Sa Bai Thai Cuisine Reviews

Clustered around the hip, core of Portland are the best places in the world to eat - with food for everyone - the carnivore, the gluten free, the cave man, the vegetarian. All can dine on organic, creative, fresh live foods. Foodies flourish in Portland, well, in Portland's core. As the less well-healed are pushed east of I-205, east of 82nd avenue into East Multnomah County the diversity of the communities increases, the strip malls with cheap packaged foods sit like vultures ready to take anything from anyone. The area from Airport Way to Marine drive is highly industrialized, there are a few chain hotels, mediocre chain restaurants, and a handful fast food joints you'd expect. And in the middle sits one of the best Thai restaurants. Abounding with obvious and determined care, the food is fresh, the environment real, and the experience refreshing. We had the Tom Kha Soup, Basil Fried Rice with Chicken and the Pad Kee Mao. We are both gluten free - and they cater to that as well! More than we could eat, we took some home and it was fabulous later. Seriously some of the best Thai food anywhere - we just returned from San Franscisco, where we were underwhelmed with our dining experiences compared to Portland. They cater to the industries surrounding the area - such as Danner Boot and Home Depot - and indeed have roots in these businesses bringing a true gift to the area. The restaurant sits in an unassuming strip mall typical of the area. Right down the street beyond the 122nd Avenue Portland Fire Bureau and local K-Mart. Keep driving east on Sandy Blvd. If you're landing at the airport and are hungry - this would make a good first destination. You'd see a real, far from hip side of Portland. If you live in Portland, and flock to the treasure trove of dining surrounding Portland's many bridges head east for a wonderful dining adventure.

Nice little place. Clean and comfortable. Nice greeting when I arrived. Tom Yum soup was very good. Deep flavors and good spice. My main dish was OK. I had requested medium spice level, and the meal was not appropriately seasoned. Thai iced tea was very good.

Having just arrived in Portland, and driving to River Hood, thanks to Tripadvisor, we chose this place for a quick dinner..... The food was quite tasty, service friendly - glad we chose to eat here...

Had dinner here while staying at a hotel near the airport and wanted to skip the chain restaurants. Located in a strip mall 8 minutes from the airport this restaurant is a gem. Ample parking. Simple decor. Friendly helpful wait staff. Seems popular with locals. Typical Thai menu with reasonable prices for my wife and I both had cashew with chicken which was excellent. Large servings include rice.

This has just become our new favorite Thai place. Each dish is made fresh to order, no cross contamination We both had ours made gluten free and it tastes the same. I had to ask to make sure because it was so good. Pad Thai was excellent and so was the Basil fried rice. Oh and spice, we like it hot and hot it was...yum! They make their own sauces (the ones they sit on the table in case you need it hotter). Quaint little place tucked away in what I'd consider a hole in the wall (they are my favorite). Has about 10 tables, busy little place and quite reasonably priced. The staff answered our questions, checked on us and we're very friendly. We will be back.

Probably wouldn't have stopped at this little place in a well-worn little strip mall if not for the positive TripAdvisor reviews, but the Pad Thai and all the other dishes we ordered were very tasty (although our kids found the Tom Yum soup to be a bit too spicy for their taste). One of our kids is pescetarian and she was happy to have so many options for dishes that had either tofu or seafood in place of chicken, beef, or pork. Also appreciate the courteous and helpful staff - the place was *busy* (looks like it's popular with the locals) but the staff were attentive and gracious

When we are near Costco we often stop here for lunch. Of the 1/2 dozen times we only had slow service once. Some days are just busier then others but I find it worth any slight wait.

Truly authentic fresh Thai by people that care about authenticity and quality. Everything was fresh and prepared with great care. The Tom Kha, Red Curry and Smoked Duck were all amazing. Well worth a trip either near or far. Definitely a place to return to.

Great value in this little place. Friendly service Food is very good with the right about of heat in the spice. We had the Drunken noodles with chicken, shrimp spring rolls and and an order of Sa Bai Fried rice that included beef chicken and shrimp. Very tastey and will come back again

changed it up last nite....I usually order Tom Kha which is delicious...this time I went with Panang Curry veggies no meat and a papaya salad and to drink a fresh coconut....the whole meal was very good. portion was good. I'm a good eater and I was full and satisfied. they spice things good here.which gets my stamp of approval. when the owner is in the kitchen cooking this place turns out some delicious food....

