True Thai

First time at true thai was great, and this was a few years ago and with no bearded man in sight. servers were friendly and wait wasn't too long. Second time which was a few days ago...not so good. Servers were still friendly. Food seems to be less than before but still good, especially the laab and curry. But did not get a refill of water until we were ready to pay and leave.

I sked the server if they did catering, because I enjoyed the laab a lot. She said they did, and we only needed to call ahead. However, when I went to go pay for our bill. A customer was ahead of me with his bank statemement, and was complaining to the man about being charged multiple times. The bearded man's attitude was rude to the customer, and only took his phone number to call him at a later time. By the time it was my turn to pay, he was already in a sour mood and was unpleasant towards my husband and I. I also asked him about catering, and he stated that there was no catering and his server was wrong. But the server said they had it, and this website even states the rest. under catering! What's up with that? I still would like to come to this place...if the bearded man is not there, and water refills would be nice.

Pros: Most food are good, servers-courteous

Cons: pop us flat, man with the beard is rude

Posted 08/28/09

If I could I would rate our experience at True Thai as zero stars.
I am a 64-year-old retired professional man and do not consider myself a demanding or complaining person, but I almost find myself smiling as I recall the entrepreneurial clumsiness displayed to us yesterday when we tried to have lunch at True Thai. We spoke to a woman at the counter who told us it would be a few minutes. I replied that is fine and stepped back from the counter to wait. Several other parties came in and were seated so I asked politely why this was happening. A bearded gentleman, a staff or probably an owner of the place, was nearby and interjected himself into the exchange. He had overheard our inquiry and addressed us as if we were bad employees, harshly and condescendingly telling us that if we weren't standing exactly by the "wait until you are seated" sign we would be considered take-out customers. This apparently is necessary despite our prior conversation with the hostess, who did not instruct us exactly how to wait. No indications of that "system" are posted to my recollection. His manner reminded me of a supply sergeant rather than a host.
Because of this attitude we told him we were leaving and he shrugged. We left and went to Tum Rup Thai where the food is reliably good and the staff are always pleasant. The availability of so many well-run, good, and friendly restaurants in the neighborhood and city, neither I nor anyone I know will feel it necessary to try this restaurant again. No meal is worth the responsibility of absorbing this man's unhappiness.

Pros: see below

Cons: service and attitude

Posted 04/30/09

I have been to this place a few times in the past, and and had a good experience each of those times. However, my last dining experience at the restaurant was HORRIBLE. I asked the lady for a cherry coke. The drink tasted "flat". I told the waiter, she apologized, and brought me another cherry coke. The drink STILL tasted "flat", as if the soda was expired or something. I told the waiter once again, and I asked for another drink-a vanilla coke this time. The vanilla coke was ALSO "flat"!!. This time I didn't tell the waiter, and decided to just keep the drink. I could seriously tell that the coke was flat, or that it was expired. I ordered some chicken fried rice, and told the waiter to please make it "medium spicy". The food was not EVEN A BIT spicy. In fact, the chicken fried rice had a sweet, "sticky" taste to it. I seriously was expecting better, because I had better experiences in the past at this restaurant. I gave this restaurant a 3-star rating, because the waiter was extremely courteous and so were rest of the staff. However, the food itself should actually get a lower rating-like 2 stars.

Pros: Extremely courteous waiter and service

Cons: Horrible Food and flat-tasting soda

Posted 03/10/09

The fish cakes, basil fried rice and chicken in red curry was good, although the serving was really small. The seafood tomyam was a huge disappointment. And after complaining to the Thai waitress, she informed us that the cook are from Laos, which explain the taste of the other 4 dishes that we ordered, kind of sweet in tasting and more to Chinese Laotian type of dishes.
As for dessert, we ordered 2 servings of mango in glutinous rice and coconut sauce which was really good except the serving was really small.

Posted 03/05/09

AWFUL SERVICE! I called to place a pick up and the man who answered the phone was extremely rude! He kept putting me on hold and when I finally got an order he kept asking me "What number? What number?!" He was AWFUL! I'm very upset with the bad service!

Pros: Can't think of any because of the rude service - it really ruins the whole mood!

Cons: BAD SERVICE

Posted 02/05/09

Chicken satay is simple but delicious and it is my favorite Thai dish. I've tried it in several locations in the Twin Cities, as well as restaurants in Denver and Atlanta. True Thai has THE BEST that I have ever tasted. Great sweet rice as well, and an extremely friendly waitress!!

Pros: Great waitress, authentic food

Cons: No parking

Posted 01/31/09

We've decided not to visit this restaurant anymore, as the last three times we went there, we were seated quickly, but then ignored for twenty minutes. I had to walk back up to the front and ask them to send someone to the table. One time was even at my birthday party. I thought the service would get better with the expansion, but you wait just as long at your table to get noticed. It was not particularly busy.

