Somtam Thai
4736 University Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105
Somtam Thai Menu
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Address :
4736 University Way NE
Seattle, WA, 98105 - Phone (206) 524-6339
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Thom G.
Walking around in the the university district and stumbled upon this place. Ordered the basil chicken. So delicious. Friendly staff, clean/modern environment, quick service, good sized portions, great prices. Highly recommend.
(4)Courtney S.
Delicious, affordable, GLUTEN FREE- they have gluten free soy sauce :)
(5)Michelle F.
Very nice people and service here!
(3)Baboo W.
Had the Pad Kee Mao, with pork. Couldn't have been better. Well seasoned, prepared perfectly and a very generous amount. Some of the best Thai food that I've had. Friend had hers with chicken and said the same thing. Don't hesitate to try the place. Very reasonably priced, as well.
(5)H K.
Decided to walk up near 50th and saw this Thai place. Decided to try it out. Beef Noodle Soup. Very delicious but could have had more veggies on it to balance out the noodles and beef. I've also tried Spicy Basil and Pad See Ew and they are all fantastic. $5.99 lunch dishes. Recomended.
(5)genesis N.
I like this place. It's clean and cozy and the service is friendly. My water glass was never empty. The portions were generous and very reasonably priced. For dinner most of the main dishes were only 7.95 and a few were just two-three dollars higher. My noodle dish was very good (can't remember what it was called but it wasn't phad thai) and my brother's thai bbq chicken was delicious. The food does run on the spicy side but I like spicy. I would go here again.
(4)Brad T.
stopped in for the first time and had Pad Thai with tofu (my favorite Thai dish) hostess was super friendly and all smiles. I was seated quickly and ordered right away. My Pad Thai came very quickly and was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! not to mention the portion size was out of this world. Had I not chosen to make this my first meal of the day I surely would of required a "doggy bag" For my meal the price was perfect, just under $9.00 Incredible!!!!
(5).d. ..
Had the Pad Kee Mao with beef. The beef was low-grade steak and was very chewy. The seasoning was bland and there were more bamboo shoots than noodles. The Phad Thai tasted like spaghetti o's sauce. The service was fine.(ONE STAR) EXCEPT.... When I went to pay the lady who was playing the food took my money WITH HER GLOVES ON then went back to cutting food WITH THE SAME DIRTY GLOVES. I will be reporting this to the county.
(1)Eric K.
Good service and fast/fresh food.
(4)Tracy M.
New thai place on the Ave. Staff was super attentive but not botheringly so. Great about refills on our drinks. Prices are reasonable ($7/$8 for most dishes) and portions are LARGE (the noodle dishes and Rama dish definitely had leftovers. The larb portion wasn't huge, but plenty for one meal). Plus they cook everything to order. Bowls were brought out piping hot from the kitchen. Not everything was done at exactly the same time, but we decided we'd rather have a few of our larger group (6 people) wait an extra 3 or 4 minutes then have the other folks' entrees get cold. Lots of fresh veggies. Thai iced tea is only $2 which is really reasonable, as well. The space is nice. Clean and modern, It's small, but the giant windows help it not feel cramped. It's super bright inside and the front window can open/roll back all the way, which made it super pleasant on a lovely 75* evening. Both noodle dishes were tasty, and the peanut sauce dish was also lovely. The Larb was less of a hit. It came with the tiniest/thinnest wedge of cabbage. I'm used to being able to use the cabbage leave to make a wrap with the chicken/onion mixture. But this cabbage wedge was only 1" at it's widest. So I was able to take a few pinches of chicken with the cabbage, but mostly had to eat the dish with my fork. There was a crunchy crystal/powder flavoring on top...I'm pretty sure it was MSG. (perhaps it was sugar, but that seems more unlikely). I don't have any problems with MSG, but it seemed weird that it was just sitting on top and that my teeth could crunch through it/notice the texture. I kinda thought the point of that was to mix it into the dish to improve the flavor. Maybe if I'd had a 2" to 3" wide piece of cabbage I could've eaten the dish in cabbage leaf wraps and wouldn't have noticed. Ah well. Still, a pretty good place. We'll definitely try it again. I liked that the dishes were fresh and didn't feel heavy/greasy. This is the way thai food should be. They brought fortune cookies with our bill. That was a bit strange, but hey, free cookie!
(4)Zach G.
Standard pricing, had the pad see-ew and basil fried rice both with tofu. The noodle dish was good but the fried rice was disappointing. The rice didn't seem to be fried and it the texture and taste was sub-par.
(3)Starry E.
Nice interior, clean, and pleasant staff. But the food was not good... I ordered a dish with spinach, peanut sauce and shrimp - the spinach was fresh but almost completely uncooked (more appropriate for a salad?!), the sauce was super sweet and could have been poured out of a can (no spice or complexity), and the shrimp tasted very generic (low quality and like they had been frozen too long). Blah. The rice was also really sticky and overcooked. My friend had a spicy soup but couldn't tell much about the flavor beyond the heat. There are too many other good places nearby - I won't be back.
(2)Andrew M.
Welcome to the U District another mediocre Thai restaurant. Their ingredients seem to be quite fresh, so it's a shame that they can't cook. Too sweet and too fishy like every other Thai place. Why can nobody around here besides Thai Tom make decent Thai food (of course, that comes with cockroaches in your food)?
(2)Gators M.
Yummy food. Thai basil curry!
(4)Savannah L.
I got strep throat right after moving to Seattle and it was my first time being so sick without my family there, and this place saved my life with it's hot soup to go! Since then, I always went with friends or for take-out pad thai and crab rangoon. Their prices are super low, and their take-out is really fast. Plus the family who works there are so nice, and even said hello to me if I was passing the restaurant on my way home.
(5)Alina C.
Comparing to the quality of food that the other thai places have been giving me, I choose this one over the others. And I still love the fact that the prices are so freakin' low! **ask for extra noodles in your pad see ew!! They don't charge extra AND it's basically like ordering two portions for the price of one. (; **
(4)Grace X.
Service is usually pretty good but it can be quite a wait for your food. Doesn't have a lot of seating either. The best dish I've had here so far is pad see ew. Rama noodles are good if you like peanut sauce, but can be too sweet so I suggest asking for the spice rack or getting it fairly spicy. Really cheap ($5.95 for all entrees)! A good place to order for take out since you won't have to wait or worry about seating. Sometimes it can be smokey inside when it's not warm enough for the windows to be open so take out is a perfect option.
(4)Terri K.
