Champa Thai Restaurant
306 Kuulei Rd, Kailua, HI, 96734
Champa Thai Restaurant Menu
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Address :
306 Kuulei Rd
Kailua, HI, 96734 - Phone (808) 263-8281
- Website https://www.champathai.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Billiam S.
The food is really good, very tasty but the service really sucks, either they need more staff or the waitress need to have some sort of training on how to take care of customers, I was waiting for 25 min for someone to take my other, and I can see 2 other more tables were the same, then about 30 min to get the check after I was done.
(3)Dustin K.
Great food and great atmosphere with a GM that cares!
(4)Victoria R.
WARNING they charge for rice when you order curry. Our server was super rude.. We were a table of over 5 and we were super respectful but we kept having to ask for refills and help on orders or questions. The noodles don't seem like the regular rice noodles at the other thai places I have been to. It tasted super sweet and was not hot at all like I asked. And our server never brought me the chili sauce like I asked. And my friends would ordered the curry said it was way to watery as well. I wouldn't come here if you truly love thai food!!
(1)Darryl B.
Warning when buying curry. I had four family members from my party order curry and was given a side of rice with each order. Like any Thai restaurant, rice is automatically included with any entree of curry. When the bill came, I was charged an extra $8 for rice after we consumed it. The menu does not indicate this extra charge and was disappointed to know that we had to pay for what was already eaten. I only speak the facts, so be careful when ordering curry. P.S. The green beans were still raw. The gentlemen who served us was a tall brown Indian or Persian looking server. Felt like I was hustled. Protect your money and visit a thai restaurant that will take care of you, no one likes "hidden fees", especially if you're on vacation. The receipt is also not itemized.
(1)Jacob S.
Very good service and atmosphere. We ordered the chicken phad Thai and Thai kung pao chicken. The kung pao was very good and the phad Thai was ok. Tasted like it may have been made with ketchup but it was the best I tried in this area. We also had summer rolls which were really good although the peanut sauce seemed runny. Our order wasn't prepared as requested but the staff went above and beyond to make it right.
(4)Paige S.
Tips: Call ahead to book a table, or be prepared to wait. Location: Across Kailua HPD and the elementary school. To the right of the Bike Shop. Parking: Extremely limited in front of the store, and there is also metered parking on the street Ambiance: Asian/Thai decor, some of the pieces that they have are beautiful. I don't think the ambiance suits the amazing food they are pumping out of the kitchen and hopefully they work it in the future. Upon walking in the left hand side has a lower celling which promotes more intimacy and the lighting is dimmer and more romantic. On the right hand side its a higher ceiling and it was between dim/bright because of the sporadic lighting. Service: Our sever was friendly and wonderful. He was in charge of wayyyy to many tables the night we went in, but some how he managed to do very well in spite of it all! Since he had so many tables the service was very slow, and it took almost 20 minutes for him to come back to our table, after ordering 40 minutes to get our appetizers and then 25 more minutes to get our entrees. He was very reassuring that the food had been ordered and they were just busy, I appreciated that he checked in so often and kept our drinks full. What we ordered: Everything was a 10/10 Fried Calamari: This portion was much bigger than what I had expected! It was huge! And was definitely a sharing platter. Each calamari was fried to perfection, crispy and just salty enough. Stuffed Chicken Wings: DELICIOUS! I was so impressed. I have had a lot of "angel Wings" but these were different, they stood alone, didn't need sauce and were filled with lots of goodies. Glass noodles, chicken, pork and veggies! The wing was perfectly deboned and soooo crispy on the outside. The textures were a party in my mouth and the flavors did not disappoint either! Chicken Pad Thai: On island there is only one other place that makes Pad Thai that I like and its To Thai For in Kaimuki which is quite far for this windward girl. I am proud to say that I will gladly order and eat Champa Thai's Pad Thai ANYDAY! The ketchup-ish/to Peanut ratio was perfect. The sauce was not drowning the noodles but complimenting them. The serving was HUGE, a sharing/family size platter, but I downed 3/4 of it hardly breathing. Only halfway through did I offer some to my husband because I was in food heaven! Fried Fish: My husband kept saying he wanted meat and I kept telling him I read the fried fish was where it was at. Trusting good ol' yelp he ordered it. When it came to the table, it was much bigger than expected with at least 6 pieces of large fried fish that were lightly coated in panko and fried to perfection! They sat a top this gorgeous light, refreshing salad that I HAD To take home because it was soooooooo good. What you should order: Fried Fish and Pad Thai! I suspect it will be hard for me to order anything else since I was so happy with these two dishes! The only reason they get 4 stars and not 5 is for the slow service. But I can tell you, it is worth the wait :) and i'd gladly do it all over again!
(4)Janine F.
Ok. Very friendly team. We loved their pad Thai and also ordered Penang which everyone raves about. It was Meh. Very watery. I will go back if craving Thai and try a different curry but not Penang:)
(3)Mich C.
Haven't been here for a long time and nicely surprised with ambience, service, cost and delicious taste of the food!
(4)Nikki H.
This place is really hit or miss. I hate to say that because I really want to like this place, but after more than 2 visits, it just really varies on what you're gonna get. The first time I came here was for a To-Go order. I had called in but when I arrived I still had to wait. That was okay, really, the guy at the counter gave me a free drink and even took 10% off my bill. Cool. The food portions were plentiful and everything tasted great. The second time we came here, again, our service was great, but the food this time wasn't as good. The portions were smaller, and it just didn't seem like we were getting our monies worth. For example, we ordered some calamari which is $12 and it LITERALLY came with 10 pieces on a huge bed of cabbage and fried rice noodles. Gee, thanks. My Pad See Ew came with different noodles than it normally comes with and 4 tiny shrimp with the tails still on. I read on the menu that you can BYOB and there is a uncorking fee. The parking lot is small and you can try to find parking on the street or in the lot that is behind the building where you'd park if you went to Ali'i Antiques or Cinnamon's. With other Thai restaurants so close, Champa Thai won't be our go to spot, but it's not like we'll never come here again.
(3)rachelle t.
Very nice owner!!!! Excellent food! Top quality food. Very busy tonight. The wait was totally worth it! Best thai food!!!
(5)Shawn G.
First choice for Thai food in kailua. I am a curry fiend thanks to this place. I have tried each one of their flavors and all are delicious. I usually choose the chicken option, but the duck is also a great substitute when it's available (just be prepared to pick it off the bone). Combine any of them with a side of sticky rice you won't be disappointed. The green papaya salad is a nice, light appetizer that is always fresh and starts he meal off perfectly. Parking in their lot can be a pain, but there is street parking in the immediate area. The interior can be a bit off-putting to first time diners. It's a bit dark and dingy and stuffed with Asian art and decor that I imagine was pulled from their grandparents house. Stick with it though, as the food will have you returning again and again.
(4)Tamara B.
First time was good...second time was horrible! Ordered pick up of chicken pad Thai, fried rice and red curry with eggplant. The fried rice and pad Thai had the same color and taste. The pad Thai was dry and made with weird noodles. It had a couple pieces of chicken and that was all besides a side of uncooked sprouts. The fried rice was the same. The red curry was not so red. It did however have chicken and eggplant. Will not order from there again and would not recommend to anyone!
