Penn’s Thai Kitchen Menu

  • Beverages
  • Appetizers
  • Soup
  • Salads
  • Thai Curry Dishes
  • Fried Rice Dishes
  • Stir Fried Dishes
  • Noodles
  • Noodle Dishes
  • Vegetarian Delight
  • Lunch Thai Curry Dishes
  • Lunch Fried Rice Dishes
  • Lunch Stir Fried Dishes
  • Lunch Noodles
  • Lunch Vegetarian Delight

Healthy Meal suggestions for Penn’s Thai Kitchen

  • Beverages
  • Appetizers
  • Soup
  • Salads
  • Thai Curry Dishes
  • Fried Rice Dishes
  • Stir Fried Dishes
  • Noodles
  • Noodle Dishes
  • Vegetarian Delight
  • Lunch Thai Curry Dishes
  • Lunch Fried Rice Dishes
  • Lunch Stir Fried Dishes
  • Lunch Noodles
  • Lunch Vegetarian Delight

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  • Dallas B.

    Usually pretty good food, but not this time. Beef tasted more than past expired. I asked for the check and mentioned that I couldn't eat my meal because it was spoiled (I'll dismiss the fact that I think the waitress was aware as she almost finished my sentence for me). All they did to address the situation was say "I'll let them know." I paid the full bill, left hungry, $20 poorer and told the waitress that "I'll let them know as well."

    (1)
  • Miranda W.

    Don't get me wrong- my last experience with penns was AMAZING! The customer service here is awesome and Penn is so nice. But tonight something was up. My fresh rolls were loaded with mint. Like burning mint. The green papaya sala had some weird red liquid in it that made it super spicy. We got a new dish to the distress of my mom, the server was very nice about it though. I personally dont like the Pad Woosen, I find it too salty and prefer the Southern Noodles. I tried the red curry today, I'm not much of a curry person but it seemed nice. We had coconut ice cream that was a little frozen but it softened up. Tonight was a bit off but I didn't get to choose the plates, an they seemed busy take out wise. Overall it was an okay experience it was nice seeing Penn again.

    (3)
  • Caleb Y.

    So....I am torn. I really liked their food. But, the price prohibits me from giving a higher score. For two dinner I paid about $30!! I order two things - Pad Thai and Pad See Ew - ordinary things. I would go back, but sparingly because it is expensive!! Too bad.

    (3)
  • Kristin Y.

    Amazing. Been trying to stop here for months and it lived up what people told us and more. Owner Penn is awesome! Place is a must try if you haven't been.

    (5)
  • Katrina M.

    The first time (2 months ago) I tried Penn's I dined-in. It was...okay. I ordered the Beef Southern Noodles - medium and my friend ordered the Chicken Pad Thai - medium. We both agreed mine was better because the beef gave it more flavor. However, mine was beyond spicy. I love spicy food but this was so bad that I couldn't eat much of it. Strangely, my friend's dish was extremely mild, almost to the point of being no spice. We both ordered medium... I tried Penn's a second time (1 month ago) for takeout. This time I ordered Chicken Pad Thai - medium. The spice level was more of a mild. However, my main issue was it looked nothing like the Chicken Pad Thai my friend had gotten previously. It was a different color sauce and covered in oil. The third time (three weeks ago) wasn't much better than the previous two. I ordered the Chicken Southern noodles - medium. It was okay. The heat level was perfect this time but there was barely any vegetables in it and it was again covered in a very oily residue. Penn's is walking distance from me, so I'm sure I'll go there again out of sheer laziness and then regret my decision. Penn's seems to have some major consistency problems.

    (2)
  • Zack R.

    All the curries are great, and I've rarely been in and not found it busy.

    (4)
  • Emine S.

    Umm. YUM! The best Thai I've had in Michigan hands down. I ordered their basil rice and my hubby hub ordered their spicy thai noodles. It was extremely tasty and very close tho original taste from Thailand. The Tom Yum soup was spicy and delectable. Order the HOMEMADE COCONUT ICE CREAM. It's made in house, topped with roasted peanuts. To die for. We ordered two orders. The owner's name is Penn and she is super friendly and personable. Overall, wonderful experience.

    (4)
  • Jenny O.

    Not a fan of this place...last time I ordered all three of my meals had a nonpleasant smell and look to them.

    (2)
  • Holly S.

    I don't even know how to start this review as I was sincerely hoping to find an amazing locally owned place that I could get my Thai fix from but unfortunately it will not be from here. For starters we ordered the crab rangoons- don't get them. I order these literally anywhere that sells them and no one in my mind could top Sy Thai. The sauce was cloudy, watery and had no taste. The Rangoon was small with a very strong green onion flavor. Barely any crab and loaded with cream cheese. Not a good mouthfeel or flavor combo going on. Like I said, skip it. I ordered the chicken pad seew and when I received it it was beef. Normally I would have kept it so I tried the beef and it was pretty chewy and decided to send it back. They brought out my chicken dish and I kept finding hunks of beef in it. I'm assuming they picked out the larger pieces of beef and just added chicken which totally grossed me out. Flavor was great though. My sister ordered the veggie pad Thai and liked it a lot. Grandma penn came to visit and kept asking if I was gonna give her 5stars lol. She took pictures with us and everything! Very nice people that work there, dirty floor, and possible manhandling which is why I wouldn't return

    (2)
  • Eowyn K.

    I want to give Penn's a 31/2 so I'm rounding up. Penn's is a family Thai restaurant. You get the feeling from both the interior, from the service and from being greeted by Penn herself. She treats all of her customers as if they were regulars. The menu is fairly basic. You may not find your favorite dish, but most of the expected mainstays are there. I really want to like this restaurant more than I did. The service and environment was friendly, warm and inviting. I did not like the spring rolls, the flavor was flat. I'm not sure if this was a result of being frozen or if the flavoring just was not there for me. This was a disappointment as I like my spring rolls. The other dishes I tried, pad se ew and Masaman curry, were good. Of the two I preferred the curry with its warm, peanuty flavor (it also reheated well as left overs). Overall it was a pleasant experience. I did not think the food was great, I do think that there is better in the metro Detroit area. However, if you are looking for Thai comfort food this is a good option.

    (4)
  • Michele M.

    The food here is very tasty! I have only been here twice, but this is my "go to" for Thai.

    (4)
  • Jen A.

    Best Pad Thai I've ever had, and Penn herself is hilarious and adorable! Small, family-like atmosphere; good prices; and phenomenal food. Easy to miss due to its location tucked away in a strip mall. Definitely a hidden gem!!

    (5)
  • Wonbo S.

    I ordered the oyster sauce over white rice. Rice was completely hard. Severely disappointed.

    (1)
  • Amy K.

    Penn's is a great Than restaurant. The Tom Yum is my favorite here, it is really spicy with tons of flavor. The fresh rolls are also really great and huge! I've tried most items on the menu and have not been disappointed yet.

    (5)
  • Beth H.

    Amazing Thai for this tiny, unassuming location. Found the Yelp page for Penn's and plugged in the address of GPS since I had no idea of the area I was in. I had some really spicy shrimp soup with a clear stock and oh MY was is fabulous. Each slurp of the broth had me coughing from the spice (and I can handle the hot stuff) but I couldn't stop or slow down. It was just that good. thankfully, I also ordered the green Papaya salad to cool me down and meet my fruit macro for the day. Green papaya salad is not like the burnt orange colored things we are used to in the grocery. These are julianned firm shreds that has a closer consistency to cucumber than mushy red papaya. Just about nil on the calorie count, cools you off and really tasty with how Penn's prepares it. (the crushed peanuts on top add a nice contrast and flavor) I was getting full but had to try something else, since I didn't know when I would ever have occasion to come back. Enter Sweet Basil Shrimp - mild+ spice level. After that soup, I needed a break from the sweat-lodge I have created in the back corner of the dining room. I also asked that mushrooms be added as it didn't seem like there would be much in the way of veggies with it. Huge shrimp, perfect sauce, fresh wilted basil and in a large bowl. I took two maybe three bites and had it packed up for lunch the next day. I don't know why I waited until the END of the meal to strike up convo with the waitress. She quickly turned me on to the coconut chicken soup - which is her favorite and I had to get one to go too. If you are in the area and want good spicy, healthy food (as in order something with flavor and loads of veggies - not the noodle dishes) this is a great stop. I bet my husband would have loved the noodle dishes. WOW.

    (5)
  • Elena M.

    I'm not sure what all they hype about this place is? I ordered a medium chicken pad Thai, and not only was the chicken bland and my noodles clumpy but the spice level really was a mild. I may try this place for a second chance, but it's highly unlikely.

    (2)
  • Peter F.

    Very flavorful and aromatic dishes. The Tom yum goong was the best I ever had. The prices are good as well as the portions. The owner is very entertaining. Angello the waiter is very knowledgeable and polite.

    (5)
  • D L.

    They're pretty good in general, but they're inconsistent. They seem to have two chefs, and one cooks better than the other. You can just tell. Some of the inconsistencies are excessive saltiness, meh fresh rolls, meh/runny (cutting corners) fresh roll sauce, flavor/intensity of flavor of food. Then again, you're really hard pressed to find excellent Thai food in Michigan. Same goes for Chinese, but as far as they go in Metro-Detroit, Penn's is decent. Here's an unusual place to find fantastic Thai food: Maine. Seriously. It doesn't make sense, but there it is. Oh yeah...and better keep a note with their schedule, they keep kinda weird hours.

    (3)
  • Steve S.

    Im not one to normally post this kind of stuff, but everyone in the area should have a heads up. Wednesday before we left for vacation, we ordered thai from Penn's Thai Kitchen and Catering on 14 and crooks. We get take out at least every other week and loved it there and tip everytime. This time we immediately we noticed it had a foul smell, and once we got home with it and opened it we found the chicken was under cooked and/or spoiled. Mushy texture and not kind to smell. Accidents happen and fortunately we didn't eat this otherwise the flight would have had us using everyones vomit bags and our vacation would've been awful. Being that they were closed by the time we sat down to eat I called and left a message explaining what happened and we would call back when we get back into town. So the problem is not that, a simple credit or refund would have been awesome. An apology and this would not be on here for you to read. Instead after calling back we were accused of trying to scam for a free meal, no apology, like we were lying. Told we should have saved the rancid food in our freezer till we got back so we could bring it back in and being argued with over the phone. I LOVE supporting local business especially in my city. However if that appreciation isn't going both ways I have no problem letting everyone know to avoid this place.

    (1)
  • Krupa U.

    This is a quaint Thai restaurant in an unsuspecting aged plaza, which would otherwise be missed if it weren't for it's raving yelp reviews! I love Thai food, but my husband is not that fond of them, so whenever I have a lunch date with one of my girlfriends... guess where we're going?! Although it was a busy lunch hour, the service was nice and attentive. Getting refills on drinks without having to ask = attentive in my book, haha. I wanted to try a new soup, although their Tom Yum looked delicious, I went for their Tom Kha Gai. It was really tasty, a nice creamy broth with onions, mushrooms, lime, cilantro, and just the right amount of heat to melt that frostbite off my phalanges! It was a surprisingly large portion too. One gripe... their entree menu is kind of limited. They have all the popular classics, and they do them well, but I was in the mood to try something new and different, but just ended up getting their Pad Se'ew. It was really good, don't get me wrong, and again a large portion. I would definitely eat here again, well worth a second or third trip!

    (4)
  • Mandy W.

    Not great. Not really even good. We strayed from our normal Thai favorite to try someplace different and it was a bad call. The Pad Thai was just flavorless. I had to actually put soy sauce on it just to give it a little flavor. A real bummer. I'll probably just pitch the rest. The positive reviews convinced me to give it a shot...but I won't be straying from New Bangkok in Bham again.

    (2)
  • Welton B.

    Love this place! If you love Thai you should check it out.

    (5)
  • Jillian K.

    I don't know - I was hoping they had potential, but a double mess up on my take out order means I most likely won't be back. They forgot my vegetarian fresh rolls (which was my meal), I called and told them, then went back to pick them up. Picked them up - said, 'They are vegetarian, right?" Yes, yes, they assured me. I got home...again, bit into my fresh rolls and they had giant pieces of chicken in them. So sad. The staff was very nice, but it's really not good completely messing up the order twice.

    (1)
  • Nikki B.

    I've never had a bad meal from Penn's. Whether it's carry out or dine in, it's always great food. My favorite appetizer is the fresh rolls. Everything tastes so good together, crunchy lettuce, carrots, steamed chicken and the cilantro. Don't forget to use a healthy heap of the sauce to add flavor!! The soups are wonderful as well. Pad Thai, Pad Se-ew, or thai fried rice. Always exceptional. Service is great, prices are right. I love it there.

    (5)
  • David B.

    I used to go to her place once a week when it was on Rochester Rd. She sold and moved 8 years ago and I since moved away, but never stopped telling everyone about Penn Thai. The other day I was at CVS across the street and saw her sign on 14 and had to try it as two Penn Thai's so close together was curious to me. I walked in, took a seat, Penn walks up and says, ""you look familiar". You would have thought I was talking to Santa. Penn turned me on to it 10 years ago and I have eaten it everywhere I travel to. Penn Thani is hands down the best Thai anywhere....

    (5)
  • Allie J.

    My boyfriend and I were going to go to an old standby Thai restaurant, but I convinced him to step out of our comfort zones. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by Penn herself. She was very welcoming, and we felt at ease as we sat down. He started with the Tom Yum soup, which was very spicy - just how I like it. The mushrooms were especially tasty, and the soup was flavorful. We ordered 2 entrees for our main meal: the Spicy Noodles and Massaman curry. Both were flavorful, and the portions were big! We ordered Medium spice, and were a bit disappointed that the Spicy Noodles were actually not that spicy. We had hoped for a bit more of a kick. Overall, the service was good and the food was tasty. We will definitely be back.

    (4)
  • Randy G.

    When you ask for heat, they bring the heat on! They don't joke about spicy here, if you ask for it, you're going to get it. That's what I like about it. Penn's is a cute little Thai place that has switched hands a few times, but hopefully it will stick with her now. I tried two dishes, the red curry with tofu and the papaya salad. The red curry was rich with flavor, coconut-iness, and full with curry flavor, nothing watered down. I ordered it medium, what I remember from this dish, is the wonderful flavor of the curry, but the heat, man, the heat. I may have had a few beads of sweat on my forehead. The papaya salad was also good, but I had slightly higher expectations. It didn't have as much flavor as I was expecting, but it's also wonderful to have a salad once in a while with a kick. You get to order this salad also with the spicy level you wish. I chose medium of course and here is this nice slightly acidic refreshing salad, that has a kick, some heat, and you're sweating again! It's a neat contrast if you're not use to it. They are super nice inside and I would gladly go back to try more and more.

