Sharon B

We came here for lunch on a weekday and to celebrate a birthday. We were seated right away and the wait staff was very attentive. The menu had pictures, which I appreciated, to help me decide what I wanted to eat. Though everything looked really delicious and they were! The food was authentic and we were able to pick our spice levels for each dish too. I really like the seafood Tom Yum soup, the Laos papaya salad, and the Ka Na Moo Krob. We will have to come back to try something different next time.

+15

James Randorff

TL;DR: If you’re looking for authentic Thai food right in the heart of the Convoy Street food district in San Diego, Koon Thai is a must‑visit. My wife and I came here for a lunch date and loved every bite, from refreshing Thai iced tea and crisp fresh rolls to bold Tom Yum Soup with crispy pork. The highlight was the Pla Pad Cha, a whole deep‑fried fish with a spicy stir‑fry that was both crispy and flavorful. Friendly service, vibrant dishes, and generous portions make this one of the best Thai restaurants in San Diego. ———Longer Review—— My wife and I came here for a lunch date on Convoy Street, and it was absolutely fantastic. The ambience and service were both welcoming, but the real star was the food. My wife started with Thai iced tea, which was perfectly sweet and refreshing, and we shared Fresh Rolls (both shrimp and tofu) that were light, crisp, and paired beautifully with the curried peanut sauce. The Tom Yum Soup with Crispy Pork was bold, tangy, and comforting; it was delightful at the mild heat level my wife requested. And then there was the Pla Pad Cha: A whole deep‑fried fish topped with a colorful, spicy stir‑fry. This was the showstopper (hence why it deserves its own paragraph). Crispy, flavorful, and loaded with veggies and herbs, it was the kind of dish you can’t stop talking about. I went with the highest spice level (Fiery - 10) and they absolutely delivered! The crunch of the fish skin combined with the tender fish was enough to be worth the price. I tried to finish the entire thing, but even without eating the rice, I had to take home several pieces of fish. Everything was fresh, vibrant, and clearly made with care. Anyone looking for a great spot for a date, family meal, or even just a treat, absolutely must visit Koon Thai. We’ll definitely be back!

+1

Samarth Shah

Might be the greatest Thai restaurant I’ve eaten at. The Khao Soi was phenomenal, had so much flavor, spice and was just a thrill to eat. Service was quick and attentive, food came out fast and the whole vibe of the restaurant was top notch. The decor of the place was very well done and it’s a great spot for photos and to celebrate an event. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego

Carrina Gogue

The food was so great. Everything is around $20 and up but the flavor is great. The rib eye steak was cooked perfectly to my liking and the sauce under it was so flavorful. Service was also great. Very attentive and nice servers. I will definitely be back to try new stuff!! But I’ll be getting the steak again for sure.

Mike R

Koon Thai offers a diverse mix of traditional and modern Thai dishes, including vegan and vegetarian options. They have a very nice hip atmosphere and is nicely decorated. I ordered the Khao Khar Moo (F1 in the menu), and my wife had the Pad See Ew (G10 in menu), and the Tom Yum Soup. All of the food came out fresh and tasted very good. The pork in my order was very tender and flavorful. Most of the food on my plate, however, had a soup base almost drowning everything in my plate. The photo didn’t show it having that liquid. But whatever it was, it made the food so tasty. I will definitely come back to try more options. The service is very good and efficiently fast.

+10

Kylie Ozols

This is my go-to Thai restaurant in San Diego! The restaurant itself is nicely decorated, inviting and the staff are all very friendly. All the food I’ve tried has been delicious. One of my favorite dishes being the Khao Soi Kai, which is very similar to ones I’ve tried in Thailand. Their Thai Fried Rice is also delicious and full of flavor. Definitely give them a try!

Wesley Uykimpang

Koon Thai Kitchen is a San Diego staple, thriving for years in the competitive Convoy neighborhood, and for good reason. They go beyond the standard Thai fare with plenty of unique dishes. On our latest visit, we tried the pineapple fried rice, yum pla todd, and pad thai pu nim. All three dishes were spot-on in flavor. The only small surprise was that they didn’t ask for our preferred spice level like they usually do, maybe they noticed we had a toddler with us and assumed we’d want it mild. Service was excellent: prompt, attentive, and courteous. As a bonus, they offered us shrimp chips while we waited for our table, which was a nice touch.

Elysa Fletcher

I was visiting friends in California this past week but am writing this during my layover. I went with a friend and her family for my last dinner of my trip and Koon Thai’s food certainly didn’t disappoint. We had a variety of dishes to share amongst the four of us but of the ones we ordered I absolutely loved the crab fried rice and pad see ew. The host and wait staff were very friendly and on top of things with us as well as the other tables they were assisting. They would check in frequently to efficiently handle any needs we had during the meal. Another strong suit was that the decor inside the restaurant was gorgeous and I couldn’t help looking around while I ate (and even taking pictures). It felt very elegant while still feeling warm and welcoming. I will definitely be back the next time I visit California.

Laura Woodward

Beautiful and casual atmosphere, colorful and fun, with upbeat music. Would be a great date place or a place to get together with friends. I had the fried pork belly and Tom kha soup and they were delicious. The service was very very friendly and very fast. They have different options for Thai iced tea as well. Highly recommend.

Chris Hinshaw

Busy lunch spot in the Convoy Asian Cuisine district. A pleasant, smallish restaurant nestled in a strip mall. The food was excellent with a spice level of 0-10. And warnings they use Thai chili's! The whole fried fish dishes are an amazing presentation and the fish is delicious with a crunchy coating. The curry is some of the best I've had and I have a preference for Thai curries.

Charlene Hsu

So so yum! The pad thai was super chewy and delish. The red curry is also super flavorful and actually paired pretty nicely with the fried rice. The pineapple fried rice is also super flavorful and fragrant. Everything smelled and tasted so good.

Mel Itz

Fun atmosphere. Cute decor.. Attentive wait staff. A little bummed they didn't offer green curry. Decent size portions. Value in prices. The tables and benches were a little funky with mismatched cushions. We almost tipped bench when reaching over table but had a good laugh over it. definitely worth a try. I would say it was a 4.5. everything was good but not a solid 5.

+20

Imee C

Came here for lunch on a Saturday. There was plenty of parking since it was still early. But when we left the restaurant, so many cars were circling and waiting for people to leave. We ordered the spring rolls. It was pretty decent. My friend ordered the pad thai and it was good. My spicy noodles were delicious. I had it with crispy pork and it made it for a great treat. This place is a definitely go to for Thai food if you go early in the day or have patience looking for parking.

+13

Food is generally okay but service is not great. One of the few places we've been to that has khao soi. Ordered takeout and was told when to pick up. Showed up 15 minutes after recommended time for pick up. Still waited 15 minutes. So pick up time estimate was wrong by 30 minutes. After we picked up food and got it home realized we didn't get rice with our curry. And had to drive back. We got extra white rice for the inconvenience ... We've dined in person and it's okay, just not my favorite in terms of service. Overall haven't had a super positive experience to want to keep coming back.

We ordered a variety of dishes including kra pow, chicken khao soi, panang curry, and tom kha soup. All were lacking flavor, salt or something I don’t know but it was just bland which is surprising I’ve never had that experience at a Thai restaurant. Most flavorful thing was peanut dipping sauce that came with the chicken satay… that should say a lot.