(2)Yesenia G.
This is definitely a 5 star! I tried #43 chicken kung pao with bell pepper. It was delicious! My friend had the pineapple curry and was also delicious. We had a party of 7 and everybody was happy! This is seriously a place where everything is good! Co owner and staff gave excellent service. Priced great! Food tasted amazing, fresh and authentic!
(5)Liza A.
Tip: Arrive early for dinner service if you want your sticky rice!! We waited for close to 10 minutes before anyone took our order even though there were few people left to attend to. Unfortunately even though we arrived an hour prior to closing and they were not that busy, the waiter notified us AFTER serving our main course that the sticky rice was being made. He brought us Jasmine rice and never brought out our order. We then overheard someone order it that just walked in and he said that they were out of it! Anyhow, if it wasn't for the fact that the food tasted good, then I am not sure I would go back for the service. We ordered Summer Rolls, Panang and Thai Chili Fried Rice & Thai Iced Tea. The food was yummy, but I am sensitive to smells and my glass had that wet-dog smell to it (like when it should be dried thoroughly after washing). The atmosphere in the restaurant is very nice and they have carefully selected artwork that enhances the dining experience. On my first visit (this was the second) candles were lit which gave it an even more elegant ambiance. I guess by the time we got there, they were more concerned about going home & who could blame them? It was a Friday night. Give them a try...just go early for the best experience!
(3)Em S.
I would have rated this restaurant a 3.5 if that was an option. Although the food was good it wasn't the best Thai food that I've had. We ordered the Shrimp Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, and Tom Kha Soup. The customer service was excellent! Our server, Alex, took very good care of us...he even charged my friend's iPhone while we were eating.
(4)Randy C.
This is by far the best Thai food on Oahu! This is our third vacation to Oahu where we will eat at least three times at Champa. The staff is friendly and helpful.
(5)Scott S.
Great Thai food and comfortable surroundings. Food was quick and well prepared. The appetizers are easily shared between two to three people. The mixture of flavors was fantastic. Service was great, very prompt and efficient. Would definitely return.
(5)Alejandro R.
good front staff... back end I don't know what is going on.. restaurant was half capacity but I waited 30 minutes for our appetizer and 1 whole hour from when we ordered to receive our meal... had to shift my evening schedule because of this. ...
(2)Shawna C.
I had great service but the worst pad Thai I have ever eaten in my entire life. It tasted as if they poured ketchup on noodles and topped with crumbled peanuts. Disappointed to say the least.
(2)Danielle S.
I had a fantastic meal at Champa Thai last night! The place was packed, the service was speedy and the food was delicious!! I even went back tonight for take out!
(5)Mark A.
The good indicator of delicious food is your natural instinct to lick the plates clean. I literally have that instinct every time we eat here.
(5)D A.
Champa Thai. My how I miss the old days. I have been a loyal customer to this restaurant for more than ten years, however, things just aren't the same here. My friends and I would come here once or twice a week to enjoy the amazing curry fried fish, tom yum soup and stuffed chicken wings accompanied by the ever so attractive BYOB wine. The mostly female servers were always so kind, offered our military discount without asking for our id EVERY TIME, and really brought the place to life. They would greet us with a smile, sometimes a hug and seat us. NOT ANYMORE. Apparently management has changed, the tenured servers are not there anymore and have been replaced by mediocre, creepy male servers that make us (males and females) all feel uncomfortable and annoyed to have dinner there now. We have gone back three times now since the change and the food has been hit-or-miss compared to the same dishes full of love we craved on a weekly basis. I am not sure what is going on, but the GM who told of us the changes assured it was the same chefs as before. The GM is a nice guy, but came to the restaurant out of blue expecting us to all of a sudden love him and not ask questions about the unannounced and sad changes. I will come back to Champa Thai, but not as often as I once did. When people ask where I want to eat, Champa does not even make the top three of Kailua eateries when it used to be a no brainer to come here. I hope the establishment takes these remarks to heart and understands the lack of warmth and enjoyment the restaurant exudes now. Although food may be good, and once deserved 5-stars, that's not the only thing that makes a restaurant succeed.
(3)Eric P.
Great flavors in a neighborhood retsaurant! Not too expensive and very nice portions. I have had Thai food in many restaurants and this is among my top favorites
(3)J Y.
Are you kidding me?! I ordered the Tom Yum Ka and a side of rice - $14.50?! I ordered this take out, and as friendly as the person on the phone was, he didn't give me a total until I got there. I thought to myself, "this better be extraordinary soup and rice for the cost" but when I got home it was mostly an unappetizing sweet broth, with three over cooked prawns and a ton of hard inedible lemongrass pieces - yuck.
(1)Titi R.
We were sat down when we got in but not given menus and table wasnt set. 2nd person came and inquired then gave us menus and had table set. We ordered 5 items...panang was heavy on the coconut milk an only 4 items in it. The pad thae was ok..the crispy thai chix was good and the seafood soup was ok woulda tasted better tangier. When done we were given our bill....only the credit card payment NO receipt of what i was paying for....2 on service and 3 on food. Pae Thai on kapiolani has better tastng food even for their price.
(2)Fallon Z.
I'm surprised at some of the negative reviews here. I live down the road and come here often for both lunch, dinner, and take-out. Wait staff have always been very efficient and attentive. They always remember my dairy sensitivity and use only coconut milk in my tea and dishes. Speaking of the food...so damn good. Always hot, always flavorful, always delicious. I have brought many friends and even family here, and we are never disappointed. My favs: Thai iced tea, veggie spring and summer rolls, veggie sateh, thai chili fried rice, and green and red curries. I really wish they had "drunk man noodle" as I've had elsewhere, but everything else is so good I don't care. Also, I had lunch here solo the other day, and recieved a free creamy dish of Coconut Ice Cream for dessert! YUM and THANK YOU!
(5)Cinthia R.
Horrible! First of all for the prices they charge are ridiculous for the quality of food. I normally get the chicken panang. However, decided to get shrimp panang. I felt like I was drinking coconut milk with all these green beans and 5 tiny pieces of shrimp. Soooo sad! Going back to Phucket Thai.
(1)Harry K.
Hands down - Hawaii's finest Thai/Laotian style food. We have been dining @ this fine family Restaurant for over 20 years now in Kailua. Freshly made to order! BYOB is fine. Same delicious menu for take out too!
(5)Jade P.
The food here is delicious! I'm a big Thai food person (love Thai town in Hollywood) and when I've gone to other states for Thai food it's hard to find restaurants with authentic tasting food. But this place is spot on. Tried Lemongrass but honestly it's not that good; it's also mostly Vietnamese which is obviously not Thai. Service was great here, so I'm not sure what other reviewers are complaining about. Although we did get here right at 5pm when they re-open. If I'm ever in Kailua again I will definitely be coming back here for Thai tea, and beef larb! My mouth is watering already. I highly recommend this place if you love authentic Thai food.
(5)Inna B.
We had friends staying in Kailua and I was craving Thai one day, so I found Champa Thai (using the super handy Yelp app, of course). I got take-out so I didn't get the whole experience, but my experience was pretty good. The tofu entree I ordered and picked up was big and tasty. The only downside was that the prices seemed higher than I'm used to for Thai food. Could have just been a difference between Seattle and Oahu, though.
