hard to find authentic Thai food in Honolulu) 3. The food is CHEAP. I pay $7.60 for a dish thats enough for two meals! 4. As stated above, the portions are large. 5. I had the sticky rice once and t was very good and very sticky- made the right way. 6. Unfortunately the food is not very spicy, I asked for 'thai spicy' and it was very mild. Next i said 'i want it very very spicy' and again it came back mild. I'll have to figure out what to say... that said i have a taste for very spicy food. so maybe other people will find it just right. 7. The dishes come in styrofoam, which sucks. I'd rather it came on a plate so theres not so much waste. As I said, i recently moved near this place. You can bet they'll have my name memorized after awhile. Some very good Thai food! Very big portions and very cheap prices. Its hard not to like this place. Just bear in mind if you really like spicy food- be very clear that you want the food to melt your face off. Then maybe it'll be spicy to your liking.

    (5)

  • Harry T.

    This is where I want to eat when I have a bad day. It always cures my problems with their great prices and great Thai food.

    (5)

  • Tiffany E.

    There is a lot of delicious Thai choices and the price of a meal for two is under 20 dollars . I love the summer rolls and the pad si you and together they cost 15$

    (4)

  • Casey O.

    Right down the street & cheap & good portion size & decent selection?! Affirmative. Had to give this place a try seeing as how there aren't many Thai places in Hawaii, relative to Japanese that is. Total came out to a little over 10 bucks for an order of Pad Thai and Banana Tapioca. Now...onto the food. Banana Tapioca - Yes, i'm weird. I like to eat my sweets first. I guess I just don't like that lingering sweet taste in my mouth. 3 bucks for this, kind of a lot, but was craving some sugar and figured what the hell. It had a real subtle banana taste and there were chunks of very starchy banana inside. Perfect amount of tapioca (lots) and I was surprised at how not sugary tasting it was...all around, light and delicious. Pad Thai - The dish itself was very basic. It had bean sprouts, onions, chicken, tofu, and eggs and topped with peanuts and lightly sauced. You could still make out the flavoring of garlic and other spices, but overall the dish was not overly sauced or oiled. Usually I feel really heavy and full after eating Pad Thai. This time was very different, in a good way. They do a great job of making a tasty Thai dish without having to douse it in sauces and oil, props. Oh, and generous amounts of chicken and tofu, they definitely don't skimp on the protein, which is awesome. Good Thai food for the price and can't beat the location, for me that is. Will be coming back to try the plethora of other things here.

    (4)

  • Kelsey M.

    This is my go to spot for take out dinner before I go to work. Not the best Thai food on the island but the portions are huge and a great deal for the price. I have never had any issues placing a phone order. I usually get the basil chicken, green curry, or panang curry with brown rice. This is usually enough for two meals so I'm happy with that. Lots of seating available if you decide to dine in.

    (3)

  • Yuko A.

    I'm stumped. How does Bangkok Chef make their pad thai??? Seriously! My noodles were oil-less, there was hardly any in it making it easy to keep eating and eating and eatingggg.... I loved it though because 99% of the time when I eat Chinese/Korean/Thai noodles, its a little oily. No matter how expensive or cheap the dish may be, I'm usually wiping a little oil off the corners of my mouth when eating, but in this case it was different. The pad thai itself was very basic - tossed with bean sprouts, onions, chicken, and eggs and topped with peanuts and lightly sauced. Just how it should be. It was decently crowded for the time I got there which is always a good sign. I'll definitely be back to try some of their other dishes. YELP 365: 165/365

    (4)

  • M Y.

    This is not the cleanest place. Service isn't always great. Parking is tough sometimes. However, all that said, my family loves this place! Food is always good and the portions are never too small. Maybe because we always order the same things. Spring rolls here are delicious and the Tom yum soup is always great for those days you feel under the weather. Green curry with jasmine rice is a favorite too! Oh and a nice bonus is that they always remind you which location you're calling when you order take out. Last order is at 8:00 pm so if you finish work a little later this place is tough to be an option.

    (4)

  • Angela R.

    I loved Bangkok Chef back in 2009. I ate there twice a week and gain ten pounds. Totally infatuated with the red curry sticky rice spicy. I also regularly ate the spring rolls and pad thai. In 2009 everything tasted consistently good would've got 3 maybe 4 stars because of the value. Fast forward to present time... The past few times I've ordered my regulars well they tasted like $hit. The red curry was tooo thick (chunky like baby throw-up)the spring rolls were "oil logged" and the pad thai was bland. I may give it a few more chances because I'm broke and the price is nice. But other than price there seems t be no other reason to continue to eat here.

    (2)

  • Holly B.

    Tried and true, Bangkok Chef in Nuuanu (the original) serves great take-out Thai food. Love the chicken or tofu pad thai noodles. Also love #8, yellow chicken curry with carrots and potatoes over sticky rice. YUM! And try the mango ice cream over hot sweetened sticky rice with peanut sprinkles. Delicious!

    (4)

  • Tongu K.

    Ive been coming to the "thai garage" and their recent expansion (both the original local and islandwide) has kept them consistent. Their pad thai is still reasonably price and delicious. Its not as punchy as other places but still has flavor that you will not get at home. Their curry is also on the milder side but unique. Im hopping the switch to chicken thighs one day. Their eggplant dish is one of their best and i dont even like eggplant!

    (4)

  • Gary N.

    I love to travel and I always wonder if food that we have here is anything like food in the countries that they come from. Sometimes having such a big variety in Hawaii makes it hard to choose. Tonight's travels took me to a place where green seems to be their favorite color. The walls are painted green and the workers all wore green shirts. There is even curry that is green! I really like how every menu item is displayed clearly so you can see what the dish looks like before you order. Also, if you want to know what is in a dish, it is listed on the paper menu in front of the cashier. Soup was on my mind and I settled with Tom Kha Gai with sticky rice. This was my first experience with Thai soup and it was a good one. I never ate anything with galangal, kaffir lime leaves, or lemon grass before. It was a very interesting and tasty experience. The soup was pleasantly sour. The vegetables in the dish were cooked to just the right firmness. The galangal and lemon grass had very unique flavors and may not be for everyone. I had never tasted anything quite like this in my whole life. It was something new and I liked it. Prices here are very affordable with most dishes priced at less than $6 a person before tax. This is if you don't mind chicken. Substituting fish or shrimp costs about $1 to $1.50 more per dish. I got a Thai Iced Tea for only $2! It's a steal considering most places charge more. Great food that is priced right.

    (5)

  • Jeffery A.

