Thai in Miami

1444 SW 8th St. Little Havana

786-235-7600

From the same energy and passion that Bond Trisransri brought Calle Ocho Mr. Yum comes 2B Asian Bistro. In the same Little Havana neighborhood, filled with art galleries, Cuban cuisine, cigar shops, and markets, 2B Asian Bistro stands out. A former architect, Trisransri added touches to the modest space that includes bamboo floors, a contemporary minimalist ambiance, and house music that brings the vibe of South Beach to Little Havana. The various abstract paintings were provided by Cuba Ocho, 2B Asian Bistro's neighbor across the street and complete the feel of the restaurant. The food shows a balance of flavors and textures that enhance the play on typical Thai cuisine. The wahoo carpaccio is thinly sliced fish with garlic ponzu and dry pepper ($13.95). "The bag of gold," an appetizer, features delicately fried parcels stuffed with shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and water chestnuts. These crisp purses of perfection are full of flavor and bound to please ($9.95). The Thai beef salad is Thai-style sliced grilled beef with spices, tomato, onion, and cucumber. The salad is fresh, with green leaves of Romaine, sprigs of cilantro, and traces of mint and scallions rounding out the ingredients ($8.95). The "spice crispy duck" is an entrée served with steamed buns that the guest stuffs with slices of duck, scallions, jalapeño, cilantro, and cinnamon plum sauce. The sweet taste of the plum sauce, which has the consistency of honey, provides a distinct contrast ($24.95). And be sure to save room for the light and fluffy Thai donuts ($4.95) and banana tempura with ice cream ($6.95).

3 articles

Asia Bay

1007 Kane Concourse, Bay Harbor Islands Surfside/Bal Harbour

305-861-2222

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Bay Harbor Islands' Asia Bay Bistro & Sushi Bar boasts nouvelle Asian cuisine, but apart from the sushi, it's really a traditional Japanese restaurant with some token Thai tossed in for good measure. The sushi bar visually dominates the room, and its fare occupies quite a bit of the menu — to the tune of more than 60 sushi/sashimi items in almost every conceivable combination. The sushi and sashimi selections — in fact, all the Japanese dishes — exude a graceful elegance, and the fish is as pristine as its presentation. Many of the entrées are served with soup or salad — including steak teriyaki, chicken tempura, shrimp pad thai, big bowls of soba or udon noodle soup, and all sorts of sushi combos.

2 articles

Asian Thai Kitchen

3135 Grand Ave. Coconut Grove

305-323-9294

Thai, Peruvian, Recommended, Best Of

There are two kinds of spicy at this Southeast Asian haven tucked inside a Coconut Grove Kwik Stop. The first is for the Americans who stop in to grab a container of shrimp pad see-ew for lunch. The second might be reserved for owners and Bangkok natives KT Mongkolthalang and her mother Toya. The pair stands behind a glass case stacked with cans of Mae Ploy coconut milk and amber bottles of fish sauce while tossing pearly-white strands of rice noodles in sizzling woks. They worked at a handful of Miami's Japanese/Thai joints before striking out on their own with delightful renditions of classics such as a spicy, fragrant panang curry. The orange-red sauce is rich with the earthy, citrusy flavor of lemongrass and not-to-sweet coconut milk. After one bite, sampling the rest of the menu will shoot to the top of your to-do list.

3 articles

Atchana's Homegrown Thai

3194 Commodore Plaza Coconut Grove

305-774-0404

Thai, Asian, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Slideshow

It's bold to name a dish "the perfect bite," but Atchana Capellini has done just that. The miang kham is a delight handed down through generations. A plate holds wrinkly pale-pink dried shrimp, toasted coconut flakes, and tiny slices of ginger. Even the leaves look different. Rather than the ruffled bright-green fronds of butter lettuce, these betel leaves are deep green and spade-shaped, with an almost unnoticeable flavor. Combine all of this with a few bits of crushed peanuts, a squeeze of lime, and a dash of spicy-sweet tamarind sauce, and you'll soon be reaching for a napkin to dab the tears of joy cascading down your cheeks.

