I visited on a Friday evening with a close friend who works at the nearby university and had previously enjoyed lunch here, so we were excited to return for dinner. I made a 6:00 pm reservation for two conveniently through Yelp, and we were seated promptly.
We started with hot tea and mango juice, then ordered pad kee mao and pad see ew for our entrees. Unfortunately, the mango sticky rice had sold out, so we opted for the ice cream (two scoops) served with sticky rice instead.
While the interior decor and ambiance were warm, cozy, and inviting, the food and service did not meet our expectations. The flavors of both entrees were fairly average, and portions were noticeably smaller compared to other Thai restaurants we’ve tried in northern New Jersey. I found myself adding chili flakes to bring more flavor to my dish, while my friend felt the pad see ew leaned overly sweet.
For dessert, we were told both scoops had to be the same ice cream flavor. The sticky rice itself was tinted a very bright green color, which tasted fine but was visually unappealing and felt unnecessary.
Service became uncomfortable midway through the meal. While we were still actively eating, our waitress asked if we wanted everything wrapped to go. Later, around 7:50 pm — before we had even paid the check — another server informed us we needed to leave because another reservation was waiting. When I asked about table timing, we were told there is a strict 1 hour and 15 minute limit, which we had exceeded.
Having dined extensively in northern NJ, we’re accustomed to restaurants allowing enough time to order, eat, and enjoy the experience without feeling rushed. Unfortunately, the focus here felt more on rapid table turnover than guest comfort. As a result, we left feeling disappointed and do not plan to return.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Gilad Levy
AMAZING thai food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
rashi
Good food, definitely worth a visit if you’re around. Loved the truffle spring rolls. Khao soi was a bit spicy but extremely delicious.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Victoria Hernandez
Food is delicious, staff very friendly, and cozy outdoor dining bc we always come with our puppies. Indoors is beautiful too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Scott C. Keddy
Worst Thai food ever.... White noodles with nothing else practically Service was horrible, 45 minutes late for pick up with no apology whatsoever
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Konrad Fil
Food was disaster being honest overpriced too
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
WellnessOne of South Bergen
Loud, hot, got the order wrong very pretentious. Not going back
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jack Holuba
Very good neighborhood Thai food. They’re very open and communicative as the weight staff in terms of the spiciness and ingredients.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
VARUN HARIRAJAN
Below average Thai food. Drunken noodles lacked spice or flavor, just overly loaded with fish/oyster sauce over burnt scrambled eggs. Chicken satay was dry and flavorless, peanut sauce to accompany was not fresh either. Utterly disappointed for a take out experience after reading all the positive reviews on this restaurant.
Food: 2
Service: 5
Jay M.
When my fiancée's Thai food craving hit, we decided to break from our usual routine and try SLA Thai for the first time. Ordering take out through DoorDash, we went with two noodle dishes and a classic dessert to get a proper taste of their offerings.
My fiancée chose the Pad Kemao, a flat noodle dish with shrimp and eggplant. While she found it satisfying with well-cooked shrimp and pleasant eggplant texture, it didn't quite reach the heights of her favorite version from Papa Thai in Bloomfield. The flavors were good but somewhat muted compared to what she's used to, decent but not remarkable enough to dethrone her go-to spot.
I opted for the Pad See Ew and was pleasantly surprised despite an initial strong fishy aroma when opening the container (likely from oyster or fish sauce). The first bite won me over with fresh, perfectly chewy noodles and that great balance of savory and slightly sweet flavors Thai food does so well. My only real complaint was the complete lack of spice, a real miss since DoorDash didn't offer spice level customization for this order. Next time I'll definitely call ahead to request some heat, because what's Thai food without a little kick?