    Great place for quick, cheap take-out. When we lived close by, used to hit them up for pad thai, pork green curry and chef's special every other week, but found garlic chicken pad thai ( you know where but not gonna name it) and that, as they say,was that. Still good for later at night and have a real passion for them from sharing their food with special people at a specil time in my life. Always have a place in my heart. :)

    (3)

  • Claire B.

    Awesome food (taste wise), service suuckss!! parking is impossible!! We all know u all speak english so stop acting!!! UGH!! So annoying!!

    (2)

  • Janel K.

    Excellent tofu pad thai! Its my fave and the make it so yummy. Plus they give you alot so theres plenty to share. I also like the dining area. Comfy and clean.

    (4)

  • Ping C.

    ya！！ i Like like, very clean, very delicious, I like very much，。 i。 i

    (5)

  • Joey E.

    Normally very pleased with this eatery but very disappointed on last 2 visits. The diced chicken salad was quite tasteless and the fish patties were dry and tasteless also. Grandson loves the green curry though.

    (1)

  • O O.

    Green and garage~y. Literally, an old garage. Food, good. Prices, low. Parking, in the rear. Always busy. Serve yourself. Wait for food, moderately short time. Ambiance, Garage~y. Dress code, your rattiest zoris will do.

    (4)

  • Jenifer G.

    Been going to this spot for years, before they expanded into the larger side room with the tv. What's not to love about getting great Thai meals for cheap (prices did go up but it's still less than $7 for a huge plate). The menu is pretty extensive so you have a lot to choose from. I bought their containers of curry pastes that they sell on the left side, got the yellow and panang curries -- they are WONDERFUL. You just add coconut milk, then add whatever ingredients you want, like chicken or tofu & onions, potatoes, carrots.. Delicious and easy, but more importantly tasty! Just make sure you convert the portions right, the instructions read in grams! I love these pastes because you can make it as spicy or as mild as you like. Favorites: - PAD SI YOU (wide rice noodles): Very tasty, flavors pop, comes with chicken. - YELLOW CHICKEN CURRY: Yum! Always a winner, great curry sauce, not watery and not too milky or creamy. Has chicken, carrots, potatoes, the normal curry veggies. - TOM YUM SOUP: So flavorful and delectable, goes great on sticky rice. The lemongrass & kaffir flavor is pretty potent but I love it. - CHICKEN FRIED RICE: I'm not big on fried rice but someone recommended this dish and I absolutely love it -- it's so infused with flavor, you must try it. - SUMMER ROLLS: I love these fresh rolls whenever I have a chance to eat them. Sometimes they're not rolled as well as they could be but it's still delicious. Other dishes: - BASIL CHICKEN: Delicious but they do put a lot of bamboo shoots in here. Still flavorful. - GINGER CHICKEN: Good flavors but not my favorite. - HOUSE SPECIAL: Not sure what's so special about this dish but it's still decent. - PAD THAI: Not bad, a big heap of noodles. - PAPAYA SALAD: Was ok, it was a huge mound but I felt like it could have been more fresh. Didn't like that there was a ton of sauce in it. - SPRING ROLLS (fried): Not bad, could have more flavors in there to help elevate it a bit. - FRIED CHICKEN WINGS: Can't really taste the lemongrass flavor much, could be fried more to give it a nice crisp to it. Parking is not bad but gets busy during normal lunch and dinner hours. About 6 tight stalls in front and another 6 in the back lot. I highly recommend calling ahead. All plates are served in take-out boxes (wish they could switch to more eco-friendly products but price would shoot up) so you can choose to dine in.

    (4)

  • Little D.

    One of my favorite take out lunch restaurants. The amount is generous. If you order 3 dish, that would serve 5 people. Favorite order: Mango Salada. Tofu Pathai. Green Curry with sticky rice. Penang Curry with sticky rice. Parking: in front of the restaurant - 4. Back of the restaurant - 10. YELP 365 - 339/365

    (5)

  • Angelo A.

    This is a first for me, I have never actually dropped a rating for anybody before, but unfortunately Bangkok Chef truly disappointed me tonight. This was the FIRST time that I was not happy at all with the food here ( Nuuanu ), sorry, but even I can't be forgiving forever. The pad si you actually tasted sour, I love wide noodles, how can this be f'd up, and the green curry seemed to lack it's normal kick, what's going on Bangkok Chef? I feel like we're breaking up. The quality has gone down over the years, and the prices have gone up dramatically, I honestly don't see the value for sub-par food. I'll give it another chance soon enough, but there are other Thai places that I'm more than willing to try.

    (3)

  • Kylee H.

    seriously dont understand why would people that. I tried this place long time ago and nothing impressive. so today I tried again since my boyfriend is a big fan of Thai food. I wasnt feel good today so we ordered take out instead. the cashier is not very nice when I was ordering, didnt put our desserts in the check so she have to ring it up again. we got home and found out they made my green curry Thai hot instead of my boyfriend's food.(i dont eat spicy food...) so we called them to order another order because we just didnt want to waste the food. so my boyfriend drop me off to pick up the take out again and the cashier girl start to explain to me how impossible she didnt take the order wrong and show everyone the ticket. that actually makes me really mad. im a server too, you are not suppose to fight with your customer. and its not like I ask them give me free food or something, I actually purchasing another order for their mistake! they tried to explain the green curry is spicy, its pre-made but i dont really want toknow all of that. i even taste it and its not as spicy as the one they made for mistake. no apologize or discount or anything. i ended up getting yellow curry, and its not that good too. i've taste way better thai food in the island. cheap price and really you got what you pay for. the yellow curry i got is $15 and totally not worth it. probably wouldn't go back there just because their customer service, also the food.

    (2)

  • Janice H.

    NOW OPEN SUNDAYS FROM 12 - 8 PM! Yah, it's not 100% authentic Thai. I liken it to "fast food Thai" or "takeout Thai." It serves its purpose by being served fast, cheap, and being quite delicious. Usually, they're pretty consistent about getting da food right: generous portions that's enough for roughly 2 meals, enough shiru (soup/gravy) to mix in with your rice, and ono (delicious). Not all da time, though. One time my panang pork came out with barely any extra shiru, had choke (lots) of potatoes more den meat & da portions sucked. But like a 'ho to her pimp, I had to go back & next time was MUCH BETTAH. Back to da way I remember it. I love the yellow curry, green curry, purple curry, and pink curry. Da panang pork rocks choke, too! Da banana dessert people rave about is ono, but manini (small). I'll stick with Mexico Restaurants huge $5 banana dessert.

    (5)

  • Kimi F.

