Too expensive for the quality. Crappy thai food is fine, we all crave a good junk meal sometimes. But not when the restaurant charges $1.50 for rice. Also the place kinda smelled like a really old old kitchen.
(2)
Linda M.
The TOM YUM soup is pre-made and you are not able to get it none spicy or even just less spice. It is an auto 3 star spice. (FYI -- I DO eat spice, just testing this dish here) Good Thai restaurants make tom yum soup none spicy and have the option to add spice. On 2 other occasions I ordered the CHICKEN LARB GAI -- The lime juice they use, has a bad unfresh taste. You can only assume they use the lime from the bottle. Leaves a very bad after taste. This place just keeps on disappointing and I do not recommend going there if you have a choice. (unfortunately for those working on First Hill, there really isnt much of a choice).
(1)
Anah T.
Mediocre Thai food. Also, they don't make papaya salad. What Thai place doesn't have papaya salad! AND they added their own tip when I ordered take out. It was a small amount but seriously?
(2)
Suz S.
NO. The people are rude. The food is bad and overpriced. Don't do it sweet hospital workers. I know. We are hungry and rushed and you can't always eat a sandwich. But don't do this to yourself. People who like thai food like spice. The 5 star spicy tastes sugary and gross. Dooooooon't do it.
(1)
Jackie A.
I work on "pill hill" so I've had my share of nearby restaurants. Thai star I frequent quite often. The restaurant is pretty small, although I've never dined in. It's always take out for me. My favorite go-to menu item here is the spicy noodle. Pad see ew is usually the dish I opt for when trying a new Thai restaurant since I've never met one I didn't like. Well yet, anyway. However, since my coworker suggested I try the spicy noodle, I've never looked back. It's definitely different, and I don't know if it's a specialty item, but I've never seen it on a menu anywhere else. I've tried other items on their menu as well, but they weren't so great. Overall, it's alright. You could do better, but when your choices are limited, it's a solid choice.
(3)
Dustin P.
Pretty darn good pad thai and curries. Also great service and quick. Not the spiciest of thai but good flavor & $$
(5)
Steven T.
This place is not the best Thai place, but its the only Thai place on FH near the hospitals, and let me tell you, you ask for something to be specific they DO NOT listen, yet they are adamant and argue with you that they've instructed the cook to do so, bull fucking shit!!!!!! I ordered a 10 star chicken pad Thai Extra Sauce, it was dry as fuck!!!!! I called and told them and the little lady was so nonchalant about it and didn't show any sympathy at all. I will definitely not be returning to this little shack.
(1)
Jason G.
First time I have tried this place. I went there for lunch and ordered the Mongolian Beef thinking it was a safe choice for the first time going to a new place, I mean who can mess up Mongolian Beef... boy was I wrong. The Good: The staff was very friendly and they allowed me to order over the phone. The chopsticks were not bad quality like many other Asian places in the area, which is a plus for me, since I don't like eating splinters. The Bad: The beef was overcooked. The sauce tasted off. The veggies were undercooked. It took a long time to make my order, about 25min which seems like a little excessive, I am glad I called it in. The ginger didn't taste good at all and I love ginger. The Ugly: The way it made my stomach feel after eating it, pretty sure I got a slight food poisoning from this place. Final thought: I will probably give this place a second chance and try another dish, maybe ill try the Pad Thai next time and a Thai Iced tea.
(2)
Cindy G.
I have to say that this is probably my go to place to get thai food. There is something about the pineapple fried rice that is heavenly compared to other Thai restaurants that I've been to; it definitely has the perfect taste. The pad thai is a classic. It came with some rice the last time I ordered it, and it. was. so. good.
(5)
Tony W.
Great spot for a quick lunch as well.
(5)
Lindsey L.
I like this place and I eat here about once a week. The green curry is good, standard, and the Tom Yum and Tom Kah soups are lovely. I recommend this place for a lunch spot, not for exciting interiors or ambience, but for good reliable food and rapid friendly service.
(4)
Nicoel L.
One of my favorite little Thai places, there are lots and lots of veggies and meat in each dish, not just a few pieces. Tons of flavor. However the phad Thai sauce isn't good, too sugary.
(4)
Michael M.
Great taste, good ingredients, and friendly staff. Underrated in my opinion compared to the other places in the neighborhood. I often get takeout because of their proximity and turn around time. The curries here are great. Would recommend to my friends!
(5)
Jenny A.
Me and my co-workers would come here for a quick Thai "fix" but there's nothing special about this place. The food is mediocre and their Thai tea is very sweet... close to work but I've definitely had better... P.S - watch out when you are tipping with your credit card. Make sure it's cleared through your bank/company before throwing away your receipt!! -- A few years ago, my sister tipped with her card and noticed a larger amount was deducted (someone added a "1" in front of her tip so i.e, she tipped $2 but $12 was deducted), and for some odd reason, she kept her receipt and was able to show proof and get it corrected. -- kinda sketchy, so just watch out!!!
(2)
Chuck D.
Ordered take-out food from here. Quality was well below average. Food had no taste and beef was dry. I will probably never order again.
(2)
Viet N.
Not a terrible place for a quick lunch, but probably better options around. It's always a bad start when your lunch special starts with a watery, lukewarm broth partially filled with freeze-dried vegetables. It's reminiscent of the bottom of a styrofoam noodle soup meal, but without the flavor. I ordered the panang curry, which comes as a separate bowl of (in this case, tofu) curry and two scoops of white rice. All for $9. It wasn't bad, but probably equivalent to what anyone could make with a can of coconut milk and generic Panang Curry Mixâ„¢. It's also not at all spicy. I love me some spicy curry, and am always gunshy about going all out spicy on a first try in a new restaurant, because I've been burned (harhar) in the past. The meal was served quickly (~10 min), so I guess lunch props there.
(2)
Crystal T.
This place will rip u off and knows nothing about customer service!!! I work by this place. Two of my co workers & I wanted to try this place. One of my co-workers called ahead of time to order. She ordered the wrong thing in error. When we got there I got the wrong dish or so I thought. My co-worker told me that she ordered the wrong thing for me. I asked the owner to bring me something different because my friend ordered the wrong thing in error. He advised me that I was going to pay for a new order and the old one too. I hadn't eaten it or anything. He screamed at me in a crowded restaurant that it wasn't his fault that the wrong thing was ordered. I was so embarrassed. I tried to explain to him that between the tips he would have gotten from all of us & me ordering something new he would have made more money. I paid & left. I give this place a zero star!!!
(1)
Caitlin D.
Awesome curry and amazing pad thai! We always get take out though. The interior is a bit drab and crowded, so I wouldn't really want to eat my delicious food here. Decent prices and we never wait long for our food.
(4)
G M.
I stopped in here on a Friday in the middle of lunch hour around the hospital. I was in between a double shift at the Starbucks and needed some real food on a cold, blustery, sideways-rain kind of Seattle day. Hot Thai food sounded perfect. I got the Tom yum with tofu. Not a big fan of the deep fried tofu here but the soup and veggies were super flavorful! The service was fast even in lunch rush with many takeout orders going at the same time. The soup was perfect for me at medium spicy (and I love hot food). They had a small appetizer soup that was nothing to talk about. This looks like a mom and pop joint and for not many people working it was very clean,fast, and friendly. Not the best Thai food I've had but a fair price for what I was looking for. PS the lunch portions are big and they play fun pop music
(4)
Carly C.
This place is not horrible buuuut it also isn't great. It is small, very clean and the service was fine... But man oh man.. the food was plain sloppy and bland. Chicken satay was kinda tough but edible. The veggies were crisp enough to not gross me out, but you can tell everything we had (Thai Star special noodles & garlic chicken stir fry) was only pre chopped/prepared ingredients with store bought peanut sauce on top. Heavy and unsatisfactory. But sadly, I have had worse.
(2)
Polly C.
The reason why I've tried this place a few times is because there aren't many great food places to choose from on First Hill, in my opinion (unless you want to go to one of the 50 sandwich shops in the area). I like the chili fried rice, but that's probably the only thing I like. I've tried their noodle dishes and sweet and sour dish and wasn't very impressed. Their dishes aren't as flavorful as other places and I think they are more catered towards non-Asians that aren't familiar with what Thai food and spices should taste like. I also think their food presentation is a little sloppy. The veggies I got in all of my meals always looked old, especially the carrots. They are also stingy with the portion. I normally don't finish my plate when I eat Thai, but this place still leaves me hungry sometimes. Yes, the restaurant is always full but that's because there are a few hospitals that surround it and hospital workers like myself get hungry! lol. However, it's usually packed with non-Asians. Thai Star isn't horrible but if you want good Thai food, go somewhere else. I will give them an A+ for their friendly service though!
(2)
JayD B.
I have been to Thai Star for the last 5 years and have tried many things when I was preggo and will only order two things off their menu. Red Curry with Chicken is to die for and the fresh spring rolls are unique. They roll them up with a piece of fried wrapper in the middle which was surprising yet tasty but not at all fresh or healthy.
(3)
Hayley J.