(4)Chris L.
Love this place. The food is always good. We used to do take out from here and this was the first time we actually sat down to eat. The service was great. The food was, as always, great. There are 2 reasons it's missing a star. The parking situation is difficult at best. And, the spring rolls were a bit greasy, as if the fryer temp was a bit lower than needed. Flavor was amazing though. Otherwise; great food at a good price.
(4)Marie J.
This is the best place I ever have eaten Thai food. The food was amazing- especially the soups, fish and curry. The service was 6 out of 5, local, handsome, smiling and helping. I can highly recommend it.
(5)Diana N.
My husband had his work Christmas dinner here so I was lucky enough to try this place out for free =) We feasted on egg rolls, pad thai with shrimp, a few curry dishes, as well as my favorite, the fried rice. Unfortunately I can't give specifics on what the name of the dishes were since I didn't order them, but I can tell you that every dish was surprisingly good. I never really crave anything at a Thai restaurant but I actually did this time. Because someone else was treating, I couldn't exactly order more. Now I have a reason to try other dishes! My favorite was the fried rice. Perfectly cooked and perfectly flavored! Curry dishes had a good amount of coconut milk in them...just the way I like it. Pad Thai had just the right amount of tanginess and oodles of peanuts! Service was right on top of things. Water was always filled in our cups. Fast and friendly staff! I only wish it were closer to Kapolei....=( That means my husband will just have to bring back food after work when my cravings come...
(5)Lauren T.
Got here on an empty Thursday night at around 8pm. There were only two other couples dining. The food was alright, but holy batman, the service is C R A P. After getting our food at MAYBE 8:40, the waitress comes around at 8:55ish to ask if we are done with our meal. I was pretty full and said I was finished so she took our plates away and packaged our food up for us. She came back with the check, I calculated the tip, signed... she promptly came back and took the signed check. 1 minute later, she came back and said "We are closed now" and waved at me. Don't usher me out of your restaurant at exactly 9pm, don't wave me out of your restaurant, I paid to eat your mediocre food, let me enjoy my night. It's not like we had a case of beer and bottles of wine to consume, we were actually just resting our bellies before heading home. What is your problem lady. Needless to say, this ticked me off to no end. Poor customer service. Won't go back unless desperate. Go to Lemongrass down the street, way nicer staff and way better food. The only reason why I didn't go there was because they were closed that night.
(1)AP A.
This is Thai food for white people. It is not authentic, super americanized. Aimed at older white people. This made me sad, because I love Thai food. The green curry looked like soup. The pad thai tasted lazy. Even the honey chicken tasted like pure sugar. gag. Plus, i think there were only two waiters in that really full restaurant on a Saturday night. So. so. slow. Three of our party received food that had time to cool down before the fourth person received their meal.
(2)P B.
Our first time here, excellent service, amazing food. The green papaya salad, summer rolls, and curry dishes were awesome. We are vegetarian, and the menu had great options for us too!
(4)Mark M.
So please keep in mind this was my first time ever at a Thai restaurant. I went with the Look Luck and had a side of brown rice to go with it. Very tasty, was expecting it to be hotter, but perhaps this is a dish that isn't spicy to begin with? I don't know. Service wasn't too bad. I didn't order a soda but they do not offer refills on them. BYOB is also charged at $1 per person, although we did not do that either. I left filling full and satisfied so that is probably the most important item.
(4)Angela J.
My husband and I tried this Thai food for the first time tonight and everything was just absolutely delicious. I am a very picky person when it comes to eating at Thai restaurants because some just doesn't make their food as good as others. We had the chicken satay which was great! Next time, we'll just get the peanut sauce on the side. It was a bit too much but we ate it anyway. We had the grilled beef salad which was also good. It had a strong fish scent. Probably because of the fish sauce but overall it was good. For our entrees, we had the Pad Kee Mao (I call it "Drunken Noodle" back home) it was good. The Shrimp Asparagus & Choo Chee Curry also good. We enjoyed every bite! Anything else we didn't finish, we took home. Military discount was also a plus. 10% off! Prices are reasonable too! Such a nice experience. I recommend this place!!
(4)Patti K.
This is my favorite Thai restaurant. The food is consistently very good -- tasty and generously portioned. The service has always been courteous and friendly, but not intrusive. The restaurant is very clean and nicely decorated so that it's a calming atmosphere without veering into kitsch. I have several food allergies, so eating out is very challenging, but I know I can always enjoy a fresh, delicious, relaxing, and, most important for me, safe meal at Champa Thai. I love the yellow curry with tofu and veggies, the chicken satay (spelling?) with peanut sauce, the spring rolls served with lettuce, mint leaves and cucumber, and several other dishes. My hubby really likes the fish dishes. Two thumbs up.
(5)Mo Z.
Dined here a couple of times while in Kailua over the holidays. This family owned restaurant has great food. Our friends treated us to dinner one night and ordered a large variety of dishes, all of which we enjoyed.
(5)Mele M.
I was hesitant to try this restaurant based on everyone's comments about the service! But, my husband and I picked up food from this location and didn't have any problems with being ill-treated. The food was good and we'll be happy to visit this place again.
(4)S. M.
Hello DELICIOUS! We always get the pad thai with chicken and the curry with spring rolls. We have never been disappointed. We always do take out and they have a 10% military discount. The restaurant always has patrons, but isn't overly busy. They have a small corkage fee for those that want to partake while dining in. The staff is friendly and kind. THe only thai food we will eat in Kailua is Champa Thai!
(5)Patrick S.
Love this restaurant! Food IS great and so is the service! Joe, one of the owner's, talked with us and was very receptive! We had a wonderful dining experience! Awesome job, guys!
(4)Addie L.
We were treated by my brother in law (thanks!) with his in laws and kids so it was a big party. A opportunity to try many dishes! Overall, it's a mix bag. Service is quick and efficient, the menu is extensive, the parking lot is small. Portions were ok. Note: medium spicy could be too hot for some people. Here is the rundown in order of good dishes and not so good. Deep fried mahi curry - prepared in an interesting way and it works. The mahi was still crispy, not being drowned out by the curry, mahi was also moist in the middle Chicken fried rice - fried with pieces of tomato, very tasty. A good blend of spices, perfect amount of fish sauce that gives a seafood like flavor. This dish is pretty much tied with the mahi curry as their best dish. Chicken eggplant - not bad, eggplant and chicken was cooked perfectly, flavor was good. Basil was a good compliment to this dish. Pad si you - noodles were too broken, a big no no for me, the veggies were too much on the soggy side. Flavor was ok. Spring rolls - crispy, sauce was a good pairing. Skin was too clumpy for me. Curry dishes - ordered several types of curry dishes but they all pretty much tasted the same. The curry was too watered down, too much coconut milk, not enough curry spices. Panang curry did not have enough peanut flavor built into the sauce, had to rely on whole peanuts.
(3)Jeremy G.
4.5 Stars! Ordered take-out, ready as said, very friendly person I talked to, but the best part was the food. The Masaman Curry was the best Thai I've had in the area. The Pad Thai was on par with the other local establishments. Price was reasonable. Would recommend to friends.
(5)Sharon G.
