Refreshing to find authentic Thai!!! The staff was very attentive and courteous. The food was delicious. We started off with spring rolls fried. They came out with a light sweet and sour type sauce on the side. Very tasty. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken and it was just how I wanted it. Fresh vegetables of bell pepper thinly sliced, peas, carrots, baby corn and water chestnuts ( maybe some others), thin white breast chicken in a light watery ever so sweet and sour sauce, on a bed of Jasmine rice ( well you add the rice) . It was perfect portion too!. My boyfriend got the pineapple rice with chicken with 1star spice. He cleaned his plate. The prices are affordable. The total bill for the 2 of was $25. We'll be returning!!!!!! Yummy.
(5)
Tony P.
Food was pretty good! Portion sizes were a little smaller than I usually get but I wasn't stuck with a bunch of leftovers, so they were actually perfect! The owner is so nice and let us stay in his restaurant for a half hour after closing until our hotel shuttle picked us up. If you like spicy go for a 4 star, the spice level was a little tame for me. All in all I highly recommend, and there's a cash discount if you ask!
(4)
Briana J.
Amazing Thai! This is my go to place. My boyfriend gets the thai hot and he loves it! He is a spice fanatic and he has never had anything so spicy or delicious! I adore the waitstaff and owners, they are always so nice.
(5)
Jessica B.
Really good Thai food!! I go for lunch because their entire menu is $7 and you get soup, spring rolls, and tapioca included with your entree!!
(4)
RealWater W.
Easy on the pocket, yummy in the tummy... This is a tiny little place but consistent and tasty. I have been here a handful of times so now is the right time to rate it. I am not a meat eater so I have had the curry, noodle dishes, and soups. All have been very good and satisfying. I noticed after reading some negative reviews on this place that the most complaints were about the portion size. Americans are overfed bottom line. We are used to being served 2-3x the amount we should consume and still have some to take in a doggy bag. I found the portion size here to be intelligent. It is the right portion for one sitting, neither stuffed nor hollow. I have not noticed a problem with the flies but there sometimes is a lack in service. I have only seen and been taken care of by one server, the same one each time. Sometimes he is spot on, other times he is discombobulated so room for improvement. The restaurant is small up front and gets plenty of sunshine. I was surprised to learn that there is a back room not visible from the front that has lots of booths and more tables. It is a bit disconnected and colder, but good for a larger party. Best time to go is lunch which is 11-3pm. You get more than enough when you order the lunch special which is anything on the lunch menu. It's served with 2 egg rolls, a delightful cup of soup with tofu, your entree, and a very cool green tapioca and coconut milk dessert. If you like Thai it is so worth giving this local place a try. Happy Eating!
(3)
David G.
This is an AMAZING Thai restaurant! We were looking for an alternative to Thai Orchid and this place hit a home run!!! There were three people in our party and all of us loved our food. I highly recommend the #56. The service is very pleasant, but also very slow. Don't come here if you are in a hurry. Also, the portions are not huge so if you're hungry get an appetizer! Great place and I'll be back for sure...maybe tomorrow.
(5)
Annie J.
Salathai has traditional Thai cuisine. They have all your favorite dishes and then some. What sets it apart from the rest is that the owners make your meal from scratch. They don't pre-make their sauces in advance. They make the sauce when you order it. Not only does this make each dish fresh, it also means that if you need or want a modification, like would prefer to not have sugar in your dish, they can and will modify it. Obviously, this is a perk for vegans and vegetarians. It also means it takes longer for your meal to arrive. But it's worth the wait. This restaurant has a nice open atmosphere.
(5)
Daniel W.
Dropped in for dinner the other night. Ordered Mussuman curry (spice level 3), of which I am a pretty big fan. Taste was 5/5, prices were low, service was friendly and helpful. The only reason this review isn't a 5 is that my portion was tiny. I would gladly have paid a few more dollars for the cook to make me a larger serving. As is, my curry came out in a "cup"-size coup bowl. I left something like half-full. I'm not even a very big fellow. I think if I had tried, I probably could have eaten about three of their entree-size curries. The food was delicious, but going home hungry is a bit of a downer. That said, having read the other comments about flies, I have to say, there were none when I went. The restaurant was clean during my meal. I want to go back, because the food is delicious, but I have to figure out how I can leave there without either spending $30 on entrees for just me, or walking out the door feeling like I need to eat a sandwich.
(4)
Divya P.
Very good food and wonderful hospitality. We ate here back to back two days while visiting Albuquerque. We loved the food and the hospitality. The ambience was good and place was very neat. We definitely recommend the place.
(5)
Taylor T.
Food is excellent! However it is SLOW. Keep that in mind if you're planning to eat in. I would recommend calling your order in and taking it home.
(3)
Huan Y.
No offense, this is a good Thai restaurant, the food quality is above average, but I would never go back there again. Me and my friends went there on a Sunday night, around 6ish, they only had one server, who seemed brand new, didn't know what he was doing, took him 20 minutes just to bring us water, and never came back to replenish the whole time we were there. After the water we put in our order right away, coz it looked like the restaurant was getting busier, there came the wait. We waited for a whole freaking hour for our food to come out!! That was just ridiculous. There were a few customers couldn't stand the wait, got up and left. If you want good Thai food and fast service, go to Thai cuisine II! Don't even bother with this place, I am sorry but their service totally turned me off!
(1)
Paul H.
I don't know much about Thai food, but I have to say, this is the best place in Albuquerque. The lunch special is a great deal, by the way. Dishes can be prepared vegan or vegetarian friendly, always a place, but the meat dishes are also good. Dishes are adequately spiced to preference - I usually order a 3 out of 4 spicy. Pad Thai and Pad Se Ew are both excellent - my favorites. The coconut milk soup is a great appetizer. The spring rolls are ok. I highly recommend to anyone who likes Thai food - it's the best place since Tina's closed. I will be going frequently.
(5)
Lindsay G.
Fresh, light, traditional, and delicious are only a few of the words I would use to describe the food at Salathai. Everything is prepared to order from fresh ingredients and they let you choose how spicy (on a scale of one to four) you would like your dishes to be. A friend and I came here for lunch on a chilly Albuquerque day and had hot green tea, pineapple curry (level three spicy) and cashew chicken (level three spicy). The warm creamy soup that comes out before the meal was delicious with the little rolls and sweet sauce and prepped our stomachs perfectly for the spices to follow. The curry was the perfect balance of spicy and sweet, with more dimensions than I was prepared to understand. It was absolutely phenomenal. The cashew chicken was also excellent. While I have read that others found the portion sizes to be small, I would argue that it was the perfect amount of food. There is no need for super-size portions to make a meal worthwhile, it lies simply in the flavor. Both of us left happy and satisfied, as though we had just gotten a big warm hug inside of our bellies.
(5)
Matt I.
Delicious food, great prices, friendly staff. Panang curry with chicken was great as was the beef salad. Fresh rolls were solid but I might go for the peanut sauce next time to dip. All in all if the local New Mexican fare is starting to wear on you this place is an oasis.
(5)
Kelly C.
The best thai in burque!! The pineapple curry and soups are amazing! And of course the pad thai, Mmmm Mmmmm!!!
(5)
Maggee O.
Great food, excellent service. A must try!!
(5)
Britney C.
I had Salathai for lunch this week and I ordered the Pad Thai (spicy level 2) and the Drunken Noodles (spicy level 3). I was very disappointed with the Pad Thai. It was the worst I've had in Albuquerque. The noodles were overcooked and parts were crunchy and stuck together. The sauce for the Pad Thai was not there. I tasted noodles more so than the pad thai sauce. The Drunken Noodles were better, but still, not enough flavor. It was healthy tasting with the broccoli, cabbage, and onions. The spice level was perfect and I enjoyed the noodles. The springs rolls that came with the entree were pretty good, but I won't go back to Salathai again.