I love this place! I eat here all the time, and even know one of the waitresses by name. The servers are always super nice, they are always quick on finishing the orders, their prices are super cheap and their portions are good, and their food is delicious! Absolutely no complaints, this is my go-to place for Thai food, always. Even when I might not want just Thai and I'm just in the mood to eat something, I usually come here! If you are stuck on where you want to eat for Thai food on the Ave, come here! It's definitely worth it.
(5)Andrea E.
Is this perfectly identical to Thai food in Thailand? No, but nothing here in the states is unless I make it myself or go to friend's house for dinner. For a Thai restaurant though Somtam is getting it right. They can make it spicy, actually spicy, if you mention it to them, the food is good, the portions good sized, and the prices are amazing. Most plates here are 7 bucks! 7 BUCKS! That is an amazing deal. I look forward to eating more at this place and seeing if they might be able to make a few seldom made thai dishes, the owner is very nice.
(5)Dahye K.
I don't want give them any star since the taste of food is the worst thai in my life. I tried Pad Thai, and it is just mixed with ketchup. Also i tried fried rice and curry. Curry was not the worst but not good. Don't go here even though the price is so cheap.
(1)Quinn D.
Disappointed for the 3rd time! The waitress was on the phone the entire time while were were trying to order. The cashew chicken was was 3 star-spiced vs 1 star. The phad see ew was the worst than anywhere I've been: extra sweet. I miss the Korean restaurant(former business), Sunny's so much!
(1)ShmoHaw K.
After a couple years of eating here periodically, I can confidently update my review to four stars. This is a great go-to cheap Thai restaurant. It's exactly what you'd expect for $5.95. Everything I criticized two years ago is better today, and the prices are $1 less!!! I love Somtam Thai!!! I will keep coming back as long as it's this cheap and this good.
(4)Kate F.
I tried to explain three times to our waitress that we were only ordering one curry dish to split. She didn't understand and kept trying to repeat our order back to us. We still got two of the same red curry dish. And we were charged for both of them. At least it was good.
(3)Margaret L.
I LOVE it here. To start off, the waitress that I always see when I come here is just wonderful. She's always smiling, she's very helpful, and for the most part she's pretty quick. It can get slow when there's a full house, but that's understandable for one person. I've also had a guy server a couple of times, and he was really nice, too. But for me, the ABSOLUTE best part of SomTam Thai is THE FOOD!!! I've LOVED every single thing I've ever had here, and the food has been pretty consistent. One time I ordered the yakisoba noodles and they were TERRIBLE, but that's never happened since. I also always order my food heat 3.5 on a scale of 5 (which the waitress finds funny) and one time it came out at about a .5, but that has also never happened again. The other best part? The prices are phenomenal. I can leave completely stuffed full for $10, and that includes the almost 30% tip that I leave. My favorites are the pineapple prawn curry, cashew stir fry, and yakisoba stiry fried noodles. Highly recommended.
(5)Satpreet K.
Since finding this place a month ago, my boyfriend and I have gone a handful of times, even though we're not huge on eating out. I wouldn't say it's the most delicious or complex thai food I've ever had, but at around $5.95 a dish, I have absolutely no complaints. It's great food for the price, and the serving size leaves enough for leftovers. Also, major plus, they will make most things gluten-free!
(4)Ht S.
I really enjoyed it. Got 2 meals that I thought were great for almost the price of one at other places. Didn't have to wait long at all. Got the Pad See Eww and Cashew Tofu - both were excellent and flavorful. Will return.
(5)Travis S.
Service was terrible, interior was dirty, food was bad. The waitress was pleasant enough but not good at her job. Drinks weren't refilled, never checked back after bringing the food, left the bill without even saying a word. The interior was just rundown and dirty. Not to mention it appeared as though their initial decorating budget was about $50. Ordered crab delights (rangoons) as a starter. The filling might have been good but they were so badly burnt in a deep fryer with very old dirty oil I couldn't tell. After 1 bite, sent them back and told the waitress why (she offered to have them remade which I did not accept. She did not charge us though which was good). Ordered pad thai 5/5 star, and cashew chicken 2/5. The heat on my pad thai was great, but they used red chili paste to get there. Couldn't taste anything but the vinegar from the chili paste. If they had used dried thai chili powder might have been ok. The cashew chicken was easily as spicy as my 5 star, so she couldn't even eat it. After sending back the starter you would think the waitress would make sure the mains were to our liking. Nope, never asked, not once. Along with watching the drug dealers slinging across the street in open view broad daylight, this place was a complete epic fail. I miss the old university district with its cool beatnik vibe and eclectic amazing food. The new "Ave" as it's being called, is just a ghetto.
(1)John L.
My god that's cheap Thai! Is it outrageously good? Not particularly, but also not bad in any way. Is the ambiance alluring? Could be less makeshift, but they have some style going on. Is the staff rockin? Actually, yeah, they're pretty great. But the real pull is the dinner special. Pretty much all of their major dishes are ~$6, and it's genuinely a lot of decent food. They make it in like 4 minutes in front of you, and serve it piping hot. It's not magic in a restaurant, but also I dare you to find better for that price point. It's pretty unbeatable, and a solid choice at that.
(4)Shane E.
It's hard to beat the value here. Take out order of delicious Pad See Ew for $6.95? Yes. The quality is pretty good too. Will definitely be going back.
(4)Amanda A.
This is hands down the best (and cheapest) Thai food in Seattle. I've been to quite a few places, but this continues to be my favorite. The staff is always smiling and very sweet over the phone and in person. Tons of yummy vegetarian options, so if you're a veg-head looking for a new, cheap place to eat, this is it! (Thai Tom across the street always has a line out the door, but trust me, SomTam Thai is WAY better!) The pad se-ew is amazing and their peanut sauce is incredible. The Thai fried rice is also delicious! My boyfriend and I are regulars here and we'll definitely miss it if we ever leave Seattle!
(5)Leanna L.
Love this place! Wonderful food, great pricing, happy hours all day, and the best is their service! Recently I went to this place at least twice a week, always ordered five star spicy. My favorites include Kee Mao noodles, Garden Delight, Ginger, Thai fried rice, etc. My friend likes their curry dishes and fish cakes. Never disappointed here!
(5)Ruby L.
Ordered fried noodles, the spicy one with bamboo shoots to go. Great mixture of veggies, well seasoned. So affordable and delish I became a regular! Highly recommend!
(5)Maria G.