The food is good, but it's not worth the frustration.

Pros: Good food

Cons: Terrible service.

Posted 12/21/08

I've been all over the Twin Cities and nothing has compared to this. The Green Curry and Cream Puffs where incredible. Can't wait to go back.

Pros: Great Food

Cons: May have to wait some time for a table.

Posted 10/05/08

I live in the neighborhood where this restaurant is. One night I went to get some take out to bring home. To my surprise, the man behind the cash register jumped to the door, locked it right before my eyes and told me the restaurant was closed. This was a full 15 minutes before the closing time as stated on their door. Now, I am not one to cry "racism" every time something doesn't go my way, but this was all to obvious. In fact, when I asked the man behind the door why he had locked the door on me, his reply was "we have been robbed one too many times." Did I forget to mention that I am a 30-something dark-skinned Latino man? They will not see me there again... that's for sure.

Posted 09/04/08

True Thai is in the neighborhood now but I used to drive 30 minutes just for a taste of the curry puffs. I typically order the Rama Spinach Curry with Peanut and must stop myself from eating the whole thing. My boyfriend gets the sweet & sour chicken and argues that it is the best he has ever had. The Royal Golden Pineapple Fried Rice is wonderful and is served in a pineapple. I've never been disappointed with the quality of the food at the restaurant or for takeout. They are busy on weekends but they work hard to turn over tables without rushing anyone.

Posted 08/18/08

After reading so many good reviews we decided to try this 'authentic' thai restaurant. We had the green curry which we found to be extremely sweet and the chicken was overcooked and tasted like cardboard. The drunkard's noodles were equally disappointing - the shrimp was overcooked and dish tasted bland (despite the menu saying that there were chili's in it).

There is nothing authentic about this place - I'm sure that people in Thailand would be disappointed with the bland food.

Pros: parking is easy to find

Cons: extremely bland food

Posted 08/14/08

My beautiful wife and I love True Thai! We have eaten at probably 10+ Thai restaurants between Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and none of them are better. (Tum Rup Thai is a distant 2nd place.) The owner of True Thai (the warm and friendly Anna) is almost always there and frequently takes food orders over the phone. We have gotten take-out from True Thai probably 20 times over the last 2 years and they have never made a mistake. The restaurant is efficient and friendly and clean - we love eating there, too. For me, there is no better Thai dish than the Panang Curry - it is the perfect agreement between spicy red curry and sweet green curry. I used to be a Pad Thai person, but I have seen the light of Panang Curry! And don't miss the Worlds Best Eggrolls - the dipping sauce is perfect. Friendly service, great food - what more could you ask for? One of the previous reviews complains about waiting too long to eat on a busy weekend night - we have never waited more than 15 minutes on any night. No matter, Anna and her staff are worth the wait.

Pros: Food, Service, Clean, Take-out - everything!

Cons: (none)

Posted 07/04/08

True Thai has been my favorite thai place in the twin cities for a few years now. Try as I might to find a place that I like as much, that's as reasonably priced, and that's as authentic I always fail. True thai is the truly the best thai food ever!

Pros: Food is awesome, fast seating

Cons: sometimes the waitresses are really unobservant.

Posted 07/02/08

Agree with this comment!
After reading all the good reviews, thought I'd try True Thai. Made a reservation for Friday night at 7:30. Got there at about 7:15 and the place was packed. Took forever to just get up to the front desk to check on the reservation, at which time I found out I didn't have one. Evidently they hadn't written it down, even though I had called twice and changed the number for the table on the second call. That aside, after standing shoulder to shoulder int he crowd for 20 minutes, finally did get a table.
Overall, I'd have to say our entire group was very disappointed. Our service was slow and mediocre, and the food was barely average. I had the choo chee curry with scallops. The dish was luke warm when served. The scallops were definitely from a can, and the curry was overly sweet. I don't think they really get the whole idea behind thai food regarding the mix of flavors such as sweet with spicy. Their dish was just sweet. Maybe that's how Minnesotans like it and maybe that's why the place is packed, but I don't get it.
I also had the Tom Yum soup which again, was missing the play on mixing subtle flavors. Instead, it was just very sour and lemony. Other members in our party also had mediocre dishes and the wok fried broccoli with beef was horrible. There was barely any beef and what was there was very stringy. The sauce was overly salty and runny.
So, I won't be going back. I know other places that have much better soup, and other places that have much better thai curries. I won't mention them since then people will think I'm simply writing this review to draw customers elsewhere. But, True Thai is not good in my opinion, and I'm not sure why the place is so packed. Must be a lot of Minnesotans who don't know what good Thai food is...

