Thai Cuisine — Restaurant in Merced

Thai Cuisine was a huge disappointment, and I can’t recommend it based on my experience.

Food: I tried the Green Curry and Panang Curry, and neither of them were to my liking. The Panang Curry was way too spicy, to the point where it overpowered any other flavors, while the Green Curry was excessively sweet. Neither dish was balanced, and I was disappointed by the lack of customization options—they didn’t even ask us about spice levels, which would have been helpful.

Hygiene: To make matters worse, there were cockroaches under our table. It was absolutely unacceptable and made for an uncomfortable dining experience. I’ve attached pictures to show the condition of the place—this is not something you should expect from any restaurant.

Service: The staff were not friendly, and the service was subpar. They weren’t attentive or accommodating, and it felt like we were an afterthought. When you’re paying for a meal, the least you can expect is decent service, but unfortunately, that was missing here.

Ambience: The ambience was laughable at best. It was far from the cozy, inviting atmosphere I was hoping for, and the overall vibe just didn’t make the meal enjoyable. It felt more like a poorly managed space than a restaurant where you’d want to sit and enjoy your food.

Overall, the food, hygiene, service, and ambience were all huge letdowns. With cockroaches in the dining area and lackluster food, I won’t be returning to Ramen Hajime...

I came here about ten years ago, and the food was excellent. I really wish the old owners would return. I ordered egg rolls. Totally the wrong flavor. I can't really describe how they tasted, but it wasn't pleasant. Tasted kind of like fishy. I don't think there was anything unsafe, just a little odd. I ordered Larb Na. Supposed to be extra wide noodles with a protein (I got chicken) and a flavorful Thai gravy. First, no gravy. Second, no veges, third, chicken was mushy. I mean really mushy, with an unpleasant flavor. No spiciness either. They gave me a big container of soup that I didn't. Order, and I think that might have been the gravy, veges, and chicken for the Larb Na. If that was the case, it wouldn't have been very good. Funny thing is, the soup was the best thing I got. Seriously, on it's own, it was very good, but not very Thai. Zero spiciness. I also ordered Red Curry soup for my brother. It smells great! Haven't tried it, because it is my brother's. I don't expect to return to this place. The disappointment was...

I ordered one shrimp Tom Yum. It was good. It was definitely on the sour side. I would have liked a bit more shrimp considering the size and price of the item.

I also ordered one Po Tak. It was delicious and fragrant. It had a decent portion of different seafood. It tasted very fresh and balanced. I definitely recommend it if you are someone who loves seafood or if you are still feeling the night before 🥳 Their Thai iced tea is delicious.

For dessert I ordered their Sweet Rice with Mango. They told me they didn’t have any more mango, but that they would put extra sweet rice for the same price. I agreed. When I arrived home, I was disappointed. The sweet rice was dry and the portion small. The dessert did not reflect its $9 price tag in taste nor size. I would recommend you pass on it if they don’t have mango.

Overall, good place. Menu is on the pricier side considering portions....