    (4)
  • Chuck H.

    Have been back at least a dozen times since my last review and never a bad experience.

    (5)
  • Mark H.

    Simply THE BEST and most Authentic Thai food in Michigan. Penn is genuinely interested in her patrons as attested to by hundreds of photos of smiling, satisfied customers, placed under the glass table tops. Returning here was like coming home and made me wish I lived and worked closer. Tom Kha Soup, and Sweet Basil can be added to my long list of recommendations.

    (5)
  • Xiao Z.

    Alright, this place was highly recommended by my friend as I traveled across from the east coast to sample Michigan cuisine. But the interesting aspect of this establishment lie not within the food, but the unique service. The waitress was extremely friendly and joked with us throughout the dinner, and even the chef came out sporadically to see if the food was to our liking. Unfortunately, I came here after eating a very large meal, so I contented myself with a papaya salad (which was both tantalizing and well-portioned...although the Parmesan cheese sprinkling was odd). Both waitress and chef stopped by and gave me the funny eye, wondering why I wasn't eating their great food like everyone else. They were certainly entertaining and I would come back just to chat with them more. Food: 4 stars Staff: 5+ stars Decor: 3 stars ps: there's actually a nice little unique gift shop within the facility that I strongly recommend checking out while you're there! Forgot the name though =P

    (5)
  • Amanda D.

    The fresh rolls are amazing! The soups are great, with fresh vegetables. My boyfriend got masaman curry and it was delicious. It's become one of my regular spots, and the owner is friendly and outgoing.

    (4)
  • Casey N.

    As someone who eats out 4-5 times a week, I needed a change and something other than the pizza joints and chains you can find in the surrounding area. This place turned out to be a hidden gem, and so I hope you'll try it too. I hate the location of this place, but the food totally makes up for it. It's delicious every time, I'm a sucker for the pad thai, curry, and broccoli dishes. The spring rolls are a good starter as well. The veggies are always fresh, and both the chicken and shrimp are great too-never had a bad experience here. The coconut ice cream with peanuts is yummy if you have room for dessert! I love this place because its great for carry out or dining in, and if it's carry out you prefer, this isn't one of those places that slacks off or puts less effort in just because they hand it to you in a box. Friendly staff and the owner will most likely be the one cooking for you. This is one of those places where as long as you don't judge it by what it looks like on the outside, you will enjoy your experience.

    (4)
  • Amber W.

    I WANT SO BAD TO GIVE A BAD REVIEW!!! So I am in love with this place, they have very good dishes that you don't just find at any thai place. I have been changing up my order every time and have not been unhappy once...currently I have been trying all of their dishes made with coconut milk mmmmm I can say this: last night my husband and I ordered from Penn's and and when he picked up our carryout the lady made very sure to tell him the proper way to hold the bag where one hand was on top and on the bottome of the bag; so "no curry spills out"...whatever. We get home and we find that his Styrofoam container is split down the side AND taped/fixed with some scotch tape. We laughed about it, Seriously those container come in bulk...they couldn't have gotten a new one?? The food is too good to even be mad or disgusted. It was more of an "ooooh you guys" moment.

    (4)
  • Hanna S.

    First of all, I didn't like this place. Their food was not good but just ok that's why I gave them a star. The customer service was terrible. The waitress came up to us every 2minutes and asked us '' All done? All done?" .We're obviously eating. She's kind of pushed us. She didn't even say thank you after we paid. She didn't say anything(even one word) after she asked us ''All done? All done?'. Tables and chairs were dirty as well. I could see greasy stuff on the chair.

    (1)
  • Emily B.

    Wow. I have finally found a thai restaurant I will return to!! Never judge a book by its cover and this place proves that. The seating area looked kind of grungy and when you walk it it smells of fried food. Much to my surprise the food was great and the waitstaff was incredibly fun and friendly. The tables have photos of smiling customers slipped under the glass emphasizing to me that service was high on their list of priorities. As for the food.... Everything was fresh and crisp with very clean flavors. You could tell it was made from scratch. The pad thai and coconut soup which I have become accustomed to being greasy was anything but. Real peanuts instead of peanut sauce is just one hint that tells you this place is quality. I rarely get curry because I don't have much of a spice tolerance however decided to be daring and got the red curry. It had a late spice which allowed me to enjoy the nice initial coconut sweetness at first and the spice was not very long lasting allowing me to buck up and keep chowing down. We finished off the meal with homemade coconut ice cream that as somewhere in texture between an ice cream and a sorbet, regardless it is not to be missed because it was absolutely delicious and a refreshing way to end the meal. I once heard a chef say that people go initially to a restaurant for the food, but they return for the experience. With delicious food and staff that makes you feel welcome and at home, I will definitely be returning here.

    (4)
  • M C.

    First time eating at Penn's Kitchen and I'll be heading back there whenever I get an appetite for Thai curry. I had the Massaman curry with pork and the tom yum goong soup, both flavorful and filling with whole pieces of lemongrass and Thai basil in the soup. Simple presentations give a 'home cooked' feel, especially with the family and restaurant photographs under the plexiglass topping the table. Service was attentive and polite, the atmosphere cozy and not too fancy as it's in an older shopping mall. Perfect for a lazy 'I don't want to cook' night. Price was alright, but we did order /a lot/ of food so it came out to about $35. Good portions all around. My boyfriend had the pad prik with chicken and practically inhaled it - he is a 'connoisseur' of prad prik and was very satisfied. Only thing was that the spring rolls were still a bit cold on the inside, but I've had this happen to spring rolls at many restaurants despite the overall quality of their menu. So I won't really fault them for that, definitely give them a second chance. I'll try the fresh rolls next time, for sure.

    (4)
  • Ammar A.

    Fresh food and great service. At this point Owner knows me person personally. I always get the curry. The flavors are very delightful. Her homemade coconut ice cream is amazing. They get busy towards the evening so I recommend coming a little bit earlier. You can tell the cook actually cares about the food she makes. She is always there making it herself.

    (5)
  • Lisa W.

    Very good! It is located in a strip mall enter a side door which takes you a mini mall and Penns is one of hte tenants) It is pretty easy to miss. The strip mall is located on the north side of 14 mile west of Crooks. It is in front of the Gordons Food Service if you are on 14 mile and next to a Dunkin Donuts. It is pretty easy to miss and I passed it .The server was super friendly. I enjoyed my meal here. I will return. The apple salad is delicious!

    (4)
  • Evie B.

    Found this place by accident. We were looking for a new Thai place, so I did a search on Yelp. This place had several high reviews, so we t hought to give it a try..NOT disappointed at all. DELISH!!! We both had bowls of soup...soooooooo much flavor. We then had the spring rolls (not the fried ones) and they good, but they could have used a bit more cilantro, a little mint...to flavor them up a bit. Also the dipping sauce was a bit too sweet. I think a peanut sauce would have been a better match. My husband had the red curry chicken with veggies...UNBELIEVABLE. The flavors burst in your mouth like fireworks on the 4th of July. So many different flavors and all melding together nicely! I had the Pad Thai with Shrimp. DELISH! The nice thing about Penn's Pad Thai, the sauce is there, but it doesn't overwhelm the dish. Some places make the sauce sweet, too hot and too much, so it doesn't sit well on your palate. The portions are big, so we had plenty to take home for lunch the next day. I think the prices are appropriate for quality and quantity. The waitress was very friendly, quick service...Penn is one of the few owners of a restaurant who really cares about what the customer thinks. She also has a great sense of humor and is very personable. The ONLY negative...the venting in the place is poor. We stunk to high heaven when we left there. You could smell grease on us quite sometime... Happy Eating!!

    (4)
  • Kady D.

    Full disclosure I'm not that huge of a fan of Thai food, but the mood struck me and off we went. My husband and I split the appetizer combo and the beef pad prik. It was amazing, the food was fresh and well seasoned but my favorite part was Penn herself. She was kind and understanding that we had a cranky one year old ( I swear she was in a good mood until the high chair came out!) I loved all the pictures under the glass on the tables and I love seeing somebody who cares so much about their business and treats their customers like family! She even took my daughter up to look at the fish tank for a few minutes and my husband and I almost felt like normal people for a few minutes. Whenever we feel the need for Thai there is no question where we are headed!

    (5)
  • Shane H.

    I don't get it. I don't get it. It's oily. It's nasty. It's not even thai food. IT'S GREASY BURNT CHINESE FOOD!! detroit. when can you get thai food right? it's a shame you have so many so called thai restaurants and you can't even get chicken pad thai right. oh. and this place even messed up my thai iced tea. it was too much condense milk and sweetener.

    (1)
  • Jess P.

    The more I dine here, the more I love it. Fresh Thai food. Soups are delicious. I have liked everything I've tried on the menu. There is one thing I wish would be different and that is how long they cook their noodles. They are always tough to me. I have had to ask them to cook them for longer and they still sometimes turn out harder than I like. It's personal preference, I suppose, but I don't like to fight with my food. The owner is a super sweet lady. Always friendly, and will come up to your table to see how you are doing and how you like the food. Lots of thought goes into this place. The food is always hot and the atmosphere is never cold. My suggestions: Tom Kha Gai soup and Pad See Ew entrée, preferably with chicken.

    (5)
  • Kristin Y.

    Amazing. Been trying to stop here for months and it lived up what people told us and more. Owner Penn is awesome! Place is a must try if you haven't been.

    (5)
  • Katrina M.

    The first time (2 months ago) I tried Penn's I dined-in. It was...okay. I ordered the Beef Southern Noodles - medium and my friend ordered the Chicken Pad Thai - medium. We both agreed mine was better because the beef gave it more flavor. However, mine was beyond spicy. I love spicy food but this was so bad that I couldn't eat much of it. Strangely, my friend's dish was extremely mild, almost to the point of being no spice. We both ordered medium... I tried Penn's a second time (1 month ago) for takeout. This time I ordered Chicken Pad Thai - medium. The spice level was more of a mild. However, my main issue was it looked nothing like the Chicken Pad Thai my friend had gotten previously. It was a different color sauce and covered in oil. The third time (three weeks ago) wasn't much better than the previous two. I ordered the Chicken Southern noodles - medium. It was okay. The heat level was perfect this time but there was barely any vegetables in it and it was again covered in a very oily residue. Penn's is walking distance from me, so I'm sure I'll go there again out of sheer laziness and then regret my decision. Penn's seems to have some major consistency problems.

    (2)
  • Zack R.

    All the curries are great, and I've rarely been in and not found it busy.

    (4)
  • Holly S.

    I don't even know how to start this review as I was sincerely hoping to find an amazing locally owned place that I could get my Thai fix from but unfortunately it will not be from here. For starters we ordered the crab rangoons- don't get them. I order these literally anywhere that sells them and no one in my mind could top Sy Thai. The sauce was cloudy, watery and had no taste. The Rangoon was small with a very strong green onion flavor. Barely any crab and loaded with cream cheese. Not a good mouthfeel or flavor combo going on. Like I said, skip it. I ordered the chicken pad seew and when I received it it was beef. Normally I would have kept it so I tried the beef and it was pretty chewy and decided to send it back. They brought out my chicken dish and I kept finding hunks of beef in it. I'm assuming they picked out the larger pieces of beef and just added chicken which totally grossed me out. Flavor was great though. My sister ordered the veggie pad Thai and liked it a lot. Grandma penn came to visit and kept asking if I was gonna give her 5stars lol. She took pictures with us and everything! Very nice people that work there, dirty floor, and possible manhandling which is why I wouldn't return

    (2)
  • Eowyn K.

    I want to give Penn's a 31/2 so I'm rounding up. Penn's is a family Thai restaurant. You get the feeling from both the interior, from the service and from being greeted by Penn herself. She treats all of her customers as if they were regulars. The menu is fairly basic. You may not find your favorite dish, but most of the expected mainstays are there. I really want to like this restaurant more than I did. The service and environment was friendly, warm and inviting. I did not like the spring rolls, the flavor was flat. I'm not sure if this was a result of being frozen or if the flavoring just was not there for me. This was a disappointment as I like my spring rolls. The other dishes I tried, pad se ew and Masaman curry, were good. Of the two I preferred the curry with its warm, peanuty flavor (it also reheated well as left overs). Overall it was a pleasant experience. I did not think the food was great, I do think that there is better in the metro Detroit area. However, if you are looking for Thai comfort food this is a good option.

    (4)
  • Michele M.

    The food here is very tasty! I have only been here twice, but this is my "go to" for Thai.

    (4)
  • Jen A.

    Best Pad Thai I've ever had, and Penn herself is hilarious and adorable! Small, family-like atmosphere; good prices; and phenomenal food. Easy to miss due to its location tucked away in a strip mall. Definitely a hidden gem!!

    (5)
  • Wonbo S.

    I ordered the oyster sauce over white rice. Rice was completely hard. Severely disappointed.

    (1)
  • Amy K.

    Penn's is a great Than restaurant. The Tom Yum is my favorite here, it is really spicy with tons of flavor. The fresh rolls are also really great and huge! I've tried most items on the menu and have not been disappointed yet.

    (5)
  • Beth H.

    Amazing Thai for this tiny, unassuming location. Found the Yelp page for Penn's and plugged in the address of GPS since I had no idea of the area I was in. I had some really spicy shrimp soup with a clear stock and oh MY was is fabulous. Each slurp of the broth had me coughing from the spice (and I can handle the hot stuff) but I couldn't stop or slow down. It was just that good. thankfully, I also ordered the green Papaya salad to cool me down and meet my fruit macro for the day. Green papaya salad is not like the burnt orange colored things we are used to in the grocery. These are julianned firm shreds that has a closer consistency to cucumber than mushy red papaya. Just about nil on the calorie count, cools you off and really tasty with how Penn's prepares it. (the crushed peanuts on top add a nice contrast and flavor) I was getting full but had to try something else, since I didn't know when I would ever have occasion to come back. Enter Sweet Basil Shrimp - mild+ spice level. After that soup, I needed a break from the sweat-lodge I have created in the back corner of the dining room. I also asked that mushrooms be added as it didn't seem like there would be much in the way of veggies with it. Huge shrimp, perfect sauce, fresh wilted basil and in a large bowl. I took two maybe three bites and had it packed up for lunch the next day. I don't know why I waited until the END of the meal to strike up convo with the waitress. She quickly turned me on to the coconut chicken soup - which is her favorite and I had to get one to go too. If you are in the area and want good spicy, healthy food (as in order something with flavor and loads of veggies - not the noodle dishes) this is a great stop. I bet my husband would have loved the noodle dishes. WOW.