    Gotta, gotta, just gotta love Bangkok Chef! The price is so reasonable for the amount of food that you get. Really helps ease the tension on the wallet, if you know what I mean. Quality of the food is amazing and satisfying. Their spring rolls are the bomb! You get 6 pieces for $6.50...I can never get enough of the pad thai, as well as the pork panang curry....the tom yum is tasty as well and served nice and hot. If you're not dining in, it would be best to call in your order at least 15 minutes ahead. If you've never been here, poor you! They have 3 locations, Nuuanu, Manoa, and Nimitz, which makes it convenient. Plus, there is ample parking. Till next time, happy eating!

    (4)

  • Jen B.

    Tried this place for the first time yesterday based on a recommendation from a coworker. Parking is very tight and limited in the lot! You order at the counter and they call you when order is ready. Plenty of seating inside. We ordered the Eggplant Chicken, Pad Si You, and an Eggplant Shrimp special. All of our dishes were tasty and had good portions. I felt their prices were very reasonable. Will definitely return.

    (5)

  • Melissa K.

    Yes the prices are extremely affordable but you get what you pay for. Dear Bangkok Chef, I miss the days when you were a single shop operating out of a garage. I miss the rich, creamy curries with the large slices of chicken breast and tons of veggies. I miss the quaintness of the shop and even the limited space. I loved you so much that I would fight for parking and fight traffic to get out of that sketchy side street where there are so many blind spots. I really miss the days when your food wasn't overloaded with bamboo shoots-- and again, I miss the curries. I was really happy when you opened a Manoa location-- yay!! A super close walk for a tasty meal. Unfortunately, that's when I started noticing a drop in quality-- but I accepted it as a different cook or something. Then the Nimitz location opened with all the lights and glitz. I said "WHAT?" I tried the food and never went back. I am really, really sad. I feel that in order to expand your business and pay for the new locations and the glitz and crazy lights of Nimitz that you have sacrificed quality. Your curries, once creamy, decadent, and flavorful, are now lackluster, and appeal to the budget minded, those who skipped lunch, or folks who've never had Thai. Bangkok Chef, I miss the old you. I know that things change but I hope that one day you will realize just how special you really were. Best, Melissa

    (3)

  • Ron L.

    This is my favorite place to eat in the Nuuanu/Liliha area. There are 3 great things about this place: 1. Price For $7-$8, you can get a big ol plate of food here. The portions are about the size of a regular plate lunch. 2. Big Pictures I'm not familiar with Thai cuisine, so it really helps that they have BIG pictures of all their dishes on the wall. 3. Healthy Alternative One thing I dislike about food in Hawaii is that cheap food is so unhealthy. I mean, a typical plate lunch is breaded, deep-fried meat with rice, mac salad. It's really a nightmare for your blood sugar level. And "mac salad" isn't even salad! And if you want a lighter meal with vegetables, it's usually not filling or a lot more expensive. With the food here, you can get a cheap meal that's delicious, stir-fried, and has tasty vegetables. Honestly... I've never had eggplant that's tasted so good! Parking: Parking is a bit tricky for cars. There are 3-4 stalls in front and a really tight lot in the back. Considering how big the restaurant is, I don't think they will always have enough parking for everyone. I recommend parking in the Nuuanu Shopping parking lot when it opens up again. I ride a motorcycle, so I don't ever worry about finding parking.

    (5)

  • Misty P.

    I really love this place, and the fact that the atmosphere is kinda divey, My absolute favorite location of all Bangkok Chefs. I really think the cook here is way better than the newest location on Nimitz Hwy. Even though the place is not as nice as the new location, the food is awesome! I love love love the basil chicken. So yummy with the rice and a side of siraccha sauce. The cashiers are not that friendly, but they take your order and get the job done. The food takes a little bit longer to come out than say fast food restaurants but it always comes out piping hot as it is made to order. The spring rolls with the fresh lettuce to wrap it in is also delicious! The line can be long and parking sucks during lunch hours. There is street parking, the stalls in the front of the restaurant and also a couple in the back of the building. At about $6-$9 a plate you can't go wrong. I almost never finish all of it and save it for dinner or lunch the next day,

    (5)

  • Golden R.

    OVERALL it's a 3 maybe even a 2 star: The taste of the food seems like it went down since they opened the Nimitz and Manoa location. Manoa=NO, Nimitz=depends who's cooking! Nuuanu = Most of the times OK Lately I've just been ordering the #31 ONLY cause how can you make that taste different everytime? Hardly!... so it's a SAFE order for me. 4 stars for the following 2 items ONLY!!! #31: Spring ROLLssss + Spoon This is a must to have! You neeeeed to eat it ASSEMBLED... 1. lettuce (1/2 the big leaf-long ways) 2. cucumber 3. mint 4. spring roll 5. wrap it 6. SPOON sauce on EACH bite! DELISH! Getting priceyyyyy... well we WERE being spoiled before because it was soooo cheap like 2 yrs ago. I remember this being like high 5s, den high 6s, now MID $7s you get 6 mid size rolls (they use to put MORE filling too... BEFORE) and lettuce stuff. ~~~~~~ the GREEN Curry is DELISH too. Hardly order it now cause the taste has been changing everytime I had ordered it, soooo I gave up. Does Not have that spicy green curry taste. They just ADD the chili red pepper flakes for the spicy, but I don't want just HOT.... I want the TASTE! warning this green curry has LOTS of bamboo shoots and peas!!!!???? the other places I go for Green Curry don't have bamboo shoots/peas just eggplant. go figure eggplant must be expensive. there is SOME, but more of the rest. ~~~~~~ if you get the two items above can feed 2 to 3 girls watching their weight.

    (3)

  • Lori M.

    The street view on google maps looks dangerous but it actually was very nice, open area with lots of space and clean tables. The food was really good. The last that took our order at the counter was very pleasant. It didn't take long to get our food and it tasted exactly as I had hoped. Great little lunch spot, just wish it was closer to the office :)

    (5)

  • Marisa A.

    Not only is this place convenient, the price and quality of food is fantastic. We always get the lemon grass fried chicken wings which comes with sliced cucumbers and their sauce. WE also get the pad thai, which is filled with veggies and very tasteful. The spring rolls are to die for. Hmmmm...not sure what's for dinner but this is starting to sound good. Parking is difficult, but we live close by so we just walk. After ordering you don't have to wait too long. Great service, and they remember you. If you haven't tried this place...what are you waiting for?

    (5)

  • Jason W.