(2)
Migsy O.
There is something disconcerting about walking past the open kitchen door to get to the restaurant's front entrance. It feels like you're being exposed to something utterly private and best left to the imagination, like walking in on your girlfriend while waxing her mustache before a hot date. That being said, Salathai is scrumptious. I find it odd that they don't serve yellow curry, but Massuman curry will suffice. I'm not an expert, but I know the difference lies somewhere between turmeric and tamarind. Their tofu is sliced more thinly than other Thai places, but man is it yummy. My dining companions of the carnivore persuasion are also always very satisfied with their food. If you are in the Nob Hill area, I highly recommend this Thai restaurant over other neighborhood options. Parking is a breeze, and service is very warm and attentive. Plus they are sensitive to special requests, and will prepare items sans fish sauce, etc. A final caveat: if you try to google a Salathai menu, you will unearth some random menu that is not theirs! Best to go in and grab a take-out menu. On the one occasion I attempted to order off this faux menu, the server answering the phone seemed familiar with the confusion, and kept politely explaining that the menu I was attempting to order from was not, in fact, their menu. Which might cause one to wonder why they haven't had the erroneous menu removed? Shit, you gotta love Albuquerque!
(4)
Dorothy W.
This isn't a bad place but some things are better than others. The thai iced tea was pretty good and came in a huge cup. Their panang curry is pretty good but was clearly watered down and very runny. I could tell their curry base was good but maybe they ran out and just threw some water in the curry??? The laad nha is ok but portion was so small and again on the soupy side with way too much sauce. Their pad thai was just plain bad. Just a sweet sticky mess. Don't get it. The egg rolls were decent but nothing special. Overall, a lot of promise but just some sloppy delivery here and there. Service was good but I'm asian so I don't really care.
(3)
Joby E.
We found Salathai while taking a walk down Central trying to find somewhere to eat dinner. My girlfriend looked at the new Ragin' Shrimp and said "wait, if Ragin' Shrimp is here now, what's where it used to be?" Turns out it's now a wonderful little Thai restaurant where you walk past the open door of the kitchen (and all its wonderful smells) to get to the main entrance. The service was spectacular and the atmosphere pleasant. They have two sections: a small and intimate front room and a bigger noiser room in the back. It also looked like they were working on a patio. The food was amazing, especially for the price. The Heavenly Shrimp live up to their name and I had the best, most Basil-tastic drunken noodles I've ever had. I hear the green curry was also pretty delicious.
(5)
Kyndall M.
For $7.50, this has to be the best lunch in Albuquerque: tasty miso or coconut milk soup, 2 egg rolls, entree, and tapioca dessert. All are delicious and adequately portioned. Salathai has saved my hungover butt on multiple occasions with their level 4 Laad Nha with beef. The server that I always see there is very sweet and attentive.
(5)
Charley S.
Wow. Read about it, went and left happy! Cute little, off the main drag place with lots of windows, colorful decor and cozy tables. Quick and friendly service. I had the panang curry, asked for medium spice, as each dish is prepared separately. Cooked to order and perfection! My nose was happily running while my taste buds were dancing. Go there!
(5)
crazy h.
Food ok but is slow. Portions are on the anemic side. Disappointed 2/3 times. service is always disappointed.
(2)
Byron M.
Okay... This IS 3 blocks from my house. So...purely for convenience, Salathai is ideal. Beyond that... Oh yeah... The food is amaaaaaaaazing! BUT! Be ready to wait...and wait...and wait. Put it this way... I go here on my days off when I have a good hour or hour and a half for lunch. That said...for about $7.50 you get two spring rolls, miso soup, an entree' of your choice and the tapioca which, by the way, is very yummy! I go once a weekish.
(4)
Port D.
Fresh ingredients, tasty, hot(spicy), not greasy. Very fine thai food, best I've had anywhere. I'll confirm what other reviewers have noted, that portions were a little on the small side. They have a back room that seemed a little more comfortable than the front. One thing that really bugged me was that there were a lot of flies in the restaurant, who were landing on my food and would not shoo away. Ruined the meal for me. My hunch is that this may be due to someone not being careful to cover the trash out back, and someone in the kitchen leaving the back door open. This needs attention!
(1)
Shannon C.
Yum! I went for lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the goodness of this restaurant. Vegan or vegetarian...they have many delicious options. I had the Pad Thai with tofu. Absolutely delicious. Their lunch specials are great-soup, egg roll, meal, and fruit for under $7. The food is fresh and the staff are inviting. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Jeff N.
NEVER AGAIN! Just waited 30 minutes for a take out order promised in 30 minutes only to learn they hadn't started and it might be ready in another 25 minutes. Children waiting for dinner. Lame parent? Yes, for trusting Salathai. NEVER AGAIN!!!!
(1)
Lauren M.
Great food at reasonable prices. The atmosphere isn't great--it's your typical hole-in-the-wall Asian place, but the food was sublime. Found this on yelp ourselves and we weren't disappointed.
(5)
Paula M.
$7 for a tasty Thai lunch! I got drunken noodles, but there are about 30 different choices in which I plan to try! You can customize your spice level between 1-4. (2 is a nice spice level.) It comes with soup of the day, 2 spring rolls, and dessert. (I got watermelon!) So delicious and quite a deal!
(5)
Jason B.
First time eating here, nice little restaurant. The food was very tasty but the portion size was extremely small. Overall good food so I gave it 3 stars.
(3)
Johnathan C.
While stopping in Albuquerque for the weekend, as a vegetarian I found my once loved carne adovada's and shredded beef tacos no longer a choice, severely limiting the New Mexican food choices I grew up with and love. After doing a quick search for reviews on the local free rag, the Alibi (online), I found a great review for Salathai, so decided to give it a go. I am absolutely in LOVE with this place. I had a panang curry that was out of this world. Sweet, spice, Asian eggplant, yellow bell pepper, sweet Thai basil, cabe mrwitt peppers, jalapeno slivers, garlic, and it was divine! I drank, shamefully, four of the best Thai iced teas I have ever tasted and followed it with a Thai coconut milk and green tapioca balls that sent me into a blissful food stupor. Parking was ample and location is fantastic. The building is very homey and the interior has some excellent art, a fantastic traditional Thai mural, and the interior has a very light and open feel that was comfortable and was a very nice change from the usual dark and brooding place the "Thai" places in New Orleans tend towards. The seating was not cramped and service was excellent. The menu featured a number of fish dishes as well as traditional Thai beef salad, and other carnivore friendly foods, but all of it can be done vegetarian and they feature mainly vegetarian meals (the fried fish green curry looked and smelled so good I almost went over to the other side to order...), I will be making this, along with breakfast burritos (extra green chilli) from the Frontier, and chilli rellenos from Cervantes as a must eat place in Albuquerque.
(5)
Zoe L.
finally, thai food with strong flavor! more than that, they have what look like hand-wrapped dumplings that are very similar to what i used to make as a kid with my taiwanese mom. another taiwanese-like item on the menu was stir-fried mung bean vermicelli, which i rarely find in asian restaurants anywhere. our server was funny; super nice, but he didn't know a thing about anything on the menu.
(4)
Mustafa M.
Padthai all the way! Food is awesome, my fav is the pad Thai! But everything I've tried there is tasty! They take a bit too long to make the food, and the food is on the smaller portion side! The scenery is not the best, it's like an old house that has been turned into a restaurant!
(5)
Mitch M.
