I feel this restaurant is more focused on increasing their revenue (in hidden ways) than providing good service.
1. When presenting the mobile payment terminal, they pushed it towards me in a way that hid the details, as if I should just sign without checking, saying they had taken care of everything. 2. They added a 3% surcharge on top of the meal amount (separate from the tip), but never informed me about this until I saw the receipt. 3. Shouldn't I at least be able to decide the tip amount myself before they hand me the terminal and tell me to just sign? They automatically added a 20% tip claiming that 2 adults and 3 children constituted a "large party." 4. When I asked for water, they suggested bringing it in a large container to make it easier for multiple people to share, but then poured $9 bottled water before I could object. 5. I didn't make a scene to avoid embarrassing my companions, but this was completely unacceptable. 6. Beyond these payment issues, after we were seated, the server didn't even come to our table until the kitchen staff informed them that customers were waiting (She seemed busy taking photos of drinks for Instagram or something).
Overall, it is significantly overpriced. Moreover, this place is perfect for ruining your mood while paying for a meal. Avoid it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Wendell Matas
Absolutely spectacular dining experience. The food is delicious and the presentation is artful. Elegant yet cozy venue. Delightful staff. Highly recommend… five stars all the way around
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Rice, Drunken Noodles, Tom Yum, Pad Thai, Yellow Curry
Lois Venanzi
Beautiful restaurant, amazing and creative food and wonderful service. It’s the best Thai food I have ever had! Please support this lovely and authentic restaurant so it will continue to serve the Irvine community. You won’t be disappointed!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cecilia Shek
Best authentic Thai food in town, must try this place, everything is good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Diana Dillman
delicious food great ambience I'll definitely be coming here again
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tom Yum, Pad Thai
Hanny Phanny
The minute I walked into the restaurant, I can feel the happy vibe. I love the clean decorations. The food was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! This was one of the best shrimp curry I’ve had. It’s so rich with coconut sauce. The Thai Beef Jerkey is a must order as well. The beef smell and taste like it got cook over coal and the flavoring is just amazing with a hint of pepper. Pairs perfectly with sticky rice. I’ve always had pad Thai noodles that mushy and broken. But here, the noodles are chewy and it’s not drenched in lots of sauce. It was delicious and refreshing with the fresh bean sprouts. The were short staff so the wait was extra long but trust me, the food is worth it and our waitress and kind and genuine. She’s a hard worker trying to give her best service to all the tables. Will definitely come back again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pad Thai, Black Pepper Beef, Yellow Curry
Mike LaCavera
My wife and I have enjoyed dinner at Nara’s several times now, and we absolutely love this place! It’s warm, beautifully decorated, the food is amazing and the service excellent. There are very few high quality restaurants in the Irvine Area, but Nara’s is certainly one of them. We really appreciate being able to enjoy such a special restaurant in our own neighborhood, without driving to Newport Beach or LA.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tom Yum, Pad See EW
M G
the food is AMAZING! We got drunken noodle, green curry, krapao chicken, Tom yum and all taste so good. Great atmosphere, wish more people know about this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Green Curry, Tom Yum, Pad Thai, Chicken Kra Pao
Christopher Moran
Food was great, and our server was really friendly. Hoping to go back again!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jon Alpert
Fun place. Reviews do not give it justice. Food was excellent. We did ask about the spice level and they let us know the Spice default is mild unless you state otherwise. We asked for medium and it was perfect. Fun music, great drinks and excellent food
Had a Papaya salad amazing / Tom kha soup, great & creamy / delicious drunken noodles. I recommend it for the food and beautiful atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Papaya Salad
Jennifer Despres
I was here awhile back and met the owner, who I'm really rooting for, but I have a severe stomach condition and ingredients matter. Most restaurants understand that most people have some dietary restrictions and can accommodate for those who do. So, we walked in last night and the hostess was super sweet, but when I started asking the waiter about ingredients listed on the menu of their dishes - I mean foods I'm not familiar with, nor would 90% of the population be, the waiter had no idea. So, he brought someone more experienced over and I told her I need non-dairy and asked for the mild coconut soup. When it came, it was white, with chili sauce sprinkled on top. When I took a bite, I started coughing. Mild, my bum. So, I asked her if she was sure there wasn't cream in there, because it was so thick, and she literally rolled her eyes and said... I told you it was coconut, in an extremely condescending tone, then I asked if it was mild, and she just walked away annoyed. The only reason I didnt send it back was because my bf loved it! I have to admit it was good. Also, both my plate and his were steaming hot when delivered. I had to order ice water to put ice cubes in the soup and he had to wait at least 5 minutes before he could even start eating, and he runs hot. This is never a problem with him.