    (5)
  • Elena M.

    I'm not sure what all they hype about this place is? I ordered a medium chicken pad Thai, and not only was the chicken bland and my noodles clumpy but the spice level really was a mild. I may try this place for a second chance, but it's highly unlikely.

    (2)
  • Peter F.

    Very flavorful and aromatic dishes. The Tom yum goong was the best I ever had. The prices are good as well as the portions. The owner is very entertaining. Angello the waiter is very knowledgeable and polite.

    (5)
  • D L.

    They're pretty good in general, but they're inconsistent. They seem to have two chefs, and one cooks better than the other. You can just tell. Some of the inconsistencies are excessive saltiness, meh fresh rolls, meh/runny (cutting corners) fresh roll sauce, flavor/intensity of flavor of food. Then again, you're really hard pressed to find excellent Thai food in Michigan. Same goes for Chinese, but as far as they go in Metro-Detroit, Penn's is decent. Here's an unusual place to find fantastic Thai food: Maine. Seriously. It doesn't make sense, but there it is. Oh yeah...and better keep a note with their schedule, they keep kinda weird hours.

    (3)
  • Steve S.

    Im not one to normally post this kind of stuff, but everyone in the area should have a heads up. Wednesday before we left for vacation, we ordered thai from Penn's Thai Kitchen and Catering on 14 and crooks. We get take out at least every other week and loved it there and tip everytime. This time we immediately we noticed it had a foul smell, and once we got home with it and opened it we found the chicken was under cooked and/or spoiled. Mushy texture and not kind to smell. Accidents happen and fortunately we didn't eat this otherwise the flight would have had us using everyones vomit bags and our vacation would've been awful. Being that they were closed by the time we sat down to eat I called and left a message explaining what happened and we would call back when we get back into town. So the problem is not that, a simple credit or refund would have been awesome. An apology and this would not be on here for you to read. Instead after calling back we were accused of trying to scam for a free meal, no apology, like we were lying. Told we should have saved the rancid food in our freezer till we got back so we could bring it back in and being argued with over the phone. I LOVE supporting local business especially in my city. However if that appreciation isn't going both ways I have no problem letting everyone know to avoid this place.

    (1)
  • Krupa U.

    This is a quaint Thai restaurant in an unsuspecting aged plaza, which would otherwise be missed if it weren't for it's raving yelp reviews! I love Thai food, but my husband is not that fond of them, so whenever I have a lunch date with one of my girlfriends... guess where we're going?! Although it was a busy lunch hour, the service was nice and attentive. Getting refills on drinks without having to ask = attentive in my book, haha. I wanted to try a new soup, although their Tom Yum looked delicious, I went for their Tom Kha Gai. It was really tasty, a nice creamy broth with onions, mushrooms, lime, cilantro, and just the right amount of heat to melt that frostbite off my phalanges! It was a surprisingly large portion too. One gripe... their entree menu is kind of limited. They have all the popular classics, and they do them well, but I was in the mood to try something new and different, but just ended up getting their Pad Se'ew. It was really good, don't get me wrong, and again a large portion. I would definitely eat here again, well worth a second or third trip!

    (4)
  • Mandy W.

    Not great. Not really even good. We strayed from our normal Thai favorite to try someplace different and it was a bad call. The Pad Thai was just flavorless. I had to actually put soy sauce on it just to give it a little flavor. A real bummer. I'll probably just pitch the rest. The positive reviews convinced me to give it a shot...but I won't be straying from New Bangkok in Bham again.

    (2)
  • Welton B.

    Love this place! If you love Thai you should check it out.

    (5)
  • Jillian K.

    I don't know - I was hoping they had potential, but a double mess up on my take out order means I most likely won't be back. They forgot my vegetarian fresh rolls (which was my meal), I called and told them, then went back to pick them up. Picked them up - said, 'They are vegetarian, right?" Yes, yes, they assured me. I got home...again, bit into my fresh rolls and they had giant pieces of chicken in them. So sad. The staff was very nice, but it's really not good completely messing up the order twice.

    (1)
  • Emine S.

    Umm. YUM! The best Thai I've had in Michigan hands down. I ordered their basil rice and my hubby hub ordered their spicy thai noodles. It was extremely tasty and very close tho original taste from Thailand. The Tom Yum soup was spicy and delectable. Order the HOMEMADE COCONUT ICE CREAM. It's made in house, topped with roasted peanuts. To die for. We ordered two orders. The owner's name is Penn and she is super friendly and personable. Overall, wonderful experience.

    (4)
  • Kelli A.

    Nice place...Thanks, Janelle! Clean and bright, yet cozy...excellent service. I loved the menu offerings. Penn, the owner, came over for introductions. She made us feel welcomed and appreciated. The apple salad was the fave of the day! They were out of green papaya, so we opted for the apple and it was AMAZING!! I'll go back just for that!! Super fresh with mild, clean flavors that positively delight the taste buds. YUMMY! I want another VERY SOON. The fresh rolls were beautifully prepared but lacked any real flavor. I would have preferred cilantro in the filling, instead of mint and perhaps a hint of ginger. It's difficult to find a Thai restaurant that makes them fresh to order, so we were a little disappointed. The spring rolls were ok. Served with a mild sauce. My lunch companion and I shared a vegetarian red curry and also basil fried rice. Unfortunately, the curry wasn't much different than what I prepare at home using Thai Kitchen red curry paste and a can of coconut milk. An overabundance of 'baby' carrots was a turnoff. More pea pods (and less carrot) and a sprinkling of cilantro would have made the dish more enjoyable. It was good, though. Medium was nice and spicy. The basil fried rice was tasty, yet had an odd sweetness. Again, ordered medium and it offered the perfect heat...hot enough to redden the complexion without burning off the taste buds. Hefty lunch portion. We'll definitely return...the menu was enticing and I'm looking forward to trying several dishes.

    (3)
  • Clara Y.

    This restaurant is under NEW ownership, hence if you have had a bad experience in years past please disregard. This is a very small, but quaint business, operated by Penn , a very proud grandma you will see by the cute photos of her grand daughter decorating the place ! The best papaya salad I have found in Michigan. I am not a pad Thai fan, yet I have had several friends join me and rave about the deliciousness here. I keep returning since the spice is made just right as specified in all my curry dishes and Grandma Penn is charming and a blast to chat with !!!

    (5)
  • Kelly F.

    I've driven by this place in its many incarnations for years and never tried any of them, but today my sister and I decided to try Penn's. The space itself is friendly and comfortable - the only downside was that on this particular day they were having AC issues so it was a little warm, but Penn and the other woman working went out of their way to make us comfortable with a portable fan. I ordered Tom Yum Gai and Green Curry with chicken - both hot. My sister ordered Pad See Ew with beef - mild. My soup was a little salty, but other than that is was very good - fresh veggies, big pieces of mushroom and lovely cilantro giving it a nice zing. The green curry is made with sweet basil some green and red peppers and green beans - the sauce was slightly sweet and refreshing - the heat level of Hot was just right for me. The chicken in the dish was very tender white meat. My sister's dish had regular broccoli - and I love broccoli so that was good. The noodles were very flavorful and slightly chewy - Both of us liked it The Thai Iced Tea was very good! Penn introduced herself and was very charming - I am looking forward to going back and trying some of their other offerings!

    (4)
  • Anthony S.

    It has been a long and hard search for good Thai food in the Detroit metro area...and I'm still searching. Although the food was OK its still not the legitimate Thai food I was hoping for.

    (3)
  • Patrick R.

    Liked the indoor mall set up. Restaurant was decent. Felt a little small and sort of cluttered, with a 2Top being used to house a giant plant. The soup was delicious. I had the Tom kha gai and my fiancé had hot and sour. The crab rangoon was good too. The mains were disappointing. I had the Pra Ram: peanut sauce, broccoli, tofu, carrots, only mine didn't come with carrots. I mentioned it when the waitress returned 5 mins later. The cook (Penn?) cooked some up, brought em out and apologized, even though I said it wasn't a big deal. The dish as a whole was underwhelming. The soft tofu and a peanut sauce with a mildly burnt flavor, and over all less flavorful than I was hoping for. Also, i asked for medium spice, but it had little heat. The rice seemed a bit over cooked. It was a little mushy and clumped together. My fiancé had a yellow curry dish that was also a little bland... Mostly tasted like yellow curry powder. The server was really nice, but a little nervous. She spilled and dropped somethings, and really just needed to relax and let her personality shine. Also, last time I tried them, had the worst Fresh Rolls ever. Huge stalks of mint... it was ludicrous.

    (3)
  • Marisa P.

    Really enjoyed our meal here, we walked over when we were not seated at Kyoto. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I had the vegetable red curry and it was full of FRESH vegetables. I ordered medium plus though and it was more like mild-keep this in mind if your like some heat. Cute local place, friendly owner, clean, comfortable, and good food. Took too long for our soups to come out and our chicken satay appetizer came out only a minute before our entrees, but we liked our friendly server and meeting Penn. Child friendly for our daughter who loves coconut soup and rice. Neat place, try it!

    (4)
  • Jenny W.

    When I came back to the area to visit family, my sister was insistent that I come and eat at Penn's. I live in an area where our food choices are limited to chain joints and greasy spoons, so i was all about getting some REAL Thai food. My sister and I split the cashew chicken and chicken pad thai and had plenty to take home. Loved all the fresh vegetables and light sauces. I didn't feel like my food was soaked in cornstarch gravy, just perfectly seasoned Thai food. Our food was so good that I took home dinner for a friend and we celebrated Mother's Day together. Dinner portions are right around $10 and that price is more than fair for the QUALITY and QUANTITY of the food you get.

    (5)
  • Josh F.

    The Pad Thai is excellent! My girlfriend had a vegetarian dish that she raved about as well.

    (5)
  • Todd L.

    Oh yeah!! Don't even need to go here to Yelp about it. I've know Wanpen since the days when she bartended at Mon Jin Lau. Opening up her first Thai restaurant (Penns Thai Cafe) on Rochester road in Troy, 12 or so years ago, I can tell you from countless visits, the absolute BEST Thai food in Metro Detroit. Twice annually I would take our managing director from our Thailand operation there on his insistence. Great right? Great up until she sold it. Definitely not the same. The fact that she's taken over ownership from the previous owner and I no longer have to drive to the Thai House (at least that's what it was called before it changed names and owners I presume), leaves me extremely fired up, and not from my usually medium + heat preference. Definitely an enthusiastic Thumbs UP!

    (5)
  • Anthony D.

    I can't believe i'm doing this, but I need to invoke the ultimate Yelp cliche: "I really want to like this place!" You see, Penn's Thai kitchen is VERY close to my house. Hence the reason I really want to like this place. I have been dreaming of the day there exists an excellent Thai restaurant within walking distance of my house. I may have to keep dreaming. I have been here a total of three times now. The first time I went, I ordered Pad Thai and it was really truly awful. The noodles were under-cooked, and there was no flavor whatsoever. It's as if they completely forgot to add any sort of sauce. Okay. Maybe they just don't do noodles well. The second time I went here I decided to try the Red Curry. This too was terrible. It was very watery and didn't have much of a flavor, but had a terrible smell. I couldn't believe that this was the same restaurant that was getting rave reviews by tons of elite Yelpers with all their elite Yelp cred! I held off on reviewing this place for a long time, refusing to believe that the emperor had no clothes. I finally made it back a third time because I'm lazy or stupid. You decide. I ordered the Thai Fried Rice & some Penn's Fresh rolls. This is the first time I actually enjoyed what I ate. The fried rice was flavorful, and the fresh rolls tasted... well... fresh. I could do without the mint leaves, but it was still pretty good. Here is my dilemma. Twice I had absolutely awful food. If I had written my review after my second visit, I would have to invoke the penultimate Yelp cliche: "If I could give ZERO stars I would!" But my third visit leaves me with many questions. Were my first two visits just a fluke? Is there something special about this place? I'm willing to give it a fourth try based on the strength of my third visit. Another compelling reason for me to give it another shot is the fact that Penn herself is a very funny and charismatic woman. The young woman who took my order over the phone and was working the register was also very sweet and courteous. She asked me if I had ever had the fresh rolls before, and gave me pointers on how to best eat them. (Pour the sauce on them. Don't dip.). She also gave me a really sincere "Enjoy the rest of your evening!" and a smile as I was leaving. It made an impact with me, and It's the little things like this that can really set one restaurant apart from the others. I am giving this restaurant Two Starsâ„¢ for now. I will update my review accordingly after my next visit.

    (2)
  • Dave S.

    Penn's is money. Some of the better Thai around the area. My fiance and I have shopped most of the places in the Royal Oak region and for the most part they all run pretty standard. Penn's is a cut above though. Penn herself is always there in the kitchen making dishes fresh, especially the Spring Rolls. Unquestionably the best we have had. They come out crispy and hot and you know they were made just as you ordered them. The one inconsistency you could argue would be with the spice level. Maybe we said mild and meant medium or said medium and got mild, but we have dined in several times and you can always ratchet it up yourself to suit your taste buds. It may be safe to say that when we discuss food options, it might go something like, "Sushi? Ehh. Mexican? Nah. Pizza? Blah. Penn's? Mmm."

    (5)
  • Amy H.

    Alright, this is seriously one of the best meals I've ever eaten. I ordered fresh spring rolls (Generous portion, beautiful color, fresh ingredients.) They were fresh and crunchy, the peanut sauce that came with them was absolutely delightful. I also got an order of hot and sour soup. Great flavor, and nice, thick consistency. I was going to get a noodle dish, but after reading Janelle W's review, she made me go for the curry. For the entree I ordered Red Curry (with tofu, hot.) This Flavor is insane. It's so clean tasting. NExt time will order chicken, I didn't know the tofu came steamed and i'm not very partial to that. Otherwise, this dish is perfect.

