Thai Siam Take-Out

Ms. Mae and I became good friends over the years. I watched this place go from an antique barn to a small restaurant to a very popular literally off-​the-​beaten-​path destination for Thai food. There was nothing else like it for 100 miles. Sometimes I would go in to pick up take out and I was the only one there. Other times, several of the tables were pulled together and 8 or 10 people were sitting there, eating out of Styrofoam boxes with plastic spoons. Whatever the tableware, it was great food.
I loved the fried calamari and the calamari salad. My wife liked the sesame chicken and the chicken Satay. It was our Saturday treat, but you had to call in early because if you were too late, she would take the phone off of the hook and it would ring busy until closing time.
It was a great place to eat and Mae really knew how to throw down Thai, honey!

I am so sad to find that Mrs May has closed the restaurant. All the best to you dear lady.

One of my favorite places in the USA. BUT it appears to have closed for an unknown period. Stopped by on ¹¹⁄₁₃ around 1 and it was closed. Posted a Q to their Facebook and was told they are closed and did not know when they would be open again. Does not appear to be the usual closed while back in Thailand situation. If anyone knows more please inform.
I am a regular so the Mae treatment is not an issue with me. I fear something more serious is happening.

Thai food is my absolute favorite and boy does Thai Siam do it right! The food here is authentic and rich and the blend of flavors is unreal. The yellow and panang curries are to die for and the spice is so spot on (Thai hot means Thai hot and is not for the faint of heart!). Every time I make the drive from Richmond to Lynchburg to visit my grandparents, I have to stop (sometimes I’ll even stop on the way back, too!) I have yet to find any other Thai food that even remotely matches the quality of the dishes you find at Thai Siam.
I’ve seen several complaints about Miss Mae’s attitude. Yes, she is sassy but if you’re friendly and make things easy for her, she’ll take good care of you! I definitely recommend calling ahead if you’re going to make the long drive out there because sometimes she gets overwhelmed by orders and will run out of food. I’ve called ahead every time and have never been turned away. People have also complained about the restaurant itself. It’s a hole-​in-​the-​wall place and if you’re looking for ambience you won’t find it here. But what you will find is an exceptional meal, one that you won’t soon forget!

All of the reviews here are spot on. I confirm both the positive and negative ones. I’ll reserve commenting on some of the «local knowledge» because I would want to preserve my ability to eat here, and any more business and this place will implode. We are less than an hour away and come to the Nelson 151 trail at least once a year. But I’ll tell my story and give my opinions in to the well-​constructed batch of reviews here.
I will advise this: Do not have your heart set on eating here. Have a contingency. If you are on the Nelson 151 trail for all it offers on a nice day on the weekend, also expect all other eating establishments to be packed as well as the breweries, wineries and everything else except a few local places that no one comes here for. What YOU came here for is the same stuff everyone else is flooding the zone for, just keep that in mind… you are as much the problem as everyone else! I suggest packing a picnic that you can bring back home if you end up not eating it.
We have wanted to eat here for a long time and finally timed everything right with apple picking, brew tasting etc. The parking lot is tiny, more than 5 – 6 cars and you have a problem because it’s right off the road and nowhere to go close by and walk either.
This place should be on Diner Drive Ins and Dives. It is really a dive, a true hole in the wall. It would never survive the business Guy Fieri would bring upon it though. That’s not a comment on the food at all, but it would not surprise me to see this place burn down. It will not win any cleanliness awards; my place mat was not clean and the bathroom, while not filthy, had spider and cobwebs at the ceiling that were not new.
The wife and I entered with a great attitude ready to experience the best Thai food around. We were quickly set awry by our first encounter with Miss Mae. No one said a word to us when we walked in, so we didn’t know whether to sit down or order at the counter. We walked to the counter to ask, and experienced the rudeness so many here have described. We were told «You supposed to wait, someone order before you and we do only one a time» (verbatim). So we said, «should we sit down» and she sort of said yea and shooed us on.
We grabbed a couple menus, hung our heads in scold and sat down. Immediately she was on us to take an order. Mind you, immediately after we were scolded for even asking the question. My wife was not ready and can be quite obstinate herself, so Miss Mae walked off in a huff telling the cook we were not ready, like we were idiots.
She came back in a few and took our order. We had the Thai dumplings, wife had the red curry and I, the drunken noodles. All were fantastic and the large portions fed us dinner later as well. And I can attest to the other reviewers, when you order hot, it is flipping HOT. Miss Mae asked me if I had ever eaten here before like saying «are you sure you want to go there?». I said, «I like it hot». She said «Okayyy and walked off like I had ordered a root canal.
When she brought my plate she said «good luck!». She did seem impressed that I could eat it however and softened up as our dining there went on. She got a little more talkative toward the end and told us she is 75 years old and couldn’t see, and her son is 50 like me.
Shortly after we were served she told us we got the last dumplings. They make 15 servings a day and that’s it. She also hung the closed sign on the door citing a big order. That would end their day apparently. Some other people came in and were turned away, another couple came in and were allowed to order. Maybe they told her they would take anything they had left, I don’t know, but I would guess anything they had was going to be worth waiting for.
I give 4 of 5 stars because they can’t be 5 stars because of the facility and the uncomfortableness of the service… like the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld… tick him off and «no soup for you!». BUT, the quality and authenticity of the food forces the score up from a 2 or 3 star rating. Had the food not been good, we would never come back, but we will be back and beg for more if we have to… just like George did with the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld.
This place is a true Dichotomy… an enigma, and you pretty much need to be the type of person that knows what those words mean to enjoy eating here and have the guts to come back.
Miss Mae and apparently her brother the chef won’t be around forever. I don’t see how she does this at 75 and nearly blind as it is. I would be grumpy if I were having to work like her at that age too.
It would be great if they would expand and bring on more people, but that would change how they do things and the authenticity. They cook literally one dish at a time. And it is nearly impossible to find a modern American willing to work as hard as Miss Mae for as little money as she probably makes.