7 articles

Bangkok Bangkok

12584 N. Kendall Dr. West Kendall

305-595-5839

Thai, Sushi, Recommended, Best Of

One reviewer called this place "so nice they named it twice." Bangkok Bangkok is synonymous with good Thai food. It's an institution in both Kendall and Coral Gables. Servers with charmingly coy smiles are efficient but never shy away from friendly chitchat, and they carve a whole fresh fried and chili-sauce-covered red snapper (a signature dish called Little Big Man) with such skill you're left wondering if they moonlight as Shaolin monks. The place might seem a bit hokey, but after one bite of any dish, you'll approve. Try the duck curry, roasted in a spicy golden sauce complemented by green peppers and pineapple. For guests who aren't in the mood for Thai, Bangkok Bangkok also offers a sushi bar.

1 article

Bangkok Bangkok II

157 Giralda Ave. Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-444-2397

Thai, Recommended, Best Of

One reviewer called this place "so nice they named it twice." Bangkok Bangkok is synonymous with good Thai food. It's an institution in both Kendall and Coral Gables. Servers with charmingly coy smiles are efficient but never shy away from friendly chitchat, and they carve a fresh, whole, fried, chili-sauce-covered red snapper (a signature dish called Little Big Man) with such skill you're left wondering if they moonlight as Shaolin monks. The place might seem a bit hokey, but after one bite of any dish, you'll approve. Try the duck curry, roasted in a spicy golden sauce complemented by green peppers and pineapple.

3 articles

Bonsai

14240 SW Eighth St. West Dade

305-220-7755

Thai, Sushi, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

The "lobster bomb" (lobster tail tempura, crab salad, avocado, lettuce, red tobigo, spicy mayo, and eel sauce with a side of sautéed lobster, scallops, and sautéed mushrooms) is simply to die for at this West Dade sushi spot. There are also specialty rolls such as the "Bonsai G," with deep-fried salmon, crab, shrimp, and masago. You won't find rolls stuffed with Rice Krispies or gummy bears — Bonsai's chefs tend to stick to traditional ingredients — but you will discover fresh selections with generous protein-to-rice ratios at a cost that won't break the bank — unless your date becomes a lobster-bomb buff.

1 article

Cake Thai Kitchen

7919 Biscayne Blvd. Miami Shores/Biscayne Park

786-534-7906

Thai, Critics' Pick, Menu

Miami isn't exactly brimming with great Thai restaurants, which is partly why Cake Thai Kitchen is such a novelty. At the front of the tiny eatery, crammed into a derelict Biscayne Boulevard strip mall, stands a buffet station that offers lemongrass-rubbed roasted chicken alongside roasted rice studded with crisp shallots and fried pork. Sometimes it's Penang curry or fried chicken. Otherwise, the menu consists mainly of curries, noodle dishes, salads, and fried rice. There's plenty to choose from. For dessert, try the Thai doughnuts or custard sticky rice. Insider tip: A true hole-in-the-wall, Cake Thai makes up for what it lacks in real estate and atmosphere with its authentic, flavor-packed Thai food. Parking is known to be tricky, but there's a small lot in the back that usually has spots. Cake doesn't serve alcohol, but you can pop across the street to CVS, buy a six-pack, and bring it over.

13 articles

Chopsticks House

20553 Old Cutler Rd. Cutler Bay/Palmetto Bay

305-254-0080

Chinese, Thai, Best Of

Thai owners satisfy a double demand with expertly prepared Thai and Chinese fare. Spring rolls are fresh and greaseless, stuffed with shredded vegetables. Larb tofu is marinated bean curd, chopped and tossed in the deep fryer. Black bean and red curry rival each other for best sauce; pad thai is the house specialty. Lunch and dinner.

