Krua was my favorite Thai restaurant in town UNTIL the last time. I ordered my food "Thai hot" (spicy), as always, & looked forward to a culinary feast. After ordering, I noticed the owner's wife peeking at us from the kitchen - at the time, I didn't think anything about it. I subsequently got my yummy-looking dish, which was super bland - no spice in it at all. When I asked our server why, he indicated the owner was out of the restaurant & his wife was "training a new cook". What a shock to realize I'd been profiled at a Thai restaurant!!! Never saw that coming...... Guess I don't "look" like someone who can eat spicy food, although I've eaten it all my life. If you visit Krua & don't "look" like you can handle spicy food, bring your own spice. PS- I subsequently called the restaurant several times & left messages for the owner. He either never got the messages, or chose not to respond.
(1)
Brian G.
This was a solid Thai meal. We stopped here for lunch shortly after arriving in Kailua-Kona before later heading to our resort to check in. We ordered the salad rolls as an appetizer. We were a little underwhelmed by them. They had all of the right ingredients and were much larger than we have often found them to be, but the carrots and cucumbers inside were SO crunchy that it felt a little like I was a rabbit eating a giant carrot, not a herb-filled roll. I've attached a picture in case you want to see if these are your thing. The Pad Thai was great -- their "mild" was a little spicier than I would have considered mild, but still within my heat tolerance, so I gobbled it down. My partner ordered the Volcanic Duck and cleaned his plate. It was delicious and filled with all of the rich Thai spices I love (I stole quite a few bites, I must admit.) Service was very friendly and the dining area was nice. Would likely return in the future.
(3)
Crista M.
Good food, reasonable price!! BYOB which makes it even better!!!!
(4)
Steve K.
We went last night, not having been inside for a couple years. I think they must have gone through a change in management. My wife drives by there often, and had noticed that the parking lot had seemed to be more busy lately, so we decided to give it a try. Big sign at the door of BYOB, which my wife thought had to do with plastic bags, lol. Apparently they've lost their beer / wine license, hopefully they'll get it back, but hey, with thai food water is fine. This kind of reinforces my theory about the change in management as well. Easy solution: stop at Longs Drugs a couple blocks away and get some cold beer or wine and bring it. We started off with the beef salad, which was just right in terms of getting ready for the main dishes, which were the volcano duck (hey, it is Chinese NY, after all) and the ginger ono. Both were excellent. We also had ordered Pad Thai, which was ok, but really not necessary, as there was rice with both entrees. The pad thai was disappointing compared to the other dishes. This is not a place to come for speedy service, but we were quite satisfied, and our bill came out to $67. Next time we won't bother with the pad thai, and bring our own wine. Yep, we'll definitely be back. It's crazy how many thai restaurants are in this town, but I for one am not complaining :)....... If you have a smartphone with the Yelp app, be sure to check in and get the free fried ice cream for dessert. That was a bonus that was an excellent end to the meal.
(4)
Divya S.
Really good food! We were in Big Island for 5 days, and went to Krua twice since their food was delicious! We tried their tom-yum soup, drunken noodles and green curry, and it was all pretty good. If you are tired of eating sandwiches and on-the-go snacks during your trip, this place can definitely offer a calm, quiet meal with taste that will last.
(4)
Mike S.
Wow...never liked Thai food until I came to Krua, now its all I want! I had the Panang Curry, yum! The service is great and friendly as well as helpful for those of us learning about Thai food. Authentic? No idea! Taste? Great! Also had Thai Tea which was pretty sweet compared to what I've had in the past, but I enjoyed this. We also had the Fried Ice Cream which had a thick shell that tasted great. Oh crab rangoon is way better than most places I've had it. Keep up the good work Krua!
(5)
Derick B.
I went here with my family. The decor is nice and warm. Our server was friendly and hilarious. These were good, but the food was amazing. We ordered four appetizers and they were delicious, I recommend the calamari. Then came the entrees, I tried them all and I was impressed. I personally got the "Volcanic Duck" a half a duck, deep fried and covered in sweet chili sauce. The skin was so crispy and to die for. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys great food for a good price.
(5)
John H.
Crisp fresh basil spring rolls, crunchy green papaya salad and wonderfully prepared garlic pepper grilled opaka with brown rice - we love this place. Best Thai we've found in West Hawai'i!
(5)
Aaron L.
Food was great and staff is accommodating towards off menu changes. I got the Pad Thai with duck which is not listed on the menu, and brown rice was available to replace the jasmine rice. Food was delicious! Some of the best duck I have had. Only problem is the service. It was a slow evening when we went and it took longer than comfortable to get drinks and place our orders.
(4)
Eleik M.
Best Thai food in Kailua Kona. A little more expensive than the other guys, but totally worth it. I have had dreams of their Red Mango Curry and the Rama the King (Peanut and coconut sauce over vegetables). I was actually EATING food in this dream (in a spaceship), unlike many other food related dreams I have had in the past. I would highly recommend Krua to anyone with tastebuds.
(5)
Ashley F.
Green curry was tasty. Paid Thai noodle was super sweet and wet. The service was extremely slow and it being a Monday night, can only imagine how slow it cAn get on weekends. Staff (waitress) did not know much about the menu so come prepared.
(1)
Ravi B.
service extremely slow and doesn't know their own menu. over 30 minutes to take our order and had to ask a second time for drinks. Thai iced tea is chalky. fried wontons are way overly greasy and lacking flavor. garlic shrimp over cooked, scallops extremely undercooked (same dish) and ran into cross contaminated and moldy ingredients. these shrimp need a steak knife to cut. Tom Kha: light on flavor, missing galangal or lemon grass. soggy tomatoes, tasted slightly of the soap left in the soup bowl and smelled slightly of bleach. if you want to literally start vomiting at the table and still have to pay for your food this is the restaurant for you.
(1)
Eric T.
The owners and chef here are extremely friendly and their food is authentic Thai cuisine according to Thai family of mine from Bangkok. One of the best Thai restaurants on the island if not the best.
(5)
Kris V.
Chicken Satay & Jasmine rice are always delicious! . Definitely call ahead for lunch-quality takes time.
(4)
Tracy H.
Great food and great service. Authentic Thai cuisine. The Panang Mango Curry was the best I have ever experienced. I will be back for more!
(4)
Eric And Jennifer R.
The food was very authentic. One of our family members can't eat spicy food and it's difficult to find a Thai restaurant without spicy food. However Krua made our dishes from scratch so our dishes were not spicy at all. Not even mild. They gave us the spice on the side for those of us who love spicy food.
(4)
Gayle V.
Best Thai food we have ever had! We had the Ono ginger fish and panang curry with chicken on our first visit. Loved this place so much came back a second time on our vacation and had the Ono curry and literally cleaned the bowl out completely! Great service! Worth going here for dinner. Prices were good too.
(5)
Aaron M.
I decided to give Krua another shot after the initial bad food we had. I figured maybe it was just a bad night. But, yuk. Canned Campbell chicken noodle soup with some chicken shards and mushrooms is not thai soup. Pad Thai? You think that is what Pad Thai is supposed to taste like? It is not. It tastes like linguini with a little butter and a TON of sugar. Or maybe it is corn syrup. It definitely definitely is not anything close to anything approximating Thai food. The papaya salad was ok. The worst in town, but not disgusting. There are a lot of Thai places in town. This one is solidly the worst. DO NOT GO. Notice how everything is 10% off (yet still the most expensive in town)? That is because locals know it is bad.
(1)
Steven B.
During my 12/13 trip to Kona, I had dinner at Krua and enjoyed it. I had the chicken prik king (delicious) with brown rice, and the green papaya salad (sadly tasteless). Nice atmosphere, friendly and fast service, and I'd go back.
(4)
David C.
Had dinner with family. I'll assume that the prices are pretty standard for island restaurants. The food was pretty mediocre compared to other Thai places I've been. We tried the Tom Yum, Lad Nah, Pad Thai, Massuman curry, and Pad See Ew. I really only liked the last one. A couple of the reviews here rave about the authenticity of the food. Since I've not been to Thailand I can't comment on that. Perhaps I'm just used to "americanized" Thai food. P.S. This is maybe picking a bit on the restaurant, but the bathroom doors are slatted -- basically acoustically transparent. And the bathroom had a mystery puddle next to the commode. Yikes!
(2)
Rodney F.
Why 5 Stars? Keep it simple. Exceptional food. Super friendly staff. Fast service. Clean facility. Reasonable prices. Everything looked, smelled and tastes so fresh. One note if you like Thai dishes spicy make sure to let your server know, as the standard heat level is very low.
(5)
Raymond D.
Nice place. Friendly staff and good food. I had the Thai fried rice with shrimp and it was very good. The wife's dish was good as well. We will definitely come here next time back in Kona.
(4)
Judy M.
Excellent dinner topped off with dessert. This was the first time my husband & I have been to this restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised with the dishes we ordered. We had Pad Thai & yellow chicken curry which both had great flavor. To make our dinner even better I found a coupon on Yelp for a free desert when you order 2 dishes. Nice delicious surprise. We will definitely go back again when we are in Kona again in October.
(5)
Megha A.
Awesome food. Totally loved it.
(5)
Phil R.
I liked the atmosphere but the food and the service were sub-par. The Pad Thai tasted like BBQ sauce and the Drunken Noodle veggies were uncooked. Service was slow and ran out of drinks a few times. I will probably go back but I hope for a better experience next time.
(2)
Nikki B.
This was the worst Thai place I've ever been to. The service was horrible and the food wasn't any better. We had appetizers that were good, but how do you mess up fried food, really? I had the Pad Thai, which was the worst I've ever had. It had a smoky flavor and wasn't spicy at all. I had to add chili paste to it and it still wasn't good. If I hadn't been starving and it hadn't taken forever to get our food, I probably would not have eaten it at all. I wouldn't go back here or recommend it to anyone else.
(1)
Charles G.
Wanted to like this place. They did not serve wine and beer as noted on Yelp which was not necessarily bad but would have enjoyed a cold beer with my dinner. Atmosphere was nonexistent, service fare. Ordered the special which turned out to be a skad mackerel that was served whole and smaller than a brook trout. also the vegetables were drowned in a typical sweet sauce from any Chinese restaurant USA. Nothing authentic. My wife's curry was ok. Place was not very crowded either which makes you wonder. In all fairness the table next to us had dishes that looked better than what we ordered.
(3)
Lisbeth D.
Krua is a great choice when you're looking for delicious and authentic Thai. They offer lunch specials but there were too many other things on the menu that my husband and I wanted to try. I ordered Tom Yum soup (thai spicy) and it's spice level was perfect. I really liked that the broth was actually spicy since a lot restaurants just dump in dried pepper flakes - not the same flavor at all! I also ordered the fresh spring rolls and thought they were fabulous. They were huge and included many fresh herbs which made the flavor pop. I've been craving them ever since and haven't had spring rolls that good ever. My husband ordered green curry and was a big fan of that as well. We really enjoyed our meal here.
(4)
Warburg L.
Ordered pot stickers and spring rolls for appetizers - good but a bit sweet. The Hawaiian tastes are sweeter than I am used to. The curries were good - both the green and yellow. My daughter and I ordered ours extra spicy but it didn't curl our tongue. Overall a good place to go and I will go back again.
(4)
Jordin L.
Recommended by a local and worth it! Green papaya salad is authentic (I have been to Thailand) and the chicken in the pineapple curry is super tender. Very nice and attentive staff! Remember BYOB!
(4)
Connie H.
great place. top two faves are drunken noodles and the mango sweet sticky rice. (however they say this is seasonal, it's not always offered) would love to see the dessert on the menu regularly. great dishes and huge portions IMO. easily dinner and lunch for the next day
(4)
Nisha A.
Loved it! Fresh vegetables in my dish and yummy peanut dressing on the salad. Great lunch specials too!
(5)
tiffany l.
Quick service. Our food arrived no more than 5 min during lunch time. The food itself is a bit salty.
(3)
Ann K.
Steady traffic of regulars ordering takeout. I got the vegetables with rice and the egg rolls. I ordered the seasoning mild and it was meh, you should probably go for the medium spicy of you like it mild and Thai spicy if you desire it spicy. Service was attentive and friendly.
(3)
Paran Y.
Nice vib. Well lit and clean. Food was very good. Ordered the pad thai with vermacelli noodles and I thought it was well prepared. The fish dish I ordered was a little overcooked though.
(4)
Lani G.
Krua offers amazingly tasty Thai. The best that I've had in Kona. The chicken panang and pad thai are to die for. I'll definitely return to try their other dishes.
(4)
David S.
Outstanding food! One of the best meals we had in Kona. I am a Thai food snob and this place was one of the best I've ever eaten at. The staff was also wonderful!
(5)
Maryann M.
Just the worst Thai food I have ever eaten. Tasteless, cold, unappetizing and overpriced Mahi Mahi that was without any seasoning and also undercooked
(1)
Vijay R.
Kona and Hawaii in general has a lot of Thai cuisines. Another Thai place that I went to was basically like Chinese food because it was very oily and greasy without much flavors and spices in Thai food. After eating that garbage, Krua was a much better experience. The family is Filipino and Thai, and the food and service is authentic. I felt like I was at home with the type of service and courtesy that I received. My only negative is that the pricing for this food was very steep considering a smaller portion size.
(4)
Bill M.
Service is attentive and accommodating. Food is great. Mango curry is world-class. Best Thai restaurant on the Big Island. Come back again and again.
(5)
Phung T.
Great service, great food, and they know Asian spicy!
(5)
D A.
This is a really good Thai restaurant. I've been their twice and ordered their lunch combinations. I got curry both times but different curries each time and my wife ordered the Thai basil chicken. They were all very good. The restaurant is very clean, service was quick and with a smile. I was in Kona on vacation for a couple weeks and tried three Thai restaurants. This was by far the best we went to and was as good as the best one I frequent back home. Prices are very fair. The lunches were around $8.50 each.
(4)
SacBelle S.
Best Thai in Kona that we found. The food was fresh and delicious. They grow their herbs there and you can see some right by the front door. Presentation was awesome. The facilities are spotless which is nice. The kitchen is in view and well run. The servers were friendly. We went several times on our trip. The Basil-Chicken was great. My husband enjoyed two different curries.
(5)
Sonny S.
always the best thai. I personally love all the curries, pineapple fried rice and deep fried ice cream. But everything on the menu is splendid. The employees are very friendly and welcoming and most of all attentive. A must for thai food lovers visiting the Islands.
(5)
Karen N.
We LOVE thai; this is our fave in Kona! Great menu and service. Everything we've tried has always been excellent. Since my review above.....I think this place has changed ownership.....food was okay....small portion......seemed expensive this time. :-( We come back to Kona every year and try out all the thai places....I would no longer give this three stars.
(2)
Beverly B.
Krua is absolutely AMAZING!! The service is over the top!! It's a family owned restaurant, the cook is the owner! My all time favorite is the chicken cashew Siam!! Every time I go to dinner here I can't leave without having dessert! They make banana won ton with icecream glazed with Chocolate and berry glaze!!! Best THIA in KONA!! On a scale to one to ten they deserve a 20!!! They're veggies are LOCAL and you can't beat that!!!
(5)
K D.
Love their AUTHENTIC thai food! Tried just about everything too. I always go in for their lunch special. Must try their crispy duck salad and FRIED ICE CREAM!. Family owned and operated and friendly service. Yum!!
(4)
Sonya W.
Good food and HUGE portions. I ordered the mango seafood dish at medium heat. The heat was there and the flavor was very good. Plus I had leftovers for one or two days to eat at the timeshare. (The reheated dish was pretty good as well). There was not any thai iced tea available though.
(4)
Kari S.
Had the combination Thai fried rice, yellow curry with chicken, shrimp with garlic veggies, & sticky rice with mango for dessert. Our meal was outstanding and service was good.
(4)
Grace E.
Very delicious food and great service. Would come back again and again.
(5)
Kara O.
I have gone to krua before for lunch and loved the food and service. I went there for dinner tonight and got the WORST service EVER!!! It took 2 hours to get our food. My moms SALAD didn't even make it to the dinner table we had to get it as take out. We got our bill which we got 15% off because of the whole deal and when we got our bill back to be signed it magically went back to full price!!!!! I mean they can get our food to us in a timely manner then they lie and change our bill!!!! I will NEVER go there AGAIN!!!! Worse service I ever got!!!!!
(1)
k k.
Really good deal for lunch was $8.95. Lots of choices too. I tried the pad thai chicken and noodles and it was great tasting with the peanut sauce. Came with alittle side salad on the plate. The noodle/chicken portion was big! Splurged on the thai coffee too, that was sooo tasty. Overall the best Thai I've had in awhile. Also want to mention the place was very nice inside and clean. Very nice.
(4)
Katie M.
If you like Thai... Don't miss this place in Kona. They have great lunch specials, the food is yummy, and the service is sweet and kind and attentive. There are lots of Thai choices in Kona, this may be the best representation of authentic Thai food on island.
(5)
Kyle C.
Very friendly, great service! The pad Thai and pineapple curry are delicious!
(5)
Wesley S.
10/8/2010 update: I came twice since the remodel (the official grand opening is 10/10/10). I'm sorry to say, it's not the same anymore. Looks like it is under new ownership. I am the sorriest person now that my favorite Grilled Beef Salad is no more (read my previous reviews). The Grilled Beef Salad is just a plain grilled beef salad, and the portion has been cut in half. Where am I going to get my fix of Grilled Beef Salad now? I thought I heard staff talking in Chinese. Maybe they are Chinese from Thailand. And celebrating 10/10 is definitely a Chinese thing. The remodel did add real windows (instead of just screen windows) and the place is AC'd now. It's not bad food, mind you. But it is nothing special anymore. I do not have a reason to return here. A conditional 5-Star! (See my update at bottom, I will stick with a conditional 5-star rating for now, with more conditions.) What condition? Their Grilled Beef Salad - it's the best I've ever had. The rest of menu are 3 to 4-Stars. Maybe I should average them to give a 4-star. I've eaten here about ten times, and ordered the Grilled Beef Salad nine times. The one time I didn't order it, I regret. And out of 9 times I ordered it, 8 was outstanding. I don't know what happened the 9th time - maybe the chef was off that night. The key to the best Grilled Beef Salad is balance - balance of spiciness, sweetness, sourness, and freshness. So I recommend ordering it "spicy." They got the best balance. The portion is big enough to make a meal by itself, I normally order it with rice and ice tea for a complete dinner. Throw in a soup, if I'm extra hungry. That's all I order for myself nowdays. I sample or share other dishes my friends order, but I am quite happy eating just Grilled Beef Salad. UPDATE (3/4/2010): OK, I went back for the 11th time, and the Grilled Beef Salad was not up to the usual standard. Then I noticed one (at least) missing ingredient - the mint (I call it mint, but it may not be; it's the minty-smelling leaves)! I told the waitress, and she asked the chef. And I was right. They ran out of that minty-leaves. Next time I go, I will call ahead to make sure they have every ingredients for the Grilled Beef Salad. Without it, it does not deserve a 5-star.
(3)
Tom M.
Very tasty, but small portions (maybe a consequence of being tasty? :)) Curry sauce is delicious. But mild is somewhat hot already, so keep that in mind when you order medium or hot.
(4)
Anna P.
Went for lunch, food was great, portion size - in my opinion - very generous! Prices very reasonable for Hawaii standards. Service nice and atmosphere very pleasant. Chef grows a lot of his own herbs as well, and you can tell. The food is a bit different than the ultra traditional, but in a nice way. Would recommend!
(5)
Frank W.
Been going there for years. Best Thai food in Kona...pleasant staff and nice atmosphere. Always get the yellow curry with chicken and sticky rice...yummy!!!
(5)
Under The Bodhi Tree B.
went in for lunch, great service. we had the tom yum soup, a noodle dish that i don't remember the name of, and spicy fried rice. the food was delicious, and spicy!! I've been craving spicy and this hit the spot. the condiment caddy with the powder was awesome!! will definitely return for all my thai food needs :)
(5)
Danielle P.
A bit of a disappointment. We make a point of eating here every time we're in town and were very excited to come back, but when we got our meals, the portion size was about half of what it had been the the other times we have eaten here (about 6-7 times). Also, instead of the many vegetables being stir fried so they were flavorful and crunchy, they had been steamed until they were mushy and piled, unseasoned, on the side. I eat thai food every week for years and have never come across steamed vegetables being served at a Thai restaurant... We also ordered our meals thai hot and received food with no detectable heat. The night we went, they were having their grand reopening. Let's hope things change back to the way they used to be.
