This place is really great. Not a fancy place at all, but great service and authentic food, at a very low cost. Great flavors and spices. One reviewer said it was "greasy," and I would say that is totally not true. Our food was prefect, not at all greasy. The shrimp were large, plentiful and had no tails on them. I've been to more than 50 Thai places across the country and I'd put this in the top five.
(5)
Tucker B.
I work in the same block as Aroy, and I love Thai curry, so I thought I would give them a try. I always order straight-up Red curry at a new Thai restaurant and use that as a judge of their food. It might not be fair, but it is what matters to me. The red curry is really bland. I ordered it hot, and it is plenty spicy, but besides a very pleasant burn on my tongue, the curry is exceptionally boring. It's not *bad*, so I won't give a 1 star review, but I was hoping to have a nice fall back location for when I'm in a hurry and need a close and convenient lunch.
(2)
JP R.
Don't be fooled by this hole in the wall. Amazing food! The best freshest pad thai I have ever had! I ordered a salad with cabbage, broccoli and peanut sauce...absolutely the best! Veggies are so fresh, so green. Staff is very nice and portions are very large. Prices are very good. A great and fun find. You swear you were transplanted right in the middle of Thailand. Authentic thai at its best!!!!
(5)
ScoTtie C.
First time there this last weekend, service was good, they were fast and prompt with everything they did and the waitress was nice, Food, not so good, I ordered the pad kee mao (drunken noodles) it was bland, the flavor wasn't right, the noodles were over cooked and there wasn't enough sauce, it was too dry. My girl got the pad Thai noodles which also was not good as well. Probably won't go back. 2 stars for good service.
(2)
Eric K.
Frequent traveler to Portland and always looking for a good place to eat. Great Thai food, friendly staff. Had Noodle Delight and it was very good.
(5)
Kenny P.
The atmosphere of this restaurant is not luxury or something you would want to go in the first place. However, the taste of the food substitute it all. I think their Thai food is pretty good (my friends who are Thai also agree with me ) My favorite here is Suki (sounds japanese, but it's not). It's like a white napa cabbage stir fried with glass noodle and chicken in a special thai red sauce. This one is really good. I always come here every now and then to get this menu. They have dry and soup version. I like the dry version better. another good one is Pad Khee Mao (seafood). So yummy and the taste is rich !!! try it yourself
(4)
Ryan D.
Yummy! A great authentic thai place especially the sukiyaki. I recommedn the thai style over the soup style...but to each his/her own. I ordered the dish with the shrimp and received a mountainous place of perfectly cooked noodles, white cabbage, many many shrimp, and a very flavorful sauce. This is a hole in the wall place...so a step up from a food stand but the prices are very fair. I paid $10 bucks but for shrimp and lots of them! Staff are very friendly and service is fast. I am guessing family owned with the father as the cook. I cant wait to go back next time I am there!
(5)
Angela P.
My boyfriend and I were desperate to find a thai place in the city. We got lost about 20 times trying to find one and we stumbled upon this place. Boy was I excited we did. The place was empty when we came in and after perusing the menu, I decided on the Red Mango Curry in the hottest flavor they had and my boyfriend got the curry with Salmon. We also got the egg rolls. The girl who took our order spoke very little english and I was nervous our order would be wrong but she nailed it and we enjoyed EVERY MINUTE of our meal. It was delicious and plenty of food for two starving people to eat. We also got the Thai Ice Tea, yummy! My curry was hot but not hot enough for my fiery tongue, but I loved it. if I'm in the city again, I am definitely coming here again, such a reasonable and delicious place!
(5)
Stephanie S.
YUUUUUUMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My family and I were visiting from Berkeley and ended up getting caught up in some protest march... Been to and through enough of those in my life that I just kiiiiiinda dont care any more... anyways...back to the food! They were so child friendly and even the older cook man in the back brought my daughter some fresh mango! So sweet! (Both the man and the act of kindness) The food was DELICIOUS!! I got the typical pad see ew and ususally I get bored with it half way through but this one made me want to eat more and more and more, I finished my plate! 0:- ) They were pretty quick with service, always served with a smile. Next time we're back in the area we're DEF goin back !! I didnt understand why the place was so empty...after our meal I wanted to run out into the streets and yell "DONT YOU PPL KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING HERE?!?!?!?!?" :)
(5)
Joey C.
Really yummy! We had the Tom Yum soup and salad rolls and they were both amazing. Spicy and lots of fresh flavor... heard the green curry is the best.
(4)
Cassie C.
Food is decent, and HUGE portions. Low review is because I got major food poisoning afterward. I've eaten some pretty gross street food before, without being food poisoned, so there must have been something outdated - possibly chicken that caused my reaction.
(2)
Patricia W.
As a Portland native who has since moved away, and been gone for 11 years, this is one place I long for. I have been around the world and the Pad Thai here is the one that set the bar so high for me. I have not found better Thai food anywhere...even Thailand. If you are downtown and want awesome food in a relaxed setting, this is the place. I'm looking forward to my next trip back so I can chow down on some Aroy Thai.
(5)
Marina C.
This place is slightly weird insomuch that the first time I went here I was more or less on a chaperoning mission to the first date of two gay guys who were my friends. There are some fond memories of it, thus, as it was at the end of an insane day with lots of driving on the coast down from Bremerton, too. As a note, we later showed up with like a party of twelve people and overran the restaurant and they were super-awesome about it, splitting dishes for all of us, giving us extra on the appetizers, keeping the table thoroughyl stocked on tea and water and humouring all the requests and questions and chattering of a bunch of twenty-something nerdgrrls conquering their restaurant for a solid two and a half hours. The first time I came there were five people, and a similarly excellent experience in terms of service The service is unquestionably excellent, then, but it's also that the food itself is among the best in a Thai restaurant I've had--the Thai restaurant in my hometown I think is slightly better, but it has new owners these days so that's probably not applicable anymore. The curries and all noodle dishes here are excellent, and the appetizers delectable. I haven't had vegetarian food here and it might not be of the same quality, I was also told the tofu is a bit bland on the downside. But generally this place hits the spot very well, and is quite centrally located in Portland. Look across the street from the overprized purple Octapus.