We are here on our vacation and were looking forward to eating at a long-time favorite Thai restaurant. Unfortunately, it is no longer so good according to my sister who lives here. We looked for a replacement and found Champa Thai Restaurant in Kailua--and what a find it was! A Yelper had informed us that it was BYOB so we brought Kirin beer. They provided us with chilled glasses! The food is divine--one of the best meals of last 10 years. The four of us ordered the fried Spring Rolls, Stuffed Chicken legs, Panang Curry with Shrimp, Basil Chicken Curry, Creamy Garlic Shrimp, and Green Papaya Salad. It was all exceedingly wonderful. We all agreed we had found our new Go-to place for Thai. The owner, Joe, is a charming and entertaining host. He regaled us with amusing stories and descriptions of the food. He was definitely value added. Thank you Joe for a splendid evening!
(5)Marie M.
Garlic eggplant!!! Enough said;) You dont want to miss it;) add some sticky rice to make an excellent dinner. My best kept secret........today im feeling generous so im sharing the good food recommendations;). The Tom Ka Kai soup is awesome too. Love this place, its my favorite Thai restaurant on the island
(5)Sera H.
This place is top-notch. ABSOLUTELY GREAT FOOD AND STAFF. Today, I ordered food to pick up...I got out the door, and completely dropped it on the ground and it spilled everywhere. Not only did they re-make my order and clean it up, they didn't even charge me for the re-do! SUCH KIND STAFF!! Love it as one of my regulars. Great for birthday parties too!
(5)Kirsten W.
After 10 years the service and quality of food have remained great! Be adventurous and explore the menu, everything is delicious!
(5)Toph L.
My wife and I have lived in Kailua for over 5 years. Whenever we want to go out to eat Champa is at the TOP of our list and friends and family we have taken here have ALL loved it. Chicken green curry, beef panang, Pad Thai and Somen Noodle Salad are just a few of our favorites. The menu is extensive and it is worth exploring because I have NEVER been disappointed, including the salads. I have been to Thailand countless times, this food beats anything I have had there because it is always fresh and incredibly consistent. Thanks Champa.
(5)Jim D.
One server to cover the entire Saturday night dining crowd and then a major debate over a communication error with the kitchen has this former faithful customer now simply a former customer. Champa Thai Kailua increasingly disappoints and I'm done.
(2)James A.
I started coming to Champa for Thai take-out because the other Thai restaurant in Kailua had gone downhill. At first I was pleasantly surprised. The food was good, the service was good, and there was a discount for paying cash. Score! However, having ordered from them a few times i became less enthused, mostly by the inconsistency with what you get. I like to order a fish curry, whether it's a red/yellow/green/panang, whatever. Sometimes you get plenty, sometimes you literally get a take-carton filled with sauce and two pieces of fish a little bigger than the size of 2 quarters side by side. The last time i wanted food they weren't answering their phone, so I went down there to order. The restaurant was busy, people at every table. This is good right? The staff however cannot cope. They are not answering the phone, and they're ignoring me. After 5 minutes one of the waiting staff looks up and asks what i wanted (literally what do you want), not "Hi", or "welcome to Champa Thai" or any of the usual restaurant chitchat you get. I say i would like to order some take-out and she immediately snaps back with "It'll take an hour". "that's fine" I said, "i'll just place the order and come back in an hour". She tosses a menu at me and disappears. Twelve minutes later she hasn't come back. I leave the restaurant and go to Saengs Thai restaurant instead. Let's just say it was like a different world. I used to run restaurants, very busy restaurants. You lost yourselves a customer Champa.
(2)Loves To E.
YUM! Great food and great service! We just got back from Thailand and were craving good curry and we got it at Champa Thai. We are so happy to have found this gem of a restaurant. Definitely going back!!!
(5)Maile K.
I got the duck curry mild and it had just enough spice and the duck meat was tasty. The broccoli was cooked perfectly too! The service was really good too!
(5)Me M.
The yellow curry was delicious, the pad Thai was... Ok. The service was overwhelmed.
(3)Kate C.
As a stingy Yelper, I wanted to keep my go-to Thai food restaurant a secret - but since there have been some hit or miss reviews, I feel like spreading the love. Plus, this establishment does an awesome job of making you feel welcome - I'm a fan of supporting businesses with quality service. My SO would eat the Panang curry 4 times a week if I let him - I venture out and try something new (almost) every time. But I have my favorites that I know and love; like the cashew chicken, pad see ew, or the shrimp fried pineapple rice. I've never ordered something I've not been pleased with. The portions may be family size, but I rarely leave with leftovers - instead I power through and opt to roll myself out the booth and into the car. Love the BYOB, love the military discount - we do take-out frequently and they know how to deliver. Agree with the recommendation for a take out parking spot but they are already limited there. We park at the library across the way without any trouble. I remain an ever-faithful Champa customers and have yet to find a Thai joint on the windward side that tops this place!
(5)Thomas P.
This place is totally one of my fav places for thai food on the island now. The server was great, I love great service. The food was great, that tofu satey was cut in big peices, not the usually small chunchs and thta was different, but a good different. I added some hotnees to my plate, and it was all fantastic. We got the panang curry, pineapple fried rice and a garlic dish. All were incredible, good job guys!
(5)Julia F.
Came here twice over the weekend. Nice clean place, servers were friendly and fast. Over the course of two visits, we ordered at least 12 dishes. The Pad see ew was my favorite dish there, along with the fried chicken, which was perfectly fried, crispy and tender. The Tom Yum soup and fish patties were also delicious. The pineapple curry was a little bland and lacking in that punch you want in a curry. You also need to order the rice separate from the curry, and I thought the rice portion was tiny! We ended up ordering two more servings of rice. The Pad Thai was also a little on the bland side; I really like bold flavors, and it tasted a little generic for me. As far as food goes, you can order most dishes in heat ranging from mild to hot, and we got 90% in medium, which was enough for me. My favorite Thai food place on Oahu is still Siam Garden on Nimitz because it has more flavor, but Champa Thai is definitely a yummy place. Big space, so no need to wait in line.
(4)Ryan K.
You walk into this restaurant to be greeted by a nice Thai statue. The hostess/waitress comes quickly to seat you. Decorated with Thai artifacts this comfortable place reminds me of a fine dining restaurant in Thailand. We started with the Stuffed chicken wings for our appetizer. Extra yummy! My favorite is Panang curry with chicken and long beans. This is the best I've eaten in Hawaii. We also had the Pad Si You which is a chow fun type of noodle with brown gravy and broccoli. Because we only had the 2 of us we couldn't try anything else. If you come bring a big group so you share more dishes! Parking is not a problem because there is a lot of street parking. Maybe they should make a take out stall.
(5)Jocelyn R.
It's always a little disconcerting when you walk into a restaurant and realize you are the only patrons, but I usually trust Yelp local searches to steer me to the right location and this was no exception. This was probably one of the best meals we had all week while on a recent vacation to Oahu. The prices were more than reasonable and the service was outstanding. We shared the appetizer sampler platter, and I had pork fried rice for my entree, while my husband went with beef pad siuie (I'm sure I am spelling that wrong!). We both loved our spicy meals and would highly recommend a visit to this Champa Thai!
(4)Sarah B.
