Bangkok Chef Manoa is in a word, "reliable". I know what I'm going to get before I even step out of the car in their parking lot. As a matter of fact all Bangkok Chef locations are like that. But the newness and squeaky clean feel of this location wins me over. Advice... I like the panang curry here for its simplicity. BTW, it's the same at any Bangkok chef... their consistency is a winning trait. Red curry ordered spicy is good. The spring rolls are my guilty deep fried pleasure and I order and gladly pay the up charge for extra greens and mint. I live a wee closer to the Nuuanu location, the Nimitz location is convenient for my Pau Hana commute, but the Mānoa location is my favorite. Added bonus, the service I've received at the Mamoa location has always been the best.
Bryne N.
Recently had lunch and it tasted great as usual but it's the little things that amaze me. I had ordered spring rolls and when I got back to the office I realized that they cut a hole in the top of the takeout container to let the steam out. It keeps the rolls nice and crispy, not soggy at all. This is something small but fantastic, having a restaurant take the time to do this small thing is great service that other restaurants need to take note.
Alan Dennis, Baron of Cowie
Small local restaurant with all the usuL
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cheri “Bella” Isabella
Bangkok Chef started out as a fruit market and has evolved into a restaurant with tasty meals. ?I enjoy grabbing lunch there adter visiting Manoa Falls and the Lyon Arboretum. Limited free parking. Restrooms are located outside the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Larb, Yellow Curry, Red Curry
Jonathan N.
My favorite place for chicken fried rice. Great service with friendly staff. Really good pricing as well.
Kim B.
Three and a half stars. I forgot to take any pictures of my food because I was so so hungry I apologize. If I ever go back again I will take pictures. I ordered fried chicken wings and their ginger chicken. This time I ordered everything a la carte just because I got rice at home and I wanted more of the actual food. The lady on the phone was very nice and pleasant. I picked up the order and it had just come out. Excellent. Drove home and devoured the dishes. The fried chicken was pretty crispy. If the container had had holes maybe the crisp would have lasted more. The flavor of the chicken wings was pretty bland, but don't get me wrong. I love adding my own spice on the side. The cucumber with it was crunchy and refreshing. The ginger chicken was my favorite. I usually order a curry dish but decided on ginger. I was pleasantly surprised that they had nice long sticks of ginger in the dish so I chewed on those with my chicken and green beans. It was very very tasty. I think that is one of my favorite dishes, due to the ginger. The strips of chicken are thin and I read it's the breast meat so it's good. Not too dry and not rubbery either. I will return for the pictures one day. Apologies you will just have to take my word for it. The seating area is nice and spacious abs their ac hits well. Ambiance is calm and cool and chill. You can have dessert of different flavored tapioca which is a nice touch or you can buy their fried pastries. I honestly don't recall seeing a lot but I'm sure they have some. They also sell ice teas and other drinks. Pretty good. Price wise was a bit on the higher side from when I used to go years and years ago, but I understand. Rent, supplies, labor, all has increased. Trying to help out a little by eating out when I can.
martin soto
Delicious hot (temperature) and Flavorful food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Red Curry, Basil Chicken, Spring Rolls
G. S.
Watery curries with no taste. (diarrhea for 1day) High prices and small portions but a lot of rice. Watered down dishes for the masses. Not what it used to be before covid they were better, and prices were lower for small portions. Good customer service and clean environment. Sorry just being honest.
L L
Best fried chicken rice I had in long time. Delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zane D.
My family and I absolutely adore Bangkok Chef, a remarkable Thai restaurant. We find ourselves constantly drawn to their tantalizing Spring Rolls, flavorful Chicken Fried Rice, irresistible Pad Si You, and comforting soups.The Spring Rolls at Bangkok Chef are simply divine. Crispy and filled with a delightful combination of fresh vegetables, they make for a perfect start to our meal. And when it comes to the Chicken Fried Rice, we can't get enough. The tender chicken, fragrant jasmine rice, and colorful medley of vegetables create a harmonious blend of flavors that keeps us coming back for more.One of our absolute favorites is the Pad Si You. The wide rice noodles, perfectly stir-fried with beef and crisp vegetables, result in a dish that is both comforting and deeply satisfying. And let's not forget about their soups, Bangkok Chef's soups never fail to impress with their rich flavors and fresh ingredients.Aside from the incredible food, the ambiance and service at Bangkok Chef are top-notch. The warm and welcoming atmosphere combined with the attentive staff create a memorable dining experience for our family. If you're in the mood for exceptional Thai cuisine that will leave you craving more, Bangkok Chef is the place to be.