2 articles

Daek

3470 N. Miami Ave. North Miami

786-636-6196

Grill, Japanese, Thai

Izzy's Cubi Thai

6565 Collins Ave, Miami Beach Mid/North Beach

305-865-0012

Cuban, Thai, Recommended, Menu

Izzy's fills that odd dining niche for those days when you can't decide whether you're feeling like ropa vieja or panang curry. Luckily, at Izzy's, you can have both, simultaneously if desired. Located in the once-classic Sherry Frontenac Hotel in North Beach, the sparsely decorated joint boasts a lengthy menu of Cuban and Thai classics that range from skirt steak with tostones and black beans all the way to pad thai, a sweetly sour mee grob, and a lovely coconut soup bursting with shrimp and vegetables.

3 articles

Lan Pan-Asian Cafe

8332 S. Dixie Highway, South Miami Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-661-8141

Japanese, Korean, Pan-Asian, Thai, Best Of, Menu

Yup, it's that same old cliché: a cute little café in a big ol' shopping mall. Or rather, in a big ol' parking garage. Located on the ground floor of Dadeland Station, next to a Romero Britto sculpture, Lan's pan-Asian fare is the perfect antidote to the surrounding chain stores. Items range from sushi to glazed spare ribs ($6.95), mushroom-crusted tuna ($18.95), and green papaya salad ($7.95). Although this restaurant has garnered many local fans, it can be inconsistent. For instance, the taro and crab croquettes are outstanding, but the chicken katsu isn't as good. Save space for Taiwanese bubble tea, which comes with tiny floating pearls of tapioca and is beloved by many loyal regulars. Flavors include jasmine, cherry green tea latte, kiwi, and almond. Great lunch specials are also available, but be forewarned: The place gets busy during weekday afternoons.

7 articles

Larb Thai-Isan

6234 N. Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale

954-368-8863

Thai

1 article

Lotus Garden

318 Miracle Mile Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-446-2360

Thai, Restaurants, Best Of

This Miracle Mile mainstay isn't much different than all other Thai food spots. The décor is pleasant but unimaginative - tropical fish tanks, soft reddish lighting, and glass-top tables adorned with an orchid centerpiece. The food, likewise, is tasty but nothing overly exciting that screams out with flavor. In fact, if you're a fan of spice, it's best to alert your waiter as the de facto protocol is to err on the side of mild heat. Besides usual favorites such as pad Thai ($12.95), noodles sautéed with ground peanuts, scallions, bean sprouts, and vegetables, there are a few house specialties. Myra's pond ($22.95) is a dish of snapper chunks sautéed in wine and ginger served with glass noodles, napa cabbage, and string beans. Volcano chicken ($15.95) consists of crisply fried chicken and steamed vegetables cooked in a chili sauce. A jumping shrimp appetizer ($8.95) features grilled shrimp marinated in lime juice, onions, scallions, and Thai spices. The restaurant is rarely full to capacity, and yet service can be spotty. Nevertheless, dishes tend to arrive quickly, and takeout is efficient.

5 articles

Lung Yai Thai Tapas

1731 SW Eighth St. Little Havana

786-334-6262

Thai, Tapas, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice, Essentials

If you're not used to the searing heat of Thai spice, ask for Lung Yai Thai Tapas' lab e-sarn — a chilled ground-pork salad spiked with hefty doses of cumin, chilies, and star anise. It's one of a number of recipes chef/owner Bas Trisransi revived after learning at his grandfather's side decades ago. Bas knows that the development of deep, complex flavors can't be rushed. This is quality Thai food that's both affordable and casual, and the tapas style will rightly tempt diners to sample everything on the menu. A meal at Lung Yai is a crash course for the palate — and the Michelin Guide took note, awarding the restaurant a Bib Gourmand designation in 2022.

12 articles

Maiko Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar

1255 Washington Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

305-531-6369

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Menu

Innovative makimono (sushi rolls) aplenty, including the lip-licking kissing roll -- crab, avocado, cucumber, and spicy sauce rolled inside-out with flying fish roe, then layered with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and daikon pickle. Get hotter with beef negimaki, scallions rolled in thin-sliced beef and doused in teriyaki sauce. Entrées such as eel fillet sautéed and served over rice in a lacquer box, katsu (fried fillet) chicken breast, and soba noodles in broth are neighborhood passions. Banana tempura for dessert. Lunch and dinner.