Perhaps this should have allllmost 4 stars rather than straight up 4. Stopped here after work and paid $10 something for the Massuman curry. Normally I like thai curry dishes to be $7 something, but that's generally the price I'm used to around the U-dist, not so on Cap Hill. The guy working was very nice and let me mess around with prices, seeing if I wanted to go all out and add rice or extra tofu (I didn't, but maybe for their lunchtime prices!) and my meal was ready very quickly! I'd have to say it's worth the extra $2-$3 bucks because this curry was onnnnn point flavorful! Pineapple AND peanuts and all around very delicious even though I only got mild (I'm weak...). The fried tofu wasn't hella fried, but I'm not complaining as there was a bunch of it. Soooo yes, not the cheapest, certainly not the most expensive, all around solid choice.
(4)
Samantha G.
If you happen to be eating here, you cannot go wrong with ordering their beef phad see ew. Sometimes they overcook the beef but other than that, I love eating the chow fun noodles in this dish. I know some people don't like how undercooked the veggies are but I personally like it that way since it adds a crunch to the dish. Their swimming rama (with chicken) is pretty good as well, which is loaded with peanut sauce. The two items I would recommend avoiding are their spring rolls and phad thai. Ok so their spring rolls are more of a personal preference since they're nothing like Vietnamese spring rolls. These contain a lot of greens and very strong flavors (cilantro? basil?). I also am not a fan of the sweet/sour sauce that goes with it. As what many reviews have stated, the phad thai tastes very tomato/ketchup like. Not good at all. Thai Star does manage to get your food ready in a timely manner. This is very important if you work on Pill Hill! Oh and they are one of the few places around Madison St that's open on Sundays.
(3)
Ryan W.
Ordered the chicken Phad Thai and it was just ok... The sauce, like many have commented on, was not that great. It gave me the impression that there's a HUGE pot of this "Phat thai" sauce... and they just slop some in a frying pan and toss it with the noodles and meat. I'm always willing to try a place again, to give them the benefit of the doubt. So we'll see... I gave 2-stars strictly on speed and convenience. I work on first hill and they're the only Thai restaurant in walking distance. The high point is that I called my order in while I was walking there.. and by the time I got there (about 5-minutes later) my order was ready - which even more so solidified my assumption of how simple their dish/preparation is.
(2)
Rebecca B.
the pad thai is disgusting. way to much catsup in it! Its hard to find good pad thai but this is definitely not that place to go. The other food might be ok.
(1)
Estella N.
Fast service and tasty food. The price is about average for what you will pay at other Thai restaurants. I loved the convenient location to my office and the speed in which the food is prepared and ready for pick up. The Hawaiian Fried Rice w/Chicken was fresh and delicious and plentiful. I typically like my food spicy but I know from experience the star rating for how spicy you want your dish varies from restaurant to restaurant. I was cautious and chose a 2 star spiciness level (i.e. Medium) just in case so at least I got some spice versus no spice versus heat overkill. Turns out my choice was perfect. The 2 star is nice 'n spicy especially when you heat the leftovers - the spices are revived. It wasn't like burn your tongue and the need for many glasses of milk or loaves of bread, but it definitely had a nice kick to satisfy your spice-loving taste buds. You can definitely order your food with zero stars on the spice level like my friend did, the food is tasty on its own. The 3-star rating on this review is only because I love Thai food and I've enjoyed all of the dishes I've ever eaten at/from Thai restaurants. Nothing super spectacular about this dish that would separate it from the rest, but it was so yummy to my tummy. I'm definitely ordering from Thai Star again and I will try another dish or their special dish to give another review, as needed. Yummy food, seriously. :)
(3)
Sweta R.
Hole in the wall place. Good food but low on ambience, mostly noisy. Had their chilli paste fried rice and mango with sticky rice. The fried tasted really good, perfect spices. The dessert was too dry, not much coconut milk on the sticky rice. The thai iced tea was decent.
(4)
Daren D.
I had some sort of non-menu item from their specials menu. Something along the lines of See wen or Sew wee noodles. Warm vermicelli noodles with my meat choice and standard add-ons. The "chef special" sauce is the normal fish sauce with a slight chili(?) kick. It was good to ok and the portion was a bit smaller than the container. I took it to the office and finished it in a few minutes.
(3)
Kate S.
Nothing extraordinary but not bad either -- Thai Star is small, quick, and fairly tasty-if nothing else edible. Stuffed wontons, soup, and the mysteriously named "spicy noodles" were ordered this time around. Prices are standard for Thai food in the PNW...however the wontons were disappointing considering they were almost ALL cream cheese. I don't think there was crab or even krab in those suckers. The soup (Thom Ga) was spicy, flavorful and just a little sour. The tofu sopped up all the flavor and was quite nice. The "spicy noodles" were a bit weird. Im not used to my egg noodles being so WHITE -- typically they absorb a bit of the soy and get lovely and dark that way. Not here -- just a pile of noodles swimming in the sauce but not taking much in. The broccoli in it was cooked perfectly though, and there was plenty of soy-saucy egg bits to fight over as well. Flavor was good but nothing special. As already mentioned, service was quick and efficient. Water was always refilled quickly and getting leftovers boxed up was no issue at all. If im REALLY craving Thai and am at home i'll come here in a pinch, but there is certainly much better to be offered around the city.
(3)
Rosalio A.
The Pad See Ew was good needed a little salt but other then that was good. The wanton soup was really good love the fresh garlic.
(4)
Andre L.
Was in Seattle on business and decided to try this place out since it was just down he street. Food came out quickly, so that was a plus. Ordered the Pad Kee Mao. Unfortunately, the noodles were a bit overdone and rather bland as well. Overall, not terrible but definitely not worth coming back to if I'm ever in town again.
(2)
Adrienne B.
I must say that I agree with many of the reviewers here. I eat at Thai Star often for lunch, but I now tend to get the exact same thing every time (Pad See Eew). The service is good - the staff are friendly, always ready to refill your water glass, and offer you soup while you look over the menu. The problem is that some of their dishes are not very good. Pad Thai is a staple of any Thai restaurant, and I can't stand theirs. The first time I ate it, I thought they just put the noodles in a vat of ketchup instead of the proper sauce. Thinking the cook was having an off day, I tried it again a month later... same result. Pad See Eew is good, and their lunch special #1 (can't recall the name, but it reminds me of chow mein) is not bad either. I'm allergic to nuts, so I cannot comment on any dish with nuts in it.
(2)
Mae D.
I frequent Thai Star every few months or so. It's near my work and the service is pretty fast. I normally like to take my food to go as it's a bit crowded there during lunch time. I normally get their Pad Thai, which is ok. I have grown accustomed to the pad thai places on The Ave in the U-District, especially Thai Toms. I've had other dishes here and I can't complain. It's good if you live or work near by, but I wouldn't make a special trip up just to eat there. Otherwise, the service is ok, the people are nice and they give you complimentary soup when you sit down and take a look at your menu. If you have a short lunch, call your order ahead of time to take it to go or eat there if you like.
(3)
Angela r.
I really like this place! Small but very clean and the staff is super nice and obliging. I ordered the The Thai Star Special and it was fantastic!! And I do mean fantastic! The sauce was very spicy so I will order it a tad milder, but the whole experience was amazing. With Thai restaurants all over Seattle, they kind of all taste the same. This is the first one I've been to that was different! Yeah, they have the standards like pad thai, but they also have some foods I'd never heard of but am anxious to try!
(4)
Miya T.
This place is close to work (Virginia Mason), so I do frequent it. They aren't the greatest Thai place I've been to, but they are good, and they are consistent! I've been to a lot of Thai places where one day the food is great and another day something is off. They are also consistent with their spice! 4 stars IS 4 stars! So don't ask for the highest spice rating unless you're willing to take the burn. The service is friendly and fast. The Pad Kee Mao and Pad Thai are delish. The Tom Yum soup is very good as well. The prices aren't bad and the portions are large, so you can easily split one order into two meals!
(4)
Kate B.
Friendly, fast service. Good food. Thai ices tea & iced coffee was magic in my mouth!!
(3)
Sunshine C.
Yum. Ordered the Green Bean Delight with Chicken 3 spicy... and it was delicious! So glad i came here after i had a horrendous dinner at Orrapin Thai the night prior. Will come back next time Im in Seattle.
(3)
Dawn O.
The Pad Thai was the worst i have ever had in Seattle. I have lived here for 18 years, and this was horrible. Then,This order was wrong. They gave the wrong meat and since it was delivery, I had no recourse. When I called they were rude. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE! THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD THAI RESTAURANTS HERE!!!!
(1)
Amanda S.
Came here for lunch with a friend. It's a small seat yourself spot with okay food. The table was sticky. And the food was just mediocre. The amount of MSG they add must have been thru the roof because I had a bad migraine for several hours after the meal. We did receive a complimentary cup of soup which was nice, however the waitress did not come around again so I could ask her if it was vegetarian, so I did not get to eat it. I got the veggie stir fry with prawns and rice. I wanted 3 stars for heat which is only one star from the hottest option and there was NO heat to my food at all. I'd not return here on my own.
(2)
Vanessa H.
I was on my way to my ophthalmologist and decided to give it a try. The Thai Star Red Curry was not curry, at least to me. It was very milky and lacked consistency, more like a soup with some veggies and chicken. They quality of the food wasn't bad just not for me. It was too sweet and not spicy enough even for asking for spicy. My husband got the Phad Thai and said it was good but again very sweet. If you like sweet and mild come here, but otherwise not for the spicy and savory at heart!