    First off, the garage door, I love the garage door! I like the idea that I'm chilling in a garage like how back in the day we would in Hilo growing up. Now that, that's been said... I live right around the corner form this spot and I have to say that I've never had a meal here that I disliked. I have run the gamut from the traditional to veggie spring rolls, the Pork, the Chicken curries, as well as the Pad Thai, even tried their tapioca desserts and I have never once been disappointed by Bangkok Chef. It's not like sitting down in some of the Thai spots in Hawaii but it's got character (see Garage Door above), fast service, good food, and as I heard one person say the last time I went there: "Cheap eats! Cheap eats!"

    (4)

  • Chelsea U.

    Always have to get the pad Thai (no nuts) and a Thai tea! Only down side is that they recently raised their prices, but still very good deal for the amount of food you get.

    (4)

  • Thomas O.

    If I could eat one ethnic food for the rest of my life, Thailand would have to duke it out with Korea in a battle that would definitely not end pretty...so I'm just gonna have to say that its not possible. But since we're on the subject, I just have to say Bankok Chef Nuuanu can tread some serious water in a sea of Thai restaurants even if they don't serve their dishes on porcelain plates or have cloths on their tables. My first visit to BC was for dinner with Emi, Mike, Emily and of course Baby Isabel. We ordered about 5 dishes and 3 Thai Iced Teas and our total was about half of what you would pay at any other Thai restaurant in town. But what is laking in the fancy department, is made up in the flavor section. Spring Rolls. Definitely get them. No reason not to. A full order can feed a family. But order three and you've got a party!! Pad Si You. My, my, do I fancy you. Your Pad Thai base mixed with my favorite Thai stable, Peanut, makes you the ultimate dish. I will never get Thai-yerd of you, Pad Si You. Pork Panang. Although I'm more partial to your chicken brethren, I can never say no to your tender pieces of meat, curried potatoes, mixed veggies and sicky rice. As long as you're less than $7, I'm gonna keep buying you. As long as you continue to be at least two full meals, you're gonna be my #1 choice. Chicken Satay. Chicken on a stick, oh hell yay. Flavor is awesome and then you dip it in the peanut sauce and your world is turned upside-down. No longer will you want just plain boneless chicken. On a stick is where it's at people!! Tapioca dessert?! If you have room you stuffed son of a gun! I mean, I don't wanna make you feel bad, but let's not over do this. (It may even put you over your $30 budget!) All of the food here is pretty much delicious served in styrofoam takeout clamshells. There are no tricks....except for parking! If you can maneuver your car or the family fortress on wheels to access the end stall (with some patience and tons of skill, you really can) you'll actually feel like you're in Bangkok!!! And congested as hell. So say Sawat-deekrab to great food and low prices and pai-kawnkrab to food you thought was your favorite. Review #041/365

    (4)

  • Vincent T.

    Fast food take on Thai. Very average, nothing to be excited about. But if your in the mood for Thai, you could do worse.

    (3)

  • Kalani C.

    Okay, this place is pretty awesome in my book. Recently had a Thai trip party where all our friends that went to Thailand with us recently, had Thai food and shared photos and videos from the trip. Everyone was pretty busy as of late, so our Thai potluck, by coincidence, all came from Bangkok Chef. We had: Pad Thai noodles with chicken; Green Curry with chicken; Yellow Curry with pork; Spring Rolls; and Green Papaya Salad. Everything was outrageously delicious! You really can count on Bangkok Chef's consistency, quality and price. A great deal. Mahalo Bangkok Chef for providing the grub and helping us cherish our Thailand memories.

    (4)

  • Melvin S.

    Who knew there was parking in the back of the Nuuanu location?

    (4)

  • Emi H.

    Met up last night with my Yelp interns for a "Thank You For Being A Hard Worker" dinner at Bangkok Chef. To my dismay I found that they no longer serve hot coconut tapioca. I literally had to ask the lady at the counter three times because I wanted to make sure there wasn't any miscommunication. "What? Huh? Why?!" I moaned in agony. All she did was shake her head and point to the refrigerator next to me. It contained cold flavored tapioca. I put my hand over my eyes and started sobbing. Okay, okay I didn't start sobbing, but in a way my heart is broken. I LOVE hot thai tapioca. The cold stuff just doesn't do it for me. When I truly enjoy something at a restaurant it's a big deal. I just want in a restaurant, what women want in men: Consistency and reliability. "Why Bangkok Chef?! Why?!" (Throws plates of food everywhere screaming!) That's what I wanted to do last night, but thankfully Thomas O talked me down from the edge. Thanks voice of reason for keeping it real. And stopping me from turning into the Incredible Hulk. On the upside though I tried a few new dishes thanks to my Yelp interns. Pad si yu, chicken satay and pork panang. All very yummy and I'm glad they got me to travel outside my proverbial thai food box. I'm still heart broken about my tapioca but hopefully I'll find something new to replace it. The heart wants, what the heart wants...and the same goes for my tummy. Yelp 365 Challenge: #9/365 (The Heartbreak)

    (4)

  • Christy Z.

    I hadn't been here since I left Hawaii over 5 years ago. The green papaya salad is still my favorite!

    (5)

  • Tina V.

    I recommend the panang curry and pad thai noodles. They have good portion sizes and the wait for take out is fast.

    (4)

  • Louis G.

    2 stars is generous. Don't confuse quantity with quality. Green curry was watery and chicken was boiled to death. The shrimp,noodle, vegetable special was short on noodles and shrimp but very long on bamboo shoots. A panda would have been impressed. After eating at Opal's in Haleiwa, you wouldn't know the two restaurants were both Thai.

    (2)

  • LeaDan Y.

    If you just want awesome Thai food, this is your place. The portions are worth the price you are paying. I don't know why anyone would go anywhere else for Thai food on Oahu.

    (4)

  • Courtney O.

    Fried rice is good!! Pad thai is okaaay... Overall, okay food. Parking is a bit tricky. There are some stalls in front and some in back. Not really a fan of the area. It's hard to turn around after you are finished eating there if you parked in the front. They did renovate a while ago so there is a larger dinning area inside now.

    (3)

  • Shaun G.

    I've been coming here for years for their curry's, papaya salad, spring rolls and soups. Portions are pretty big, I usually get two meals out of it-- and for the price, it's great. Food tastes great, service is efficient and fast. What else can you ask for?

    (5)

  • Rick L.

    It's been a while since I've been here. I dropped by in search of sticky rice in the small grocery section on the left side. Grab two bags and some green and red curry mix to make at home. I looked over to my right an they've extended the little garage into the next shop. That's great, I'm always one to root for the small mama papa shops. I ordered the yellow curry with chicken and sticky rice. It's ok but it's unfair since I'm used to eating in Little Thai in Los Angeles. Huge portions and great customer service.