I have been here twice and I am the Duchess? I will take that. The first time I was here, I was with two other friends and we ordered takeout. The sticky rice was so good and I decided to come back. The first impression was okay. When my friend and I got there, there was an empty table but it was not cleaned up just yet. The waiter saw us and she told us she would clean up right away and she did. The menu looked very used and could use some design and re-print work: yelp.com/biz_photos/somt… I tried to make Thai iced tea myself but failed so many times, so I had to order Thai iced tea, yelp.com/biz_photos/somt… It was only $2. How is that even possible? Every single Thai restaurant charges at least $2.5 if not $2.75 for the same amount. (Noodle nation has a yelp check-in deal where you get a free thai iced tea but the glass is tiny) The menu is not too big. They have lots of salad options. Several options for curry dishes. Two soup dishes. And some others. I was feeling soup so I ordered the creamy soup, yelp.com/biz_photos/somt… Normally Thai restaurants on the Ave are pretty weak on its spicy level so I ordered a 3-star spicy level. Oh goodness it was spicy to me. Next time I will have to order a 2-star. It was spicy but still edible. I was surprised by how large the amount was. I was expecting a much smaller portion and not to be full. But I was so full after that dish. My friend had the green curry and it was also super NOM NOM: yelp.com/biz_photos/somt… I can't say it was the best curry ever but it was definitely good. It tasted super fresh to me. I also ordered the sticky rice for $2 extra and it was super good. I highly recommend the sticky rice. The service was great. There was only one waiter working at that time. She was busy but she still served with a big smile on her face. She came back to check on us and re-filled water. That does not happen on the Ave often. It was an easy decision to tip her 20% also given the dishes were cheap. The price is reasonable for the Ave. Average dish is around $8. The place is small and does not have too many large tables for big groups. They do have a somewhat "fancy" bar seating area.
(5)J D.
Cheap! Worth coming just to try 4 of their dishes for $20. The average dish is $5. I liked the green curry, the pad thai, pad see ew, tom kha. Can't go wrong trying something you haven't had before because it only costs a few bucks. If you're feeling adventurous and want to step out of the more white washed thai try the "larb" (gai if you want chicken, kai for pork) or the salad their named for "som tam". Cheers!
(4)MJ D.
My husband and I travel to Thailand frequently and are always looking for great Thai food for a reasonable price in Seattle. Somtam Thai has some great authentic dishes that taste like the real thing! The sticky rice, som tam, grilled chicken, and pork salad especially. The price point is great too and they don't nickel and dime for rice. This is our go-to Thai place!
(5)Sonali M.
Really nice place. Easy on the pockets. A haven for students. The food is good. Although the veggie stuff have too many beans . At $7, you can't complain much
(3)Sandy T.
I dont wanna give 1 star coz i havn't tried all for the food, so some of them may be good but I dont know. I ordered Pad Thai and.. OMG... it's the worst Pad Thai ever!! I have tried Pad Thai in more than 20 restaurants and this place is the worst!! it is a "Ketchup - Pad Thai". So if you go there, just don't order the Pad Thai.
(2)Sunny C.
We used to like this place but somehow the foods have changed and they taste way too sweet than average Thai food. It is no way the best Thai place in the University District. We have to be fair. Most of the waitresses there are pretty friendly and nice. However, apart from the relatively bad taste of the dishes there, the worst thing is the "owner" of the place. We are not 100% sure it's the owner but there's a lady behind the counter who is always ordering people around. She's really rude. One time my friend went to eat there and her orders and requests were all ignored. They took care of big groups and totally ignored my friend. When she made a complaint, the lady said to her in a ill-mannered fashion that they were busy. But the fact was that my friend came first and all the people around her got everything they wanted while my friend was left sitting in the place like a beggar. And the way she spoke to my friend was really really rude. That happened months ago and yesterday we decided that we would like to check it out again. It was a celebration so we ordered lots of food. After quite some time the waitress brought us two dishes of the same order so we told her that we ordered only one dish. The waitress brought one of the dishes back to the counter and the grumpy lady behind the counter (the one we assumed as the owner) scolded the waitress repeatedly and very loudly. The rudeness and loudness were totally unnecessary as the waitress was standing right in front of her. Our guess was that she intentionally shouted those words for us to hear so that we might change our mind and take that order so that they wouldn't waste the order. Had she asked us politely, we might have taken and paid for that dish. This is absolutely unacceptable. The food was bad enough but the rudeness like this was totally unacceptable. We have decided NOT to go to this place ever again.
(1)Brad T.
I eat here mostly during lunchtime hours and their prices are really good, especially for the amount of food you get. I usually get the Pad Thai w/Tofu. The noodles are a little chewy but other than I am always satisfied with my meal as well as my bill. Service is always quick and friendly and the food arrives super fast.
(4)Jung L.
Got there around 9:08pm and I see a few people just ordered their food. Just wanted to order some to go stuff but no success. Have some mercy and compassion Somtam Thai. It's not like I got there right around the closing time. That's just cold and I ended up going to Thai Tom. Worked out even better. Thanks!
(1)Jessica L.
I love Somtam Thai. It's clean, fast, cheap, and delicious. The service is always fantastic and I love the food. It is obviously fresh and high quality. It's not overbearingly greasy like the Thai food that a lot of other restaurants on the Ave serve. I honestly think it's the best Thai on the ave and that places like Thaiger Room and Thai Tom are overrated. I am not as big of a fan of the Thai salads but I just don't really like those anywhere. I highly recommend the Green Curry, the Pad Thai, or the Kee Moa noodles! I go so often that the waitress usually guesses that I will order 4 star Kee Moa.
(5)Stephen F.
This is an excellent restaurant! Well priced, good food! Pad se ew was great. It's also a very well maintained restaurant with great atmosphere.
(5)Masha J.
I came here for lunch with a friend about a week or two ago. The servers were good -- came at the appropriate times and otherwise let my friend and I enjoy our lunch and conversation. Whoever was serving us that day wasn't particularly smiling or talkative like other users have mentioned, but he wasn't grumpy or anything. Reasonable prices, especially for the Ave. Definitely worth venturing up here for the portion/price ratio, I couldn't even finish my meal (and I've stomached some shockingly large amounts of food). I ordered the pad-see-ew with peanut sauce and... wow. While it was good, it was drowning in peanut sauce. Like it was more noodles-in-a-thick-peanut-soup. I thought I couldn't tired of peanuts, really. I love peanut butter. I eat it all the time. But this was too much, and overwhelmed the dish entirely. As much as I love peanut sauce... this was more than a bit out of hand, which is why I had to knock off a few stars. Otherwise, the food was great. I'd definitely come back to try other dishes, but I'd request half or lite peanut sauce instead of swimming through a pool of it... yikes haha
(3)Bailu D.