    (5)
  • Erin L.

    Every dishes were delicious and flavorful- but somestimes i felt curry sauce wad too salty, although I knew most of thai food are oily and sweet. But it is still my favorite thai restaurant :)

    (4)
  • Andy K.

    One of my favorite Thai restaurants in the area. I love the red and green curry dishes and their Pad Thai was intense. The only real weakness on the menu I think is their hot & sour soup. It's passable, but not outstanding.

    (4)
  • Neeraj S.

    The place was tucked into a larger strip mall, and set in a simple decor, with pictures of regular guests kept under the table glass. That apart the hostess was pretty good and got our order and was quick to serve the hot, crispy and yummy spring rolls. We added to this list the red curry noodles with veg and Tofu along with basil fried rice. Both tasted great, and overall the place rocks !! Don't hesitate once to go to this place for a quick lunch. Do note that this is not a P F Changs in terms of decor or ambiance.

    (5)
  • kate w.

    We've only been here once. I came when I was pregnant. The owner was the sweetest lady ever, as was her wait staff. It's almost as if you are eating at her home rather than her restaurant. She has a genuine interest in her customers, and stopped by each and every occupied table to chat. She also sells a little stand of asian fruit every once and a while, which gives Penn's a really great flair that no other thai restaurant I've been to has. Watch out, everything is spicy, spicy! Love it!

    (4)
  • Josephine M.

    Hot and sour soup is perfect for a cold weather day. Fresh ingredients. Smaller portions then Rexy's on Woodward used to give, but you see that everywhere. Penn is the owner, cook, and one sassy lady that tells it like it is. Nice place to go on a sunny day.

    (4)
  • Lin L.

    I'm a big fan of Thai food and after seeing numerous good reviews of this place on Yelp, I decided to have dinner there. The restaurant itself is small but very clean and the staff are friendly. There's not a big selection of dishes on the menu (which to me is a good thing because it makes choosing easier) so we decided on two traditional Thai dishes: the Spicy Noodle with shrimp and Massaman Curry with beef, both of which turned out to be delicious. The only downside is that the wait for our food was a little long, but it was worth the wait. The prices are pretty reasonable especially considering the big portions that they give you.

    (4)
  • Rachel F.

    Penn's Thai Kitchen is everything that you'll ever want from a local hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The food is served fresh, the staff is friendly, the environment is quiet, and the price is right! Penn, the owner and head chef, is always at the restaurant to greet you and offer suggestions of her favorites on the menu. The location is a bit funny, being in an older strip mall type venue, but for a quiet night or a quick lunch I couldn't care less. Besides- once the food arrives (which is always within minutes of ordering), I am too focused on the sensory overload of thai spices to care about the scenery. I personally was not a huge fan of the fuji apple salad (it seemed like just sliced apples with some light citrus on them to me), but all of the soups are to die for. The spring rolls are fresh and savory, and every new entree we try becomes "our new favorite." By far, my fiance & I's favorite place to nosh out on some spectacular thai on a quiet evening.

    (5)
  • Mike D.

    When you read reviews for thai places, the same goes for Chinese restaurant reviews... never trust the person who goes on about how great the Pad Thai is, if that is the only thing they talk about, they know nothing about Thai food, its like saying a Chinese restaurant is great cause they have good Almond Boneless Chicken. Its amazing how many people fawn over this place, but I dont see it. It was pricey and it wasnt that good. I have had wayyyyyy better than this and for less. The food that I got was overcooked and wasnt even properly prepared. I wanted to try their Massaman curry and was let down beyond belief. They werent that busy when I ordered, so i cant say that the food was overcooked or screwed up cause the cook in the back wasnt able to keep up. Places like this make me long for Tac Quick in Chicago, even though the service is slow as hell.. the food makes up for it and then some. The best thai food I have had in the Detroit area wasnt at a restaurant, it was at the Thai Food Festival they have over in Warren, during the summer. Too bad those people dont open a restaurant and serve that food, they would make these so called yelpers rethink what they think about this place.

    (3)
  • Robert J.

    Great food. Since moving to Michigan 10 years ago I have been pretty dissapointed by the Thai places here. This one is awesome. We have only been there once but will be sure to be going back soon. Spicy Noodle was great Tom Yum Goong was amazing. Fresh rolls were huge and delicous Southern Noodle was wonderful Penn, the owner, is as friendly as they get. What a cutie.

    (5)
  • Jaimi D.

    Very good food. The owner really ales sure that you like the food and she is not afraid to interact with customers.

    (5)
  • Noor G.

    Best thai food i have had yet! The red curry is bursting with flavour! Portions are generous (hubby and i shared the entree). We had fresh rolls for appetizer- it was beautifully made, fresh and calmed down the spiciness of the red curry....all in all, a lovely dinner:)

    (5)
  • Amanda W.

    Tom yum yum! A slow Sunday night or a well-kept secret, I was the only patron and got some delicious carry-out Tom yum soup, tofu Pad Thai and crab wontons. More than I could eat but I certainly tried! Fast and friendly service.

    (4)
  • Mot E.

    Seriously compromised food regarding issues of food freshness .

    (1)
  • Dayna S.

    I don't know what kind of Thai food the other reviewers are used to, but this does not even come close to anything authentic. I specifically asked if they had something like Curry Noodles, since it wasn't on the menu, and the server assured me that a certain menu item was exactly like what I described. However, this is not curry sauce. It's a kind of greasy brown sauce. She described the noodles as glass noodles, which turned out to be vermicelli. It's greasy and there is no flavor. My friend ordered Thai fried rice, which also came out greasy, with just a few pieces of tomato and onion (no other veggies) and she described it like cheap chinese restaurant fare. Her Tom Kha soup was overly salty, so that she actually had to throw it out. My Tom Yum soup is okay, but the chicken in it is one big piece, that I'll probably have to extract from the soup, cut up, and put it back in. I'm so disappointed. I wish I would have just went to Sala Thai. What a waste of $24, plus tip, on a carry out!!! I am inclined to believe that the restaurant employee's and owners have written these positive reviews.

    (1)
  • Dominique K.

    We've been looking for a nearby Thai place and tried Penn's after reading the reviews here. First off, I was happy to be able to order Tom Kha Gai (creamy coconut chicken soup). I've had this once or twice in the past at other places, but you don't always find it on most menus. I like it as a change of pace from Tom Yum or Hot & Sour Soup, and this version was piping hot with generous pieces of chicken and plenty of cilantro and coconut broth flavor. My dining companion had the Hot and Sour Soup and compared it favorably to other versions he'd had in the past, liking it because it had a thinner texture than other versions (he doesn't particularly care for the thicker hot & sour soups he's had elsewhere). My red curry had plenty of large shrimp and a heat that built up as the meal went on. This was a great version and something I'd definitely order again here. Tim ordered the beef Pad See Ew, which he noted had plenty of broccoli. I tasted his dish and liked the abundance of broccoli and the thinner noodles (so many versions of this dish seem to have just a couple of pieces of broccoli and huge doughy noodles that I don't particularly care for). The decor isn't much to write home about, but the service was exceptionally friendly and efficient. Our server was well-versed in the menu (we heard her tell folks at another table that she'd tried everything in the place and she was able to fully describe the dishes and make suggestions tailored to their tastes). At the end of our meal, the owner Penn stopped by our table and introduced herself, asking our names and making sure we enjoyed our meal. She seemed genuinely interested in our dining experience as first-time visitors and sincere in her hope that we would return...which we will.

    (4)
  • Kent A.

    I've eaten at all of the Royal Oak Thai restaurants and Penn's has made it's way to number one on my list. Thai Cafe was the place to beat a decade ago but unfortunately I've had inconsistent quality there over the past few years and it's no longer my "go to" Thai restaurant. I was glad to have found a worthy (if not better) successor. The food quality here has been consistently excellent. The pad Thai is not the best I've ever had, but it's good. The stir fry dishes I've tried are great, especially the curry (your choice of red, green or yellow). The fresh rolls live up to their name. And definitely save room for dessert here because the homemade coconut ice cream is unreal. The owner, Penn is very outgoing and a great host. She likes to joke around but she'll take care of you and is happy to accommodate special requests and food allergies.

    (5)
  • Craig W.

    Best Thai restaurant in the area (Royal Oak + ). Excellent food and very friendly staff.

    (5)
  • Jon L.

    Not impressed by the Gang Gai carryout I ordered. Very light on the chicken (dinner order) and the vegetables were 80% bamboo shoots. Sauce was decent, but could have been spicier as I ordered it hot. UPDATE: Tried the pad thai and it was good so I'm now going to give this place 3 stars instead of 2. I'd only recommend the pad thai from Penn's, stay away from the more traditional dishes.

    (3)
  • Marie S.

    Used to love it here - it was 5 stars, but she's got a new cook (or 2) and it's just not as good as it used to be.

    (3)
  • Wendy S.

    We had such high hopes for this place! The good - The fresh spring rolls were delicious. The Basil stirfry with chicken. The meh - Green curry, green papaya salad (which is amazing when done well), And the rice was AWFUL. Thai jasmine rice is wonderful and fragrant usually, but on two occasions is was old and tasteless. Nothing was great. Service for carry out was slow. We won't be back.

    (2)
  • Ellie G.

    This place is overpriced, and the food is blah. Not sure why it receives such good reviews. Not great service either. Skip it.

    (2)
  • Anthony F.

    This Thai kitchen has the best Thai noodles in Oakland County. Hands down. I recommend the Spicy Noodles. The owner is awesome as well.

    (5)
  • Emira R.

    Went to Penn's Thai for some carryout and after coming home and trying the food, I can say I was happy with my selection of Thai Fried Rice with chicken, onion, and tomatoes. The tate was there and the spiciness was adequate. My friend ordered the spicy noodles with chicken (hot) and those were good, although a little spicy for my taste (my dish was mild in comparison, but I have a lower tolerance for spicy food). I would go back to dine there and try some other dishes.

    (4)
  • Tim M.

    Great food. Great service and the price is right.

    (4)
  • Erin G.

    I was super excited to try this place based on the reviews. We decided to come for dinner on a weekday while visiting someone at Beaumont. It was not good. We got quite a lot, several apps and several dinners. Spring rolls were ok, they were pretty lacking in flavor. I heard the waitress saying to another couple ordering carryout, "If I may, the spring rolls are amazing here." So not true. She also didn't give us enough silverware or any plates to eat our apps off of. We did ask for more silverware but made due with no plates. In the middle of taking our order, the waitress excused herself to answer the phone. We asked each other if she was going to cook our food too... My fiance ordered jasmine tea, which was pretty good. However, I thought it would be nice if she gave him the tea pot to refill as necessary, but instead she just kept coming back out with the teapot, which was the same size that they leave on your table elsewhere. She didn't ask if we wanted water, which I feel like is pretty standard if someone orders a hot beverage. We ended up asking for some. The food came out wrong--2 of us had our food while the other waited. Fiance got Pad See Ew, which usually has those yummy wide noodles. The waitress did say it had wide noodles when we asked, but when it came they were not what we wanted and were very chewy, and seemed not cooked all the way. Then, our other companion noticed that they gave her chicken when she had asked for tofu. If that wasn't bad enough, the chicken was RAW. Like, not maybe a little underdone, that chicken was pink-right-out-of-the-fridge raw. Disgusting, and dangerous. Rather than taking it right back and taking it off our bill, which would have been the correct course of action, the waitress said, "Well we can re-make it with tofu or with chicken. We can just cook it more if you don't mind eating the chicken. Are you a vegetarian?" Our companion informed her that she would indeed prefer tofu, since that's what she ordered, although she was not a vegetarian. So the rest of us had our food while she waited for hers to be re-made, which came after we were done eating (even though tofu doesn't require much cooking). The second version had no flavor and was not spiced at all, even though she asked for medium. My basil chicken was ok, but very average. I asked for mild with spice on the side to adjust to my own liking, but did not get the spice on the side. By the way, we were the only people eating, so it's not like they were busy to forget all of this stuff. This poor guy came in to pick up his carry out and was there almost the whole time we were waiting for his food. We bought the Yelp deal, and it did get applied to the bill, but was super confusing how she did it. I really can't believe we were charged for the raw chicken dish. Had it been my food, I would have said something, but we just wanted to leave. Last thing, the bathroom is down the hall in the shopping center, and you have to grab a key to get in. However, the key didn't work, so after 5 minutes of jiggling the key in the handle and even trying the men's room, I gave up. I would never return here, not for their food, and certainly not for their customer service.

    (1)
  • Viet N.

    Close. Very close. It's almost everything I was hoping for in a Thai restaurant in the Detroit Metro area, in my QAFSEM (Quest for Asian Food in SE Michigan). It's definitely my new favorite Thai place. The good: - The dishes are spicy and punchy. There aren't any sad flavors here. For example, we ordered Curry puffs from the appetizer menu. They taste a lot like Indian dosas, but they were served with a sweet tamarind? peanut sauce that really accentuated the curry taste well. I was impressed. - We didn't get spicy hot dishes, so I can't say how spicy they can go. Note to readers -- I am giving this restaurant 4/5 without having their spiciest food. You may stop being surprised now. - The service is prompt, and the family running the place is very friendly, especially with children. - The curry was excellent. I could smell it coming to the table. - Thai Iced Tea ($2) was good. Not too sweet, not too spicy, not too creamy, but a good mix of all three. Yum. - Prices were pretty reasonable. Appetizers were about $5, salads $5-10, entrees $10-$13 (depending on the meat). The bad: - It's in the funniest location, one of those outdated indoor mall/arcades in the restaurant that looks like it used to be a Mexican restaurant. The Curry puffs looked a LOT like empanadas... - Definitely not very fancy. Again, looks like a Mexican restaurant. Not an elegant place for a date. - The basil fried rice, while quite flavorful, was flavored mostly with salt. Not a lot of garlic, and definitely not a lot of basil. I think it's designed to be spicier to offset the salt, so I might try that next time. Big fan. A place where, if I had a chance to sample more dishes (i.e. soup, salad, noodle), has a great chance of getting 5/5.

    (4)
  • Michael D.

    This is one of the best Thai restaurants around here. I had the Kow Pad and it was amazing. Perfect amount of spice as requested and great taste. I think its the best Thai Fried Rice I have ever had. My co-worker had a curry dish and it was excellent as well.

    (5)
  • myrrisa h.