(4)
Olivia T.
Ay ay ay ay... What the hell happened to Aroy? Did it change owner or something? My Mussamun curry was really bland and doesn't have much flavor... The place is dirty..food on the floor and they serve limited lunch menu now. You can order typical pad thai, pad kee mao, pad se eew, but for curry you can only get what they serve that day for the lunch special. Now they accept debit/credit card, but their price is also went up. This is just too sad :(.
(2)
Songphon M.
In Thai language, Aroy (pronounced as "AR-ROI") means delicious. I have to say that the restaurant delivers a very delectable and authentic Thai food. The restaurant is the so-called mom-and-pop operation as the owners (uncle & aunty) cook each dish per order by themselves. I highly recommend Thai-style "Dried" Suki. in fact, the name "suki" is borrowed from the Japanese/Chinese food with the same name where you have a soup with vegetable and meat. For this dish, the suki ingredients are cooked on a wok until the soup is almost dried. It is served warm with the special chili sauce. You can have it cooked with chicken, seafood or tofu (or other kinds of meat or vegetables - ask the server).
(4)
Richard G.
One of my top five lunch spots downtown. Down home food in comfortable but plain setting. I especially like the panang salmon, pad see yu, green curry, and pumpkin curry. Friendly service (very limited English usually). Brown rice available as option lately.
(5)
Dave H.
This food was amazing. I got take out to take back to the Monaco Hotel. I had Mango Red Curry with chicken and sticky rice. Easily the best I have ever had. Very small operation. Appears to be family run. The food was great and the service was great as well. The waitress/hostess was friendly and professional. My food came out quickly and was still hot when I got back to the hotel.
(5)
CC H.
We went in a group of 7 and had a great experience. The food is delicious and the price is very reasonable. The waitress was very attentive, making sure that our dishes were all clean and filling our waters every 5-10 minutes. We tried basil beef, green curry, pad Thai, hot and sour soup... Which were all very authentic and good. Definitely would recommend it to others!
(4)
Melissa T.
We've been going to this place for years. Their Pad Thai is to die for. We also love their pineapple fried rice, coconut milk soup and curries. Their prices are fair. The bathroom could be cleaner, but overall it's great.
(5)
Bunneh L.
Aroy Thai is a little hole in the wall, but it's damn good. I almost always order the Chicken Basil, and it's the best rendition of that dish I've ever had anywhere. (Even better than Mae Phim in Seattle, which everyone up here thinks is God's gift to Thai food.) The portion is huge. I rarely finish mine. The chicken is perfectly cooked, moist, and tender. It also comes with onions, peppers, and mushrooms in a delicious chili sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. My other favorite dish is the noodle soup. You can get it with seafood or chicken. But I usually just ask for veggies. It's so good! A perfect cure for a hangover. The service here is very pleasant and friendly and the prices are cheap. What more can you ask for?
(5)
Liz G.
I'm not sure what all these four and five star reviews are about, this place is nasty. As soon as we walked in I had a bad feeling about it- the warm, stifling air, the foul smell, I knew it wasn't going to be good. I ordered the pad thai, thinking that was a fairly safe choice, and my friend got the fried rice with the same idea. Both were awful. I'm prety sure they used instant rice, and it was bland and mushy. The pad thai had a strange flavor and left me feeling sick for the rest of the afternoon. Next time I want thai for lunch I'll hit up the carts. The food is better and cheaper, and they don't smell bad.
(1)
Travis L.
The food was good but nothing special. The restaurant is clean but not terribly inviting. The service was adequate but not warm. I enjoyed my experience but I probably won't go back.
(3)
sean r.
One of my co-workers loves this place so i've been here a handful of times. I've tried about 4 different items, a couple of them twice and i've had each item done much better somewhere else. A couple of the food items are not even really something I can finish eating. One of the weakest thai places I've been too.. I wish I didn't have to go here... The people seem nice enough, but they don't wait on you/refill your drinks. It's more expensive than other, cheaper, nicer thai places in the area.
(2)
Onn J.
Best authentic Thai food downtown, most americans won't be able to eat it. So if you're white, you might hate the food. Sorry for being so blunt.
(4)
Krit U.
10 years ago I was a PSU student. Aroy was an awesome spot for low a income student like myself. High quality food with reasonable price and HUGH amount to fill up a fat ass like me for 2 meals. Today I'm a Thai restaurant owner as well. Went to the place the other day just to collect my old memory. The food was as good as ever. I had to tell the owner, I called him "Uncle Aroy" (I don't even know his name after 10 years LOL), not to make too big of a plate for me. Ya I wouldn't mind paying full price for half order. And that half order still fill me up. /;-/ Thank you again Uncle Aroy for feeding me for the last 10 years. I love your restaurant, well, next to mine of course.
(5)
Kylie S.
I like this place. I came here because I read the yelp reviews. I keep coming back because it's at the place on 4th avenue where I get off my first bus home and transfer to my second bus. I can go in, get some pad thai and within minutes get back on the bus. The woman who works here is really sweet. The pad thai is ok--not great-- but I still enjoy the experience. I only wish I was downtown at lunchtime because the lunch prices are cheaper than dinner prices. They now take credit cards.
(2)
Corwin M.
