Phaya Thai Halal Restaurant — Restaurant in California

*UPDATE: The owners of Phaya Thai sold the business on December 16, 2023. We were informed the recipes were also sold to the new owner, a lovely gentleman who also owns the market next door. They need a little more time to perfect the food; for now, we aren't going here as often anymore.

I would beg & plead with Sactown Magazine to include this restaurant in its "Best of the City" issue -- this is some of the most delicious, consistent, beautiful Thai food in Sacramento. I am newer to the neighborhood, but this spot has been here for several years. I've eaten here about a dozen or so times.

Casey and his wife Ta, also the chef, run a tight ship as food flies out the door during the peak dinner hour. Casey is always warm and welcoming. It never matters how slammed they are -- he always presents a calm and professional demeanor when greeting you, taking your order, or bringing out food for takeout orders.

As their popularity has soared with Door Dash and other food delivery companies, be advised that wait time can be considerable. If you call your order in, wait time can be as long as an hour and forty-five minutes. If you dine in, however, your order goes to the front of the line.

Also be advised there are no paper menus if you choose to dine in. You can scan the QR code from the table, or if that doesn't work, you can take a look at the laminated menu above the cash register (photos posted with this review of the entire menu).

The food is first class and looks beautiful on the large, white dishware they use. It is arranged artfully on the plate and is always hot and freshly prepared. I have tried several of the curry dishes and noodles -- they will cook it according to your desired spiciness (medium, hot, and Thai hot). The Tom Kha (soup) is my personal favorite (order the pot if your party is larger than 2), as is the Pad Thai.

The atmosphere of the restaurant itself is warm and comfortable; there are no television sets in the room or loud music playing. Just about the only commotion is Casey fulfilling orders!

Great place - neighborhood gem....

I’ve been coming here off and on to this Thai restaurant and it’s mediocre at best. The Pad Thai is bland sadly every time I’ve ordered it for takeout and I’ve only dined in here once years ago with my white adopted mother and we never came back and dined in here again became the food wasn’t memorable. Here and there I’d call and order takeout and never had any issues of my food taking long like others have stated in their review. This place has been around for a long time and I’ve ordered their Tom Yum noodle soup which is decent but again the food isn’t amazing or anything special. When you order the soups to go, the portion size is way to small for the price you pay. The service though has always been kind and courteous and the last few times I’ve been there, the nice older asian man is always working there and he always smiles and is very attentive and kind. I’d give the service an A+ but every-time I’ve gotten takeout there, it’s never busy and this place is completely empty. It makes me wonder how these guys are able to stay in business, but miraculously they get enough customers! Overall the service is friendly but the food is not greets and mediocre at best. Don’t order the Pad Thai, it’s horrible and one of the worse Pad Thai’s I’ve eaten and It’s really not good here. I’d say avoid this restaurant and keep looking. It’s not worth it...

Tom kha broth was a bit thin, lacked flavor despite having actual galangal, Kaffir lime leaves, and occasionally a sliver of lemongrass. The mushrooms were standard white mushrooms which do not belong in tom kha or Tom yum. Almost no lime juice in the broth and too little fish sauce.

Panang curry was likewise a bit thin, the $7 for prawns only included 7-8 small prawns, and the veggies we're lacking. Mostly sauce.

The Pra Ram Rong Song was just the meat/filling of choice with oversweet peanut sauce. The broccoli was plain on the side though it was steamed nicely and still had some crunch. There was no sign of spinach. It was just served on a bed of lettuce.

The best thing we ordered was the Thai Larb Salad. The chicken was slightly too salty for my taste and I love salt, but when you got a bit without to many green onions and a mint leaf it was very good. I would have liked it a bit better with fewer green onions and more mint, but that's just my personal preference and I've never had this...