Bangkok Garden — Restaurant in Norfolk

A Neighborhood Staple That's Lost Some Shine Bangkok Garden holds a special place in the hearts of many Norfolk residents. For years, it has been a go-to spot for Thai food, a reliable fixture in a city with a constantly changing culinary landscape. And while it still offers a perfectly serviceable meal, recent visits suggest it's resting a bit too comfortably on its laurels. It's an old friend you're happy to see, but one who doesn't quite have the same spark anymore, landing it a solid three stars. The best thing about Bangkok Garden is its comfortable, almost nostalgic atmosphere. The decor, with its classic Thai artwork and warm, intimate lighting, feels like a familiar embrace. It’s a quiet, pleasant place to have a conversation over dinner. The menu is a comprehensive tour of Thai-American classics, and you can find all the expected players: Pad Thai, various curries, and Tom Yum soup. The lunch specials remain a dependable and affordable option for a satisfying midday meal. However, the execution of these classics can be inconsistent. On a good night, the Green Curry is fragrant and flavorful with a pleasant heat. On a less good night, it can taste a bit flat, lacking the vibrant, fresh pop of herbs and spices that make Thai cuisine so exciting. The Pad Thai, a benchmark for any Thai restaurant, sometimes arrives more sweet than savory, with noodles that can be a bit mushy. There's a feeling that the kitchen is going through the motions rather than cooking with passion. Service is generally polite and gets the job done, but lacks a certain warmth or attentiveness that would elevate the experience. It feels more transactional than hospitable. In a city where new and exciting restaurants are constantly opening, Bangkok Garden remains a steady, predictable choice. You know exactly what you're going to get, for better or worse. If you're seeking comfort and familiarity, it's a perfectly acceptable option. But if you're looking for a meal that truly wows you, you might find yourself wishing for a little more of the fire that likely made it a Norfolk favorite in the...

After a few years of loyalty to other Norfolk Thai places, I decided to give the new BG location a chance.

I had a coupon for $5 off a take-out delivery over $30. I'm glad because the final total for two Pad Khing Sod dinners was just over $30. (That's a steep price point when Rama Garden and Thai Erawan are both $3 cheaper for DOUBLE the portion size.)

Anyways, I got home excited to dig in to my dinner and was SO DISAPPOINTED. I had ordered "Healthy Ginger," which is typically served with stir fried garlic, ginger, onion, scallions, mushrooms in a decent serving of black bean sauce. Instead, I got a weird dish composed of 98% snap peas, 1% carrots and 1% flavorless chicken in a tablespoon of salty broth. Even the rice was doughy.

Frustrated with the mis-communication, I called the manager who encouraged me to repackage the food, find my receipt and come back to exchange it for another dish - Pad Kee Mao, or Drunken Noodle. Fine, great. So I cram the snap peas back into their containers and make the drive across Ghent in the rain to exchange them for what can only be described as the most average Drunken Noodle of my life. (The manager didn't offer any discount for my inconvenience and actually hid while I waited 10 minutes for my second round of food to come out.)

Round two: the drunken noodle. The two-star (out of three!) spice level barely registered. The noodles were like something you would buy at Harris Teeter. The dish was full of onions with hardly any bell peppers or tomato. The portion was just enough to keep me from gnawing off my own arm in starvation.

At that point I was too exhausted to call and complain again, so I ate the food - and the money - and took it as a lesson learned.

TL,DR: The food is over-priced and poor quality. If you're looking for authentic, flavorful, well-priced Thai food in Norfolk, go to Rama Garden on...

The food was awful😧 We ordered vegetable spring rolls and wings for appetizers. The wings were over cooked and both appetizers tasted as if they were fried in old shrimp grease. I ordered chicken Pad Thai. When it was brought out I could instantly see the nooodles and vegetables were overcooked and mushy. The vegetables seemed more frozen not fresh. My daughter ordered the combo fried rice dish. It had pork, chicken and shrimp in it. The vegetables were frozen...again😕 However, tthe worse was the smell😱. The smell was just awful! It was very very fishy. She did tase a little rice and she said it was "NASTY". FYI : Fresh sea food of any kind should not smell fishy.. It should smell like the ocean when raw and no smell once cooked. I ordered sweet and sour vegetables. Safe choice. Right? Cant' go wrong. Well, The vegetables were not fresh, they were over cooked and. the entire dish was just awful!!## I had to spit it out in a napkin. I almost threw up. My aunt ordered a noodle and beef dish. It was the best out of all, but still not good. I would like to say that the Health Department needs to visit this establishment. Anyone who frequents this place beware😯. I would advise you to try another Thai restaraunt. The food is really bad. I love Thai food.. This tasted nothing like it. I don't know where they got those plcs from that are on their website, because the food looked nothing like them. Unless it was the food they cooked for the staff. Bangkok Thai on 21st street was A real disappointment. No Bang! for our buck. We explained to our male tatooed waiter about the food and the dislike of it. He apologized and hit us with a $60 bill. He did not offer to knock off 1/2 the bill or anything. So not only was the food uneatable the service was also hard to swallow. I I could, I'd give this place a negative 0. Tracee...