Nestled in the beautiful Manoa Valley, this Bangkok Chef is my favorite by far. You will always feel welcomed and cheered when you walk in the door and are greeted by Ms. Vasana, and whether you are inhaling yellow curry, add broccoli, and fresh summer rolls with sweet peanut sauce or Tom Yum, lemon ginger soup, or Tom Kha coconut ginger soup, both piping hot, healing and delicious, you will feel as if you've invested in your health and that it was worth it.My father, who grew up in this lovely valley, always used to say, "Eat your wealth to increase your health. You can't take anything with you anyway. " And he's not wrong when it comes to this yummy gem of a restaurant. Eat here. Your body and mind will thank you. ?
Mishya J.
Bangkok chef is always my go to place when I want comfort food. Curries are always tasty along with their spring rolls.... The only complaint I have is that the veggies that come with the spring rolls is now reduced to 2 leaves of romaine lettuce and the sauce. Before it used to come with 3 leaves, plus cucumbers, mint and other stuff. I guess times are hard.
Mari T.
Took my mother in law and brother in law when they were in town for the first time and this was my MIL's first time ever eating Thai food! We had her order pad thai and she ate the whole thing and loved it! She is not a very adventurous eater so we were very pleased that she liked it. We got tom kha (spicy coconut milk soup with lemongrass) which was very flavorful, and eggplant green curry which is always good. BIL got Vietnamese pho which he enjoyed a lot, and Taylor got coffee tapioca which was gone quickly! Just learned that my tennis friend's (Ean's) brother is the owner. Small world! I have been going to Bangkok Chefs since I was in high school! We used to walk down to the Nuuanu one from HBA!
Lee Birnbaum
Reasonably priced locally owned mom and pop feel.Good but not outstanding thai food, but again, cheaper than most, so 4 stars over all for value.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Robert E
Overall good. Usually very consistent, tasty food. However, my most recent order included pad thai, and the dish was much wetter than usual and the noodles were a bit soggy. And there was no tofu in it. Not sure if this is an anomaly or if the recipe changed.
Bangkok Chef Manoa is in a word, "reliable". I know what I'm going to get before I even step out of the car in their parking lot. As a matter of fact all Bangkok Chef locations are like that. But the newness and squeaky clean feel of this location wins me over. Advice... I like the panang curry here for its simplicity. BTW, it's the same at any Bangkok chef... their consistency is a winning trait. Red curry ordered spicy is good. The spring rolls are my guilty deep fried pleasure and I order and gladly pay the up charge for extra greens and mint. I live a wee closer to the Nuuanu location, the Nimitz location is convenient for my Pau Hana commute, but the Mānoa location is my favorite. Added bonus, the service I've received at the Mamoa location has always been the best.
Recently had lunch and it tasted great as usual but it's the little things that amaze me. I had ordered spring rolls and when I got back to the office I realized that they cut a hole in the top of the takeout container to let the steam out. It keeps the rolls nice and crispy, not soggy at all. This is something small but fantastic, having a restaurant take the time to do this small thing is great service that other restaurants need to take note.
Small local restaurant with all the usuL
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bangkok Chef started out as a fruit market and has evolved into a restaurant with tasty meals. ?I enjoy grabbing lunch there adter visiting Manoa Falls and the Lyon Arboretum. Limited free parking. Restrooms are located outside the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Larb, Yellow Curry, Red Curry
My favorite place for chicken fried rice. Great service with friendly staff. Really good pricing as well.