    I am so excited about this place. I went in the other day with my friend for lunch and then I loved it so much i craved it the next day and got it again. I was actually craving this place at 8 am the next morning. I must have been dreaming about it. I got the red curry with chicken and the tom kah gai. It was so yummy. I really liked the soup it had the right mix of coconut in it. The red curry was perfect. I liked the combo of veggies and meat they put together. Very simply done and done well. I also liked that the veggies were cooked enough. I feel like some places have them too crunchy for my taste and it doesn't mix well with the rest of the dish. They also cut there veggies the right way. Now i know this sounds strange but part of the experience of Thai is the way it feels in the mouth. I also feel like some places try and do things to be different and add certain veggies that do not mix well with the curry, which ends up not so great Seemed very traditional Thai to me and that is exactly what I want. I also really loved the service. The girl who worked there seemed like she may have been the daughter of the owners. And I think the cooks may have been the sons. She was sweet and even remembered me from the day before, which made me feel special. Very nice people in a warm hearted atmosphere. I felt at home there. It was a nice experience.

    (4)
  • Ethan W.

    "Pad thai is amazing and always consistent. Penn is the coolest lady. Love this place."

    (5)
  • Eric P.

    For one reason or another, I've fallen way behind on my reviews over the course of the summer. I've got a laundry list of joints to write about, and this is the first. Let me start off by saying, I've grown fond of Grandma Penn. She always seems to be the only one there when I dine, and is just the most friendly restaurateur I've yet had the pleasure of knowing. Heck, she even gave me a bowl of the homemade coconut ice cream with a candle stuck in it for my birthday! But, I digress. The food at Penn's Thai Kitchen has consistently been wonderful. As Janelle mentioned, the curries are just excellent - I am partial to green curry myself, but they are all great. The basil stir fry, which I had the pleasure of sampling not too long ago, was some of the best stir fried food I'd had in recent memory (I'd give more details, but it's just crossed that threshold of memory where I remember my opinion of it, but not what that opinion specifically entailed). More recently, I tried the basil fried rice. (Perhaps this is a trend...) I was honestly not quite as pleased with this dish as I was with the comparable stir fry, but it was still very good. The vegetables were fresh, all cooked with minimal oil, etc. In retrospect, I just wish the basil had been more prominent in the flavor of the dish - it was merely hinted, at best. Additionally, I love the tom kha gai, and order it each time I go. With chicken, or just vegetables, it's great all around. I will definitely be visiting g-ma Penn again and again.

    (4)
  • Gjon C.

    Service great, food was not terrible, but it was also not good.

    (2)
  • Jim C.

    Penn's curry was awesome! The fresh rolls were great too. Penn's gifted and a cutie too!

    (5)
  • Kelli O.

    Excellent! Our first time there, and we will definitely be back!

    (5)
  • Vince S.

    This place is located at the "quiet" part of Royal Oak. Distant from the scene at downtown Royal Oak, good for a sober night. I dig this place. I had my curry to be done at "extra spicy". It was spicy alright, but did not mask the aromatic flavor of the curry itself. And while it was spicy, it was not as spicy as that place in Flagstaff, AZ (see my review). My sisters had the drunken noodle and they approved... whatever that meant. The owner came out and had small talk with us, a nice lady; since it was a slow night. She was very friendly and was so surprised we were from California. I recommend order their food extra spicy to experience the deliciousness.

    (5)
  • Jessica C.

    I usually do not prefer Thai cuisine, but I love the food here. The staff is always friendly. The establisment, itself, may not be the most beautiful, but Penn makes up for it with her delicious food.

    (4)
  • Akshaya R.

    Very bad food, service is bad. Don' t order stir fry because stir fry is same as curry with little less gravy. The taste was real bad, will never go to that restaurant again.

    (1)
  • Erin M.

    Pi's Thai on the eastside is my favorite Thai place-however, they have funky hours and it takes me 30 mins to get there...so I have been on the hunt for a pad thai that has actual flavor other than noodles. Not only did Penn's pad thai have better flavor than noodles-it matched Pi's. Also had the fresh rolls-fanstatically done with great produce. If anyone doesn't like this Pad Thai-it's because you like american-ized crap pad thai....this is the real deal.

    (5)
  • Mitch A.

    FINALLY! We've found our go-to place for Thai on this side of town. DELISH!!!! Thai food is my favorite cuisine. Its fresh, layered and complex. I love the use of herbs. My mom was with us and she had only had Thai one other time about 10 years ago probably. She was nervous about what to eat so I ordered red curry and pad thai (both "mild" because I always add hot sauce anyway) for us to all share. She was hooked. The Pad Thai was a little different than what I've had before, but it was still delish. Tom Yum was soooo good, complex and spicy. Eggplant wasn't listed in the ingredients for the red curry. They happily added it. We happily DEVOURED it. The Red Curry had a spicy bite to it, even though it was "mild", so I'd suggest asking for "no spice" if you're not a spicy food lover. But my mom isn't usually a fan of "spicy" and she LOVED it. There were 3 of us, 2 soups, red curry w/rice & pad thai, and we had leftovers. Penn came out to say hi and introduced herself and asked us all our names because we were new. She really loves her restaurant and it shows. She remarked how she was surprised my boy was eating the Tom Yum (it has a hot kick to it, think from chili oil). I explained that he's a Thai Food fanatic since Thai was the only food I could eat while I was pregnant, lol. This place is DELICIOUS!!! Tastebud heaven.

    (5)
  • Cameron H.

    I found this restaurant based on other yelp reviews based on service and food. The reviews were absolutely spot on. The service was beyond belief. The owner was very nice and chatted with me and other guests. Great atmosphere. And then the Pad Thai came. It was amazingly awesome and such a large portion. I am just disappointed that I am not a local and only traveling through.

    (5)
  • M E.

    Not amazing, but pretty good. Some thai places are a little greaseball, but this isn't one of them. Good, clean, food.

    (3)
  • J. M.

    We came here on a recommendation by YELP and were not disappointed. I am in love with the appetizers but HIGHLY disappointed with the Pad Thai. I like my pad thai with a bit more sauce and flavor. We got the spring rolls and green apple salad. The salad was amazing and just thinking about it now makes my mouth water! I will come back and just change up my entree next time. The place was clean and the staff was helpful.

    (4)
  • Jared R.

    The only thing better than the food was the service. Not sure if it is commonplace but Penn, the owner and namesake, came to our table and talked to us about the menu, asked what we liked and said she would whip something up we would love, and we did. The spicy noodle had just the right mix of kick and flavor and didn't disappoint. The pinky in a blanket (wonton wrapped shrimp) was just alright. Definitely a nice little Thai spot that I'll be going back to, hopefully Penn stops by my table again.

    (4)
  • Kelli A.

    Nice place...Thanks, Janelle! Clean and bright, yet cozy...excellent service. I loved the menu offerings. Penn, the owner, came over for introductions. She made us feel welcomed and appreciated. The apple salad was the fave of the day! They were out of green papaya, so we opted for the apple and it was AMAZING!! I'll go back just for that!! Super fresh with mild, clean flavors that positively delight the taste buds. YUMMY! I want another VERY SOON. The fresh rolls were beautifully prepared but lacked any real flavor. I would have preferred cilantro in the filling, instead of mint and perhaps a hint of ginger. It's difficult to find a Thai restaurant that makes them fresh to order, so we were a little disappointed. The spring rolls were ok. Served with a mild sauce. My lunch companion and I shared a vegetarian red curry and also basil fried rice. Unfortunately, the curry wasn't much different than what I prepare at home using Thai Kitchen red curry paste and a can of coconut milk. An overabundance of 'baby' carrots was a turnoff. More pea pods (and less carrot) and a sprinkling of cilantro would have made the dish more enjoyable. It was good, though. Medium was nice and spicy. The basil fried rice was tasty, yet had an odd sweetness. Again, ordered medium and it offered the perfect heat...hot enough to redden the complexion without burning off the taste buds. Hefty lunch portion. We'll definitely return...the menu was enticing and I'm looking forward to trying several dishes.

    (3)
  • Clara Y.

    This restaurant is under NEW ownership, hence if you have had a bad experience in years past please disregard. This is a very small, but quaint business, operated by Penn , a very proud grandma you will see by the cute photos of her grand daughter decorating the place ! The best papaya salad I have found in Michigan. I am not a pad Thai fan, yet I have had several friends join me and rave about the deliciousness here. I keep returning since the spice is made just right as specified in all my curry dishes and Grandma Penn is charming and a blast to chat with !!!

    (5)
  • Kelly F.

    I've driven by this place in its many incarnations for years and never tried any of them, but today my sister and I decided to try Penn's. The space itself is friendly and comfortable - the only downside was that on this particular day they were having AC issues so it was a little warm, but Penn and the other woman working went out of their way to make us comfortable with a portable fan. I ordered Tom Yum Gai and Green Curry with chicken - both hot. My sister ordered Pad See Ew with beef - mild. My soup was a little salty, but other than that is was very good - fresh veggies, big pieces of mushroom and lovely cilantro giving it a nice zing. The green curry is made with sweet basil some green and red peppers and green beans - the sauce was slightly sweet and refreshing - the heat level of Hot was just right for me. The chicken in the dish was very tender white meat. My sister's dish had regular broccoli - and I love broccoli so that was good. The noodles were very flavorful and slightly chewy - Both of us liked it The Thai Iced Tea was very good! Penn introduced herself and was very charming - I am looking forward to going back and trying some of their other offerings!

    (4)
  • Anthony S.

    It has been a long and hard search for good Thai food in the Detroit metro area...and I'm still searching. Although the food was OK its still not the legitimate Thai food I was hoping for.

    (3)
  • Patrick R.

    Liked the indoor mall set up. Restaurant was decent. Felt a little small and sort of cluttered, with a 2Top being used to house a giant plant. The soup was delicious. I had the Tom kha gai and my fiancé had hot and sour. The crab rangoon was good too. The mains were disappointing. I had the Pra Ram: peanut sauce, broccoli, tofu, carrots, only mine didn't come with carrots. I mentioned it when the waitress returned 5 mins later. The cook (Penn?) cooked some up, brought em out and apologized, even though I said it wasn't a big deal. The dish as a whole was underwhelming. The soft tofu and a peanut sauce with a mildly burnt flavor, and over all less flavorful than I was hoping for. Also, i asked for medium spice, but it had little heat. The rice seemed a bit over cooked. It was a little mushy and clumped together. My fiancé had a yellow curry dish that was also a little bland... Mostly tasted like yellow curry powder. The server was really nice, but a little nervous. She spilled and dropped somethings, and really just needed to relax and let her personality shine. Also, last time I tried them, had the worst Fresh Rolls ever. Huge stalks of mint... it was ludicrous.

    (3)
  • Marisa P.

    Really enjoyed our meal here, we walked over when we were not seated at Kyoto. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I had the vegetable red curry and it was full of FRESH vegetables. I ordered medium plus though and it was more like mild-keep this in mind if your like some heat. Cute local place, friendly owner, clean, comfortable, and good food. Took too long for our soups to come out and our chicken satay appetizer came out only a minute before our entrees, but we liked our friendly server and meeting Penn. Child friendly for our daughter who loves coconut soup and rice. Neat place, try it!

    (4)
  • Jenny W.

    When I came back to the area to visit family, my sister was insistent that I come and eat at Penn's. I live in an area where our food choices are limited to chain joints and greasy spoons, so i was all about getting some REAL Thai food. My sister and I split the cashew chicken and chicken pad thai and had plenty to take home. Loved all the fresh vegetables and light sauces. I didn't feel like my food was soaked in cornstarch gravy, just perfectly seasoned Thai food. Our food was so good that I took home dinner for a friend and we celebrated Mother's Day together. Dinner portions are right around $10 and that price is more than fair for the QUALITY and QUANTITY of the food you get.

    (5)
  • Josh F.

    The Pad Thai is excellent! My girlfriend had a vegetarian dish that she raved about as well.

    (5)
  • Todd L.

    Oh yeah!! Don't even need to go here to Yelp about it. I've know Wanpen since the days when she bartended at Mon Jin Lau. Opening up her first Thai restaurant (Penns Thai Cafe) on Rochester road in Troy, 12 or so years ago, I can tell you from countless visits, the absolute BEST Thai food in Metro Detroit. Twice annually I would take our managing director from our Thailand operation there on his insistence. Great right? Great up until she sold it. Definitely not the same. The fact that she's taken over ownership from the previous owner and I no longer have to drive to the Thai House (at least that's what it was called before it changed names and owners I presume), leaves me extremely fired up, and not from my usually medium + heat preference. Definitely an enthusiastic Thumbs UP!

    (5)
  • Suzy K.

    Exceptionally friendly service in a clean and cheerful environment. The mild dishes were a little spicy for my preschooler, but she can be a little sensitive. The coconut ice cream was delicious, offset with a topping of salty peanuts.

    (4)
  • Juliana S.

    I'm looking forward to my leftovers!!! YUMMY! My husband and I went for dinner and it was absolutely amazing! This was our second time there and the owner was just as friendly and personable as our first visit. I had the pad thai and my husband had the green curry and both our meals were delicious!

    (5)
  • Shawn M.

    Stopped in today for the first time. Since moving to Royal Oak, I've been looking for a good, close, Thai restaurant...today, I think I found it! I had the Pad Se Ewe with vegetables and it was excellent. And generous portions mean I have plenty for lunch tomorrow!

    (5)
  • Jeremy D.

    Excellent food at very reasonable prices. Grandma Penn is a real treat.

    (5)
  • goodfood g.

    Okay, so I'm Thai and yes, I am telling you that first because Thai food is in my blood. There's no playing around with Thai food. There is ONE way to make a Pad Thai, one way to make a Red Curry, etc. (except for different regional foods and their versions) What I mean is, there is no brown sauce, no Chinese-mixing Orange Chicken. (Believe me a lot of the bad Chinese take-outs they don't eat their own food either.) Penn's Thai food is the REAL DEAL. This is Thai food that the chefs actually eat. The spicy noodle (Drunken Noodle) is the BOMB. The Som Tum is yum. ANNNDDD my favorite- the Lad Naa Noodles- NO ONE ELSE in Michigan is going to give it to you like this- the real deal, the real subtle, simple flavor of this plate. I visit Andrea and Penn weekly since I found it 2 months ago and am a huge fan! So if you think you like Thai food, try this and you'll know for sure. Best of luck guys in the new location and grand opening!