Great neighborhood restaurant. Nothing too fancy, but great prices for the area (every entree is about $12 and plenty big enough to fill you up). Everything I've tried has been very tasty, they're good about making it however spicy you want, and very friendly. Service can be a bit slow, but we're not usually in a rush-- it's BYOB so come with a six-pack or a bottle of wine and relax. Even when we showed up late one night with a group of 10, they were super accomodating. This is my go-to Thai restaurant in Kailua, for both eat-in and take-out.
(5)Chan G.
Drove from salt lake :) best thai food yet! My fat ass tried the whole menu :) and... Best service :)
(5)Jessyca M.
The Stuffed Chicken Wings (sometimes called Angel Wings) are delicious here! I personally like mine with peanut sauce, so I just asked for some on the side when it arrived with a different sauce. The spring rolls were also tasty and SO cute!! Instead of being cut in half, they just made mini spring rolls!! AWWW! It seemed like the meal was going in a good direction...but then the entrees came... We ordered the Eggplant with beef and the Crispy Chicken Curry. The eggplant was not fresh and both dishes were WAY too salty. I could not eat more than two or three bites. I would stick to the appetizers in the future!
(3)Charles Y.
So disappointed. This place used to be great. Back visiting the islands and stopped in for lunch. Mediocre at best and quite over priced. Always a little sadness at the waning of a restaurant. The second star is for the decor, which is ok.
(2)Emily M.
My husband and I really loved this place! Great atmoshphere and helpful and nice servers/water people/waitresses. I loved my food as did my husband and we can't wait to take our friends back! The spring rolls off the appetizer menu were so delicious!
(4)Julie B.
Boo. Totally disappointing and completely inauthentic. The "panang" was a soupy, thin coconut curry, the mee krob was made with packaged noodles (not freshly fried) and the eggplant with chili was bland and boring. The panang had about 8 thin slices of overcooked, grey meat in it altogether, plus a ton of green beans, and when ordered medium spicy, everything was void of any heat whatsoever. Definitely pass on this one.
(2)Jason S.
It's a shame how difficult it is to find authentic Thai food on the Windward side. Every so often, I get an insatiable craving for panang curry. A week ago, I foolishly tried to deceive my stomach with a box of microwave curry from Longs Drugs. Big mistake. After one terrible spoonful, I decided to call my "kau kau companion." We combined forces and set off in search of the ultimate curry. Good Thai should have been a piece of cake. However, good food can be expensive and right now we're both on a shoestring budget. So how do you satisfy a Thai hunger attack when you're almost broke and worn-out from school and work? A mere 20 minutes later, we were on Kuulei Road, Kailua, in a quiet and unassuming little restaurant called Champa Thai. How strange. I've driven by the place hundreds of times but somehow never noticed it. Our budget was tight, so we decided it would be best to limit our order to one plate of appetizers, one curry dish and a few bowls of rice. However, when I glanced at the prices on the menu, I was convinced we could eat very well and maybe even bring home leftovers. Their appetizer sampler, $10.95, featured two spring rolls, four pieces of Thai toast, two chicken satay and a bed of Mee Krob noodles. What a wonderful variety of Thai food. It's proof positive that good tasting food does not have to cost a fortune. The highlight of the sampler was definitely the chicken satay. Tender chunks of grilled chicken on bamboo skewers and coated with the thickest, sweetest peanut gravy I've ever tasted. The Mee Krob (sweet crispy rice noodles) was the finest I've had, as well. But we were there for something else: panang curry. They'll prepare it anyway you like: hot, medium or mild. My companion loves hot but chose medium on my account. A bowl costs only $8.45 and easily feeds two. I don't remember sharing any! I've had countless varieties of panang in my life, from all over the United States. Honestly, this is the best it's ever been. I'm not sure why because it has the typical ingredients you expect: coconut milk, curry paste and fish sauce. Yet there's something else, something elusive, because I have never tasted this flavor profile in my life. And I love how the fiery heat from the chili blends with the sweetness of the coconut, coats the tongue and cheeks and feels so good sliding down the throat. Whatever magic this is, there is not enough rice in the world when you order decadent curry like this. Lucky for me, each bowl of jasmine rice is only $1.25. Incidentally, the wait staff was wonderful. They are professional, friendly and always approach the table with perfect timing. I don't know why I thought I had to drive to town for that. I'll always be grateful to my kau kau companion for bringing me to Champa Thai. What other wonders are there on the Windward side? Perhaps next time, we'll quest after the best Mexican food in Kane'ohe. She has the scoop on a wonderful place on Kahuhipa Street. Good thing too, because you don't want to know what I'm like when I can't get a good enchilada.
(5)Ione F.
We wandered over to the Kailua side of the island and found this little gem. If you like traditional spring rolls these may be a surprise, but not disappointing, a tasty surprise. The Pad Thai and green papaya salad very good. SO those are the staples, what about the Curry? Very, very good. They have a twist on traditional with Mahimahi curry that is delicious. Definitely a worth going, and the price beats the downtown Thai restaurants.
(4)Karen D.
There are who-knows-how-many Thai restaurants in Hawai'i, but not all are created equal. Among the offerings on the Windward side, Champa Thai is my fave. Their service isn't the best, but the food always tastes fresh and delicious. The price is reasonable, too. There are a few negatives I should mention. One is their teeny-tiny parking area; plan to park on the street (after 6:00pm and on Sat/Sun/holidays, no charge in metered stalls). They are closed on most holidays, plus they close when they feel like going on vacation and also intermittently without warning or explanation. Their service isn't so hot. In fact, there have been times that they simply don't answer the phone even if they are open (again, its intermittent). Dining in it's usually quiet and not crowded, although the service is rather indifferent and inattentive. For this reason, we prefer take-out. If you can overlook the flaws in service, the food is definitely worth a try! Champa Thai is located on Ku'ulei Rd across from Kailua Elementary School. Hours are Mon - Sat: 11am - 2pm & 5:30pm - 9:30pm, Sun 5pm - 9:30pm. They take credit cards but offer a discount for paying cash. They are also BYOB (with corkage fee). Yelp 365 Challenge #063/365
(4)Elizabeth G.
Any time I have a craving for Thai this is the place I go! I love the Panang curry and the pad Thai, so Ono!
(5)Wes S.
Fantastic and surprisingly inexpensive food that caters to the BYOB mentality, regardless of the group size? There is no saying "no" to this place. 5-6pm happy hour special of 15% off makes the whole deal just too good Love the appetizers Go with what intrigues you, the dishes you know already are what you would expect, good, but not too surprising--it's the dishes that you have looked at, and kept in the back of your mind, as you perused the extensive menu. THOSE are the ones to go for. No matter the palate, there is something in the menu that someone you're with has yet to tru, and something that you can't even describe but "damn good." Love that Kailua has one. Bring a bottle of wine and great company, and this place wins hands down every time.
(5)Chantel T.
Me and the BF were hungry for some Thai food. We didn't want to sit and dine in so we ordered food to go , spring rolls, beef broccoli, pad Thai, and sweet and sour chicken. Sounded so Yummy..... Too bad that wasn't the case. They gave a discount for paying cash but that's the least they could do .... There was barely anything in these to go boxes, it was about 1/4th full and i am not exaggerating. We couldn't believe that we spent over $40 for food that was near non existence. On top of that the food was not really all that great taste wise. I would rather go to Phuket Thai or Bangok Chef!!!!!!!!! In the sweet and sour chicken good luck finding the shreds of chicken hidden among all the vegetables. Only thing that was tasty was the beef broccoli. I am not going there ever again. Maybe dine in experience is better but they really cheat you out of the amount of food that they give you .
