Charoen Krung Thai Cuisine — Restaurant in San Diego

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ New favorite Thai spot alert!

Tucked in a shared parking lot near SDSU, you’ll spot a modest sign that says “Tasty Pad Thai this way” and let me tell you, following that sign might just be the best culinary decision you make all month.

The restaurant is called Charoen Krung Thai Cuisine, named after one of Bangkok’s oldest roads, which feels perfectly aligned with the street food treasures they are serving inside. It is a newer spot and thankfully still a bit under the radar, so my husband and I were seated immediately at lunchtime with no wait. (Pro tip: go now before word gets out.)

Now, let’s talk about the food because wow.

We started with Moo Ping (grilled pork skewers), a dish I fell in love with in Thailand and have been chasing ever since. This version was tender, perfectly marinated, and clearly made with care. Our server casually mentioned she used to help at a moo ping cart as a kid back in Thailand, and it all made sense. The dipping sauce was absolute liquid gold. The mixed purple sticky rice it came with was ideal for soaking up every drop.

For my entrée, I ordered Gra Prow Gai (ground chicken stir-fried with basil and bell pepper) and instantly time-traveled to a Bangkok alleyway. Bold, savory, and loaded with fresh basil, this was the one. My husband got the Pad Prik Thai Dum with beef chuck and pepper and barely paused for air between bites. It was that good.

To cool off, I had a classic Thai iced tea, smooth and not too sweet, with just the right balance to the spice. My husband went bold and tried the Thai iced coffee with a cheese foam topper, and surprisingly, he loved it so much he recommended it to the table next to us.

The restaurant is clean and comfortable. While remnants of its former life as a boba shop still linger, like the machines in the corner, the heart of the operation is now fully Thai.

And yes, I loved it so much, I went back for dinner the same day.

For round two, I brought a friend and we ordered the Salad Rolls, super fresh and heavy on the basil, perfect for herb lovers. We also tried the Pad Prik Khing with chicken, packed with curry paste, lime leaves, and green beans. It was another flavor bomb. Then came the Nam Tok, made with pork jowl, roasted rice powder, lime, chili, and herbs. Smoky, tangy, spicy, and unforgettable. I will absolutely be ordering this every time. Our server agreed, it is her favorite too.

Then came a surprise. The chef offered us a test drink, a Thai jasmine green milk tea they are considering adding to the menu. Fingers crossed it makes the cut because I would drive across town for that drink alone. Floral, creamy, and just lightly sweet, it is everything you want in a Thai iced tea with a twist.

Final verdict: I have officially found my new Thai food haven. Authentic flavors, kind service, and no frills, just seriously good food made with intention. This is the kind of place you bring friends to, then casually brag about finding before it becomes impossible to get a table.

Charoen Krung Thai Cuisine, I’ll be seeing you often. Next time, I’m...

I visited the restaurant twice and there were some dishes that I loved and disliked. Tom yum soup: very flavorful and tasty. They didn’t go light on the seasoning, which I love. 9/10. Tom kha soup: pretty sour, my husband liked it, I would prefer it to be a little less sour. 8/10. Crab fried rice: delicious! It came with huge chunks of crab meat that didn’t taste old, which was great. 9/10. Chicken larb: very good. The seasoning was well balanced. It came out still warm, you can totally have it as an entree with some sticky rice. 9/10. Drunken noodles: while the taste and flavor were good, the noodles broke into pieces instead of being somewhat intact as long strings, and that made the dish less enjoyable. 7/10. Pad Thai: it was insanely sweet. I could taste the tamarind in the sauce but it was overpowered by SO.MUCH.SUGAR. The noodles were very chewy, it almost tasted like tapioca noodles. Not sure if it was the type of noodles or they undercooked it. It was bad from the noodles texture to the taste. I took a couple of bites and couldn’t finish it. 1/10. Thai tea: it was just a little sweet and had a different flavor (in a good way) than at other Thai places. I really like it. 9/10. Red curry: tasty and flavorful. 9/10.

The prices here are more expensive than the surrounding Thai/Laos restaurants in the area. Portions are just enough,...

I stumbled upon this place when parking to go get coffee at Ultreya. The menu looked good and they offered crispy pork which caught my eye. The place looked clean and nice, they even had a QR code for the menu to scan, which was a neat touch.

I decided to grab some drunken noodles with crispy pork for takeout when I was done with my coffee. When I got home, the presentation was beautiful and the flavor and scent of the food were exceptional! I ordered spice level 5 and it was the perfect balance of heat and flavorful spices, my mouth is watering just writing this.

I liked it so much I saved some for my wife to try and when she ate it she was so impressed that we went back to grab dinner takeout on the same day. The crispy pork is really special and I highly recommend it. The drunken noodles were probably my favorite I've ever had here in San Diego, seriously good. The chicken satay was also a standout, marinated chicken and the dipping sauce was addictive even on its own.

This is my favorite Thai in San Diego and I will be back for more. These guys deserve and earned their...