Thai by Trio — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I've eaten several dishes here, but my favorites that they make here are the dim sum (LOVE the sauce that comes with it) and the mango with sweet sticky rice. Would be cool if they also had deep fried banana. As far as dinner dishes I've eaten here, I did enjoy the Pad See Ew and the Larb was ok, but not great compared to other places I've had it. Hardly had any spice and there was almost no citrus added, which are my favorite flavors in Larb.

But their Pad See Ew and chicken noodle are def great.

I also didn't care much for the Vietnamese Spring Roll. The sauce it came with was good, though and made it edible.

Papaya Salad, I have mixed feelings about it here. I like papaya salad in general though. I feel like it was too sweet here.

By far, no Thai spot in LA tops Ruen Pair over in East Hollywood; it's the most authentic you can get in the city and it's by far the least expensive. You know is good when you don't even have to ASK them to make it spicy.

Thai Casual Dining and T.G. Express come in close behind it.

Thai by Trio is still cool though and I do like that it's very close by where I live (less than half a mile away). Nothing was particularly nasty or bad so I'd eat here again; there is room for improvement, though. But like I said, my favorites here so far would be the Dim Sum and Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango. So basically a side dish and a dessert, followed by the 2 noodle dishes I tried here. I will give some of their curries a try and see how I like them. I think that perhaps Thai by Trio caters to a very particular palate that prefers not as flavorful food, so they just don't go as hard in the paint with it (Americanized or Westernized palate, particularly). Basically caters to folks who don't eat truly spicy food or authentic Thai cuisine. I do think it's cool that they have vegetarian/vegan-friendly options as well.

Best Vegan Thai I've had so far is Lotus Vegan Thai in North Hollywood. Haven't really seen anyone else come close to them on the vegan Thai front. They even have vegan "shrimp" that looks and tastes like real shrimp! Pretty cool.

Anyway, like I said, the food here is not bad, but I may need to explore other dishes here, such as the curries, etc.

I do wish the mango with sweet sticky rice wasn't $10+ per plate; I feel like that's a bit excessive especially when I could easily buy the ingredients myself and make a huge batch at home for the same price and it would take my dollar a lot further. Coconut Milk and rice is not hard to come by and it's not hard to make. Mango isn't hard to come by either and is relatively inexpensive. I always have plenty of rice in my cabinet so that wouldn't be hard to get either. You guys are in trouble whenever I stop being lazy and decide to make it myself. I'll probably never buy it here again lol same thing happened when I learned how to make Thai Iced tea on my own. Turns out it costs way less to make a big batch of your own than what is charged per glass at many restaurants in the city. Can also get as many helpings as you want when you make it yourself as well, so it really pays for itself at that point. But I guess you are paying for...

Parking: There is metered street parking, but I recommend parking in the structure located behind the restaurant. Make a left or right turn on W 27th St and the structure is on the right. It has free 2 hour parking. After, follow the signs to Thai by Trio. You’ll walk through a hallway that leads you to the back of the restaurant.

Ambiance/Environment: This is the most modern and aesthetic Thai restaurant I’ve ever been to. It’s very clean with a large space, and it has plenty of indoor seating. Great for large groups! No outdoor seating. They have restrooms for customers.

Service: We were greeted and seated right after we walked through. Shout out to all our servers! They took great care of us! Majority of them speak English but some are limited. The cooks were quick and efficient. Throughput was approx 10 minutes.

Food & drinks:

1. Popcorn Wonton (appetizer) - Crispy mini wonton stuffed with chicken and cilantro served with peanut sweet sour sauce. These were so crunchy and paired excellent with the sauce!

2. Crispy Mango Chicken (entree) - Crispy chicken with fresh mango, bell peppers, homemade mango sauce, and cashew nuts. This was my favorite dish! It came with a bowl of rice. You can adjust the spice level too, but I kept mine as is. The chicken was cooked well and coated generously with the sauce. It was savory yet sweet. The chunks of mango made it refreshing.

3. Crying Tiger (entree) - Grilled rib eye marinated with Thai spices served with sautéed mixed vegetables. This was my second favorite dish! This also came with a bowl of rice. I requested the meat medium rare. Some pieces were well done but still delicious. It came with a lot of meat! I’m unsure what the sauce was, but it made the meat more juicier.

4. Blushing Dragon (cocktails) - soju, lychee juice, pomegranate juice, fresh lychee. I love lychee, and the taste of lychee still came through. You can still definitely taste the soju. I enjoyed this drink.

5. Purple Rain (cocktails) - soju, butterfly pea tea, mango juice, lemon juice. I was recommended this drink since it’s their most popular. Now I know why! Other than its looks, it was also delicious!

6. Jasmine Milk Tea Boba - This is nonalcoholic, of course. Definitely tastes like jasmine milk tea, and the boba was decently chewy. Can’t mess up a classic boba drink.

7. Thai Milk Green Tea Boba - This is also nonalcoholic. This is what you call a Thai green tea! The layers were visibly nice, and I also really enjoyed this drink.

Pricing: I’d say it’s worth the price! Portions are shareable and fulfilling. Even I wasn’t able to finish my dish, and...

Thai by Trio – A Go-To Thai Spot Near USC

Thai by Trio is hands-down one of the best Thai restaurants in the USC campus area. Located conveniently near University Park, it draws a steady flow of students and locals alike—for both dine-in meals and quick to-go orders.

The interior features a clean, modern design that balances comfort and style. Whether you're grabbing a casual lunch or dining in with friends, the space feels inviting.

The food is consistently flavorful and generous in portion size. Some favorites from my visits:

Chicken Satay (4 pcs): Perfectly grilled and served with rich peanut sauce, this makes for an ideal starter.

Spicy Rib-Eye Salad: A standout dish with tender steak slices that are full of flavor and paired with fresh greens and a spicy kick.

Mango Salmon Salad: A refreshing and well-balanced dish—grilled salmon filets with mango slices and crisp veggies make it both light and satisfying.

Thai Milk Tea w/ Boba is very popular among the desks while I think it might be too sweet.

For mains:

Pineapple Fried Rice and Phad Thai are excellent choices. Both are served in generous portions, often enough for two people. The Phad Thai features a sweet-savory balance with a crunch of peanuts and customizable protein options.

Green Curry is aromatic and creamy, while the Red and Yellow curries pack more heat—too spicy for my taste, but perfect for chili lovers. Rice would be offered with the curry.

Tom Yum Soup is an option too, though I found it a bit too heavy on spices, leaning toward an overpowering profile.

Service here is consistently warm and efficient. The staff are friendly and the food is prepared quickly, making it a great option even on a tight schedule.

Parking is available in the covered lot behind the apartment complex, which adds to the convenience—something rare around campus.

In summary, Thai by Trio offers a great balance of taste, price, and speed—a dependable choice near USC for satisfying...