Kanlaya Thai Kitchen

This was my first and hopefully not last time to visit. I got the Drunken Noodles, which were delicious. Their spice scale is 1-4, so choose accordingly. The portions were large and reasonably priced. The best part of the meal was the staff. I didn't get our servers name but she was great! She was helpful, attentive, patient and ran her butt off when the dinner rush started. Overall a great experience and worth stopping in.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Everything was prepared well and the prices were reasonable.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Honestly the best Thai I have had since moving to the Pittsburgh area.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great takeout spot for flavorful Thai. Lots of options for vegetarian. We love the drunken noodles.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 5

I absolutely love the red curry. The business was busy with takeout tonight and the young lady manning the phones and checking people out was fantastic. Quick, efficient, friendly and very polite! Great service!

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Red Curry

I have driven by this restaurant and have been curious. Unfortunately it's a little further from home than we like to travel for dinner. However, yesterday we were on our way back from the doctor and I really wanted a Thai iced tea, which is my new favorite beverage.

Getting in and out of this place is tricky but worth it! The service is friendly and the food is delicious. The only reason that I gave a lower rating for atmosphere is that when we went in, there weren't any other diners.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chicken Pad See AEW

EXCELLENT food but strange experience and our first time there. We arrived at 7 and were told by hostess that they were closing at 8 so to be seated we had to agree to be done by then. Food arrived around 7:20. Then at 7:45 we were reminded that they were closing. Then at 7:56 we were told that in 4 minutes we would have to leave. We were not lingering. During our 20 minutes of eating they put chairs up on the tables around us. I have NEVER had an experience like this at a restaurant and I'm guessing that the owner was not there on a Sunday night. It was such a shame because the other waitress was great and the food was very good.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 2

Good food! I’ve had real Thai food in Thailand and the things I got definitely tasted more Americanized— sweeter, less salt, less variety of flavors in the dish, more melded together. Which is totally fine for a particular palate, as actual authentic Thai food can be too much for someone who isn’t used to it! So for the American palate, I’d say the food was quite good. Service was good, very sweet waitress. Good music and small town vibe in the space.

Consistently great food! Amazing Pad See Ew and Thai iced tea. It's a staple of our family, and is our go-to whenever we are feeling lazy

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Kanlaya Thai Kitchen in Allison Park is fantastic—delicious, fresh food with vibrant flavors that make every dish a treat. A wonderful spot for authentic Thai cuisine!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chicken Satay

Without a doubt, Kanlaya has the best Thai food in the greater Pittsburgh area. Their Tom Kha soup is my favorite item on the menu and their other dishes are excellent as well. Staff are always friendly and attentive. A great place to grab something to eat in Allison Park!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Tom Kha Soup

Was delicious. I had the shrimp fried rice. Shared appetizer - spring rolls. Went on a Thursday at around 1 pm and we were the only ones in the restaurant.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Ordered Every Soup on the Menu So You Don’t Have To.

Let me cut right to it. This is Americanized Thai food. I ordered every single soup on the menu, and my wife ordered a rice dish. The flavors were muted across the board. Nothing was bad, but nothing stood out either. The salt levels were low, the seasoning was timid, and the spice level felt like it was designed for someone who thinks black pepper is bold.

For context, I always order every soup when I visit a Thai restaurant. It is the best way to compare places, since most of them serve the same core classics. This spot followed that pattern. The lemongrass flavor was strong in almost every bowl. While that is authentic, it was overdone and ended up drowning out everything else. I ordered all the soups vegetarian, and to their credit, they loaded them with vegetables. That part was well executed.

I also try rangoons and dumplings everywhere I go. They did not have dumplings here, which was disappointing. The rangoons were folded in a way I had not seen before, and I actually liked that. They tasted good, but I did not see any distinct crab meat like I do at better Thai spots. Still, they were enjoyable.

They also had Thai chicken wings. I have no idea if wings are actually traditional in Thailand or if this is just another American spin, but they were excellent. They were fried perfectly and had a flavorful sauce that hit just right. They were crispy, juicy, and not greasy. I would absolutely order them again.

The service was outstanding. The staff was friendly, fast, and very accommodating. That alone raises this review to three stars. If the service had been average, this would have landed at two stars based on the food alone.

Some of the five-star reviews calling this place authentic Thai made me laugh. This is about as authentic as your average American Chinese restaurant. If you have ever had real Thai or Chinese food, you know how bold and different the flavors can be. This was not that. This was safe and watered-down to appeal to everyone.

Also, check my review history. I have been to the majority of Thai restaurants in Pittsburgh. I do not hand out ratings blindly. I know what Thai food should taste like. This place sits firmly in the middle of the pack. Not bad, but not memorable and in a city with plenty of better Thai options, that simply is not good enough.

Three stars because the service was top-notch, the portions were generous, the vegetarian soups were packed with veggies, and the wings were genuinely well done. Everything else was just okay.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Hands down the best Thai food in/around Pittsburgh - the red curry with chicken and chicken pad Thai are unreal. They are consistent every time , can’t recommend it enough !

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great restaurant with a beautiful Thai decor with a very authentic taste. Highly recommend this place and their seasonal Mango sticky rice for dessert 🍨

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5