I have tried the fried rice, noodles, and stir fry before I have finally decided to give up this place. This place is nice and clean. The ingredients are fresh. The price for lunch (5.99) is just unbeatable. And it is actually very spicy when you ask for extra spicy! However, the taste is not really Thai-ish. I would expect the basil-like sweet and spicy taste for Thai food. But this place does not taste like that. Also, the noodles are just nasty and not chewy at all. If you just want a cheap and fresh cooked meal, this is a great place. But if you really want something Thai, then go to somewhere else.
(3)Tiffany T.
Worst pad thai I've ever eaten. It takes like that one time my friend made pad Thai for the first time and used curry paste instead of pad Thai sauce. Their fish cake wasn't good and was supposed to come with a cucumber salad. When I asked, she said it doesn't but it clearly said it on the menu. Then she proceeded to tell me they ran out. The service was bad, they took forever to even take our order. They get one star just because I can't give no stars. Definitely not worth my money even tho it was cheap.
(1)Benjamin K.
I decided to try this place because of the $5.99 specials. Almost every entree was $5.99 and you get a huge portion size. Staff was so friendly!! Loved it!
(5)Taylor F.
My boyfriend and I LOVE Somtam! We typically only get chicken pad Thai but I've tried multiple dishes and have liked them all (and I am not a Thai fan)! The younger gal who works there is great and even remembers my boyfriends usual order. Also how can you beat a $5.95 lunch special?!
(5)Andy C.
Fresh ingredients, extremely reasonable prices, and a very clean shop makes this place a winner!
(5)Scott F.
Wonderful lunch menu. Reasonable prices and perfect portion sizes. Fast kitchen and delicious food. I am a fan, and I'll miss this place when my job in the U district finishes for the summer. My favorite dish is the Pad see ew.
(5)Stina K.
Writing an update on this place. It was NYE around 6:30pm and I was looking for something something quick and cheap to soak up the alcohol for later. However I was more in the mood for Thai and not wanting to wait for delivery from Sea Thai decided to give this place another try. It was busy but I put in my order and they had it out within 10 minutes, if that and I spent $13 including a tip for crab rangoon and pork pad thai. The pad thai was a vast improvement over my previous experience back in August. It's not particularly authentic pad thai as it was definitely ketchup based but it was satisfactory and had flavor unlike the last time. It was however a bit more "saucy" than I like my pad thai. Also I think they might have went under new management since the last time I've been there. I walked in and recognized the staff from being the same as Thai 2 Go downtown on 3rd and Marion. That place only opens for the business crowd downtown from 11-4. They even give you a fortune cookie with your meal here too just like downtown. I will be back to try other things on the menu. I really like Thai 2 Go's Tom Yum and they make a decent curry so I expect I will like it from Somtam Thai too. The food is really 3 star for the quality as there is definitely a lot of better places within a mile to get really good thai but I gave it an extra star for the price and friendly-quick service.
(4)Foodislife H.
came here for dinner. service was good! only one server in the restaurant but she juggled everything with grace. the food was horrible(maybe because I've been to thailand) as you can see from the picture I posted, we ordered 2 phad thai's level 3 and level 4. one was wet the other was dry. spicy levels ranged from 1-5 stars. both tasted super sweet, they added tomato sauce or something instead of sugar and it wasn't spicy at all. The Tom yum soup tastes NOTHING like Tom yum and the fish cakes weren't fresh. 2 stars thanks to the service. do not go if you have been to thailand. Try thai tom for authentic thai food.
(2)A N.
Relatively cheap and decent Thai food. less than $7 for most dishes This isn't a place to go out of your way for, but it is a good option for a satisfying regulars/neighborhood Thai spot. I got the pad see ew, which had a wee bit too much sauce, but satisfied my cravings. I'll mix up the leftovers with some extra veggies and it'll be perfect. Service was no-frills but attentive.
(4)Nathalie H.
Even with so many Thai places in the area, I'm surprised Somtam isn't more popular! Their food is so delicious and affordable! I've tried many of the Thai restaurants on the ave, but I keep coming back to Somtam because they have better prices and faster service than any other I have tried. I almost always order the red curry with tofu, and it's always loaded with peppers and bamboo shoots, and they don't skimp on the portion sizes either. I can never finish it by myself! Also, big plus that you don't have to pay extra for rice. Who doesn't eat rice when they order curry?! The waitress is super sweet and remembers my order. I couldn't really ask for much more.
(5)Erica C.
Up until now there has not been a time when I felt yelp had failed me. Those 4 stars set my expectations high ESPECIALLY since it's a Thai restaurant (9/10 times I go out to eat its a Thai place - safe to say that I love my Thai). 4 stars mean Thai Tom or Little Thai good (other restaurants in udistrict)... Sure you can argue the price is cheaper than the others - but at what cost?? The quality of the food? Not okay in my book if the people of yelp are showing me a 4 star rating. I visited with a group of friends on a Friday night and though the service was good and the space was nicely set up, the food didn't taste like anything. One of my friends and I ordered kee-moa noodles (drunken noodles) and were disappointed they didn't have much flavor - only spice. The only somewhat redeeming quality was the temperature of the food - just off the stove! My other friends ordered the fried spring rolls and pad see ew. Spring rolls didn't have good filling (just cabbage? Really? I could get better at costco!) and the pad see ew tasted like nothing! The pad see ew was level 0 of spice so we expected it to at least have some flavor! We were wrong :( Tl;dr: you pay for what you get - if you're willing to pay little for not so good food go for it otherwise don't bother. There are better Thai places - Thai Tom, Little Thai, even Thaiger room.
(2)Armando J.
I've never ordered something from here that I haven't enjoyed, the staff is kind, and the food is affordable.
(5)R H.
It's cheap, but largely inedible. My group only could finish about 1/3 or our not very large meals. Do not make the mistake of ordering meat here.
(2)Lonny L.
This is a great spot during lunch hours where it's not too busy, at least when I went the past few times. I always got take out and it was ready within 10-15 minutes. It's always difficult to hear to guy on the phone when calling in the order. He's very nice and welcoming, just very soft spoken. I always get the pad thai and pad se ew. Both pretty decent and worth coming back for. And like others have mentioned, the value can't be beat.
(5)Mark A.
The waitress here is one chill mothafucka. This chick Samantha walk over asking us like "do you guys want refills" and we say "niggaI am thirsty, that would be dank at this moment."
(5)Tim S.
Damn good green curry! First time eating here, and it was worth it. Excellent tai tea too. AND, you can never beat a $5.95 special
(5)Graeme B.