The panang curry chicken is 5 stars! The spring rolls were a tad burnt and the chicken satay was bland. Ordering to-go from the front was breezy and the staff were warm but not very chatty. I appreciated how focused they appeared on the primary functions of the job: taking accurate orders, communicating time to get an order, and ensuring orders are completed. About that curry: I specified medium hot, which in my estimation had the best balance of chile spice and creamy finish. I would have had a double order of this if I'd have known how delicious it would be in advance. It wasn't a bad wait of about 20 minutes after ordering to get a perfectly boxed order out the door. Next time: more curry, skip the satay and spring rolls.
(4)
Melody W.
I'm declaring this the best tasting Thai food in town. Lunch specials are $6.99 and include a soup, spring roll, your entree and a tapioca-coconut milk dessert - all amazing. Been here 3 times and I highly recommend.
(5)
Sam H.
Love this place. Highly consistent, tasty food. They also have some pretty good drinks and do great takeout.
(5)
Mel E.
The good: Their prices- you'll spend about $3 less per entree than other local thai places Their food- never ordered something I didn't like The employees- seriously wonderful people! The bad: Their timing- 15 minutes means 20 minutes. 30 minutes means 50 minutes. Their portions- still plenty of food, but you're paying less so expect a tad less food Their payments- won't take cards for less than $10 My favorite thai place in Albuquerque, just be sure to avoid this restaurant when they're busy (Friday nights).
(4)
Boris Y.
Was traveling across the US (Summer 2013) with my fiancee; had the most delicious meal of our journey. Both our dishes were amazing. Visited it again before we left the city - was excellent again. We had the lunch special which included two small spring rolls, small cup of their soup-of-the-day, the main dish (chosen from about 20 on offer), and an awesome tapioca & coconut milk desert. All for the amazing price of $7 per person. MUST GO THERE!!!
(5)
J T.
Came here after reading all the great reviews. The restaurant was about half full, and the waiter was friendly. Unfortunately he was the only waiter at the entire restaurant, so service was somewhat slow. I ordered a Thai peanut curry dish that also had chicken and vegetables. When it came out, the plain chicken and vegetables simply had an unappealing brownish red sauce on top. There wasn't that much chicken either. The rice was cooked well enough, but the rest of the food was not hot at all. Lukewarm was the temperature. The texture and flavor of the chicken and vegetables was incredibly bland. The sauce helped a bit, but it was overwhelmingly peanut butter. There was a hint of curry flavor, but not much. I ordered a 2/4 spiciness level, but there was no heat whatsoever either. The portion size for dinner was also smaller than every other Thai food place I have been to. Overall a pretty disappointing experience. My meal looked nothing like what I've seen in the pictures here.
(2)
Caitlin O.
I went to Salathai for the first time maybe three years ago. I remember ordering a chef special, feeling disappointed in the flavor, and crossing Salathai off my list of places to try. I returned about a week ago, and I'm definitely coming back! Their lunch special is great- unlike my ultimate love Thai Cuisine II, where I always leave with a to-go box, the portions are more reasonable. There was just enough food for me to have a filling lunch- one egg roll, a cup of Tom Kha soup, Pad Kee Mao (Thai Hot), and coconut tapioca. $7.50 even with tax. I am a lunch special junkie, so I doubt I'll ever go for dinner service. I'm holding off on the fifth star because it was great, not excellent. The soup was tepid in temperature (fine in flavor), and the heat in my Pad Kee Mao came from an abundance of dried chiles. This made the dish a little gritty; I much prefer fresh chiles to give a real punch in the mouth. Next time I go, I'll definitely request they lay off the pepper flakes.
Yummy, cheap, friendly Thai food. Clean your fish tank. But seriously, this place is good.
(4)
Vicky R.
Run over here!! Haha, this place is amazing. It's a small place and very unique. We ordered the soup which is big enough for 3-4 people. Then came the food- pad sew eei if I'm correct was the boom - def a must! Anything we ordered was fantastic and the stuff is very helpful and polite. Very recommended!
(5)
Debby C.
The $6.99 lunch special comes with soup, spring roll, an ample lunch, and dessert. Great value!!
(5)
Jeremy S.
Love this place. I will thank Howie for recommending the egg plant curry. It was a highlight. The Thom Kha was terrific but please spare us the lemongrass. Just take a little ya know cheese cloth and screen that stuff out. I hate tampering with my food. But EXTRA CREDIT!!! I had the Pad Talai (for people too cool for Pad Thai) and low and behold they removed the god damn tails from the god damn shrimp! Hell you see them 5 stars, well I was about to give you 4 but you took the tails off my shrimp so I didn't have touch my food with my filthy hands! Spread the word there's this Yelper out there giving 5 stars if you just take the damn tails off the damn shrimp!! .... ok deep breath, I'm back... sorry... My therapist and I have a thing about shrimp tails. Where was I?? The Eggplant Delight is indeed a delight and the best thing I tasted this night. I recommend you order yourself this Eggplant dish whether you intended to order an eggplant dish or not. By the way, when you walk in it might look dead, but there is a room in the back where all the cool people sit. I sat in the lame front room and then noticed that I was missing out. The service was excellent!!! If I hadn't already given you an extra star for the shrimp I'd have had to have given you an extra star for the service. (you see how hard it is to be a Yelp critic?)
(5)
Rita S.
I have been here dozens of times for lunch and once for dinner. I LOVE the pad Thai with tofu medium hot! Such a perfect lunch (especially for vegetarians!) with small bowl of soup, vegetarian spring roll, entree and EXQUISITE coconut milk green tapioca for dessert. I always bring some of the entree home. All my friends love eating here. Service has always been great. Dinner was slightly disappointing the one time I went because it didn't have the luncheon extras. This place is one of my very favorites!
(5)
David J.
One of the few hidden gems in Albuquerque. I've been here several times. The quality is excellent! Thai food made by Thailanders. 'Nuff said. I'm a bit of a Thai snob, and believe this is one of the best in the city. My friends agree. Please try it out and make SalaThai the successful restaurant it deserves to be.
(5)
Audrey H.
Came here based on other reviews and was not at all disappointed. Chicken satay appetizer was tender and flavorful and the peanut sauce was some of the best I've ever had! Naked shrimp salad arrived extra spicy as requested and was fresh and crisp with perfectly cooked shrimp. Pad Khing wasn't as spicy as I'd wanted but was wonderful nonetheless. Pad Prik was perfectly sauced and the vegetables were fresh and not over cooked. While the location is small, it's intimate and the staff were never hovering over us. We will be back sooner than later!
(4)
Whitney A.
I love their food but we went today and waited for them to open at 11. The owners pulled up at 11 and saw us waiting. We decided to be polite and give them a few minutes. We went to the door at 11:10 and waited for another 5 minutes. They never came and opened the door for us. So they lost our business. So unprofessional.
(1)
Mari-Liis S.
Sala Thai is amazing, the food was delicious and the service was amazing: extremely friendly, knowledgeable and helpful but at the same time not too pushy. Great suggestions on what to order. Definitely going back for more great Thai food.
(5)
Howie K.
"We don't have wi-fi, but you can totally hang out here for as long as you want. We have that cafe vibe." This was the first of many mini-conversations I had with the solitary wait staff in house, who was about as great as they get. Seriously, she was so knowledgeable about the cuisine, so friendly and on top of things, my favorite aspect of the meal was the service. There was a point during the lunch rush where she couldn't really juggle everything-the owner was delivering plates and drinks, too-so it wasn't spectacular. But I dearly hope the owner reads this and realizes he needs to be compensating her appropriately. She's stellar. I worked in this restaurant one summer when it wore the Ragin' Shrimp costume. I'll only comment that people didn't necessarily dine there for the food; the ambiance, especially on that twinkling patio on a cool summer evening, brought in the neighborhood. Salathai has certainly managed to capture a homey, intimate feeling here. I thought the food was very good, not great. The green curry was especially tasty with eggplant, and the opening coconut soup and crisp eggroll were fine. If you're looking for fresh/spring rolls (rice paper wrapped), you won't find them at lunch. For seven bucks, you can't beat the value, so my suggestion: if you love the service, hook her up.