Three and a half stars. I forgot to take any pictures of my food because I was so so hungry I apologize. If I ever go back again I will take pictures. I ordered fried chicken wings and their ginger chicken. This time I ordered everything a la carte just because I got rice at home and I wanted more of the actual food. The lady on the phone was very nice and pleasant. I picked up the order and it had just come out. Excellent. Drove home and devoured the dishes. The fried chicken was pretty crispy. If the container had had holes maybe the crisp would have lasted more. The flavor of the chicken wings was pretty bland, but don't get me wrong. I love adding my own spice on the side. The cucumber with it was crunchy and refreshing. The ginger chicken was my favorite. I usually order a curry dish but decided on ginger. I was pleasantly surprised that they had nice long sticks of ginger in the dish so I chewed on those with my chicken and green beans. It was very very tasty. I think that is one of my favorite dishes, due to the ginger. The strips of chicken are thin and I read it's the breast meat so it's good. Not too dry and not rubbery either. I will return for the pictures one day. Apologies you will just have to take my word for it. The seating area is nice and spacious abs their ac hits well. Ambiance is calm and cool and chill. You can have dessert of different flavored tapioca which is a nice touch or you can buy their fried pastries. I honestly don't recall seeing a lot but I'm sure they have some. They also sell ice teas and other drinks. Pretty good. Price wise was a bit on the higher side from when I used to go years and years ago, but I understand. Rent, supplies, labor, all has increased. Trying to help out a little by eating out when I can.
Delicious hot (temperature) and Flavorful food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Red Curry, Basil Chicken, Spring Rolls
Watery curries with no taste. (diarrhea for 1day) High prices and small portions but a lot of rice. Watered down dishes for the masses. Not what it used to be before covid they were better, and prices were lower for small portions. Good customer service and clean environment. Sorry just being honest.
Best fried chicken rice I had in long time. Delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My family and I absolutely adore Bangkok Chef, a remarkable Thai restaurant. We find ourselves constantly drawn to their tantalizing Spring Rolls, flavorful Chicken Fried Rice, irresistible Pad Si You, and comforting soups.The Spring Rolls at Bangkok Chef are simply divine. Crispy and filled with a delightful combination of fresh vegetables, they make for a perfect start to our meal. And when it comes to the Chicken Fried Rice, we can't get enough. The tender chicken, fragrant jasmine rice, and colorful medley of vegetables create a harmonious blend of flavors that keeps us coming back for more.One of our absolute favorites is the Pad Si You. The wide rice noodles, perfectly stir-fried with beef and crisp vegetables, result in a dish that is both comforting and deeply satisfying. And let's not forget about their soups, Bangkok Chef's soups never fail to impress with their rich flavors and fresh ingredients.Aside from the incredible food, the ambiance and service at Bangkok Chef are top-notch. The warm and welcoming atmosphere combined with the attentive staff create a memorable dining experience for our family. If you're in the mood for exceptional Thai cuisine that will leave you craving more, Bangkok Chef is the place to be.
Restaurantji Recommends
Nestled in the beautiful Manoa Valley, this Bangkok Chef is my favorite by far. You will always feel welcomed and cheered when you walk in the door and are greeted by Ms. Vasana, and whether you are inhaling yellow curry, add broccoli, and fresh summer rolls with sweet peanut sauce or Tom Yum, lemon ginger soup, or Tom Kha coconut ginger soup, both piping hot, healing and delicious, you will feel as if you've invested in your health and that it was worth it.My father, who grew up in this lovely valley, always used to say, "Eat your wealth to increase your health. You can't take anything with you anyway. " And he's not wrong when it comes to this yummy gem of a restaurant. Eat here. Your body and mind will thank you. ?
Bangkok chef is always my go to place when I want comfort food. Curries are always tasty along with their spring rolls.... The only complaint I have is that the veggies that come with the spring rolls is now reduced to 2 leaves of romaine lettuce and the sauce. Before it used to come with 3 leaves, plus cucumbers, mint and other stuff. I guess times are hard.
Took my mother in law and brother in law when they were in town for the first time and this was my MIL's first time ever eating Thai food! We had her order pad thai and she ate the whole thing and loved it! She is not a very adventurous eater so we were very pleased that she liked it. We got tom kha (spicy coconut milk soup with lemongrass) which was very flavorful, and eggplant green curry which is always good. BIL got Vietnamese pho which he enjoyed a lot, and Taylor got coffee tapioca which was gone quickly! Just learned that my tennis friend's (Ean's) brother is the owner. Small world! I have been going to Bangkok Chefs since I was in high school! We used to walk down to the Nuuanu one from HBA!
Reasonably priced locally owned mom and pop feel.Good but not outstanding thai food, but again, cheaper than most, so 4 stars over all for value.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Overall good. Usually very consistent, tasty food. However, my most recent order included pad thai, and the dish was much wetter than usual and the noodles were a bit soggy. And there was no tofu in it. Not sure if this is an anomaly or if the recipe changed.