(2)
Kristen G.
I ordered the Rama, peanut sauce over spinach with rice and chicken. It arrived in about 5 minutes which means it was most definitely not made to order. It tasted like fast food, too. The dish was basically a handful of raw spinach unceremoniously dumped on the plate, followed by a bit of chicken and topped with a translucent peanut sauce. The sauce was too sugary and had a goopy texture. Paired with the out-of-a-box Thai iced tea I received I left feeling like I'd had dessert, not lunch. A dessert I paid far too much for to boot. This is basically one of the many over-priced, low-quality restaurants on pill hill that caters to hospital staff on their lunch breaks. If it was cheap, I'd say what the heck, but it's both expensive AND bad, so why bother?
(2)
B W.
Really enjoyed the Thai Basil with chicken, which tends to be my litmus test for Thai restaurants I try. Good quantity and variety of fresh veggies here, which is often not the case elsewhere, and also not over cooked--very nice! Also enjoyed the Mussaman curry on another occasion, though the quantity of chicken in that one was a bit light. Great flavor though. Ambience is modest but a couple of steps above the typical "formica tables, harsh fluorescent light and stained paper menus" type of place. It's pleasant to dine in... Yeah, I'll be going back again to try some noodle dishes.
(4)
Doug B.
We have been going here for years. It is best for take out. Very good, spicy Thai food!
(4)
Kirby M.
Pretty typical Thai fare. Reasonable prices, too. I come here all the time because it's close to work and definitely beats hospital cafeteria food. I can phone my order in just before leaving work and it'll be ready by the time I get there. Lately I've been addicted to their pumpkin curry, ERMAHGERD.
(4)
Victoria T.
I dropped in today and ordered soup. Wonton soup. With Chicken. Two orders. It went like this: V: Two wonton soup with chicken, one star, please. Vacant Stare Boy Behind Counter (Hereforth to be referred to as VSBBC): How spicy? V: Um, one star. Two orders. VSBBC: One star. $9.someoddchange. V: Wow. That's cheap for two bowls of soup. VSBBC: Okay. FIFTEEN minutes later, VSBBC appears with ONE bowl of soup. V: I ordered two of those. VSBBC: But you paid for one. V: But I would have paid for two. Can you get another? Fairly quick? VSBBC: Sorry. $9.someoddchange. V: Whatever. TEN minutes later, VSBBC appears with an additional bowl of soup. VSBBC: Sorry. V: Gee, thanks. Friend Who Has Remained Silent and Horrified (Hereforth referred to be referred to as FWHRSH): I want the first one that came out. V: Why? FWHRSH: You pissed him off. V: He's too stupid to be pissed. You get the second one, though. Just in case. The soup was good. It was not TEN bucks worth of good. Nor was it worth the almost 30 minutes of my life wasted waiting for SOUP!
(1)
John A.
It was okay. Not much can be said for the location itself- its very low key. The food was decent, but not as spicy or flavorful as most Thai places. Green Curry was 9 dollars and was an acceptable portion size. Staff was friendly enough.
(2)
Sonne M.
I'm giving Thai Star a three star rating solely because their Tom Kah soup isbone of the best I've ever had! Their other dishes I've tried, such as the massaman curry and coriander beef fall short in comparison to the amazing Tom Kah. The portions of the other main dishes are small for their price and the coriander beef was very sweet, almost like candy, not for me. If you go here, you MUST try the Tom Kah, with 4 star spice level, if you can take the heat!
(3)
Anika L.
Alas, I've ordered or eaten at Thai Star more than a dozen times over the past 6 years, since they are in my neighborhood. But there is no place worse for vegetarians or vegans. If you ask for dishes without fish sauce, they'll say "sure" we can do that, but then you get NO SAUCE what soever. That is right, you'll get some veggies and tofu, or what ever was in the dish, but with nothing on it. It is silly, since 95% of the Thai places in Seattle have no problem cooking vegetarian dishes. But this place is totally out of it. What is strange, is that they offer 4 or 5 official vegetarian dishes, and sometimes have veggies specials, but don't seem to be able to do what most Thai places do. Tonight they told me that there is no way from them to cook Pad Thai without fish or oyster sauce. How do the other 95% of Thai places offer a Pad Thai w/o those then? I have made the mistake of thinking that they've changed over the years, only to have the same problem over and over again.
(2)
Perry S.
I had take out. The food was good, however the portion size was not much compared to the price they charged.
(1)
Allison F.
I simply don't understand some of these negative reviews! I order take out every few weeks for lunch as the restaurant is located very near the hospital I work at, and I'm almost always satisfied. My favorite dish is the panang curry with tofu and brown rice. This is honestly one of the best curries I've tried in Seattle, except for maybe Thai Thani in Ballard. It chock full of veggies which is something I find very important in a good curry. I've only ever been disappointed by the pad see ew, which was all noodle and egg and very little broccoli and chicken. The take out service is quite speedy, which I really appreciate when I am trying to grab a quick lunch, and the staff has always been really friendly. I don't care what the others say, I'm a fan.
(4)
Stephanie T.
I recently started working at Swedish Medical Center on First Hill. There are many restaurants located in the area, but not too many Thai places. This one is a couple blocks from the hospital. I've ate here on a few occassions so far. The interior is small, and they always seem to be busy, especially around lunch time. Almost always filled with hospital employees since there are so many hospitals in the area. I've had the Fresh Rolls which have tofu, basil, noodle, and nice peanut dipping sauce. They are a good portion size, but probably a little over priced. I have also had the thai star special which is a peanut sauce noodle dish with shrimp and chicken. I absolutely love their peanut sauce. Very smooth, creamy, and delicious. I recently became vegetarian, so I'm hoping they can make this dish vegetarian! Overall, the prices are fair for the quantity and quality of food. The service is always quick and efficient which is good when you are in a rush on lunch break. Would recommend ordering ahead if you want to take an order to go!
(4)
Robin N.
I've been frequenting this restaurant for 13+ years and the quality/quantity has consistently gone down hill. Thai Star Noodle lunch special has been my fave. In the beginning they served a healthy serving with 5 prawns and at least 3 ounces of chicken. Today, there was 1 prawn and 1 small piece of chicken. Looks like they don't plan on improving and I need to find another favorite Thai food restaurant...
(2)
Lauren J.
Well, seems like they have the location down! That's why I go here too... and will continue to. Not for the food, really. Pad Thai is my favorite food ever (AHH I'm hungry from just typing the words) and it's just kinda a miss here. I'm pretty sure I never EVER thought pad thai was sometimes ketchupy tasting until I joined Yelp and read reviews. THANKS YELP! Now I'm always freaking out about it. "IS THAT KETCHUP I TASTE? MAN THIS IS SO KETCHUPY." But I swear to bajeezus it was! The weird thing is that I've been here twice so far and the first time it tasted like straight up ketchup and the next it was fine. Like I said, I live very close by so I'll be back, dudes.
(3)
Cat A.
O.M.G. I have never had such horrible thai food. Come on, pad thai and curry with sticky rice.. HOW HARD IS IT to perfect even the most typical thai staple foods? We came here because I was craving Thai food. Bad Idea. The Pad Thai is covered in frikkin sweet thai chili sauce (probably the bottle form). When we asked how hot, the server told us that "HOT" is real Hot... so we went for mild. When the pad thai came and we realized how bland it was, we asked for hot sauce. The server came back with chili flakes. A thai restaurant without Siracha? That should have been our first clue on how crap this place is! And the Curry? I guess it was alright, but there was barely anything in it! A few pieces of chicken, some squash.... The Sticky rice came in a plastic bag.. that kinda weirded me out, at least they can serve it in something besides a plastic bag? The main reason I even gave it a star is because of the quick service, that should have been typical anyways considering we were one of two tables occupied in the restaurant. JUNK! Such a shame too, cause I live a block away and I crave Thai a lot.. also the fact that there are four restaurants in the block practically gives the other restaurants a "guilty by association" review... Boo.
(1)
Kristin K.
Hmm. Not so much. I had the chicken phad see ew and it was probably the worst I've had in Seattle.
(1)
Rebecca C.
not many options for vegetarians who don't eat fish, but my Hawaiian fried rice was awesome! it's a small place with very low lighting, and awesome food. I wish the curry was fish-free, but I'm glad they told me it wasn't! this was a great dinner pre-Town Hall concert.
(4)
Curtis L.
Not very impressive... We were looking for some dinner close to Swedish and decided on this place since we didn't really want anything else. There was a couple other groups inside when we arrived but otherwise pretty quiet. Service was so-so. Even though it was quiet, the service was a step slow. We were not greeted or seated promptly nor did they take our order or give us our check in a timely manner. The place was pretty run down but standard for a small asian restaurant. The food was something to forget. We shared the pad kee mao and it was pretty bland. needed more seasoning. It seemed like something i can through together at home. One redeeming quality if that the waitress was nice and the serving size is pretty big. I don't think I'll be back but given the selection of restaurants in the area, I can see why they can stay in business.
(2)
Dana P.
Thai Star is probably my favorite Thai restaurant in Seattle. I go there for lunch when I can. You have to get there early if you are getting lunch as it gets very busy fast. The phad thai 3 star is the best that I have found. The service is friendly but the restaurant is small and cramped.