(4)
Chris B.
One of the better Thai places in town. The food was great but the portions were a little on the small side. So if you have a big appetite then maybe choose elsewhere. They did not tell us about the seating in the back so we thought it was a small place till after we had eaten. I will definitely eat here again and if you are not keen on spicey foods then tell them a one when you order. I got a two on the hot scale and it was pretty hot.
(4)
Nat S.
Very affordable, delicious, with nice service. Curries are quite good with many vegetables. We had green and Panang. Lunch specials come with a spring roll, soup, entree, and desert of fruit or tapioca. The dining room is cool with a few booths, and you almost feel like you are in Asia. I will certainly be coming back to try more items like the salad with ground pork and shrimp, thom kha gai, the shrimp fresh rolls, and the chicken dumplings. It seems these are all only available at dinner. I did not inquire if they could be had a lunch. If you are interested go ahead and ask. Lunch is a very good value it is 7.50 a person with tax. You pick the level of spice.
(4)
Diana B.
Service was ok. Lunch prices were great! We got three dishes all of them were good. My favorite was the pad see iew. We ate all of that up. We got the massamun curry which was also great and the pad Thai which was ok. We had to get it without nuts or spice for our toddler so I think it would have had more flavor if we cod have had spice. Overall it cured my Thai craving and I would go back when we are visiting.
(4)
Josh B.
We stopped in for dinner on a Friday night, but the owner explained that he was short handed and was only doing takeout. Oh well. The food was good, and completely authentic (although I despise that word), as the Thai owner can attest to. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the menu, but everything was made to order and spiced according to our specifications. If I'm ever in Albuquerque again, I'd stop by for a bite.
(3)
Cristina M.
I love this place. My husband and I come here for lunch occasionally and I'm never disappointed. The service was quicker than usual today (sometimes they can be a little slow) and the food was good as always. I had the red curry at hotness level 3 (of 4) with tofu. The lunch special comes with a small, light soup (clear broth with tofu, mushrooms, and cilantro), two small fried spring rolls, the main course with rice, and then tapioca with coconut milk (the tapioca was green today) for dessert. What can I say? I am never disappointed with this place. My husband and I shared a pot of jasmine tea. The spiciness was perfect, the food was tasty, we were in and out of there in less than an hour, maybe 45 minutes. I think the lunch prices have increased since I last came, though. I thought it was around $7-something for the lunch deal and it was $9.10 each. Still, it's a lot of food (just right, actually) and delicious. I love the size of the place--I always feel like it's a rather intimate place and I've never seen it crowded. I've seen all the tables filled, but never a waiting line. Definitely try this place.
(5)
Marisa R.
This is my favorite restaurant in Albuquerque! Wild, I know! I love the chicken pad thai with cellophane noodles and the spring rolls. The pineapple curry is spot on too. I can walk here from my house and call in my order on my way. The owners and waitress are so nice and it feels like an extension of my dining room!
(5)
Lyssa D.
This is by far the best Thai food in Albuquerque, at least that I've found. Several items are my litmus test for Thai, the Tom Kha Gai, the Beef Salad, Beef Panang, and Pad Thai. I tried the Tom Kha Gai soup was yummy, bright flavors and basically a great soup. The beef salad was another hit, it was tart with lime and spice, the balance was just right. I will be back to try the other things on my list do Thai go tos.
(5)
Daniel G.
Best Thai food in town!! The employees are great! If you're unsure about an item on the menu, they will take the time to tell you all about it. My favorite dish is the Drunken Noodles.
(5)
Vinh N.
The first thing I noticed upon stepping into this restaurant is that it is VERY SMALL !! Good thing for me there wasn't much customers when I arrived. Now about the food. The meals that was ordered are Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, and Curry (forget which kind). The portions were very small. The price is about $8ish a dish, pretty much the same anywhere. I didn't like the Pad Thai very much. The flavors wasn't all there, especially the Pad Thai sauce. The drunken noodles were pretty good, but again the portions was small. As for the curry, it was way too sweet. I don't think I've ever had curry tasted this sweet before. They gave complimentary green tapioca dessert and I didn't like it very much. It was just my own personal preference. The fish sauce that came with the eggrolls look very bland. As you can see in the picture that I uploaded, it looks almost like water. It's not a very appealing look. The thing that really bugged me at this restaurant is the amount of flies they have here. It's like there's a nest of flies living in this place. It was very annoying to shoo away all the flies while eating. If a fly touched any part of my meal, I'd have to throw it away since you know where flies come from. I won't be coming back to this place.
(2)
Emily C.
This is your basic Thai food joint, with an awesome bonus: $7 lunch special! Get this. For just $7, all of this can be yours: Small soup Egg rolls Entree Coconut milk with tapioca for dessert The food is nothing spectacular, but it is competent and satisfying. My first time, I got the red curry, which had way too much pineapple and not enough meat. Since then, I've been getting the pad see eiw with wide rice noodles, beef, egg, broccoli, and a sweet/spicy sauce. It's delicious! I've also tried the pad thai - again, it's basic, but good. Pro-tip: the items on the back of the lunch menu (the "Salathai specialties") are also included in the lunch special. The servers always ask you to order your food on a scale of 1-4 for spiciness. I recommend 2 for a little kick and 3 for some punch. I haven't tried 4, but I'm sure they mean business.
(3)
Damon T.
Very good. If I had a Thai grandpa, I imagine this is how it would taste. I'm happy with both of my grandpa's, but I kinda wish one of them cooked like this. Anyway... Since Salathai opened a few years ago it's become one of my favorite places. It's had to share the spotlight recently with Thai Cuisine II and Thai Vegan, but these guys still do a great job with friendly service to boot. I'll admit I'm not wild about their egg rolls but they do the trick if you're in the mood. The Massaman curry here is great! The Pad Thai is better elsewhere, but the rest of the noodle dishes are very good.
(4)
Chris B.
I'm always eager to try different places, esp thai as they all have different flavor systems. This place was pretty okay I think. I had #40 with pork, and must admit that the flavor was amazing! I had a level 3 on hotness, but didn't really notice the heat. That being said the portion size seemed pretty small with little to no pork. My friend that I was with had a green curry, which was 2 on the hotness rating. Hers was a mouthful! The taste was super yummy, and super hot. She actually could have used a lesser heat but it is what it is. Overall, I'd say this place was okay. As in not marvelous, and not bad...
(3)
Peter C.
Excellent experience here tonight. I was a little worried when I couldn't see the restaurant from the Main Street, and thought the place looked a little dumpy, but was very pleasantly surprised. We tried the garlic shrimp and pad thai. Great food. Great service. Will be going again.
(5)
Christian H.
simple place, so you get a simple review. -very reasonable prices. -very simple atmosphere. -Server was very sweet, and adequately attentive. -portions were smaller than the typical american "stuff yourself" but made it just a perfect size. possibly could have fit an appetizer in, but went with thai tea instead. -always order your tea with light ice (you can add ice from your water....wise kung fu master taught me this trick, now i pass on the knowledge to you young jedis) -nice to have easy parking, yet still close enough to walk from nob hill. ok, that's all you need to know, go, enjoy, and be merry~
(4)
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Address :3619 Copper Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM, 87108
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch 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 : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Crystal C.