Somtam thai is my second favorite thai place on the ave. It's prices cannot be beat (5.95 for an entree!) and they are always really fast. For this reason I order from here often when I am in a rush. The food is good - a lot better than you'd expect for the price. They are actually true to their star rating for spicyness which I appreciate.
(4)Penny B.
I stopped in for a quick lunch. Loved the decor & open large windows. My waiter was prompt & efficient. The homemade noodles were awesome! Not too chewy or too soft. I ordered the pad see ew with tofu. The 4 star wasn't overly spicy, more like a 3 star. Over all a terrific experience & super affordable.
(5)Jason G.
Somtam Thai is a newcomer on the Ave. and the food is great! The owners have a lunch place downtown and have expanded to this location in order to spread the love. The prices are totally reasonable and the hospitality and generosity of the owners is tough to beat. The usual staples are all great but what makes their menu unique is that they offer four kinds of Som Tam (shaved Papaya salad) as well as a bunch of other dishes that aren't as common on American Thai menus like three variations on Laarb; one a warm chicken salad mixed with shallots, mint, scallions, lime juice and roasted rice powder and the others with pork or sliced beef. They also serve Gai Yang, a northern-style grilled chicken that has become ubiquitous throughout Thailand but isn't commonly available at most restaurants here in the states. Make sure you get some sticky rice to go with any of these dishes as it is the traditional accompaniment. I also love any of their soups and the Pad See Yew and Garlic Beef/Chicken. One thing to note: the owners are used to accommodating American tolerances for spicy food so if you aren't a complete wuss I would definitely recommend going higher on the spice scale if you like a little kick.
(5)Cara N.
Their food is not oily. Wow. That means a lot for Thai food. Most Thai restaurants on AVE cook really oily food and are unbearable. I only tried this new place once. But the food was good.
(4)Anne M.
Tofu red curry, Thai comfort food for less than $7! I've eaten here several times in the last few months and everything is always good, service fast and the whole staff very friendly.
(5)Jessica C.
The food, atmosphere, and customer service here was outstanding. The food was delic. The prices were affordable. I would definitely come back.
(5)Nath A.
I have a different go-to place for each category of Thai food. OK Noodles or Noodle Nation for noodle soups; Thai Tom for stir-fried noodle dishes; Little Thai for rice-and-side plates; Thai Curry Simple for curries. Som Tam Thai is my salad place. There's other stuff on the menu, of course. They've got the usual set of curries and stir fries, available off the $5.95 lunch menu and the more extensive dinner menu. Some of it is pretty decent; Som Tam was the clear winner in a U District Thai cashew chicken taste-off I did recently over the course of a couple of weeks. But the real reason to come here is for the salads that give this place its name (only on the menu after 3pm, I think, but it couldn't hurt to ask at lunch time). There are four versions of the papaya salad: one with dried shrimp, two with salty black crab, and one with fresh prawns. Despite being cheapest, I like the dried shrimp version the best. I'm not sure what exactly to do with the shell-on black crab: gnaw on it? Discard it? Chew it up, shell and all? I also didn't love the texture of the fresh prawns, but the dried shimp add some welcome chewiness and umami. The other salads are worth trying, as well -- Larb Gai, Naam Tok etc. Throw in some sticky rice and an iced tea or coffee, and you've got a great summer meal. Grab a seat on the counter and watch them break out the mortar and pestle. A word of warning, though. The spiciness scale on the salads is... a little different. The first couple of times I went in, the lady taking my order asked me for a number on the usual 1-5 scale. I went with a 5. Now, she just says "very spicy, right?", with a disconcertingly wide smile and an evil glint in her eye. I know that glint. That's a 'get the Thai iced coffee' glint. And you will need a sweet, cold, fatty beverage with this meal. This is the sort of salad that would make my South Indian grandmother say, 'hey, this salad has a slight kick to it', and my North Indian grandmother say, 'oh well, my face is burning off'. So, be prepared for spiciness escalation if you come in frequently enough to be recognized. I... might actually have to ask them to tone it down a little next time (I'm so sorry, South Indian grandma). This only seems to apply to the salads, mind you; the curries are a little on the mild side.
(4)Grace J.
The customer service is a thousand times better than Thai Tom's. Somtam servers are polite and efficient. The dishes are all pretty cheap - $5.99 for some of the lunch orders. Whether you're in the mood for a pleasant dining out experience or a quick to-go order, Somtam is a great choice.
(4)Joey J.
I gave my top 1 Thai place in university district after I got offended at Banana Leaf Cafe. Amazingly authentic Thai dishes.
(5)Connie K.
Better in my opinion than Thai Tom and no long waits. Clean and fast service! Favorite Thai place on the ave other than thaiger room. I ordered the pad Kee Mao with tofu and 4 star spicy ness not as spicy as you would expect with 4 star but very good regardless!
(4)Leo R.
Brand-new Restaurant in the U District with authentic Thai food, pleasant surroundings, and the nicest staff! Try the Kai-Yaang and Som Tam Thai...and of course, black sticky rice for dessert!
(4)Tim J M.
I went here for a late lunch about 4:25pm. First time. I ordered Rama Noodles w/chicken to go. When I got back to my desk I discovered that the noodles were one large hardened and congealed mass as if they had been cooked about 4 hours earlier and allowed to sit on a cold plate at room temperature for most the afternoon. I like lightly cooked vegetables, but these were cold and seemed they'd barely seen the bottom of the stir fry pan for 5 seconds. Ahhh... and the sauce, the peanut sauce was like some sort of industrial goop poured out of 10 gallon drum. I've never done this before, but I walked the two blocks back to the restaurant and let them know. I can't believe they would serve something like that to someone. Hands down the worst Thai I've had in my life. I can only assume that the reviewers who rate this place higher have very low standards and are just looking for cheap food. Well there's inexpensive, and then there is cheap (with all that implies). This is definitely cheap and you get what you pay for. Disgusting. I wanted to throw up.
(1)Liz S.
Super cheap, good food, clean... what more could you ask for on the Ave? The menu may not be as extensive as some other Thai joints, but that's okay. The curry dish with tofu I ordered was flavorful and the right amount of spicy. Will definitely be coming back in the near future.
(4)S R.
Been here several times and it's always consistently good. Good food, good service. It's a go!
(5)Jay C.
i want to delete my previous post.
(3)Philip W.