4 articles

Malakor Thai Isaan

90 Miracle Mile Coral Gables/S. Miami

786-558-4862

Thai, Asian

1 article

Moon Thai & Japanese

11071 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach Palm Beach County

561-408-3011

Asian Fusion, Thai, Japanese

Moon Thai & Japanese Cuisine

1118 S. Dixie Highway Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-668-9890

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Located across the street from the University of Miami campus, Moon Thai offers a casual atmosphere and a relief from the crowded restaurants of nearby Coconut Grove. Two menus offer a plentiful selection of Thai and Japanese dishes at reasonable prices. Get your night started at this colorful venue with the spicy conch or raw octopus appetizer. Sushi lovers should try the fresh dynamite roll and the popular Dance with Shrimp roll. Order a glass (or two) of the house red to wash everything down. For dessert, Moon offers a variety of authentic sweets. Thai doughnuts, served with sweetened condensed milk, and tempura ice cream are delicious traditional choices. Foodies looking for something new will enjoy the bua loy, a bowl of warm coconut milk with taro pearls.

4 articles

Moon Thai Organic Kitchen

3455 NE 163rd St. Aventura/North Miami Beach

305-974-5129

Asian Fusion, Thai

Mr. Yum Asian Cuisine

1945 SW Eighth St. Little Havana

786-360-2371

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Menu

Chairs, ceiling, and walls in this stylized 40-seater are festooned with red heart patterns that look like the Target logo reconfigured for Valentine's Day. There are outdoor tables for patrons who want to share more intimately in the Calle Ocho street scene. And please note that Mr. Yum has its own little parking lot to the left of the restaurant. There are all sorts of ways to start your meal, from salt-encrusted edamame pods to seared beef tataki; from raw hamachi tiradito heated with jalapeno to squid ceviche "Thai-style"; from fried calamari or fried shrimp tempura to a sushi bar's worth of temaki and makimono rolls. Japanese cuisine is also represented by a couple of tempura entrees and four types of teriyaki: chicken, salmon, mixed seafood, and steak. All are very tasty and light, but we preferred Mr. Yum's Thai specialties, especially a flawless pad thai (not too soupy, not too dry), and mellow massaman curry flecked with coconut milk sweetness and cooled with a ripe fan of avocado atop. When it comes to clean, fresh Thai and Japanese food in a clean, fresh setting, Yum's the word.Read our full review.

5 articles

NaiYaRa

1854 Bay Rd., Miami Beach South Beach

786-275-6005

Thai, Sushi, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Slideshow

At NaiYaRa, skip the standard pad thai. Beyond the crowd pleasers and plates that help pay the rent are a handful of ambitious dishes offering a peek at the possibilities. The beef jerky is crackly, smoky, meaty shards of addictive goodness. The woody, almost incense-like perfume of ground coriander overtakes your senses. The spicy dipping sauce called nahmjimjao, made with sweet tamarind pulp, lime juice, and chilies, functions almost like a barbecue sauce, yet it's far superior because its clean flavors complement rather than overshadow the meat. Insider tip: The menu is a blend of Thai street food and Japanese specialties, including a selection of sushi, sashimi, and raw items. You can't go wrong with red snapper or maguro sushi and sashimi options or the NaiYaRa roll — salmon belly, cucumber, avocado, and truffle oil topped with salmon belly brûlée.

36 articles

Oishi Thai

14841 Biscayne Blvd. North Miami

305-947-4338

Thai, Sushi, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

At most Thai restaurants with tacked-on sushi bars, the sushi tastes like the commercially motivated afterthought it is. Here, the sushi is extraordinary. None of the fish is frozen, and the dedicated chef/owner makes two trips daily to nearby marinas for the freshest local catches. Even the simplest and most traditional sushi and sashimi are, therefore, impeccable, but most recommended are the chef's specials: Nobu-style nouvelle dishes such as miso-marinated, broiled black cod; elegantly diced tartares of toro, hamachi, and salmon; new-style sashimi, slightly seared with drizzles of hot oil and garnished with garlic purée, ginger, and sesame; and whitefish tiradito, dressed with ají chilies, cilantro, and yuzu juice. The decor is equally appealing — sophisticated, striking, and stylish, without a touch of Asian kitsch.