I absolutely love this place, probably more than any other Thai restaurant in downtown. The portions are huge, the curries straddle that razor thin line between smoothness and pungency (get the musaman!), and there's no skimping on the vegetables. Not only that, but you can tell this chicken didn't come from the Meatrix, or at least isn't that awful rubber chicken you get in some places. It's a little cramped, so I avoid going here during lunch, but it's fine in the late afternoon and early evening if you're a fellow misanthrope like me. Another thing, the waitress remembered me when I returned one night after having stopped going there for a year!
(5)
laura l.
Absolutely the best Thai food I've had. I believe I had #38 and except for a smidge too much white pepper on top, once it mixed in it was fantastic. I wanted to lick my plate but my husband restrained me. Quick and personable and tasty food! Dinner hours are much quieter than lunch; I'm told it's hopping at midday and I can understand why. We ate there before seeing a pre-season Blazer game and with tip we left paying under $20 for the two of us, no drinks but tea and water. Oh and the tea is jasmine and quite lovely.
(5)
Chelse C.
Server is super sweet and attentive. The food, however, was mediocre. Had the Pad Thai and tea since it was on their window they had a decent one. Maybe the other dishes are better, but this wasn't it. Still, not bad food and prices are around $9-15 a plate for dinner.
(3)
Dianna C.
Delicious thai omelette I've ever had. Service is genuinely nice and I've been getting the same service since I came here 3 years ago. Yum in my bum
(5)
Chris K.
ONlY Thai I eat when in town. Best ever! Great people, authentic food and fast service!
(5)
Richard P.
Zzzzzzzzzzzz, huh, wait, what? Oh, my food is ready? OK, cool. What time is it again? Aroy Thai is an OK place for Thai at lunchtime in the downtown area but be prepared to wait for a while for your order. Perhaps you should plan ahead and call in your order so it will be ready in a timely fashion. I worked downtown 10 years ago and recently came back and this still seems to be an issue for them. As for the food, it's pretty standard and reasonably delicious. They offer brown rice which is fantastic in my book, and the spiciness is good when you order hot. The food is certainly fresh, which I'm sure speaks to the timeliness of getting it. The restaurant itself reminds me of a clean version of restaurants in Thailand - pretty spartan but functional. I suggest trying your favorite Thai dish here and definitely call ahead if you're short on time!
(3)
Samuel G.
Food was sincerely amazing. We were 6 people and we all enjoyed our plates. Delicious Yellow curry and pad thai :-)
(5)
Mad M.
Great food, fast lunch service, reasonable prices, good portion size, friendly service. Uses good white meat chicken, not the fatty dregs that some places use. Also uses microwaveable togo containers (no metal or plastic). Will definitely eat here again.
(5)
Diane D.
I ordered the pineapple curry, and it was the best pineapple curry I have ever had. The food was beautiful and nicely arranged on the plate. The waitress was very accommodating, and ensured that we were happy and satisfied with our meal. The place is clean and well decorated. Service was efficient. Overall one of the best places I have eaten. Excellent value.
(5)
John P.
Had the most amazing Thai here. I brought my parents on my second visit and they were skeptical at first because of the tiny restaurant but after trying their food they were hooked. Highly recommend this place.
(5)
Tina S.
The food is good here, although it is different from other Thai places I've been, maybe it's a different style of Thai food... The Pad See Yew was very peanutty, Tom Yum Soup was good, but not the best I've had, and their Tom Yum Seafood Soup was way different from the Tom Yum Soup, tasting of mainly cilantro, which was overwhelming. I had the Pad Kee Mao, which was prob the best thing next to the tom yum soup, but I've had better... PROS Great service Good serving sizes Good flavoring Cons Hair in food Dry food left on "clean" cups and utensils
(3)
Andy N.
This place recently changed ownership from the beloved elderly couple. The pad thai here used to be the best and most unique in Portland. The current recipe is still very good but not as amazing as how it used to be. I'm sad but the new owner is very friendly.
(4)
Tamz O.
This small mom/pop run delicious delight was amazing on so many levels. On a tip from the concierge, we decided to give this place a shot. As our first Portland food experience, we can't wait for more. Understated and possibly not a place I would usually eat at, the quality of food, flavors and the cost exceeded our expectations! We enjoyed the Tom Kha soup, Pumpkin Red Curry and the Sukiyaka with noodles. It was more food than we could finish off but we tried, real hard. Looking forward to a week filled with more sensational tastebud experiences.
(4)
Swapnil K.
I wish I could give more stars than five but yelp allows only five:-). Loved the delicate taste of my soup and salad. Tried it once during lunch time and went three times on the same day. Alas we had to leave for Seattle on the next day, otherwise would have made it for lunch and dinner the following day as well. This is by far the best Thai cuisine I have ever had in Portland. My first reaction after I had my first bite of the Pad Thai noodles was simply ummmmm. The ambience is so warm, service is excellent and the food is sumptuous.
(5)
Bo R.
One of my favorite places to eat, added to that one of the best thai places in the city. Aroy knows his way around the kitchen that's for shig. Place is small but makes up for it with amazing service, and superbly on point pad thai, pad see yew, broccoli n beef, thai coffee or tea, the list goes on. I'm here now waiting for food and I am seriously starving. So it will be that much better.
(5)
Michael T.
Small place with limited menu, but excellent food! Place fills up late with Asians so must be authentically good, and local cred, I enjoy the food and quiet. Probably not so quiet if reviews get heard.
(4)
Dave N.
I walked into this place after a long day of work and travel. Looked good as far as reviews. I have to say I was disgusted when i noticed the cook who was making my Tom Kha soup taste it with a spoon and put it back into the soup!!!! Not once! Twice!! When I asked her quietly if she had done it her response was that no it was a different spoon! Ahh NO! I know what I saw! It was disgusting and I would never recommend this restaurant to anyone!
(1)
Faith G.