Stopped at SomTam Thai today because of lines at my usual restaurant. I saw their lunch special for $5.95 and was pleased to find a much cleaner, quicker, and friendlier restaurant. I had the garden delight with tofu and brown rice. The vegetables were fresh, the tofu and rice were cooked about right, and it wasn't too heavy on sauce. I'll be back for sure.
(5)Mike C.
This is the little Thai restaurant t that could! I was really glad to see a Thai restaurant open up on the north end of the 'Ave, and the first time I went in I knew I had found my go-to Thai place. I have been over ten times now, and I have never been disappointed. Great prices, generous portions, fast, friendly service and a variety of great tasting dishes keep me coming back. Som Tam Thai can hold it's own with any Thai place on the 'Ave.
(5)J H B.
I'll just say one word. Ketchup. Real Pad Thai does not have ketchup. The fried wings were pretty well fried, but the sauce on the side seemed like it came out of a jar. Drive to Portland and eat the wings at Pok Pok. The server was nice, but besides that skip it.
(1)Kelsey J.
This is probably one of my favorite Thai places in Seattle, if not on the Ave. The servers are consistently friendly, the food is affordable, and it's good to boot!!
(5)Joey J.
Not the best Thai place, but a decent ONE. Also they make authentic Thai dishes according to my Thai friend's comment. I would prefer this place than Thai Tom, because Thai Tom make real white Thai food lol
(5)Art V.
One thing that I absolutely need from a restaurant in order to become a regular patron is consistency, and this place has it. Consistently Somtam Thai provides large quantities of excellent tasting food for a very reasonable price. For only 6 bucks you will walk out feeling satisfied, and with a little bit of leftovers. This place is all around pretty great. Good people serving you, and a quaint and comfy atmosphere. I do have only 1 issue; make sure you ask for rice specifically on the side or you may be sorry. For example, when you order red curry it is like a soup with mushy rice in it. Other than that, go here and eat here all the time.
(4)Mia K.
Taste =1 Beef fried rice had large pieces tough beef w/ mushy rice & overcooked broccoli, ie dark green, all coated w/ overly sweet store-bought tasting seasoning) Service =3 Ambience =2 The other cook was eating in between packing my to-go. Sanitary? Price =4 Cheaper than usu thai places.
(1)Pauline T.
I don't typically write reviews based off of purely being lazy... but I am a frequent Yelp user when it comes to locating my next dining experience nearby.. Unfortunately, Yelp steered me horribly wrong in this case. One star solely for the nice servers... once they greet your table after 20 minutes of sitting there. Zero stars for the Pad Thai that tastes like straight Ketchup and mush. Another no bueno for the "salad" that comes with the weed flavored fish cakes, which consists completely of only raw bean sprouts & carrots. I would give half a star for a decently tasty Crab Wonton - which, deep fried crab & cream cheese wontons are pretty hard to screw up when dipped generously in Mae Ploy sauce.. Yes, prices are very low... but, you get what you pay for. If you're looking for authentic Thai food... pay an extra $3-5 and don't walk out completely disappointed. If you're a broke college student... still save your $6 and get Jimmy John's or some pho down the street.
(1)Elizabeth C.
Love this place. It's super convenient, really fast, tasty, and ridiculously cheap. Dining in here is great because the service is good, but I personally like somtam thai for take out best. The dishes are consistently good, and they give a really generous portion for only $6! You really can't beat those prices, especially since Thai food can be a little on the pricey side. Their spice levels can be a little hit or miss, as sometimes four stars is perfect for me and sometimes I can't even taste the spice, which shouldn't happen at four stars. Overall, though, I will always come back to somtam because of the incredible value and delicious food.
(4)Christina N.
Food's on point, servings generous and prices pretty low...what more could you ask for!? Service is really hit or miss, generally the staff is very friendly but I've had wait times anywhere from 7 minutes to 35 minutes for food, with a relative customer volumes. Larb - A bit on the fishy side, delicious for about the first 5 mins then it becomes overpowering. But for my Thai best friend, who's got the tongue for it, it's not enough. Pad See Ew - Never fails me, luhhhhv that its on the saucier side and pretty well balanced w/ carrots and broccili. Beef Salad - Very similar to the Larb, obviously except w/ beef...not your typical "salad" wit lettuce and dressing but definitely light and one of the healthier options on their menu. Garlic Chicken - BOMB, this dish is executed so well here...not nearly as fish saucy as other spots I've had so I don't get tired of it quick. The location is pretty far up the ave, but I almost prefer it that way, a little more low key and remote. Worth a stop by tho, check it out for yourself!
(4)Sara K.
The only thing that's good here is the Pad Thai. I've tried their Thai fried rice and it's kinda sweet, and also their Pad Se Ew, and it was smothered in sauce. Both not good. But all their dishes are super cheap here which is great. You can get an entree for around $6.00.
(3)Liz C.
Unfortunately, Somtam Thai only makes it to first base for me. We decided to come here for dinner in hopes of a delicious, Thai meal. I've heard that Somtam is known for their salad (papaya). However, I have heard that their noodle dishes do not compare to other Thai places on the ave such as Little Thai and Thai Tom. The pictures looked promising and the papaya salad sounded good so I wanted to give it a shot. When we arrived the place was pretty packed. The waitress asked if we were willing to sit at a high table. We agreed and sat down only to notice that the table was extra wobbly. We were brought ice water as we looked through the menu. Our waitress came back and we ordered Pad Thai chicken, Somtam Thai (papaya salad), Pad kee mao tofu and Thai herb fried rice. A couple left after finishing their meal by the window and the waitress asked if we would like to move to that table. We agreed since it meant avoiding that wobbly table. (I did feel kinda bad for the three boys who had to deal with it when they were seated. They looked like they mastered the table though!) We waited and the three boys who were sitting at the wobbly table actually got their food before us, even though they came after us. We decided not to think much of it and soon our food came. The papaya salad and Pad Thai came first. Next came the Pad kee mao and the fried rice. Dig in! Somtam Thai (papaya salad) - This salad is the name of the restaurant so you would believe that it should be good. I know people have said that this place really good papaya salad. Now, I am not a papaya salad expert. I am actually the very opposite, I am a papaya salad noob. I have no idea what it is supposed to taste like. I tried it, and it had an incredibly strong dried shrimp taste. I wasn't very enthusiastic about it and I didn't actually really like it. I took about four bites out of it total and the rest I just left on the plate. :( Pad Thai chicken - We got this as five star and was hoping it would be good. However, it was very, very sweet and extremely saucy. The noodles were gummier than normal and hard to bite through. I wasn't a huge fan, although the portion size is bigger than Thai Tom and the price is cheaper. Pad kee mao tofu - SALTY. That is all I can think about it. The kee mao was so salty that it was just killing my mouth. At first I thought it was decent but as soon as I took a few more bites, all I could feel was the overpowering taste of too much salt. I literally couldn't handle it anymore and had to stop eating. The painful salt taste stayed in my mouth for a long time. Thai herb fried rice - We were definitely not a huge fan on this one. This is the first time I've seen fried rice where the rice is all sticky and clumped up together in clusters. There was such a lack of flavor in this dish and I barely tasted any herbs. The fried rice was also a bit on the salty side. Service - The waitress was attentive and she refilled our water a few times. Service was good and efficient. The cost for all the dishes is pretty cheap overall (cheaper than most of the Thai places). However, the quality and taste just don't shine. I won't dock any stars down for the papaya salad since I'm not sure what it should taste like, but I am removing stars for the taste of the other three dishes. The kee mao was so salty that I had to go to Citra next door and get something cold and sweet just to counter the salt taste that was lingering in my mouth. For the price of all four dishes the check came out to be a little over 27$. This is a great price considering the number of dishes we ordered. I didn't feel it was worth paying this much for the food that was delivered though.