9 articles

Panya Thai

520 NE 167th St. North Miami

305-945-8566

Thai, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

Panya's main room seats about 50, its mustard-color walls simply decorated with tasteful Asian ornaments and prints. Silky Thai fabrics topped with glass adorn the tables, and a mostly Asian clientele occupies the chairs, which is generally a good sign. It's not a surprising one, though, when the cuisine is as fresh, flavorful, and authentic as it is here. Starters include an especially juicy rendition of grilled chicken satay, crisply fried tofu, fresh spring rolls, and an enticing green papaya salad — crisp white shreds of the tart fruit spiked with lime juice, nam pla, brown sugar, and a significant dose of chopped chilies. The curries will capture your heart. Available are five kinds, each paste pestled on the premises by owner and Bangkok native Panya Amporn. Friendly service and affordable prices, along with the delicious food, make Panya a high Thai priority.

7 articles

Red Koi Thai & Sushi Lounge

317 Miracle Mile Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-446-2690

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Best Of

Red Koi Lounge opened its Miracle Mile doors to fierce competition from Gables staple Bangkok Bangkok. But its combination of friendly servers, fiery duck red curry, and budget-friendly lunch specials has helped the feisty newcomer attain a loyal following that packs the black-leather-and-bamboo dining room on weekends. Sure, there's sushi on the menu too, most of it pretty good, but it's Thai staples such as ginger scallops and spicy beef salad with lime juice and crunchy scallions that inspire return visits.

3 articles

Ricky Thai Bistro

1617 Northeast 123rd St. North Miami

305-891-9292

Thai, Restaurants, Best Of

5 articles

Sawaddee Thai-Sushi

6968 Bay Dr., Miami Beach Mid/North Beach

305-866-8111

Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow

Sawaddee is inauspiciously tucked off Normandy Circle. In the five years since Montri and Riam Putlek opened this petite room, locals have learned the location quite well; the 16 seats are consistently filled, as are numerous take-out orders. Another eight stools run in an L shape against a sushi bar that fairly dominates the space. Sawaddee's smallness works to its advantage, making the dining experience seem intimately personal. Service is swift, efficient, and attentive to one's limits regarding spiciness. Perhaps too attentive: Our order of green papaya salad (som tam), "flavored with hot peppers," was not flavored with hot peppers. It was taken back to the kitchen and returned in authentically fiery (and delectable) form. Roast duck in red curry (kaeng phet or gaeng ped), requested medium-spicy, arrived mild. Still, the abundant duck slices were soft and tasty in cahoots with bell pepper, onion, peas, tomatoes, baby corn, pineapple chunks, peeled green grapes, and basil leaves. Steamy jasmine rice is plated alongside. Pad thai is worthy as well. If you want beer or wine with dinner, it's BYOB (and no corkage fee!).

5 articles

Sea Siam

12735 S. Dixie Highway East Kendall/Pinecrest

305-233-5599

Thai, Japanese, Sushi, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Sea Siam's fare is ocean-tastic. Take the pla lad prig: a fresh, whole fried snapper with delicate, crisp skin and moist white meat drenched in a spectacularly tangy, sweet, and spicy chili sauce. Then there's the fabulous ped nam dang: crisp duck that comes with cashews, sweet peas, black mushrooms, baby corn, pineapple chunks, and a rich sauce that can be spiked to any degree of heat. Or check out scrumptious sushi selections such as the "red rose roll," with shrimp tempura and cream cheese, and the "kissing roll," a California roll topped with smoked salmon and eel sauce. Still not convinced? The tom kar gai (chicken coconut soup) is tasty enough to make a fowl wish it had flippers.