(2)
Byron H.
It's a tricky location, but the food is incredible.
(4)
Anand And Lux K.
Food is good. But the five stars is for the service. The staff was extremely accommodating and attentive. We asked for vegetarian items, and were told they can make anything vegetarian on the menu (without fish sauce if needed). Better Thai food than many of the places I've eaten back in California. The family is both Filipino and Thai, so the desserts we had, had both influences, and were excellent. The restaurant also seemed more clean and maintained better than the other Thai restaurants in Kona. I would definitely come back again.
(5)
sandy d.
Best Thai food in kona. Fresh basil is very fresh and special duck is excellent. Service is very good too. I will go again every week
(5)
Dania-Maria K.
Krua Thai's interior design I fell in love with, I'm a sucker for that Thai style, if that's even what it is in their restaurant. It was such a pleasant experience. Our server was very kind and patient with us as we perused the menu. We ended up ordering the basil wraps to start, the peanut sauce was hearty with that delicious subtle peanut sweetness that really added to the rolls already strong flavor. The other sauce was also good, maybe black bean? I wasn't too sure, but it became overwhelming after awhile. We then ordered our entrees, which consisted of the garden vegetable something dish (under then sauteed section of the menu), Pad Thai, Pineapple fried rice along with the Krua Thai noodles. I tried a little of all dishes and devoured my own! They were all quite good, however I feel like the pineapple fried rice won out this time, the pineapple added a delicious zest to the comforting dish. Cute place and I can't wait to go back and try more.
(4)
Gregg D.
This was okay, but I've definitely had better Thai. Service was a bit slow, but I only saw 2 ladies running the tables. I had Panang Curry, and veggie spring rolls. The spring rolls were just as they should be, though sauces were just meh. I actually had never had a peanut sauce I didn't like, so that was unusual. Plum/Hoisin sauce with it was a bit better, but still tasted a bit strange The curry was in a shallow bowl/plate hybrid, so while it looks big, there should have been a bit more for the price. I also asked for it "Thai spicy" and it was very mild, that was likely the most disappointing thing. Though the menu says it welcomes all vegan/vegetarian requests,, they still seem very confused by it. We stated up front that all of us were vegan, so absolutely no animal products. Yet each person was asked if egg was okay, or we wanted fish sauce multiple times. I'm used to that type of thing, but for each and every person? lol
(3)
Marshall W.
Cute place and on a par with a lot of great Thai restaurants. I had the lunch special which was nicely assembled with baked cashews and a variety of vegetables in a savory sauce. Wife had a curry dish. As an extra we shared a free Thai tea because we had a card. This place is neat as a pin. Nice perhaps authentic Thai decor and gave it a comfortable ambiance. Server was an older lady and was so helpful in choosing our lunches. Hard to find even with a Garmin but they offer free parking and right in front. Total bill was $25 including my $5 tip. Nuff said.
(3)
T p.
I would have given no star to this place. Server came to our table and yelled at us at our kids 1yr and 2yr old are yelling too much. They were not crying or even making that much noise. They were just happy to get out of car after long day driving around The Big Island. She told us that she has customer here and they went to different part of restaurant because of our kids. FUNNY THOSE PATRONS HAD 2 TEENAGERS WITH THEM. Server kept apologizing for being rude but that was just too late. You r in hospitality industry act like one. If u have problems with happy kids just don't allow customer with kids. Other patrons said they moved because of fan. But I know for sure that was a lie. Krua. You didn't lose a customer they just chose sit somewhere else. You guys made a big deal out of nothing. But you did lose our business for sure.
(1)
Taco N.
Bummer!!! Terrible Thai food that was cooked with zero Love!!! I have eaten at Krua at least 10 times over the years with friends and workers and have NEVER been impressed with the food!!! The atmosphere inside gives you hope that the food is going to be awesome , unfortunately the high prices and small portions dont add up to a good value! The one time we did takeout it was the lightest weight takeout bag i have ever had in my life that cost 50$s....It wasnt enough food for 3 ...2 were light eaters :( I have been to Thailand and have eaten at hundreds of Thai restaurants all over..Normally Thai food is a fresh explosion of flavors. The dishes at Krua just dont "pop!" Unfortunately the food at Krua ranks near the bottom of my list in terms of flavors, value, and the actual LOVE that goes into everything! ! The chicken, beef, and pork in the various dishes were all salty and rubbery!! There was also very little meat in the entrees compared to the veggies. Normally I ask for extra meat when this has happened, but the meats just weren't tasty at all! !! The sauces were very watery and felt more like a soup than stir fry! ! The 10$ lunch special was at most 5$ worth of food. . It was just a small dish of the entree with No egroll / spring roll or soup, just a scoop of rice and an attempt of a salad! There was very little differences in taste with all the dishes ordered... Bland Thai food that felt like it came out of a crock pot!!! Our entire group regretted our lunch decision afterwards, except that the atmosphere was nice. Good food is what we really wanted :( Unfortunately mediocre food seems to be the norm here in Kona, but there are definitely a few places with great atmosphere and food to match...Krua Thai only has the atmosphere. ....Improve your food !!!
(1)
Denni P.
The Friday night we all went the place had one other table in the restaurant. That should have been my first clue. Service was attentive, food was mediocre. Flavours didn't seem to dance in mouth wen I normally entertain Thai cuisine and left unimpressed. Normally I rate places as if I'm 'going back' or 'skip' and this one is a skip for me for next time.
(3)
Grace E.
First time in Hawaii and had a taste of their Thai food. I was not expecting too much from this place but I was very disappointed with the food. I ordered a Tom Yum Noodle Soup along with some appetizers. The noodle came undercooked and the broth was tasteless. Being raised in San Gabriel, California, I was used to delicious Thai food. Sadly I was not pleased with the food. The appetizers were decent. I had the crispy spring rolls and fried wontons. The service was overall pretty good since it was a calm night with no crowd.
(1)
James W.
I found this place initially because it was such craziness right down where the water is that I escaped one street up. Happened to find this place because they actually have some parking. In any case, I'm glad I did. Service was fast and they make classic Thai dishes well. I got the drunken noodles and tried the papaya salad with an order of chicken satay. The papaya salad was very fresh! Large portions too. Went well with the chicken satay. My drunken noodles were also done well, although the large pieces of onion in it made my breath something to be desired afterwards. They served us very quickly, so we were able to make our manta ray night dive without any problems.
(4)
Angie B.
This place has become a huge disappointment. We usually come here for our lunch break. At first, the prices and service were both amazing. Now the wait time is close to 30-40 minutes. The service is a hit or miss. Sometimes the staff is very friendly, other times we are completely ignored. We came in during lunch time and sat at the table for 15 minutes with no menus, water or even an acknowledgment. Trying to be understanding of the lunch rush but when the waitress kept walking by us without any acknowledgement we got up and left. The lunch prices are compatible but if you're on a time limit, I wouldn't recommend this place. You'll have 5 minutes to eat once the food comes. They lost two loyal customers. On to the next Thai restaurant.
(2)
Joshua Lee B.
This is our families #2 Thai spot for Kona.... Never disappointed! We have chicken satay for kiddos, with the tempura shrimp, crispy wontons and Thai crispy duck salad!! Delishoius!!!! Staff are super friendly, courteous and attentive. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is super casual. Great for dinner and lunch.
(4)
Sekueli ..
Been here a few times and like always, the food was excellent. Had the lovely duck. The portion was huge and the duck was super delicious. The fried ice cream is the bomb and a perfect dessert to finish off your meal with. As always, the service was great.
(5)
Brian S.
The pad Thai was fine on flavor and amount. When we were visiting though, the service was slow. The restaurant and bathrooms were clean though, and the experience was okay.
(2)
Alice S.
Three friends and I had lunch at Krua Thai today. The service was good the food fair. I've had much better Thai food. Lemongrass nearby is much better with fresh ingredients, more flavor. My friends all liked their lunches ok and that's just it, OK.
(3)
Chris J.
Slightly different Thai Food then the main land. Less flavor. Seemed like a family restaurant. Server was super friendly. Food was average, but good. Had the Thom Khaa soup. Not bad, not fantastic. I would eat here again because of the friendly staff.
(3)
Sterling B.
Quite tasty. No alcohol, but when I got antsy and started looking around the waitress picked up on the fact that my water glass was empty. Lost a star for charging extra for spicy. We needed four entrees and an appetizer to qualify for the Yelp check-in offer, so missed out on that one. Had Queen of Siam Basil Pork and spouse had Krua Ginger Chicken. Both were nocely flavoured. Son's Chicken Satay disappeared swiftly. Enjoyable...
(4)
Shelly L.
This cuisine was terrible. Cause I told the waitress that I have specific demand of the dish and asked some advises from them. They recommended one dish for me. But it was totally unexpected one. Then I hope them return this dish. They act like unhappy at all. I won't choose this restaurant again.
The food is absolutely amazing.Excellent dining experience at a moderate cost. Love this restaurant. We will definitely return.
(5)
Martin C.
Stopped in for a light lunch. Had the green papaya salad and chicken skewers. The salad was light and pleasant and not overwhelmed with fish oil. The skewers were cooked well and everything came out quickly. Will return again.
(4)
Harish K.
We visited the restaurant 3 times, food tasted great all 3 times, service was great. Each time we requested that no added sweeteners be added. At the end of the 3rd time we realised that this request had been honored only second and the third time. The same green curry was sweet and richer the first time compared to the second time) Would have given a 4 star if not for the above issue
(3)
Summer S.
The service was pretty slow, and they seemed to be understaffed, The food was not nearly spicy enough even though we ordered it "hot". Its weird that they charge for Thai hot, and also the fact that Thai hot plus is an option means that their spice level is messed up. Not the best.
(2)
May B.
Truth be told, the first place we wandered to was closed for the night since they had a pipe explosion of some sort, so we found this place - and we were glad we went. We got an assortment of appetizers, I enjoyed the spring rolls very much - although it's pretty hard to mess up something that is deep fried. Almost everyone at our table got curries, which were pretty darn good - portions were good sized, I was definitely stuffed after scarfing it all down. We also checked in and got the free fried ice cream - yum nothing like a hot and cold dessert - I've never seen a dessert get eaten as quickly as ours was, what can I say, it was good. The decor is nice and the server checked up on us throughout the night. I would recommend to others.
(4)
Emilie P.
4.5 stars to give a bump... We ordered take - out after a long day of traveling: Tom Yum w/Shrimp, Laab (ground pork), and Red Curry (Chicken). All were delicious!! Prices are what you would expect in HI. Not cheap, but I didn't feel ripped off. I have a soft spot for Tom Yum and this one was tart and lime-y, just how I like it. The Laab was perfectly minty/herby...This is our all - time Thai fav!! Red curry was good, but missing something....we couldn't figure out what. The staff were warm and sweet, bringing the hubs water after water with his blatant sunscorch. Check in and get your free fried ice cream. A great way to end a delicious meal.
(4)
Stasj T.
Arrived and was immediately seated. That's about all that was good. Service was EXTREMELY SLOW. Granted, there was a party next to us, but even so, I have never waited almost an hour for my food. Tempura was overcooked, looked more deep-fried than light and flaky as tempura should be. Ordered the garden delight with chicken; wasn't spicy so we had to ask them to bring hot sauce. It was okay; considering I eat a lot of thai food, this place wasn't too pleasing. The wait REALLY brought this rating down.
(2)
Debbie S.
Ordered 4 items ..we are Vegan..Stressed NO EGGS, NO FISH OIL..Ordered Tom Kah Soup..Very Good..Need chunks of BROCOLLI, chunks of carrots..not sliced carrots..didn't like the soggy 1/4 chunks of tomato's ..The coconut flavor soup was great..Got fried Tofu..it was ok..well done which was good..a teaspoon of sauce for 4 slices of tofu..The Veggie Curry had an awful spice ..didn't like.. Pad Thai was Last...we started eating..and it was filled with EGG CRUMBLES THROUGHOUT ...Not good if Someone would've had allergies...We are VEGAN..So we were not happy..explained to waitress..we couldn't understand her..she took a couple dollars off bill..should've been the pad Thai taken off since we didn't eat it..that was crazy ..beware if food allergies..or VEGAN..it was cooks fault since we made sure to hear her tell cooks NO EGG , NO FISH OIL..when order went in..
(3)
An N.
I don't know if it was the fluke rain storm that passed through that night, or the fact that my trio had just finished an exhausting yet gorgeous day at Captain Cook, but this meal was SO underwhelming. I've been here in the past and don't remember the food being so mediocre. Tom Yum Soup: Can never go wrong with this. But there is a fine line between savory/sweet and just outright artificial and salty tasting. Restaurant was lucky I was famished and cold because if not for those two factors, this soup would have been a fail. Calamari: Flavors were descent was breading was dismal and I was just inhaling grease. Drunken Noodle: This was actually half descent. Basic flavors. Ginger Fish: DO NOT ORDER! Such a waste of $20. We got the Mahi, and the fish itself was completely overcooked, fish did not taste fresh at all (I east A LOT of seafood, so fishiness does not bother me.. just straight NOT FRESH does), and the whole composition of the dish was a complete hot mess. I will not be coming back here ever again. With so many Thai options around Kailua Kona, this does not need to be visited again.
(3)
Lindsey S.
Incredibly disappointing. My first experience here when it first opened was so bad that I vowed to never return. This was a few years ago, and my husband convinced me how wonderful it is. We've enjoyed a few meals (dine in and take out) and they began to change my mind. Today my husband asked me to pick up some soup for him on the way home since he was sick. I picked it up and paid the bill that they no longer offered kama'aina on. $17! $17 FOR SOUP!! Soup for ONE person. Plus tip I spent nearly $20. I told him "this better be the best d*** $17 soup you've ever had!" The soup was so salty he could hardly eat it. I won't be back.
(1)
Brittany S.
We met an elderly Hawaiian man (Antonio who was 71 to be exact) on a park bench who told us this was the place to go when we informed him we were craving Thai eats. Located a few blocks off the main downtown Kona strip is the kind of place you think of when you're craving standard Thai - red curry, green curry, pad thai, mango and sticky coconut rice, spring rolls and so on. One special note, when you check in on Yelp you can receive a free fried ice cream (not sure what that looks like at a Thai establishment, we were too stuffed to find out). Everything was delicious - my only complaint was that the veggie spring rolls were on the hard side - it almost seemed as if the rice paper had dried out before they were created or the rolls were made in advance? Also, the rolls did not have noodles in them (womp womp). One neat note, the rice for my red curry was served in an adorable straw-crafted box. Nice touch. Bathrooms were very clean and the service was attentive.
(4)
Jessica G.
This place has amazing flavorful dishes most of the portions I've gotten are large enough to split for two or save some for tomorrow. The ambience is good the waitstaff is nice and food always tastes fresh!
(3)
Josh J.
All I can ask is "was the cook mad at me?" My wife's mixed seafood red curry was outstanding. Fresh fish, intense flavor, everything from mussels to calamari perfectly cooked. My crab pad thai, on the other hand, was utterly revolting. Its "sauce" (I use this term generously) was a mixture of sickly sweet orange gunk and liquid smoke. The flavor -- all 4 bites I forced down before gagging "may I have a box, please" -- was basically smoky, concentrated Thai iced tea. The texture was almost as bad: like shredded jell-o crossed with what happened when you were 22 and fell asleep boiling Ramen at 3 AM, only to wake up at 4:30 and decide the partly-molten glop in the pan was probably edible. In case you've forgot those experiences, it still isn't.
(2)
Katherine B.
To be honest, the last time we came here we didn't care for it. Me being half Thai, I'm very critical of Thai food. Growing up, my mom always made authentic Thai food. Today I was craving Thai food and decided to try it again after seeing their lunch specials at a good price. I had the pad see ew lunch special and a cup of tom yum gai! My daughter had the yellow curry. All dishes were soooo good! Tom yum had the perfect amount of spice. The chicken (gai) melted in my mouth. Definitely authentic too! Service was great! We'll be coming back soon! Especially to redeem my free fried ice cream. Thank you Sam! Good stuff!
(5)
Robert S.
The food here is absolutely delicious and this place is clean and service is good. The missing star is because their portions, compared to other Thai cuisines, their portions are not big, which meant we had to order more. Also, their ambiance is like a cafeteria more than a restaurant, if you know what I mean. But other than that, they do deserve the 4-Star rating. Happy dining in Hawaii.
(4)
Terry G.
We had just arrived from the mainland. Saw the favorable reviews on Yelp. Gosh ... we use Yelp all the time nowadays. Anyhow, we fancied Thai and went for it. The place wasn't very busy but staff was friendly. No booze and we were hoping for a beer. Oh well. You can bring your own drinks. Ordered sweet potato appetizer, drunken noodles and vegetable stir fry. Sweet potatoes were purple and lightly breaded with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Flavor was sweet like yams but a stronger earthier intensity. We ate them all so apparently they were pretty good. Drunken noodles were excellent and vegetables were still crisp. Even with our modest order we couldn't finish it all. Meal came with steamed rice. Weren't sure at first but things turned out well. Good food and nice people.
(4)
Willi S.
I can honestly say this was the best Thai food I've ever eaten. I really enjoyed the egg plant salad and garlic duck. The egg plant was cooked perfect. The duck was nice and crispy. The service was awesome. The waitress never let my cup go empty. She also spoke perfect understandable English. She answered all my questions with ease she was nice and knowledgable about the dishes they serve. Very nice and clean dining area. They also have a little herb garden out front where I assume they pick fresh Thai basil, lime leaves, and lemon grass which adds to the freshness of the food. Only down side is the parking is limited and tight. We went for a early dinner so parking was easy. If recommend to go early.
(5)
Zach R.
I was craving Thai food for my birthday and decided to eat at Krua because I've eaten there once before and it's really good from what I remember. It's conveniently located near all my favorite stores but lacks the view that I sometimes want when dining out. My girlfriend and I were immediately greeted by the waitress and shown to a table once one was available. It was just after 12PM lunch rush and the place was busy, but we were seated in less than two minutes, which was nice because that's one step closer to eating and I was pretty hungry. After ordering our food, the appetizers arrived in what seemed like only a few minutes, but they were remarkably good. We enjoyed a considerable amount of the deep fried calamari to start, and one Pad Thai dish each, mine with chicken and hers with tofu. Our meal arrived quicker than anticipated, filled us both up, and were quite delicious. Only thing I forgot to do was check in and get the free fried ice cream! Next time :)
(4)
Brian S.
This place has excellent service, as a server, that means a lot to me. The food tastes as amazing as it looks and it came out of the kitchen super fast. Even the prices are great. We just found our new favorite restaurant!
(5)
Chad M.
When I'm in the mood for Thai food this is the place I go to. They make a pretty mean basil duck and their calamari appetizer is always fresh, light, and crispy! A little pricey but well worth it!
(4)
Sarah C.
The food was great ! Really authentic tasting, I ordered the duck panang curry and eggplant dish. A little pricier than what I'm used to, but for the location its expected. Just a tip, not sure if mentioned previously, for the free dessert it requires a purchase of four entrees and a appetizer. All in all , decent meal !
(4)
Nari H.
Check in for free fried ice cream!! This place was pretty great. The portion sizes were big and everything I ate was very tasty. Their Thai Fried Rice and Yellow Curry were very good. Their Pad Thai was good, but their Fried Ice Cream was amazing. Decor was definitely on the nicer side and service was friendly. I would recommend and definitely come back.
(4)
Tani M.
Probably the best Thai food that I've had. They grow the herbs that they use in their dishes and it really makes a difference.
(5)
D S.
Love this restaurant! Ive been coming here for years and it's always really good! I seem to always get one of their noodle dishes just because they are so yummy and big enough portions i can take some home. I give 4 stars and not 5 because last time I went here on a date, my date got the wrong meat in his dish and also its BYOB now since they lost their liquor license. I do recommend this place though, im always really happy with my food and the service.
(4)
Jacques L.
Loved the papaya salad. Pad see ew had great flavor and the noodle texture was perfect for us being more on the firm side. Service was great as well.
(5)
Deborah N.