    (5)
  • Heather G.

    well went back again. same great food! this time got spring rolls and a even more friendly visit by Penn again!

    (4)
  • Suzanne S.

    after reading the reviews (I have been through all iterations of this place) I thought I would try AGAIN. OK after $17 or so for one person - the Spring Rolls were OK - I had asked if they were homemade - guess they were - had only some pineapple sauce - were OK - I mean just OK - spice was nice but just a bunch of shredded cabbage and carrot - dah I thought at one time the had a little shrimp or something. Tom Yum - spice very good - but a bunch of tough chicken breast - some hunks of onion. The cashew chicken - more tough chicken breast - cashews not the least crisp and OMG those "baby carrots" they tasted more like dirt than carrots - no horrible but I won't go there again no matter how nice they are

    (2)
  • MichiganFoodie S.

    Hidden in the middle of a deserted strip mall, Penn's Thai Kitchen is Clawson's hidden gem. Their Chicken Pad Thai (Spicy) is out of this world! I also like to get the Massaman Curry (although it was a little watered the last time I got it). The Crab Cheese Wontons are a little too oily for me, but still taste damn good. Everything I've tried has almost always been outstanding except for recently. I'm really hoping it's just a fluke and that I don't have to come back and change my rating. Next time I'm planning to try the Tom Yum Gai soup.

    (5)
  • YINING Z.

    very good thai food. I order a soup and a pad thai. they are better than other thai restaurants. the service is also very good. enjoyed it.

    (5)
  • Mark W.

    Very Good! Wonderful service.

    (5)
  • Roxy P.

    Just tried this place, and it was very good. I had the red curry vegetables with steamed tofu, which was fantastic.

    (4)
  • Theresa C.

    We visited Penn's for the first time last Friday and it was Amazing! I filled up on the appetizers and was not able to eat much of my dinner but it tasted great warmed up later! See you tonight!

    (5)
  • Jenny O.

    Not a fan of this place...last time I ordered all three of my meals had a nonpleasant smell and look to them.

    (2)
  • Caleb Y.

    So....I am torn. I really liked their food. But, the price prohibits me from giving a higher score. For two dinner I paid about $30!! I order two things - Pad Thai and Pad See Ew - ordinary things. I would go back, but sparingly because it is expensive!! Too bad.

    (3)
  • Dallas B.

    Usually pretty good food, but not this time. Beef tasted more than past expired. I asked for the check and mentioned that I couldn't eat my meal because it was spoiled (I'll dismiss the fact that I think the waitress was aware as she almost finished my sentence for me). All they did to address the situation was say "I'll let them know." I paid the full bill, left hungry, $20 poorer and told the waitress that "I'll let them know as well."

    (1)
  • Miranda W.

    Don't get me wrong- my last experience with penns was AMAZING! The customer service here is awesome and Penn is so nice. But tonight something was up. My fresh rolls were loaded with mint. Like burning mint. The green papaya sala had some weird red liquid in it that made it super spicy. We got a new dish to the distress of my mom, the server was very nice about it though. I personally dont like the Pad Woosen, I find it too salty and prefer the Southern Noodles. I tried the red curry today, I'm not much of a curry person but it seemed nice. We had coconut ice cream that was a little frozen but it softened up. Tonight was a bit off but I didn't get to choose the plates, an they seemed busy take out wise. Overall it was an okay experience it was nice seeing Penn again.

    (3)
  • Nikki B.

    I've never had a bad meal from Penn's. Whether it's carry out or dine in, it's always great food. My favorite appetizer is the fresh rolls. Everything tastes so good together, crunchy lettuce, carrots, steamed chicken and the cilantro. Don't forget to use a healthy heap of the sauce to add flavor!! The soups are wonderful as well. Pad Thai, Pad Se-ew, or thai fried rice. Always exceptional. Service is great, prices are right. I love it there.

    (5)
  • David B.

    I used to go to her place once a week when it was on Rochester Rd. She sold and moved 8 years ago and I since moved away, but never stopped telling everyone about Penn Thai. The other day I was at CVS across the street and saw her sign on 14 and had to try it as two Penn Thai's so close together was curious to me. I walked in, took a seat, Penn walks up and says, ""you look familiar". You would have thought I was talking to Santa. Penn turned me on to it 10 years ago and I have eaten it everywhere I travel to. Penn Thani is hands down the best Thai anywhere....

    (5)
  • Allie J.

    My boyfriend and I were going to go to an old standby Thai restaurant, but I convinced him to step out of our comfort zones. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by Penn herself. She was very welcoming, and we felt at ease as we sat down. He started with the Tom Yum soup, which was very spicy - just how I like it. The mushrooms were especially tasty, and the soup was flavorful. We ordered 2 entrees for our main meal: the Spicy Noodles and Massaman curry. Both were flavorful, and the portions were big! We ordered Medium spice, and were a bit disappointed that the Spicy Noodles were actually not that spicy. We had hoped for a bit more of a kick. Overall, the service was good and the food was tasty. We will definitely be back.

    (4)
  • Randy G.

    When you ask for heat, they bring the heat on! They don't joke about spicy here, if you ask for it, you're going to get it. That's what I like about it. Penn's is a cute little Thai place that has switched hands a few times, but hopefully it will stick with her now. I tried two dishes, the red curry with tofu and the papaya salad. The red curry was rich with flavor, coconut-iness, and full with curry flavor, nothing watered down. I ordered it medium, what I remember from this dish, is the wonderful flavor of the curry, but the heat, man, the heat. I may have had a few beads of sweat on my forehead. The papaya salad was also good, but I had slightly higher expectations. It didn't have as much flavor as I was expecting, but it's also wonderful to have a salad once in a while with a kick. You get to order this salad also with the spicy level you wish. I chose medium of course and here is this nice slightly acidic refreshing salad, that has a kick, some heat, and you're sweating again! It's a neat contrast if you're not use to it. They are super nice inside and I would gladly go back to try more and more.

    (4)
  • Chuck H.

    Have been back at least a dozen times since my last review and never a bad experience.

    (5)
  • Mark H.

    Simply THE BEST and most Authentic Thai food in Michigan. Penn is genuinely interested in her patrons as attested to by hundreds of photos of smiling, satisfied customers, placed under the glass table tops. Returning here was like coming home and made me wish I lived and worked closer. Tom Kha Soup, and Sweet Basil can be added to my long list of recommendations.

    (5)
  • Xiao Z.

    Alright, this place was highly recommended by my friend as I traveled across from the east coast to sample Michigan cuisine. But the interesting aspect of this establishment lie not within the food, but the unique service. The waitress was extremely friendly and joked with us throughout the dinner, and even the chef came out sporadically to see if the food was to our liking. Unfortunately, I came here after eating a very large meal, so I contented myself with a papaya salad (which was both tantalizing and well-portioned...although the Parmesan cheese sprinkling was odd). Both waitress and chef stopped by and gave me the funny eye, wondering why I wasn't eating their great food like everyone else. They were certainly entertaining and I would come back just to chat with them more. Food: 4 stars Staff: 5+ stars Decor: 3 stars ps: there's actually a nice little unique gift shop within the facility that I strongly recommend checking out while you're there! Forgot the name though =P

    (5)
  • Shawn M.

    Stopped in today for the first time. Since moving to Royal Oak, I've been looking for a good, close, Thai restaurant...today, I think I found it! I had the Pad Se Ewe with vegetables and it was excellent. And generous portions mean I have plenty for lunch tomorrow!

    (5)
  • Jeremy D.

    Excellent food at very reasonable prices. Grandma Penn is a real treat.

    (5)
  • Jared R.

    The only thing better than the food was the service. Not sure if it is commonplace but Penn, the owner and namesake, came to our table and talked to us about the menu, asked what we liked and said she would whip something up we would love, and we did. The spicy noodle had just the right mix of kick and flavor and didn't disappoint. The pinky in a blanket (wonton wrapped shrimp) was just alright. Definitely a nice little Thai spot that I'll be going back to, hopefully Penn stops by my table again.

    (4)
  • Suzy K.

    Exceptionally friendly service in a clean and cheerful environment. The mild dishes were a little spicy for my preschooler, but she can be a little sensitive. The coconut ice cream was delicious, offset with a topping of salty peanuts.

    (4)
  • Juliana S.

    I'm looking forward to my leftovers!!! YUMMY! My husband and I went for dinner and it was absolutely amazing! This was our second time there and the owner was just as friendly and personable as our first visit. I had the pad thai and my husband had the green curry and both our meals were delicious!

    (5)
  • goodfood g.

    Okay, so I'm Thai and yes, I am telling you that first because Thai food is in my blood. There's no playing around with Thai food. There is ONE way to make a Pad Thai, one way to make a Red Curry, etc. (except for different regional foods and their versions) What I mean is, there is no brown sauce, no Chinese-mixing Orange Chicken. (Believe me a lot of the bad Chinese take-outs they don't eat their own food either.) Penn's Thai food is the REAL DEAL. This is Thai food that the chefs actually eat. The spicy noodle (Drunken Noodle) is the BOMB. The Som Tum is yum. ANNNDDD my favorite- the Lad Naa Noodles- NO ONE ELSE in Michigan is going to give it to you like this- the real deal, the real subtle, simple flavor of this plate. I visit Andrea and Penn weekly since I found it 2 months ago and am a huge fan! So if you think you like Thai food, try this and you'll know for sure. Best of luck guys in the new location and grand opening!

    (5)
  • Heather G.

    well went back again. same great food! this time got spring rolls and a even more friendly visit by Penn again!

    (4)
  • Suzanne S.

    after reading the reviews (I have been through all iterations of this place) I thought I would try AGAIN. OK after $17 or so for one person - the Spring Rolls were OK - I had asked if they were homemade - guess they were - had only some pineapple sauce - were OK - I mean just OK - spice was nice but just a bunch of shredded cabbage and carrot - dah I thought at one time the had a little shrimp or something. Tom Yum - spice very good - but a bunch of tough chicken breast - some hunks of onion. The cashew chicken - more tough chicken breast - cashews not the least crisp and OMG those "baby carrots" they tasted more like dirt than carrots - no horrible but I won't go there again no matter how nice they are

    (2)
  • MichiganFoodie S.

    Hidden in the middle of a deserted strip mall, Penn's Thai Kitchen is Clawson's hidden gem. Their Chicken Pad Thai (Spicy) is out of this world! I also like to get the Massaman Curry (although it was a little watered the last time I got it). The Crab Cheese Wontons are a little too oily for me, but still taste damn good. Everything I've tried has almost always been outstanding except for recently. I'm really hoping it's just a fluke and that I don't have to come back and change my rating. Next time I'm planning to try the Tom Yum Gai soup.

    (5)
  • YINING Z.

    very good thai food. I order a soup and a pad thai. they are better than other thai restaurants. the service is also very good. enjoyed it.

    (5)
  • Mark W.

    Very Good! Wonderful service.

    (5)
  • Roxy P.

    Just tried this place, and it was very good. I had the red curry vegetables with steamed tofu, which was fantastic.

    (4)
  • Theresa C.

    We visited Penn's for the first time last Friday and it was Amazing! I filled up on the appetizers and was not able to eat much of my dinner but it tasted great warmed up later! See you tonight!

    (5)
  • Amanda D.

    The fresh rolls are amazing! The soups are great, with fresh vegetables. My boyfriend got masaman curry and it was delicious. It's become one of my regular spots, and the owner is friendly and outgoing.

    (4)
  • Casey N.

    As someone who eats out 4-5 times a week, I needed a change and something other than the pizza joints and chains you can find in the surrounding area. This place turned out to be a hidden gem, and so I hope you'll try it too. I hate the location of this place, but the food totally makes up for it. It's delicious every time, I'm a sucker for the pad thai, curry, and broccoli dishes. The spring rolls are a good starter as well. The veggies are always fresh, and both the chicken and shrimp are great too-never had a bad experience here. The coconut ice cream with peanuts is yummy if you have room for dessert! I love this place because its great for carry out or dining in, and if it's carry out you prefer, this isn't one of those places that slacks off or puts less effort in just because they hand it to you in a box. Friendly staff and the owner will most likely be the one cooking for you. This is one of those places where as long as you don't judge it by what it looks like on the outside, you will enjoy your experience.

    (4)
  • Amber W.

    I WANT SO BAD TO GIVE A BAD REVIEW!!! So I am in love with this place, they have very good dishes that you don't just find at any thai place. I have been changing up my order every time and have not been unhappy once...currently I have been trying all of their dishes made with coconut milk mmmmm I can say this: last night my husband and I ordered from Penn's and and when he picked up our carryout the lady made very sure to tell him the proper way to hold the bag where one hand was on top and on the bottome of the bag; so "no curry spills out"...whatever. We get home and we find that his Styrofoam container is split down the side AND taped/fixed with some scotch tape. We laughed about it, Seriously those container come in bulk...they couldn't have gotten a new one?? The food is too good to even be mad or disgusted. It was more of an "ooooh you guys" moment.

    (4)
  • Hanna S.

    First of all, I didn't like this place. Their food was not good but just ok that's why I gave them a star. The customer service was terrible. The waitress came up to us every 2minutes and asked us '' All done? All done?" .We're obviously eating. She's kind of pushed us. She didn't even say thank you after we paid. She didn't say anything(even one word) after she asked us ''All done? All done?'. Tables and chairs were dirty as well. I could see greasy stuff on the chair.

    (1)
  • Shane H.

    I don't get it. I don't get it. It's oily. It's nasty. It's not even thai food. IT'S GREASY BURNT CHINESE FOOD!! detroit. when can you get thai food right? it's a shame you have so many so called thai restaurants and you can't even get chicken pad thai right. oh. and this place even messed up my thai iced tea. it was too much condense milk and sweetener.

    (1)
  • Emily B.