(2)Kat M.
Ordered take-out form here tonight and it was fantastic! Got the summer rolls for an appetizer and those suckers were a meal on it's own. The roll was literally 7" long and 2" thick. I think i dislocated my jaw trying to eat that bad boy. Summer rolls were delish but had a little too much mint leaves for the BF taste. Entrees were the Thai chili fried rice and the green curry ordered medium spice. The green curry was so good I found myself trying to lick out the last drop of sauce from the take-out container!! I agree with the previous reviews that our dishes were not as spicy as expected, but now I know and I will tell em to turn up the heat next time. BTW they give a 10% military discount w/id AND another 5% if you pay in cash. Corkage fee is only $5 too!!
(4)Merritt G.
This place always impresses. I ordered the green curry this time and it was wonderful. Service is as good as the food.
(4)Alex S.
Tom Yum soup tastes like lemon Pledge, Pad Thai was mediocre and we caught a female worker making fun of my pregnant wife for being big (pregnant) to her co-workers. Don't waste your time.
(1)George B.
Guess we missed the A-game serving staff tonight. We were ready to order two minutes after being seated. Twenty minutes later we walked out without anyone having acknowledged we were there.
(1)Kevin W.
We went there on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, after already having a delicious breakfast that morning. We drove all over and got out to see sights (in the strong winds, and occasional rain!) - then went to Champ on the advice of local friends. I'm not sure about the mediocre reviews I've read here, and certainly not the bad ones... to each his own, YMMV and all that. But we came here with our friends who knew you could BYOB (which we did, small corkage fee), and we started in with 4 different appetizers that were so good, we were afraid to order our meals in fear of a let down. I ended up with a Mahi Mahi curry, the sauce being so incredible that I had to defend my plate from everyone else... until the point where I tried their various dishes, and then the 'trading' was on! There was only one dish, a shrimp dish of some sort, where I was not enthralled, but that was my wife's dish, not mine, and she liked it alright. I think I could give them 5 stars otherwise. We do like to shop around, and we do use yelp. In this case though we went because our local friends suggested it, and I'm glad they did. All in all I would come back in a heart beat, and recommend it to anyone. Sorry for others that did not have the same experience
(4)Ruthy Y.
The food was ok, Ive tasted better, however the reason I give them 2 stars is because i paid with creditcard and later on when i check my card charges they had over charged me. I can only assume they added an extra tip on their own because I left cash for a tip!
(2)David R.
Had heard good things about this restaurant, so decided on take-out for our last night in Kailua before heading back to the mainland. What a disappointment! Staff was certainly friendly, but the food really fell short. We eat lots of Thai food at home and when we travel (on the mainland, in Hawaii and in Thailand) so I think we have some idea of how Thai food should taste. This meal was not very interesting at all. The pud seiew had an odd sweet-sour taste that lacked any kind of complexity. The beef dish we ordered (with curry spices?) was bland with little flavor at all (except for the extra fish sauce and chile I added myself). The meat was relatively tough. All in all not what we had hoped for given the reviews. We do hope to get back to Kailua again on a future vacation, but we will give Champa a miss.
(1)Doah L.
I'm being generous giving 1 star. No offense but people who actually enjoy this low quality and no flavor dishes that this restaurant serves obviously don't know how Thai food suppose to taste like. Spring rolls and stuffed wings were okay at best. Spring rolls were served with tiny pieces of lettuce barely big enough to wrap the roll (smallest rolls I ever seen: size of a bite size corn dog). the spring rolls and stuffed wings are "ok" at best. How the heck can you screw up fried food??? I ordered green curry with beef HOT. when I first saw the food, I thought the server brought me the wrong Dish. the curry had no color, not even a tiny hint of green. I was not able to taste any curry flavor, all I could taste was a little but of spice from crushed peppers that the cook used and coconut milk. The "fresh" ingredients like egg plants, basil, beef and other vegetables were drowning in excessive amount of coconut milk it lost its color and flavor and it just looked disgusting. this restaurant's definition of "fresh" is 2 to 3 weeks old and cheap low quality. I give it a one star because at least the service was better than the food but still not good. The server lady was polite but the manager was a different story. when we sent our food back, manager came out, didn't care to apologize but told us we need sent the food back right away. He told my friend that her noodle dish was half eaten when she barely could stomach the one strand of noodle that she ate to taste the food. her noodles and my green curry were visibly offensive and taste even worse. the manager was clueless. He did not charge for the curry but charged us for the noodles and the rice we order that we barely touched. This was the by far the worst restaurant experience I ever had. i feel slightly bad for writing this mean review because Im in the service industry and Thai food is my favorite food ever but at the same time, this was so so bad that i feel obligated to warn the people so they dont waste their money on garbage. believe me, im not being dramatic or too harsh because i was hungry and hung over that I could of ate it with no complaints if it was just half way decent.
(1)Kerry E.
Love this restaurant. Its our go to restaurant when we're in the mood for Thai food. We usually order take out buy my family and I went here recently and loved our entire experience. We were greeted with smiles and our waiter was super friendly. I forgot to get his name but he was a real sweetie and very personable. He had no problems explaining the dishes on the menu and giving us his opinions. The food was FANTASTIC. Everything was fresh and authentic, even my 6 yr old ate everything we ordered which was unusual for him especially since we decided to try new dishes.
(5)Larry Y.
We went here with our best friends on the island and had a great meal! The spring rolls were tasty and the Mahi Mahi curry was fantastic. The panang curry was a dish I'd have again all these dishes had great flavors with well balanced spices and meat and vegetables. I'd stay away from the satay it was a bit dried out and the seasoning was average. Stuffed chicken wings were tasty. We are trying to figure out how to get back there.
(4)Ash R.
Came here with a group of 6 friends. 1/2 of us did it family style & the other 1/2 did individual. Everything was great, the green beans were in a weird gravy though. Prices are reasonably competitive. My family and I usually go to a place near Sand Island 'siam cafe' I think it's the most authentic we've found here so far.
(3)Colin S.
Excellent Thai. Portions are family style, so share. One downside, parking in front. There is parking (paid) in the back.
(5)Liana S.
Good food, good service and military discount. Ill be back.
(5)Anne W.
OK, YELP has failed me. This place is HORRIBLE. I did pick up and the inside is so dirty. That was a major turnoff. But then the food...ah the food. Well, I ordered a chicken based dish, can't remember the name, and the chicken tasted like a very slimey piece of very old fish. It was HORRIBLE. I not only spit it out but then threw up. (Maybe it didn't help that I'm prego) But that doesn't matter too much. It was really gross. I don't know if they cook the chicken with the fish stuff. Anyways, so my husband gave this place a second chance and ordered me a masumn...however you spell it. Again, horrible. The beef was very tough. There was no flavor whatsoever. Oh well. I will just drive to Opal Thai or Phuket Thai from now on.
(1)Justin B.