For dessert we tried the Sweet Mango Sticky Rice, which my mango-loving fiancée was especially excited about. The coconut flavor in the rice was spot on, rich and aromatic. Although some of the rice was disappointingly dry and hard, like it had been sitting for a while. The saving grace was the perfectly ripe, sweet mango that she devoured happily. I found it a bit too sugary for my taste, but then again, I'm not the mango enthusiast in this relationship. It's a dessert that would satisfy anyone with a serious sweet tooth, assuming the rice comes out fresher next time.
Overall, SLA Thai delivered a solid takeout experience with some clear highlights (that Pad See Ew in particular) and a few areas for improvement. The noodle dishes showed good technique with fresh ingredients, though the inability to specify spice levels through DoorDash was frustrating.
While it didn't surpass our favorite Thai spot, it's definitely a place we'd order from again - though next time I'll be calling ahead to request spice adjustments and maybe crossing my fingers for better-executed sticky rice. For a first try, it was promising enough that we'd give them another shot when we're in the mood for something different.
Recently dined there. Its now not as good as it used to be. Their prices keep going up with smaller portions and decrease in quality. For example the “Curry Puffs” appetizer now contains a cheaper purée stuffing than the former better filling of potatoes and peas.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Matthew V.
Food and drinks were excellent. Would highly recommend giving it a try if you’ve never been before!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zen
Really great food and really great service. It gets busy in the evenings (we went specifically on a Friday) so if you want to secure a table, reserve!
But the food was truly great and the ube shake was delicious. Mango sticky rice was sweet and creamy. No complaints!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
daniela castro
I’ve been to this Thai restaurant more times than I can count—it’s hands down my favorite spot! My boyfriend and I dine here all the time and we just can’t get enough. The service is consistently incredible—the staff is always so kind, helpful (especially when I can’t decide what to order!), and super attentive. The food is absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere has the best vibes—so cozy, welcoming, and always spotless. I love that they bring out a little treat while we wait for our food—it’s such a thoughtful touch. This place never disappoints. Try the mango mojito, you’ll be obsessed! 😉
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Shannon Casale
I am blown away by this Thai restaurant. The service was fantastic. The food exceeded all expectations. I cannot wait to come back and explore more of the menu. The Chive pancakes were delicious and the duck was cooked to perfection. It was a perfect date night and we can’t wait to come back!
I visited on a Friday evening with a close friend who works at the nearby university and had previously enjoyed lunch here, so we were excited to return for dinner. I made a 6:00 pm reservation for two conveniently through Yelp, and we were seated promptly.
We started with hot tea and mango juice, then ordered pad kee mao and pad see ew for our entrees. Unfortunately, the mango sticky rice had sold out, so we opted for the ice cream (two scoops) served with sticky rice instead.
While the interior decor and ambiance were warm, cozy, and inviting, the food and service did not meet our expectations. The flavors of both entrees were fairly average, and portions were noticeably smaller compared to other Thai restaurants we’ve tried in northern New Jersey. I found myself adding chili flakes to bring more flavor to my dish, while my friend felt the pad see ew leaned overly sweet.
For dessert, we were told both scoops had to be the same ice cream flavor. The sticky rice itself was tinted a very bright green color, which tasted fine but was visually unappealing and felt unnecessary.
Service became uncomfortable midway through the meal. While we were still actively eating, our waitress asked if we wanted everything wrapped to go. Later, around 7:50 pm — before we had even paid the check — another server informed us we needed to leave because another reservation was waiting. When I asked about table timing, we were told there is a strict 1 hour and 15 minute limit, which we had exceeded.
Having dined extensively in northern NJ, we’re accustomed to restaurants allowing enough time to order, eat, and enjoy the experience without feeling rushed. Unfortunately, the focus here felt more on rapid table turnover than guest comfort. As a result, we left feeling disappointed and do not plan to return.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
AMAZING thai food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good food, definitely worth a visit if you’re around.