    Wow. I have finally found a thai restaurant I will return to!! Never judge a book by its cover and this place proves that. The seating area looked kind of grungy and when you walk it it smells of fried food. Much to my surprise the food was great and the waitstaff was incredibly fun and friendly. The tables have photos of smiling customers slipped under the glass emphasizing to me that service was high on their list of priorities. As for the food.... Everything was fresh and crisp with very clean flavors. You could tell it was made from scratch. The pad thai and coconut soup which I have become accustomed to being greasy was anything but. Real peanuts instead of peanut sauce is just one hint that tells you this place is quality. I rarely get curry because I don't have much of a spice tolerance however decided to be daring and got the red curry. It had a late spice which allowed me to enjoy the nice initial coconut sweetness at first and the spice was not very long lasting allowing me to buck up and keep chowing down. We finished off the meal with homemade coconut ice cream that as somewhere in texture between an ice cream and a sorbet, regardless it is not to be missed because it was absolutely delicious and a refreshing way to end the meal. I once heard a chef say that people go initially to a restaurant for the food, but they return for the experience. With delicious food and staff that makes you feel welcome and at home, I will definitely be returning here.

    (4)
  • M C.

    First time eating at Penn's Kitchen and I'll be heading back there whenever I get an appetite for Thai curry. I had the Massaman curry with pork and the tom yum goong soup, both flavorful and filling with whole pieces of lemongrass and Thai basil in the soup. Simple presentations give a 'home cooked' feel, especially with the family and restaurant photographs under the plexiglass topping the table. Service was attentive and polite, the atmosphere cozy and not too fancy as it's in an older shopping mall. Perfect for a lazy 'I don't want to cook' night. Price was alright, but we did order /a lot/ of food so it came out to about $35. Good portions all around. My boyfriend had the pad prik with chicken and practically inhaled it - he is a 'connoisseur' of prad prik and was very satisfied. Only thing was that the spring rolls were still a bit cold on the inside, but I've had this happen to spring rolls at many restaurants despite the overall quality of their menu. So I won't really fault them for that, definitely give them a second chance. I'll try the fresh rolls next time, for sure.

    (4)
  • Ammar A.

    Fresh food and great service. At this point Owner knows me person personally. I always get the curry. The flavors are very delightful. Her homemade coconut ice cream is amazing. They get busy towards the evening so I recommend coming a little bit earlier. You can tell the cook actually cares about the food she makes. She is always there making it herself.

    (5)
  • Lisa W.

    Very good! It is located in a strip mall enter a side door which takes you a mini mall and Penns is one of hte tenants) It is pretty easy to miss. The strip mall is located on the north side of 14 mile west of Crooks. It is in front of the Gordons Food Service if you are on 14 mile and next to a Dunkin Donuts. It is pretty easy to miss and I passed it .The server was super friendly. I enjoyed my meal here. I will return. The apple salad is delicious!

    (4)
  • Evie B.

    Found this place by accident. We were looking for a new Thai place, so I did a search on Yelp. This place had several high reviews, so we t hought to give it a try..NOT disappointed at all. DELISH!!! We both had bowls of soup...soooooooo much flavor. We then had the spring rolls (not the fried ones) and they good, but they could have used a bit more cilantro, a little mint...to flavor them up a bit. Also the dipping sauce was a bit too sweet. I think a peanut sauce would have been a better match. My husband had the red curry chicken with veggies...UNBELIEVABLE. The flavors burst in your mouth like fireworks on the 4th of July. So many different flavors and all melding together nicely! I had the Pad Thai with Shrimp. DELISH! The nice thing about Penn's Pad Thai, the sauce is there, but it doesn't overwhelm the dish. Some places make the sauce sweet, too hot and too much, so it doesn't sit well on your palate. The portions are big, so we had plenty to take home for lunch the next day. I think the prices are appropriate for quality and quantity. The waitress was very friendly, quick service...Penn is one of the few owners of a restaurant who really cares about what the customer thinks. She also has a great sense of humor and is very personable. The ONLY negative...the venting in the place is poor. We stunk to high heaven when we left there. You could smell grease on us quite sometime... Happy Eating!!

    (4)
  • Kady D.

    Full disclosure I'm not that huge of a fan of Thai food, but the mood struck me and off we went. My husband and I split the appetizer combo and the beef pad prik. It was amazing, the food was fresh and well seasoned but my favorite part was Penn herself. She was kind and understanding that we had a cranky one year old ( I swear she was in a good mood until the high chair came out!) I loved all the pictures under the glass on the tables and I love seeing somebody who cares so much about their business and treats their customers like family! She even took my daughter up to look at the fish tank for a few minutes and my husband and I almost felt like normal people for a few minutes. Whenever we feel the need for Thai there is no question where we are headed!

    (5)
  • Lin L.

    I'm a big fan of Thai food and after seeing numerous good reviews of this place on Yelp, I decided to have dinner there. The restaurant itself is small but very clean and the staff are friendly. There's not a big selection of dishes on the menu (which to me is a good thing because it makes choosing easier) so we decided on two traditional Thai dishes: the Spicy Noodle with shrimp and Massaman Curry with beef, both of which turned out to be delicious. The only downside is that the wait for our food was a little long, but it was worth the wait. The prices are pretty reasonable especially considering the big portions that they give you.

    (4)
  • Amanda W.

    Tom yum yum! A slow Sunday night or a well-kept secret, I was the only patron and got some delicious carry-out Tom yum soup, tofu Pad Thai and crab wontons. More than I could eat but I certainly tried! Fast and friendly service.

    (4)
  • Mot E.

    Seriously compromised food regarding issues of food freshness .

    (1)
  • Anthony D.

    I can't believe i'm doing this, but I need to invoke the ultimate Yelp cliche: "I really want to like this place!" You see, Penn's Thai kitchen is VERY close to my house. Hence the reason I really want to like this place. I have been dreaming of the day there exists an excellent Thai restaurant within walking distance of my house. I may have to keep dreaming. I have been here a total of three times now. The first time I went, I ordered Pad Thai and it was really truly awful. The noodles were under-cooked, and there was no flavor whatsoever. It's as if they completely forgot to add any sort of sauce. Okay. Maybe they just don't do noodles well. The second time I went here I decided to try the Red Curry. This too was terrible. It was very watery and didn't have much of a flavor, but had a terrible smell. I couldn't believe that this was the same restaurant that was getting rave reviews by tons of elite Yelpers with all their elite Yelp cred! I held off on reviewing this place for a long time, refusing to believe that the emperor had no clothes. I finally made it back a third time because I'm lazy or stupid. You decide. I ordered the Thai Fried Rice & some Penn's Fresh rolls. This is the first time I actually enjoyed what I ate. The fried rice was flavorful, and the fresh rolls tasted... well... fresh. I could do without the mint leaves, but it was still pretty good. Here is my dilemma. Twice I had absolutely awful food. If I had written my review after my second visit, I would have to invoke the penultimate Yelp cliche: "If I could give ZERO stars I would!" But my third visit leaves me with many questions. Were my first two visits just a fluke? Is there something special about this place? I'm willing to give it a fourth try based on the strength of my third visit. Another compelling reason for me to give it another shot is the fact that Penn herself is a very funny and charismatic woman. The young woman who took my order over the phone and was working the register was also very sweet and courteous. She asked me if I had ever had the fresh rolls before, and gave me pointers on how to best eat them. (Pour the sauce on them. Don't dip.). She also gave me a really sincere "Enjoy the rest of your evening!" and a smile as I was leaving. It made an impact with me, and It's the little things like this that can really set one restaurant apart from the others. I am giving this restaurant Two Starsâ„¢ for now. I will update my review accordingly after my next visit.

    (2)
  • Dave S.

    Penn's is money. Some of the better Thai around the area. My fiance and I have shopped most of the places in the Royal Oak region and for the most part they all run pretty standard. Penn's is a cut above though. Penn herself is always there in the kitchen making dishes fresh, especially the Spring Rolls. Unquestionably the best we have had. They come out crispy and hot and you know they were made just as you ordered them. The one inconsistency you could argue would be with the spice level. Maybe we said mild and meant medium or said medium and got mild, but we have dined in several times and you can always ratchet it up yourself to suit your taste buds. It may be safe to say that when we discuss food options, it might go something like, "Sushi? Ehh. Mexican? Nah. Pizza? Blah. Penn's? Mmm."

    (5)
  • Jess P.

    The more I dine here, the more I love it. Fresh Thai food. Soups are delicious. I have liked everything I've tried on the menu. There is one thing I wish would be different and that is how long they cook their noodles. They are always tough to me. I have had to ask them to cook them for longer and they still sometimes turn out harder than I like. It's personal preference, I suppose, but I don't like to fight with my food. The owner is a super sweet lady. Always friendly, and will come up to your table to see how you are doing and how you like the food. Lots of thought goes into this place. The food is always hot and the atmosphere is never cold. My suggestions: Tom Kha Gai soup and Pad See Ew entrée, preferably with chicken.

    (5)
  • Amy H.

    Alright, this is seriously one of the best meals I've ever eaten. I ordered fresh spring rolls (Generous portion, beautiful color, fresh ingredients.) They were fresh and crunchy, the peanut sauce that came with them was absolutely delightful. I also got an order of hot and sour soup. Great flavor, and nice, thick consistency. I was going to get a noodle dish, but after reading Janelle W's review, she made me go for the curry. For the entree I ordered Red Curry (with tofu, hot.) This Flavor is insane. It's so clean tasting. NExt time will order chicken, I didn't know the tofu came steamed and i'm not very partial to that. Otherwise, this dish is perfect.

    (5)
  • Erin L.

    Every dishes were delicious and flavorful- but somestimes i felt curry sauce wad too salty, although I knew most of thai food are oily and sweet. But it is still my favorite thai restaurant :)

    (4)
  • Andy K.

    One of my favorite Thai restaurants in the area. I love the red and green curry dishes and their Pad Thai was intense. The only real weakness on the menu I think is their hot & sour soup. It's passable, but not outstanding.

    (4)
  • Neeraj S.

    The place was tucked into a larger strip mall, and set in a simple decor, with pictures of regular guests kept under the table glass. That apart the hostess was pretty good and got our order and was quick to serve the hot, crispy and yummy spring rolls. We added to this list the red curry noodles with veg and Tofu along with basil fried rice. Both tasted great, and overall the place rocks !! Don't hesitate once to go to this place for a quick lunch. Do note that this is not a P F Changs in terms of decor or ambiance.

    (5)
  • kate w.

    We've only been here once. I came when I was pregnant. The owner was the sweetest lady ever, as was her wait staff. It's almost as if you are eating at her home rather than her restaurant. She has a genuine interest in her customers, and stopped by each and every occupied table to chat. She also sells a little stand of asian fruit every once and a while, which gives Penn's a really great flair that no other thai restaurant I've been to has. Watch out, everything is spicy, spicy! Love it!

    (4)
  • Josephine M.

    Hot and sour soup is perfect for a cold weather day. Fresh ingredients. Smaller portions then Rexy's on Woodward used to give, but you see that everywhere. Penn is the owner, cook, and one sassy lady that tells it like it is. Nice place to go on a sunny day.

    (4)
  • Rachel F.

    Penn's Thai Kitchen is everything that you'll ever want from a local hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The food is served fresh, the staff is friendly, the environment is quiet, and the price is right! Penn, the owner and head chef, is always at the restaurant to greet you and offer suggestions of her favorites on the menu. The location is a bit funny, being in an older strip mall type venue, but for a quiet night or a quick lunch I couldn't care less. Besides- once the food arrives (which is always within minutes of ordering), I am too focused on the sensory overload of thai spices to care about the scenery. I personally was not a huge fan of the fuji apple salad (it seemed like just sliced apples with some light citrus on them to me), but all of the soups are to die for. The spring rolls are fresh and savory, and every new entree we try becomes "our new favorite." By far, my fiance & I's favorite place to nosh out on some spectacular thai on a quiet evening.

    (5)
  • Mike D.

    When you read reviews for thai places, the same goes for Chinese restaurant reviews... never trust the person who goes on about how great the Pad Thai is, if that is the only thing they talk about, they know nothing about Thai food, its like saying a Chinese restaurant is great cause they have good Almond Boneless Chicken. Its amazing how many people fawn over this place, but I dont see it. It was pricey and it wasnt that good. I have had wayyyyyy better than this and for less. The food that I got was overcooked and wasnt even properly prepared. I wanted to try their Massaman curry and was let down beyond belief. They werent that busy when I ordered, so i cant say that the food was overcooked or screwed up cause the cook in the back wasnt able to keep up. Places like this make me long for Tac Quick in Chicago, even though the service is slow as hell.. the food makes up for it and then some. The best thai food I have had in the Detroit area wasnt at a restaurant, it was at the Thai Food Festival they have over in Warren, during the summer. Too bad those people dont open a restaurant and serve that food, they would make these so called yelpers rethink what they think about this place.

    (3)
  • Robert J.

    Great food. Since moving to Michigan 10 years ago I have been pretty dissapointed by the Thai places here. This one is awesome. We have only been there once but will be sure to be going back soon. Spicy Noodle was great Tom Yum Goong was amazing. Fresh rolls were huge and delicous Southern Noodle was wonderful Penn, the owner, is as friendly as they get. What a cutie.

    (5)
  • Jaimi D.

    Very good food. The owner really ales sure that you like the food and she is not afraid to interact with customers.

    (5)
  • Noor G.

    Best thai food i have had yet! The red curry is bursting with flavour! Portions are generous (hubby and i shared the entree). We had fresh rolls for appetizer- it was beautifully made, fresh and calmed down the spiciness of the red curry....all in all, a lovely dinner:)

    (5)
  • Dayna S.

    I don't know what kind of Thai food the other reviewers are used to, but this does not even come close to anything authentic. I specifically asked if they had something like Curry Noodles, since it wasn't on the menu, and the server assured me that a certain menu item was exactly like what I described. However, this is not curry sauce. It's a kind of greasy brown sauce. She described the noodles as glass noodles, which turned out to be vermicelli. It's greasy and there is no flavor. My friend ordered Thai fried rice, which also came out greasy, with just a few pieces of tomato and onion (no other veggies) and she described it like cheap chinese restaurant fare. Her Tom Kha soup was overly salty, so that she actually had to throw it out. My Tom Yum soup is okay, but the chicken in it is one big piece, that I'll probably have to extract from the soup, cut up, and put it back in. I'm so disappointed. I wish I would have just went to Sala Thai. What a waste of $24, plus tip, on a carry out!!! I am inclined to believe that the restaurant employee's and owners have written these positive reviews.

    (1)
  • Dominique K.

