Chan Dara Thai Cuisine — Restaurant in Escondido

I specifically came to this restaurant because it looked like a diner for Thai food and that was exactly what I got and I am delighted.

Although It's obvious they're not putting excessive money into ambience. I'm really okay with them focusing it directly into the food and keeping the prices low. Which it was. Also there was lots of parking out in front.

I got Tom Kha, which was made in a very authentic style with little to no coconut milk and a lot of lemongrass and kafir lime leaves. My kids split the pad Thai which was perfectly classic and they ate it very well. My husband got Mussaman Curry which had an interesting almost mushroom under flavor but had lots of hearty potatoes and carrots and he inhaled it. I had the Pad See Ew which they gave just the right amount of kick for on my request.

Everything was clean and the large individual booths helped muffle sound and made it feel private. The bathroom was around the corner and almost shockingly big and well kept. No changing table for children.

The staff was pretty swamped with online orders but I hear that's pretty common nowadays. One woman in front was holding down the entire restaurant and more power to her.

I would totally come back again for the good price and solid food. Not the place to take a date to impress. But definitely a place to hit your Thai food craving without...

Though I've been going to this place for years and they have modified orders to be gluten free, I had THE worst restaurant experience of my life today. I am pregnant and craving Thai. My husband calls to make my usual order. There are 2 women who usually work here. One is the nicest lady in the world and super accommodating. The other is a grumpy hag that always tells me it won't taste good gluten free and I tell her thanks but I just put tamari on it and it's great. Well tonight she told my husband that the chef refused to make it. 2 of the 4 things we were ordering already come gluten free. They just had to leave out soy and oyster sauce on the other 2. Never been a problem before. He called and tried again and she refused again and said the owner said they were "too busy". She refused to let him talk to anyone else. He even told them his wife is pregnant and we have ordered these same items many times before. I have NEVER had such poor service in my life. Sadly, this place WAS the best option for GF thai food in Escondido. I will not be going back, even though I was always happy with...

Chan Dara Thai is nice little place in Escondido. We de decided to stop here for unplanned dinner, early for our standards, 5pm dinner.

Without any expectation we ended up here and definitely not disappointed. Place is tiny, interior could take some help, I felt claustrophobic. But once food came, my focus shifted to food.

We ordered Fresh spring role, it was fresh and huge. And got Calamari fries, it was so dead for me, not fresh, felt it was cooked long time back.

For main we ordered Tom Kah soup, it never goes wrong. Especially on a cold day, it's amazing. Tom Kha Soup is a Thai soup made with coconut milk, lots of spices, lemongrass, galangal root, Thai fish sauce, and Thai chili paste. It’s as delicious and flavorful as you can imagine, and they perfected it. All I wished they had more veggies other than just mushrooms.

Pineapple fried rice was good too, but disappointed with the quantity, it was small. Lot of Pineapple and cashews.

We were too full and had to skip desserts.

Price is decent, quantity is less, service could be better and food tastes good. Will...