    (3)

  • Kelly G.

    After eating here, my boyfriend and I were trying to figure out any flaws Bangkok Chef has. I mean, its a hole in the wall and I'm giving it a 5 star review? There must be something wrong, right? WRONG! This, previously a veggie market, restaurant provides the following great qualities: 1. Menu - great variety! Rice, noodle, chicken, fish, shrimp, spicy, not; theres something for everyone! Per yelpers' suggestions, we got the basil chicken and green Thai curry. There was a LOT of fresh basil cooked into the basil chicken dish and the green Thai curry dish had just the right amount of kick. Yum. 2. Portions - HUGE! We could have easily upgraded the plate lunch for a la cart for a little more servings and minus the rice, brought it home and served over our own rice. This was what a LOT of take out orders were. 3, Price - was CHEAP! $6.20 something for a SUPER filling dinner? Yes please! The prices recently went up, but still a great deal. 4. Thai iced tea - yum. Perfect amount of sweetness and ice! Bangcock Chef is smart though and figured out my Ju-ish ways. They charge about 20 cents more if you request the Thai iced tea, without ice (ie more to drink!), but no worries, they dont give you TOO much ice even if you order it with ice. 5. Ambiance - If the air was a little more humid and you closed your eyes while eating here, you might feel like you were in Thailand just for a moment. The stickiness of your skin from the humidity, eating yummy Thai food, hearing Thai being spoken by the staff n the background, sipping on that Thai iced tea to cool yourself off.....you were just on a mini vacation to Thailand my friend! The restaurant also sells some goods on the side. They accept credit cards. Hours seem pretty decent. They have specials, but I don't know how often it changes. The boyfriend is pretty excited to be coming back for our lazy dinner nights and so am I! *** Compared to the Nimitz, I really like the more down to earth, homely and relaxed feel to the Nuuanu location. I've tried the Thai Green Curry at both locations and its pretty consistent since both times I LOVED the dish. But if I'm ever in a hurry for a Thai lunch, I would NOT hesitate to order from the Nimitz location.

    (5)

  • Santi T.

    This place offers good food with a casual environment. If you're in the mood for fresh, traditional dishes, check out this place. Recently, I ordered the eggplant with chicken. This is not similar to the Chinese style with hoisin sauce but rather used thai spices. I requested going light on the oil and extra spicy and they complied perfectly. The plate offered a huge serving of the entree with jasmine rice. One of these days, I'll try their pad thai because the other patrons were ordering it. The dining room is very casual where you wait your own tables. It gets extremely busy with take out orders. Great food with good prices!

    (4)

  • Kristy Y.

    The price of the food here is reasonable and the portions are pretty huge. I like the green curry and yellow curry but do not like the pad thai. Pad thai is pretty basic and they have all the ingredients there, but for some reason I feel like it's lacking flavor. There is parking available on the side of the street and right behind the building.

    (3)

  • Juliet M.

    They do it every time....they are unstoppable. Wow, I think theses critics of 'the BC' need to check themselves before they rec themselves. I came to Hawaii from San Francisco, and I must say there is good food here, but it is not the same as CA. In CA the food is fabulous (like almost every place that can stay open), and it is affordable. The BC is one of the only places I have been too that in CA I know would do well. The dishes I order are consistent, vibrant and yummy. Last couple of times myself and my group had: 1. Pad Si You 2. #15, House SPecial BOOMBERS! 3. Eggplant Chix with broccoli....AMAZING! with Sticky Rice. All the dishes were hot, tasty, and made a food baby which means I could not stop myself from eaating. Thank you again BC!

    (5)

  • Kash P.

    I went to Bangkok Cafe for some authentic spicy thai food. Well, the atmosphere is definitely thai and the place is a whole in the wall. But again, I went there for the food. I did not experience what most folks experienced there. I ordered the mango salad and the chicken satay. The mango salad had more vinegar than I care for and lacked spice. The chicken satay hardly had any flavor and the satay sauce was very oily. Not my fav experience. Can't say I finished what I ordered. Not planning on going back there anytime soon. I would suggest venture to another thai place if looking for real thai food.

    (3)

  • Manda Bear B.

    ***************** REVIEW 395 ****************** About 10-15 minutes drive from Wakiki, this Thai fast food is decent, cheap, and as casual as you can find. A TV with sport channel on, less than 10 tables spread out in the big room, hole on the wall kind of place for fast food. All dishes are under $10, and they are very generous with their portions. A few dishes that we tried that was good and served in the white foam box! - Chicken curry, - Basil chicken, - Tom Yum soup, - Egg Roll, - Pad Thai.

    (3)

  • K C.

    I LOVE their PAD THAI. Its not oily like others. Their house special is yummy. I didnt like the chicken larb. Too much basil and onion for me. Other than that, great atmosphere big dinning area and yummy food. *UPDATE: we looove coming here for the summer rolls!

    (4)

  • Aimee C.

    Hungry for fast food Thai?! Bangkok Chef is your spot...my fav is the cashew nut chicken (which on occasion they've forgotten the cashews - and then proceeded to simply pour cashew from the plastic tin onto my food). There's a whole lot of onions, bell peppers, a good amount of chicken and cashews (if they remember!). But for the price, so worth it! I also like to go for the Thai Iced Tea which is yummy. I overheard the cashier tell a customer the cashew nut chicken & curry is the most popular. I really don't think you can wrong for the price. Service is fast, but I usually like to call so my food is hot and ready when I get there. Parking in the front and back. Menu is equipped with pictures so you know what you are ordering.

    (4)

  • Sarah M.

    Thai food can't get any better than this. I can't seem to get enough of this place. The portions are huge and the prices are just right! The Papaya salad is amazing. The tofu and curry with veggies is even better. And the soups are soooo good!!! Everything is good. You will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Michelle M.

    I do think that I know a little sumfin-something about Thai food...Lord knows I have eaten in for DAYS AND WEEKS ON END (no lie!). And for this, I feel that I know whassup... This place is SO NOT WHAT'S UP! :( x infinity! I ordered the Toful Lad Na--Asked for it to be medium and they said they cant spice it?!? What the heck??? for reals??? Something about how it's seasoned with a chili pepper vinegar sauce...yeah yeah, i know. Did they give me the sauce? NO!!! Then, the flavors were so off! The veggies were over cooked and soggy, with such a lackluster showing of Brocolli and carrots, not much else. The gravy was rather tasteless as well. Sad, I heard that this was the crowned jewel of the Bangkok Chef kingdom but I guess this was an off day? Sorry peeps...never again!

