Ning's Thai Cuisine — Restaurant in Hawaii

Only recommend this place conditionally. Here are my 2 cents.

First caveat is spice level. If you are anyone who doesn’t usually eat what’s considered to be very spicy food, do yourself a favor and get mild food here. This place most likely messed up our order. Called to order 2 dishes - mild for my dish and medium spice level for my wife’s dish. Accepted both mediums during pickup (as that’s what they had made) assuming it won’t be that bad. WRONG. Too spicy!! On mainland this would be level 8 or 9 hotness out of 10. Had to throw most of our food out and drink some milk to calm my gut down. Is a real shame because it’s actually very tasty food and the potential to be some of the best Thai food you’ll ever taste in your life (this is my second time here - had ordered mild food the first time and absolutely loved it) but on this occasion they did a true 180 and completely messed up by passing on mistakenly made burn-your-gut-and-your-wallet level spicy food as “medium-level” food. Not cool. After chugging my can of milk, I wondered if this is some really weird calibration of hotness on their part and an honest mistake. Tried calling them about our order but they closed. In the small unlikely case they truly consider this to be medium, the gap between their mild and medium food is so ridiculously large it reminds me ironically of the big island. They really need to recalibrate their spice level. Mild is just mild. The next level they offer (medium) was unreasonably spicy. A reasonable restaurant would operate in the wide spice spectrum between those two points. What’s worse is they make it a point to advertise on their tables that they will not refund any food that’s not ordered mild. So it seems they know their spice level is idiotic and they want to just keep it that way rather than rectify it?

To my second caveat, they will nickel and dime you and tbh I would’ve let this slide if it wasn’t for the spice issue. Please stay with me here. If you order an entree, charging you for protein with is absolutely normal but they charge you even for jasmine rice. Not sticky rice. Plain old Jasmine rice. How else am I supposed to eat your entree?! I’m ready to pay higher price for your entrees given that this is the big island but I’d much rather they increase their price even further than charge me extra for rice. It comes off as disingenuous and makes you look like frontier airlines of thai food and have you meet anyone who loves frontier? This is unethical and a hill I’ll die on.

I’m usually the kind who only posts positive reviews and nothing else. But this place has frustratingly the best Thai food and the worst food ever, depending seemingly on chance. But the volcanic spice level is the dealbreaker, and it’s so simple to do better, hence my first...

I had high hopes for this restaurant given the reviews, but unfortunately, I won’t be going back. When I arrived, I was seated without a word being said to me. I ordered hot tea, spring rolls, and the number 45, choosing fish as my protein because I was told the fish was fresh. I also requested the second hottest spice level. The hot tea and spring rolls were great, and I finished the entire cup of tea before finishing the rolls. However, when my entree arrived, it was bland, floral-tasting, and had no spice at all.

After waiting and taking a few bites, I decided to stand up and ask for chili oil and chili flakes through a little window. The waitor immediately blamed the woman cooking in the back "she forgot to put spice in it". He brought the chili oil quickly, which helped with the flavor a bit, but the fish was far from fresh. I finished my meal, and then a gentleman, who had been resting at a table near the front, struck up a very interesting conversation with me. He was a kind person with a pure soul, and it was the highlight of my visit.

As the conversation continued, I finally worked up the nerve to ask for another cup of tea. At this point, I was extremely disappointed with the overall experience, but I tried to stay positive, thinking perhaps they were having a bad day and business was slow. The total came to $48, and despite my disappointment, I considered giving $20 to the gentleman I had spoken with, feeling he might need it and use it well. I left a $2 tip on the receipt and continued to sip my tea, contemplating whether I should give the $20 to the gentleman and just fish out another $20 for the waiter.

However, the waiter came by, picked up the receipt, and laughed loudly at the tip I had left. This was incredibly disheartening. I asked the gentleman if he wanted something to eat, but he politely declined. At that point, I felt overwhelmed by the entire experience and left the restaurant in a disappointed state. I’m writing this review because the experience left me questioning whether it was me or the establishment that fell short, but either way, I won’t...

I love the food, however I am so sick and tired of the horrible customer service skills of one particular person working there. Their behavior is horrendous. Imagine, someone making you feel like they are doing you a favor, when you call to make a take out order. This person always get the order wrong, they have no patience to hear you explain in details. Yesterday, was the straw that broke the camel's back. I tried to order by phone. After several attempts to explain what I wanted.This person hung up the phone on me, when I showed up in person to ask about my order, they lied and said I hung up. Totally untrue, cause I called back and they did not pick up. So that is why I went in person to order. When I arrived, and asked for the manager, the same person stepped up to the window and started to argue with me. Everyone in the back in the kitchen began to speak in their language. I don't speak Thai, have no idea what they were saying to her. Nonetheless, they looked at me as if they were helpless to say anything. I looked for the best employee they have there, which is Angel, and she was not around. I looked at the person in front of me, and thanked her for her rude behavior and poor customer service skills. I walked out. I write this review, because I have been supporting this business for almost 4 years now. Even right through COVID, that is the only place in Pahoa, I would order food. I even put up with that person's rude way's , a number of times thinking it's just cultural differences, that makes them so unaware of the way they treat clients deferentially. I will not spend a dime in a place where I don't feel respected and welcomed. The only one worthy of the 5 stars is the waitress Angel. She is a gem. If you choose to eat there, ask for Angel, you will enjoy the food and her service. They need to have her train this person who is posing...