(4)
G P.
For lunch its not bad. I like the pad ki moew (sp?). I've had better thai but i've also had worse. I like the fact they are extra fast when you call in an order, since i only have 30 minutes for lunch its nice to run over here.
(4)
Zoe N.
I have worked near this restaurant for years and eat here at least once a week. The food is good, consistent and fresh. They are a family run business and there aren't a lot of those in this neigborhood. Love these guys!
(5)
DQ R.
I had just moved into town and it was late at night and this was one of the few places open in walking distance. I walked in and was greeted right away. I ordered a special noodle dish and it was ready within 5min or so. It was delicious! The peanut sauce was outstanding and the portion was very generous for the price (it was only $10!). I'm a fan after that single dish and will be going back to try more!
(4)
J. Lamont C.
I really liked this place. The price was right and the food was good. I've been in Seattle a week, and I've been to this place twice and plan on going tomorrow. One of my favorites!
(4)
Meredith K.
The First Hill Fixture, Thai Star. This is everybody's go-to place when you don't wanna walk very far, but you want some good food. I only go there when I really want to get down and grub. The portions are huge, so it can leave you with a bellyache if you chow the whole plate. Another nice thing: you can rest assured you will be outta there by the end of your lunch break. They are crazy fast. Buuuuuut, the decor totally sucks. I know these guys are making money hand-over-fist, but they never bother to upgrade the crappy chairs or wax the floor. That bothers me.
(3)
Dave O.
Really not good. I'd been eating hospital food for two days so even mildly good would have been great but this was bad. Definitely ketchup flavored phad Thai. Larb had chopped not ground chicken and the onions were overpowering. Avoid if at all possible.
(1)
Andrea J.
I nearly always get the red curry, but I've also tried the panang and the green; all three are seriously delicious. I eat them with tofu and brown rice. I also enjoy the cashew chicken and the mongolian beef. The only dish that I've had here that I haven't really liked is the Pad Thai....weird....
(4)
Mr. Robot O.
If you are a medical professional working on First Hill, and you try to tell me you've never been here, I'm going to smack you because you're a liar. This place packs every doctor/nurse/medical tech/hospital security guard within a 5-block radius into it's dining room during the lunch hour. Also pretty good when you're locked in a 10-foot diameter steel tube for five hours...
(4)
warren c.
This place is a good stop-gap meal for the lunch crowd, but don't go here looking for any culinary miracles. The food tends to be a little dry, but every once in a while, you might get lucky and get a stellar plate. Hit and miss is the theme here, and to be honest, it's more miss than hit. The prices are reasonable and the service is usually pretty prompt, but it generally leaves a 'blah' after-taste
(3)
Ben M.
Thai Star isn't very good. Given the number of Thai places in Seattle you can probably do better.
(2)
Trey A.
I've been here once to get takeout. The food was good, not mind-blowing, but not bad at all. I will continue to come here because the location works for me.
(3)
ruthy g.
I'm shocked to read such bad reviews! I thought the food was fantastic and I would catagorize myself as a "foodie." The decor is definately lackluster, but my meal was really tasty. I ordered the spicy noodle dish with tofu and it came out very fresh and flavorful. My boyfriend ordered a pretty popular dish...I don't recall the name of it...rice nooddles, chicken and prawns with peanuty/coconutty sauce poured over the top which was delicious! Perhaps we went there on a good day, but I would definately come back if I was in the neighborhood!
(4)
X X.
I'd rather not have lunch than go to Thai Star. There is nothing redeeming about this place. Slow, lazy service. Vexingly, consistently bland, yet inconsistent food. Small eat-in area. Prices don't seem unreasonable until you realize what you paid for and how much time it took to get it.
(1)
Dena P.
I used to live down the hill from Thai Star and would indulge every once in a while. I like the place, although I sometimes felt a little ill after I ate there. Their portion sizes are good and the prices are just right. I don't eat veggies on my Pad Thai and they always accommodate my random eating styles. I would recommend Thai Star to anyone who is in the 1st Hill area. Great place to visit during the lunch hour.
(3)
John F.
I do take-out here weekly. Small portions for high price, but I have some favorite dishes. I've had my ups and downs with customer service, but honestly I just care about the food. Dining-in looks like a cheap hole in the wall, so no date night here! I like the non-thick green curry, flavorful Tom yum, juicy spicy noodle, see ew, and tempura, but it's more a 3.5star ok tasting, 2star small portions, and I've had much better out of Seattle. I name this place "Thai 2 and half Star".
(3)
Shelly D.
Stumbled upon while staying at a nearby hotel. Ordered the pad prik king to go. Pretty good. Flavorful, but a little too soupy. Longed for more Thai basil. Liked the brown rice side. Clean, but simple decor.
(3)
Neal C.
I'm surprised by low ratings for this place but it may be because we're ordering different things. I usually go with their stir fry options and have been very pleased with them. I probably order the asparagus special the most (with beef) and find the vegetables to be done just right so they have a great texture. And they don't over do it on the sauce, which is a good thing for me. I would definitely recommend this spot for a quick lunch or dinner option.
(4)
Rachel R.
why oh why can't thai star be better? i only eat thai food when i'm hungover, and inevitably i end up at thai star because its convenient. every time i end up getting takeout from here i always say i'll never go back . . .but some how i do. i always think if i just try something different maybe that is the answer, but oh no . . . it is never better. and might be getting worse. the fresh salad rolls are the lamest i've ever had. the tom yum was not yum at all. the larb gai was almost unedible. the pad thai has more grease pooling around it than i ever thought possible. and today . . . so disappointing . . . the pad see ew that should have cured my hangover. it had no flavor whatsoever. i suppose that's better than bad flavor, but still. so this time, mark my words, i swear i will not go back.
(1)
Sweet P.
oh pad kee mao...you had me at hello. and by hello i mean you waved with your delicious little shrimp hands... *sigh*
(5)
Jane H.
I'm not one to write an off the cuff yelp about a restaurant that has bad food but today was your final nail in the coffin Thai Star! After my first bad experience with your Pad Thai (how the hell can you mess up this basic dish) it took me months before I went back though you are right across the street from my job! My second experience was a bad vegetable stir fry. Wow. You'd think I'd learn my lesson after that but I went back again a few months later for dinner with coworkers and had your appetizer sampler. Bad spring rolls? Jeezy. But your saving grace was your Tom Yum soup good when sick (thus you get one star). Should have stuck with that, but today I was craving fresh rolls. Bad move. First of all they taste horrible and dry. 2nd you cut them up into bigger than bite size peices and they fall apart. The dipping sauce was lame + it cost $7. I give you my card + ask for a side of peanut dipping sauce + you charge me $2 without even telling me?! There went your tip. I wrote on the receipt $2 for a side of peanut dipping sauce?!? Really?!? Goodbye, Thai Star, it's been real. Never again. You've lost me even for Tom Yum sick days; I'll travel for good Pho.
(1)
ira g.
The pad thai is not very good here. The beef panang curry is not that tender, but the spice is awesome. I am not very impressed though. Maybe I need to give another chance.
(1)
Michael B.
Great food, efficient service. Chili paste fried rice, pad kee mao, the soups, you name it - it's good, I mainly get take out because it is usually packed for lunch and it's always ready in 10 minutes, they know my name and it's delicious.
(4)
Jeremy C.
We ran over here before catching a basketball game over at O'Dea. Let me start with the positive. The ginger salmon (or was it chicken?) that we ate was really good. But, the pad thai was the worst we've ever had. DON'T GET IT!! I fully agree with at least one other review. It was so weird red sauce (tomato?) and made it taste horrible. I have no idea what the chef is thinking with that pad thai. Really, it is such a staple that I have to give them 2 stars. I've had pad thai literally all over the world and this was the worst ever.
(2)
Meghan S.
thai star is a little hole in wall with surprisingly good thai food. i usually order ahead on the phone and the walk up the hill a few minutes later to pick up my meal. it is by far the best take out in my area (first/pill hill) although they have several items on the menu that i would classify as "americanized" thai, they also have some very authentic dishes. these are are easily differentiated from the prior by simply reading the menu. some suggestions: you can never go wrong with the tom kah or the tom yum soup- i usually have a second bowl to discard the galangal, lime leaves and lemongrass but these are exactly the ingreidients that make these soups so tasty. order a side of rice noodles and you have a meal. i also suggest trying the duck salad. the "dressing" is out of this world entree wise, the panang fish is to die for. i always order it with trout and a side of rice noodles. i keep meaning to try it with salmon but the trout just tastes soooooo good! the lemongrass chicken is excellent and tastes as though it has been steeped in herbs and spices all day long. the pla rad prik is quite good too...especially if you are in the mood for something lighter- less rich, more tangy...it is crispy trout with vegetables and tamarind sauce- spectacular with brown rice. as for the curries- i have tried them all- panang or red curry rule out any other options every time. mmmm...now i am hungry!
(4)
Ryan P.
Tofu with red wine sauce was incredible. I tried coming here 3 times. Once I got the tofu. Twice, before they were closed, they wouldn't make an order for take-out for me. 2 stars for you.
(2)
Robyn H.
Hole in the wall place with the best red curry I've had in quite a while. Sitting in a prime spot on "Pill Hill" this place does a whopping big lunch business with all the medical folks in the area. If you're going to have an emergency during a meal, this would be the best place for it.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Sarah M.