Hours on here dont mean anything. we planned our day today starting with lunch here. They were supposed to be open at 11. We went to devils backbone instead then went to saunders for peaches and seamans for blueberry picking. when we passed by at 2 it was still not open. I tried calling at 215 and she answers and i ask are you open? She then rudely says im talking to you arent i? What do you think… Now im getting irritated so i get off the phone and stop in a few minutes later because i still wanna try the food that is supposed to be the best thai around. I walk in and ask to get an order of pad thai and she says itll be at least an hour there are people that ordered before you and maybe you should try calling in next time. I said well maybe next time. thanks anyway and politely walked out and i will never go back.

Came again, and got to see the Thai Food Nazi in action! She turned people away left and right because she had some big orders and was busy. She rather reluctantly let my friend and I sit down and order — but then once she got the big orders out, she was friendly and very funny– and of course the food is delicious! To all the haters out there so offended by being turned away by Miss Mae, I say let it go… One day you’ll stop by there and have great Thai food and it will all be worth it!

After hearing everybody rave about this place I knew I had to try it. I have now tried to order food from this place on FIVE different occasions and have never been able to. I have called and called and called and I have even come into the restaurant only to have the lady (maybe the owner?) be extremely rude to me and turn me away. I don’t know if anybody else has had this issue but I don’t understand how they stay in business.

Yay, delicious!
The food is great, as others have stated, like knock your socks off delicious.