We had a lovely dinner at Sa Bai and enjoyed it very much. You can order mild, medium, hot or extra hot. Medium was hot enough for us. It was delicious! And there was great service too.

no trip to pdx is complete without coming into this place. I rate you best thai food I've had in years. The lemongrass coconut soup is amazing, the fried shrimp with chili sauce, the drunken noodle, the pad thai. Everything so fresh, and medium has heat to it. Staff is spot on, everything here rocks. I eat here at least twice when I do a weekly visit.

Just returned back from a Thailand vacation and had a yearning for some more Thai - was not disappointed - the food here tastes authentic and we were very satisfied. Looks like a family operation which is very typical of Thailand restaurants. A bit pricey which surprised me

if your like good food and you like Thai food. this is a good place to fulfill your desire for tastey thai food. my recommendations the Tom Kha soup. they make it so good full of coconut broth, and flavour. also the papaya salads are done rite. truthfully you cant go wrong with any thing on the menu. and they spice it to your liking.....so if your wanting mild or hot. they do it rite. most Thai testsurants fail at this you request hot or thai hot and you find out that they didnt spice it hot at all more of a mild.Sai Bai Thai is not one of those restaurants. just let them know that you want it spiced thai hot and you'll be pleasantly surprised. owners are friendly and personable. and they offer fresh young coconut too which is some thing I love. so visitor or local feeling hungry and at a loss as to where to go for dinner......give Sai Bai Thai a try

This was a great little Thai restaurant! Service is a bit slow, however, servers were very friendly. The food was delicious! Not too sweet, not to salty, just perfect! Prices were also very reasonable (8-13$) a plate. I would highly recommend the seafood salad, drunkin noodles, and Thai tea.

There is not a lot of signage or indicators of the existence of this restaurant. I found out about it by word of mouth and the person showing me on google earth where to turn off Sandy. When you see the 76 gas station at 131st then you have found the little out of the way strip commercial lot where the restaurant is tucked away. Once you find the place you can get a seat because it was not to crowded when I visited. Before I ordered I was trying to remember the poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter" and that verse I am thinking of by memory, "The time has come the Walrus said to talk of many things:of Singing Hobbits, and sealing wax, of cabbages & Kings and why the sea is boiling hot and whether pigs have wings" If you ever see a Singing Hobbit it is the equivalent of seeing a Unicorn. Consider yourself blessed. But I digress and I want to say that the Lemon Grass chicken smothered in Peanut sauce was good. I had some super hot Thai food down the road the week before so I wanted something more casual this go around at Sa Bai Thai Cuisine. I also ordered the appetizer called the Rock N Roll shrimp roll with peanut dipping sauce and I was very pleased with it as well. They have a pretty wide ranging menu with many options including how hot you want your food. Four different options on the heat. I was never a huge curry fan with the exception of Madhuban in Boise, but the Red Duck Curry sounds interesting and I know I would like the Crispy Green Bean Chicken so I will have to try those options on the next visit or two. Service was good and non invasive. Restaurant was clean and the atmosphere relaxed. I recommend this restaurant and think it is a good value as well.

Wherever I work in the US I always try a couple of local Thai restaurants. Some are good, others not. Rarely have I been to a Thai restaurant, that over the years, has been consistently excellent. THIS is the restaurant. While the location itself is quite modest, the food, each and every time has been great! Every time I am in Portland I always dine at a couple of other Thai restaurants, but regret it, as it does not even come close to this one!!

This restaurant is located in a rundown shopping center on the outskirts of a commercial area. We were a little hesitant to enter, but the number of positive reviews overwhelmed our common sense. My wife and I decided to share orders of drunken noodles with chicken and an evening special of seafood mango stir fry that also included basil, onion, peppers and cashews. The latter dish proved, though visually appealing, to be a disappointment with large pieces of calamari that required considerable chewing, small farm-raised shrimp and little in the way of other eatable seafood. Service was good, but I find there is no compelling reason to return.

By chance I found myself both hungry and close to this restaurant. Reviews were good. Several weeks in Bangkok last year basically spoiled me against most restaurants that call themselves "Thai", even in the Portland area. The food too often gets Americanized and sometimes even tasteless, the opposite of the real thing. From the positive reviews I placed my, and then chatted with the friendly owner (co-owned with his Thai wife). He assured me that nothing is Americanized, and to be careful with my spice level because they do not Americanize that either. I ordered green curry and chicken lunch special. Very well prepared and very tasty. I was impressed. To drink, Thai iced coffee, and even that was better than expected. And neither pricey nor pretentious. Just friendly service and real Thai food. Definitely will return. One of the best Thai restaurants in Portland.