Krua was my favorite Thai restaurant in town UNTIL the last time. I ordered my food "Thai hot" (spicy), as always, & looked forward to a culinary feast. After ordering, I noticed the owner's wife peeking at us from the kitchen - at the time, I didn't think anything about it. I subsequently got my yummy-looking dish, which was super bland - no spice in it at all. When I asked our server why, he indicated the owner was out of the restaurant & his wife was "training a new cook". What a shock to realize I'd been profiled at a Thai restaurant!!! Never saw that coming...... Guess I don't "look" like someone who can eat spicy food, although I've eaten it all my life. If you visit Krua & don't "look" like you can handle spicy food, bring your own spice. PS- I subsequently called the restaurant several times & left messages for the owner. He either never got the messages, or chose not to respond.
(1)
Brian G.
This was a solid Thai meal. We stopped here for lunch shortly after arriving in Kailua-Kona before later heading to our resort to check in. We ordered the salad rolls as an appetizer. We were a little underwhelmed by them. They had all of the right ingredients and were much larger than we have often found them to be, but the carrots and cucumbers inside were SO crunchy that it felt a little like I was a rabbit eating a giant carrot, not a herb-filled roll. I've attached a picture in case you want to see if these are your thing. The Pad Thai was great -- their "mild" was a little spicier than I would have considered mild, but still within my heat tolerance, so I gobbled it down. My partner ordered the Volcanic Duck and cleaned his plate. It was delicious and filled with all of the rich Thai spices I love (I stole quite a few bites, I must admit.) Service was very friendly and the dining area was nice. Would likely return in the future.
(3)
Crista M.
Good food, reasonable price!! BYOB which makes it even better!!!!
(4)
Steve K.
We went last night, not having been inside for a couple years. I think they must have gone through a change in management. My wife drives by there often, and had noticed that the parking lot had seemed to be more busy lately, so we decided to give it a try. Big sign at the door of BYOB, which my wife thought had to do with plastic bags, lol. Apparently they've lost their beer / wine license, hopefully they'll get it back, but hey, with thai food water is fine. This kind of reinforces my theory about the change in management as well. Easy solution: stop at Longs Drugs a couple blocks away and get some cold beer or wine and bring it. We started off with the beef salad, which was just right in terms of getting ready for the main dishes, which were the volcano duck (hey, it is Chinese NY, after all) and the ginger ono. Both were excellent. We also had ordered Pad Thai, which was ok, but really not necessary, as there was rice with both entrees. The pad thai was disappointing compared to the other dishes. This is not a place to come for speedy service, but we were quite satisfied, and our bill came out to $67. Next time we won't bother with the pad thai, and bring our own wine. Yep, we'll definitely be back. It's crazy how many thai restaurants are in this town, but I for one am not complaining :)....... If you have a smartphone with the Yelp app, be sure to check in and get the free fried ice cream for dessert. That was a bonus that was an excellent end to the meal.
(4)
Mike S.
Wow...never liked Thai food until I came to Krua, now its all I want! I had the Panang Curry, yum! The service is great and friendly as well as helpful for those of us learning about Thai food. Authentic? No idea! Taste? Great! Also had Thai Tea which was pretty sweet compared to what I've had in the past, but I enjoyed this. We also had the Fried Ice Cream which had a thick shell that tasted great. Oh crab rangoon is way better than most places I've had it. Keep up the good work Krua!
(5)
Divya S.
Really good food! We were in Big Island for 5 days, and went to Krua twice since their food was delicious! We tried their tom-yum soup, drunken noodles and green curry, and it was all pretty good. If you are tired of eating sandwiches and on-the-go snacks during your trip, this place can definitely offer a calm, quiet meal with taste that will last.
(4)
Derick B.
I went here with my family. The decor is nice and warm. Our server was friendly and hilarious. These were good, but the food was amazing. We ordered four appetizers and they were delicious, I recommend the calamari. Then came the entrees, I tried them all and I was impressed. I personally got the "Volcanic Duck" a half a duck, deep fried and covered in sweet chili sauce. The skin was so crispy and to die for. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys great food for a good price.
(5)
John H.
Crisp fresh basil spring rolls, crunchy green papaya salad and wonderfully prepared garlic pepper grilled opaka with brown rice - we love this place. Best Thai we've found in West Hawai'i!
(5)
Aaron L.
Food was great and staff is accommodating towards off menu changes. I got the Pad Thai with duck which is not listed on the menu, and brown rice was available to replace the jasmine rice. Food was delicious! Some of the best duck I have had. Only problem is the service. It was a slow evening when we went and it took longer than comfortable to get drinks and place our orders.
(4)
Eleik M.
Best Thai food in Kailua Kona. A little more expensive than the other guys, but totally worth it. I have had dreams of their Red Mango Curry and the Rama the King (Peanut and coconut sauce over vegetables). I was actually EATING food in this dream (in a spaceship), unlike many other food related dreams I have had in the past. I would highly recommend Krua to anyone with tastebuds.
(5)
Ashley F.
Green curry was tasty. Paid Thai noodle was super sweet and wet. The service was extremely slow and it being a Monday night, can only imagine how slow it cAn get on weekends. Staff (waitress) did not know much about the menu so come prepared.
(1)
Ravi B.
service extremely slow and doesn't know their own menu. over 30 minutes to take our order and had to ask a second time for drinks. Thai iced tea is chalky. fried wontons are way overly greasy and lacking flavor. garlic shrimp over cooked, scallops extremely undercooked (same dish) and ran into cross contaminated and moldy ingredients. these shrimp need a steak knife to cut. Tom Kha: light on flavor, missing galangal or lemon grass. soggy tomatoes, tasted slightly of the soap left in the soup bowl and smelled slightly of bleach. if you want to literally start vomiting at the table and still have to pay for your food this is the restaurant for you.
(1)
Eric T.
The owners and chef here are extremely friendly and their food is authentic Thai cuisine according to Thai family of mine from Bangkok. One of the best Thai restaurants on the island if not the best.
(5)
Kris V.
Chicken Satay & Jasmine rice are always delicious! . Definitely call ahead for lunch-quality takes time.
(4)
Tracy H.
Great food and great service. Authentic Thai cuisine. The Panang Mango Curry was the best I have ever experienced. I will be back for more!
(4)
Eric And Jennifer R.
The food was very authentic. One of our family members can't eat spicy food and it's difficult to find a Thai restaurant without spicy food. However Krua made our dishes from scratch so our dishes were not spicy at all. Not even mild. They gave us the spice on the side for those of us who love spicy food.
(4)
Gayle V.
Best Thai food we have ever had! We had the Ono ginger fish and panang curry with chicken on our first visit. Loved this place so much came back a second time on our vacation and had the Ono curry and literally cleaned the bowl out completely! Great service! Worth going here for dinner. Prices were good too.
(5)
Aaron M.
I decided to give Krua another shot after the initial bad food we had. I figured maybe it was just a bad night. But, yuk. Canned Campbell chicken noodle soup with some chicken shards and mushrooms is not thai soup. Pad Thai? You think that is what Pad Thai is supposed to taste like? It is not. It tastes like linguini with a little butter and a TON of sugar. Or maybe it is corn syrup. It definitely definitely is not anything close to anything approximating Thai food. The papaya salad was ok. The worst in town, but not disgusting. There are a lot of Thai places in town. This one is solidly the worst. DO NOT GO. Notice how everything is 10% off (yet still the most expensive in town)? That is because locals know it is bad.
(1)
Steven B.
During my 12/13 trip to Kona, I had dinner at Krua and enjoyed it. I had the chicken prik king (delicious) with brown rice, and the green papaya salad (sadly tasteless). Nice atmosphere, friendly and fast service, and I'd go back.
(4)
David C.
Had dinner with family. I'll assume that the prices are pretty standard for island restaurants. The food was pretty mediocre compared to other Thai places I've been. We tried the Tom Yum, Lad Nah, Pad Thai, Massuman curry, and Pad See Ew. I really only liked the last one. A couple of the reviews here rave about the authenticity of the food. Since I've not been to Thailand I can't comment on that. Perhaps I'm just used to "americanized" Thai food. P.S. This is maybe picking a bit on the restaurant, but the bathroom doors are slatted -- basically acoustically transparent. And the bathroom had a mystery puddle next to the commode. Yikes!
(2)
Rodney F.
Why 5 Stars? Keep it simple. Exceptional food. Super friendly staff. Fast service. Clean facility. Reasonable prices. Everything looked, smelled and tastes so fresh. One note if you like Thai dishes spicy make sure to let your server know, as the standard heat level is very low.
(5)
Raymond D.
Nice place. Friendly staff and good food. I had the Thai fried rice with shrimp and it was very good. The wife's dish was good as well. We will definitely come here next time back in Kona.
(4)
Judy M.
Excellent dinner topped off with dessert. This was the first time my husband & I have been to this restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised with the dishes we ordered. We had Pad Thai & yellow chicken curry which both had great flavor. To make our dinner even better I found a coupon on Yelp for a free desert when you order 2 dishes. Nice delicious surprise. We will definitely go back again when we are in Kona again in October.
(5)
Megha A.
Awesome food. Totally loved it.
(5)
Phil R.
I liked the atmosphere but the food and the service were sub-par. The Pad Thai tasted like BBQ sauce and the Drunken Noodle veggies were uncooked. Service was slow and ran out of drinks a few times. I will probably go back but I hope for a better experience next time.
(2)
Nikki B.
This was the worst Thai place I've ever been to. The service was horrible and the food wasn't any better. We had appetizers that were good, but how do you mess up fried food, really? I had the Pad Thai, which was the worst I've ever had. It had a smoky flavor and wasn't spicy at all. I had to add chili paste to it and it still wasn't good. If I hadn't been starving and it hadn't taken forever to get our food, I probably would not have eaten it at all. I wouldn't go back here or recommend it to anyone else.
(1)
Charles G.
Wanted to like this place. They did not serve wine and beer as noted on Yelp which was not necessarily bad but would have enjoyed a cold beer with my dinner. Atmosphere was nonexistent, service fare. Ordered the special which turned out to be a skad mackerel that was served whole and smaller than a brook trout. also the vegetables were drowned in a typical sweet sauce from any Chinese restaurant USA. Nothing authentic. My wife's curry was ok. Place was not very crowded either which makes you wonder. In all fairness the table next to us had dishes that looked better than what we ordered.
(3)
Lisbeth D.
Krua is a great choice when you're looking for delicious and authentic Thai. They offer lunch specials but there were too many other things on the menu that my husband and I wanted to try. I ordered Tom Yum soup (thai spicy) and it's spice level was perfect. I really liked that the broth was actually spicy since a lot restaurants just dump in dried pepper flakes - not the same flavor at all! I also ordered the fresh spring rolls and thought they were fabulous. They were huge and included many fresh herbs which made the flavor pop. I've been craving them ever since and haven't had spring rolls that good ever. My husband ordered green curry and was a big fan of that as well. We really enjoyed our meal here.
(4)
Warburg L.
Ordered pot stickers and spring rolls for appetizers - good but a bit sweet. The Hawaiian tastes are sweeter than I am used to. The curries were good - both the green and yellow. My daughter and I ordered ours extra spicy but it didn't curl our tongue. Overall a good place to go and I will go back again.
(4)
Jordin L.
Recommended by a local and worth it! Green papaya salad is authentic (I have been to Thailand) and the chicken in the pineapple curry is super tender. Very nice and attentive staff! Remember BYOB!
(4)
Connie H.
great place. top two faves are drunken noodles and the mango sweet sticky rice. (however they say this is seasonal, it's not always offered) would love to see the dessert on the menu regularly. great dishes and huge portions IMO. easily dinner and lunch for the next day
(4)
Nisha A.
Loved it! Fresh vegetables in my dish and yummy peanut dressing on the salad. Great lunch specials too!
(5)
tiffany l.
Quick service. Our food arrived no more than 5 min during lunch time. The food itself is a bit salty.
(3)
Ann K.
Steady traffic of regulars ordering takeout. I got the vegetables with rice and the egg rolls. I ordered the seasoning mild and it was meh, you should probably go for the medium spicy of you like it mild and Thai spicy if you desire it spicy. Service was attentive and friendly.
(3)
Paran Y.
Nice vib. Well lit and clean. Food was very good. Ordered the pad thai with vermacelli noodles and I thought it was well prepared. The fish dish I ordered was a little overcooked though.
(4)
Lani G.
Krua offers amazingly tasty Thai. The best that I've had in Kona. The chicken panang and pad thai are to die for. I'll definitely return to try their other dishes.
(4)
David S.
Outstanding food! One of the best meals we had in Kona. I am a Thai food snob and this place was one of the best I've ever eaten at. The staff was also wonderful!
(5)
Maryann M.
Just the worst Thai food I have ever eaten. Tasteless, cold, unappetizing and overpriced Mahi Mahi that was without any seasoning and also undercooked
(1)
Vijay R.
Kona and Hawaii in general has a lot of Thai cuisines. Another Thai place that I went to was basically like Chinese food because it was very oily and greasy without much flavors and spices in Thai food. After eating that garbage, Krua was a much better experience. The family is Filipino and Thai, and the food and service is authentic. I felt like I was at home with the type of service and courtesy that I received. My only negative is that the pricing for this food was very steep considering a smaller portion size.
(4)
Bill M.
Service is attentive and accommodating. Food is great. Mango curry is world-class. Best Thai restaurant on the Big Island. Come back again and again.
(5)
Phung T.
Great service, great food, and they know Asian spicy!
(5)
D A.
This is a really good Thai restaurant. I've been their twice and ordered their lunch combinations. I got curry both times but different curries each time and my wife ordered the Thai basil chicken. They were all very good. The restaurant is very clean, service was quick and with a smile. I was in Kona on vacation for a couple weeks and tried three Thai restaurants. This was by far the best we went to and was as good as the best one I frequent back home. Prices are very fair. The lunches were around $8.50 each.
(4)
SacBelle S.
Best Thai in Kona that we found. The food was fresh and delicious. They grow their herbs there and you can see some right by the front door. Presentation was awesome. The facilities are spotless which is nice. The kitchen is in view and well run. The servers were friendly. We went several times on our trip. The Basil-Chicken was great. My husband enjoyed two different curries.
(5)
Sonny S.
always the best thai. I personally love all the curries, pineapple fried rice and deep fried ice cream. But everything on the menu is splendid. The employees are very friendly and welcoming and most of all attentive. A must for thai food lovers visiting the Islands.
(5)
Karen N.
We LOVE thai; this is our fave in Kona! Great menu and service. Everything we've tried has always been excellent. Since my review above.....I think this place has changed ownership.....food was okay....small portion......seemed expensive this time. :-( We come back to Kona every year and try out all the thai places....I would no longer give this three stars.
(2)
Beverly B.
Krua is absolutely AMAZING!! The service is over the top!! It's a family owned restaurant, the cook is the owner! My all time favorite is the chicken cashew Siam!! Every time I go to dinner here I can't leave without having dessert! They make banana won ton with icecream glazed with Chocolate and berry glaze!!! Best THIA in KONA!! On a scale to one to ten they deserve a 20!!! They're veggies are LOCAL and you can't beat that!!!
(5)
K D.
Love their AUTHENTIC thai food! Tried just about everything too. I always go in for their lunch special. Must try their crispy duck salad and FRIED ICE CREAM!. Family owned and operated and friendly service. Yum!!
(4)
Sonya W.
Good food and HUGE portions. I ordered the mango seafood dish at medium heat. The heat was there and the flavor was very good. Plus I had leftovers for one or two days to eat at the timeshare. (The reheated dish was pretty good as well). There was not any thai iced tea available though.
(4)
Grace E.
Very delicious food and great service. Would come back again and again.
(5)
Kari S.
Had the combination Thai fried rice, yellow curry with chicken, shrimp with garlic veggies, & sticky rice with mango for dessert. Our meal was outstanding and service was good.
(4)
Kara O.
I have gone to krua before for lunch and loved the food and service. I went there for dinner tonight and got the WORST service EVER!!! It took 2 hours to get our food. My moms SALAD didn't even make it to the dinner table we had to get it as take out. We got our bill which we got 15% off because of the whole deal and when we got our bill back to be signed it magically went back to full price!!!!! I mean they can get our food to us in a timely manner then they lie and change our bill!!!! I will NEVER go there AGAIN!!!! Worse service I ever got!!!!!
(1)
k k.
Really good deal for lunch was $8.95. Lots of choices too. I tried the pad thai chicken and noodles and it was great tasting with the peanut sauce. Came with alittle side salad on the plate. The noodle/chicken portion was big! Splurged on the thai coffee too, that was sooo tasty. Overall the best Thai I've had in awhile. Also want to mention the place was very nice inside and clean. Very nice.
(4)
James W.
I found this place initially because it was such craziness right down where the water is that I escaped one street up. Happened to find this place because they actually have some parking. In any case, I'm glad I did. Service was fast and they make classic Thai dishes well. I got the drunken noodles and tried the papaya salad with an order of chicken satay. The papaya salad was very fresh! Large portions too. Went well with the chicken satay. My drunken noodles were also done well, although the large pieces of onion in it made my breath something to be desired afterwards. They served us very quickly, so we were able to make our manta ray night dive without any problems.
(4)
Grace E.
First time in Hawaii and had a taste of their Thai food. I was not expecting too much from this place but I was very disappointed with the food. I ordered a Tom Yum Noodle Soup along with some appetizers. The noodle came undercooked and the broth was tasteless. Being raised in San Gabriel, California, I was used to delicious Thai food. Sadly I was not pleased with the food. The appetizers were decent. I had the crispy spring rolls and fried wontons. The service was overall pretty good since it was a calm night with no crowd.
(1)
Dania-Maria K.
Krua Thai's interior design I fell in love with, I'm a sucker for that Thai style, if that's even what it is in their restaurant. It was such a pleasant experience. Our server was very kind and patient with us as we perused the menu. We ended up ordering the basil wraps to start, the peanut sauce was hearty with that delicious subtle peanut sweetness that really added to the rolls already strong flavor. The other sauce was also good, maybe black bean? I wasn't too sure, but it became overwhelming after awhile. We then ordered our entrees, which consisted of the garden vegetable something dish (under then sauteed section of the menu), Pad Thai, Pineapple fried rice along with the Krua Thai noodles. I tried a little of all dishes and devoured my own! They were all quite good, however I feel like the pineapple fried rice won out this time, the pineapple added a delicious zest to the comforting dish. Cute place and I can't wait to go back and try more.
(4)
Gregg D.
This was okay, but I've definitely had better Thai. Service was a bit slow, but I only saw 2 ladies running the tables. I had Panang Curry, and veggie spring rolls. The spring rolls were just as they should be, though sauces were just meh. I actually had never had a peanut sauce I didn't like, so that was unusual. Plum/Hoisin sauce with it was a bit better, but still tasted a bit strange The curry was in a shallow bowl/plate hybrid, so while it looks big, there should have been a bit more for the price. I also asked for it "Thai spicy" and it was very mild, that was likely the most disappointing thing. Though the menu says it welcomes all vegan/vegetarian requests,, they still seem very confused by it. We stated up front that all of us were vegan, so absolutely no animal products. Yet each person was asked if egg was okay, or we wanted fish sauce multiple times. I'm used to that type of thing, but for each and every person? lol
(3)
Taco N.
Bummer!!! Terrible Thai food that was cooked with zero Love!!! I have eaten at Krua at least 10 times over the years with friends and workers and have NEVER been impressed with the food!!! The atmosphere inside gives you hope that the food is going to be awesome , unfortunately the high prices and small portions dont add up to a good value! The one time we did takeout it was the lightest weight takeout bag i have ever had in my life that cost 50$s....It wasnt enough food for 3 ...2 were light eaters :( I have been to Thailand and have eaten at hundreds of Thai restaurants all over..Normally Thai food is a fresh explosion of flavors. The dishes at Krua just dont "pop!" Unfortunately the food at Krua ranks near the bottom of my list in terms of flavors, value, and the actual LOVE that goes into everything! ! The chicken, beef, and pork in the various dishes were all salty and rubbery!! There was also very little meat in the entrees compared to the veggies. Normally I ask for extra meat when this has happened, but the meats just weren't tasty at all! !! The sauces were very watery and felt more like a soup than stir fry! ! The 10$ lunch special was at most 5$ worth of food. . It was just a small dish of the entree with No egroll / spring roll or soup, just a scoop of rice and an attempt of a salad! There was very little differences in taste with all the dishes ordered... Bland Thai food that felt like it came out of a crock pot!!! Our entire group regretted our lunch decision afterwards, except that the atmosphere was nice. Good food is what we really wanted :( Unfortunately mediocre food seems to be the norm here in Kona, but there are definitely a few places with great atmosphere and food to match...Krua Thai only has the atmosphere. ....Improve your food !!!