Too expensive for the quality. Crappy thai food is fine, we all crave a good junk meal sometimes. But not when the restaurant charges $1.50 for rice. Also the place kinda smelled like a really old old kitchen.
(2)Linda M.
The TOM YUM soup is pre-made and you are not able to get it none spicy or even just less spice. It is an auto 3 star spice. (FYI -- I DO eat spice, just testing this dish here) Good Thai restaurants make tom yum soup none spicy and have the option to add spice. On 2 other occasions I ordered the CHICKEN LARB GAI -- The lime juice they use, has a bad unfresh taste. You can only assume they use the lime from the bottle. Leaves a very bad after taste. This place just keeps on disappointing and I do not recommend going there if you have a choice. (unfortunately for those working on First Hill, there really isnt much of a choice).
(1)Anah T.
Mediocre Thai food. Also, they don't make papaya salad. What Thai place doesn't have papaya salad! AND they added their own tip when I ordered take out. It was a small amount but seriously?
(2)Suz S.
NO. The people are rude. The food is bad and overpriced. Don't do it sweet hospital workers. I know. We are hungry and rushed and you can't always eat a sandwich. But don't do this to yourself. People who like thai food like spice. The 5 star spicy tastes sugary and gross. Dooooooon't do it.
(1)Jackie A.
I work on "pill hill" so I've had my share of nearby restaurants. Thai star I frequent quite often. The restaurant is pretty small, although I've never dined in. It's always take out for me. My favorite go-to menu item here is the spicy noodle. Pad see ew is usually the dish I opt for when trying a new Thai restaurant since I've never met one I didn't like. Well yet, anyway. However, since my coworker suggested I try the spicy noodle, I've never looked back. It's definitely different, and I don't know if it's a specialty item, but I've never seen it on a menu anywhere else. I've tried other items on their menu as well, but they weren't so great. Overall, it's alright. You could do better, but when your choices are limited, it's a solid choice.
(3)Dustin P.
Pretty darn good pad thai and curries. Also great service and quick. Not the spiciest of thai but good flavor & $$
(5)Steven T.
This place is not the best Thai place, but its the only Thai place on FH near the hospitals, and let me tell you, you ask for something to be specific they DO NOT listen, yet they are adamant and argue with you that they've instructed the cook to do so, bull fucking shit!!!!!! I ordered a 10 star chicken pad Thai Extra Sauce, it was dry as fuck!!!!! I called and told them and the little lady was so nonchalant about it and didn't show any sympathy at all. I will definitely not be returning to this little shack.
(1)Jason G.
First time I have tried this place. I went there for lunch and ordered the Mongolian Beef thinking it was a safe choice for the first time going to a new place, I mean who can mess up Mongolian Beef... boy was I wrong. The Good: The staff was very friendly and they allowed me to order over the phone. The chopsticks were not bad quality like many other Asian places in the area, which is a plus for me, since I don't like eating splinters. The Bad: The beef was overcooked. The sauce tasted off. The veggies were undercooked. It took a long time to make my order, about 25min which seems like a little excessive, I am glad I called it in. The ginger didn't taste good at all and I love ginger. The Ugly: The way it made my stomach feel after eating it, pretty sure I got a slight food poisoning from this place. Final thought: I will probably give this place a second chance and try another dish, maybe ill try the Pad Thai next time and a Thai Iced tea.
(2)Cindy G.
I have to say that this is probably my go to place to get thai food. There is something about the pineapple fried rice that is heavenly compared to other Thai restaurants that I've been to; it definitely has the perfect taste. The pad thai is a classic. It came with some rice the last time I ordered it, and it. was. so. good.
(5)Tony W.
Great spot for a quick lunch as well.
(5)Lindsey L.
I like this place and I eat here about once a week. The green curry is good, standard, and the Tom Yum and Tom Kah soups are lovely. I recommend this place for a lunch spot, not for exciting interiors or ambience, but for good reliable food and rapid friendly service.
(4)Nicoel L.
One of my favorite little Thai places, there are lots and lots of veggies and meat in each dish, not just a few pieces. Tons of flavor. However the phad Thai sauce isn't good, too sugary.
(4)Michael M.
Great taste, good ingredients, and friendly staff. Underrated in my opinion compared to the other places in the neighborhood. I often get takeout because of their proximity and turn around time. The curries here are great. Would recommend to my friends!
(5)Jenny A.
Me and my co-workers would come here for a quick Thai "fix" but there's nothing special about this place. The food is mediocre and their Thai tea is very sweet... close to work but I've definitely had better... P.S - watch out when you are tipping with your credit card. Make sure it's cleared through your bank/company before throwing away your receipt!! -- A few years ago, my sister tipped with her card and noticed a larger amount was deducted (someone added a "1" in front of her tip so i.e, she tipped $2 but $12 was deducted), and for some odd reason, she kept her receipt and was able to show proof and get it corrected. -- kinda sketchy, so just watch out!!!
(2)Chuck D.
Ordered take-out food from here. Quality was well below average. Food had no taste and beef was dry. I will probably never order again.
(2)Viet N.
Not a terrible place for a quick lunch, but probably better options around. It's always a bad start when your lunch special starts with a watery, lukewarm broth partially filled with freeze-dried vegetables. It's reminiscent of the bottom of a styrofoam noodle soup meal, but without the flavor. I ordered the panang curry, which comes as a separate bowl of (in this case, tofu) curry and two scoops of white rice. All for $9. It wasn't bad, but probably equivalent to what anyone could make with a can of coconut milk and generic Panang Curry Mixâ„¢. It's also not at all spicy. I love me some spicy curry, and am always gunshy about going all out spicy on a first try in a new restaurant, because I've been burned (harhar) in the past. The meal was served quickly (~10 min), so I guess lunch props there.
(2)Crystal T.
This place will rip u off and knows nothing about customer service!!! I work by this place. Two of my co workers & I wanted to try this place. One of my co-workers called ahead of time to order. She ordered the wrong thing in error. When we got there I got the wrong dish or so I thought. My co-worker told me that she ordered the wrong thing for me. I asked the owner to bring me something different because my friend ordered the wrong thing in error. He advised me that I was going to pay for a new order and the old one too. I hadn't eaten it or anything. He screamed at me in a crowded restaurant that it wasn't his fault that the wrong thing was ordered. I was so embarrassed. I tried to explain to him that between the tips he would have gotten from all of us & me ordering something new he would have made more money. I paid & left. I give this place a zero star!!!
(1)Caitlin D.
Awesome curry and amazing pad thai! We always get take out though. The interior is a bit drab and crowded, so I wouldn't really want to eat my delicious food here. Decent prices and we never wait long for our food.
(4)G M.
I stopped in here on a Friday in the middle of lunch hour around the hospital. I was in between a double shift at the Starbucks and needed some real food on a cold, blustery, sideways-rain kind of Seattle day. Hot Thai food sounded perfect. I got the Tom yum with tofu. Not a big fan of the deep fried tofu here but the soup and veggies were super flavorful! The service was fast even in lunch rush with many takeout orders going at the same time. The soup was perfect for me at medium spicy (and I love hot food). They had a small appetizer soup that was nothing to talk about. This looks like a mom and pop joint and for not many people working it was very clean,fast, and friendly. Not the best Thai food I've had but a fair price for what I was looking for. PS the lunch portions are big and they play fun pop music
(4)Carly C.
This place is not horrible buuuut it also isn't great. It is small, very clean and the service was fine... But man oh man.. the food was plain sloppy and bland. Chicken satay was kinda tough but edible. The veggies were crisp enough to not gross me out, but you can tell everything we had (Thai Star special noodles & garlic chicken stir fry) was only pre chopped/prepared ingredients with store bought peanut sauce on top. Heavy and unsatisfactory. But sadly, I have had worse.
(2)Polly C.
The reason why I've tried this place a few times is because there aren't many great food places to choose from on First Hill, in my opinion (unless you want to go to one of the 50 sandwich shops in the area). I like the chili fried rice, but that's probably the only thing I like. I've tried their noodle dishes and sweet and sour dish and wasn't very impressed. Their dishes aren't as flavorful as other places and I think they are more catered towards non-Asians that aren't familiar with what Thai food and spices should taste like. I also think their food presentation is a little sloppy. The veggies I got in all of my meals always looked old, especially the carrots. They are also stingy with the portion. I normally don't finish my plate when I eat Thai, but this place still leaves me hungry sometimes. Yes, the restaurant is always full but that's because there are a few hospitals that surround it and hospital workers like myself get hungry! lol. However, it's usually packed with non-Asians. Thai Star isn't horrible but if you want good Thai food, go somewhere else. I will give them an A+ for their friendly service though!
(2)JayD B.
I have been to Thai Star for the last 5 years and have tried many things when I was preggo and will only order two things off their menu. Red Curry with Chicken is to die for and the fresh spring rolls are unique. They roll them up with a piece of fried wrapper in the middle which was surprising yet tasty but not at all fresh or healthy.
(3)Hayley J.