Refreshing to find authentic Thai!!! The staff was very attentive and courteous. The food was delicious. We started off with spring rolls fried. They came out with a light sweet and sour type sauce on the side. Very tasty. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken and it was just how I wanted it. Fresh vegetables of bell pepper thinly sliced, peas, carrots, baby corn and water chestnuts ( maybe some others), thin white breast chicken in a light watery ever so sweet and sour sauce, on a bed of Jasmine rice ( well you add the rice) . It was perfect portion too!. My boyfriend got the pineapple rice with chicken with 1star spice. He cleaned his plate. The prices are affordable. The total bill for the 2 of was $25. We'll be returning!!!!!! Yummy.
(5)Tony P.
Food was pretty good! Portion sizes were a little smaller than I usually get but I wasn't stuck with a bunch of leftovers, so they were actually perfect! The owner is so nice and let us stay in his restaurant for a half hour after closing until our hotel shuttle picked us up. If you like spicy go for a 4 star, the spice level was a little tame for me. All in all I highly recommend, and there's a cash discount if you ask!
(4)Briana J.
Amazing Thai! This is my go to place. My boyfriend gets the thai hot and he loves it! He is a spice fanatic and he has never had anything so spicy or delicious! I adore the waitstaff and owners, they are always so nice.
(5)Jessica B.
Really good Thai food!! I go for lunch because their entire menu is $7 and you get soup, spring rolls, and tapioca included with your entree!!
(4)RealWater W.
Easy on the pocket, yummy in the tummy... This is a tiny little place but consistent and tasty. I have been here a handful of times so now is the right time to rate it. I am not a meat eater so I have had the curry, noodle dishes, and soups. All have been very good and satisfying. I noticed after reading some negative reviews on this place that the most complaints were about the portion size. Americans are overfed bottom line. We are used to being served 2-3x the amount we should consume and still have some to take in a doggy bag. I found the portion size here to be intelligent. It is the right portion for one sitting, neither stuffed nor hollow. I have not noticed a problem with the flies but there sometimes is a lack in service. I have only seen and been taken care of by one server, the same one each time. Sometimes he is spot on, other times he is discombobulated so room for improvement. The restaurant is small up front and gets plenty of sunshine. I was surprised to learn that there is a back room not visible from the front that has lots of booths and more tables. It is a bit disconnected and colder, but good for a larger party. Best time to go is lunch which is 11-3pm. You get more than enough when you order the lunch special which is anything on the lunch menu. It's served with 2 egg rolls, a delightful cup of soup with tofu, your entree, and a very cool green tapioca and coconut milk dessert. If you like Thai it is so worth giving this local place a try. Happy Eating!
(3)David G.
This is an AMAZING Thai restaurant! We were looking for an alternative to Thai Orchid and this place hit a home run!!! There were three people in our party and all of us loved our food. I highly recommend the #56. The service is very pleasant, but also very slow. Don't come here if you are in a hurry. Also, the portions are not huge so if you're hungry get an appetizer! Great place and I'll be back for sure...maybe tomorrow.
(5)Annie J.
Salathai has traditional Thai cuisine. They have all your favorite dishes and then some. What sets it apart from the rest is that the owners make your meal from scratch. They don't pre-make their sauces in advance. They make the sauce when you order it. Not only does this make each dish fresh, it also means that if you need or want a modification, like would prefer to not have sugar in your dish, they can and will modify it. Obviously, this is a perk for vegans and vegetarians. It also means it takes longer for your meal to arrive. But it's worth the wait. This restaurant has a nice open atmosphere.
(5)Daniel W.
Dropped in for dinner the other night. Ordered Mussuman curry (spice level 3), of which I am a pretty big fan. Taste was 5/5, prices were low, service was friendly and helpful. The only reason this review isn't a 5 is that my portion was tiny. I would gladly have paid a few more dollars for the cook to make me a larger serving. As is, my curry came out in a "cup"-size coup bowl. I left something like half-full. I'm not even a very big fellow. I think if I had tried, I probably could have eaten about three of their entree-size curries. The food was delicious, but going home hungry is a bit of a downer. That said, having read the other comments about flies, I have to say, there were none when I went. The restaurant was clean during my meal. I want to go back, because the food is delicious, but I have to figure out how I can leave there without either spending $30 on entrees for just me, or walking out the door feeling like I need to eat a sandwich.
(4)Divya P.
Very good food and wonderful hospitality. We ate here back to back two days while visiting Albuquerque. We loved the food and the hospitality. The ambience was good and place was very neat. We definitely recommend the place.
(5)Taylor T.
Food is excellent! However it is SLOW. Keep that in mind if you're planning to eat in. I would recommend calling your order in and taking it home.
(3)Huan Y.
No offense, this is a good Thai restaurant, the food quality is above average, but I would never go back there again. Me and my friends went there on a Sunday night, around 6ish, they only had one server, who seemed brand new, didn't know what he was doing, took him 20 minutes just to bring us water, and never came back to replenish the whole time we were there. After the water we put in our order right away, coz it looked like the restaurant was getting busier, there came the wait. We waited for a whole freaking hour for our food to come out!! That was just ridiculous. There were a few customers couldn't stand the wait, got up and left. If you want good Thai food and fast service, go to Thai cuisine II! Don't even bother with this place, I am sorry but their service totally turned me off!
(1)Paul H.
I don't know much about Thai food, but I have to say, this is the best place in Albuquerque. The lunch special is a great deal, by the way. Dishes can be prepared vegan or vegetarian friendly, always a place, but the meat dishes are also good. Dishes are adequately spiced to preference - I usually order a 3 out of 4 spicy. Pad Thai and Pad Se Ew are both excellent - my favorites. The coconut milk soup is a great appetizer. The spring rolls are ok. I highly recommend to anyone who likes Thai food - it's the best place since Tina's closed. I will be going frequently.
(5)Lindsay G.
Fresh, light, traditional, and delicious are only a few of the words I would use to describe the food at Salathai. Everything is prepared to order from fresh ingredients and they let you choose how spicy (on a scale of one to four) you would like your dishes to be. A friend and I came here for lunch on a chilly Albuquerque day and had hot green tea, pineapple curry (level three spicy) and cashew chicken (level three spicy). The warm creamy soup that comes out before the meal was delicious with the little rolls and sweet sauce and prepped our stomachs perfectly for the spices to follow. The curry was the perfect balance of spicy and sweet, with more dimensions than I was prepared to understand. It was absolutely phenomenal. The cashew chicken was also excellent. While I have read that others found the portion sizes to be small, I would argue that it was the perfect amount of food. There is no need for super-size portions to make a meal worthwhile, it lies simply in the flavor. Both of us left happy and satisfied, as though we had just gotten a big warm hug inside of our bellies.
(5)Matt I.
Delicious food, great prices, friendly staff. Panang curry with chicken was great as was the beef salad. Fresh rolls were solid but I might go for the peanut sauce next time to dip. All in all if the local New Mexican fare is starting to wear on you this place is an oasis.
(5)Kelly C.
The best thai in burque!! The pineapple curry and soups are amazing! And of course the pad thai, Mmmm Mmmmm!!!
(5)Maggee O.
Great food, excellent service. A must try!!
(5)Britney C.
I had Salathai for lunch this week and I ordered the Pad Thai (spicy level 2) and the Drunken Noodles (spicy level 3). I was very disappointed with the Pad Thai. It was the worst I've had in Albuquerque. The noodles were overcooked and parts were crunchy and stuck together. The sauce for the Pad Thai was not there. I tasted noodles more so than the pad thai sauce. The Drunken Noodles were better, but still, not enough flavor. It was healthy tasting with the broccoli, cabbage, and onions. The spice level was perfect and I enjoyed the noodles. The springs rolls that came with the entree were pretty good, but I won't go back to Salathai again.
(2)Migsy O.
