Sala Thai Restaurant — Restaurant in Bethesda

rarely ever leave reviews, but my experience at Sala Thai Bethesda was so awful that I couldn’t stay silent. My friend and I came here for dinner, expecting a peaceful night and good food — instead, we were met with pure rudeness and complete lack of respect.

From the start, the servers barely acknowledged us. No greeting, no warmth — just cold energy that made us feel like we didn’t belong there. I paid for our meal in cash instead of my card like I normally do, and it’s as if that automatically made them assume I wouldn’t tip. Without even giving me the courtesy or time to finish my payment, the waiter slammed my change down on the table and demanded that I leave a higher tip. The audacity was unbelievable.

When I tried to ask what the issue was, I was ignored completely. The server, Lan, even sucked her teeth and walked away like I wasn’t worth a response. I was embarrassed — not because of the money, but because of the way I was treated in front of my guest. I brought my friend there for the first time, and it turned into one of the most uncomfortable dining experiences I’ve ever had.

What should have been a nice evening turned into a moment of humiliation and disgust. No customer deserves to be treated that way — especially when they’ve done nothing but show up respectfully and pay for their meal.

Sala Thai Bethesda needs to do better. Customer service is about respect,...

This was my first time visiting this restaurant after hearing so many great things from a friend who praised their food. Unfortunately, my experience was the complete opposite of what I expected.

When my friend and I arrived, the staff’s attitude immediately set the wrong tone. The restaurant closes at 3 p.m. and reopens at 4, so we waited patiently — only to be greeted with rude stares, unwelcoming energy, and dismissive service from the three servers on duty. The woman who unlocked the door didn’t even hold it open for us, which was my first red flag.

Throughout our visit, we were ignored and treated as if we didn’t belong there. The final straw was when our waiter slammed the check clipboard on the table, as if assuming we wouldn’t tip — despite the poor service and disrespect we’d already experienced. Why would you expect a tip for poor service anyway? You deserved that $1.47 tip for the terrible treatment and behavior you displayed.

The food wasn’t impressive either, but the service alone made it impossible to enjoy the meal. I will not be visiting this place ever again.

SHAME ON YOU. At this point, you might as well put a sign on the door that says, “No colors allowed,” because that’s exactly how we were...

Been to this place before, and after a long break, I decided to give it another shot. Big mistake. I ordered the Pad Thai, which turned out to be the worst I've ever had—like, did-the-noodles-commit-a-crime-to-deserve-this bad. I even tried to save it with some spice, but nope, still tasted like disappointment and regret.

I told the server the food was nasty and way too spicy, and she hit me with, “Well, you added the spice.” Ma’am. Yes, I did. But I was trying to save it, not make it worse. That’s like blaming me for putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg.

Then came the bill: $15.90. I didn’t leave a tip—because tipping is for decent food and not a potential ER visit. The server looked personally offended and said, “Maybe just do takeout next time if you’re not going to tip.” Lady, I’ve tipped before, but not for Pad Thai that doubles as a digestive cleanse.

If you're actively looking for stomach pain, regret, this place has you covered.

Moral of the story: if you want good Pad Thai, go literally anywhere else. Even your microwave might have...