VINES — Restaurant in Davao City

We were really excited to try this restaurant because of all the great reviews, but unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the worst meals we’ve had in Davao so far.

The Pad Thai was overwhelmingly sweet—borderline inedible. The green curry was thick, overly rich, and just as sweet. Papaya salad is mushy and a little too sweet. It honestly felt like we were eating dessert instead of a savory meal. I even had to pat my chicken onto my rice to try and absorb some of the sweetness. That’s how bad it was.

Halfway through the meal, my partner and I just looked at each other and agreed to stop eating. We left most of the food and just took home the plain rice—ironically, the only thing that tasted normal.

We had originally planned to grab cakes afterward at a nearby cafe, but after that sugar overload, we just went straight home and made tea instead. It literally felt like eating a solid icing cake—so sweet that my teeth hurt!

We can’t understand how this place is getting such high ratings. Maybe the chef changed? Or maybe they just didn’t taste the food before serving. Either way, it was such a letdown. If you’re craving Thai food in Davao, you’re better off going to Asian...

Honest review: It’s a Thai restaurant that you don’t need to crave thai food just to decide to dine in here. They have various choices but you will still tempted to order thai food or more once you get surrounded by people eating them. Lol. Anyway, their Bagoong Rice is Otherworldly! I would say the best bagoong rice in town. Pad thai is ❤️, so good! You would see the Crispy Spinach on almost every table dining in. Haha. Super sulit, yummy with enormous serving. Thai Iced tea with Milk is delicious, though it tastes different from the original Thai Milk tea that you would taste in Thailand, still its good. Drinks are sulit, since they use big serving glasses for it. Unlike other restos that got same price but use small glasses. The Mango sticky rice is a must try! Oh also the Creme Brulee! I like this version of Chicken satay unlike in Thailand, though it lacks of taste but better. Others might prefer their chicken satay filled with seasonings. Servers are accommodating though they do have a lot.

The owners are so lowkey kind, humble and...

Conveniently located at the heart of davao, its location is easily accessable. It is within the compound of the new Rogen Inn hotel near Davao Doctors Hospital.

If you're bringing a car, there's no worry for there are lots of parking spaces near the area and within the compound.

The Atmosphere is good. Cozy, a bit dim, and the chairs are comfy.

The service was quick, the waiters immediately brought menus a few seconds after we sat down. After ordering, the food was served quite fast, and well cooked and well presented.

We were pleasantly surprised that the taste was close to an authentic Thai cusine. The chicken wasn't too spicy and the Bagoong rice was seasoned well!

Overall the experience was good. Food and service was excellent.

I would highly recommend Vines if you wanna try thai...