Found this place via TripAdvisor and was very pleased! Red curry chicken had lots of flavor and spice. Friendly staff. Strip mall location isn’t the best but he food is worth it. If you like good Thai food and you’re in the area- definitely give it a try!

This is one of our daughter's favorite restaurants and now I know why! 3 of us shared stir fry eggplant, red smoked duck curry, and pad Thai. All were excellent. The Pad Thai's noodles were firmer than usual and they added extra bean sprouts and limes when requested. The stir-fry eggplant was a stand-out--the vegetables were perfectly cooked and vibrantly colored. Each vegetable retained its distinct flavor and texture and the sauce was light, not too salty, and blended the flavors perfectly. The duck curry had lots of duck which was smoked, adding another element to the dish. A totally satisfying meal!

The reviews did not disappoint the veggie chicken with jasmine rice was a dish to come back tomorrow for. The spring rolls were fresh with a great tasting peanut sauce and beautifully presented with a flower cut carrot in a bed of fresh greens. Our waiter was the husband of the owner and in the last year and a half of serving the public they have had 5 days off. The place was full but service was fast and friendly.

Perfect place to have authentic Thai food . They have a variety of option including veg friendly items on the menu. The service was quick and good. Their soup was amazing each flavor comes out when you drink it . Just one word of caution their medium spice is actually quite spicy and this is an Indian saying so keep this in mind

I love Thai food and my boyfriend found this place after our flight was bumped and we were waiting for morning to leave. This is an unassuming place, part of a small old strip mall, and pretty plain on the outside. I admit I didn't have my hopes up to high when we first arrived. But as it turns out, this is a book you cannot judge from its cover. Everything about the place was fantastic. The staff was wonderful, the service was exceptional. Best of all, the food was definitely among the best Thai I have ever had. From the crispy tofu appetizers to the main dish (I ordered the chicken prik khing but substituted peanut sauce for the red chili sauce....which they were more than happy to do) the food was fresh, bursting with flavor, and the portions were huge. If you love Thai food and you're in Portland, this one is worth going out of your way for!

Great lunch, both in flavor and portion sizes! The restaurant offers quite a number of their usual menu items at lunch. I've been here at least two times before but this time, decided to try the cashew nut with tofu--delicious! Just the flavors I like with a generous portion of rice--no need for dinner later in the day. My brother had the same only with lovely big shrimp. The ambience isn't much, but the servers are very nice and accommodating.

I had the seafood combo pad Thai. Service was good. Noodles and sauce were ok. The squid was rubbery and chewy. The mussels were over cooked. The shrimp and scallops were ok.

This unassuming little restaurant is located in a small, strip shopping center. Once inside, it is quite pleasant and the staff was very welcoming. The menu is extensive. We have been fans of Thai food since we visited Thailand. The food here was as good as we have had in any Thai restaurant in the states. The prices are reasonable and the portions are ample. There doesn't seem to be many good restaurants in this part of town. Check it out.

I had lunch one day while visiting Portland. I forgot to mention my seafood allergy when I ordered Par Thai. I immediately tasted the oyster sauce when I received my order. They were quick to change my order and recook it without the sauce. They continually checked on me during my meal. That is awesome service! Plus the Pad Thai was very, very delicious! The spice level was perfect!

We came on a Friday evening and got there just in time. It filled up rather quickly after we arrived. It's a small facility, but plenty of tables They even have a couple of booths. Our waitress was friendly and helpful.The food was fresh, hot and delicious. We split 2 dishes the chicken pad thai and the bankok rice with shrimp. I even left with a little to go container and I'm a healthy eater. I will definitely return.

Tried this little place based on glowing Yelp reviews. It's a fairly small restaurant with probably only 12 tables and an unassuming face. The atmosphere was decent but nothing to brag about. The food was EXCELLENT. A typical noodle or wok dish (like drunken noodles or thai basil) is only $9.50 for chicken/tofu and both had excellent flavor profiles with fresh veggies and the perfect level of spicyness. Be aware that their spice does run a little hotter than most places. The food deserves 5-stars. Service was very slow and unresponsive though. The wait for food was above average - which I can deal with given the quality of the food. But we were never checked up on, waters were never refilled (remember what I said about those spice levels!), and the check took 15 minutes to drop after our plates were polished clean and pushed to the middle of the table. There were only 5-6 tables for 2 servers while we were there. Such slow service is pretty unacceptable given the small size of the place. That said, we loved it and may venture out from the city again. Just make sure you aren't in any rush.