Loved the truffle spring rolls. Khao soi was a bit spicy but extremely delicious.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Food is delicious, staff very friendly, and cozy outdoor dining bc we always come with our puppies. Indoors is beautiful too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Worst Thai food ever.... White noodles with nothing else practically
Service was horrible, 45 minutes late for pick up with no apology whatsoever
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Food was disaster being honest overpriced too
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Loud, hot, got the order wrong very pretentious. Not going back
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Very good neighborhood Thai food. They’re very open and communicative as the weight staff in terms of the spiciness and ingredients.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Below average Thai food. Drunken noodles lacked spice or flavor, just overly loaded with fish/oyster sauce over burnt scrambled eggs. Chicken satay was dry and flavorless, peanut sauce to accompany was not fresh either. Utterly disappointed for a take out experience after reading all the positive reviews on this restaurant.
Food: 2
Service: 5
When my fiancée's Thai food craving hit, we decided to break from our usual routine and try SLA Thai for the first time. Ordering take out through DoorDash, we went with two noodle dishes and a classic dessert to get a proper taste of their offerings.
My fiancée chose the Pad Kemao, a flat noodle dish with shrimp and eggplant. While she found it satisfying with well-cooked shrimp and pleasant eggplant texture, it didn't quite reach the heights of her favorite version from Papa Thai in Bloomfield. The flavors were good but somewhat muted compared to what she's used to, decent but not remarkable enough to dethrone her go-to spot.
I opted for the Pad See Ew and was pleasantly surprised despite an initial strong fishy aroma when opening the container (likely from oyster or fish sauce). The first bite won me over with fresh, perfectly chewy noodles and that great balance of savory and slightly sweet flavors Thai food does so well. My only real complaint was the complete lack of spice, a real miss since DoorDash didn't offer spice level customization for this order. Next time I'll definitely call ahead to request some heat, because what's Thai food without a little kick?
For dessert we tried the Sweet Mango Sticky Rice, which my mango-loving fiancée was especially excited about. The coconut flavor in the rice was spot on, rich and aromatic. Although some of the rice was disappointingly dry and hard, like it had been sitting for a while. The saving grace was the perfectly ripe, sweet mango that she devoured happily. I found it a bit too sugary for my taste, but then again, I'm not the mango enthusiast in this relationship. It's a dessert that would satisfy anyone with a serious sweet tooth, assuming the rice comes out fresher next time.
Overall, SLA Thai delivered a solid takeout experience with some clear highlights (that Pad See Ew in particular) and a few areas for improvement. The noodle dishes showed good technique with fresh ingredients, though the inability to specify spice levels through DoorDash was frustrating.
While it didn't surpass our favorite Thai spot, it's definitely a place we'd order from again - though next time I'll be calling ahead to request spice adjustments and maybe crossing my fingers for better-executed sticky rice. For a first try, it was promising enough that we'd give them another shot when we're in the mood for something different.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Recently dined there. Its now not as good as it used to be. Their prices keep going up with smaller portions and decrease in quality. For example the “Curry Puffs” appetizer now contains a cheaper purée stuffing than the former better filling of potatoes and peas.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Food and drinks were excellent. Would highly recommend giving it a try if you’ve never been before!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really great food and really great service. It gets busy in the evenings (we went specifically on a Friday) so if you want to secure a table, reserve!
But the food was truly great and the ube shake was delicious. Mango sticky rice was sweet and creamy. No complaints!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve been to this Thai restaurant more times than I can count—it’s hands down my favorite spot! My boyfriend and I dine here all the time and we just can’t get enough. The service is consistently incredible—the staff is always so kind, helpful (especially when I can’t decide what to order!), and super attentive. The food is absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere has the best vibes—so cozy, welcoming, and always spotless. I love that they bring out a little treat while we wait for our food—it’s such a thoughtful touch. This place never disappoints. Try the mango mojito, you’ll be obsessed! 😉
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I am blown away by this Thai restaurant. The service was fantastic. The food exceeded all expectations. I cannot wait to come back and explore more of the menu. The Chive pancakes were delicious and the duck was cooked to perfection. It was a perfect date night and we can’t wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...