Pros: many seats

Cons: not True Thai food, slow

Posted 06/05/08

I had True Thai for the first time today and it was soo good. I tried the green curry, which I've only had curry once before in my life, and was a little leery. I was far from disappointed! It was so good, just the right amount of spice, and plenty of rice to go with it. I wish they had a parking lot because it's not always easy to find street parking in the area.

Pros: Very good food

Cons: No parking, very busy

Posted 05/01/08

I had heard good things, but I was disappointed. It was bland and greasy. The "medium" is not even remotely spicy. I had massaman and my friend had drunkard noodles. Maybe we ordered the wrong things, but for the price it was really disappointing. The veggie spring rolls were more grease than veggie. I won't order it again. :-(

Posted 04/25/08

I love thai food and go to many thai restaurants and I can say that True Thai is one of the best in the Twin Cities
The food is consistently excellent. Every dish I've had has been great. Specifically the calamari is perfect not rubbery like most places and I think the Thai coffee is to die for
I did have one negative experience with a server who had her rude moments but I also had an excellent experience with a male waiter who was very nice and recommended great dishes on the menu.
I don't recommend going on a Fri or Sat night as you'll face quite the wait
Apparently word has spread about their great food

Pros: Excellent food at great prices

Cons: Iffy service

Posted 04/21/08

The Curries are good.
The Laab is too salty to eat.
The Pad Thai is ok.
The Spring rolls are boring.
Thats all I know.

Pros: decent food

Cons: Abusive behavior from owners husband if allowed to interact with public.

Posted 04/04/08

After reading all the good reviews, thought I'd try True Thai. Made a reservation for Friday night at 7:30. Got there at about 7:15 and the place was packed. Took forever to just get up to the front desk to check on the reservation, at which time I found out I didn't have one. Evidently they hadn't written it down, even though I had called twice and changed the number for the table on the second call. That aside, after standing shoulder to shoulder int he crowd for 20 minutes, finally did get a table.
Overall, I'd have to say our entire group was very disappointed. Our service was slow and mediocre, and the food was barely average. I had the choo chee curry with scallops. The dish was luke warm when served. The scallops were definitely from a can, and the curry was overly sweet. I don't think they really get the whole idea behind thai food regarding the mix of flavors such as sweet with spicy. Their dish was just sweet. Maybe that's how Minnesotans like it and maybe that's why the place is packed, but I don't get it.
I also had the Tom Yum soup which again, was missing the play on mixing subtle flavors. Instead, it was just very sour and lemony. Other members in our party also had mediocre dishes and the wok fried broccoli with beef was horrible. There was barely any beef and what was there was very stringy. The sauce was overly salty and runny.
So, I won't be going back. I know other places that have much better soup, and other places that have much better thai curries. I won't mention them since then people will think I'm simply writing this review to draw customers elsewhere. But, True Thai is not good in my opinion, and I'm not sure why the place is so packed. Must be a lot of Minnesotans who don't know what good Thai food is...

Pros: Not many

Cons: Slow service, average to poor food, limited parking, crowded, lost reservation

Posted 03/29/08

After reading so many positive reviews, we decided to give True Thai a try for the first time. The first bite was exciting--wow, full of spices and wonderful flavors. I do appreciate the amount of basil they put in the dishes which brought out the flavors well. However, after the first bite, I can use one word to describe the taste--SWEET, VERY sweet. It seemed that both dishes (rice noodles with basil and sweet green curry) were drenched in sugar! Given the curry was marked "sweet", I guess it was "acceptable" to be very sweet, but even the noodles?

We had to order an extra order of rice (i.e. no free refills on rice) to go with the noodles because the noodle dish got really salty and sugary and became hard to eat by itself, not to mention that the serving of rice that came with the curry dish was small.

I had better Thai food elsewhere and am not too sure if I would go back again...

Pros: nice decor

Cons: food is too sweet, charge for rice refills

Posted 03/25/08

I've been looking for a really good and authentic Thai experience in MSP and finally found it. If you like spicy food be sure to order it at least medium otherwise you'll miss the heat. The pad thai was just OK but their wok seared choices and curries are phenomenal! The only word I could use that came close to describing the flavor of the green curry was "beautiful." It is very flavorful and delicate - just incredible. They only service beer and wine which is fine but good to know in advance.

Pros: Excellent Food; Great prices

Cons: Gets busy so plan ahead or prepare to wait a bit

Posted 01/05/08

This is really some of the best Thai food in the Twin Cities - the genuine article. I've lived in Thailand and have been searching for authentic food since returning and I've found it! But so has everyone else - this place is very busy on weekends, so expect a little wait, but it is SO worth it. You can also call your order in for pick-up and they're really fast about that. Fabulous service, excellent food and an up-beat positive atmosphere. Hands down, amazing all around!

Pros: Food and service are outstanding!