(1)
Denni P.
The Friday night we all went the place had one other table in the restaurant. That should have been my first clue. Service was attentive, food was mediocre. Flavours didn't seem to dance in mouth wen I normally entertain Thai cuisine and left unimpressed. Normally I rate places as if I'm 'going back' or 'skip' and this one is a skip for me for next time.
(3)
Marshall W.
Cute place and on a par with a lot of great Thai restaurants. I had the lunch special which was nicely assembled with baked cashews and a variety of vegetables in a savory sauce. Wife had a curry dish. As an extra we shared a free Thai tea because we had a card. This place is neat as a pin. Nice perhaps authentic Thai decor and gave it a comfortable ambiance. Server was an older lady and was so helpful in choosing our lunches. Hard to find even with a Garmin but they offer free parking and right in front. Total bill was $25 including my $5 tip. Nuff said.
(3)
T p.
I would have given no star to this place. Server came to our table and yelled at us at our kids 1yr and 2yr old are yelling too much. They were not crying or even making that much noise. They were just happy to get out of car after long day driving around The Big Island. She told us that she has customer here and they went to different part of restaurant because of our kids. FUNNY THOSE PATRONS HAD 2 TEENAGERS WITH THEM. Server kept apologizing for being rude but that was just too late. You r in hospitality industry act like one. If u have problems with happy kids just don't allow customer with kids. Other patrons said they moved because of fan. But I know for sure that was a lie. Krua. You didn't lose a customer they just chose sit somewhere else. You guys made a big deal out of nothing. But you did lose our business for sure.
(1)
Angie B.
This place has become a huge disappointment. We usually come here for our lunch break. At first, the prices and service were both amazing. Now the wait time is close to 30-40 minutes. The service is a hit or miss. Sometimes the staff is very friendly, other times we are completely ignored. We came in during lunch time and sat at the table for 15 minutes with no menus, water or even an acknowledgment. Trying to be understanding of the lunch rush but when the waitress kept walking by us without any acknowledgement we got up and left. The lunch prices are compatible but if you're on a time limit, I wouldn't recommend this place. You'll have 5 minutes to eat once the food comes. They lost two loyal customers. On to the next Thai restaurant.
(2)
Joshua Lee B.
This is our families #2 Thai spot for Kona.... Never disappointed! We have chicken satay for kiddos, with the tempura shrimp, crispy wontons and Thai crispy duck salad!! Delishoius!!!! Staff are super friendly, courteous and attentive. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is super casual. Great for dinner and lunch.
(4)
Sekueli ..
Been here a few times and like always, the food was excellent. Had the lovely duck. The portion was huge and the duck was super delicious. The fried ice cream is the bomb and a perfect dessert to finish off your meal with. As always, the service was great.
(5)
Alice S.
Three friends and I had lunch at Krua Thai today. The service was good the food fair. I've had much better Thai food. Lemongrass nearby is much better with fresh ingredients, more flavor. My friends all liked their lunches ok and that's just it, OK.
(3)
Brian S.
The pad Thai was fine on flavor and amount. When we were visiting though, the service was slow. The restaurant and bathrooms were clean though, and the experience was okay.
(2)
Chris J.
Slightly different Thai Food then the main land. Less flavor. Seemed like a family restaurant. Server was super friendly. Food was average, but good. Had the Thom Khaa soup. Not bad, not fantastic. I would eat here again because of the friendly staff.
(3)
Sterling B.
Quite tasty. No alcohol, but when I got antsy and started looking around the waitress picked up on the fact that my water glass was empty. Lost a star for charging extra for spicy. We needed four entrees and an appetizer to qualify for the Yelp check-in offer, so missed out on that one. Had Queen of Siam Basil Pork and spouse had Krua Ginger Chicken. Both were nocely flavoured. Son's Chicken Satay disappeared swiftly. Enjoyable...
(4)
Shelly L.
This cuisine was terrible. Cause I told the waitress that I have specific demand of the dish and asked some advises from them. They recommended one dish for me. But it was totally unexpected one. Then I hope them return this dish. They act like unhappy at all. I won't choose this restaurant again.
Stopped in for a light lunch. Had the green papaya salad and chicken skewers. The salad was light and pleasant and not overwhelmed with fish oil. The skewers were cooked well and everything came out quickly. Will return again.
(4)
Lakshmi G.
The food is absolutely amazing.Excellent dining experience at a moderate cost. Love this restaurant. We will definitely return.
(5)
Harish K.
We visited the restaurant 3 times, food tasted great all 3 times, service was great. Each time we requested that no added sweeteners be added. At the end of the 3rd time we realised that this request had been honored only second and the third time. The same green curry was sweet and richer the first time compared to the second time) Would have given a 4 star if not for the above issue
(3)
Summer S.
The service was pretty slow, and they seemed to be understaffed, The food was not nearly spicy enough even though we ordered it "hot". Its weird that they charge for Thai hot, and also the fact that Thai hot plus is an option means that their spice level is messed up. Not the best.
(2)
May B.
Truth be told, the first place we wandered to was closed for the night since they had a pipe explosion of some sort, so we found this place - and we were glad we went. We got an assortment of appetizers, I enjoyed the spring rolls very much - although it's pretty hard to mess up something that is deep fried. Almost everyone at our table got curries, which were pretty darn good - portions were good sized, I was definitely stuffed after scarfing it all down. We also checked in and got the free fried ice cream - yum nothing like a hot and cold dessert - I've never seen a dessert get eaten as quickly as ours was, what can I say, it was good. The decor is nice and the server checked up on us throughout the night. I would recommend to others.
(4)
Emilie P.
4.5 stars to give a bump... We ordered take - out after a long day of traveling: Tom Yum w/Shrimp, Laab (ground pork), and Red Curry (Chicken). All were delicious!! Prices are what you would expect in HI. Not cheap, but I didn't feel ripped off. I have a soft spot for Tom Yum and this one was tart and lime-y, just how I like it. The Laab was perfectly minty/herby...This is our all - time Thai fav!! Red curry was good, but missing something....we couldn't figure out what. The staff were warm and sweet, bringing the hubs water after water with his blatant sunscorch. Check in and get your free fried ice cream. A great way to end a delicious meal.
(4)
Stasj T.
Arrived and was immediately seated. That's about all that was good. Service was EXTREMELY SLOW. Granted, there was a party next to us, but even so, I have never waited almost an hour for my food. Tempura was overcooked, looked more deep-fried than light and flaky as tempura should be. Ordered the garden delight with chicken; wasn't spicy so we had to ask them to bring hot sauce. It was okay; considering I eat a lot of thai food, this place wasn't too pleasing. The wait REALLY brought this rating down.
(2)
Debbie S.
Ordered 4 items ..we are Vegan..Stressed NO EGGS, NO FISH OIL..Ordered Tom Kah Soup..Very Good..Need chunks of BROCOLLI, chunks of carrots..not sliced carrots..didn't like the soggy 1/4 chunks of tomato's ..The coconut flavor soup was great..Got fried Tofu..it was ok..well done which was good..a teaspoon of sauce for 4 slices of tofu..The Veggie Curry had an awful spice ..didn't like.. Pad Thai was Last...we started eating..and it was filled with EGG CRUMBLES THROUGHOUT ...Not good if Someone would've had allergies...We are VEGAN..So we were not happy..explained to waitress..we couldn't understand her..she took a couple dollars off bill..should've been the pad Thai taken off since we didn't eat it..that was crazy ..beware if food allergies..or VEGAN..it was cooks fault since we made sure to hear her tell cooks NO EGG , NO FISH OIL..when order went in..
(3)
An N.
I don't know if it was the fluke rain storm that passed through that night, or the fact that my trio had just finished an exhausting yet gorgeous day at Captain Cook, but this meal was SO underwhelming. I've been here in the past and don't remember the food being so mediocre. Tom Yum Soup: Can never go wrong with this. But there is a fine line between savory/sweet and just outright artificial and salty tasting. Restaurant was lucky I was famished and cold because if not for those two factors, this soup would have been a fail. Calamari: Flavors were descent was breading was dismal and I was just inhaling grease. Drunken Noodle: This was actually half descent. Basic flavors. Ginger Fish: DO NOT ORDER! Such a waste of $20. We got the Mahi, and the fish itself was completely overcooked, fish did not taste fresh at all (I east A LOT of seafood, so fishiness does not bother me.. just straight NOT FRESH does), and the whole composition of the dish was a complete hot mess. I will not be coming back here ever again. With so many Thai options around Kailua Kona, this does not need to be visited again.
(3)
Lindsey S.
Incredibly disappointing. My first experience here when it first opened was so bad that I vowed to never return. This was a few years ago, and my husband convinced me how wonderful it is. We've enjoyed a few meals (dine in and take out) and they began to change my mind. Today my husband asked me to pick up some soup for him on the way home since he was sick. I picked it up and paid the bill that they no longer offered kama'aina on. $17! $17 FOR SOUP!! Soup for ONE person. Plus tip I spent nearly $20. I told him "this better be the best d*** $17 soup you've ever had!" The soup was so salty he could hardly eat it. I won't be back.
(1)
Brittany S.
We met an elderly Hawaiian man (Antonio who was 71 to be exact) on a park bench who told us this was the place to go when we informed him we were craving Thai eats. Located a few blocks off the main downtown Kona strip is the kind of place you think of when you're craving standard Thai - red curry, green curry, pad thai, mango and sticky coconut rice, spring rolls and so on. One special note, when you check in on Yelp you can receive a free fried ice cream (not sure what that looks like at a Thai establishment, we were too stuffed to find out). Everything was delicious - my only complaint was that the veggie spring rolls were on the hard side - it almost seemed as if the rice paper had dried out before they were created or the rolls were made in advance? Also, the rolls did not have noodles in them (womp womp). One neat note, the rice for my red curry was served in an adorable straw-crafted box. Nice touch. Bathrooms were very clean and the service was attentive.
(4)
Jessica G.
This place has amazing flavorful dishes most of the portions I've gotten are large enough to split for two or save some for tomorrow. The ambience is good the waitstaff is nice and food always tastes fresh!
(3)
Josh J.
All I can ask is "was the cook mad at me?" My wife's mixed seafood red curry was outstanding. Fresh fish, intense flavor, everything from mussels to calamari perfectly cooked. My crab pad thai, on the other hand, was utterly revolting. Its "sauce" (I use this term generously) was a mixture of sickly sweet orange gunk and liquid smoke. The flavor -- all 4 bites I forced down before gagging "may I have a box, please" -- was basically smoky, concentrated Thai iced tea. The texture was almost as bad: like shredded jell-o crossed with what happened when you were 22 and fell asleep boiling Ramen at 3 AM, only to wake up at 4:30 and decide the partly-molten glop in the pan was probably edible. In case you've forgot those experiences, it still isn't.
(2)
Katherine B.
To be honest, the last time we came here we didn't care for it. Me being half Thai, I'm very critical of Thai food. Growing up, my mom always made authentic Thai food. Today I was craving Thai food and decided to try it again after seeing their lunch specials at a good price. I had the pad see ew lunch special and a cup of tom yum gai! My daughter had the yellow curry. All dishes were soooo good! Tom yum had the perfect amount of spice. The chicken (gai) melted in my mouth. Definitely authentic too! Service was great! We'll be coming back soon! Especially to redeem my free fried ice cream. Thank you Sam! Good stuff!
(5)
Robert S.
The food here is absolutely delicious and this place is clean and service is good. The missing star is because their portions, compared to other Thai cuisines, their portions are not big, which meant we had to order more. Also, their ambiance is like a cafeteria more than a restaurant, if you know what I mean. But other than that, they do deserve the 4-Star rating. Happy dining in Hawaii.
(4)
Terry G.
We had just arrived from the mainland. Saw the favorable reviews on Yelp. Gosh ... we use Yelp all the time nowadays. Anyhow, we fancied Thai and went for it. The place wasn't very busy but staff was friendly. No booze and we were hoping for a beer. Oh well. You can bring your own drinks. Ordered sweet potato appetizer, drunken noodles and vegetable stir fry. Sweet potatoes were purple and lightly breaded with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Flavor was sweet like yams but a stronger earthier intensity. We ate them all so apparently they were pretty good. Drunken noodles were excellent and vegetables were still crisp. Even with our modest order we couldn't finish it all. Meal came with steamed rice. Weren't sure at first but things turned out well. Good food and nice people.
(4)
Willi S.
I can honestly say this was the best Thai food I've ever eaten. I really enjoyed the egg plant salad and garlic duck. The egg plant was cooked perfect. The duck was nice and crispy. The service was awesome. The waitress never let my cup go empty. She also spoke perfect understandable English. She answered all my questions with ease she was nice and knowledgable about the dishes they serve. Very nice and clean dining area. They also have a little herb garden out front where I assume they pick fresh Thai basil, lime leaves, and lemon grass which adds to the freshness of the food. Only down side is the parking is limited and tight. We went for a early dinner so parking was easy. If recommend to go early.
(5)
Zach R.
I was craving Thai food for my birthday and decided to eat at Krua because I've eaten there once before and it's really good from what I remember. It's conveniently located near all my favorite stores but lacks the view that I sometimes want when dining out. My girlfriend and I were immediately greeted by the waitress and shown to a table once one was available. It was just after 12PM lunch rush and the place was busy, but we were seated in less than two minutes, which was nice because that's one step closer to eating and I was pretty hungry. After ordering our food, the appetizers arrived in what seemed like only a few minutes, but they were remarkably good. We enjoyed a considerable amount of the deep fried calamari to start, and one Pad Thai dish each, mine with chicken and hers with tofu. Our meal arrived quicker than anticipated, filled us both up, and were quite delicious. Only thing I forgot to do was check in and get the free fried ice cream! Next time :)
(4)
Brian S.
This place has excellent service, as a server, that means a lot to me. The food tastes as amazing as it looks and it came out of the kitchen super fast. Even the prices are great. We just found our new favorite restaurant!
(5)
Chad M.
When I'm in the mood for Thai food this is the place I go to. They make a pretty mean basil duck and their calamari appetizer is always fresh, light, and crispy! A little pricey but well worth it!
(4)
Sarah C.
The food was great ! Really authentic tasting, I ordered the duck panang curry and eggplant dish. A little pricier than what I'm used to, but for the location its expected. Just a tip, not sure if mentioned previously, for the free dessert it requires a purchase of four entrees and a appetizer. All in all , decent meal !
(4)
Nari H.
Check in for free fried ice cream!! This place was pretty great. The portion sizes were big and everything I ate was very tasty. Their Thai Fried Rice and Yellow Curry were very good. Their Pad Thai was good, but their Fried Ice Cream was amazing. Decor was definitely on the nicer side and service was friendly. I would recommend and definitely come back.
(4)
Tani M.
Probably the best Thai food that I've had. They grow the herbs that they use in their dishes and it really makes a difference.
(5)
D S.
Love this restaurant! Ive been coming here for years and it's always really good! I seem to always get one of their noodle dishes just because they are so yummy and big enough portions i can take some home. I give 4 stars and not 5 because last time I went here on a date, my date got the wrong meat in his dish and also its BYOB now since they lost their liquor license. I do recommend this place though, im always really happy with my food and the service.
(4)
Jacques L.
Loved the papaya salad. Pad see ew had great flavor and the noodle texture was perfect for us being more on the firm side. Service was great as well.
(5)
Katie M.
If you like Thai... Don't miss this place in Kona. They have great lunch specials, the food is yummy, and the service is sweet and kind and attentive. There are lots of Thai choices in Kona, this may be the best representation of authentic Thai food on island.
(5)
Kyle C.
Very friendly, great service! The pad Thai and pineapple curry are delicious!
(5)
Wesley S.
10/8/2010 update: I came twice since the remodel (the official grand opening is 10/10/10). I'm sorry to say, it's not the same anymore. Looks like it is under new ownership. I am the sorriest person now that my favorite Grilled Beef Salad is no more (read my previous reviews). The Grilled Beef Salad is just a plain grilled beef salad, and the portion has been cut in half. Where am I going to get my fix of Grilled Beef Salad now? I thought I heard staff talking in Chinese. Maybe they are Chinese from Thailand. And celebrating 10/10 is definitely a Chinese thing. The remodel did add real windows (instead of just screen windows) and the place is AC'd now. It's not bad food, mind you. But it is nothing special anymore. I do not have a reason to return here. A conditional 5-Star! (See my update at bottom, I will stick with a conditional 5-star rating for now, with more conditions.) What condition? Their Grilled Beef Salad - it's the best I've ever had. The rest of menu are 3 to 4-Stars. Maybe I should average them to give a 4-star. I've eaten here about ten times, and ordered the Grilled Beef Salad nine times. The one time I didn't order it, I regret. And out of 9 times I ordered it, 8 was outstanding. I don't know what happened the 9th time - maybe the chef was off that night. The key to the best Grilled Beef Salad is balance - balance of spiciness, sweetness, sourness, and freshness. So I recommend ordering it "spicy." They got the best balance. The portion is big enough to make a meal by itself, I normally order it with rice and ice tea for a complete dinner. Throw in a soup, if I'm extra hungry. That's all I order for myself nowdays. I sample or share other dishes my friends order, but I am quite happy eating just Grilled Beef Salad. UPDATE (3/4/2010): OK, I went back for the 11th time, and the Grilled Beef Salad was not up to the usual standard. Then I noticed one (at least) missing ingredient - the mint (I call it mint, but it may not be; it's the minty-smelling leaves)! I told the waitress, and she asked the chef. And I was right. They ran out of that minty-leaves. Next time I go, I will call ahead to make sure they have every ingredients for the Grilled Beef Salad. Without it, it does not deserve a 5-star.
(3)
Tom M.
Very tasty, but small portions (maybe a consequence of being tasty? :)) Curry sauce is delicious. But mild is somewhat hot already, so keep that in mind when you order medium or hot.
(4)
Anna P.
Went for lunch, food was great, portion size - in my opinion - very generous! Prices very reasonable for Hawaii standards. Service nice and atmosphere very pleasant. Chef grows a lot of his own herbs as well, and you can tell. The food is a bit different than the ultra traditional, but in a nice way. Would recommend!
(5)
Frank W.
Been going there for years. Best Thai food in Kona...pleasant staff and nice atmosphere. Always get the yellow curry with chicken and sticky rice...yummy!!!
(5)
Under The Bodhi Tree B.
went in for lunch, great service. we had the tom yum soup, a noodle dish that i don't remember the name of, and spicy fried rice. the food was delicious, and spicy!! I've been craving spicy and this hit the spot. the condiment caddy with the powder was awesome!! will definitely return for all my thai food needs :)
(5)
Danielle P.
A bit of a disappointment. We make a point of eating here every time we're in town and were very excited to come back, but when we got our meals, the portion size was about half of what it had been the the other times we have eaten here (about 6-7 times). Also, instead of the many vegetables being stir fried so they were flavorful and crunchy, they had been steamed until they were mushy and piled, unseasoned, on the side. I eat thai food every week for years and have never come across steamed vegetables being served at a Thai restaurant... We also ordered our meals thai hot and received food with no detectable heat. The night we went, they were having their grand reopening. Let's hope things change back to the way they used to be.
(2)
Byron H.
It's a tricky location, but the food is incredible.
(4)
Anand And Lux K.
Food is good. But the five stars is for the service. The staff was extremely accommodating and attentive. We asked for vegetarian items, and were told they can make anything vegetarian on the menu (without fish sauce if needed). Better Thai food than many of the places I've eaten back in California. The family is both Filipino and Thai, so the desserts we had, had both influences, and were excellent. The restaurant also seemed more clean and maintained better than the other Thai restaurants in Kona. I would definitely come back again.
(5)
sandy d.
Best Thai food in kona. Fresh basil is very fresh and special duck is excellent. Service is very good too. I will go again every week
(5)
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Address :75-5705 Kuakini Hwy,Bldg A
Kailua Kona, HI, 96740
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch, Dinner, Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Deborah N.
