I'd come to this place again for the atmosphere alone, it's so cozy. Sushi bar where you can see the chef preparing his unique creations, a cute bakery with adorable, delicious looking desserts behind you, and nicely decorated with a homey feeling. I'll come back again for sure for the sushi! I ate a lot of things I never thought I'd eat, and you can really taste the quality and work that goes into each bite. Will see you again soon!
savitha b
(Had to give a rating in order to write the review.)I’m not sure if the store has moved or had to unfortunately be closed during the pandemic. I was looking forward to eating here looking at the menu and amazing reviews. But, couldn’t find it at the location on google.
C F.
Didn't bother posting closure notification. How irresponsible. No wonder they closed. Couldn't bother to run a business in the first place
Peter Yau
I went to Zen Thai specifically for Sushi. The Sushi and Sashimi were definitely the BEST in Champaign-Urbana. This place is a Gem. The Thai kitchen was good. It is a MUST GO TO place on your list.
Laura H.
Their updated menu is posted on GH now, but you can still call in your order directly to the restaurant. I highly recommend the tom som Lao (Lao style papaya salad that is more funky and less sweet than Thai style), wild pork (stir fry with red curry paste), gai tod (Thai style fried chicken without breading and with a delicious dipping sauce), yellow curry noodles, and avocado curry.
Mandy Erlandson
My favorite Thai place in the area! Delicious and flavorful food! My favorites are the drunken noodles and Tom Yum soup.
Aurora P.
We dined in to celebrate our son's 21st bday who attends UIUC. We chose it because of the great reviews. It's one of a few restaurants who take dine in clients. This is one authentic Thai & Japanese restaurant. It is not an Asian fusion. They have a Thai cook, for their Thai menu & a Japanese cook, for their Japanese menu. Unfortunately, their Japanese cook had an emergency so we didn't get to try the sushi & other Japanese food. But the food we had was delish! For starters, we had soup & chicken satay. The soups were so tasty - a perfect blend of hot, sour & sweet. Oh, they have different levels of spiciness. Thai hot is not for the faint of heart. We tried the flat noodles, roasted duck curry & Tom yum fried rice. They were all good. When we were done dining, the staff surprised us with fried ice cream with whip cream for dessert in the house! That was a special touch. We will come back here when we visit again. Our son will return to eat here with his friends, for sure.
Malaika McKee-Culpepper
This restaurant is a sleeper hit and with the leadership of Chef Ken my anticipation is that it will rise in reputation commensurate with the talent of the chef. The menu item descriptions hide the attention to detail and nuance of gourmet subtlety of his sushi creations. The flavors of his rolls are imaginative, balanced and surprising to the palate. He pays meticulous attention to freshness and texture which is to deeply important to enjoying Japanese cuisine.Here is the issue. The name of the place almost subverts what they do. Yes, they do Thai Food of which I have ordered a few items that were good. But the Japanese side of the restaurant is outstanding. This is probably attributable to the fact that the Chef has done his homework-- an apprenticeship in Japan and a number of positions at various restaurants that demand high quality.If you want to restore you faith in good food in this town, I strongly recommend you give them a try. Be open to what is on the menu and go for a taste journey. You will not be disappointed.
Andrea epplin
Excellent sushi, the best I’ve had in a long time! Pad Thai was also very good. We will definitely make this a regular stop when we’re in town.
L Ma
Got Tom Yum Noodle Soup, Spicy Salmon Roll and Fatty Tuna roll. Everything is good. Lunch special is a great deal
Chef Ken was very helpful and informed me of special fish from Japan that week and made amazing rolls and special sashimi platters at our request! Love that he is a Japanese sushi chef with experience cooking in Japan! Will definitely come back next time I crave fresh and great quality fish
Anna Mitchell
I got the pad kra pow and it still tastes good but does not taste like how the dish too. There was a a lot of liquid when it should be a stir fry.
jifks sejd
services were good. taste is not bad. patthai was good but not sure about druken noodles.
Emelly M.
I got the Pad See Ew which is my fav Thai dish, and it was very good. Thai hot spicy was no joke but as a spice enthusiast I loved it! The noodles were great but didn't really have much egg which is the reason why I love the dish so much. The lunch special is a super good deal and I was satisfied for a great price. The beef noodles came with a flavorful broth and I appreciate the bean sprouts and green onion extras. Beef was delicious and everything tasted fresh. Fast service. I recommend the lunch special.