Like almost every other restaurant in Kailua this place just flat sucks! Honestly, make the drive into town and spend your money on something more traditional and better tasting. In reality, you might as well cook eggs at home. Only reason it gets 2 stars is because the yellow curry is ok. Need to add something: the restaurant smells like someone is baking an old moist sock in the back somewhere..... its disgusting
(2)Bill T.
I *love* good Thai food. If you do too, go somewhere else. The food was bland. The ingredients seemed to be of poor quality. The dishes seemed to be reheated instead of freshly made. Even the rice seemed day old and dried out. Life is too short to waste time on bad food.
(2)Sheryl M.
I used to love coming here for Thai food...but....just went there last night for dinner. They moved just up the street from where they were last located, now with limited parking fronting the restaurant (small stalls too). Atmosphere was the same, not so much people - but maybe it's because were between holidays. The food? Well the food was just ok. We didn't order anything fancy, just the regulars you'd normally order from a Thai restaurant, such as: Spring rolls - chewy Mee krob - ok that's hard to mess up, it was ok... Stuffed chicken - when did they start making it katsu style??? Lemon grass chicken - looked and tasted more like watered down green curry, what happened to the lemongrass??? It's been some years since I've gone back to this restaurant and I was looking forward to eating it again. Perhaps it was just a spoof, but looks like it will be a while should I choose to return.
(3)Nicole C.
Always good and they have great prices.
(5)Ari S.
Good food, reasonable service, good selection, clean, nice environment, not bad prices... So why only 2 stars? Because we were accused of not paying our whole bill. Maybe they get a lot of high school kids in that skimp out on stuff. Maybe they think we're the type to dine and dash. Which is exactly what I'd think of 5 late-20/early-30 somethings in polo shirts and dresses. Yeah, we really fit the bill. Yeah, we're in different households with different income levels, and need the bill to be split a unique way - which is why we drew it out on the back of the bill... Something most restaurants know and rarely scrape at. Let's see - 5 people, and only 3 cards. Maybe we're paying cash on top? Ya didn't think of that, and were expecting a poor tip, and that's exactly what you got - in addition to me never going back.
(2)S. T.
We used to like this place and go often. Our last visit was very disappointing. We ordered two curries and rice. The fish curry had a miniscule amount of fish - maybe half a small fillet broken up into a few flakes. The shrimp - same story - 5 small shrimp. The curry was full of onion, potato and gravy. Compared to other Thai restaurants, this is a rip-off. When the waitress asked how everything was, I told her the curries didn't have enough fish/shrimp. She clearly did not want to hear this. No apology, no concession, just the bill for $35. My husband and I were still hungry, so we went to Yogurt Mama!
(2)Anthony A.
Fast. Friendly. Pad Thais noodles were incredible, we asked for them "spicy" and it was just perfect. Our ginger coconut curry chicken was da bomb... explosive. Definitely going back to this spot. Thai iced tea was yum.
(5)Anna G.
Our dinner experience went like this: *Got there around 5pm on a Sunday and got seated right away. *APPETIZER: Thai Shrimp Toast with Cucumber Sauce. This is pretty much breaded shrimp. It was good but very greasy and not too much taste. *MAIN COURSE: Hubby had Thai Chili Fried Rice w/Beef. This was good but needed some vegetables or sauce- it was too dry but had good flavor. I had a shrimp dish and it was very delicious! (sorry - forgot the name of the dish). *Thai Tea is very tasty too! It's Jasmin Tea with Half and Half. *Paid $37.00 *Service was fast and nice. I
(4)Bill F.
Our cousin recommended this place after we'd been to Saeng's on the other side of Kailua Town. It was definitely much better food. We had the appetizer combo, red curry with eggplant and shrimp, Pad Thai, and Green Papaya Salad. The appetizer had four pieces of Thai Toast, two small fried spring rolls, two chicken sateh, and crispy noodles. All of it was very tasty, but the crispy noodles stood out as being excellent. The Pad Thai was a really good version, and they don't use ketchup for flavor and colorant. You could tell the chicken had been cooked with the dish, instead of added later, making it very flavorful. However, the one improvement that could be made is that we asked for "medium", but the spiciness really didn't come through. The red curry with eggplant was great; very coconutty with a little more spice than than the Pad Thai, but still not "medium". The eggplant was well-cooked, making it very tender, and the shrimp was not rubber as can sometimes happen. The Green Papaya salad was the real attraction. While Saeng's appeared to have been made to order-and that has its benefits-Champa's had been marinating in their dressing for a while. The papaya was still crisp, and the dish was actually the medium we had requested. The garlic aroma was intense, but the flavor didn't come through until after you swallowed and the heat had a chance to make an appearance. I thought this was a much better version of the dish. I have to mention the atmosphere. The building is older, and the first thing you notice when you walk in is a musty, musky odor. We went there with the intent of ordering take-out, and I'd recommend doing the same to anyone who wants to eat there. We were there on a Thursday night just about 6pm, and it was starting to fill. The waiter told us it would be 45-60min for our food, but we decided to wait it out, anyway by strolling through Kailua. We went back 25 minutes later, and everything was ready, so they get a big plus on service, but they could definitely do something about the smell of the interior.
(4)Teresa F.
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this place! We yelped our way to Champa Thai and were glad we did. Food was perfect and very authentic. I def rec the appetizer combo with spring rolls, Thai toasts, chicken Sateh, and mee krob noodle. The whole time we were there I think I said "YUMM!" 6 times! They even have a Yelp sticker on the front of their door, the food is good.. and they KNOW IT! One thing I appreciated was the pleasant suprise when we got our bill, 10% off early bird special on our bill with a nice smiley face on it =) I've never in my life been to a restaurant that customer oriented and offered early bird special. Had the friendliest and most helpful wait staff ever that truly made you feel appreciated as a customer. i wish all restaurants held this standard in customer service and quality.
(5)Shali X.
I liked it. Husband & I ate here on our recent Hawaiian vacation, on October 25. We ordered the pineapple rice and the seafood soup. The rice was blah...overly dry and not all that flavorful. BUT, the seafood soup was to die for. Soooo good. Full of shrimp, white fish, scallops, ginger, all kinds of yummy stuff. Wow. Wish I had some right now! Good ambiance, good service, prices weren't bad. They also had some great iced tea that tasted vaguely of vanilla. I also liked the fact that although they don't serve any alcohol, you can bring your own in for no corkage fee. Good policy!
(4)shyrel c.
Champa Thai is o-k, but if you love Thai food, don't get your hopes up going to this restaurant. I had a yellow curry dish and my hubby had a red curry dish. Both looked THE SAME. They seem to put too much coconut or water in their curries. The food had a liquid coco consistency, but it was edible in a watery sort of way...meh. 3 stars is better than 2. At least it's better than Saeng's, across town.
(3)Victor B.
My new favorite Thai restaurant! We ordered a variety of dishes and were impressed with each and every one. Definite musts are the spring rolls, the tempura vegetables, and the masaman curry. The chef has a unique take on pad thai, but it's delicious nonetheless. And the service? Unbelievable! After we ordered all vegetarian dishes, the waitress asked if we were vegan. Talk about thoughtful!
(5)Aaron A.
My girlfriend loves this spot. i am ok with it. this last time we got food from it i was in love too. they have some rice dishes that are amazing and coconut milk dishes that are great as well.