Krua was my favorite Thai restaurant in town UNTIL the last time. I ordered my food "Thai hot" (spicy), as always, & looked forward to a culinary feast. After ordering, I noticed the owner's wife peeking at us from the kitchen - at the time, I didn't think anything about it. I subsequently got my yummy-looking dish, which was super bland - no spice in it at all. When I asked our server why, he indicated the owner was out of the restaurant & his wife was "training a new cook". What a shock to realize I'd been profiled at a Thai restaurant!!! Never saw that coming...... Guess I don't "look" like someone who can eat spicy food, although I've eaten it all my life. If you visit Krua & don't "look" like you can handle spicy food, bring your own spice. PS- I subsequently called the restaurant several times & left messages for the owner. He either never got the messages, or chose not to respond.
(1)Brian G.
This was a solid Thai meal. We stopped here for lunch shortly after arriving in Kailua-Kona before later heading to our resort to check in. We ordered the salad rolls as an appetizer. We were a little underwhelmed by them. They had all of the right ingredients and were much larger than we have often found them to be, but the carrots and cucumbers inside were SO crunchy that it felt a little like I was a rabbit eating a giant carrot, not a herb-filled roll. I've attached a picture in case you want to see if these are your thing. The Pad Thai was great -- their "mild" was a little spicier than I would have considered mild, but still within my heat tolerance, so I gobbled it down. My partner ordered the Volcanic Duck and cleaned his plate. It was delicious and filled with all of the rich Thai spices I love (I stole quite a few bites, I must admit.) Service was very friendly and the dining area was nice. Would likely return in the future.
(3)Crista M.
Good food, reasonable price!! BYOB which makes it even better!!!!
(4)Steve K.
We went last night, not having been inside for a couple years. I think they must have gone through a change in management. My wife drives by there often, and had noticed that the parking lot had seemed to be more busy lately, so we decided to give it a try. Big sign at the door of BYOB, which my wife thought had to do with plastic bags, lol. Apparently they've lost their beer / wine license, hopefully they'll get it back, but hey, with thai food water is fine. This kind of reinforces my theory about the change in management as well. Easy solution: stop at Longs Drugs a couple blocks away and get some cold beer or wine and bring it. We started off with the beef salad, which was just right in terms of getting ready for the main dishes, which were the volcano duck (hey, it is Chinese NY, after all) and the ginger ono. Both were excellent. We also had ordered Pad Thai, which was ok, but really not necessary, as there was rice with both entrees. The pad thai was disappointing compared to the other dishes. This is not a place to come for speedy service, but we were quite satisfied, and our bill came out to $67. Next time we won't bother with the pad thai, and bring our own wine. Yep, we'll definitely be back. It's crazy how many thai restaurants are in this town, but I for one am not complaining :)....... If you have a smartphone with the Yelp app, be sure to check in and get the free fried ice cream for dessert. That was a bonus that was an excellent end to the meal.
(4)Divya S.
Really good food! We were in Big Island for 5 days, and went to Krua twice since their food was delicious! We tried their tom-yum soup, drunken noodles and green curry, and it was all pretty good. If you are tired of eating sandwiches and on-the-go snacks during your trip, this place can definitely offer a calm, quiet meal with taste that will last.
(4)Mike S.
Wow...never liked Thai food until I came to Krua, now its all I want! I had the Panang Curry, yum! The service is great and friendly as well as helpful for those of us learning about Thai food. Authentic? No idea! Taste? Great! Also had Thai Tea which was pretty sweet compared to what I've had in the past, but I enjoyed this. We also had the Fried Ice Cream which had a thick shell that tasted great. Oh crab rangoon is way better than most places I've had it. Keep up the good work Krua!
(5)Derick B.
I went here with my family. The decor is nice and warm. Our server was friendly and hilarious. These were good, but the food was amazing. We ordered four appetizers and they were delicious, I recommend the calamari. Then came the entrees, I tried them all and I was impressed. I personally got the "Volcanic Duck" a half a duck, deep fried and covered in sweet chili sauce. The skin was so crispy and to die for. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys great food for a good price.
(5)John H.
Crisp fresh basil spring rolls, crunchy green papaya salad and wonderfully prepared garlic pepper grilled opaka with brown rice - we love this place. Best Thai we've found in West Hawai'i!
(5)Aaron L.
Food was great and staff is accommodating towards off menu changes. I got the Pad Thai with duck which is not listed on the menu, and brown rice was available to replace the jasmine rice. Food was delicious! Some of the best duck I have had. Only problem is the service. It was a slow evening when we went and it took longer than comfortable to get drinks and place our orders.
(4)Eleik M.
Best Thai food in Kailua Kona. A little more expensive than the other guys, but totally worth it. I have had dreams of their Red Mango Curry and the Rama the King (Peanut and coconut sauce over vegetables). I was actually EATING food in this dream (in a spaceship), unlike many other food related dreams I have had in the past. I would highly recommend Krua to anyone with tastebuds.
(5)Ashley F.
Green curry was tasty. Paid Thai noodle was super sweet and wet. The service was extremely slow and it being a Monday night, can only imagine how slow it cAn get on weekends. Staff (waitress) did not know much about the menu so come prepared.
(1)Ravi B.
service extremely slow and doesn't know their own menu. over 30 minutes to take our order and had to ask a second time for drinks. Thai iced tea is chalky. fried wontons are way overly greasy and lacking flavor. garlic shrimp over cooked, scallops extremely undercooked (same dish) and ran into cross contaminated and moldy ingredients. these shrimp need a steak knife to cut. Tom Kha: light on flavor, missing galangal or lemon grass. soggy tomatoes, tasted slightly of the soap left in the soup bowl and smelled slightly of bleach. if you want to literally start vomiting at the table and still have to pay for your food this is the restaurant for you.
(1)Eric T.
The owners and chef here are extremely friendly and their food is authentic Thai cuisine according to Thai family of mine from Bangkok. One of the best Thai restaurants on the island if not the best.
(5)Kris V.
Chicken Satay & Jasmine rice are always delicious! . Definitely call ahead for lunch-quality takes time.
(4)Tracy H.
Great food and great service. Authentic Thai cuisine. The Panang Mango Curry was the best I have ever experienced. I will be back for more!
(4)Eric And Jennifer R.
The food was very authentic. One of our family members can't eat spicy food and it's difficult to find a Thai restaurant without spicy food. However Krua made our dishes from scratch so our dishes were not spicy at all. Not even mild. They gave us the spice on the side for those of us who love spicy food.
(4)Gayle V.
Best Thai food we have ever had! We had the Ono ginger fish and panang curry with chicken on our first visit. Loved this place so much came back a second time on our vacation and had the Ono curry and literally cleaned the bowl out completely! Great service! Worth going here for dinner. Prices were good too.
(5)Aaron M.
I decided to give Krua another shot after the initial bad food we had. I figured maybe it was just a bad night. But, yuk. Canned Campbell chicken noodle soup with some chicken shards and mushrooms is not thai soup. Pad Thai? You think that is what Pad Thai is supposed to taste like? It is not. It tastes like linguini with a little butter and a TON of sugar. Or maybe it is corn syrup. It definitely definitely is not anything close to anything approximating Thai food. The papaya salad was ok. The worst in town, but not disgusting. There are a lot of Thai places in town. This one is solidly the worst. DO NOT GO. Notice how everything is 10% off (yet still the most expensive in town)? That is because locals know it is bad.
(1)Steven B.
During my 12/13 trip to Kona, I had dinner at Krua and enjoyed it. I had the chicken prik king (delicious) with brown rice, and the green papaya salad (sadly tasteless). Nice atmosphere, friendly and fast service, and I'd go back.
(4)David C.
Had dinner with family. I'll assume that the prices are pretty standard for island restaurants. The food was pretty mediocre compared to other Thai places I've been. We tried the Tom Yum, Lad Nah, Pad Thai, Massuman curry, and Pad See Ew. I really only liked the last one. A couple of the reviews here rave about the authenticity of the food. Since I've not been to Thailand I can't comment on that. Perhaps I'm just used to "americanized" Thai food. P.S. This is maybe picking a bit on the restaurant, but the bathroom doors are slatted -- basically acoustically transparent. And the bathroom had a mystery puddle next to the commode. Yikes!
(2)Rodney F.
Why 5 Stars? Keep it simple. Exceptional food. Super friendly staff. Fast service. Clean facility. Reasonable prices. Everything looked, smelled and tastes so fresh. One note if you like Thai dishes spicy make sure to let your server know, as the standard heat level is very low.
(5)Raymond D.
Nice place. Friendly staff and good food. I had the Thai fried rice with shrimp and it was very good. The wife's dish was good as well. We will definitely come here next time back in Kona.
(4)Judy M.
Excellent dinner topped off with dessert. This was the first time my husband & I have been to this restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised with the dishes we ordered. We had Pad Thai & yellow chicken curry which both had great flavor. To make our dinner even better I found a coupon on Yelp for a free desert when you order 2 dishes. Nice delicious surprise. We will definitely go back again when we are in Kona again in October.
(5)Megha A.
Awesome food. Totally loved it.
(5)Phil R.
I liked the atmosphere but the food and the service were sub-par. The Pad Thai tasted like BBQ sauce and the Drunken Noodle veggies were uncooked. Service was slow and ran out of drinks a few times. I will probably go back but I hope for a better experience next time.
(2)Nikki B.
This was the worst Thai place I've ever been to. The service was horrible and the food wasn't any better. We had appetizers that were good, but how do you mess up fried food, really? I had the Pad Thai, which was the worst I've ever had. It had a smoky flavor and wasn't spicy at all. I had to add chili paste to it and it still wasn't good. If I hadn't been starving and it hadn't taken forever to get our food, I probably would not have eaten it at all. I wouldn't go back here or recommend it to anyone else.
(1)Charles G.
Wanted to like this place. They did not serve wine and beer as noted on Yelp which was not necessarily bad but would have enjoyed a cold beer with my dinner. Atmosphere was nonexistent, service fare. Ordered the special which turned out to be a skad mackerel that was served whole and smaller than a brook trout. also the vegetables were drowned in a typical sweet sauce from any Chinese restaurant USA. Nothing authentic. My wife's curry was ok. Place was not very crowded either which makes you wonder. In all fairness the table next to us had dishes that looked better than what we ordered.
(3)Lisbeth D.
Krua is a great choice when you're looking for delicious and authentic Thai. They offer lunch specials but there were too many other things on the menu that my husband and I wanted to try. I ordered Tom Yum soup (thai spicy) and it's spice level was perfect. I really liked that the broth was actually spicy since a lot restaurants just dump in dried pepper flakes - not the same flavor at all! I also ordered the fresh spring rolls and thought they were fabulous. They were huge and included many fresh herbs which made the flavor pop. I've been craving them ever since and haven't had spring rolls that good ever. My husband ordered green curry and was a big fan of that as well. We really enjoyed our meal here.
(4)Warburg L.
Ordered pot stickers and spring rolls for appetizers - good but a bit sweet. The Hawaiian tastes are sweeter than I am used to. The curries were good - both the green and yellow. My daughter and I ordered ours extra spicy but it didn't curl our tongue. Overall a good place to go and I will go back again.
(4)Jordin L.
Recommended by a local and worth it! Green papaya salad is authentic (I have been to Thailand) and the chicken in the pineapple curry is super tender. Very nice and attentive staff! Remember BYOB!
(4)Connie H.
great place. top two faves are drunken noodles and the mango sweet sticky rice. (however they say this is seasonal, it's not always offered) would love to see the dessert on the menu regularly. great dishes and huge portions IMO. easily dinner and lunch for the next day
(4)Nisha A.
Loved it! Fresh vegetables in my dish and yummy peanut dressing on the salad. Great lunch specials too!
(5)tiffany l.
Quick service. Our food arrived no more than 5 min during lunch time. The food itself is a bit salty.
(3)Ann K.
Steady traffic of regulars ordering takeout. I got the vegetables with rice and the egg rolls. I ordered the seasoning mild and it was meh, you should probably go for the medium spicy of you like it mild and Thai spicy if you desire it spicy. Service was attentive and friendly.
(3)Paran Y.
Nice vib. Well lit and clean. Food was very good. Ordered the pad thai with vermacelli noodles and I thought it was well prepared. The fish dish I ordered was a little overcooked though.
(4)Lani G.
Krua offers amazingly tasty Thai. The best that I've had in Kona. The chicken panang and pad thai are to die for. I'll definitely return to try their other dishes.
(4)David S.
Outstanding food! One of the best meals we had in Kona. I am a Thai food snob and this place was one of the best I've ever eaten at. The staff was also wonderful!
(5)Maryann M.
Just the worst Thai food I have ever eaten. Tasteless, cold, unappetizing and overpriced Mahi Mahi that was without any seasoning and also undercooked
(1)Vijay R.
Kona and Hawaii in general has a lot of Thai cuisines. Another Thai place that I went to was basically like Chinese food because it was very oily and greasy without much flavors and spices in Thai food. After eating that garbage, Krua was a much better experience. The family is Filipino and Thai, and the food and service is authentic. I felt like I was at home with the type of service and courtesy that I received. My only negative is that the pricing for this food was very steep considering a smaller portion size.
(4)Bill M.
Service is attentive and accommodating. Food is great. Mango curry is world-class. Best Thai restaurant on the Big Island. Come back again and again.
(5)Phung T.
Great service, great food, and they know Asian spicy!
(5)D A.
This is a really good Thai restaurant. I've been their twice and ordered their lunch combinations. I got curry both times but different curries each time and my wife ordered the Thai basil chicken. They were all very good. The restaurant is very clean, service was quick and with a smile. I was in Kona on vacation for a couple weeks and tried three Thai restaurants. This was by far the best we went to and was as good as the best one I frequent back home. Prices are very fair. The lunches were around $8.50 each.
(4)SacBelle S.
Best Thai in Kona that we found. The food was fresh and delicious. They grow their herbs there and you can see some right by the front door. Presentation was awesome. The facilities are spotless which is nice. The kitchen is in view and well run. The servers were friendly. We went several times on our trip. The Basil-Chicken was great. My husband enjoyed two different curries.
(5)Sonny S.
always the best thai. I personally love all the curries, pineapple fried rice and deep fried ice cream. But everything on the menu is splendid. The employees are very friendly and welcoming and most of all attentive. A must for thai food lovers visiting the Islands.
(5)Karen N.
We LOVE thai; this is our fave in Kona! Great menu and service. Everything we've tried has always been excellent. Since my review above.....I think this place has changed ownership.....food was okay....small portion......seemed expensive this time. :-( We come back to Kona every year and try out all the thai places....I would no longer give this three stars.
(2)Beverly B.
Krua is absolutely AMAZING!! The service is over the top!! It's a family owned restaurant, the cook is the owner! My all time favorite is the chicken cashew Siam!! Every time I go to dinner here I can't leave without having dessert! They make banana won ton with icecream glazed with Chocolate and berry glaze!!! Best THIA in KONA!! On a scale to one to ten they deserve a 20!!! They're veggies are LOCAL and you can't beat that!!!
(5)K D.
Love their AUTHENTIC thai food! Tried just about everything too. I always go in for their lunch special. Must try their crispy duck salad and FRIED ICE CREAM!. Family owned and operated and friendly service. Yum!!
(4)Sonya W.
Good food and HUGE portions. I ordered the mango seafood dish at medium heat. The heat was there and the flavor was very good. Plus I had leftovers for one or two days to eat at the timeshare. (The reheated dish was pretty good as well). There was not any thai iced tea available though.
(4)Kari S.
Had the combination Thai fried rice, yellow curry with chicken, shrimp with garlic veggies, & sticky rice with mango for dessert. Our meal was outstanding and service was good.
(4)Grace E.
Very delicious food and great service. Would come back again and again.
(5)Kara O.
I have gone to krua before for lunch and loved the food and service. I went there for dinner tonight and got the WORST service EVER!!! It took 2 hours to get our food. My moms SALAD didn't even make it to the dinner table we had to get it as take out. We got our bill which we got 15% off because of the whole deal and when we got our bill back to be signed it magically went back to full price!!!!! I mean they can get our food to us in a timely manner then they lie and change our bill!!!! I will NEVER go there AGAIN!!!! Worse service I ever got!!!!!
(1)k k.
Really good deal for lunch was $8.95. Lots of choices too. I tried the pad thai chicken and noodles and it was great tasting with the peanut sauce. Came with alittle side salad on the plate. The noodle/chicken portion was big! Splurged on the thai coffee too, that was sooo tasty. Overall the best Thai I've had in awhile. Also want to mention the place was very nice inside and clean. Very nice.
(4)Katie M.
If you like Thai... Don't miss this place in Kona. They have great lunch specials, the food is yummy, and the service is sweet and kind and attentive. There are lots of Thai choices in Kona, this may be the best representation of authentic Thai food on island.
(5)Kyle C.
Very friendly, great service! The pad Thai and pineapple curry are delicious!
(5)Wesley S.
10/8/2010 update: I came twice since the remodel (the official grand opening is 10/10/10). I'm sorry to say, it's not the same anymore. Looks like it is under new ownership. I am the sorriest person now that my favorite Grilled Beef Salad is no more (read my previous reviews). The Grilled Beef Salad is just a plain grilled beef salad, and the portion has been cut in half. Where am I going to get my fix of Grilled Beef Salad now? I thought I heard staff talking in Chinese. Maybe they are Chinese from Thailand. And celebrating 10/10 is definitely a Chinese thing. The remodel did add real windows (instead of just screen windows) and the place is AC'd now. It's not bad food, mind you. But it is nothing special anymore. I do not have a reason to return here. A conditional 5-Star! (See my update at bottom, I will stick with a conditional 5-star rating for now, with more conditions.) What condition? Their Grilled Beef Salad - it's the best I've ever had. The rest of menu are 3 to 4-Stars. Maybe I should average them to give a 4-star. I've eaten here about ten times, and ordered the Grilled Beef Salad nine times. The one time I didn't order it, I regret. And out of 9 times I ordered it, 8 was outstanding. I don't know what happened the 9th time - maybe the chef was off that night. The key to the best Grilled Beef Salad is balance - balance of spiciness, sweetness, sourness, and freshness. So I recommend ordering it "spicy." They got the best balance. The portion is big enough to make a meal by itself, I normally order it with rice and ice tea for a complete dinner. Throw in a soup, if I'm extra hungry. That's all I order for myself nowdays. I sample or share other dishes my friends order, but I am quite happy eating just Grilled Beef Salad. UPDATE (3/4/2010): OK, I went back for the 11th time, and the Grilled Beef Salad was not up to the usual standard. Then I noticed one (at least) missing ingredient - the mint (I call it mint, but it may not be; it's the minty-smelling leaves)! I told the waitress, and she asked the chef. And I was right. They ran out of that minty-leaves. Next time I go, I will call ahead to make sure they have every ingredients for the Grilled Beef Salad. Without it, it does not deserve a 5-star.
(3)Tom M.
Very tasty, but small portions (maybe a consequence of being tasty? :)) Curry sauce is delicious. But mild is somewhat hot already, so keep that in mind when you order medium or hot.
(4)Anna P.
Went for lunch, food was great, portion size - in my opinion - very generous! Prices very reasonable for Hawaii standards. Service nice and atmosphere very pleasant. Chef grows a lot of his own herbs as well, and you can tell. The food is a bit different than the ultra traditional, but in a nice way. Would recommend!
(5)Frank W.
Been going there for years. Best Thai food in Kona...pleasant staff and nice atmosphere. Always get the yellow curry with chicken and sticky rice...yummy!!!
(5)Under The Bodhi Tree B.
went in for lunch, great service. we had the tom yum soup, a noodle dish that i don't remember the name of, and spicy fried rice. the food was delicious, and spicy!! I've been craving spicy and this hit the spot. the condiment caddy with the powder was awesome!! will definitely return for all my thai food needs :)
(5)Danielle P.
A bit of a disappointment. We make a point of eating here every time we're in town and were very excited to come back, but when we got our meals, the portion size was about half of what it had been the the other times we have eaten here (about 6-7 times). Also, instead of the many vegetables being stir fried so they were flavorful and crunchy, they had been steamed until they were mushy and piled, unseasoned, on the side. I eat thai food every week for years and have never come across steamed vegetables being served at a Thai restaurant... We also ordered our meals thai hot and received food with no detectable heat. The night we went, they were having their grand reopening. Let's hope things change back to the way they used to be.