Wow...was not expecting such outstanding Thai food in a strip mall in Portland! We were a party of four and ordered 8 different dishes. Each was better than the last...their curry is exceptional, Pad Thai tasty and they offer insane levels of spice. Fantastic food and great service!

Located SE of the Portland airport, this restaurant has engaged owners, one of whom is the creative chef. The menu changes to reflect what is fresh, and while some of the Thai standbys are available, there are also new dishes with the season. We sampled a total of 5 dishes, including two vegetarian. Delicious! As noted in other reviews, the exterior of the tiny strip shopping center is not impressive, but the inside was clean and comfortable, and the staff was efficient and informative.

We're in Portland for a friend's wedding and they recommended this place. This is a small family run place tucked in a small unimposing mall. We were in the parking lot before we figured out that the restaurant was right in front of us. If you miss it, keep looking. I had the Shrimp Panang Curry, hot, with brown rice. My daughter had Phuket fried rice with seafood combo, and my wife the Ginger fish with salmon. The servings were generous and full flavored but the ginger fish was fantastic. I wish I'd ordered it myself.The ginger was there but not overpowering and went well with the salmon. If this were near home it would be our regular go-to Thai restaurant. If you like Thai then try this place.

This is my neighborhood Thai joint, which is awesome because it’s one of the best in town. The owners are nice too but the past 3 times I’ve been in it looks like they have a lot of kids working there and I’ve had some bad experiences which I’m hoping posting about may help them do better because I’m at the point I will stop going unless they raise the bar a little. 1) In the past year its a crap shoot if anyone answers the phone or not when you call to place an order. I have seriously had to call 10–12 times as it just rings and rings. In addition they used to have a bare bones website which seems to have been replaced by grub hub type listings and social media like Facebook and Yelp which only offer blurry one off photos of the menu (and grub hub is overpriced delivery prices) 2. Visit #1 7/19- they must have ran out of rice paper because 30 mins after ordering salad rolls we were still waiting. Finally one of the younger counter people jumped in to help, but without washing her hands and she’d been previously ringing people up, handling money/credit cards. As I watched how much handling, fondling, and rubbing goes into salad roll preparation I was honestly grossed out 2. Visit #2 8/19 ordered Thai eggplant. Some of the pieces of eggplant tasted ok, others were spoiled as were some of the carrots and tasted rotten. We ended up throwing the entire dinner away and our tummy’s were off the rest of the weekend

The best Thai restaurant in Portland. i just love their pad Thai and drunken noodles. food taste authentic and rich in flavor.

I was staying near the Portland airport and looked for a nearby Thai restaurant. TripAdvisor reviews on Sa Bai were good and they weren't wrong. I should preface this by saying that I haven't been to Thailand and I don't live in a place associated with an Asian population, but I eat Thai when I travel. This is by far the best I've had. I had chicken satay and a special, mango stirfried seafood medley (shrimp, squid, scallops, and mussels). They were outstanding. It truly is a hole-in-the-wall place in a strip mall that has seen better times, but the food was good and locals know it. I was there at about 6:00 and the place soon filled up. Give it a try, especially if you're staying near the airport.

My wife and I were staying at one of hotels near the airport. We wanted something other than hotel food or the nearby fast food, so we decided to venture out for Thai food. This Thai restaurant received such excellent reviews, and being close by, was immediately an attractive option; however, as we drove by we had our doubts, and so might you when you see the uninviting rundown corner strip mall that holds the restaurant. Don't let it deter you! Walk in and you'll be greeted and served by friendly but non-Asians in a café/restaurant that is clean but is more reminiscent of an American diner than a Thai restaurant. Don't let that deter you either! You will enjoy delicious Thai food cooked expertly by an excellent Thai chef, who will accommodate your level of "spicy" from mild to "HOT" while insuring excellent flavor. The portions are generous and the prices are very reasonable! Definitely recommended! Do yourself a favor and drop by for lunch or dinner; you won't be disappointed and you won't be alone!

pleasant surprise - a small, pleasant Thai restaurant hidden away east of I-205 - great addition on the east side. Good variety of dishes, brown rice to order...