    We've been looking for a nearby Thai place and tried Penn's after reading the reviews here. First off, I was happy to be able to order Tom Kha Gai (creamy coconut chicken soup). I've had this once or twice in the past at other places, but you don't always find it on most menus. I like it as a change of pace from Tom Yum or Hot & Sour Soup, and this version was piping hot with generous pieces of chicken and plenty of cilantro and coconut broth flavor. My dining companion had the Hot and Sour Soup and compared it favorably to other versions he'd had in the past, liking it because it had a thinner texture than other versions (he doesn't particularly care for the thicker hot & sour soups he's had elsewhere). My red curry had plenty of large shrimp and a heat that built up as the meal went on. This was a great version and something I'd definitely order again here. Tim ordered the beef Pad See Ew, which he noted had plenty of broccoli. I tasted his dish and liked the abundance of broccoli and the thinner noodles (so many versions of this dish seem to have just a couple of pieces of broccoli and huge doughy noodles that I don't particularly care for). The decor isn't much to write home about, but the service was exceptionally friendly and efficient. Our server was well-versed in the menu (we heard her tell folks at another table that she'd tried everything in the place and she was able to fully describe the dishes and make suggestions tailored to their tastes). At the end of our meal, the owner Penn stopped by our table and introduced herself, asking our names and making sure we enjoyed our meal. She seemed genuinely interested in our dining experience as first-time visitors and sincere in her hope that we would return...which we will.

    (4)
  • Tim M.

    Great food. Great service and the price is right.

    (4)
  • Kent A.

    I've eaten at all of the Royal Oak Thai restaurants and Penn's has made it's way to number one on my list. Thai Cafe was the place to beat a decade ago but unfortunately I've had inconsistent quality there over the past few years and it's no longer my "go to" Thai restaurant. I was glad to have found a worthy (if not better) successor. The food quality here has been consistently excellent. The pad Thai is not the best I've ever had, but it's good. The stir fry dishes I've tried are great, especially the curry (your choice of red, green or yellow). The fresh rolls live up to their name. And definitely save room for dessert here because the homemade coconut ice cream is unreal. The owner, Penn is very outgoing and a great host. She likes to joke around but she'll take care of you and is happy to accommodate special requests and food allergies.

    (5)
  • Craig W.

    Best Thai restaurant in the area (Royal Oak + ). Excellent food and very friendly staff.

    (5)
  • Jon L.

    Not impressed by the Gang Gai carryout I ordered. Very light on the chicken (dinner order) and the vegetables were 80% bamboo shoots. Sauce was decent, but could have been spicier as I ordered it hot. UPDATE: Tried the pad thai and it was good so I'm now going to give this place 3 stars instead of 2. I'd only recommend the pad thai from Penn's, stay away from the more traditional dishes.

    (3)
  • Marie S.

    Used to love it here - it was 5 stars, but she's got a new cook (or 2) and it's just not as good as it used to be.

    (3)
  • Wendy S.

    We had such high hopes for this place! The good - The fresh spring rolls were delicious. The Basil stirfry with chicken. The meh - Green curry, green papaya salad (which is amazing when done well), And the rice was AWFUL. Thai jasmine rice is wonderful and fragrant usually, but on two occasions is was old and tasteless. Nothing was great. Service for carry out was slow. We won't be back.

    (2)
  • Ellie G.

    This place is overpriced, and the food is blah. Not sure why it receives such good reviews. Not great service either. Skip it.

    (2)
  • Anthony F.

    This Thai kitchen has the best Thai noodles in Oakland County. Hands down. I recommend the Spicy Noodles. The owner is awesome as well.

    (5)
  • Emira R.

    Went to Penn's Thai for some carryout and after coming home and trying the food, I can say I was happy with my selection of Thai Fried Rice with chicken, onion, and tomatoes. The tate was there and the spiciness was adequate. My friend ordered the spicy noodles with chicken (hot) and those were good, although a little spicy for my taste (my dish was mild in comparison, but I have a lower tolerance for spicy food). I would go back to dine there and try some other dishes.

    (4)
  • Erin G.

    I was super excited to try this place based on the reviews. We decided to come for dinner on a weekday while visiting someone at Beaumont. It was not good. We got quite a lot, several apps and several dinners. Spring rolls were ok, they were pretty lacking in flavor. I heard the waitress saying to another couple ordering carryout, "If I may, the spring rolls are amazing here." So not true. She also didn't give us enough silverware or any plates to eat our apps off of. We did ask for more silverware but made due with no plates. In the middle of taking our order, the waitress excused herself to answer the phone. We asked each other if she was going to cook our food too... My fiance ordered jasmine tea, which was pretty good. However, I thought it would be nice if she gave him the tea pot to refill as necessary, but instead she just kept coming back out with the teapot, which was the same size that they leave on your table elsewhere. She didn't ask if we wanted water, which I feel like is pretty standard if someone orders a hot beverage. We ended up asking for some. The food came out wrong--2 of us had our food while the other waited. Fiance got Pad See Ew, which usually has those yummy wide noodles. The waitress did say it had wide noodles when we asked, but when it came they were not what we wanted and were very chewy, and seemed not cooked all the way. Then, our other companion noticed that they gave her chicken when she had asked for tofu. If that wasn't bad enough, the chicken was RAW. Like, not maybe a little underdone, that chicken was pink-right-out-of-the-fridge raw. Disgusting, and dangerous. Rather than taking it right back and taking it off our bill, which would have been the correct course of action, the waitress said, "Well we can re-make it with tofu or with chicken. We can just cook it more if you don't mind eating the chicken. Are you a vegetarian?" Our companion informed her that she would indeed prefer tofu, since that's what she ordered, although she was not a vegetarian. So the rest of us had our food while she waited for hers to be re-made, which came after we were done eating (even though tofu doesn't require much cooking). The second version had no flavor and was not spiced at all, even though she asked for medium. My basil chicken was ok, but very average. I asked for mild with spice on the side to adjust to my own liking, but did not get the spice on the side. By the way, we were the only people eating, so it's not like they were busy to forget all of this stuff. This poor guy came in to pick up his carry out and was there almost the whole time we were waiting for his food. We bought the Yelp deal, and it did get applied to the bill, but was super confusing how she did it. I really can't believe we were charged for the raw chicken dish. Had it been my food, I would have said something, but we just wanted to leave. Last thing, the bathroom is down the hall in the shopping center, and you have to grab a key to get in. However, the key didn't work, so after 5 minutes of jiggling the key in the handle and even trying the men's room, I gave up. I would never return here, not for their food, and certainly not for their customer service.

    (1)
  • Viet N.

    Close. Very close. It's almost everything I was hoping for in a Thai restaurant in the Detroit Metro area, in my QAFSEM (Quest for Asian Food in SE Michigan). It's definitely my new favorite Thai place. The good: - The dishes are spicy and punchy. There aren't any sad flavors here. For example, we ordered Curry puffs from the appetizer menu. They taste a lot like Indian dosas, but they were served with a sweet tamarind? peanut sauce that really accentuated the curry taste well. I was impressed. - We didn't get spicy hot dishes, so I can't say how spicy they can go. Note to readers -- I am giving this restaurant 4/5 without having their spiciest food. You may stop being surprised now. - The service is prompt, and the family running the place is very friendly, especially with children. - The curry was excellent. I could smell it coming to the table. - Thai Iced Tea ($2) was good. Not too sweet, not too spicy, not too creamy, but a good mix of all three. Yum. - Prices were pretty reasonable. Appetizers were about $5, salads $5-10, entrees $10-$13 (depending on the meat). The bad: - It's in the funniest location, one of those outdated indoor mall/arcades in the restaurant that looks like it used to be a Mexican restaurant. The Curry puffs looked a LOT like empanadas... - Definitely not very fancy. Again, looks like a Mexican restaurant. Not an elegant place for a date. - The basil fried rice, while quite flavorful, was flavored mostly with salt. Not a lot of garlic, and definitely not a lot of basil. I think it's designed to be spicier to offset the salt, so I might try that next time. Big fan. A place where, if I had a chance to sample more dishes (i.e. soup, salad, noodle), has a great chance of getting 5/5.

    (4)
  • Michael D.

    This is one of the best Thai restaurants around here. I had the Kow Pad and it was amazing. Perfect amount of spice as requested and great taste. I think its the best Thai Fried Rice I have ever had. My co-worker had a curry dish and it was excellent as well.

    (5)
  • myrrisa h.

    I am so excited about this place. I went in the other day with my friend for lunch and then I loved it so much i craved it the next day and got it again. I was actually craving this place at 8 am the next morning. I must have been dreaming about it. I got the red curry with chicken and the tom kah gai. It was so yummy. I really liked the soup it had the right mix of coconut in it. The red curry was perfect. I liked the combo of veggies and meat they put together. Very simply done and done well. I also liked that the veggies were cooked enough. I feel like some places have them too crunchy for my taste and it doesn't mix well with the rest of the dish. They also cut there veggies the right way. Now i know this sounds strange but part of the experience of Thai is the way it feels in the mouth. I also feel like some places try and do things to be different and add certain veggies that do not mix well with the curry, which ends up not so great Seemed very traditional Thai to me and that is exactly what I want. I also really loved the service. The girl who worked there seemed like she may have been the daughter of the owners. And I think the cooks may have been the sons. She was sweet and even remembered me from the day before, which made me feel special. Very nice people in a warm hearted atmosphere. I felt at home there. It was a nice experience.

    (4)
  • Ethan W.

    "Pad thai is amazing and always consistent. Penn is the coolest lady. Love this place."

    (5)
  • Eric P.

    For one reason or another, I've fallen way behind on my reviews over the course of the summer. I've got a laundry list of joints to write about, and this is the first. Let me start off by saying, I've grown fond of Grandma Penn. She always seems to be the only one there when I dine, and is just the most friendly restaurateur I've yet had the pleasure of knowing. Heck, she even gave me a bowl of the homemade coconut ice cream with a candle stuck in it for my birthday! But, I digress. The food at Penn's Thai Kitchen has consistently been wonderful. As Janelle mentioned, the curries are just excellent - I am partial to green curry myself, but they are all great. The basil stir fry, which I had the pleasure of sampling not too long ago, was some of the best stir fried food I'd had in recent memory (I'd give more details, but it's just crossed that threshold of memory where I remember my opinion of it, but not what that opinion specifically entailed). More recently, I tried the basil fried rice. (Perhaps this is a trend...) I was honestly not quite as pleased with this dish as I was with the comparable stir fry, but it was still very good. The vegetables were fresh, all cooked with minimal oil, etc. In retrospect, I just wish the basil had been more prominent in the flavor of the dish - it was merely hinted, at best. Additionally, I love the tom kha gai, and order it each time I go. With chicken, or just vegetables, it's great all around. I will definitely be visiting g-ma Penn again and again.

    (4)
  • Gjon C.

    Service great, food was not terrible, but it was also not good.

    (2)
  • Jim C.

    Penn's curry was awesome! The fresh rolls were great too. Penn's gifted and a cutie too!

    (5)
  • Kelli O.

    Excellent! Our first time there, and we will definitely be back!

    (5)
  • Vince S.

    This place is located at the "quiet" part of Royal Oak. Distant from the scene at downtown Royal Oak, good for a sober night. I dig this place. I had my curry to be done at "extra spicy". It was spicy alright, but did not mask the aromatic flavor of the curry itself. And while it was spicy, it was not as spicy as that place in Flagstaff, AZ (see my review). My sisters had the drunken noodle and they approved... whatever that meant. The owner came out and had small talk with us, a nice lady; since it was a slow night. She was very friendly and was so surprised we were from California. I recommend order their food extra spicy to experience the deliciousness.

    (5)
  • Jessica C.

    I usually do not prefer Thai cuisine, but I love the food here. The staff is always friendly. The establisment, itself, may not be the most beautiful, but Penn makes up for it with her delicious food.

    (4)
  • Akshaya R.

    Very bad food, service is bad. Don' t order stir fry because stir fry is same as curry with little less gravy. The taste was real bad, will never go to that restaurant again.

    (1)
  • Erin M.

    Pi's Thai on the eastside is my favorite Thai place-however, they have funky hours and it takes me 30 mins to get there...so I have been on the hunt for a pad thai that has actual flavor other than noodles. Not only did Penn's pad thai have better flavor than noodles-it matched Pi's. Also had the fresh rolls-fanstatically done with great produce. If anyone doesn't like this Pad Thai-it's because you like american-ized crap pad thai....this is the real deal.

    (5)
  • Mitch A.

    FINALLY! We've found our go-to place for Thai on this side of town. DELISH!!!! Thai food is my favorite cuisine. Its fresh, layered and complex. I love the use of herbs. My mom was with us and she had only had Thai one other time about 10 years ago probably. She was nervous about what to eat so I ordered red curry and pad thai (both "mild" because I always add hot sauce anyway) for us to all share. She was hooked. The Pad Thai was a little different than what I've had before, but it was still delish. Tom Yum was soooo good, complex and spicy. Eggplant wasn't listed in the ingredients for the red curry. They happily added it. We happily DEVOURED it. The Red Curry had a spicy bite to it, even though it was "mild", so I'd suggest asking for "no spice" if you're not a spicy food lover. But my mom isn't usually a fan of "spicy" and she LOVED it. There were 3 of us, 2 soups, red curry w/rice & pad thai, and we had leftovers. Penn came out to say hi and introduced herself and asked us all our names because we were new. She really loves her restaurant and it shows. She remarked how she was surprised my boy was eating the Tom Yum (it has a hot kick to it, think from chili oil). I explained that he's a Thai Food fanatic since Thai was the only food I could eat while I was pregnant, lol. This place is DELICIOUS!!! Tastebud heaven.

    (5)
  • Cameron H.

    I found this restaurant based on other yelp reviews based on service and food. The reviews were absolutely spot on. The service was beyond belief. The owner was very nice and chatted with me and other guests. Great atmosphere. And then the Pad Thai came. It was amazingly awesome and such a large portion. I am just disappointed that I am not a local and only traveling through.

    (5)
  • M E.

    Not amazing, but pretty good. Some thai places are a little greaseball, but this isn't one of them. Good, clean, food.

    (3)
  • J. M.

    We came here on a recommendation by YELP and were not disappointed. I am in love with the appetizers but HIGHLY disappointed with the Pad Thai. I like my pad thai with a bit more sauce and flavor. We got the spring rolls and green apple salad. The salad was amazing and just thinking about it now makes my mouth water! I will come back and just change up my entree next time. The place was clean and the staff was helpful.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    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 : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Penn’s Thai Kitchen

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