(2)Byron H.
It's a tricky location, but the food is incredible.
(4)Anand And Lux K.
Food is good. But the five stars is for the service. The staff was extremely accommodating and attentive. We asked for vegetarian items, and were told they can make anything vegetarian on the menu (without fish sauce if needed). Better Thai food than many of the places I've eaten back in California. The family is both Filipino and Thai, so the desserts we had, had both influences, and were excellent. The restaurant also seemed more clean and maintained better than the other Thai restaurants in Kona. I would definitely come back again.
(5)sandy d.
Best Thai food in kona. Fresh basil is very fresh and special duck is excellent. Service is very good too. I will go again every week
(5)Dania-Maria K.
Krua Thai's interior design I fell in love with, I'm a sucker for that Thai style, if that's even what it is in their restaurant. It was such a pleasant experience. Our server was very kind and patient with us as we perused the menu. We ended up ordering the basil wraps to start, the peanut sauce was hearty with that delicious subtle peanut sweetness that really added to the rolls already strong flavor. The other sauce was also good, maybe black bean? I wasn't too sure, but it became overwhelming after awhile. We then ordered our entrees, which consisted of the garden vegetable something dish (under then sauteed section of the menu), Pad Thai, Pineapple fried rice along with the Krua Thai noodles. I tried a little of all dishes and devoured my own! They were all quite good, however I feel like the pineapple fried rice won out this time, the pineapple added a delicious zest to the comforting dish. Cute place and I can't wait to go back and try more.
(4)Gregg D.
This was okay, but I've definitely had better Thai. Service was a bit slow, but I only saw 2 ladies running the tables. I had Panang Curry, and veggie spring rolls. The spring rolls were just as they should be, though sauces were just meh. I actually had never had a peanut sauce I didn't like, so that was unusual. Plum/Hoisin sauce with it was a bit better, but still tasted a bit strange The curry was in a shallow bowl/plate hybrid, so while it looks big, there should have been a bit more for the price. I also asked for it "Thai spicy" and it was very mild, that was likely the most disappointing thing. Though the menu says it welcomes all vegan/vegetarian requests,, they still seem very confused by it. We stated up front that all of us were vegan, so absolutely no animal products. Yet each person was asked if egg was okay, or we wanted fish sauce multiple times. I'm used to that type of thing, but for each and every person? lol
(3)Marshall W.
Cute place and on a par with a lot of great Thai restaurants. I had the lunch special which was nicely assembled with baked cashews and a variety of vegetables in a savory sauce. Wife had a curry dish. As an extra we shared a free Thai tea because we had a card. This place is neat as a pin. Nice perhaps authentic Thai decor and gave it a comfortable ambiance. Server was an older lady and was so helpful in choosing our lunches. Hard to find even with a Garmin but they offer free parking and right in front. Total bill was $25 including my $5 tip. Nuff said.
(3)T p.
I would have given no star to this place. Server came to our table and yelled at us at our kids 1yr and 2yr old are yelling too much. They were not crying or even making that much noise. They were just happy to get out of car after long day driving around The Big Island. She told us that she has customer here and they went to different part of restaurant because of our kids. FUNNY THOSE PATRONS HAD 2 TEENAGERS WITH THEM. Server kept apologizing for being rude but that was just too late. You r in hospitality industry act like one. If u have problems with happy kids just don't allow customer with kids. Other patrons said they moved because of fan. But I know for sure that was a lie. Krua. You didn't lose a customer they just chose sit somewhere else. You guys made a big deal out of nothing. But you did lose our business for sure.
(1)Taco N.
Bummer!!! Terrible Thai food that was cooked with zero Love!!! I have eaten at Krua at least 10 times over the years with friends and workers and have NEVER been impressed with the food!!! The atmosphere inside gives you hope that the food is going to be awesome , unfortunately the high prices and small portions dont add up to a good value! The one time we did takeout it was the lightest weight takeout bag i have ever had in my life that cost 50$s....It wasnt enough food for 3 ...2 were light eaters :( I have been to Thailand and have eaten at hundreds of Thai restaurants all over..Normally Thai food is a fresh explosion of flavors. The dishes at Krua just dont "pop!" Unfortunately the food at Krua ranks near the bottom of my list in terms of flavors, value, and the actual LOVE that goes into everything! ! The chicken, beef, and pork in the various dishes were all salty and rubbery!! There was also very little meat in the entrees compared to the veggies. Normally I ask for extra meat when this has happened, but the meats just weren't tasty at all! !! The sauces were very watery and felt more like a soup than stir fry! ! The 10$ lunch special was at most 5$ worth of food. . It was just a small dish of the entree with No egroll / spring roll or soup, just a scoop of rice and an attempt of a salad! There was very little differences in taste with all the dishes ordered... Bland Thai food that felt like it came out of a crock pot!!! Our entire group regretted our lunch decision afterwards, except that the atmosphere was nice. Good food is what we really wanted :( Unfortunately mediocre food seems to be the norm here in Kona, but there are definitely a few places with great atmosphere and food to match...Krua Thai only has the atmosphere. ....Improve your food !!!
(1)Denni P.
The Friday night we all went the place had one other table in the restaurant. That should have been my first clue. Service was attentive, food was mediocre. Flavours didn't seem to dance in mouth wen I normally entertain Thai cuisine and left unimpressed. Normally I rate places as if I'm 'going back' or 'skip' and this one is a skip for me for next time.
(3)Grace E.
First time in Hawaii and had a taste of their Thai food. I was not expecting too much from this place but I was very disappointed with the food. I ordered a Tom Yum Noodle Soup along with some appetizers. The noodle came undercooked and the broth was tasteless. Being raised in San Gabriel, California, I was used to delicious Thai food. Sadly I was not pleased with the food. The appetizers were decent. I had the crispy spring rolls and fried wontons. The service was overall pretty good since it was a calm night with no crowd.
(1)James W.
I found this place initially because it was such craziness right down where the water is that I escaped one street up. Happened to find this place because they actually have some parking. In any case, I'm glad I did. Service was fast and they make classic Thai dishes well. I got the drunken noodles and tried the papaya salad with an order of chicken satay. The papaya salad was very fresh! Large portions too. Went well with the chicken satay. My drunken noodles were also done well, although the large pieces of onion in it made my breath something to be desired afterwards. They served us very quickly, so we were able to make our manta ray night dive without any problems.
(4)Angie B.
This place has become a huge disappointment. We usually come here for our lunch break. At first, the prices and service were both amazing. Now the wait time is close to 30-40 minutes. The service is a hit or miss. Sometimes the staff is very friendly, other times we are completely ignored. We came in during lunch time and sat at the table for 15 minutes with no menus, water or even an acknowledgment. Trying to be understanding of the lunch rush but when the waitress kept walking by us without any acknowledgement we got up and left. The lunch prices are compatible but if you're on a time limit, I wouldn't recommend this place. You'll have 5 minutes to eat once the food comes. They lost two loyal customers. On to the next Thai restaurant.
(2)Joshua Lee B.
This is our families #2 Thai spot for Kona.... Never disappointed! We have chicken satay for kiddos, with the tempura shrimp, crispy wontons and Thai crispy duck salad!! Delishoius!!!! Staff are super friendly, courteous and attentive. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is super casual. Great for dinner and lunch.
(4)Sekueli ..
Been here a few times and like always, the food was excellent. Had the lovely duck. The portion was huge and the duck was super delicious. The fried ice cream is the bomb and a perfect dessert to finish off your meal with. As always, the service was great.
(5)Brian S.
The pad Thai was fine on flavor and amount. When we were visiting though, the service was slow. The restaurant and bathrooms were clean though, and the experience was okay.
(2)Alice S.
Three friends and I had lunch at Krua Thai today. The service was good the food fair. I've had much better Thai food. Lemongrass nearby is much better with fresh ingredients, more flavor. My friends all liked their lunches ok and that's just it, OK.
(3)Chris J.
Slightly different Thai Food then the main land. Less flavor. Seemed like a family restaurant. Server was super friendly. Food was average, but good. Had the Thom Khaa soup. Not bad, not fantastic. I would eat here again because of the friendly staff.
(3)Sterling B.
Quite tasty. No alcohol, but when I got antsy and started looking around the waitress picked up on the fact that my water glass was empty. Lost a star for charging extra for spicy. We needed four entrees and an appetizer to qualify for the Yelp check-in offer, so missed out on that one. Had Queen of Siam Basil Pork and spouse had Krua Ginger Chicken. Both were nocely flavoured. Son's Chicken Satay disappeared swiftly. Enjoyable...
(4)Shelly L.
This cuisine was terrible. Cause I told the waitress that I have specific demand of the dish and asked some advises from them. They recommended one dish for me. But it was totally unexpected one. Then I hope them return this dish. They act like unhappy at all. I won't choose this restaurant again.
(2)Vai L.
Always awesome food! Yellow chicken curry is my favorite entrée. Chicken Paté and Thai Spring Rolls are delicious . The Fried Ice Cream is huge and is ono! Food is fast and the service is right on.
(5)Lakshmi G.
The food is absolutely amazing.Excellent dining experience at a moderate cost. Love this restaurant. We will definitely return.
(5)Martin C.
Stopped in for a light lunch. Had the green papaya salad and chicken skewers. The salad was light and pleasant and not overwhelmed with fish oil. The skewers were cooked well and everything came out quickly. Will return again.
(4)Harish K.
We visited the restaurant 3 times, food tasted great all 3 times, service was great. Each time we requested that no added sweeteners be added. At the end of the 3rd time we realised that this request had been honored only second and the third time. The same green curry was sweet and richer the first time compared to the second time) Would have given a 4 star if not for the above issue
(3)Summer S.
The service was pretty slow, and they seemed to be understaffed, The food was not nearly spicy enough even though we ordered it "hot". Its weird that they charge for Thai hot, and also the fact that Thai hot plus is an option means that their spice level is messed up. Not the best.
(2)May B.
Truth be told, the first place we wandered to was closed for the night since they had a pipe explosion of some sort, so we found this place - and we were glad we went. We got an assortment of appetizers, I enjoyed the spring rolls very much - although it's pretty hard to mess up something that is deep fried. Almost everyone at our table got curries, which were pretty darn good - portions were good sized, I was definitely stuffed after scarfing it all down. We also checked in and got the free fried ice cream - yum nothing like a hot and cold dessert - I've never seen a dessert get eaten as quickly as ours was, what can I say, it was good. The decor is nice and the server checked up on us throughout the night. I would recommend to others.
(4)Emilie P.
4.5 stars to give a bump... We ordered take - out after a long day of traveling: Tom Yum w/Shrimp, Laab (ground pork), and Red Curry (Chicken). All were delicious!! Prices are what you would expect in HI. Not cheap, but I didn't feel ripped off. I have a soft spot for Tom Yum and this one was tart and lime-y, just how I like it. The Laab was perfectly minty/herby...This is our all - time Thai fav!! Red curry was good, but missing something....we couldn't figure out what. The staff were warm and sweet, bringing the hubs water after water with his blatant sunscorch. Check in and get your free fried ice cream. A great way to end a delicious meal.
(4)Stasj T.
Arrived and was immediately seated. That's about all that was good. Service was EXTREMELY SLOW. Granted, there was a party next to us, but even so, I have never waited almost an hour for my food. Tempura was overcooked, looked more deep-fried than light and flaky as tempura should be. Ordered the garden delight with chicken; wasn't spicy so we had to ask them to bring hot sauce. It was okay; considering I eat a lot of thai food, this place wasn't too pleasing. The wait REALLY brought this rating down.
(2)Debbie S.
Ordered 4 items ..we are Vegan..Stressed NO EGGS, NO FISH OIL..Ordered Tom Kah Soup..Very Good..Need chunks of BROCOLLI, chunks of carrots..not sliced carrots..didn't like the soggy 1/4 chunks of tomato's ..The coconut flavor soup was great..Got fried Tofu..it was ok..well done which was good..a teaspoon of sauce for 4 slices of tofu..The Veggie Curry had an awful spice ..didn't like.. Pad Thai was Last...we started eating..and it was filled with EGG CRUMBLES THROUGHOUT ...Not good if Someone would've had allergies...We are VEGAN..So we were not happy..explained to waitress..we couldn't understand her..she took a couple dollars off bill..should've been the pad Thai taken off since we didn't eat it..that was crazy ..beware if food allergies..or VEGAN..it was cooks fault since we made sure to hear her tell cooks NO EGG , NO FISH OIL..when order went in..
(3)An N.
I don't know if it was the fluke rain storm that passed through that night, or the fact that my trio had just finished an exhausting yet gorgeous day at Captain Cook, but this meal was SO underwhelming. I've been here in the past and don't remember the food being so mediocre. Tom Yum Soup: Can never go wrong with this. But there is a fine line between savory/sweet and just outright artificial and salty tasting. Restaurant was lucky I was famished and cold because if not for those two factors, this soup would have been a fail. Calamari: Flavors were descent was breading was dismal and I was just inhaling grease. Drunken Noodle: This was actually half descent. Basic flavors. Ginger Fish: DO NOT ORDER! Such a waste of $20. We got the Mahi, and the fish itself was completely overcooked, fish did not taste fresh at all (I east A LOT of seafood, so fishiness does not bother me.. just straight NOT FRESH does), and the whole composition of the dish was a complete hot mess. I will not be coming back here ever again. With so many Thai options around Kailua Kona, this does not need to be visited again.
(3)Lindsey S.
Incredibly disappointing. My first experience here when it first opened was so bad that I vowed to never return. This was a few years ago, and my husband convinced me how wonderful it is. We've enjoyed a few meals (dine in and take out) and they began to change my mind. Today my husband asked me to pick up some soup for him on the way home since he was sick. I picked it up and paid the bill that they no longer offered kama'aina on. $17! $17 FOR SOUP!! Soup for ONE person. Plus tip I spent nearly $20. I told him "this better be the best d*** $17 soup you've ever had!" The soup was so salty he could hardly eat it. I won't be back.
(1)Brittany S.
We met an elderly Hawaiian man (Antonio who was 71 to be exact) on a park bench who told us this was the place to go when we informed him we were craving Thai eats. Located a few blocks off the main downtown Kona strip is the kind of place you think of when you're craving standard Thai - red curry, green curry, pad thai, mango and sticky coconut rice, spring rolls and so on. One special note, when you check in on Yelp you can receive a free fried ice cream (not sure what that looks like at a Thai establishment, we were too stuffed to find out). Everything was delicious - my only complaint was that the veggie spring rolls were on the hard side - it almost seemed as if the rice paper had dried out before they were created or the rolls were made in advance? Also, the rolls did not have noodles in them (womp womp). One neat note, the rice for my red curry was served in an adorable straw-crafted box. Nice touch. Bathrooms were very clean and the service was attentive.
(4)Jessica G.
This place has amazing flavorful dishes most of the portions I've gotten are large enough to split for two or save some for tomorrow. The ambience is good the waitstaff is nice and food always tastes fresh!
(3)Josh J.
All I can ask is "was the cook mad at me?" My wife's mixed seafood red curry was outstanding. Fresh fish, intense flavor, everything from mussels to calamari perfectly cooked. My crab pad thai, on the other hand, was utterly revolting. Its "sauce" (I use this term generously) was a mixture of sickly sweet orange gunk and liquid smoke. The flavor -- all 4 bites I forced down before gagging "may I have a box, please" -- was basically smoky, concentrated Thai iced tea. The texture was almost as bad: like shredded jell-o crossed with what happened when you were 22 and fell asleep boiling Ramen at 3 AM, only to wake up at 4:30 and decide the partly-molten glop in the pan was probably edible. In case you've forgot those experiences, it still isn't.
(2)Katherine B.
To be honest, the last time we came here we didn't care for it. Me being half Thai, I'm very critical of Thai food. Growing up, my mom always made authentic Thai food. Today I was craving Thai food and decided to try it again after seeing their lunch specials at a good price. I had the pad see ew lunch special and a cup of tom yum gai! My daughter had the yellow curry. All dishes were soooo good! Tom yum had the perfect amount of spice. The chicken (gai) melted in my mouth. Definitely authentic too! Service was great! We'll be coming back soon! Especially to redeem my free fried ice cream. Thank you Sam! Good stuff!
(5)Robert S.
The food here is absolutely delicious and this place is clean and service is good. The missing star is because their portions, compared to other Thai cuisines, their portions are not big, which meant we had to order more. Also, their ambiance is like a cafeteria more than a restaurant, if you know what I mean. But other than that, they do deserve the 4-Star rating. Happy dining in Hawaii.
(4)Terry G.
We had just arrived from the mainland. Saw the favorable reviews on Yelp. Gosh ... we use Yelp all the time nowadays. Anyhow, we fancied Thai and went for it. The place wasn't very busy but staff was friendly. No booze and we were hoping for a beer. Oh well. You can bring your own drinks. Ordered sweet potato appetizer, drunken noodles and vegetable stir fry. Sweet potatoes were purple and lightly breaded with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Flavor was sweet like yams but a stronger earthier intensity. We ate them all so apparently they were pretty good. Drunken noodles were excellent and vegetables were still crisp. Even with our modest order we couldn't finish it all. Meal came with steamed rice. Weren't sure at first but things turned out well. Good food and nice people.
(4)Willi S.
I can honestly say this was the best Thai food I've ever eaten. I really enjoyed the egg plant salad and garlic duck. The egg plant was cooked perfect. The duck was nice and crispy. The service was awesome. The waitress never let my cup go empty. She also spoke perfect understandable English. She answered all my questions with ease she was nice and knowledgable about the dishes they serve. Very nice and clean dining area. They also have a little herb garden out front where I assume they pick fresh Thai basil, lime leaves, and lemon grass which adds to the freshness of the food. Only down side is the parking is limited and tight. We went for a early dinner so parking was easy. If recommend to go early.
(5)Zach R.
I was craving Thai food for my birthday and decided to eat at Krua because I've eaten there once before and it's really good from what I remember. It's conveniently located near all my favorite stores but lacks the view that I sometimes want when dining out. My girlfriend and I were immediately greeted by the waitress and shown to a table once one was available. It was just after 12PM lunch rush and the place was busy, but we were seated in less than two minutes, which was nice because that's one step closer to eating and I was pretty hungry. After ordering our food, the appetizers arrived in what seemed like only a few minutes, but they were remarkably good. We enjoyed a considerable amount of the deep fried calamari to start, and one Pad Thai dish each, mine with chicken and hers with tofu. Our meal arrived quicker than anticipated, filled us both up, and were quite delicious. Only thing I forgot to do was check in and get the free fried ice cream! Next time :)
(4)Brian S.
This place has excellent service, as a server, that means a lot to me. The food tastes as amazing as it looks and it came out of the kitchen super fast. Even the prices are great. We just found our new favorite restaurant!
(5)Chad M.
When I'm in the mood for Thai food this is the place I go to. They make a pretty mean basil duck and their calamari appetizer is always fresh, light, and crispy! A little pricey but well worth it!
(4)Sarah C.
The food was great ! Really authentic tasting, I ordered the duck panang curry and eggplant dish. A little pricier than what I'm used to, but for the location its expected. Just a tip, not sure if mentioned previously, for the free dessert it requires a purchase of four entrees and a appetizer. All in all , decent meal !
(4)Nari H.
Check in for free fried ice cream!! This place was pretty great. The portion sizes were big and everything I ate was very tasty. Their Thai Fried Rice and Yellow Curry were very good. Their Pad Thai was good, but their Fried Ice Cream was amazing. Decor was definitely on the nicer side and service was friendly. I would recommend and definitely come back.
(4)Tani M.
Probably the best Thai food that I've had. They grow the herbs that they use in their dishes and it really makes a difference.
(5)D S.
Love this restaurant! Ive been coming here for years and it's always really good! I seem to always get one of their noodle dishes just because they are so yummy and big enough portions i can take some home. I give 4 stars and not 5 because last time I went here on a date, my date got the wrong meat in his dish and also its BYOB now since they lost their liquor license. I do recommend this place though, im always really happy with my food and the service.
(4)Jacques L.
Loved the papaya salad. Pad see ew had great flavor and the noodle texture was perfect for us being more on the firm side. Service was great as well.