    (1)

  • Reimi D.

    I'm never disappointed with Bangkok Chef. I usually get the green curry and sticky rice. The food is good, the service friendly, and the prices are beyond reasonable as the portions are pretty giant. I have not tried any of the soups yet...that will be my next order at BC.

    (5)

  • nick m.

    Not sure when their renovation took place, a few years I was here in a TINY space in basically a garage, with inexpensive and tasty food in a packed neighborhood fixture. Just went here tonight, and aside from the seating area having been expanded 3x, I thought it was all just as good as I remembered it. had the tom yum soup, pretty standard yelp.com/biz_photos/xwzG… the mango salad was my favorite part of the meal! looks like shredded green mango and cashews and carrots for a bit of extra crunch in a sweet fish/lime sauce. kind of like papaya salad, in fact i swear that's what it was but i know the receipt said 'mango salad'. yelp.com/biz_photos/xwzG… and of course pad thai. what can't be said about this pad thai that hasn't been said about every pad thai you've ever had? yelp.com/biz_photos/xwzG… the food itself was fine, free DIY refills but I was surprised how mild the food was in terms of spiciness. Usually thai places will ask you how spicy you want the food (since real thai food is somewhere in the 'nuclear' range for the unprepared) but they didn't even ask which was kind of disappointing, I would have liked more kick. So if you want it 'thai hot' make sure you tell them when you order. This place relies heavily on take out, I'd say about 1/3 to 1/2 the orders while we were there was takeout. So soup, pad thai and salad + 2 drinks = 26$ (no tip required, it's just pay-and-pick up), pretty good deal. There's a small grocery area next to the cashier where you can pick up some thai staples like rice stick or curry paste to make your own stuff at home. This place doesn't have 'ambiance' per se, you are basically eating in a garage, but then again you probably knew this wasn't a fancy place if you drive by it!

    (3)

  • Lei P.

    Authentic, affordable and fast. Bangkok Chef Nuuanu is our favorite thai restaurant. You can dine in or take out and they also accept phone orders. Our favorite items include the pad thai noodles, green curry with chicken and sticky rice. The quality is always top notch, seasoned perfectly and delicious. The service is ok. Workers are likely english as a second language learners...but in any case your order gets processed and paid easily. We love the central location and the taste and quality of the food.

    (5)

  • Max K.

    Been here a few times in the past and always enjoyed what I ordered. Yesterday I was working in the area and decided to stop by for lunch. I ordered the Ginger Chicken with Brown Rice and was very, very satisfied. My plate was only $7.00 and I didn't have to wait long. Their food is so tasty and the portions are generous. I will be sure to eat here again and again. You really have to try it!

    (4)

  • Anna D.

    Green curry, basil chicken, pad ki Mao are my favorites here. I honestly don't understand the amazingness of how generous the portions are. What's really great is that although it's not the best quality of food, it's still a great taste and bang for your buck. This place has chicken everything so if you're looking for some kind of pork or beef dish you're barking up the wrong tree. They're super responsive to telephone orders which is great for me when i'm late to make some dinner or just lazy and want to do a quick take out. Just be sure you know what you want or else you'll hold up the line and wait for everyone else

    (4)

  • Roger P.

    I've been eating at Bangkok Chef for years. The food is plentiful and reasonably priced. Walking in reminds me of the restraunts in Thailand, with their open front. The pad ki mao is my favorite dish, a little spicy, with abundant basil and chicken. Also very good there is the mango salad and Thai style fried chicken. My wife who is Thai, often has me pick up food from there for her.

    (4)

  • Crystal L.

    For thai food, they are very inexpensive! Thai food is very expensive in HI...at least $10 per dish but Bangkok chef's plates are less than $10 and the portions are huge! I think one plate can feed me about 3-4 meals. I only get chicken pad thai and cashew nut chicken everytime and it's always great! Hits the spot every time. This location makes way better food than the one on nimitz. I also got catering here once for a meeting and everyone loved it!! An attendee even told me he never had better meeting food! I felt like I received a reward: "Best meeting foodiee!". ^^

    (4)

  • Maureen S.

    I love the Tom Yun (sp?) soup, love the Spring Rolls and Green Curry. I have been eating here since I moved into the neighborhood (6 years) and recommend it to anyone who likes Thai food. Recently also ate at the Nimitz restaurant. There is alot of charm to the Nu`uanu Avenue restaurant with the overhead door on the front fascade. I was really glad when they acquired the next door space which makes eating at the location a better experience pleasant. Very very good food!!

    (4)

  • Val Y.

    Site: Gentlerejection .com "Hello! I work for Gentle Rejection .com. I write gentle rejections for people with opinions contrary to what most people write for the purpose of preserving my clients high esteem within an organization and (or) amongst his friends. My clients hate controversy and like to discretely post their "against the grain opinion" through a third party like Gentle Rejection. My client Val Y. recently visited Bangkok Chef with his girlfriend. It was a spur of the moment decision and my client talked up Bangkok Chef because of reviews he read on Yelp. He and his gf were very excited about trying the Thai food in this restaurant. For your information my client and his gf love Thai food. They have certain standards that they expect when they eat in a Thai restaurant. My client was thinking of writing this review himself but because of his controversial opinion, decided to have a third person, from Gentle Rejection, describe his experience." Gentle Rejection review of Bangkok Chef for Val Y.: "Parking is definitely a problem. My client is old(er) and gets irritated very quickly. His gf is a woman and gets irritated when she is hungry or when she wants too. The parking stalls in front of the restaurant were taken. He circled around and parked in the strip mall where Radio Shack is located and they walked from there. He didn't like that. The mood was "this better be worth it." First impression of the restaurant was "this might not be worth it". Green is not his favorite color. The restaurant was not crowded. The atmosphere not impressive. Service is "you're on your own". You order; you find a table; you wipe table; you pick up food; you get your own water; you eat. Feeling was "he should have ordered to go." First dish was Tom Yum Goong (medium spicy). Reaction was "not very balanced". Looked good; but this dish had bad personality. Too much lime juice in their recipe or was it just this particular serving. Made him wish he was eating the Tom Yum at another Thai restaurant. Pad Ki Mao (spicy). Friends said lots of good things about this dish....he thought they were exaggerating. Dish was suppose to be spicy.....but the moon give off more heat then this. This is suppose to be Thai, but this is more Cantonese. Nothing wrong with Chinese, but if you go to Thailand you expect to meet Thai people. This dish tasted like chow fun. Cook at Bangkok Chef: Please check this recipe from allrecipes .com to see what is missing. allrecipes.com/Recipe/pa… Green Papaya Salad. Bravo for the shrimp in this dish. They were large. My client liked the heat in this dish. If he visits you again; he will order this ....take out. Summary: This is one review; one opinion of three dishes. Maybe not finding easy parking set the mood but you are not his type. He thinks he could like you but never love you. You, his gf and he, are three that were never meant to be together. He just wants to be friends. Don't feel bad. What you got going for you is that you are cheap. The good news is that other people love you. You and he should have no hard feelings and move on. If he ever fools around with someone else that doesn't know anything about Thai food; maybe he'll see you again. But then again the Pad Ki Mao better be Thai spicy if you want him to visit you often. Don't take this personally but he likes Thai that are more beautiful, clean and sexy. But that is just him. He likes Thai that are really spicy and hot. You better be willing to make him hot and turn him on. Fact of the matter is, he likes Thai that is good in bed...like in green papaya that is good in a bed of cabbage, that is. He is conservative but likes it dirty hot; but not on a table that hasn't been wiped. He likes Thai that are hot enough to make him sweat. He likes Thai that knows how to apply the heat in his mouth. He likes it when his lips and tongue burn and get numb from the Thai sauce. He likes how Thai can bring that tingling feeling all over his body. There is a difference between amateurs and pros. It is obviously to him, you are not a pro. My client doesn't measure his pleasure by cheap price. It's what you are willing to do and if you put out. It's the burning feeling at his rear end the next day that ......." Val Y.: "Oh my God.....stop!! This is sounding more like Gentle Erection instead of Gentle Rejection. I think you get the point. Thank you for the experience but I prefer other Thai food places." P.S. I should have written this review myself. Sorry!