Cons: It's a popular place, so it can get busy, but any wait is worth it!

Posted 10/08/07

By far the best thai I have had in the cities. The place is always so packed that I end up getting take out which can still be a bit of a wait. If you go, make a reservation or go after the 7-pm rush. Well worth the wait.

Pros: Amazing flavor without the grease

Cons: Higher price

Posted 11/12/06

The good: the individual dishes are fantastic. The bad: the lunch buffet. One of the most pathetic buffets I have ever seen. I made the mistake of getting it once. There is very little to choose from, and what they have on the buffet looks and tastes the same. But the regular dishes are great - try anything in a coconut cream sauce. But if you want a lunch buffet, you can do much better other places.

Pros: Individual dishes are great, service is friendly

Cons: Lunch buffet, crowded and noisy

Posted 09/21/06

I have no idea of the authenticity of the cuisine but a friend introduced me to this place about a year ago and ever since then there are times when only True Thai's Pad See Yew (spelling??) will hit the spot. It's like junk food, only probably far more nutritious than nachos. 99% of the time I call ahead and get my food to go. What is remarkable about the service is that twice I have placed my order at or just after close (not knowing they were closed at the time) and they have greeted me with a smile and refused my apologies when I've arrived to pick up my food. If only they were open 24 hours to satisfy those 12am cravings.

Pros: Tasty food

Cons: Out of the way

Posted 06/17/06

One of the best Thai restaurants in the cities if not THE best!! Only negative would be getting a table on a weekend evening....try take-out!!

Posted 06/12/06

Good place to try out thai, excellent food and a nice neighbourhood.

Pros: food

Posted 04/28/06

True thai is my favorite place for thai food. Ever since I tried it a couple years ago I have been hooked. The pad thai is the best I"ve ever had, and their pineapple fried rice is a real treat! The people who work there are so nice, the only problem I ever had was they once forgot my thai iced tea, but then they gave me and everyone at my table a free one! Go there and you'll never go anywhere else!

Pros: service, FOOD!, friendly

Cons: busy

Posted 08/15/05

My fiancee and I have had Thai food all around the US, including CA, IL, and here. We found our favorite dishes of Pad Thai (with tofu) and Green Curry (with beef) to be some of the best examples of these dishes we've had. Just enough spiciness to make them interesting (and not painful), and a touch of sweetness made them both a delight.

Posted 01/18/05

I spent many months in Thailand while I was based in Chicago. I used to like Taste of Thailand a great deal but their food turned into the typical American bastardization of on of the world's great cuisines. True Thai is it! Just get in the car, bus, taxi and go there right now...one of the best Green Papaya salads I've had in the states.

Posted 10/16/03

I was very disappointed being a Thai from L.A. Where there is Thai foods almost very block.

I ordered Pahd Thai, but it look like soy sauce noodle that served in all other Laotien restaurant in town here.

You called it True Thai? I say not.

Pros: Not Thai, Lao foods

Posted 10/04/03

in my opinion, this is the best thai place in the twin cities. great food, great family owned resturant !

also, on a side note - any dish can be made hotter and you HAVE to have the tofu green curry. it's the best - even if you love meat.

Pros: FOOD, parking, quick service

Cons: location is bad, not a full bar

Posted 08/10/03

The restaurant is beautifully decorated by folks who know and love Thai culture. But the food is the reason to eat here-freshness and subtlety characterize this extensive menu.

Posted 07/31/03

The food is wonderful and the take out service is great. We had the Wok fried Bean Thread Vermicelli with Shrimp and the Wok fried Green Chili with Sweet Basil with Chicken. The green chili dish was fresh, delicious and surprisingly spicy. Will definitely go again.

Pros: good food, location

Posted 07/28/03

I had the chicken pad thai and it was pretty good. It was definately better than Sawadee's but not better than Kinhdo's. Don't get me wrong because it is good. But, if I had to choose my place to eat the pad thai then Kinhdo would be first then True Thai.

Posted 07/07/03

Everyone I was with agreed that the food was fabulous!! Everything truly tasted homemade rather than made two days ago. Highly recommend the Rama Spinach Curry and the Green Curry. The only sore point was their insistence at squeezing five people around a four person square table rather than move two tables together for us the fact that at ten p.m. the place shuts down and the vacuum turns on.

Pros: Inexpensive, Great Food, Easy Parking

Cons: Closes Early, Limited Wine List, Atmosphere

Posted 05/19/03

I went to True Thai when it first opened. The staff was just getting used to everything, but one thing is for sure...the food was perfect. The hand-made cream cheese puffs were fantastic, as were the eggrolls. The chicken pad thai has plenty of competition in the Cities with the million other thai places, but it was probably the best that I have ever had. I highly recommend this place!

Pros: Portions, Friendly staff

Posted 03/25/03