I just finished shopping at the nearby Costco & wanted some Thai food. I looked on my iPhone for a place close & decided to try it. I had a Stir fry Cashew dish & REALLY liked it. They had good service too. Next time I'm in the area I'll b back!!

This is a family owned business that provide real Thai food. I chose the spicy level based on the recommendation, which is right on spot. Highly recommend this place.

This place is pleasantly unassuming in a little strip mall, but it has a nice clean decorated interior and fantastic food. The owners could not be nicer and the food was fantastic and authentically seasoned. I told them I wanted a Thai Coffee but was saving it for in the morning and they bent over backwards to package it up for me in a way that would (did) make it spot on in the morning. Having never eaten there before they were also super nice about the heat. "Medium" to me vs "Medium" to a Thai cook can mean vastly different things. Just a great family run place with fantastic food.

We do take-out from here and like it. But why is it different from the other 1000 Thai places? We like Thai, but it's often very standardized, as if all Thai restaurants use the same kitchen. Sa Bai doesn't drown out the taste of the ingredients, and it all tastes very healthy ----no let's change that to exciting. We love their food.

Parking is adequate. Lighting sufficient. The greeting was friendly. The property very clean. The menu varied. The spices and blending of flavors just remarkable. The food is fresh. The presentation very good. So do not let the first impression sway you away. It will be worth the trip.

It's always heartening to hear Thai being spoken in both the kitchen and by patrons in the restaurant. Both the Duck Curry and Pad Thai were awesome. Will definitely be back ion my next trip.

This place was so great. It was very deceiving as it is in a strip mall far out. We stopped on our way back into town from the mountain, and it was incredibly authentic and delicious. The folks were so nice and we appreciated the spice levels in the food (again, authentic, not Americanized). Would absolutely return. May be our new place on the way back from skiing.

27dec2017 Good food good people. 👍 Strongly recommended I like the man, the owner, (if i am not mistaken his name is Ricky), he is a super nice man Keep up the good work!

Lunch can be boring but Sa Bais menu though simple is packed with variety, taste and value. We got there after 100 PM and it was full. When we left at 145 PM, there was a waiting line on a Tuesday. Their Pad Thai is a standard bearer and when it comes to heat index, order 1 lower than you are accustomed to....and even then you will be sweating bullets.

Keeping it real.....just being honest....the parking lot, strip center and neighborhood just about had us turning around but we decided to poke our heads inside and check it out. Boy am I glad we did. The services was outstanding and the food even better. What a great find. We met the owners and they told us more about their process of hand picking all their veggies etc. Seriously the food was excellent. You will not be disappointed. Well done....we will be back.

Just got back to the hotel after having a wonderful dinner. This is absolutely authentic Thai food from a Thai native. Tastes as good as anything you can get in Thailand. I spend a month every year in Thailand since my wife is Thai. My wife's dish got thumbs up as well as my dish which she tasted. Don't be put off by the location or the exterior. Inside you will find a fairly plain but inviting restaurant. Also don't worry about the front of the house staff who when we visited were not Thai. There are Thai's in the kitchen. The place can be busy and also does a substantial take out business. So, it might take a few minutes to get your food but well worth the wait since each dish is prepared to make sure it is right with no rushing. Highly recommended! We would be a regular except we live about 900 miles away, better than anything near us.

We stopped for lunch after a hike near multnomah falls. It is quite an unassuming place in a neighborhood space. The service is quick, the food is great, and the tray of spicy peppers is on the table if you want more heat. My Pad Kee Mao was spiced to my level and tasted great. My friend's yellow curry was great for him. Lucky find and would eat here again.

Clean! Great service. I had Broccoli Beef. Light spice was perfect for me. Near Costco so we will go again and try other dishes. They were busy. You can order to go too.

Loved the food here! It was fresh and flavorful. They had many tasty vegetarian options. The tofu salad rolls were excellent, and they and even offered to make my vegetable delight vegan friendly. Everything was delicious. I'm a fan!

I had the Panang and Red Curry and the Pad Thai. While the Pad Thai was a tad sweeter than I normally like it, it was fresh and delicious. The Red Curry wasn't as sweet as the Panang Curry, so I thought it was a tad better. The service and staff are both excellent. The food is fresh and excellent.