Perhaps this should have allllmost 4 stars rather than straight up 4. Stopped here after work and paid $10 something for the Massuman curry. Normally I like thai curry dishes to be $7 something, but that's generally the price I'm used to around the U-dist, not so on Cap Hill. The guy working was very nice and let me mess around with prices, seeing if I wanted to go all out and add rice or extra tofu (I didn't, but maybe for their lunchtime prices!) and my meal was ready very quickly! I'd have to say it's worth the extra $2-$3 bucks because this curry was onnnnn point flavorful! Pineapple AND peanuts and all around very delicious even though I only got mild (I'm weak...). The fried tofu wasn't hella fried, but I'm not complaining as there was a bunch of it. Soooo yes, not the cheapest, certainly not the most expensive, all around solid choice.
(4)Samantha G.
If you happen to be eating here, you cannot go wrong with ordering their beef phad see ew. Sometimes they overcook the beef but other than that, I love eating the chow fun noodles in this dish. I know some people don't like how undercooked the veggies are but I personally like it that way since it adds a crunch to the dish. Their swimming rama (with chicken) is pretty good as well, which is loaded with peanut sauce. The two items I would recommend avoiding are their spring rolls and phad thai. Ok so their spring rolls are more of a personal preference since they're nothing like Vietnamese spring rolls. These contain a lot of greens and very strong flavors (cilantro? basil?). I also am not a fan of the sweet/sour sauce that goes with it. As what many reviews have stated, the phad thai tastes very tomato/ketchup like. Not good at all. Thai Star does manage to get your food ready in a timely manner. This is very important if you work on Pill Hill! Oh and they are one of the few places around Madison St that's open on Sundays.
(3)Ryan W.
Ordered the chicken Phad Thai and it was just ok... The sauce, like many have commented on, was not that great. It gave me the impression that there's a HUGE pot of this "Phat thai" sauce... and they just slop some in a frying pan and toss it with the noodles and meat. I'm always willing to try a place again, to give them the benefit of the doubt. So we'll see... I gave 2-stars strictly on speed and convenience. I work on first hill and they're the only Thai restaurant in walking distance. The high point is that I called my order in while I was walking there.. and by the time I got there (about 5-minutes later) my order was ready - which even more so solidified my assumption of how simple their dish/preparation is.
(2)Rebecca B.
the pad thai is disgusting. way to much catsup in it! Its hard to find good pad thai but this is definitely not that place to go. The other food might be ok.
(1)Estella N.
Fast service and tasty food. The price is about average for what you will pay at other Thai restaurants. I loved the convenient location to my office and the speed in which the food is prepared and ready for pick up. The Hawaiian Fried Rice w/Chicken was fresh and delicious and plentiful. I typically like my food spicy but I know from experience the star rating for how spicy you want your dish varies from restaurant to restaurant. I was cautious and chose a 2 star spiciness level (i.e. Medium) just in case so at least I got some spice versus no spice versus heat overkill. Turns out my choice was perfect. The 2 star is nice 'n spicy especially when you heat the leftovers - the spices are revived. It wasn't like burn your tongue and the need for many glasses of milk or loaves of bread, but it definitely had a nice kick to satisfy your spice-loving taste buds. You can definitely order your food with zero stars on the spice level like my friend did, the food is tasty on its own. The 3-star rating on this review is only because I love Thai food and I've enjoyed all of the dishes I've ever eaten at/from Thai restaurants. Nothing super spectacular about this dish that would separate it from the rest, but it was so yummy to my tummy. I'm definitely ordering from Thai Star again and I will try another dish or their special dish to give another review, as needed. Yummy food, seriously. :)
(3)Sweta R.
Hole in the wall place. Good food but low on ambience, mostly noisy. Had their chilli paste fried rice and mango with sticky rice. The fried tasted really good, perfect spices. The dessert was too dry, not much coconut milk on the sticky rice. The thai iced tea was decent.
(4)Daren D.
I had some sort of non-menu item from their specials menu. Something along the lines of See wen or Sew wee noodles. Warm vermicelli noodles with my meat choice and standard add-ons. The "chef special" sauce is the normal fish sauce with a slight chili(?) kick. It was good to ok and the portion was a bit smaller than the container. I took it to the office and finished it in a few minutes.
(3)Kate S.
Nothing extraordinary but not bad either -- Thai Star is small, quick, and fairly tasty-if nothing else edible. Stuffed wontons, soup, and the mysteriously named "spicy noodles" were ordered this time around. Prices are standard for Thai food in the PNW...however the wontons were disappointing considering they were almost ALL cream cheese. I don't think there was crab or even krab in those suckers. The soup (Thom Ga) was spicy, flavorful and just a little sour. The tofu sopped up all the flavor and was quite nice. The "spicy noodles" were a bit weird. Im not used to my egg noodles being so WHITE -- typically they absorb a bit of the soy and get lovely and dark that way. Not here -- just a pile of noodles swimming in the sauce but not taking much in. The broccoli in it was cooked perfectly though, and there was plenty of soy-saucy egg bits to fight over as well. Flavor was good but nothing special. As already mentioned, service was quick and efficient. Water was always refilled quickly and getting leftovers boxed up was no issue at all. If im REALLY craving Thai and am at home i'll come here in a pinch, but there is certainly much better to be offered around the city.
(3)Rosalio A.
The Pad See Ew was good needed a little salt but other then that was good. The wanton soup was really good love the fresh garlic.
(4)Andre L.
Was in Seattle on business and decided to try this place out since it was just down he street. Food came out quickly, so that was a plus. Ordered the Pad Kee Mao. Unfortunately, the noodles were a bit overdone and rather bland as well. Overall, not terrible but definitely not worth coming back to if I'm ever in town again.
(2)Adrienne B.
I must say that I agree with many of the reviewers here. I eat at Thai Star often for lunch, but I now tend to get the exact same thing every time (Pad See Eew). The service is good - the staff are friendly, always ready to refill your water glass, and offer you soup while you look over the menu. The problem is that some of their dishes are not very good. Pad Thai is a staple of any Thai restaurant, and I can't stand theirs. The first time I ate it, I thought they just put the noodles in a vat of ketchup instead of the proper sauce. Thinking the cook was having an off day, I tried it again a month later... same result. Pad See Eew is good, and their lunch special #1 (can't recall the name, but it reminds me of chow mein) is not bad either. I'm allergic to nuts, so I cannot comment on any dish with nuts in it.
(2)Mae D.
I frequent Thai Star every few months or so. It's near my work and the service is pretty fast. I normally like to take my food to go as it's a bit crowded there during lunch time. I normally get their Pad Thai, which is ok. I have grown accustomed to the pad thai places on The Ave in the U-District, especially Thai Toms. I've had other dishes here and I can't complain. It's good if you live or work near by, but I wouldn't make a special trip up just to eat there. Otherwise, the service is ok, the people are nice and they give you complimentary soup when you sit down and take a look at your menu. If you have a short lunch, call your order ahead of time to take it to go or eat there if you like.
(3)Angela r.
I really like this place! Small but very clean and the staff is super nice and obliging. I ordered the The Thai Star Special and it was fantastic!! And I do mean fantastic! The sauce was very spicy so I will order it a tad milder, but the whole experience was amazing. With Thai restaurants all over Seattle, they kind of all taste the same. This is the first one I've been to that was different! Yeah, they have the standards like pad thai, but they also have some foods I'd never heard of but am anxious to try!
(4)Miya T.
This place is close to work (Virginia Mason), so I do frequent it. They aren't the greatest Thai place I've been to, but they are good, and they are consistent! I've been to a lot of Thai places where one day the food is great and another day something is off. They are also consistent with their spice! 4 stars IS 4 stars! So don't ask for the highest spice rating unless you're willing to take the burn. The service is friendly and fast. The Pad Kee Mao and Pad Thai are delish. The Tom Yum soup is very good as well. The prices aren't bad and the portions are large, so you can easily split one order into two meals!
(4)Kate B.
Friendly, fast service. Good food. Thai ices tea & iced coffee was magic in my mouth!!
(3)Sunshine C.
Yum. Ordered the Green Bean Delight with Chicken 3 spicy... and it was delicious! So glad i came here after i had a horrendous dinner at Orrapin Thai the night prior. Will come back next time Im in Seattle.
(3)Dawn O.
The Pad Thai was the worst i have ever had in Seattle. I have lived here for 18 years, and this was horrible. Then,This order was wrong. They gave the wrong meat and since it was delivery, I had no recourse. When I called they were rude. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE! THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD THAI RESTAURANTS HERE!!!!
(1)Amanda S.
Came here for lunch with a friend. It's a small seat yourself spot with okay food. The table was sticky. And the food was just mediocre. The amount of MSG they add must have been thru the roof because I had a bad migraine for several hours after the meal. We did receive a complimentary cup of soup which was nice, however the waitress did not come around again so I could ask her if it was vegetarian, so I did not get to eat it. I got the veggie stir fry with prawns and rice. I wanted 3 stars for heat which is only one star from the hottest option and there was NO heat to my food at all. I'd not return here on my own.
(2)Vanessa H.
I was on my way to my ophthalmologist and decided to give it a try. The Thai Star Red Curry was not curry, at least to me. It was very milky and lacked consistency, more like a soup with some veggies and chicken. They quality of the food wasn't bad just not for me. It was too sweet and not spicy enough even for asking for spicy. My husband got the Phad Thai and said it was good but again very sweet. If you like sweet and mild come here, but otherwise not for the spicy and savory at heart!