(5)Deborah N.
Krua was my favorite Thai restaurant in town UNTIL the last time. I ordered my food "Thai hot" (spicy), as always, & looked forward to a culinary feast. After ordering, I noticed the owner's wife peeking at us from the kitchen - at the time, I didn't think anything about it. I subsequently got my yummy-looking dish, which was super bland - no spice in it at all. When I asked our server why, he indicated the owner was out of the restaurant & his wife was "training a new cook". What a shock to realize I'd been profiled at a Thai restaurant!!! Never saw that coming...... Guess I don't "look" like someone who can eat spicy food, although I've eaten it all my life. If you visit Krua & don't "look" like you can handle spicy food, bring your own spice. PS- I subsequently called the restaurant several times & left messages for the owner. He either never got the messages, or chose not to respond.
(1)Brian G.
This was a solid Thai meal. We stopped here for lunch shortly after arriving in Kailua-Kona before later heading to our resort to check in. We ordered the salad rolls as an appetizer. We were a little underwhelmed by them. They had all of the right ingredients and were much larger than we have often found them to be, but the carrots and cucumbers inside were SO crunchy that it felt a little like I was a rabbit eating a giant carrot, not a herb-filled roll. I've attached a picture in case you want to see if these are your thing. The Pad Thai was great -- their "mild" was a little spicier than I would have considered mild, but still within my heat tolerance, so I gobbled it down. My partner ordered the Volcanic Duck and cleaned his plate. It was delicious and filled with all of the rich Thai spices I love (I stole quite a few bites, I must admit.) Service was very friendly and the dining area was nice. Would likely return in the future.
(3)Crista M.
Good food, reasonable price!! BYOB which makes it even better!!!!
(4)Steve K.
We went last night, not having been inside for a couple years. I think they must have gone through a change in management. My wife drives by there often, and had noticed that the parking lot had seemed to be more busy lately, so we decided to give it a try. Big sign at the door of BYOB, which my wife thought had to do with plastic bags, lol. Apparently they've lost their beer / wine license, hopefully they'll get it back, but hey, with thai food water is fine. This kind of reinforces my theory about the change in management as well. Easy solution: stop at Longs Drugs a couple blocks away and get some cold beer or wine and bring it. We started off with the beef salad, which was just right in terms of getting ready for the main dishes, which were the volcano duck (hey, it is Chinese NY, after all) and the ginger ono. Both were excellent. We also had ordered Pad Thai, which was ok, but really not necessary, as there was rice with both entrees. The pad thai was disappointing compared to the other dishes. This is not a place to come for speedy service, but we were quite satisfied, and our bill came out to $67. Next time we won't bother with the pad thai, and bring our own wine. Yep, we'll definitely be back. It's crazy how many thai restaurants are in this town, but I for one am not complaining :)....... If you have a smartphone with the Yelp app, be sure to check in and get the free fried ice cream for dessert. That was a bonus that was an excellent end to the meal.
(4)Mike S.
Wow...never liked Thai food until I came to Krua, now its all I want! I had the Panang Curry, yum! The service is great and friendly as well as helpful for those of us learning about Thai food. Authentic? No idea! Taste? Great! Also had Thai Tea which was pretty sweet compared to what I've had in the past, but I enjoyed this. We also had the Fried Ice Cream which had a thick shell that tasted great. Oh crab rangoon is way better than most places I've had it. Keep up the good work Krua!
(5)Divya S.
Really good food! We were in Big Island for 5 days, and went to Krua twice since their food was delicious! We tried their tom-yum soup, drunken noodles and green curry, and it was all pretty good. If you are tired of eating sandwiches and on-the-go snacks during your trip, this place can definitely offer a calm, quiet meal with taste that will last.
(4)Derick B.
I went here with my family. The decor is nice and warm. Our server was friendly and hilarious. These were good, but the food was amazing. We ordered four appetizers and they were delicious, I recommend the calamari. Then came the entrees, I tried them all and I was impressed. I personally got the "Volcanic Duck" a half a duck, deep fried and covered in sweet chili sauce. The skin was so crispy and to die for. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys great food for a good price.
(5)John H.
Crisp fresh basil spring rolls, crunchy green papaya salad and wonderfully prepared garlic pepper grilled opaka with brown rice - we love this place. Best Thai we've found in West Hawai'i!
(5)Aaron L.
Food was great and staff is accommodating towards off menu changes. I got the Pad Thai with duck which is not listed on the menu, and brown rice was available to replace the jasmine rice. Food was delicious! Some of the best duck I have had. Only problem is the service. It was a slow evening when we went and it took longer than comfortable to get drinks and place our orders.
(4)Eleik M.
Best Thai food in Kailua Kona. A little more expensive than the other guys, but totally worth it. I have had dreams of their Red Mango Curry and the Rama the King (Peanut and coconut sauce over vegetables). I was actually EATING food in this dream (in a spaceship), unlike many other food related dreams I have had in the past. I would highly recommend Krua to anyone with tastebuds.
(5)Ashley F.
Green curry was tasty. Paid Thai noodle was super sweet and wet. The service was extremely slow and it being a Monday night, can only imagine how slow it cAn get on weekends. Staff (waitress) did not know much about the menu so come prepared.
(1)Ravi B.
service extremely slow and doesn't know their own menu. over 30 minutes to take our order and had to ask a second time for drinks. Thai iced tea is chalky. fried wontons are way overly greasy and lacking flavor. garlic shrimp over cooked, scallops extremely undercooked (same dish) and ran into cross contaminated and moldy ingredients. these shrimp need a steak knife to cut. Tom Kha: light on flavor, missing galangal or lemon grass. soggy tomatoes, tasted slightly of the soap left in the soup bowl and smelled slightly of bleach. if you want to literally start vomiting at the table and still have to pay for your food this is the restaurant for you.
(1)Eric T.
The owners and chef here are extremely friendly and their food is authentic Thai cuisine according to Thai family of mine from Bangkok. One of the best Thai restaurants on the island if not the best.
(5)Kris V.
Chicken Satay & Jasmine rice are always delicious! . Definitely call ahead for lunch-quality takes time.
(4)Tracy H.
Great food and great service. Authentic Thai cuisine. The Panang Mango Curry was the best I have ever experienced. I will be back for more!
(4)Eric And Jennifer R.
The food was very authentic. One of our family members can't eat spicy food and it's difficult to find a Thai restaurant without spicy food. However Krua made our dishes from scratch so our dishes were not spicy at all. Not even mild. They gave us the spice on the side for those of us who love spicy food.
(4)Gayle V.
Best Thai food we have ever had! We had the Ono ginger fish and panang curry with chicken on our first visit. Loved this place so much came back a second time on our vacation and had the Ono curry and literally cleaned the bowl out completely! Great service! Worth going here for dinner. Prices were good too.
(5)Aaron M.
I decided to give Krua another shot after the initial bad food we had. I figured maybe it was just a bad night. But, yuk. Canned Campbell chicken noodle soup with some chicken shards and mushrooms is not thai soup. Pad Thai? You think that is what Pad Thai is supposed to taste like? It is not. It tastes like linguini with a little butter and a TON of sugar. Or maybe it is corn syrup. It definitely definitely is not anything close to anything approximating Thai food. The papaya salad was ok. The worst in town, but not disgusting. There are a lot of Thai places in town. This one is solidly the worst. DO NOT GO. Notice how everything is 10% off (yet still the most expensive in town)? That is because locals know it is bad.
(1)Steven B.
During my 12/13 trip to Kona, I had dinner at Krua and enjoyed it. I had the chicken prik king (delicious) with brown rice, and the green papaya salad (sadly tasteless). Nice atmosphere, friendly and fast service, and I'd go back.
(4)David C.
Had dinner with family. I'll assume that the prices are pretty standard for island restaurants. The food was pretty mediocre compared to other Thai places I've been. We tried the Tom Yum, Lad Nah, Pad Thai, Massuman curry, and Pad See Ew. I really only liked the last one. A couple of the reviews here rave about the authenticity of the food. Since I've not been to Thailand I can't comment on that. Perhaps I'm just used to "americanized" Thai food. P.S. This is maybe picking a bit on the restaurant, but the bathroom doors are slatted -- basically acoustically transparent. And the bathroom had a mystery puddle next to the commode. Yikes!
(2)Rodney F.
Why 5 Stars? Keep it simple. Exceptional food. Super friendly staff. Fast service. Clean facility. Reasonable prices. Everything looked, smelled and tastes so fresh. One note if you like Thai dishes spicy make sure to let your server know, as the standard heat level is very low.
(5)Raymond D.
Nice place. Friendly staff and good food. I had the Thai fried rice with shrimp and it was very good. The wife's dish was good as well. We will definitely come here next time back in Kona.
(4)Judy M.
Excellent dinner topped off with dessert. This was the first time my husband & I have been to this restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised with the dishes we ordered. We had Pad Thai & yellow chicken curry which both had great flavor. To make our dinner even better I found a coupon on Yelp for a free desert when you order 2 dishes. Nice delicious surprise. We will definitely go back again when we are in Kona again in October.
(5)Megha A.
Awesome food. Totally loved it.
(5)Phil R.
I liked the atmosphere but the food and the service were sub-par. The Pad Thai tasted like BBQ sauce and the Drunken Noodle veggies were uncooked. Service was slow and ran out of drinks a few times. I will probably go back but I hope for a better experience next time.
(2)Nikki B.
This was the worst Thai place I've ever been to. The service was horrible and the food wasn't any better. We had appetizers that were good, but how do you mess up fried food, really? I had the Pad Thai, which was the worst I've ever had. It had a smoky flavor and wasn't spicy at all. I had to add chili paste to it and it still wasn't good. If I hadn't been starving and it hadn't taken forever to get our food, I probably would not have eaten it at all. I wouldn't go back here or recommend it to anyone else.
(1)Charles G.
Wanted to like this place. They did not serve wine and beer as noted on Yelp which was not necessarily bad but would have enjoyed a cold beer with my dinner. Atmosphere was nonexistent, service fare. Ordered the special which turned out to be a skad mackerel that was served whole and smaller than a brook trout. also the vegetables were drowned in a typical sweet sauce from any Chinese restaurant USA. Nothing authentic. My wife's curry was ok. Place was not very crowded either which makes you wonder. In all fairness the table next to us had dishes that looked better than what we ordered.
(3)Lisbeth D.
Krua is a great choice when you're looking for delicious and authentic Thai. They offer lunch specials but there were too many other things on the menu that my husband and I wanted to try. I ordered Tom Yum soup (thai spicy) and it's spice level was perfect. I really liked that the broth was actually spicy since a lot restaurants just dump in dried pepper flakes - not the same flavor at all! I also ordered the fresh spring rolls and thought they were fabulous. They were huge and included many fresh herbs which made the flavor pop. I've been craving them ever since and haven't had spring rolls that good ever. My husband ordered green curry and was a big fan of that as well. We really enjoyed our meal here.
(4)Warburg L.
Ordered pot stickers and spring rolls for appetizers - good but a bit sweet. The Hawaiian tastes are sweeter than I am used to. The curries were good - both the green and yellow. My daughter and I ordered ours extra spicy but it didn't curl our tongue. Overall a good place to go and I will go back again.
(4)Jordin L.
Recommended by a local and worth it! Green papaya salad is authentic (I have been to Thailand) and the chicken in the pineapple curry is super tender. Very nice and attentive staff! Remember BYOB!
(4)Connie H.
great place. top two faves are drunken noodles and the mango sweet sticky rice. (however they say this is seasonal, it's not always offered) would love to see the dessert on the menu regularly. great dishes and huge portions IMO. easily dinner and lunch for the next day
(4)Nisha A.
Loved it! Fresh vegetables in my dish and yummy peanut dressing on the salad. Great lunch specials too!
(5)tiffany l.
Quick service. Our food arrived no more than 5 min during lunch time. The food itself is a bit salty.
(3)Ann K.
Steady traffic of regulars ordering takeout. I got the vegetables with rice and the egg rolls. I ordered the seasoning mild and it was meh, you should probably go for the medium spicy of you like it mild and Thai spicy if you desire it spicy. Service was attentive and friendly.
(3)Paran Y.
Nice vib. Well lit and clean. Food was very good. Ordered the pad thai with vermacelli noodles and I thought it was well prepared. The fish dish I ordered was a little overcooked though.
(4)Lani G.
Krua offers amazingly tasty Thai. The best that I've had in Kona. The chicken panang and pad thai are to die for. I'll definitely return to try their other dishes.
(4)David S.
Outstanding food! One of the best meals we had in Kona. I am a Thai food snob and this place was one of the best I've ever eaten at. The staff was also wonderful!
(5)Maryann M.
Just the worst Thai food I have ever eaten. Tasteless, cold, unappetizing and overpriced Mahi Mahi that was without any seasoning and also undercooked
(1)Vijay R.
Kona and Hawaii in general has a lot of Thai cuisines. Another Thai place that I went to was basically like Chinese food because it was very oily and greasy without much flavors and spices in Thai food. After eating that garbage, Krua was a much better experience. The family is Filipino and Thai, and the food and service is authentic. I felt like I was at home with the type of service and courtesy that I received. My only negative is that the pricing for this food was very steep considering a smaller portion size.
(4)Bill M.
Service is attentive and accommodating. Food is great. Mango curry is world-class. Best Thai restaurant on the Big Island. Come back again and again.
(5)Phung T.
Great service, great food, and they know Asian spicy!
(5)D A.
This is a really good Thai restaurant. I've been their twice and ordered their lunch combinations. I got curry both times but different curries each time and my wife ordered the Thai basil chicken. They were all very good. The restaurant is very clean, service was quick and with a smile. I was in Kona on vacation for a couple weeks and tried three Thai restaurants. This was by far the best we went to and was as good as the best one I frequent back home. Prices are very fair. The lunches were around $8.50 each.
(4)SacBelle S.
Best Thai in Kona that we found. The food was fresh and delicious. They grow their herbs there and you can see some right by the front door. Presentation was awesome. The facilities are spotless which is nice. The kitchen is in view and well run. The servers were friendly. We went several times on our trip. The Basil-Chicken was great. My husband enjoyed two different curries.
(5)Sonny S.
always the best thai. I personally love all the curries, pineapple fried rice and deep fried ice cream. But everything on the menu is splendid. The employees are very friendly and welcoming and most of all attentive. A must for thai food lovers visiting the Islands.
(5)Karen N.
We LOVE thai; this is our fave in Kona! Great menu and service. Everything we've tried has always been excellent. Since my review above.....I think this place has changed ownership.....food was okay....small portion......seemed expensive this time. :-( We come back to Kona every year and try out all the thai places....I would no longer give this three stars.
(2)Beverly B.
Krua is absolutely AMAZING!! The service is over the top!! It's a family owned restaurant, the cook is the owner! My all time favorite is the chicken cashew Siam!! Every time I go to dinner here I can't leave without having dessert! They make banana won ton with icecream glazed with Chocolate and berry glaze!!! Best THIA in KONA!! On a scale to one to ten they deserve a 20!!! They're veggies are LOCAL and you can't beat that!!!
(5)K D.
Love their AUTHENTIC thai food! Tried just about everything too. I always go in for their lunch special. Must try their crispy duck salad and FRIED ICE CREAM!. Family owned and operated and friendly service. Yum!!
(4)Sonya W.
Good food and HUGE portions. I ordered the mango seafood dish at medium heat. The heat was there and the flavor was very good. Plus I had leftovers for one or two days to eat at the timeshare. (The reheated dish was pretty good as well). There was not any thai iced tea available though.
(4)Grace E.
Very delicious food and great service. Would come back again and again.
(5)Kari S.
Had the combination Thai fried rice, yellow curry with chicken, shrimp with garlic veggies, & sticky rice with mango for dessert. Our meal was outstanding and service was good.
(4)Kara O.
I have gone to krua before for lunch and loved the food and service. I went there for dinner tonight and got the WORST service EVER!!! It took 2 hours to get our food. My moms SALAD didn't even make it to the dinner table we had to get it as take out. We got our bill which we got 15% off because of the whole deal and when we got our bill back to be signed it magically went back to full price!!!!! I mean they can get our food to us in a timely manner then they lie and change our bill!!!! I will NEVER go there AGAIN!!!! Worse service I ever got!!!!!
(1)k k.
Really good deal for lunch was $8.95. Lots of choices too. I tried the pad thai chicken and noodles and it was great tasting with the peanut sauce. Came with alittle side salad on the plate. The noodle/chicken portion was big! Splurged on the thai coffee too, that was sooo tasty. Overall the best Thai I've had in awhile. Also want to mention the place was very nice inside and clean. Very nice.
(4)James W.
I found this place initially because it was such craziness right down where the water is that I escaped one street up. Happened to find this place because they actually have some parking. In any case, I'm glad I did. Service was fast and they make classic Thai dishes well. I got the drunken noodles and tried the papaya salad with an order of chicken satay. The papaya salad was very fresh! Large portions too. Went well with the chicken satay. My drunken noodles were also done well, although the large pieces of onion in it made my breath something to be desired afterwards. They served us very quickly, so we were able to make our manta ray night dive without any problems.
(4)Grace E.
First time in Hawaii and had a taste of their Thai food. I was not expecting too much from this place but I was very disappointed with the food. I ordered a Tom Yum Noodle Soup along with some appetizers. The noodle came undercooked and the broth was tasteless. Being raised in San Gabriel, California, I was used to delicious Thai food. Sadly I was not pleased with the food. The appetizers were decent. I had the crispy spring rolls and fried wontons. The service was overall pretty good since it was a calm night with no crowd.
(1)Dania-Maria K.
Krua Thai's interior design I fell in love with, I'm a sucker for that Thai style, if that's even what it is in their restaurant. It was such a pleasant experience. Our server was very kind and patient with us as we perused the menu. We ended up ordering the basil wraps to start, the peanut sauce was hearty with that delicious subtle peanut sweetness that really added to the rolls already strong flavor. The other sauce was also good, maybe black bean? I wasn't too sure, but it became overwhelming after awhile. We then ordered our entrees, which consisted of the garden vegetable something dish (under then sauteed section of the menu), Pad Thai, Pineapple fried rice along with the Krua Thai noodles. I tried a little of all dishes and devoured my own! They were all quite good, however I feel like the pineapple fried rice won out this time, the pineapple added a delicious zest to the comforting dish. Cute place and I can't wait to go back and try more.
(4)Gregg D.
This was okay, but I've definitely had better Thai. Service was a bit slow, but I only saw 2 ladies running the tables. I had Panang Curry, and veggie spring rolls. The spring rolls were just as they should be, though sauces were just meh. I actually had never had a peanut sauce I didn't like, so that was unusual. Plum/Hoisin sauce with it was a bit better, but still tasted a bit strange The curry was in a shallow bowl/plate hybrid, so while it looks big, there should have been a bit more for the price. I also asked for it "Thai spicy" and it was very mild, that was likely the most disappointing thing. Though the menu says it welcomes all vegan/vegetarian requests,, they still seem very confused by it. We stated up front that all of us were vegan, so absolutely no animal products. Yet each person was asked if egg was okay, or we wanted fish sauce multiple times. I'm used to that type of thing, but for each and every person? lol
(3)Taco N.
Bummer!!! Terrible Thai food that was cooked with zero Love!!! I have eaten at Krua at least 10 times over the years with friends and workers and have NEVER been impressed with the food!!! The atmosphere inside gives you hope that the food is going to be awesome , unfortunately the high prices and small portions dont add up to a good value! The one time we did takeout it was the lightest weight takeout bag i have ever had in my life that cost 50$s....It wasnt enough food for 3 ...2 were light eaters :( I have been to Thailand and have eaten at hundreds of Thai restaurants all over..Normally Thai food is a fresh explosion of flavors. The dishes at Krua just dont "pop!" Unfortunately the food at Krua ranks near the bottom of my list in terms of flavors, value, and the actual LOVE that goes into everything! ! The chicken, beef, and pork in the various dishes were all salty and rubbery!! There was also very little meat in the entrees compared to the veggies. Normally I ask for extra meat when this has happened, but the meats just weren't tasty at all! !! The sauces were very watery and felt more like a soup than stir fry! ! The 10$ lunch special was at most 5$ worth of food. . It was just a small dish of the entree with No egroll / spring roll or soup, just a scoop of rice and an attempt of a salad! There was very little differences in taste with all the dishes ordered... Bland Thai food that felt like it came out of a crock pot!!! Our entire group regretted our lunch decision afterwards, except that the atmosphere was nice. Good food is what we really wanted :( Unfortunately mediocre food seems to be the norm here in Kona, but there are definitely a few places with great atmosphere and food to match...Krua Thai only has the atmosphere. ....Improve your food !!!