2 articles

Sea Siam Connection

13440 SW 120th St., Kendall South Dade

305-969-4588

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Best Of

Like many restaurants in our subtropical paradise, Sea Siam pads its Thai menu (excuse the pun) with sushi in an effort to broaden its appeal. And it does. Basics such as spicy tuna and the JB roll are clean, fresh, and well executed, and signatures such as the "kissing roll" ($10), a California roll topped with smoked salmon and eel sauce; and the taste-bud tingling "red rose roll" ($13), a dragon roll stuffed with cream cheese and topped with raw tuna, are enough to satisfy most Magic City sushi enthusiasts. But the Thai cuisine here is tasty enough to draw crowds on its own (hence a new and more modern-looking southwest Kendall location, dubbed Sea Siam Connection). Shrimp in a blanket ($8.95) arrive as five finger-size crustaceans stuffed with tiny helpings of crab and pork, wrapped in pastry sheets, and deep-fried. Crispy duck ($18.50) has the pleasantly crisp-chewy texture of twice-cooked meat and comes loaded with cashews, baby corn, and black mushrooms. And panang curry ($11.50) brings tender shards of pork with a creamy sauce that, if ordered spicy, will peel the skin off your lips. But it hurts so good.

1 article

Siam Palace

9999 Sunset Dr. East Kendall/Pinecrest

305-279-6906

Thai, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

It's not difficult to find a Thai restaurant on Sunset Drive. Sometimes it seems as if there's one on every block east of SW 117th Avenue. It is difficult, however, to find Thai food as flavorful as what you'll get at Siam Palace. If you're not sure where to start, try the combination appetizer. You'll get two light and crispy spring rolls, six fried wontons with a sweet dipping sauce, and a curry puff filled with vegetables. The names of dishes at this restaurant can even help you choose your dinner — like the "Try Me" plate, a combination of chicken and shrimp in a savory garlic sauce. Siam chicken is similar to volcano chicken found at other Thai places, but the texture of the battered chicken and the sweet/spicy mix of the chili sauce surpasses most of them. Even the pad thai seems to have more flavor here.

3 articles

Siam River

3455 NE 163rd St. Aventura/North Miami Beach

305-945-8079

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

When non-Japanese restaurants, most commonly Thai joints, tack on sushi bars for purely commercial reasons, the sushi is generally either pretty lowest-common-denominator or pretty silly: a pedestrian selection of fish and lots of rolls featuring cream cheese. But not at Siam River. Though the Thai dishes are as good as anywhere else in town, the sushi bar is a delightful surprise, serving some of the most creative, and unquestionably freshest, sushi in South Florida. A daily-changing specials menu features all the usual fishy suspects, plus unusual flown-in seafood like aka kamasu (Japanese red barracuda). If it's in-season don't miss broiled fresh Florida stone crab sushi in a circle of toasted nori seaweed, topped with melted uni "sauce" that looks like grilled cheese but tastes like savory warm seafood custard. Read our full review.

4 articles

Sushi Siam

19575 Biscayne Blvd. Aventura/North Miami Beach

305-932-8955

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Menu

Sushi Siam is one of the better choices for non-gimmicky sushi in South Beach. If you want a bagel and lox roll this isn't your place, but the menu offers enough tasty choices of fresh fish to please those who like their sushi straight. For appetizers, the "dancing squid" is very popular, and spring rolls explode with greaseless flavor. The sashimi is served in a neat wooden box. For those opposed to the raw fish experience, there is an entire menu section of Thai specialties, including a top-notch "chicken pad Thai." Curry options are also worth investigating, punched with potent flavors, but not fiery enough to bring tears.

Suvi Thai & Sushi

5683 NW 36th St., Miami Springs Doral

305-887-2212

Japanese, Sushi, Thai, Recommended, Menu

Suvi proves that if an eatery is going to go the now-predictable Thai-sushi route, the best approach is abundance. There are a half-dozen Thai soups to try, and the wonton was loaded with nicely textured chunks of chicken. No conch today? Try quail eggs. There are over 80 dinner offerings plus over 15 lunch specials — and that's just the Thai menu. There is an equally vast range of Japanese-style dishes. The sushi was just fine — half the items very good, half not so great. But simply reading through Suvi's menu is quite an experience, and no one can complain about a lack of choice.

Thai in Miami

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