Jeh O Chula Banthatthong — Restaurant in Rong Mueang Subdistrict

✨ Hidden Gem Food Experience! ( After disappointing experience at Jeh o chula) ✨

We stumbled upon this place after having a not-so-great experience at Jeh O Chula — and honestly, I’m so glad we did! Sometimes a bad experience really leads you to something way better.

After being Jeh o Chula regular everytime I'm in Bangkok, I'M SO GLAD I encountered such RUDE behaviour by the man who handle the queue at Jeh O Chula. Because of that I realized there is so many BETTER AND AMAZING FOOD in surrounding area that ONLY LOCAL GOES!

I took the queue in advance at around 101 number. Made our way to the restaurant, arrived at the number was getting to 70ish so we walk in surrounding area to kill the time to only realize THE QUEUE WAS CANCELLED at around number 50ish! I went immediately to ask if the the shop or system glitched cancelled it? What happened? The man shouted YOU CANCELLED IT! SEE YOU CANCELLED IT! YOU TAKE NUMBER AGAIN! (Best part was he grinned like psychopath, seem to enjoy the notoriety of their shop having customer to have long wait, wanting to eat there) Well I was thinking it's okay, we will wait then to see the queue is at 139.

My daughter told me, mommy the food is not that good (She told me otw too but I insisted for tonight since I loves the salmon there) But my partner being German are not having the nonsense of the long queue. I wanted him to try the pork belly. But I remember last visit without my partner, my friend said it wasn't THAT GREAT, it was hard and not that good, worthy of visit (I don't eat pork so I don't know) so I didn't want to let us wait again and again for him to find out the pork aren't that good and be upset. So we let majority win and decided to check out for restaurant nearby and SO GLAD WE DID!!

Just few meter away is just this AMAZING restauran called PHAKAO with OUTSTANDING waitress name KIT who assisted us from table sitting (NO WAITING ALTHO FULL HOUSE because they are efficient with swift table cleaning, bigger space and even communicate with walkie talkie) she personally explained the menu which is partly in Thai because most of the customer are local Thai. SHE ASSISTED with true thai friendly but professional hospitality. After all our order was done, whilst waiting for food that didn't even take long. She dropped by to say goodbye as her shift is ending. I was so touched to see such personal sincere service in PHAKAO compare to Jeh O Chula low class customer service.

and when the FOOD ARRIVED, BOY WAS WE BLOWN AWAY OR WHAT??!

Let me tell you, every single dish here was an explosion of flavor!

1️⃣ Longan Blended Drink – Super refreshing and naturally sweet with that distinct longan aroma. Top up with longan on top, generous amount!! It’s not too sweet, just perfectly balanced — such a great palate cleanser between all the flavorful dishes.

2️⃣ Beef Grilled – Tender, juicy, and perfectly charred. Cooked fo PERFECTION. MELT IN MOUTH with perfect sauce at the side. I'm salvating thinking about it lolz 🤤 Every bite was smoky and rich, so addictive that we ended up ordering 2nd plate again!

3️⃣ Salmon salad – Oh my god, this was perfection! Best in Bangkok! Jeh o Chulaaa what??? The Salmon Salad in PHAKAO is Fresh, zesty, and flavorful with just the right balance of tang and spice. The amount is generous! Look at the picture. We actually ordered this twice too because we couldn’t get enough of it. Honestly, this salmon salad puts Jeh O Chula’s version to shame.

Sometimes the best food finds are the ones you don’t...

Jeh O Chula, an establishment that has garnered a notable mention in the esteemed Michelin Guide, presents a dining proposition that, upon recent inspection, left this critic pondering the true criteria for such an accolade. While its famed Mama instant noodle hotpot certainly possesses a certain visual allure and a narrative of late-night indulgence, the culinary reality is, regrettably, far less inspiring.

The odyssey to secure a table begins with an often-unfathomable wait, stretching into hours for those without the foresight of a paid "fast-track" reservation. This in itself is a significant imposition; no dish, however celebrated, should demand such a protracted period of anticipation, particularly in the humid embrace of a Bangkok evening. This extended preamble invariably cultivates an expectation that the subsequent meal simply cannot, and does not, meet.

The signature Mama Tom Yum Noodles, presented in an impressive communal bowl, immediately raises questions of culinary integrity. To elevate a humble packet of instant noodles, however gourmet its dressing, to the realm of Michelin recognition seems, at best, a curious choice. The broth, while possessing a certain spicy and sour kick, often veers into an overwhelming saltiness, a crude assault on the palate that overpowers any nuanced flavours from the accompanying seafood or pork. The texture of the noodles themselves remains, predictably, that of instant noodles – a far cry from the freshly prepared, springy strands one might expect from a truly distinguished noodle house.

The various additions, from the crispy pork belly to the seafood, offer moments of fleeting satisfaction, yet they are not consistently exceptional enough to justify the dish's exorbitant price point, especially when considering its humble origins. The "crispy pork," while indeed crispy, can be surprisingly greasy, and the seafood, though generally fresh, does not transcend the ordinary. Other ancillary dishes sampled, regrettably, failed to leave a lasting impression, often appearing as unremarkable renditions of common Thai fare.

In conclusion, Jeh O Chula, while undoubtedly a social media phenomenon and a bustling hub, regrettably fails to deliver a dining experience commensurate with its lauded status. The extended waiting times, the fundamentally simple nature of its most famous dish, and a pervasive lack of refined execution suggest that its appeal lies more in novelty and virality than in genuine culinary merit. For those seeking authentic, exquisitely crafted Thai cuisine, one would be wise to bypass the queues and explore the myriad of less ostentatious, yet far more rewarding, establishments that truly define Bangkok's...

So, when I was in Thailand, I heard all this hype about Jeh O Chula, and it was the first place I rushed to as soon as I landed.

Couldn't book through Klook, so I arrived at 2 PM even though they opened at 4 PM. Had to hustle to snag a spot in line so I wouldn't have to wait when they finally opened.

Around 3-ish, they got the queue going, and guess what? I scored the number two spot 😎 When the place opened, bam, I got seated right away, no long wait!

Seems like Jeh O Chula runs things in batches – they assign time slots for groups to chow down. Ain't no leisurely dining here or hanging out after the meal, 'cause they stick to the schedule for the next batch to slide in. Gotta be on point!

Now, let's get to the grub I ordered: tomyum, crab omelette, salmon yum, and fried tofu.

🍜 Tom yum: Umm, honestly, it tasted like regular mama instant noodles, not super special. I had my hopes high for Jeh O's tomyum, but it was just okay, nothing mind-blowing. The broth was kinda crazy sour – needed a hint of sweetness, man.

🍛 Crab Omelette: So basic, like a run-of-the-mill omelette with some crab. Yup, that's it, nothing too fancy. You could whip that up at home in a jiffy!

🐠 Salmon Yum: Decent enough, but not mind-blowing. I've had better yum elsewhere, dude. It ain't the top dog.

🍞 Fried Tofu: Meh, just your regular fried tofu, you know how it goes.

The prices weren't super dirt cheap, but hey, not crazy expensive either. Pretty fair deal, I'd say.

My final word? The food didn't exactly blow my mind like everyone was saying. I think the whole queue thing made folks go a bit nuts with the reviews, you know what I'm saying?

But hey, who knows? Maybe you'll dig it more than I did – give it a shot and see...