(2)Kristen G.
I ordered the Rama, peanut sauce over spinach with rice and chicken. It arrived in about 5 minutes which means it was most definitely not made to order. It tasted like fast food, too. The dish was basically a handful of raw spinach unceremoniously dumped on the plate, followed by a bit of chicken and topped with a translucent peanut sauce. The sauce was too sugary and had a goopy texture. Paired with the out-of-a-box Thai iced tea I received I left feeling like I'd had dessert, not lunch. A dessert I paid far too much for to boot. This is basically one of the many over-priced, low-quality restaurants on pill hill that caters to hospital staff on their lunch breaks. If it was cheap, I'd say what the heck, but it's both expensive AND bad, so why bother?
(2)B W.
Really enjoyed the Thai Basil with chicken, which tends to be my litmus test for Thai restaurants I try. Good quantity and variety of fresh veggies here, which is often not the case elsewhere, and also not over cooked--very nice! Also enjoyed the Mussaman curry on another occasion, though the quantity of chicken in that one was a bit light. Great flavor though. Ambience is modest but a couple of steps above the typical "formica tables, harsh fluorescent light and stained paper menus" type of place. It's pleasant to dine in... Yeah, I'll be going back again to try some noodle dishes.
(4)Doug B.
We have been going here for years. It is best for take out. Very good, spicy Thai food!
(4)Kirby M.
Pretty typical Thai fare. Reasonable prices, too. I come here all the time because it's close to work and definitely beats hospital cafeteria food. I can phone my order in just before leaving work and it'll be ready by the time I get there. Lately I've been addicted to their pumpkin curry, ERMAHGERD.
(4)Victoria T.
I dropped in today and ordered soup. Wonton soup. With Chicken. Two orders. It went like this: V: Two wonton soup with chicken, one star, please. Vacant Stare Boy Behind Counter (Hereforth to be referred to as VSBBC): How spicy? V: Um, one star. Two orders. VSBBC: One star. $9.someoddchange. V: Wow. That's cheap for two bowls of soup. VSBBC: Okay. FIFTEEN minutes later, VSBBC appears with ONE bowl of soup. V: I ordered two of those. VSBBC: But you paid for one. V: But I would have paid for two. Can you get another? Fairly quick? VSBBC: Sorry. $9.someoddchange. V: Whatever. TEN minutes later, VSBBC appears with an additional bowl of soup. VSBBC: Sorry. V: Gee, thanks. Friend Who Has Remained Silent and Horrified (Hereforth referred to be referred to as FWHRSH): I want the first one that came out. V: Why? FWHRSH: You pissed him off. V: He's too stupid to be pissed. You get the second one, though. Just in case. The soup was good. It was not TEN bucks worth of good. Nor was it worth the almost 30 minutes of my life wasted waiting for SOUP!
(1)John A.
It was okay. Not much can be said for the location itself- its very low key. The food was decent, but not as spicy or flavorful as most Thai places. Green Curry was 9 dollars and was an acceptable portion size. Staff was friendly enough.
(2)Sonne M.
I'm giving Thai Star a three star rating solely because their Tom Kah soup isbone of the best I've ever had! Their other dishes I've tried, such as the massaman curry and coriander beef fall short in comparison to the amazing Tom Kah. The portions of the other main dishes are small for their price and the coriander beef was very sweet, almost like candy, not for me. If you go here, you MUST try the Tom Kah, with 4 star spice level, if you can take the heat!
(3)Anika L.
Alas, I've ordered or eaten at Thai Star more than a dozen times over the past 6 years, since they are in my neighborhood. But there is no place worse for vegetarians or vegans. If you ask for dishes without fish sauce, they'll say "sure" we can do that, but then you get NO SAUCE what soever. That is right, you'll get some veggies and tofu, or what ever was in the dish, but with nothing on it. It is silly, since 95% of the Thai places in Seattle have no problem cooking vegetarian dishes. But this place is totally out of it. What is strange, is that they offer 4 or 5 official vegetarian dishes, and sometimes have veggies specials, but don't seem to be able to do what most Thai places do. Tonight they told me that there is no way from them to cook Pad Thai without fish or oyster sauce. How do the other 95% of Thai places offer a Pad Thai w/o those then? I have made the mistake of thinking that they've changed over the years, only to have the same problem over and over again.
(2)Perry S.
I had take out. The food was good, however the portion size was not much compared to the price they charged.
(1)Allison F.
I simply don't understand some of these negative reviews! I order take out every few weeks for lunch as the restaurant is located very near the hospital I work at, and I'm almost always satisfied. My favorite dish is the panang curry with tofu and brown rice. This is honestly one of the best curries I've tried in Seattle, except for maybe Thai Thani in Ballard. It chock full of veggies which is something I find very important in a good curry. I've only ever been disappointed by the pad see ew, which was all noodle and egg and very little broccoli and chicken. The take out service is quite speedy, which I really appreciate when I am trying to grab a quick lunch, and the staff has always been really friendly. I don't care what the others say, I'm a fan.
(4)Stephanie T.
I recently started working at Swedish Medical Center on First Hill. There are many restaurants located in the area, but not too many Thai places. This one is a couple blocks from the hospital. I've ate here on a few occassions so far. The interior is small, and they always seem to be busy, especially around lunch time. Almost always filled with hospital employees since there are so many hospitals in the area. I've had the Fresh Rolls which have tofu, basil, noodle, and nice peanut dipping sauce. They are a good portion size, but probably a little over priced. I have also had the thai star special which is a peanut sauce noodle dish with shrimp and chicken. I absolutely love their peanut sauce. Very smooth, creamy, and delicious. I recently became vegetarian, so I'm hoping they can make this dish vegetarian! Overall, the prices are fair for the quantity and quality of food. The service is always quick and efficient which is good when you are in a rush on lunch break. Would recommend ordering ahead if you want to take an order to go!
(4)Robin N.
I've been frequenting this restaurant for 13+ years and the quality/quantity has consistently gone down hill. Thai Star Noodle lunch special has been my fave. In the beginning they served a healthy serving with 5 prawns and at least 3 ounces of chicken. Today, there was 1 prawn and 1 small piece of chicken. Looks like they don't plan on improving and I need to find another favorite Thai food restaurant...
(2)Lauren J.
Well, seems like they have the location down! That's why I go here too... and will continue to. Not for the food, really. Pad Thai is my favorite food ever (AHH I'm hungry from just typing the words) and it's just kinda a miss here. I'm pretty sure I never EVER thought pad thai was sometimes ketchupy tasting until I joined Yelp and read reviews. THANKS YELP! Now I'm always freaking out about it. "IS THAT KETCHUP I TASTE? MAN THIS IS SO KETCHUPY." But I swear to bajeezus it was! The weird thing is that I've been here twice so far and the first time it tasted like straight up ketchup and the next it was fine. Like I said, I live very close by so I'll be back, dudes.
(3)Cat A.
O.M.G. I have never had such horrible thai food. Come on, pad thai and curry with sticky rice.. HOW HARD IS IT to perfect even the most typical thai staple foods? We came here because I was craving Thai food. Bad Idea. The Pad Thai is covered in frikkin sweet thai chili sauce (probably the bottle form). When we asked how hot, the server told us that "HOT" is real Hot... so we went for mild. When the pad thai came and we realized how bland it was, we asked for hot sauce. The server came back with chili flakes. A thai restaurant without Siracha? That should have been our first clue on how crap this place is! And the Curry? I guess it was alright, but there was barely anything in it! A few pieces of chicken, some squash.... The Sticky rice came in a plastic bag.. that kinda weirded me out, at least they can serve it in something besides a plastic bag? The main reason I even gave it a star is because of the quick service, that should have been typical anyways considering we were one of two tables occupied in the restaurant. JUNK! Such a shame too, cause I live a block away and I crave Thai a lot.. also the fact that there are four restaurants in the block practically gives the other restaurants a "guilty by association" review... Boo.
(1)Kristin K.
Hmm. Not so much. I had the chicken phad see ew and it was probably the worst I've had in Seattle.
(1)Rebecca C.
not many options for vegetarians who don't eat fish, but my Hawaiian fried rice was awesome! it's a small place with very low lighting, and awesome food. I wish the curry was fish-free, but I'm glad they told me it wasn't! this was a great dinner pre-Town Hall concert.
(4)Curtis L.
Not very impressive... We were looking for some dinner close to Swedish and decided on this place since we didn't really want anything else. There was a couple other groups inside when we arrived but otherwise pretty quiet. Service was so-so. Even though it was quiet, the service was a step slow. We were not greeted or seated promptly nor did they take our order or give us our check in a timely manner. The place was pretty run down but standard for a small asian restaurant. The food was something to forget. We shared the pad kee mao and it was pretty bland. needed more seasoning. It seemed like something i can through together at home. One redeeming quality if that the waitress was nice and the serving size is pretty big. I don't think I'll be back but given the selection of restaurants in the area, I can see why they can stay in business.
(2)Dana P.
Thai Star is probably my favorite Thai restaurant in Seattle. I go there for lunch when I can. You have to get there early if you are getting lunch as it gets very busy fast. The phad thai 3 star is the best that I have found. The service is friendly but the restaurant is small and cramped.
(4)G P.