After reading some of the reviews, I ordered the Khao Soi. I have had this dish at Thai Elephant in tanasbourne and I must say it was much better there (although it had a different name.) for $9 it was a small portion, the wontons were an overkill and the pickled lettuce was not as great as it sounded. The service was mediocre especially since we were the only table during lunch. This place is tucked in a secret spot, I would like to try other dishes there, but for now I will give it 3 stars for my recent experience.
(3)
Amber P.
I was a loyal fan of Aroy before the ownership change, so I was apprehensive. After visiting several times, I can tell it will be my lunch refuge when I need a small and quiet place to eat dependably good food. The lunchtime service is truly charming, and they offer you hot tea. If you like eggplant I highly recommend the pad phet and pad eggplant. Also, they don't charge you extra for brown rice!
(5)
Sarah M.
Cheap. Greasy. Spicy. Everything I want from a hole in the wall Thai place. Thai food is my go-to for finding vegan food in a strange city. This place is not super clean, or flashy. Honestly I recommend avoiding the restrooms. But what do you expect? You want fancy food? Not here you don't. This is quick and tasty, with generous portions. Plus there's sriracha at every table, a sure way to win me over.
(4)
J C.
Great food and overall great service. Highly recommended while visiting Portland. If you are passing by don't forget to visit this restaurant. They're amazing.
(5)
Jack C.
Amber P. has it right, so wonderful with the new owners, you MUST try the Khao Soi at dinner if you enjoy food. ;) Update: Been here so many times, almost weekly now. The Panang Pumpkin Curry, made with Kabocha pumpkin is so good! The crispy fried duck is fantastic. My goodness, where to start. The gentleman who introduced me to this spot has been eating here for 13 years, but was craving Khao Soi, which I guess was not on the menu until the new owners. He told me it is his favorite dish and that the preparation here is the best he has had anywhere. We got two bowls with added prawns (big! and with yummy crispy tails, eat them up, yum!). The yellow curry soup has a rich body, not over thick, not cloying, but just thick enough... just right, Goldilocks. It was hot (we selected spice level 3 of 4), but so so very tasty. Sigh... . Veggies, pickled stuff, rice noodles, crispy fried onions (? or noodles) many prawns... . We scooped out every last little drop of that wonderful curry. I love Paa Dee. I really like Luc Lac. I like the Khao Soi at Jade... but... my goodness gracious, this Khao Soi shines, it is an ultimate experience, on a par with the best dish from any of these. Get it if your tastebuds at all enjoy being tickled, if your tummy at all enjoys being warm and full, if your brain can encompass the joy. Stop reading now. Go, go go...!
(5)
Zach W.
Tasty pineapple curry. It was kinda chilly in the restaurant, but the service was quick and professional :) $10 for a solid dinner.
(4)
Anna S.
This place is super special to me, for a sort of silly reason. When I first came to Portland last year, I had just taken my last final exam of undergrad. I had 2.5 days to scope out as many apartments as possible, to check out my future law school, and to stuff myself silly. I succeeded on all 3 counts, and Aroy was my last meal before I departed. Those few days, I stayed downtown and ate mostly at the various carts around my hotel. My flight out of PDX was at night and the carts were mostly closed, so I asked the hotel concierge what they could recommend that was quick and nearby. Aroy was about a block away, so off I went. Of course, despite several days of serious noshing, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I got the chicken satay and the pad thai. Most of the pad thai ended up coming on the plane with me, and it was even more delicious on my layover in Detroit at 6 AM. Something about this pad thai was unlike other renditions I've tried. It was more savory, but still had the great punch of funky sourness and a hint of sweetness. The tofu was fried perfectly, too. The other day, I was walking around downtown (I now live here, thanks to my apartment scouting prowess), and decided to stop in for dinner. This time, as much as I wanted the pad thai again, I got the Thai Omelette with pork. It was delicious and fluffy. Ask for the prik nam pla condiment on the side for whatever rice dish you order. I hope this place sticks around, exactly as it is. It's in a super nondescript strip mall close to Pioneer Square. It's dingy and dirty and has no atmosphere. The food has always taken a long time to come out. But, I'm so happy this place has no ambiance. Some nights, when you're just catching a bite before a red-eye flight to Cleveland, or when you're simply dining solo, you don't want a trendy hip Thai joint. You want friendly service and delicious comfort food, and that's exactly what Aroy provides.
(4)
Scott W.
This place used to be pretty good years ago, but not so much anymore. I've given them two separate chances to redeem themselves before writing this review. Very slow service, small portions, and the pad see ew was oily and lacked any flavor. With so many good Thai places in Portland, don't waste your time with mediocre ones.
(2)
Andrea R.
Ate here while visiting Portland. Cute little Thai place with good food. Good size portions, too. Waitress was young and slightly awkward but very sweet and attentive. Also, you get to choose how spicy (1-4), but keep in mind it's Thai spicy, so maybe go one below your comfort level unless you know you can handle it.
(4)
John K.
I've rediscovered Aroy recently. I spent a few years working outside of downtown, so I had fallen out of the habit of visiting this neighborhood. Now that I'm back within easy walking distance, it's great to be back to visiting regularly. Nothing seems to have changed - it's a solid spot with a lunch menu that provides lots of variety, and everything I've tried has been reliably tasty - I like enough spiciness to make food interesting, but not so much that it's painful. Aroy's kitchen provides flavor without fire, which is just right for me. Service is quick and friendly, even when it's crowded. In the era of food carts, it's great to have a comfortable, warm, reliable place to sit down for lunch.
(5)
Mina O.
Service is impeccable. Very friendly and prompt staff, quite atmosphere and good healthy food. The eggplant green curry with jasmin rice has chicken(for me), green and red peppers, bamboo shoots, and basil leaves. Spice is just the right level for me, I'm a chicken and this was just the limit for my taste. Very enjoyable.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jim M.