There is something disconcerting about walking past the open kitchen door to get to the restaurant's front entrance. It feels like you're being exposed to something utterly private and best left to the imagination, like walking in on your girlfriend while waxing her mustache before a hot date. That being said, Salathai is scrumptious. I find it odd that they don't serve yellow curry, but Massuman curry will suffice. I'm not an expert, but I know the difference lies somewhere between turmeric and tamarind. Their tofu is sliced more thinly than other Thai places, but man is it yummy. My dining companions of the carnivore persuasion are also always very satisfied with their food. If you are in the Nob Hill area, I highly recommend this Thai restaurant over other neighborhood options. Parking is a breeze, and service is very warm and attentive. Plus they are sensitive to special requests, and will prepare items sans fish sauce, etc. A final caveat: if you try to google a Salathai menu, you will unearth some random menu that is not theirs! Best to go in and grab a take-out menu. On the one occasion I attempted to order off this faux menu, the server answering the phone seemed familiar with the confusion, and kept politely explaining that the menu I was attempting to order from was not, in fact, their menu. Which might cause one to wonder why they haven't had the erroneous menu removed? Shit, you gotta love Albuquerque!
(4)Dorothy W.
This isn't a bad place but some things are better than others. The thai iced tea was pretty good and came in a huge cup. Their panang curry is pretty good but was clearly watered down and very runny. I could tell their curry base was good but maybe they ran out and just threw some water in the curry??? The laad nha is ok but portion was so small and again on the soupy side with way too much sauce. Their pad thai was just plain bad. Just a sweet sticky mess. Don't get it. The egg rolls were decent but nothing special. Overall, a lot of promise but just some sloppy delivery here and there. Service was good but I'm asian so I don't really care.
(3)Joby E.
We found Salathai while taking a walk down Central trying to find somewhere to eat dinner. My girlfriend looked at the new Ragin' Shrimp and said "wait, if Ragin' Shrimp is here now, what's where it used to be?" Turns out it's now a wonderful little Thai restaurant where you walk past the open door of the kitchen (and all its wonderful smells) to get to the main entrance. The service was spectacular and the atmosphere pleasant. They have two sections: a small and intimate front room and a bigger noiser room in the back. It also looked like they were working on a patio. The food was amazing, especially for the price. The Heavenly Shrimp live up to their name and I had the best, most Basil-tastic drunken noodles I've ever had. I hear the green curry was also pretty delicious.
(5)Kyndall M.
For $7.50, this has to be the best lunch in Albuquerque: tasty miso or coconut milk soup, 2 egg rolls, entree, and tapioca dessert. All are delicious and adequately portioned. Salathai has saved my hungover butt on multiple occasions with their level 4 Laad Nha with beef. The server that I always see there is very sweet and attentive.
(5)Charley S.
Wow. Read about it, went and left happy! Cute little, off the main drag place with lots of windows, colorful decor and cozy tables. Quick and friendly service. I had the panang curry, asked for medium spice, as each dish is prepared separately. Cooked to order and perfection! My nose was happily running while my taste buds were dancing. Go there!
(5)crazy h.
Food ok but is slow. Portions are on the anemic side. Disappointed 2/3 times. service is always disappointed.
(2)Byron M.
Okay... This IS 3 blocks from my house. So...purely for convenience, Salathai is ideal. Beyond that... Oh yeah... The food is amaaaaaaaazing! BUT! Be ready to wait...and wait...and wait. Put it this way... I go here on my days off when I have a good hour or hour and a half for lunch. That said...for about $7.50 you get two spring rolls, miso soup, an entree' of your choice and the tapioca which, by the way, is very yummy! I go once a weekish.
(4)Port D.
Fresh ingredients, tasty, hot(spicy), not greasy. Very fine thai food, best I've had anywhere. I'll confirm what other reviewers have noted, that portions were a little on the small side. They have a back room that seemed a little more comfortable than the front. One thing that really bugged me was that there were a lot of flies in the restaurant, who were landing on my food and would not shoo away. Ruined the meal for me. My hunch is that this may be due to someone not being careful to cover the trash out back, and someone in the kitchen leaving the back door open. This needs attention!
(1)Shannon C.
Yum! I went for lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the goodness of this restaurant. Vegan or vegetarian...they have many delicious options. I had the Pad Thai with tofu. Absolutely delicious. Their lunch specials are great-soup, egg roll, meal, and fruit for under $7. The food is fresh and the staff are inviting. I will definitely be back!
(5)Jeff N.
NEVER AGAIN! Just waited 30 minutes for a take out order promised in 30 minutes only to learn they hadn't started and it might be ready in another 25 minutes. Children waiting for dinner. Lame parent? Yes, for trusting Salathai. NEVER AGAIN!!!!
(1)Lauren M.
Great food at reasonable prices. The atmosphere isn't great--it's your typical hole-in-the-wall Asian place, but the food was sublime. Found this on yelp ourselves and we weren't disappointed.
(5)Paula M.
$7 for a tasty Thai lunch! I got drunken noodles, but there are about 30 different choices in which I plan to try! You can customize your spice level between 1-4. (2 is a nice spice level.) It comes with soup of the day, 2 spring rolls, and dessert. (I got watermelon!) So delicious and quite a deal!
(5)Jason B.
First time eating here, nice little restaurant. The food was very tasty but the portion size was extremely small. Overall good food so I gave it 3 stars.
(3)Johnathan C.
While stopping in Albuquerque for the weekend, as a vegetarian I found my once loved carne adovada's and shredded beef tacos no longer a choice, severely limiting the New Mexican food choices I grew up with and love. After doing a quick search for reviews on the local free rag, the Alibi (online), I found a great review for Salathai, so decided to give it a go. I am absolutely in LOVE with this place. I had a panang curry that was out of this world. Sweet, spice, Asian eggplant, yellow bell pepper, sweet Thai basil, cabe mrwitt peppers, jalapeno slivers, garlic, and it was divine! I drank, shamefully, four of the best Thai iced teas I have ever tasted and followed it with a Thai coconut milk and green tapioca balls that sent me into a blissful food stupor. Parking was ample and location is fantastic. The building is very homey and the interior has some excellent art, a fantastic traditional Thai mural, and the interior has a very light and open feel that was comfortable and was a very nice change from the usual dark and brooding place the "Thai" places in New Orleans tend towards. The seating was not cramped and service was excellent. The menu featured a number of fish dishes as well as traditional Thai beef salad, and other carnivore friendly foods, but all of it can be done vegetarian and they feature mainly vegetarian meals (the fried fish green curry looked and smelled so good I almost went over to the other side to order...), I will be making this, along with breakfast burritos (extra green chilli) from the Frontier, and chilli rellenos from Cervantes as a must eat place in Albuquerque.
(5)Zoe L.
finally, thai food with strong flavor! more than that, they have what look like hand-wrapped dumplings that are very similar to what i used to make as a kid with my taiwanese mom. another taiwanese-like item on the menu was stir-fried mung bean vermicelli, which i rarely find in asian restaurants anywhere. our server was funny; super nice, but he didn't know a thing about anything on the menu.
(4)Mustafa M.
Padthai all the way! Food is awesome, my fav is the pad Thai! But everything I've tried there is tasty! They take a bit too long to make the food, and the food is on the smaller portion side! The scenery is not the best, it's like an old house that has been turned into a restaurant!
(5)Mitch M.
The panang curry chicken is 5 stars! The spring rolls were a tad burnt and the chicken satay was bland. Ordering to-go from the front was breezy and the staff were warm but not very chatty. I appreciated how focused they appeared on the primary functions of the job: taking accurate orders, communicating time to get an order, and ensuring orders are completed. About that curry: I specified medium hot, which in my estimation had the best balance of chile spice and creamy finish. I would have had a double order of this if I'd have known how delicious it would be in advance. It wasn't a bad wait of about 20 minutes after ordering to get a perfectly boxed order out the door. Next time: more curry, skip the satay and spring rolls.
(4)Melody W.