(2)C T.
The last two times I've gone here the tofu has been sour, like it had gone bad. They always deep fry their tofu to try to cover up the fact that it isn't fresh. Today I got food poisoning from eating at this place. I'll never go back.
(1)Bella S.
Worst food ever! Weird salad taste!! And pad thai!! Who will add ketchup in pad thai?! Real pad Thai has no ketchup! Really disappointed!
(1)Mary L.
This is my "go-to" stop for Thai food. Delicious pad see ew, good sized portions, great service, and a décor. Strangely for the U-District, I always find parking right in front in the afternoons.
(5)A J.
Excellent Thai food, service and atmosphere. I was hesitant to try a new place that wasn't as packed as Thai Tom, but was pleasantly surprised. Prices are great too ($5.95 for most everything on the menu.) Unlike some of my other favorite Thai restaurants, this place can seat a group, great choice if you have more than, say, 2 people in your party.
(5)Photo S.
Went to try this new place a couple nights ago...not impressed. The Phad Thai was more "tangy" than normal Phad Thai. I personally don't like it, because it isn't as authentic. My friend was unfortunate and purchased the the Phad see ew. It was way too dry, they need to add more sauce! If you want good, saucy Phad see ew, go down a couple blocks to Noodle Nation! Noodle nation is still my favorite Thai place! However, I do like their restaurant setting and lighting, very modern and cute.
(2)Rich X.
Cute little place on the ave. I ordered the phad thai and my friend ordered the rama noodles. I personally thought the phad thai here was better than most other phad thai's around the area as it was a good amount of spice and salty. The thing that made this one stand out from the rest was the fact I didn't need to eat rice with it ^^ My friend ordered the rama noodles and it was covered in peanut sauce. He said he didn't need rice but there was a lot of extra sauce left over and wish he had rice to go with it. My only complaint was the service was a bit slow and our waitress didn't really check to see if we needed anything.
(3)Ken M.
Pretty good option for a quick lunch. Definitely on the spicy side. Cashew chicken was really good but would go with the chicken over the beef.
(3)Jae V.
I ordered the Kee Mao and the pineapple fried rice. All of my friends ordered the Pad Thai. Veggies were cut too thin and the fish oil they use on it was very overwhelming. I was sad I ordered so much food because I ended up throwing it out due to it being too fishy. Only one person in my party of 6 was not bothered by the fish oil. The waitress was nice and prompt on our large order. I wouldn't ever go here again though. It is an open kitchen so it can get a little noisy.
(2)Kate B.
I've since expanded my repertoire of Thai restaurants but Somtam Thai remains my favorite on the Ave. It is the cheapest Thai restaurant on the Ave and it is all freshly-cooked to order. My go-to dish is the pad see-ew. They serve a very large portion of the dish and while it is a tiny bit sweeter than other restaurants, it is very spicy and savory. I have had their red curry and it was creamy and flavorful, but noticeably hotter at 3* than the pad see-ew at 3*!
(5)Alice C.
Basically, what keeps me coming back to Somtam Thai are two things: 1) Phenomenal service 2) Astonishingly low prices! With the abundance of Thai restaurants in the area, it's pretty much a rite of passage for every UW student to pick a favorite. I don't have a single favorite, but Somtam Thai makes the list of tops. There are restaurants with better taste, but for the price and service Somtam can't be beat. For $5.95 per dish, I would venture to say there is no other Thai restaurant that can compete. The waiters are also extremely attentive and very very nice! My favorite things to order are the pad thai or phad see iew. Both 2 stars and with tofu--their tofu is the bomb.com !
(4)AlyxandraMonique S.
I tried this place for the first time and it was alright. It is relatively inexpensive here which definitely lures people into eat here when you need something quick on the Ave. I don't recommend the Tom Zab because it upset my stomach and the taste of the soup itself lacked something in it. The service and location of Somtam Thai is decent and I wouldn't mind coming in to order something real quick before class.
(2)Michael F.
Don't go here if you've been to Thailand or are Thai. I'm Thai and I would not eat here again; as a farang (westerner) or hungry college student, this place is perfect due to their prices, portions, & flavors. The staff was super nice. The phad kapow gai (stir-fried ground chicken w/Thai basil) was NOT authentic; they added green bell peppers, which did not make it really tasty nor is it legit Thai style. The nam tok nuea (sliced beef salad) and som tom poo pala (papaya salad w/fermented crab & mud fish) was too sour (too much lime) and sweet (added too much sugar). Also, I don't think they even mashed the salad with a pestle/mortar and I didn't see any small dried shrimp in the som tom (papaya salad); both are essential to a proper som tom (papaya salad). The som tom poo pala was lacking in pala. The above things may have been done to appeal to American tastebuds; too much was compromised. However, I was impressed to see som tom poo pala (papaya salad w/fermented crab & mud fish) on the menu because most Thai places I've been to in the states don't have it.
(2)Kimmie L.
Wowwww ! What a great accidental find. The original place I wanted to eat at was closed so I went for Somtam Thai with the large $5.95 lunch special sign. Im so glad we came in. We ordered the garlic chicken and chicken noodle soup. Both were delicious. Specifically my chicken noodle was with pho noodles and a spicy limy soup like Tom yum. I got 4/5 stars which was actually a good kick. I like legitimate spiciness since I'm southeast Asian too. The price is too good to be true. Recommend it!
(5)Spencer P.