This place is really great. Not a fancy place at all, but great service and authentic food, at a very low cost. Great flavors and spices. One reviewer said it was "greasy," and I would say that is totally not true. Our food was prefect, not at all greasy. The shrimp were large, plentiful and had no tails on them. I've been to more than 50 Thai places across the country and I'd put this in the top five.
(5)Tucker B.
I work in the same block as Aroy, and I love Thai curry, so I thought I would give them a try. I always order straight-up Red curry at a new Thai restaurant and use that as a judge of their food. It might not be fair, but it is what matters to me. The red curry is really bland. I ordered it hot, and it is plenty spicy, but besides a very pleasant burn on my tongue, the curry is exceptionally boring. It's not *bad*, so I won't give a 1 star review, but I was hoping to have a nice fall back location for when I'm in a hurry and need a close and convenient lunch.
(2)JP R.
Don't be fooled by this hole in the wall. Amazing food! The best freshest pad thai I have ever had! I ordered a salad with cabbage, broccoli and peanut sauce...absolutely the best! Veggies are so fresh, so green. Staff is very nice and portions are very large. Prices are very good. A great and fun find. You swear you were transplanted right in the middle of Thailand. Authentic thai at its best!!!!
(5)ScoTtie C.
First time there this last weekend, service was good, they were fast and prompt with everything they did and the waitress was nice, Food, not so good, I ordered the pad kee mao (drunken noodles) it was bland, the flavor wasn't right, the noodles were over cooked and there wasn't enough sauce, it was too dry. My girl got the pad Thai noodles which also was not good as well. Probably won't go back. 2 stars for good service.
(2)Eric K.
Frequent traveler to Portland and always looking for a good place to eat. Great Thai food, friendly staff. Had Noodle Delight and it was very good.
(5)Kenny P.
The atmosphere of this restaurant is not luxury or something you would want to go in the first place. However, the taste of the food substitute it all. I think their Thai food is pretty good (my friends who are Thai also agree with me ) My favorite here is Suki (sounds japanese, but it's not). It's like a white napa cabbage stir fried with glass noodle and chicken in a special thai red sauce. This one is really good. I always come here every now and then to get this menu. They have dry and soup version. I like the dry version better. another good one is Pad Khee Mao (seafood). So yummy and the taste is rich !!! try it yourself
(4)Ryan D.
Yummy! A great authentic thai place especially the sukiyaki. I recommedn the thai style over the soup style...but to each his/her own. I ordered the dish with the shrimp and received a mountainous place of perfectly cooked noodles, white cabbage, many many shrimp, and a very flavorful sauce. This is a hole in the wall place...so a step up from a food stand but the prices are very fair. I paid $10 bucks but for shrimp and lots of them! Staff are very friendly and service is fast. I am guessing family owned with the father as the cook. I cant wait to go back next time I am there!
(5)Angela P.
My boyfriend and I were desperate to find a thai place in the city. We got lost about 20 times trying to find one and we stumbled upon this place. Boy was I excited we did. The place was empty when we came in and after perusing the menu, I decided on the Red Mango Curry in the hottest flavor they had and my boyfriend got the curry with Salmon. We also got the egg rolls. The girl who took our order spoke very little english and I was nervous our order would be wrong but she nailed it and we enjoyed EVERY MINUTE of our meal. It was delicious and plenty of food for two starving people to eat. We also got the Thai Ice Tea, yummy! My curry was hot but not hot enough for my fiery tongue, but I loved it. if I'm in the city again, I am definitely coming here again, such a reasonable and delicious place!
(5)Stephanie S.
YUUUUUUMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My family and I were visiting from Berkeley and ended up getting caught up in some protest march... Been to and through enough of those in my life that I just kiiiiiinda dont care any more... anyways...back to the food! They were so child friendly and even the older cook man in the back brought my daughter some fresh mango! So sweet! (Both the man and the act of kindness) The food was DELICIOUS!! I got the typical pad see ew and ususally I get bored with it half way through but this one made me want to eat more and more and more, I finished my plate! 0:- ) They were pretty quick with service, always served with a smile. Next time we're back in the area we're DEF goin back !! I didnt understand why the place was so empty...after our meal I wanted to run out into the streets and yell "DONT YOU PPL KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING HERE?!?!?!?!?" :)
(5)Joey C.
Really yummy! We had the Tom Yum soup and salad rolls and they were both amazing. Spicy and lots of fresh flavor... heard the green curry is the best.
(4)Cassie C.
Food is decent, and HUGE portions. Low review is because I got major food poisoning afterward. I've eaten some pretty gross street food before, without being food poisoned, so there must have been something outdated - possibly chicken that caused my reaction.
(2)Patricia W.
As a Portland native who has since moved away, and been gone for 11 years, this is one place I long for. I have been around the world and the Pad Thai here is the one that set the bar so high for me. I have not found better Thai food anywhere...even Thailand. If you are downtown and want awesome food in a relaxed setting, this is the place. I'm looking forward to my next trip back so I can chow down on some Aroy Thai.
(5)Marina C.
This place is slightly weird insomuch that the first time I went here I was more or less on a chaperoning mission to the first date of two gay guys who were my friends. There are some fond memories of it, thus, as it was at the end of an insane day with lots of driving on the coast down from Bremerton, too. As a note, we later showed up with like a party of twelve people and overran the restaurant and they were super-awesome about it, splitting dishes for all of us, giving us extra on the appetizers, keeping the table thoroughyl stocked on tea and water and humouring all the requests and questions and chattering of a bunch of twenty-something nerdgrrls conquering their restaurant for a solid two and a half hours. The first time I came there were five people, and a similarly excellent experience in terms of service The service is unquestionably excellent, then, but it's also that the food itself is among the best in a Thai restaurant I've had--the Thai restaurant in my hometown I think is slightly better, but it has new owners these days so that's probably not applicable anymore. The curries and all noodle dishes here are excellent, and the appetizers delectable. I haven't had vegetarian food here and it might not be of the same quality, I was also told the tofu is a bit bland on the downside. But generally this place hits the spot very well, and is quite centrally located in Portland. Look across the street from the overprized purple Octapus.