(4)Lisa G.
My family LOVES Champa Thai! We always get sticky & jasmine rice, yellow chicken curry, vegetarian spring rolls, chicken satay and shrimp pad thai. The staff is friendly and gentle. They keep your water glass filled. The flavors are wonderful and no one in our family ever complains about the meal! Love this Kailua classic!
(5)Scot K.
This was the third Thai restaurant that we ate at on our 7 day vacation. We were on the Kailua side visiting friends and when we were deciding where to go. They said there was a great Thai place, our kids all got excited. We had the standard Phad Thai which was great! Excellent blend of flavors with lots of depth. We had the spring rolls, skewered beef, a couple of curries and basil chicken. Service was excellent! In regards to the interior, keep in mind this is a neighborhood restaurant in Kailua. The place could use a little sprucing up. But it is clean and pleasant. Go for the food and service, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Holly S.
It was good. We ordered takeout, it was hot and ready when we got there, prices were fair, and no real complaints. But nothing was amazing. We had tofu spring rolls, Tom kha soup with tofu that was the best thing we had, chicken pad Thai which wasn't as hot as we expected (we asked for hot). The shrimp pad Thai was ok, and the tofu panang was good, but I wish the tofu had been firmer. I'd go again, as there aren't many Thai options in Kailua, but I've had better.
(3)Jocelyn L.
"Went there once...pretty decent food"
(3)Samantha V.
the food is pretty good. i usually get lemon grass chicken. The service and time it takes to get the food are what compels me to give them a 3 star.
(3)Keith T.
Enjoyed eating at Champa Thai. We had Padang curry and beef with broccoli and both were good. Service was quick, but it was Wednesday and it wasn't busy. We will go there again. They give a 10% discount for military too.
(4)michael E.
Good spring rolls and pad thai. Bonus points because I asked for spicy and it was. We ordered an appetizer called stuffed chicken wings which we didn't like at all, but hey...live and learn.
(4)Drew F.
Combination appetizer is da bomb! chicken pad thai - noodles perfect, chicken good (a few just a bit dry), terrific flavor, great with "Thai hot". green curry w/ shrimp terrific, also Thai hot. Slightly on the pricier side for lunch, but reasonable and well worth it. Can't wait to try other items!
(5)E P.
I have ordered from many Thai restaurants on this island and this place is consistently inconsistent. The first time we ordered from Champa in Kailua, everything was tasty. I just LOVED the fried chicken curry; thought it was to die for. The second time I went there to pick-up food, I ordered the same fried chicken curry and it was TERRIBLE! The curry over the chicken was not pleasant tasting and had a really odd/sharp flavor. Additionally the chicken was tough. Compound that with the fact that the order took forever to be ready even though I called the order in for pick-up. On top of that, when I got home I noticed that they made a mistake with the order. When I called to let them know, they told me to drive all the way back down to the restaurant, with the styrofoam container of food that was a mistake, so they could give me the right order. Upon returning, the people were rude and suggested that we had ordered the wrong thing, and made us pay more for the correct item, because apparently what I "ordered" the first time and what they replaced weren't the same price...even though they gave me a seafood dish initially and I was getting, in correction, a chicken dish. Since when is seafood cheaper than chicken? We stayed away from this place for a while after that, then decided recently to give them one more chance. Again the fried chicken curry was sharp-tasting, and the chicken over-cooked. My best advice: stay away from this place because even if their food is half-way decent, the people and service are sub-par.
(2)Doug P.
Food was very good, but the service was really lacking. Not sure if it was an off night but it felt a bit like we were putting them out by coming to their restaurant. Plus (and I hate this) the appetizer came out with the entrees, which took forever to come out.
(3)Chrissie S.
Looking for an out of the way...non-tourist spot. This place fit the bill and was as good as the Thai food on the Bay Area!!!
(4)Shirley Mina Y.
I've had pad kee mao a total of four times since 2006, the first time in No. CA. Champa is owned by a former student's family and I've been to their location in Pearl Kai several times. The three other times I've had pad kee mao, it was stir fried with noodles. Champa's turned out to be just a stir fry with no noodles. Their fried egg rolls had a lot of shredded carrots in them. I like carrots but have never seen egg rolls with that many.
(3)Ginger K.
Was a great evening in Kailua with extremely good service. The food was excellent, especially the Pad Thai and Chicken Kun Pao. Price is right and they were very helpful with our BYO beer and wine. Will definitely go again - it's worth the trip from Hawaii Kai.
(5)Vivian C.
I once placed an order to the wrong Champa Thai and so they made the phone call to stop the order and quickly prepared my original order at this location. They were extremely nice about the mix up. They offer military discount. They have quick service. They have a nice staff.
(4)Polina F.
Doesn't look like much from the outside, but definitely a great find in an area largely devoid of tastiness. I am completely unable to eat spicy food so I'm typically pretty wary of Thai places (last words from many a waiter before I spit out a mouthful of what turns out to be hot sauce: "Oh, that one is not spicy AT ALL!"). But the waitress was very friendly and accommodating and had my curry made extra-mild, so I was actually able to eat it! Yes! And it was quite good. We also had a really nice warm tapioca and banana dessert. Yum.
(4)Nunnya B.
First, what restaurant doesn't have a corkage fee for BYOB? Theirs is $5 and that's a bargain these days. Hell, the two best restaurants in Kailua don't even ALLOW BYOB. Second, this is perfectly acceptable Thai food, which for Kailua is amazing. the "other" Thai restaurant in town (I'll let you look it up) is NOT acceptable Thai food. It is, simply put, yucky. We had a party of six, and they made room for us. The service was slow, but it was busy. The food was good, not great, but good, and for the price, was more than I had hoped for. The "heat level" was right on with my expectations. P.S. I thought it hilarious that the wait staff had a bag of Lay's stashed high up on a top shelf among some tropical plants where they thought the diners wouldn't notice it.
(4)Jared K.
Really fantastic. I went there with a party of 10 people and every single one (including the kids) thought it was great. The service was definitely on island time, but they were generally responsive and accommodating. The food was just great. I haven't been to Thailand (although two in the party have and thought this stacked up very well), but the food was as good as any Thai food I've had in New York, LA, or San Francisco. All in all, I give Champa top ratings.
(5)Charlie D.
This is my favorite thai restaurant for the windward side. Corkage fee for BYOB, but their curry is fab-u-lous. you can call in and carry out too, yum for home.
(4)Erin P.
Some of the rudest people on the planet! I placed a take-out order from this Kailua location. I requested fried chicken curry. When I got my order they gave me fish. I called, informed them that they had made a mistake. Over the phone they let me know that they would make another one with chicken to pick-up. I drove from Kaneohe to get it and then they made me pay for it! After it was their mistake. The owner of the restaurant then had the gall to tell me that the chicken was more EXPENSIVE then the fish. When is that ever the case? Will not be going back.
(1)Steve Z.
Very so-so at best. I had the Panang curry w/ chicken and it left a strange, oily after taste. The chicken satay was tough and drowned in a thick but fairly tasty peanut sauce. Worst part: the steamed rice which accompanied the meal was dried out! If they can't get the steamed rice right, no wonder they can't get the curry right. Service was on the slow side but not horrible. Almost late for the movie but we made it on time.
(2)