07/16/09

Fabulous Thai food

by cactusberry

really, really, really tasty food & lots of it. My meat loving boyfriend even loved the tofu in the mango salad. Highly recommended.

• Pros: excellent food, service
• Cons: they charge for rice

09/05/07

NOT real Thai food.

by zenjewel

My husband and I went by the place over the weekend. We used to live in Singapore, where most Asian food comes in the most authentic manner possible. We also have spent many a lovely weekend away in Bangkok or Phuket; where the lovely manner and food of our Thai neighbours have won us over. And we love to cook, so we know what Thai food should look and taste like... We thought we would get good service coupled with good food. We were sadly duped by excellent decor. It is a place catered for the uninitiated American palate. Complete with silly spring rolls that seem to be a plague in the Asian food of America. Good reason though; I quickly realised the staff were Chinese not Thai.

We ordered the som tam (papaya salad). It arrived completely void of ANY chilli, although it was labeled 'SPICY" on the menu. We sent it back saying we want it prepared the Thai way; with some chilli. It came back with a coat of chilli powder so it made it so spicy it was unpalatable. Next was the Tom Yum Goong. It was again with chilli powder; instead of bird's eye chillies. Not a sign of galangal or coriander. And from the taste, it was obvious they used a Maggi Tom Yum bullion cube. And the prawns were so rubbery and hard it was disgusting. Don't cheat the customers; serve good fresh food. And do not assume every customer that walks in hasn't a clue what the authentic stuff tastes like.

We called it quits then and walked over to the Indonesian Borobudur restaurant across the street; it was slightly better food. Do not go there - it's fake Thai food.

• Pros: Good decor, good service
• Cons: Bad food.

04/08/07

Tasty San Fran Thai

by genevaringel

Ar Roi Thai Cuisine serves up tasy Thai cuisine along along with beer, wine, and liquor. The atmosphere is very comfortable and inviting with a decor that mixes traditional Thai decor with modern touches. Lighting is kept low and comfortable and the high ceilings of the location give plenty of space for air and noise to circulate.

We ordered the Spring Rolls and Tao Hoo Tod (fried tofu with house sauce) and a Singha beer to start the meal. The presentation was georgous, again both Asian and modern. The Spring Rolls had an incredible taste and unique texture which kept your mouth and tastebuds engaged. The lunch serving was generous with 3 spring rolls cut in halves. The Tao Hoo Tod was good, but not memorable.

For the entree, we ordered the Pad Grapao Rad Kao, which was a sauteed chicken with chili, garlic and sweet basil served with steamed rice. Superb! The flavor was clean, fresh, and savory. For my pallette preferences, I particualry enjoyed the amount of whole sweet basil incorporated in the dish. I also appreciated the use of including intact bunches of the herb vs. chopped portions, this demonstrated the freshness of the ingredient and allowed for pickier eaters to eat around the intensity of fresh herbs.

The service was attentive and polite while minimizing interruptions and unneccessary intrusions into our dining experience.

• Pros: food (taste and presentation) and atmosphere

12/03/06

Best Thai Anywhere

by iowalum

My wife and I had lunch there recently. It was a two block sojourn from Union Square. Put quite succinctly, it was the best Thai food that I have ever had. Delicious! My wife had a pumpkin curry with shrimp and chicken. I had the mixed seafood platter consisting of mussels, calamari, shrimp, and scallops. It was bathed in a wonderful sauce. Portions were generous. We walked out of there stuffed, and glad that our dinner reservation for that night were postponed to a later time. Service was prompt and polite. We can't wait to go back and try some more dishes for dinner.

• Pros: Creative and delicious
• Cons: None that I can think of

09/14/06

Vastly Underrated

by fremontguy

Excellent, Reasonable Thai. Never been disappointed. Fresh ingredients, awesome curries and friendly staff. Great place for a first date. Not super romantic, but one of the best Thai places in the city. Shrimp in Red Curry and Squid dishes were extremely good.

• Pros: Food, Prices
• Cons: can't think of any

06/07/06

Good food, good service

by aminoacid5

This is an unassuming restaurant that serves good food. Someone recommended the wings, but they were a bit salty for my taste. BBQ chicken was good, fried rice was good, pad thai was adequate, and the seafood decent.

Our young waiter was courteous, friendly, and eager to please, which earned him a sizable tip.

Overall, a pleasant experience.

• Pros: Food, service
• Cons: No parking nearby

12/29/05

Excellent

by cpiii

This is the best overall Thai restaurant experience that I have had in the Bay Area.

• Pros: Food, Decor, Service

09/25/05

Delicious

by leilathebrave

Ar Roi is without a doubt the best Thai restaurant I've tried in San Francisco. It's relatively cheap, too (about $9 for an entree) -- perfect for a nice night on a budget.

• Pros: tasty, inexpensive

08/06/05

User review by heiditigerlily

by heiditigerlily

one of my favorite thai restaurants in the city. DELICIOUS food that has a slightly different twist on thigs. also, beautiful artwork and ambience. the colors on the walls are warm and cozy. i really loved it.

• Pros: amazing food, beautiful space
• Cons: bad parking

08/04/05

Sneaky Kitchen

by Anthony

Last night my friend and I ordered a vegetarian Pad Thai, meaning no prawns. (As a vegetarian, at Thai restaurants, I always express to the server that I'm trying to avoid dishes with fish sauce and meat.) When the server brought the meal, we saw prawns in the dish. The server apologized and said he would bring us a new serving. My friend and I joked that they would pick out the prawns in the kitchen and bring the dish back. When a server brought us a new dish, we didn't see any prawns. After we ate at least half of the Pad Thai, my friend found a prawn and the joke wasn't funny anymore. Ar Roi voluntarily took the dish off our bill. However, I no longer trust that I can get a vegetarian meal at Ar Roi.