For lunch its not bad. I like the pad ki moew (sp?). I've had better thai but i've also had worse. I like the fact they are extra fast when you call in an order, since i only have 30 minutes for lunch its nice to run over here.
(4)Zoe N.
I have worked near this restaurant for years and eat here at least once a week. The food is good, consistent and fresh. They are a family run business and there aren't a lot of those in this neigborhood. Love these guys!
(5)DQ R.
I had just moved into town and it was late at night and this was one of the few places open in walking distance. I walked in and was greeted right away. I ordered a special noodle dish and it was ready within 5min or so. It was delicious! The peanut sauce was outstanding and the portion was very generous for the price (it was only $10!). I'm a fan after that single dish and will be going back to try more!
(4)J. Lamont C.
I really liked this place. The price was right and the food was good. I've been in Seattle a week, and I've been to this place twice and plan on going tomorrow. One of my favorites!
(4)Meredith K.
The First Hill Fixture, Thai Star. This is everybody's go-to place when you don't wanna walk very far, but you want some good food. I only go there when I really want to get down and grub. The portions are huge, so it can leave you with a bellyache if you chow the whole plate. Another nice thing: you can rest assured you will be outta there by the end of your lunch break. They are crazy fast. Buuuuuut, the decor totally sucks. I know these guys are making money hand-over-fist, but they never bother to upgrade the crappy chairs or wax the floor. That bothers me.
(3)Dave O.
Really not good. I'd been eating hospital food for two days so even mildly good would have been great but this was bad. Definitely ketchup flavored phad Thai. Larb had chopped not ground chicken and the onions were overpowering. Avoid if at all possible.
(1)Andrea J.
I nearly always get the red curry, but I've also tried the panang and the green; all three are seriously delicious. I eat them with tofu and brown rice. I also enjoy the cashew chicken and the mongolian beef. The only dish that I've had here that I haven't really liked is the Pad Thai....weird....
(4)Mr. Robot O.
If you are a medical professional working on First Hill, and you try to tell me you've never been here, I'm going to smack you because you're a liar. This place packs every doctor/nurse/medical tech/hospital security guard within a 5-block radius into it's dining room during the lunch hour. Also pretty good when you're locked in a 10-foot diameter steel tube for five hours...
(4)warren c.
This place is a good stop-gap meal for the lunch crowd, but don't go here looking for any culinary miracles. The food tends to be a little dry, but every once in a while, you might get lucky and get a stellar plate. Hit and miss is the theme here, and to be honest, it's more miss than hit. The prices are reasonable and the service is usually pretty prompt, but it generally leaves a 'blah' after-taste
(3)Ben M.
Thai Star isn't very good. Given the number of Thai places in Seattle you can probably do better.
(2)Trey A.
I've been here once to get takeout. The food was good, not mind-blowing, but not bad at all. I will continue to come here because the location works for me.
(3)ruthy g.
I'm shocked to read such bad reviews! I thought the food was fantastic and I would catagorize myself as a "foodie." The decor is definately lackluster, but my meal was really tasty. I ordered the spicy noodle dish with tofu and it came out very fresh and flavorful. My boyfriend ordered a pretty popular dish...I don't recall the name of it...rice nooddles, chicken and prawns with peanuty/coconutty sauce poured over the top which was delicious! Perhaps we went there on a good day, but I would definately come back if I was in the neighborhood!
(4)X X.
I'd rather not have lunch than go to Thai Star. There is nothing redeeming about this place. Slow, lazy service. Vexingly, consistently bland, yet inconsistent food. Small eat-in area. Prices don't seem unreasonable until you realize what you paid for and how much time it took to get it.
(1)Dena P.
I used to live down the hill from Thai Star and would indulge every once in a while. I like the place, although I sometimes felt a little ill after I ate there. Their portion sizes are good and the prices are just right. I don't eat veggies on my Pad Thai and they always accommodate my random eating styles. I would recommend Thai Star to anyone who is in the 1st Hill area. Great place to visit during the lunch hour.
(3)John F.
I do take-out here weekly. Small portions for high price, but I have some favorite dishes. I've had my ups and downs with customer service, but honestly I just care about the food. Dining-in looks like a cheap hole in the wall, so no date night here! I like the non-thick green curry, flavorful Tom yum, juicy spicy noodle, see ew, and tempura, but it's more a 3.5star ok tasting, 2star small portions, and I've had much better out of Seattle. I name this place "Thai 2 and half Star".
(3)Shelly D.
Stumbled upon while staying at a nearby hotel. Ordered the pad prik king to go. Pretty good. Flavorful, but a little too soupy. Longed for more Thai basil. Liked the brown rice side. Clean, but simple decor.
(3)Neal C.
I'm surprised by low ratings for this place but it may be because we're ordering different things. I usually go with their stir fry options and have been very pleased with them. I probably order the asparagus special the most (with beef) and find the vegetables to be done just right so they have a great texture. And they don't over do it on the sauce, which is a good thing for me. I would definitely recommend this spot for a quick lunch or dinner option.
(4)Rachel R.
why oh why can't thai star be better? i only eat thai food when i'm hungover, and inevitably i end up at thai star because its convenient. every time i end up getting takeout from here i always say i'll never go back . . .but some how i do. i always think if i just try something different maybe that is the answer, but oh no . . . it is never better. and might be getting worse. the fresh salad rolls are the lamest i've ever had. the tom yum was not yum at all. the larb gai was almost unedible. the pad thai has more grease pooling around it than i ever thought possible. and today . . . so disappointing . . . the pad see ew that should have cured my hangover. it had no flavor whatsoever. i suppose that's better than bad flavor, but still. so this time, mark my words, i swear i will not go back.
(1)Sweet P.
oh pad kee mao...you had me at hello. and by hello i mean you waved with your delicious little shrimp hands... *sigh*
(5)Jane H.
I'm not one to write an off the cuff yelp about a restaurant that has bad food but today was your final nail in the coffin Thai Star! After my first bad experience with your Pad Thai (how the hell can you mess up this basic dish) it took me months before I went back though you are right across the street from my job! My second experience was a bad vegetable stir fry. Wow. You'd think I'd learn my lesson after that but I went back again a few months later for dinner with coworkers and had your appetizer sampler. Bad spring rolls? Jeezy. But your saving grace was your Tom Yum soup good when sick (thus you get one star). Should have stuck with that, but today I was craving fresh rolls. Bad move. First of all they taste horrible and dry. 2nd you cut them up into bigger than bite size peices and they fall apart. The dipping sauce was lame + it cost $7. I give you my card + ask for a side of peanut dipping sauce + you charge me $2 without even telling me?! There went your tip. I wrote on the receipt $2 for a side of peanut dipping sauce?!? Really?!? Goodbye, Thai Star, it's been real. Never again. You've lost me even for Tom Yum sick days; I'll travel for good Pho.
(1)ira g.
The pad thai is not very good here. The beef panang curry is not that tender, but the spice is awesome. I am not very impressed though. Maybe I need to give another chance.
(1)Michael B.
Great food, efficient service. Chili paste fried rice, pad kee mao, the soups, you name it - it's good, I mainly get take out because it is usually packed for lunch and it's always ready in 10 minutes, they know my name and it's delicious.
(4)Jeremy C.
We ran over here before catching a basketball game over at O'Dea. Let me start with the positive. The ginger salmon (or was it chicken?) that we ate was really good. But, the pad thai was the worst we've ever had. DON'T GET IT!! I fully agree with at least one other review. It was so weird red sauce (tomato?) and made it taste horrible. I have no idea what the chef is thinking with that pad thai. Really, it is such a staple that I have to give them 2 stars. I've had pad thai literally all over the world and this was the worst ever.
(2)Meghan S.
thai star is a little hole in wall with surprisingly good thai food. i usually order ahead on the phone and the walk up the hill a few minutes later to pick up my meal. it is by far the best take out in my area (first/pill hill) although they have several items on the menu that i would classify as "americanized" thai, they also have some very authentic dishes. these are are easily differentiated from the prior by simply reading the menu. some suggestions: you can never go wrong with the tom kah or the tom yum soup- i usually have a second bowl to discard the galangal, lime leaves and lemongrass but these are exactly the ingreidients that make these soups so tasty. order a side of rice noodles and you have a meal. i also suggest trying the duck salad. the "dressing" is out of this world entree wise, the panang fish is to die for. i always order it with trout and a side of rice noodles. i keep meaning to try it with salmon but the trout just tastes soooooo good! the lemongrass chicken is excellent and tastes as though it has been steeped in herbs and spices all day long. the pla rad prik is quite good too...especially if you are in the mood for something lighter- less rich, more tangy...it is crispy trout with vegetables and tamarind sauce- spectacular with brown rice. as for the curries- i have tried them all- panang or red curry rule out any other options every time. mmmm...now i am hungry!
(4)Ryan P.
Tofu with red wine sauce was incredible. I tried coming here 3 times. Once I got the tofu. Twice, before they were closed, they wouldn't make an order for take-out for me. 2 stars for you.
(2)Robyn H.
Hole in the wall place with the best red curry I've had in quite a while. Sitting in a prime spot on "Pill Hill" this place does a whopping big lunch business with all the medical folks in the area. If you're going to have an emergency during a meal, this would be the best place for it.
(4)