Thai Siam is like a four-​leaf clover or a unicorn. You hear people talk about it, you see it, you might even see its food, but actually believing it really exists for yourself? Seems like a fairy tale.
We’ve tried to eat here so many times we’ve lost count. The food is 5 stars, absolutely, but the service is about a 2, so, sorry Miss Mae. You can’t be a jerk and run a business, I don’t care how good your food is. (I’m sure someone’s going to comment on me saying this, but it’s true)
We arrived very hopeful right after noon on a Saturday. They don’t open till 11, so we assumed we were good to go. After all, this isn’t JUST a take-​out place, they actually do have about 5 or 6 tables in the restaurant. In my opinion, quite frankly, I don’t think they should even have people eating there, or perhaps it should be reservation only. Maybe that would cut down on their stress which turns into rudeness. When we arrived and told them we’d like to eat there, they immediately looked at us like we were crazy and told us to «hurry up and order, we’ll try to fit you in». We were willing to wait. We would’ve been HAPPY to sit and wait for them to finish their current orders and then make our food, because, you know, that’s what you do in a restaurant.
We get Thai often, so we know what we like, but, it would’ve been nice to look at the menu and see all that they had to offer. Unfortunately, I felt like my life depended on me telling the lady (not even the owner, just another American lady working there) what I wanted right then and there. I knew I always loved basil fried rice, so, I ordered the Spicy Fried rice which came with basil, onions, peppers, egg, and chicken. I ordered it medium-​hot. My husband ordered the drunken noodles, hot.
We sat down and looked over to see a large table just packed full of trays and boxes of take-​out food, which is what most people do here. Miss Mae came over and asked my husband if he was sure he wanted it hot. He said yes and she gave him an «ooookayyyyy. .. . «. My husband says you gain respect with the owner by ordering your food hot. A rite of passage if you will. We waited less than 10 minutes for our food. My rice came out first. It was generous and piping hot and smelled like heaven (photo attached). My husband’s noodles came out about 5 minutes later and was also a generous portion. Miss Mae delivered it herself and was laughing the whole time telling him he was crazy for wanting it hot and was coughing on the steam as she carried it to the table. From then on out, everyone was so so friendly to us, laughing, joking, checking on us and chatting. It’s like they’re super rude when they’re busy, and super nice when it’s dead. I get it, but I don’t exactly excuse it.
Neither of us finished our meals and got to-​go containers. Again, they were nice as could be and wished us well on our way.
Here’s what I’ve learned from having to «know the ropes» of this place:
1. If it’s a weekend especially, order ahead. Even if you want to eat AT the place, you can order ahead and tell her what time you’re coming in.
2. They WILL run out of food, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. That’s it.
3. They WILL likely be rude, maybe until they get to know you. I’m not saying it’s ok, but, it’s like giving birth to a child, you forget the pain once the joy has arrived.
4. The food is SO hot and SO fresh, don’t be worried about it not being good by the time you get home (even if you live in Lynchburg like us). It is so hot and well-​packed when you order it, it will still be piping hot when you get home.
5. For me, medium-​hot was perfect. I love spicy, but I don’t want to be dying. My husband got hot, and while he loved it, he was also wiping his nose the whole time. I guess it just depends on how many napkins you’ve got.

Delightful Thai cooking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, specialising in carry-​out, kinda backwoods divey but genuine eat-​in décor. Call ahead to be sure they’re open.

Brought take out from Thai Siam to Blue Mountain Barrell House a week ago. Delicious. The standouts were green curry with chicken and the Thai dumplings. Everything was really good though. It might sound weird in a five-​star review, but the first bite was a little disappointing – some of the buzz out there will make you think Thai Saim’s food is the best you’ll ever put in your mouth. It’s not, but you quickly accept that it is really really good Thai food that deserves every one of its five stars.

The reviews speak for themselves. Thai nirvana! Decided to let Miss Mae and the Thai Siam host my 50^th birthday dinner with 9 of my besties. Man, the food, host and atmosphere didn’t disappoint Best birthday ever! Dinner and food was set up family style and hot and ready to go when we arrived. Appetizers are superb. Doesn’t really matter what you order. It’s all great. Just call a couple of hours (or days if you your order is large or you want something unusual) in advance, and you’ll have the culinary feast of a life time. I wish I could eat all my meals here. Cheers!

This restaurant has some of the best Thai food you will find anywhere. We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. The curries were ultra delicious! They offer lots of options for vegetarians and pescetarians. The one downside: the décor is shabby and needs attention (we would have eaten on the inviting deck if it had not been a hot August day). The amazing food should be enough to distract you from the décor, and the service is very good.

Very nice place. Meal was excellent and huge in portion. One word of warning, call ahead with order whether you are eating in or out. Some items may not be available if you don’t!