(1)Denni P.
The Friday night we all went the place had one other table in the restaurant. That should have been my first clue. Service was attentive, food was mediocre. Flavours didn't seem to dance in mouth wen I normally entertain Thai cuisine and left unimpressed. Normally I rate places as if I'm 'going back' or 'skip' and this one is a skip for me for next time.
(3)Marshall W.
Cute place and on a par with a lot of great Thai restaurants. I had the lunch special which was nicely assembled with baked cashews and a variety of vegetables in a savory sauce. Wife had a curry dish. As an extra we shared a free Thai tea because we had a card. This place is neat as a pin. Nice perhaps authentic Thai decor and gave it a comfortable ambiance. Server was an older lady and was so helpful in choosing our lunches. Hard to find even with a Garmin but they offer free parking and right in front. Total bill was $25 including my $5 tip. Nuff said.
(3)T p.
I would have given no star to this place. Server came to our table and yelled at us at our kids 1yr and 2yr old are yelling too much. They were not crying or even making that much noise. They were just happy to get out of car after long day driving around The Big Island. She told us that she has customer here and they went to different part of restaurant because of our kids. FUNNY THOSE PATRONS HAD 2 TEENAGERS WITH THEM. Server kept apologizing for being rude but that was just too late. You r in hospitality industry act like one. If u have problems with happy kids just don't allow customer with kids. Other patrons said they moved because of fan. But I know for sure that was a lie. Krua. You didn't lose a customer they just chose sit somewhere else. You guys made a big deal out of nothing. But you did lose our business for sure.
(1)Angie B.
This place has become a huge disappointment. We usually come here for our lunch break. At first, the prices and service were both amazing. Now the wait time is close to 30-40 minutes. The service is a hit or miss. Sometimes the staff is very friendly, other times we are completely ignored. We came in during lunch time and sat at the table for 15 minutes with no menus, water or even an acknowledgment. Trying to be understanding of the lunch rush but when the waitress kept walking by us without any acknowledgement we got up and left. The lunch prices are compatible but if you're on a time limit, I wouldn't recommend this place. You'll have 5 minutes to eat once the food comes. They lost two loyal customers. On to the next Thai restaurant.
(2)Joshua Lee B.
This is our families #2 Thai spot for Kona.... Never disappointed! We have chicken satay for kiddos, with the tempura shrimp, crispy wontons and Thai crispy duck salad!! Delishoius!!!! Staff are super friendly, courteous and attentive. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is super casual. Great for dinner and lunch.
(4)Sekueli ..
Been here a few times and like always, the food was excellent. Had the lovely duck. The portion was huge and the duck was super delicious. The fried ice cream is the bomb and a perfect dessert to finish off your meal with. As always, the service was great.
(5)Alice S.
Three friends and I had lunch at Krua Thai today. The service was good the food fair. I've had much better Thai food. Lemongrass nearby is much better with fresh ingredients, more flavor. My friends all liked their lunches ok and that's just it, OK.
(3)Brian S.
The pad Thai was fine on flavor and amount. When we were visiting though, the service was slow. The restaurant and bathrooms were clean though, and the experience was okay.
(2)Chris J.
Slightly different Thai Food then the main land. Less flavor. Seemed like a family restaurant. Server was super friendly. Food was average, but good. Had the Thom Khaa soup. Not bad, not fantastic. I would eat here again because of the friendly staff.
(3)Sterling B.
Quite tasty. No alcohol, but when I got antsy and started looking around the waitress picked up on the fact that my water glass was empty. Lost a star for charging extra for spicy. We needed four entrees and an appetizer to qualify for the Yelp check-in offer, so missed out on that one. Had Queen of Siam Basil Pork and spouse had Krua Ginger Chicken. Both were nocely flavoured. Son's Chicken Satay disappeared swiftly. Enjoyable...
(4)Shelly L.
This cuisine was terrible. Cause I told the waitress that I have specific demand of the dish and asked some advises from them. They recommended one dish for me. But it was totally unexpected one. Then I hope them return this dish. They act like unhappy at all. I won't choose this restaurant again.
(2)Vai L.
Always awesome food! Yellow chicken curry is my favorite entrée. Chicken Paté and Thai Spring Rolls are delicious . The Fried Ice Cream is huge and is ono! Food is fast and the service is right on.
(5)Martin C.
Stopped in for a light lunch. Had the green papaya salad and chicken skewers. The salad was light and pleasant and not overwhelmed with fish oil. The skewers were cooked well and everything came out quickly. Will return again.
(4)Lakshmi G.
The food is absolutely amazing.Excellent dining experience at a moderate cost. Love this restaurant. We will definitely return.
(5)Harish K.
We visited the restaurant 3 times, food tasted great all 3 times, service was great. Each time we requested that no added sweeteners be added. At the end of the 3rd time we realised that this request had been honored only second and the third time. The same green curry was sweet and richer the first time compared to the second time) Would have given a 4 star if not for the above issue
(3)Summer S.
The service was pretty slow, and they seemed to be understaffed, The food was not nearly spicy enough even though we ordered it "hot". Its weird that they charge for Thai hot, and also the fact that Thai hot plus is an option means that their spice level is messed up. Not the best.
(2)May B.
Truth be told, the first place we wandered to was closed for the night since they had a pipe explosion of some sort, so we found this place - and we were glad we went. We got an assortment of appetizers, I enjoyed the spring rolls very much - although it's pretty hard to mess up something that is deep fried. Almost everyone at our table got curries, which were pretty darn good - portions were good sized, I was definitely stuffed after scarfing it all down. We also checked in and got the free fried ice cream - yum nothing like a hot and cold dessert - I've never seen a dessert get eaten as quickly as ours was, what can I say, it was good. The decor is nice and the server checked up on us throughout the night. I would recommend to others.
(4)Emilie P.
4.5 stars to give a bump... We ordered take - out after a long day of traveling: Tom Yum w/Shrimp, Laab (ground pork), and Red Curry (Chicken). All were delicious!! Prices are what you would expect in HI. Not cheap, but I didn't feel ripped off. I have a soft spot for Tom Yum and this one was tart and lime-y, just how I like it. The Laab was perfectly minty/herby...This is our all - time Thai fav!! Red curry was good, but missing something....we couldn't figure out what. The staff were warm and sweet, bringing the hubs water after water with his blatant sunscorch. Check in and get your free fried ice cream. A great way to end a delicious meal.
(4)Stasj T.
Arrived and was immediately seated. That's about all that was good. Service was EXTREMELY SLOW. Granted, there was a party next to us, but even so, I have never waited almost an hour for my food. Tempura was overcooked, looked more deep-fried than light and flaky as tempura should be. Ordered the garden delight with chicken; wasn't spicy so we had to ask them to bring hot sauce. It was okay; considering I eat a lot of thai food, this place wasn't too pleasing. The wait REALLY brought this rating down.
(2)Debbie S.
Ordered 4 items ..we are Vegan..Stressed NO EGGS, NO FISH OIL..Ordered Tom Kah Soup..Very Good..Need chunks of BROCOLLI, chunks of carrots..not sliced carrots..didn't like the soggy 1/4 chunks of tomato's ..The coconut flavor soup was great..Got fried Tofu..it was ok..well done which was good..a teaspoon of sauce for 4 slices of tofu..The Veggie Curry had an awful spice ..didn't like.. Pad Thai was Last...we started eating..and it was filled with EGG CRUMBLES THROUGHOUT ...Not good if Someone would've had allergies...We are VEGAN..So we were not happy..explained to waitress..we couldn't understand her..she took a couple dollars off bill..should've been the pad Thai taken off since we didn't eat it..that was crazy ..beware if food allergies..or VEGAN..it was cooks fault since we made sure to hear her tell cooks NO EGG , NO FISH OIL..when order went in..
(3)An N.
I don't know if it was the fluke rain storm that passed through that night, or the fact that my trio had just finished an exhausting yet gorgeous day at Captain Cook, but this meal was SO underwhelming. I've been here in the past and don't remember the food being so mediocre. Tom Yum Soup: Can never go wrong with this. But there is a fine line between savory/sweet and just outright artificial and salty tasting. Restaurant was lucky I was famished and cold because if not for those two factors, this soup would have been a fail. Calamari: Flavors were descent was breading was dismal and I was just inhaling grease. Drunken Noodle: This was actually half descent. Basic flavors. Ginger Fish: DO NOT ORDER! Such a waste of $20. We got the Mahi, and the fish itself was completely overcooked, fish did not taste fresh at all (I east A LOT of seafood, so fishiness does not bother me.. just straight NOT FRESH does), and the whole composition of the dish was a complete hot mess. I will not be coming back here ever again. With so many Thai options around Kailua Kona, this does not need to be visited again.
(3)Lindsey S.
Incredibly disappointing. My first experience here when it first opened was so bad that I vowed to never return. This was a few years ago, and my husband convinced me how wonderful it is. We've enjoyed a few meals (dine in and take out) and they began to change my mind. Today my husband asked me to pick up some soup for him on the way home since he was sick. I picked it up and paid the bill that they no longer offered kama'aina on. $17! $17 FOR SOUP!! Soup for ONE person. Plus tip I spent nearly $20. I told him "this better be the best d*** $17 soup you've ever had!" The soup was so salty he could hardly eat it. I won't be back.
(1)Brittany S.
We met an elderly Hawaiian man (Antonio who was 71 to be exact) on a park bench who told us this was the place to go when we informed him we were craving Thai eats. Located a few blocks off the main downtown Kona strip is the kind of place you think of when you're craving standard Thai - red curry, green curry, pad thai, mango and sticky coconut rice, spring rolls and so on. One special note, when you check in on Yelp you can receive a free fried ice cream (not sure what that looks like at a Thai establishment, we were too stuffed to find out). Everything was delicious - my only complaint was that the veggie spring rolls were on the hard side - it almost seemed as if the rice paper had dried out before they were created or the rolls were made in advance? Also, the rolls did not have noodles in them (womp womp). One neat note, the rice for my red curry was served in an adorable straw-crafted box. Nice touch. Bathrooms were very clean and the service was attentive.
(4)Jessica G.
This place has amazing flavorful dishes most of the portions I've gotten are large enough to split for two or save some for tomorrow. The ambience is good the waitstaff is nice and food always tastes fresh!
(3)Josh J.
All I can ask is "was the cook mad at me?" My wife's mixed seafood red curry was outstanding. Fresh fish, intense flavor, everything from mussels to calamari perfectly cooked. My crab pad thai, on the other hand, was utterly revolting. Its "sauce" (I use this term generously) was a mixture of sickly sweet orange gunk and liquid smoke. The flavor -- all 4 bites I forced down before gagging "may I have a box, please" -- was basically smoky, concentrated Thai iced tea. The texture was almost as bad: like shredded jell-o crossed with what happened when you were 22 and fell asleep boiling Ramen at 3 AM, only to wake up at 4:30 and decide the partly-molten glop in the pan was probably edible. In case you've forgot those experiences, it still isn't.
(2)Katherine B.
To be honest, the last time we came here we didn't care for it. Me being half Thai, I'm very critical of Thai food. Growing up, my mom always made authentic Thai food. Today I was craving Thai food and decided to try it again after seeing their lunch specials at a good price. I had the pad see ew lunch special and a cup of tom yum gai! My daughter had the yellow curry. All dishes were soooo good! Tom yum had the perfect amount of spice. The chicken (gai) melted in my mouth. Definitely authentic too! Service was great! We'll be coming back soon! Especially to redeem my free fried ice cream. Thank you Sam! Good stuff!
(5)Robert S.
The food here is absolutely delicious and this place is clean and service is good. The missing star is because their portions, compared to other Thai cuisines, their portions are not big, which meant we had to order more. Also, their ambiance is like a cafeteria more than a restaurant, if you know what I mean. But other than that, they do deserve the 4-Star rating. Happy dining in Hawaii.
(4)Terry G.
We had just arrived from the mainland. Saw the favorable reviews on Yelp. Gosh ... we use Yelp all the time nowadays. Anyhow, we fancied Thai and went for it. The place wasn't very busy but staff was friendly. No booze and we were hoping for a beer. Oh well. You can bring your own drinks. Ordered sweet potato appetizer, drunken noodles and vegetable stir fry. Sweet potatoes were purple and lightly breaded with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Flavor was sweet like yams but a stronger earthier intensity. We ate them all so apparently they were pretty good. Drunken noodles were excellent and vegetables were still crisp. Even with our modest order we couldn't finish it all. Meal came with steamed rice. Weren't sure at first but things turned out well. Good food and nice people.
(4)Willi S.
I can honestly say this was the best Thai food I've ever eaten. I really enjoyed the egg plant salad and garlic duck. The egg plant was cooked perfect. The duck was nice and crispy. The service was awesome. The waitress never let my cup go empty. She also spoke perfect understandable English. She answered all my questions with ease she was nice and knowledgable about the dishes they serve. Very nice and clean dining area. They also have a little herb garden out front where I assume they pick fresh Thai basil, lime leaves, and lemon grass which adds to the freshness of the food. Only down side is the parking is limited and tight. We went for a early dinner so parking was easy. If recommend to go early.
(5)Zach R.
I was craving Thai food for my birthday and decided to eat at Krua because I've eaten there once before and it's really good from what I remember. It's conveniently located near all my favorite stores but lacks the view that I sometimes want when dining out. My girlfriend and I were immediately greeted by the waitress and shown to a table once one was available. It was just after 12PM lunch rush and the place was busy, but we were seated in less than two minutes, which was nice because that's one step closer to eating and I was pretty hungry. After ordering our food, the appetizers arrived in what seemed like only a few minutes, but they were remarkably good. We enjoyed a considerable amount of the deep fried calamari to start, and one Pad Thai dish each, mine with chicken and hers with tofu. Our meal arrived quicker than anticipated, filled us both up, and were quite delicious. Only thing I forgot to do was check in and get the free fried ice cream! Next time :)
(4)Brian S.
This place has excellent service, as a server, that means a lot to me. The food tastes as amazing as it looks and it came out of the kitchen super fast. Even the prices are great. We just found our new favorite restaurant!
(5)Chad M.
When I'm in the mood for Thai food this is the place I go to. They make a pretty mean basil duck and their calamari appetizer is always fresh, light, and crispy! A little pricey but well worth it!
(4)Sarah C.
The food was great ! Really authentic tasting, I ordered the duck panang curry and eggplant dish. A little pricier than what I'm used to, but for the location its expected. Just a tip, not sure if mentioned previously, for the free dessert it requires a purchase of four entrees and a appetizer. All in all , decent meal !
(4)Nari H.
Check in for free fried ice cream!! This place was pretty great. The portion sizes were big and everything I ate was very tasty. Their Thai Fried Rice and Yellow Curry were very good. Their Pad Thai was good, but their Fried Ice Cream was amazing. Decor was definitely on the nicer side and service was friendly. I would recommend and definitely come back.
(4)Tani M.
Probably the best Thai food that I've had. They grow the herbs that they use in their dishes and it really makes a difference.
(5)D S.
Love this restaurant! Ive been coming here for years and it's always really good! I seem to always get one of their noodle dishes just because they are so yummy and big enough portions i can take some home. I give 4 stars and not 5 because last time I went here on a date, my date got the wrong meat in his dish and also its BYOB now since they lost their liquor license. I do recommend this place though, im always really happy with my food and the service.
(4)Jacques L.
Loved the papaya salad. Pad see ew had great flavor and the noodle texture was perfect for us being more on the firm side. Service was great as well.
(5)Katie M.
If you like Thai... Don't miss this place in Kona. They have great lunch specials, the food is yummy, and the service is sweet and kind and attentive. There are lots of Thai choices in Kona, this may be the best representation of authentic Thai food on island.
(5)Kyle C.
Very friendly, great service! The pad Thai and pineapple curry are delicious!
(5)Wesley S.
10/8/2010 update: I came twice since the remodel (the official grand opening is 10/10/10). I'm sorry to say, it's not the same anymore. Looks like it is under new ownership. I am the sorriest person now that my favorite Grilled Beef Salad is no more (read my previous reviews). The Grilled Beef Salad is just a plain grilled beef salad, and the portion has been cut in half. Where am I going to get my fix of Grilled Beef Salad now? I thought I heard staff talking in Chinese. Maybe they are Chinese from Thailand. And celebrating 10/10 is definitely a Chinese thing. The remodel did add real windows (instead of just screen windows) and the place is AC'd now. It's not bad food, mind you. But it is nothing special anymore. I do not have a reason to return here. A conditional 5-Star! (See my update at bottom, I will stick with a conditional 5-star rating for now, with more conditions.) What condition? Their Grilled Beef Salad - it's the best I've ever had. The rest of menu are 3 to 4-Stars. Maybe I should average them to give a 4-star. I've eaten here about ten times, and ordered the Grilled Beef Salad nine times. The one time I didn't order it, I regret. And out of 9 times I ordered it, 8 was outstanding. I don't know what happened the 9th time - maybe the chef was off that night. The key to the best Grilled Beef Salad is balance - balance of spiciness, sweetness, sourness, and freshness. So I recommend ordering it "spicy." They got the best balance. The portion is big enough to make a meal by itself, I normally order it with rice and ice tea for a complete dinner. Throw in a soup, if I'm extra hungry. That's all I order for myself nowdays. I sample or share other dishes my friends order, but I am quite happy eating just Grilled Beef Salad. UPDATE (3/4/2010): OK, I went back for the 11th time, and the Grilled Beef Salad was not up to the usual standard. Then I noticed one (at least) missing ingredient - the mint (I call it mint, but it may not be; it's the minty-smelling leaves)! I told the waitress, and she asked the chef. And I was right. They ran out of that minty-leaves. Next time I go, I will call ahead to make sure they have every ingredients for the Grilled Beef Salad. Without it, it does not deserve a 5-star.
(3)Tom M.
Very tasty, but small portions (maybe a consequence of being tasty? :)) Curry sauce is delicious. But mild is somewhat hot already, so keep that in mind when you order medium or hot.
(4)Anna P.
Went for lunch, food was great, portion size - in my opinion - very generous! Prices very reasonable for Hawaii standards. Service nice and atmosphere very pleasant. Chef grows a lot of his own herbs as well, and you can tell. The food is a bit different than the ultra traditional, but in a nice way. Would recommend!
(5)Frank W.
Been going there for years. Best Thai food in Kona...pleasant staff and nice atmosphere. Always get the yellow curry with chicken and sticky rice...yummy!!!
(5)Under The Bodhi Tree B.
went in for lunch, great service. we had the tom yum soup, a noodle dish that i don't remember the name of, and spicy fried rice. the food was delicious, and spicy!! I've been craving spicy and this hit the spot. the condiment caddy with the powder was awesome!! will definitely return for all my thai food needs :)
(5)Danielle P.
A bit of a disappointment. We make a point of eating here every time we're in town and were very excited to come back, but when we got our meals, the portion size was about half of what it had been the the other times we have eaten here (about 6-7 times). Also, instead of the many vegetables being stir fried so they were flavorful and crunchy, they had been steamed until they were mushy and piled, unseasoned, on the side. I eat thai food every week for years and have never come across steamed vegetables being served at a Thai restaurant... We also ordered our meals thai hot and received food with no detectable heat. The night we went, they were having their grand reopening. Let's hope things change back to the way they used to be.
(2)Byron H.
It's a tricky location, but the food is incredible.
(4)Anand And Lux K.
Food is good. But the five stars is for the service. The staff was extremely accommodating and attentive. We asked for vegetarian items, and were told they can make anything vegetarian on the menu (without fish sauce if needed). Better Thai food than many of the places I've eaten back in California. The family is both Filipino and Thai, so the desserts we had, had both influences, and were excellent. The restaurant also seemed more clean and maintained better than the other Thai restaurants in Kona. I would definitely come back again.
(5)sandy d.
Best Thai food in kona. Fresh basil is very fresh and special duck is excellent. Service is very good too. I will go again every week
(5)