(4)Olivia T.
Ay ay ay ay... What the hell happened to Aroy? Did it change owner or something? My Mussamun curry was really bland and doesn't have much flavor... The place is dirty..food on the floor and they serve limited lunch menu now. You can order typical pad thai, pad kee mao, pad se eew, but for curry you can only get what they serve that day for the lunch special. Now they accept debit/credit card, but their price is also went up. This is just too sad :(.
(2)Songphon M.
In Thai language, Aroy (pronounced as "AR-ROI") means delicious. I have to say that the restaurant delivers a very delectable and authentic Thai food. The restaurant is the so-called mom-and-pop operation as the owners (uncle & aunty) cook each dish per order by themselves. I highly recommend Thai-style "Dried" Suki. in fact, the name "suki" is borrowed from the Japanese/Chinese food with the same name where you have a soup with vegetable and meat. For this dish, the suki ingredients are cooked on a wok until the soup is almost dried. It is served warm with the special chili sauce. You can have it cooked with chicken, seafood or tofu (or other kinds of meat or vegetables - ask the server).
(4)Richard G.
One of my top five lunch spots downtown. Down home food in comfortable but plain setting. I especially like the panang salmon, pad see yu, green curry, and pumpkin curry. Friendly service (very limited English usually). Brown rice available as option lately.
(5)Dave H.
This food was amazing. I got take out to take back to the Monaco Hotel. I had Mango Red Curry with chicken and sticky rice. Easily the best I have ever had. Very small operation. Appears to be family run. The food was great and the service was great as well. The waitress/hostess was friendly and professional. My food came out quickly and was still hot when I got back to the hotel.
(5)CC H.
We went in a group of 7 and had a great experience. The food is delicious and the price is very reasonable. The waitress was very attentive, making sure that our dishes were all clean and filling our waters every 5-10 minutes. We tried basil beef, green curry, pad Thai, hot and sour soup... Which were all very authentic and good. Definitely would recommend it to others!
(4)Melissa T.
We've been going to this place for years. Their Pad Thai is to die for. We also love their pineapple fried rice, coconut milk soup and curries. Their prices are fair. The bathroom could be cleaner, but overall it's great.
(5)Bunneh L.
Aroy Thai is a little hole in the wall, but it's damn good. I almost always order the Chicken Basil, and it's the best rendition of that dish I've ever had anywhere. (Even better than Mae Phim in Seattle, which everyone up here thinks is God's gift to Thai food.) The portion is huge. I rarely finish mine. The chicken is perfectly cooked, moist, and tender. It also comes with onions, peppers, and mushrooms in a delicious chili sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. My other favorite dish is the noodle soup. You can get it with seafood or chicken. But I usually just ask for veggies. It's so good! A perfect cure for a hangover. The service here is very pleasant and friendly and the prices are cheap. What more can you ask for?
(5)Liz G.
I'm not sure what all these four and five star reviews are about, this place is nasty. As soon as we walked in I had a bad feeling about it- the warm, stifling air, the foul smell, I knew it wasn't going to be good. I ordered the pad thai, thinking that was a fairly safe choice, and my friend got the fried rice with the same idea. Both were awful. I'm prety sure they used instant rice, and it was bland and mushy. The pad thai had a strange flavor and left me feeling sick for the rest of the afternoon. Next time I want thai for lunch I'll hit up the carts. The food is better and cheaper, and they don't smell bad.
(1)Travis L.
The food was good but nothing special. The restaurant is clean but not terribly inviting. The service was adequate but not warm. I enjoyed my experience but I probably won't go back.
(3)sean r.
One of my co-workers loves this place so i've been here a handful of times. I've tried about 4 different items, a couple of them twice and i've had each item done much better somewhere else. A couple of the food items are not even really something I can finish eating. One of the weakest thai places I've been too.. I wish I didn't have to go here... The people seem nice enough, but they don't wait on you/refill your drinks. It's more expensive than other, cheaper, nicer thai places in the area.
(2)Onn J.
Best authentic Thai food downtown, most americans won't be able to eat it. So if you're white, you might hate the food. Sorry for being so blunt.
(4)Krit U.
10 years ago I was a PSU student. Aroy was an awesome spot for low a income student like myself. High quality food with reasonable price and HUGH amount to fill up a fat ass like me for 2 meals. Today I'm a Thai restaurant owner as well. Went to the place the other day just to collect my old memory. The food was as good as ever. I had to tell the owner, I called him "Uncle Aroy" (I don't even know his name after 10 years LOL), not to make too big of a plate for me. Ya I wouldn't mind paying full price for half order. And that half order still fill me up. /;-/ Thank you again Uncle Aroy for feeding me for the last 10 years. I love your restaurant, well, next to mine of course.
(5)Kylie S.
I like this place. I came here because I read the yelp reviews. I keep coming back because it's at the place on 4th avenue where I get off my first bus home and transfer to my second bus. I can go in, get some pad thai and within minutes get back on the bus. The woman who works here is really sweet. The pad thai is ok--not great-- but I still enjoy the experience. I only wish I was downtown at lunchtime because the lunch prices are cheaper than dinner prices. They now take credit cards.
(2)Corwin M.