    (2)

  • Jonathan L.

    This is the first place I ever ate thai food. quality has since gone down and like my earlier previous review on Good to Grill price has gone down. Ever since they expanded and opened up their Manoa and Nimitz location everything has not been the same. I came to here after I was still hungry from my lunch at Good to grill. Yes I am a fatty I eat two lunches ^-^ I came here around 3 PM and there was barely anyone in the restaurant. BTW they expanded to the restaurant next door. But it is not a fancy expansion like the Manoa location. It is a ghetto makeover. The tables are wobbly and chairs are beat up. I ordered the green curry with sticky rice ($0.50 extra). The wait took about 10 minutes even though there was no one in the restaurant. I assume the workers are new since I didn't recognize anyone from before they expanded. Minus stars here. Good thing they have a mini television playing basketball game to keep me distracted or I would've said something to the cashier. The food finally came. My food was piping hot. Half my food was rice and the other half was the curry. The curry had 80% bamboo shoots and 20% miscellaneous things (chicken, curry, and basil) The rice was sticky but they did not add enough water or it was sitting out too long so it was dry. There were lots of herbs and spices so the curry was flavorful. It had a little spicy kick as well. Overall it is still decently priced and somewhat healthy. Don't order anything with peanut because their peanut butter has trans fat. I probably come back but not regularly.

    (3)

  • Stephie L.

    Lucky the food here was average. I waa so unimpressed with the service. She was standing at the counter, we ordered, she kept rolling her eyes and didn't even ask for id when I was paying. Threw my card down then asked for my name. The food took long and I wouldn't go back.

    (1)

  • Victoria C.

    I love this place! Not so keen on the location and atmosphere BUT the food is awesome! The chicken satay is da bombbb.. so juicy and tender. Plus the peanut sauce is to die for! I could probably eat that with everything lol. The chicken green curry was HUGE and was filled with LOTS of bamboo & eggplant.. just the way I like it :) This is probably one of my fav Thai places next to Chiang Mai and Thai Herb Kitchen...

    (4)

  • Karissa M.

    I eat here almost three times a week. It's so tasty and inexpensive. Get the cashew chicken. Also, when I'm sick, I always crave their Tom Yum Goong soup.

    (5)

  • Marcia L.

    ok la. crispy chicken wings are pretty good. but ok for a thai restaurant.

    (3)

  • Jamie B.

    Great tasting food at great prices! My friend and I had a dinner date here last week and it was fabulous... I can't say I was surprised, though, since I'd already checked the reviews on Yelp. I ordered the ginger chicken & spring rolls. The spring rolls were very tasty, even without the dipping sauce. The shell was nice & crunchy, and the filling had a nice peppery flavor. The ginger chicken was also very good. I loved that there were lots of slivers of ginger & the thin slices of chicken were surprisingly tender. Great value, and delicious food! Can't go wrong!

    (4)

  • Sonia S.

    Affordable thai food in town! This has become another favorite spot on my list of eats, especially since my bestie lives right down the street. On my very first visit, I was surprised at how booming this little hole in the wall thai place was...parking was insane with at least 8 people waiting in line. I immediately thought...yup, I'm at the right place. It must be good! I ordered the green curry eggplant with sticky rice and was happy. I like their pad thai and my new love is their panang curry ~ thinly sliced pork with potato in a yummy peanut curry sauce. I could eat panang from BC for days, especially since I have a fond appreciation for the "other white meat." I just wished they could do a panang curry, pad thai combo..now that would be rad! If you're in the Nuuanu area or Manoa (new location by Safeway) and craving thai, you should definitely thai Bangkok Chef! You won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Ellison U.

    Bangkok Chef Every chance I get... I go there for THE BEST Vietnamese curry! Forget the Pad Thai! Don't care for it! #6 with chicken is where it's at! Its so GOOD! Okay so first time I heard about this place was from a former co-worker, she use to rave about this place all the freakenn time. I thought it was some raunchy cheap eatery. Totally wrong! First visit was with my friend who I might say is a regular there but apparently didn't tell me he was?! Beats me... well, I got some eggplant curry something... it was not good. Totally not for me. My friend ordered the #6 with tofu. He let me try some.... And that was it! I was HOOKED! From then on it was my regular dish. Sorry for talking bad about the Pad Thai, it appears that it's the best dish there. Tried it before and I don't like sweet noodles. It just doesn't taste right. Okay so back to the curry, I have a Vietnamese friend who said the main ingredient in the #6 curry was coconut milk and curry spice. I didn't noticed it until she told me. No wonder why I could taste a hint of coconut in it! I usually visit the Manoa location often. Heard that opened another one on Nimitz and the original was near Pali. I like it because of the speedy service, nice workers, and I guess healthy dishes. The reason why I refer to the curry dish as #6 is because I don't actually know the real name. Lol. I'll end it on that note.

    (4)

  • Amanda T.