I'm declaring this the best tasting Thai food in town. Lunch specials are $6.99 and include a soup, spring roll, your entree and a tapioca-coconut milk dessert - all amazing. Been here 3 times and I highly recommend.
(5)Sam H.
Love this place. Highly consistent, tasty food. They also have some pretty good drinks and do great takeout.
(5)Mel E.
The good: Their prices- you'll spend about $3 less per entree than other local thai places Their food- never ordered something I didn't like The employees- seriously wonderful people! The bad: Their timing- 15 minutes means 20 minutes. 30 minutes means 50 minutes. Their portions- still plenty of food, but you're paying less so expect a tad less food Their payments- won't take cards for less than $10 My favorite thai place in Albuquerque, just be sure to avoid this restaurant when they're busy (Friday nights).
(4)Boris Y.
Was traveling across the US (Summer 2013) with my fiancee; had the most delicious meal of our journey. Both our dishes were amazing. Visited it again before we left the city - was excellent again. We had the lunch special which included two small spring rolls, small cup of their soup-of-the-day, the main dish (chosen from about 20 on offer), and an awesome tapioca & coconut milk desert. All for the amazing price of $7 per person. MUST GO THERE!!!
(5)J T.
Came here after reading all the great reviews. The restaurant was about half full, and the waiter was friendly. Unfortunately he was the only waiter at the entire restaurant, so service was somewhat slow. I ordered a Thai peanut curry dish that also had chicken and vegetables. When it came out, the plain chicken and vegetables simply had an unappealing brownish red sauce on top. There wasn't that much chicken either. The rice was cooked well enough, but the rest of the food was not hot at all. Lukewarm was the temperature. The texture and flavor of the chicken and vegetables was incredibly bland. The sauce helped a bit, but it was overwhelmingly peanut butter. There was a hint of curry flavor, but not much. I ordered a 2/4 spiciness level, but there was no heat whatsoever either. The portion size for dinner was also smaller than every other Thai food place I have been to. Overall a pretty disappointing experience. My meal looked nothing like what I've seen in the pictures here.
(2)Caitlin O.
I went to Salathai for the first time maybe three years ago. I remember ordering a chef special, feeling disappointed in the flavor, and crossing Salathai off my list of places to try. I returned about a week ago, and I'm definitely coming back! Their lunch special is great- unlike my ultimate love Thai Cuisine II, where I always leave with a to-go box, the portions are more reasonable. There was just enough food for me to have a filling lunch- one egg roll, a cup of Tom Kha soup, Pad Kee Mao (Thai Hot), and coconut tapioca. $7.50 even with tax. I am a lunch special junkie, so I doubt I'll ever go for dinner service. I'm holding off on the fifth star because it was great, not excellent. The soup was tepid in temperature (fine in flavor), and the heat in my Pad Kee Mao came from an abundance of dried chiles. This made the dish a little gritty; I much prefer fresh chiles to give a real punch in the mouth. Next time I go, I'll definitely request they lay off the pepper flakes.
(4)Mateo V.
Salathai is a great hole in the wall hidden gem. Where to start? Food is absolutely amazing and authentic. Fresh ingredients are used everyday to make excellent fried rice, noodle, veggie and curry dishes. I am a huge fan of drunken noodles as well as all the curry dishes. You cannot go wrong here. The owner is very friendly and helpful and he really knows what he is doing- and is present in the restaurant every day- he really cares about food quality. Wait staff is great and friendly. Keep in mind that this is not fast food- depending on how busy it is, you may have to wait 30+ minutes. The wait is totally worth it though. I like to order the golden vegetables or spring rolled to hold me over. If you decide to go to salathai, go for lunch. It is only $7 per person and you get soup, a spring roll, main entrée, and tapioca to finish it off. Probably one of the best deals in town! I can say with confidence that this place will keep me returning for meals to come.
(5)mark g.
Yummy, cheap, friendly Thai food. Clean your fish tank. But seriously, this place is good.
(4)Vicky R.
Run over here!! Haha, this place is amazing. It's a small place and very unique. We ordered the soup which is big enough for 3-4 people. Then came the food- pad sew eei if I'm correct was the boom - def a must! Anything we ordered was fantastic and the stuff is very helpful and polite. Very recommended!
(5)Debby C.
The $6.99 lunch special comes with soup, spring roll, an ample lunch, and dessert. Great value!!
(5)Jeremy S.
Love this place. I will thank Howie for recommending the egg plant curry. It was a highlight. The Thom Kha was terrific but please spare us the lemongrass. Just take a little ya know cheese cloth and screen that stuff out. I hate tampering with my food. But EXTRA CREDIT!!! I had the Pad Talai (for people too cool for Pad Thai) and low and behold they removed the god damn tails from the god damn shrimp! Hell you see them 5 stars, well I was about to give you 4 but you took the tails off my shrimp so I didn't have touch my food with my filthy hands! Spread the word there's this Yelper out there giving 5 stars if you just take the damn tails off the damn shrimp!! .... ok deep breath, I'm back... sorry... My therapist and I have a thing about shrimp tails. Where was I?? The Eggplant Delight is indeed a delight and the best thing I tasted this night. I recommend you order yourself this Eggplant dish whether you intended to order an eggplant dish or not. By the way, when you walk in it might look dead, but there is a room in the back where all the cool people sit. I sat in the lame front room and then noticed that I was missing out. The service was excellent!!! If I hadn't already given you an extra star for the shrimp I'd have had to have given you an extra star for the service. (you see how hard it is to be a Yelp critic?)
(5)Rita S.
I have been here dozens of times for lunch and once for dinner. I LOVE the pad Thai with tofu medium hot! Such a perfect lunch (especially for vegetarians!) with small bowl of soup, vegetarian spring roll, entree and EXQUISITE coconut milk green tapioca for dessert. I always bring some of the entree home. All my friends love eating here. Service has always been great. Dinner was slightly disappointing the one time I went because it didn't have the luncheon extras. This place is one of my very favorites!
(5)David J.
One of the few hidden gems in Albuquerque. I've been here several times. The quality is excellent! Thai food made by Thailanders. 'Nuff said. I'm a bit of a Thai snob, and believe this is one of the best in the city. My friends agree. Please try it out and make SalaThai the successful restaurant it deserves to be.
(5)Audrey H.
Came here based on other reviews and was not at all disappointed. Chicken satay appetizer was tender and flavorful and the peanut sauce was some of the best I've ever had! Naked shrimp salad arrived extra spicy as requested and was fresh and crisp with perfectly cooked shrimp. Pad Khing wasn't as spicy as I'd wanted but was wonderful nonetheless. Pad Prik was perfectly sauced and the vegetables were fresh and not over cooked. While the location is small, it's intimate and the staff were never hovering over us. We will be back sooner than later!
(4)Whitney A.
I love their food but we went today and waited for them to open at 11. The owners pulled up at 11 and saw us waiting. We decided to be polite and give them a few minutes. We went to the door at 11:10 and waited for another 5 minutes. They never came and opened the door for us. So they lost our business. So unprofessional.
(1)Mari-Liis S.
Sala Thai is amazing, the food was delicious and the service was amazing: extremely friendly, knowledgeable and helpful but at the same time not too pushy. Great suggestions on what to order. Definitely going back for more great Thai food.
(5)Howie K.