I absolutely love this place, probably more than any other Thai restaurant in downtown. The portions are huge, the curries straddle that razor thin line between smoothness and pungency (get the musaman!), and there's no skimping on the vegetables. Not only that, but you can tell this chicken didn't come from the Meatrix, or at least isn't that awful rubber chicken you get in some places. It's a little cramped, so I avoid going here during lunch, but it's fine in the late afternoon and early evening if you're a fellow misanthrope like me. Another thing, the waitress remembered me when I returned one night after having stopped going there for a year!
(5)laura l.
Absolutely the best Thai food I've had. I believe I had #38 and except for a smidge too much white pepper on top, once it mixed in it was fantastic. I wanted to lick my plate but my husband restrained me. Quick and personable and tasty food! Dinner hours are much quieter than lunch; I'm told it's hopping at midday and I can understand why. We ate there before seeing a pre-season Blazer game and with tip we left paying under $20 for the two of us, no drinks but tea and water. Oh and the tea is jasmine and quite lovely.
(5)Chelse C.
Server is super sweet and attentive. The food, however, was mediocre. Had the Pad Thai and tea since it was on their window they had a decent one. Maybe the other dishes are better, but this wasn't it. Still, not bad food and prices are around $9-15 a plate for dinner.
(3)Dianna C.
Delicious thai omelette I've ever had. Service is genuinely nice and I've been getting the same service since I came here 3 years ago. Yum in my bum
(5)Chris K.
ONlY Thai I eat when in town. Best ever! Great people, authentic food and fast service!
(5)Richard P.
Zzzzzzzzzzzz, huh, wait, what? Oh, my food is ready? OK, cool. What time is it again? Aroy Thai is an OK place for Thai at lunchtime in the downtown area but be prepared to wait for a while for your order. Perhaps you should plan ahead and call in your order so it will be ready in a timely fashion. I worked downtown 10 years ago and recently came back and this still seems to be an issue for them. As for the food, it's pretty standard and reasonably delicious. They offer brown rice which is fantastic in my book, and the spiciness is good when you order hot. The food is certainly fresh, which I'm sure speaks to the timeliness of getting it. The restaurant itself reminds me of a clean version of restaurants in Thailand - pretty spartan but functional. I suggest trying your favorite Thai dish here and definitely call ahead if you're short on time!
(3)Samuel G.
Food was sincerely amazing. We were 6 people and we all enjoyed our plates. Delicious Yellow curry and pad thai :-)
(5)Mad M.
Great food, fast lunch service, reasonable prices, good portion size, friendly service. Uses good white meat chicken, not the fatty dregs that some places use. Also uses microwaveable togo containers (no metal or plastic). Will definitely eat here again.
(5)Diane D.
I ordered the pineapple curry, and it was the best pineapple curry I have ever had. The food was beautiful and nicely arranged on the plate. The waitress was very accommodating, and ensured that we were happy and satisfied with our meal. The place is clean and well decorated. Service was efficient. Overall one of the best places I have eaten. Excellent value.
(5)John P.
Had the most amazing Thai here. I brought my parents on my second visit and they were skeptical at first because of the tiny restaurant but after trying their food they were hooked. Highly recommend this place.
(5)Tina S.
The food is good here, although it is different from other Thai places I've been, maybe it's a different style of Thai food... The Pad See Yew was very peanutty, Tom Yum Soup was good, but not the best I've had, and their Tom Yum Seafood Soup was way different from the Tom Yum Soup, tasting of mainly cilantro, which was overwhelming. I had the Pad Kee Mao, which was prob the best thing next to the tom yum soup, but I've had better... PROS Great service Good serving sizes Good flavoring Cons Hair in food Dry food left on "clean" cups and utensils
(3)Andy N.
This place recently changed ownership from the beloved elderly couple. The pad thai here used to be the best and most unique in Portland. The current recipe is still very good but not as amazing as how it used to be. I'm sad but the new owner is very friendly.
(4)Tamz O.
This small mom/pop run delicious delight was amazing on so many levels. On a tip from the concierge, we decided to give this place a shot. As our first Portland food experience, we can't wait for more. Understated and possibly not a place I would usually eat at, the quality of food, flavors and the cost exceeded our expectations! We enjoyed the Tom Kha soup, Pumpkin Red Curry and the Sukiyaka with noodles. It was more food than we could finish off but we tried, real hard. Looking forward to a week filled with more sensational tastebud experiences.
(4)Swapnil K.
I wish I could give more stars than five but yelp allows only five:-). Loved the delicate taste of my soup and salad. Tried it once during lunch time and went three times on the same day. Alas we had to leave for Seattle on the next day, otherwise would have made it for lunch and dinner the following day as well. This is by far the best Thai cuisine I have ever had in Portland. My first reaction after I had my first bite of the Pad Thai noodles was simply ummmmm. The ambience is so warm, service is excellent and the food is sumptuous.
(5)Bo R.
One of my favorite places to eat, added to that one of the best thai places in the city. Aroy knows his way around the kitchen that's for shig. Place is small but makes up for it with amazing service, and superbly on point pad thai, pad see yew, broccoli n beef, thai coffee or tea, the list goes on. I'm here now waiting for food and I am seriously starving. So it will be that much better.
(5)Michael T.
Small place with limited menu, but excellent food! Place fills up late with Asians so must be authentically good, and local cred, I enjoy the food and quiet. Probably not so quiet if reviews get heard.
(4)Dave N.
I walked into this place after a long day of work and travel. Looked good as far as reviews. I have to say I was disgusted when i noticed the cook who was making my Tom Kha soup taste it with a spoon and put it back into the soup!!!! Not once! Twice!! When I asked her quietly if she had done it her response was that no it was a different spoon! Ahh NO! I know what I saw! It was disgusting and I would never recommend this restaurant to anyone!
(1)Faith G.