    Loved their chicken pad thai and thai iced tea. The food was delicious and the portions were great for the price.

    (4)

  • Puddytat C.

    Good, but not great. We tried the spring rolls, shrimp green curry, pad thai, Thai Tea and still haven't found a Thai restaurant replacement for the small Me Kong that closed down after decades of superb food. We really miss it. Haven't gone back to their alternate location since but it wasn't as good as the one they closed. It did lack parking somewhat and was very small and always had a line.

    (3)

  • J K.

    I go there often. Of course food is great and prices is even better. One day I spilled my ice coffee on the drink machine. one guy (seems he is manger maybe) He cleaned up and refiled the coffee for me. This nuannu Bangkok chef costumer service is really great ! Best!

    (5)

  • Jaynie K.

    Good value, enormous portions, and delicious! See photos. Mmm!

    (4)

  • kathleen d.

    I don't get what all the hype is about this place. okay I get it. fast food, cheap thai food. but come on, why pay money for subpar tasting food in the first place? the first time I tried bangkok chef, my mom brought home a plate of their pad thai. I opened up the styrofoam box and stared at this massive portion of light orange noodles with very little garnishes and meat. this is pad thai? it tasted just as it looked: dry and bland. eh no thank you a couple days ago, I needed some food for a picnic and stopped by bangkok chef since it was on the way. here I go again, bangkok chef. feed me something delicious this time I ordered the basil chicken and the bf ordered chicken satay. for a fast thai food place, our orders took pretty long. about 20 minutes. we picked up our food and when I opened my plate up at the park I saw half my plate filled with sticky rice and the other half filled with what was supposed to be basil chicken. nice, I love both! but my basil chicken seemed more like bamboo shoot chicken. seriously. there were so many bamboo shoots and very very little basil. eh I like bamboo shoots, I guess I'll eat it. the chicken was dry and thick. blech gross I looked over at my bf's plate and was immediately drawn to his container of peanut sauce. "wtf is that" isn't peanut sauce supposed to be creamy? instead, the peanut sauce bangkok chef gave us was chunky and had little pools of oil. come on. how hard is it to mess up peanut sauce sorry, Im a thai food brat and I think I'll stick with dine in thai restaurants that cook up a great meal for a couple dollars more

    (1)

  • Liz L.

    I only had the green curry, so I can't comment on other menu items, but I'm not planning on coming back here. It was hands down the worst thai green curry I've ever had. Too salty, obviously thickened with corn starch, which is not how you do Thai curry. And it had peas. The mealy kind you can tell were frozen. Just bad bad bad in so many ways. They did give a MASSIVE serving of rice with their very bad curry, maybe to compensate, so if overly-large portions are your thing, maybe you can find a reason to come here. I, however, am done with this place.

    (1)

  • Shelley C.

    Just alright for me - I have tried take-out from this place twice now - I think the food is actually pretty good. I am not at all wowed by the pad thai though, sorry. The first time I had take out, the spring rolls only came with like 4 leaves of mint - not nearly enough to compliment the order. The second time I had take out, both of my orders were given with jasmine rice instead of the sticky rice as I had ordered and as the wait staff repeated to me - ugh! Who wants thai food without sticky rice?? Not me. And they didn't make the drink I ordered and had to go back and make sure I had paid for it. Really?! I would also suggest they change their take out boxes - the rice really should be packed in a separate container esp. for the curry dishes. I miss the old Mekong restaurant on Beretania street, remember them? For many many years I had consistently great thai food, never a disappointment. For me, none of the existing thai places around even compare to them. :(

    (2)

  • Eric A.

    There is something about me always having this clash with tall metro dudes with fro-hawks working behind the register. I swear to freaking god. The one from Bangkok Chef is no different. Whatever, no stars docked because of this eyebrow and doo-doo hole hair plucker. Oh, that and they've also expanded the dining room, which is almost more than 2x bigger AND they have a tele on in there as well. Last time I was here, I thought their food was just okay, cept for the chicken sateh sticks ($6.95), which I remember being delicious (please read prior report for full detail). Though I just forgot how dang long it is to prepare, which takes about 15 minutes. That's almost like waiting for a pizza! Fine. It's worth it. Another thing I forgot is how much they give. About six skewers and they come packed on with bird, alright! It comes with a peanut sauce and cuts of fresh cucumber. The chicken fried rice ($5.45) however was just okay. They pack the container here too, sure, but the rice tasted like something you would get at places like Panda Express. It was nothing special. In fact, it still need a little more soy sauce. That and the chicken was pretty dry. In fact, I thought they were flat chunks of deep fried tofu at first because the texture seemed synthetic. Maybe mock chicken? Lordy lord. The best way for me to describe the portions here is that the Man v. Food in you wants to finish everything, but after a while you look down and think, "man, I shouldn't of had eaten so much" because you won't get as big a doggie bag to take home. Also, another thing to consider is when you use their bathroom, the key is hanging on a loop by a nail at the shelf next to the register. When you put key in (there are instructions on the door on how to open it, cause it's tricky) don't jab the key in all the way. Stick it only 3/4's, then turn. Almost peeing in my pants and having dirty hands from rubbing that bathroom door nob, one of BC's employees broke the system down to me. But it wasn't that metro guy, who I overheard making fun of me since I wasn't crafty enough to figure it out on my own. Freekin' batty boy. urbandictionary.com/defi… 3 stars Bankok Chef on Nu'uanu

    (3)

  • Shannon O.

    This'll be a quick one because we were boring when we went there. My wife and I stopped in for lunch one day. I had to take her out to make up for ging to Bac Nam with my sister the day before. My wife likes thai/viet food. I like certain menu items and that's about it. I guess it's the same for everyone, everyplace. Hell, I'd love to find someplace that everything was great and I craved it. We both ordered the pad tai. See, boring, I told you. I like pad thai. I actually wanted to eat it so I can remember what it's supposed to taste like. That way when I cook it at home I'm pretty close. Here's a tip from the lady at Asian Grocery. They sell a bottle of mix that you use for 1 package of noodles tomake pad thai. I made it for a party and it was a hit. It was way more easy than the other recipes I usually follow on the net. The pad thai was good. I think I use more egg. I don't really know what else to say. The best part of ging there is that thelady at he counter had to ask me 4 times what my name was. Instead of "shannon", which was too difficult I sufficed with "shan". And you know what, the guys calling me later still got it wrong. Pad thai is what we almost always get here. My other friend likes the Tom yong soup so maybe I'll give that a try on another trip. Enjoy.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :10:30 am - 9:00pm
  • Mon : 10:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Bangkok Chef

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