I'd come to this place again for the atmosphere alone, it's so cozy. Sushi bar where you can see the chef preparing his unique creations, a cute bakery with adorable, delicious looking desserts behind you, and nicely decorated with a homey feeling. I'll come back again for sure for the sushi! I ate a lot of things I never thought I'd eat, and you can really taste the quality and work that goes into each bite. Will see you again soon!
(Had to give a rating in order to write the review.)I’m not sure if the store has moved or had to unfortunately be closed during the pandemic. I was looking forward to eating here looking at the menu and amazing reviews. But, couldn’t find it at the location on google.
Didn't bother posting closure notification. How irresponsible. No wonder they closed. Couldn't bother to run a business in the first place
I went to Zen Thai specifically for Sushi. The Sushi and Sashimi were definitely the BEST in Champaign-Urbana. This place is a Gem. The Thai kitchen was good. It is a MUST GO TO place on your list.
Their updated menu is posted on GH now, but you can still call in your order directly to the restaurant. I highly recommend the tom som Lao (Lao style papaya salad that is more funky and less sweet than Thai style), wild pork (stir fry with red curry paste), gai tod (Thai style fried chicken without breading and with a delicious dipping sauce), yellow curry noodles, and avocado curry.
My favorite Thai place in the area! Delicious and flavorful food! My favorites are the drunken noodles and Tom Yum soup.
We dined in to celebrate our son's 21st bday who attends UIUC. We chose it because of the great reviews. It's one of a few restaurants who take dine in clients. This is one authentic Thai & Japanese restaurant. It is not an Asian fusion. They have a Thai cook, for their Thai menu & a Japanese cook, for their Japanese menu. Unfortunately, their Japanese cook had an emergency so we didn't get to try the sushi & other Japanese food. But the food we had was delish! For starters, we had soup & chicken satay. The soups were so tasty - a perfect blend of hot, sour & sweet. Oh, they have different levels of spiciness. Thai hot is not for the faint of heart. We tried the flat noodles, roasted duck curry & Tom yum fried rice. They were all good. When we were done dining, the staff surprised us with fried ice cream with whip cream for dessert in the house! That was a special touch. We will come back here when we visit again. Our son will return to eat here with his friends, for sure.
This restaurant is a sleeper hit and with the leadership of Chef Ken my anticipation is that it will rise in reputation commensurate with the talent of the chef. The menu item descriptions hide the attention to detail and nuance of gourmet subtlety of his sushi creations. The flavors of his rolls are imaginative, balanced and surprising to the palate. He pays meticulous attention to freshness and texture which is to deeply important to enjoying Japanese cuisine.Here is the issue. The name of the place almost subverts what they do. Yes, they do Thai Food of which I have ordered a few items that were good. But the Japanese side of the restaurant is outstanding. This is probably attributable to the fact that the Chef has done his homework-- an apprenticeship in Japan and a number of positions at various restaurants that demand high quality.If you want to restore you faith in good food in this town, I strongly recommend you give them a try. Be open to what is on the menu and go for a taste journey. You will not be disappointed.
Excellent sushi, the best I’ve had in a long time! Pad Thai was also very good. We will definitely make this a regular stop when we’re in town.
Got Tom Yum Noodle Soup, Spicy Salmon Roll and Fatty Tuna roll. Everything is good. Lunch special is a great deal
Restaurantji Recommends
Chef Ken was very helpful and informed me of special fish from Japan that week and made amazing rolls and special sashimi platters at our request! Love that he is a Japanese sushi chef with experience cooking in Japan! Will definitely come back next time I crave fresh and great quality fish
I got the pad kra pow and it still tastes good but does not taste like how the dish too. There was a a lot of liquid when it should be a stir fry.
services were good. taste is not bad. patthai was good but not sure about druken noodles.
I got the Pad See Ew which is my fav Thai dish, and it was very good. Thai hot spicy was no joke but as a spice enthusiast I loved it! The noodles were great but didn't really have much egg which is the reason why I love the dish so much. The lunch special is a super good deal and I was satisfied for a great price. The beef noodles came with a flavorful broth and I appreciate the bean sprouts and green onion extras. Beef was delicious and everything tasted fresh. Fast service. I recommend the lunch special.
feel like we're in a center fruit ad after eating