"We don't have wi-fi, but you can totally hang out here for as long as you want. We have that cafe vibe." This was the first of many mini-conversations I had with the solitary wait staff in house, who was about as great as they get. Seriously, she was so knowledgeable about the cuisine, so friendly and on top of things, my favorite aspect of the meal was the service. There was a point during the lunch rush where she couldn't really juggle everything-the owner was delivering plates and drinks, too-so it wasn't spectacular. But I dearly hope the owner reads this and realizes he needs to be compensating her appropriately. She's stellar. I worked in this restaurant one summer when it wore the Ragin' Shrimp costume. I'll only comment that people didn't necessarily dine there for the food; the ambiance, especially on that twinkling patio on a cool summer evening, brought in the neighborhood. Salathai has certainly managed to capture a homey, intimate feeling here. I thought the food was very good, not great. The green curry was especially tasty with eggplant, and the opening coconut soup and crisp eggroll were fine. If you're looking for fresh/spring rolls (rice paper wrapped), you won't find them at lunch. For seven bucks, you can't beat the value, so my suggestion: if you love the service, hook her up.
(4)Chris B.
One of the better Thai places in town. The food was great but the portions were a little on the small side. So if you have a big appetite then maybe choose elsewhere. They did not tell us about the seating in the back so we thought it was a small place till after we had eaten. I will definitely eat here again and if you are not keen on spicey foods then tell them a one when you order. I got a two on the hot scale and it was pretty hot.
(4)Nat S.
Very affordable, delicious, with nice service. Curries are quite good with many vegetables. We had green and Panang. Lunch specials come with a spring roll, soup, entree, and desert of fruit or tapioca. The dining room is cool with a few booths, and you almost feel like you are in Asia. I will certainly be coming back to try more items like the salad with ground pork and shrimp, thom kha gai, the shrimp fresh rolls, and the chicken dumplings. It seems these are all only available at dinner. I did not inquire if they could be had a lunch. If you are interested go ahead and ask. Lunch is a very good value it is 7.50 a person with tax. You pick the level of spice.
(4)Diana B.
Service was ok. Lunch prices were great! We got three dishes all of them were good. My favorite was the pad see iew. We ate all of that up. We got the massamun curry which was also great and the pad Thai which was ok. We had to get it without nuts or spice for our toddler so I think it would have had more flavor if we cod have had spice. Overall it cured my Thai craving and I would go back when we are visiting.
(4)Josh B.
We stopped in for dinner on a Friday night, but the owner explained that he was short handed and was only doing takeout. Oh well. The food was good, and completely authentic (although I despise that word), as the Thai owner can attest to. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the menu, but everything was made to order and spiced according to our specifications. If I'm ever in Albuquerque again, I'd stop by for a bite.
(3)Cristina M.
I love this place. My husband and I come here for lunch occasionally and I'm never disappointed. The service was quicker than usual today (sometimes they can be a little slow) and the food was good as always. I had the red curry at hotness level 3 (of 4) with tofu. The lunch special comes with a small, light soup (clear broth with tofu, mushrooms, and cilantro), two small fried spring rolls, the main course with rice, and then tapioca with coconut milk (the tapioca was green today) for dessert. What can I say? I am never disappointed with this place. My husband and I shared a pot of jasmine tea. The spiciness was perfect, the food was tasty, we were in and out of there in less than an hour, maybe 45 minutes. I think the lunch prices have increased since I last came, though. I thought it was around $7-something for the lunch deal and it was $9.10 each. Still, it's a lot of food (just right, actually) and delicious. I love the size of the place--I always feel like it's a rather intimate place and I've never seen it crowded. I've seen all the tables filled, but never a waiting line. Definitely try this place.
(5)Marisa R.
This is my favorite restaurant in Albuquerque! Wild, I know! I love the chicken pad thai with cellophane noodles and the spring rolls. The pineapple curry is spot on too. I can walk here from my house and call in my order on my way. The owners and waitress are so nice and it feels like an extension of my dining room!
(5)Lyssa D.
This is by far the best Thai food in Albuquerque, at least that I've found. Several items are my litmus test for Thai, the Tom Kha Gai, the Beef Salad, Beef Panang, and Pad Thai. I tried the Tom Kha Gai soup was yummy, bright flavors and basically a great soup. The beef salad was another hit, it was tart with lime and spice, the balance was just right. I will be back to try the other things on my list do Thai go tos.
(5)Daniel G.
Best Thai food in town!! The employees are great! If you're unsure about an item on the menu, they will take the time to tell you all about it. My favorite dish is the Drunken Noodles.
(5)Vinh N.
The first thing I noticed upon stepping into this restaurant is that it is VERY SMALL !! Good thing for me there wasn't much customers when I arrived. Now about the food. The meals that was ordered are Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, and Curry (forget which kind). The portions were very small. The price is about $8ish a dish, pretty much the same anywhere. I didn't like the Pad Thai very much. The flavors wasn't all there, especially the Pad Thai sauce. The drunken noodles were pretty good, but again the portions was small. As for the curry, it was way too sweet. I don't think I've ever had curry tasted this sweet before. They gave complimentary green tapioca dessert and I didn't like it very much. It was just my own personal preference. The fish sauce that came with the eggrolls look very bland. As you can see in the picture that I uploaded, it looks almost like water. It's not a very appealing look. The thing that really bugged me at this restaurant is the amount of flies they have here. It's like there's a nest of flies living in this place. It was very annoying to shoo away all the flies while eating. If a fly touched any part of my meal, I'd have to throw it away since you know where flies come from. I won't be coming back to this place.
(2)Emily C.
This is your basic Thai food joint, with an awesome bonus: $7 lunch special! Get this. For just $7, all of this can be yours: Small soup Egg rolls Entree Coconut milk with tapioca for dessert The food is nothing spectacular, but it is competent and satisfying. My first time, I got the red curry, which had way too much pineapple and not enough meat. Since then, I've been getting the pad see eiw with wide rice noodles, beef, egg, broccoli, and a sweet/spicy sauce. It's delicious! I've also tried the pad thai - again, it's basic, but good. Pro-tip: the items on the back of the lunch menu (the "Salathai specialties") are also included in the lunch special. The servers always ask you to order your food on a scale of 1-4 for spiciness. I recommend 2 for a little kick and 3 for some punch. I haven't tried 4, but I'm sure they mean business.
(3)Damon T.
Very good. If I had a Thai grandpa, I imagine this is how it would taste. I'm happy with both of my grandpa's, but I kinda wish one of them cooked like this. Anyway... Since Salathai opened a few years ago it's become one of my favorite places. It's had to share the spotlight recently with Thai Cuisine II and Thai Vegan, but these guys still do a great job with friendly service to boot. I'll admit I'm not wild about their egg rolls but they do the trick if you're in the mood. The Massaman curry here is great! The Pad Thai is better elsewhere, but the rest of the noodle dishes are very good.
(4)Chris B.
I'm always eager to try different places, esp thai as they all have different flavor systems. This place was pretty okay I think. I had #40 with pork, and must admit that the flavor was amazing! I had a level 3 on hotness, but didn't really notice the heat. That being said the portion size seemed pretty small with little to no pork. My friend that I was with had a green curry, which was 2 on the hotness rating. Hers was a mouthful! The taste was super yummy, and super hot. She actually could have used a lesser heat but it is what it is. Overall, I'd say this place was okay. As in not marvelous, and not bad...
(3)Peter C.
Excellent experience here tonight. I was a little worried when I couldn't see the restaurant from the Main Street, and thought the place looked a little dumpy, but was very pleasantly surprised. We tried the garlic shrimp and pad thai. Great food. Great service. Will be going again.
(5)Christian H.
simple place, so you get a simple review. -very reasonable prices. -very simple atmosphere. -Server was very sweet, and adequately attentive. -portions were smaller than the typical american "stuff yourself" but made it just a perfect size. possibly could have fit an appetizer in, but went with thai tea instead. -always order your tea with light ice (you can add ice from your water....wise kung fu master taught me this trick, now i pass on the knowledge to you young jedis) -nice to have easy parking, yet still close enough to walk from nob hill. ok, that's all you need to know, go, enjoy, and be merry~
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