Bangkok Spices Thai Restaurant — Restaurant in San Diego

Update as of 11/19/22: I went back to Bangkok Spices again after a few months. I was told that they changed owners but it’s the same family, the chef is still the same chef from before. Well, let me tell you, it’s either they lied to me or that same chef just decided to change the recipes for his food, in a bad way. Pad Thai had an orange color vs. the light brown color from before, it had no flavor, and definitely didn’t not taste the same. The Eggplant basil dish had soooo much oil, every bite of that dish tasted nothing but oil. The white rice tasted old. On the contrary, the tomyum soup was very salty. I wish they put some of the salt from the soup to the pad Thai so they would be well balanced lol. Overall, big disappointment from a regular customer. I was skeptical about the “new owner but same chef” statement, the food I ordered today was a confirmation that food isn’t the same anymore. Definitely won’t be back. Such a bummer that I have to go find a good Thai restaurant in SD again. :(

This place is a hidden gem. It’s the true definition of a Mom and Pop shop. Food has been consistently good, very flavorful and well seasoned. Generous portions too. Service can be a bit slow at times but it’s tolerable. The only complaint is they don’t always open on the hours that they post. There was a few times I drove there to dine in only to find out that they were closed when they were supposed to be opened :( I kept forgetting to call ahead to make sure they were opened before heading there. Now I will remember...

Our new go to Thai restaurant! For this review: We ordered Drunken Noodles (Pork, spice level 4) and Pad Thai (Pork, spice level 4) We dined inside the restaurant.

Portion sizes for both entrees were great, pad Thai had enough for two meals (we took home the second half), drunken noodles were finished in one sitting (I was very hungry). Both dishes had excellent ratio of noodles/meat/veggies. Flavor was fabulous for both entrees. The only thing we said repeatedly during our meal was "wow this is SO GOOD"!

Looking at past reviews someone said this was the "best drunken noodle in San Diego" and I have to agree. Those noodles were delicious.

Inside the restaurant: it's a house made into a restaurant, which is cool. Service was quick and our server was kind. Parking in north park is always going to be a few more minutes than a walk, so be prepared for that. We parked a 5 minute walk from the restaurant easily on a Friday at 6pm.

Location within North Park is great, walking distance from bookstores, browsing stores, coffee shops, other restaurants. I can picture myself spending a day in north park and ending up here for dinner.

Go here! | highly recommend and...

UPDATE, Jan 2023: My wife and I used to really love this place, to the point where we would go far out of our way to eat here. Unfortunately this is no longer the case. I don't know if ownership changed, they got a new chef, or what (maybe both?), but the food is now a shadow of its former glory. We ate here recently for the first time in months and were sorely disappointed. The appetizers were over-fried, the curry lacked depth of flavor (mostly just tasted like coconut milk), the rice was overcooked and mushy, and the vibe in the place just felt different from the get go. Normally it would be jam packed at dinner time on a Friday night but we found it empty and quiet when we arrived. Now I know why. The only good part of this visit was the service, but then again they didn't have anyone else to wait on. This used to be my favorite Thai restaurant in San Diego but sadly I doubt we will return =(

Original Review: Bangkok Spices is excellent. The food is as tasty as it gets and the service is top notch, and with a smile. This is my new favorite place in SD for Thai food. Highly...