The food itself isn't the best thai I've had in Seattle, however for the price and portion size it can't be beat. $6 for a full meal and some leftovers for a snack a little later in the night. As a college student living in the U District Somtam Thai is one of my usual spots.
(4)Emily K.
As much as I love yelpy famous places, I really love trying places I always walk by and finally decide to give a shot and end up happy with my decision. Som Tam has super intimate seating and my server was quiet but so kind. Walked in craving something noodley and soupy like I normally do and found the chicken noodle soup to be the obvious choice for me. I wanted it to be 5 stars but left wanting more heat! The dish itself was actually really good. Came out piping hot, just the way I like it! Great size, nice noodle to protein ratio and for only $6?! I love that the chicken was super tender and cut into bite sized pieces! I hate when the cut is too large and I have to take a bite and spit it back in my soup - not cute! The broth was nice too, a little more complex than just chicken broth and hot sauce. There was a slight sweetness that might have came from the fried garlic? Anyway, loved my dish! Perfect for this rainy day.
(4)Rohan Y.
I would say 4.5 stars is a more appropriate rating for this establishment. It's a wonderful place. I actually didn't know about its existence until one of my friends dragged me here, and I am greatly glad I was. Somtam has this deal where you can get any entree for if I remember correctly, ~$5.95. For the quantity and taste, that's amazing; anything else (good, filling and not chipotle or a gyro from sultan's or aladdin's) is usually $7+. I usually alternate between the Red Curry (!!!!!!! 10/10 would recommend) or the Pad thai (8/10). Personally, I'm preferable to Thai Tom as the best thai food on the ave, but som tam's spice counter is perfect, and gives TT a run for its money. Going 5 stars at Thai Tom will knock you out (and give you a horrifying morning toilet visit), at som tam it'll give you a lot of kick, but you can still taste your food. (I love spice; I'll probably be making a lot of repeat trips here just for the price/taste factor) Service is friendly, and the place is rarely crowded on a weekday, and even weekends is pretty good too. Which means your food comes pretty darn quick - heck, there have been times when I sat down, ordered, and got my food faster than it took to get through the line at chipotle. EDIT: rounded up to 5 stars.
(5)Vy T.
Love these folks here! I don't come here so often but when I do, I always make sure to order at least 2-3 entrees for lunch/dinner next day. Not quite sure how people still enjoy rude waitresses and burnt food from Thai Tom across the street. So here you can order pad Thai , pad see ew and curry for less than $20. And your pad Thai might not be the most authentic pad Thai you can find but it does the trick. Enough tangy and sweet balance with a bit of heat. I can't ask for more. Their pad see ew and pad ke Mao isn't bad also. Not too saucy! In conclusion, if you want your standard Thai fix and is nearby the area, ,come check this place out. Otherwise, there are lots of Thai restaurants in town that offer authenticity and vibes!
(4)Francis T.
It's a bit farther down the University Ave but with its low prices and quick service, it's a great place to sit down with a friend and just grab something to eat. Although the food took a little while to go (although it was very crowded at the time so understandable) , the portions were well worth the price. I ordered the pad see ew on a two star spice level. The spice level was great for a two star (I'm not the best person with spice) and it was still delicious with the right amount of sweetness. The noise level in the area was noisy but you could still talk to someone in front of you just fine. More or less, great restaurant and would come here for the great prices and flavorful food.
(4)Vanny H.
Yes! It's cheap, gives generous portion, has clean and decorated interior; but if you're looking to eat delicious authentic thai food, this is not the right place for you. Service was okay.. Friendly.. but waited for more than 20 minutes for a plate of food with relatively low volume of customers. This would be forgivable if only the taste would make up for it. Unfortunately, it didn't. Tried their.. Fried rice (It was blant, weirdly sticky, and the meat was really tough) Pad see ew noodle (there was not depth of flavor at all. Ordered 5 stars and it came out sweet like sugar)
(2)Viet N.
Definitely my favorite place to go on the Ave for Thai Food for its great price at $5.99! It is a little out of the way towards 50th. Unless it is a weekend night, there are no long waits like Thai Tom has around the clock. Food is definitely not as spicy as some of the other places so keep that mind. Portions are quite large so you'll probably have leftovers! Win-win. Place is quite small with only one large table meant for groups.
(4)Richard G.
My new favorite place on the Ave. Hits all the bases for me: 1. Taste: very, very good! I normally get the Thai Basil Chicken. Very great tasting, with no overwhelming flavors. Comes out piping hot!!! 2. Customizability: Option to add extra meat for $1.50 (a must if visiting after the gym), when a friend ordered Tofu he was given the choice of soft or crispy, and option for white or brown rice. Only knock is for lunch they do not offer appetizers (not a big deal). Also offer 1-5 star spice option and it can actually get spicy! 3. Service: waitress was very good at explaining options and dealing with allergies. Checked in the right amount and found us seats quick. 4. Portion Size: amazing. Simply the most amount of Thai food on the ave, second to maybe Little Thai/ thai 65 5. Price: this is what makes it all the best. Only $5.95 for a meal. Under $6.00!! Are you kidding me? Made this place a staple and will continue to frequent so long as the value is so insanely high.
(5)Jenn L.
Definitely not the best Thai option on the Ave, but it's good for the price ($5.95!!!). It's hard for me to give favorable reviews to a Thai restaurant that serves ketchup Pad Thai, but Somtam does other dishes decently so I rounded up to 3. In my experience, I think you're better off staying away from the stir-fried noodles dishes. Their Pad Thai is ketchup-based and the Pad See Ew was way too salty. The Rama Noodles were okay but the sauce was a bit too thick, so not the best I've had. Try their curries or salads. I've been impressed by all 3 of their curries (red, green, pineapple), and they're not afraid to make them spicy if you ask. And although I haven't tried their salads, I think that's Somtam's specialty so probably worth a shot.
(3)Katie L.
This place has decent service, well we were the only ones there. Food was made fast and tastes okay. Thai iced tea was also okay. Both for just 8$! I would recommend when you are trying to save on money.
(3)Sarah M.
I like how clean and decorated Som Tam Thai is; it's one of the restaurants with better interiors on the Ave. It's also rather cheap, which is a plus for a college student. Service is nice and they are attentive on refilling your water glass. However, the food itself was not memorable. I had the Pad Thai chicken 3 stars, and it completely lacked spice. Furthermore, the noodles looked and tasted like they were drenched in ketchup. It was a filling meal, but I don't plan on eating there again, unless I'm desperately craving Thai food and can't afford Thai Tom or Thai 65.
(3)