The place was bustling and the food and location were great but for Pad Thai, 2 soups, tea and a non-alcoholic drink, the bill was over $100. Then, they add a 3% service fee for God knows what. So, we deducted that from their tip. They deserved no tip.
So rude! Feel blessed if you enjoy bountiful health and don't stick your nose up regarding stomach problems you clearly have no comprehension of. A bummer because this place is in a great location. Train your wait-staff and we might be back. Who doesn't know the ingredients of their dishes?
Great food though.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Pad Thai
Carl Day
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, occurs naturally in some foods and is added to others. Here are some vegetables and ingredients that contain naturally occurring MSG:
1. **Tomatoes**: Fresh and sun-dried tomatoes have naturally occurring MSG. 2. **Mushrooms**: Certain mushrooms, such as shiitake and enoki, contain MSG. 3. **Seaweed**: Especially kombu and kelp, are rich sources of natural MSG. 4. **Cheeses**: Parmesan and Roquefort cheeses have naturally occurring MSG. 5. **Soy sauce and Miso**: These fermented soybean products are high in MSG. 6. **Fermented foods**: Products like soy sauce, miso, and certain fermented vegetables (such as kimchi and sauerkraut) contain naturally occurring MSG due to the fermentation process.
These naturally occurring sources of MSG can enhance the flavor of your dishes.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jung-I yang
I am not comfortable with 3% additional charge on the check. And they did not let us know ahead of time. And while we are dining, the service person, possibly the owner, cleaned the table next to us with some spray. I was forced to smell the chemical.
I feel this restaurant is more focused on increasing their revenue (in hidden ways) than providing good service.
1. When presenting the mobile payment terminal, they pushed it towards me in a way that hid the details, as if I should just sign without checking, saying they had taken care of everything.
2. They added a 3% surcharge on top of the meal amount (separate from the tip), but never informed me about this until I saw the receipt.
3. Shouldn't I at least be able to decide the tip amount myself before they hand me the terminal and tell me to just sign? They automatically added a 20% tip claiming that 2 adults and 3 children constituted a "large party."
4. When I asked for water, they suggested bringing it in a large container to make it easier for multiple people to share, but then poured $9 bottled water before I could object.
5. I didn't make a scene to avoid embarrassing my companions, but this was completely unacceptable.
6. Beyond these payment issues, after we were seated, the server didn't even come to our table until the kitchen staff informed them that customers were waiting (She seemed busy taking photos of drinks for Instagram or something).
