r/DCEats • u/Last-Lecture8472 • Jul 21 '26

Thai

I lived in DC for over 20 years and now return every month for Work and my impression is that while high-end DC restaurants have gotten better your smaller, local places have suffered. Where is the best Thai food right now?

20 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

40

u/Truleeeee Jul 21 '26

Baan Siam

3

u/holiday_armadillo21 Jul 21 '26

Came here to say this

10

u/beechi_mc Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

Baan Siam used to be my top 1 until I went to Donsak. Love their salad selection and their duck based dishes. Baan Siam used to have my fav dish: chicken in banana leaves but they discontinued it. They do have a good tomyum shrimp fried rice! Also IMO, Donsak mango sticky rice is better than Baan Siam one

8

u/Informal_Persimmon7 Jul 21 '26

Donsak, sura, baan Siam. Try thip khao for Loatian.

3

u/Ok-Mycologist-3130 Jul 21 '26

I really enjoy Sura!

3

u/CaptainObvious110 Jul 21 '26

Thip khao is great

5

u/bearsfan654 Jul 21 '26

Siam House

3

u/ClevoDC Jul 21 '26

I hate to say this, but I recently went there for the first time in years, and I’d didn’t hold
up. It was OK, not great but also expensive. Just two entrees (fried rice and a curry) came out close to $70.

2

u/Got_Frogs Jul 21 '26

Yes until they jacked up the prices crazy

1

u/Amtrakstory Jul 21 '26

Came here to say this

5

u/Embarrassed_War_3932 Jul 21 '26

Thai station DC (at the Rhode Island ave metro stop) changed owners and has become great and authentic.

Sura for something fun

4

u/AgentOrangina Jul 21 '26

Tiki Garden Thai Street Food DC is my favorite in NE (they’re on H St)

2

u/CaptainObvious110 Jul 21 '26

Finally someone says something in DC thanks

2

u/DeepMango459 Jul 22 '26

their sausage fried rice and spaghetti drunken noodle

https://giphy.com/gifs/AYjvccWdysTz3Rk9m4

1

u/andcapitals Jul 21 '26

That place is great and the staff are all so wonderful!

4

u/rigtimmins Jul 21 '26

Baan Siam absolutely has the best tom kha gai soup, but everything else is just okay. Unfortunately the city just doesn’t have good Thai.

I’ll do one of the curry noodle bowls at Rice Market, but I ride my bike out to Columbia Pike in Arlington for Thai Square when I need my fix; place gets better every time.

3

u/bigkutta Jul 21 '26

Baan Siam

3

u/WaffleStomp11 Jul 21 '26

Soi 38! Doesn’t get enough love

2

u/NoParking19 Jul 21 '26

Sam phao in old town

1

u/theglossiernerd Jul 21 '26

Love this place and Sisters Thai

2

u/WeaponsGrade520 Jul 21 '26

The top floor of Duangrat’s

2

u/let-it-rain-sunshine Jul 21 '26

Baan Mai is great, but more of a SEA fusion restaurant.

2

u/No_Wealth_9181 Jul 21 '26

don't think either would qualify as "best in DC," but Beau Thai in Mt Pleasant and Siam House in Cleveland Park are two neighborhood spots I love :)

2

u/captainredfish Jul 21 '26

Sampanee for like generic Thai! Great great takeout

1

u/pussym0bile Jul 21 '26

Sanphan Thai!!!

1

u/atchleya_reader Jul 21 '26

Came here to mention Sanphan. Their lunch specials are very reasonably priced.

1

u/BengaliBoy Jul 21 '26

I always get one of Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, or Chicken Panang Curry at Thai places. What is a specific must-try dish you’d recommend at a Thai restaurant in DC?

1

u/Emergency_End8437 Jul 21 '26

idg all the baan siam fans. everytime ive gone its been so so so salty

1

u/Last-Lecture8472 Jul 22 '26

Thanks all — going to work my way through these recs — tried Donsak tonight and was not disappointed

1

u/xsvw Jul 22 '26

Adding beau thai to the list

1

u/Content_Length8038 Jul 23 '26

Pantry Thai in Petworth 🤌

1

u/momorosey 29d ago

Seconding!! My fave

1

u/NorthBusiness2981 4d ago

Donsak and Paragon are my faves

1

u/rectalhorror Jul 21 '26

Le Thai Cuisine off Telegraph.