After reading some of the reviews, I ordered the Khao Soi. I have had this dish at Thai Elephant in tanasbourne and I must say it was much better there (although it had a different name.) for $9 it was a small portion, the wontons were an overkill and the pickled lettuce was not as great as it sounded. The service was mediocre especially since we were the only table during lunch. This place is tucked in a secret spot, I would like to try other dishes there, but for now I will give it 3 stars for my recent experience.
(3)Amber P.
I was a loyal fan of Aroy before the ownership change, so I was apprehensive. After visiting several times, I can tell it will be my lunch refuge when I need a small and quiet place to eat dependably good food. The lunchtime service is truly charming, and they offer you hot tea. If you like eggplant I highly recommend the pad phet and pad eggplant. Also, they don't charge you extra for brown rice!
(5)Sarah M.
Cheap. Greasy. Spicy. Everything I want from a hole in the wall Thai place. Thai food is my go-to for finding vegan food in a strange city. This place is not super clean, or flashy. Honestly I recommend avoiding the restrooms. But what do you expect? You want fancy food? Not here you don't. This is quick and tasty, with generous portions. Plus there's sriracha at every table, a sure way to win me over.
(4)J C.
Great food and overall great service. Highly recommended while visiting Portland. If you are passing by don't forget to visit this restaurant. They're amazing.
(5)Jack C.
Amber P. has it right, so wonderful with the new owners, you MUST try the Khao Soi at dinner if you enjoy food. ;) Update: Been here so many times, almost weekly now. The Panang Pumpkin Curry, made with Kabocha pumpkin is so good! The crispy fried duck is fantastic. My goodness, where to start. The gentleman who introduced me to this spot has been eating here for 13 years, but was craving Khao Soi, which I guess was not on the menu until the new owners. He told me it is his favorite dish and that the preparation here is the best he has had anywhere. We got two bowls with added prawns (big! and with yummy crispy tails, eat them up, yum!). The yellow curry soup has a rich body, not over thick, not cloying, but just thick enough... just right, Goldilocks. It was hot (we selected spice level 3 of 4), but so so very tasty. Sigh... . Veggies, pickled stuff, rice noodles, crispy fried onions (? or noodles) many prawns... . We scooped out every last little drop of that wonderful curry. I love Paa Dee. I really like Luc Lac. I like the Khao Soi at Jade... but... my goodness gracious, this Khao Soi shines, it is an ultimate experience, on a par with the best dish from any of these. Get it if your tastebuds at all enjoy being tickled, if your tummy at all enjoys being warm and full, if your brain can encompass the joy. Stop reading now. Go, go go...!
(5)Zach W.
Tasty pineapple curry. It was kinda chilly in the restaurant, but the service was quick and professional :) $10 for a solid dinner.
(4)Anna S.
This place is super special to me, for a sort of silly reason. When I first came to Portland last year, I had just taken my last final exam of undergrad. I had 2.5 days to scope out as many apartments as possible, to check out my future law school, and to stuff myself silly. I succeeded on all 3 counts, and Aroy was my last meal before I departed. Those few days, I stayed downtown and ate mostly at the various carts around my hotel. My flight out of PDX was at night and the carts were mostly closed, so I asked the hotel concierge what they could recommend that was quick and nearby. Aroy was about a block away, so off I went. Of course, despite several days of serious noshing, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I got the chicken satay and the pad thai. Most of the pad thai ended up coming on the plane with me, and it was even more delicious on my layover in Detroit at 6 AM. Something about this pad thai was unlike other renditions I've tried. It was more savory, but still had the great punch of funky sourness and a hint of sweetness. The tofu was fried perfectly, too. The other day, I was walking around downtown (I now live here, thanks to my apartment scouting prowess), and decided to stop in for dinner. This time, as much as I wanted the pad thai again, I got the Thai Omelette with pork. It was delicious and fluffy. Ask for the prik nam pla condiment on the side for whatever rice dish you order. I hope this place sticks around, exactly as it is. It's in a super nondescript strip mall close to Pioneer Square. It's dingy and dirty and has no atmosphere. The food has always taken a long time to come out. But, I'm so happy this place has no ambiance. Some nights, when you're just catching a bite before a red-eye flight to Cleveland, or when you're simply dining solo, you don't want a trendy hip Thai joint. You want friendly service and delicious comfort food, and that's exactly what Aroy provides.
(4)Scott W.
This place used to be pretty good years ago, but not so much anymore. I've given them two separate chances to redeem themselves before writing this review. Very slow service, small portions, and the pad see ew was oily and lacked any flavor. With so many good Thai places in Portland, don't waste your time with mediocre ones.
(2)Andrea R.
Ate here while visiting Portland. Cute little Thai place with good food. Good size portions, too. Waitress was young and slightly awkward but very sweet and attentive. Also, you get to choose how spicy (1-4), but keep in mind it's Thai spicy, so maybe go one below your comfort level unless you know you can handle it.
(4)John K.
I've rediscovered Aroy recently. I spent a few years working outside of downtown, so I had fallen out of the habit of visiting this neighborhood. Now that I'm back within easy walking distance, it's great to be back to visiting regularly. Nothing seems to have changed - it's a solid spot with a lunch menu that provides lots of variety, and everything I've tried has been reliably tasty - I like enough spiciness to make food interesting, but not so much that it's painful. Aroy's kitchen provides flavor without fire, which is just right for me. Service is quick and friendly, even when it's crowded. In the era of food carts, it's great to have a comfortable, warm, reliable place to sit down for lunch.
(5)Mina O.
Service is impeccable. Very friendly and prompt staff, quite atmosphere and good healthy food. The eggplant green curry with jasmin rice has chicken(for me), green and red peppers, bamboo shoots, and basil leaves. Spice is just the right level for me, I'm a chicken and this was just the limit for my taste. Very enjoyable.
(5)