Overall, it is significantly overpriced. Moreover, this place is perfect for ruining your mood while paying for a meal. Avoid it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Absolutely spectacular dining experience. The food is delicious and the presentation is artful. Elegant yet cozy venue. Delightful staff. Highly recommend… five stars all the way around
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Rice, Drunken Noodles, Tom Yum, Pad Thai, Yellow Curry
Beautiful restaurant, amazing and creative food and wonderful service. It’s the best Thai food I have ever had! Please support this lovely and authentic restaurant so it will continue to serve the Irvine community. You won’t be disappointed!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best authentic Thai food in town, must try this place, everything is good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
delicious food great ambience I'll definitely be coming here again
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tom Yum, Pad Thai
The minute I walked into the restaurant, I can feel the happy vibe. I love the clean decorations. The food was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! This was one of the best shrimp curry I’ve had. It’s so rich with coconut sauce. The Thai Beef Jerkey is a must order as well. The beef smell and taste like it got cook over coal and the flavoring is just amazing with a hint of pepper. Pairs perfectly with sticky rice. I’ve always had pad Thai noodles that mushy and broken. But here, the noodles are chewy and it’s not drenched in lots of sauce. It was delicious and refreshing with the fresh bean sprouts. The were short staff so the wait was extra long but trust me, the food is worth it and our waitress and kind and genuine. She’s a hard worker trying to give her best service to all the tables. Will definitely come back again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pad Thai, Black Pepper Beef, Yellow Curry
My wife and I have enjoyed dinner at Nara’s several times now, and we absolutely love this place! It’s warm, beautifully decorated, the food is amazing and the service excellent. There are very few high quality restaurants in the Irvine Area, but Nara’s is certainly one of them. We really appreciate being able to enjoy such a special restaurant in our own neighborhood, without driving to Newport Beach or LA.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tom Yum, Pad See EW
the food is AMAZING! We got drunken noodle, green curry, krapao chicken, Tom yum and all taste so good. Great atmosphere, wish more people know about this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Green Curry, Tom Yum, Pad Thai, Chicken Kra Pao
Food was great, and our server was really friendly. Hoping to go back again!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fun place. Reviews do not give it justice. Food was excellent. We did ask about the spice level and they let us know the Spice default is mild unless you state otherwise. We asked for medium and it was perfect. Fun music, great drinks and excellent food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Had a Papaya salad amazing / Tom kha soup, great & creamy / delicious drunken noodles. I recommend it for the food and beautiful atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Papaya Salad
I was here awhile back and met the owner, who I'm really rooting for, but I have a severe stomach condition and ingredients matter. Most restaurants understand that most people have some dietary restrictions and can accommodate for those who do. So, we walked in last night and the hostess was super sweet, but when I started asking the waiter about ingredients listed on the menu of their dishes - I mean foods I'm not familiar with, nor would 90% of the population be, the waiter had no idea. So, he brought someone more experienced over and I told her I need non-dairy and asked for the mild coconut soup. When it came, it was white, with chili sauce sprinkled on top. When I took a bite, I started coughing. Mild, my bum. So, I asked her if she was sure there wasn't cream in there, because it was so thick, and she literally rolled her eyes and said... I told you it was coconut, in an extremely condescending tone, then I asked if it was mild, and she just walked away annoyed. The only reason I didnt send it back was because my bf loved it! I have to admit it was good. Also, both my plate and his were steaming hot when delivered. I had to order ice water to put ice cubes in the soup and he had to wait at least 5 minutes before he could even start eating, and he runs hot. This is never a problem with him.
The place was bustling and the food and location were great but for Pad Thai, 2 soups, tea and a non-alcoholic drink, the bill was over $100. Then, they add a 3% service fee for God knows what. So, we deducted that from their tip. They deserved no tip.
So rude! Feel blessed if you enjoy bountiful health and don't stick your nose up regarding stomach problems you clearly have no comprehension of. A bummer because this place is in a great location. Train your wait-staff and we might be back. Who doesn't know the ingredients of their dishes?
Great food though.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Pad Thai
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, occurs naturally in some foods and is added to others. Here are some vegetables and ingredients that contain naturally occurring MSG:
1. **Tomatoes**: Fresh and sun-dried tomatoes have naturally occurring MSG.
2. **Mushrooms**: Certain mushrooms, such as shiitake and enoki, contain MSG.
3. **Seaweed**: Especially kombu and kelp, are rich sources of natural MSG.
4. **Cheeses**: Parmesan and Roquefort cheeses have naturally occurring MSG.
5. **Soy sauce and Miso**: These fermented soybean products are high in MSG.
6. **Fermented foods**: Products like soy sauce, miso, and certain fermented vegetables (such as kimchi and sauerkraut) contain naturally occurring MSG due to the fermentation process.
These naturally occurring sources of MSG can enhance the flavor of your dishes.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
I am not comfortable with 3% additional charge on the check. And they did not let us know ahead of time.
And while we are dining, the service person, possibly the owner, cleaned the table next to us with some spray. I was forced to smell the chemical.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Guys this is $70
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