The curries are out of this world! Homemade and heavenly! I seriously could eat here everyday! The tofu is Cooked to perfection! No frying! Yummmm! I need it for dinner! :)

After taking several bites of the drunken noodles at Thai Siam, I felt a strong urge to mark down every other Thai restaurant review I’ve ever given by at least one or two stars. After adding in the beef gra-​timm prik thai and som tam (papaya salad) to that same meal, I never wanted to eat Thai elsewhere again.
Beware — if you live far from Thai Siam, you might never fully enjoy other thai restaurants ever again. If you call yourself a foodie, and you like Thai food, you’re a disgrace to all food-​lovers in this world if you don’t at least try Thai Siam.
ps: after reading all of the other Unilocal reviews, Ms. Mae’s quirks and mannerisms are all 100% true. You’ve been warned, if you try and show up close to closing, without having phoned ahead, and try to have things your way. She runs this show.

I was stationed in Asia for 2 years, while serving in the Air Force. This is where I discovered the mouth wateringly (and full force sweat associated) orgasmic qualities of Thai cuisine. After returning back to the states, I made it my mission to recreate that first kiss upon my lips and tongue of authentic Thai cooking. I have tried Thai restaurants in San Francisco, Florida, New York, Washington, D.C., but my love eluded me, as if I must have imagined it. (like 15 years searching, kid you not)
Then one fortuitous day, after lamenting I could not find a decent Thai food restaurant unless I went to DC; I was told of a tucked away gem you couldn’t find, unless you were a member of a secret society of foodies.
(now with gps and Unilocal that is sadly, or wonderfully, not so. Only sadly, because I don’t want her to get overwhelmed with too many customers and close up shop)
The name was written down for me, along with the landmarks you would have to seek out to find your way…
I made the hour drive in a state of being ready for disappointment, yet hoping against all hope I would make the discovery of a lifetime… my quest at last to come to an end.
A small, hand painted, faded sign, gravel driveway, an aged porch with a glass door leading to a small, simple, no frills room.
(The restaurant is attached to an old barn/​packing house, which is used for storage).
I made the Thai salutation of greeting. She took my order. I sat down, took my first bite of Som Tam (green papaya salad) and… cried.
Yes, I actually cried. This was it. I had found Nirvana!!!
I now consider myself to be one of a circle of few that are on the first name basis of «honey» to her *winks*.
Her generosity, sense of humor, wit and hospitality are authentic Thai as well.
I have brought my children here, friends, anyone I can, who THINKS they know good Thai food. Until you have tasted this, you know NOTHING! (unless you’ve been to Thailand)
If given the option of only eating one food for the rest of your life, I would steal her and her brother to cook me every meal I would ever consume to my last breath.
But if that happened, I would realize I was already in heaven.
******If you HAVE eaten here, and you know of a BETTER Thai restaurant within 200 miles, heck ANYWHERE in the USA, I challenge you to list it, as I will try it if I am ever in the area********

A smartphone miracle! We would never have found/​decided to eat at this tiny hidden Thai takeout in the absolute middle of nowhere had it not been for the iPhone Unilocal app, and that would have been a real shame. It’s really as amazing as all the previous reviews say, and we were pretty skeptical!
Ms. Mae was there as promised and at first seemed slightly annoyed with us for coming in 20 minutes before closing time «you supposed to call if you want in hurry» she corrected us. «Oh. We didn’t know. It’s our first time here.» «Where are you from?» «DC. We’re traveling through and heard this was the best Thai food.» «I don’t know. Maybe you won’t like!»
Fifteen minutes later she plopped an enormous takeout container of noodles in front of us with a fork «Try!» Once we confirmed its deliciousness, she packed it up for us to take back to our B&B and we raced back to our room to eat the rest of it. So yummy! The sauces were incredible and super flavorful even though we ordered everything ‘vegetarian with no fish sauce.‘
Thai Siam is a true gem and an absolute must-​go if you’re anywhere in the vicinity!

If I told anyone that the best Thai food I’ve ever had was in an old packing house on a country road in the middle of Nowhere, Virginia, I’m sure they wouldn’t believe me. It’s the absolute truth.
Long after my Sprint data stopped working and after losing signal several times, we got to Thai Siam Takeout. We walked inside, and found the owner, Mae, napping on a bench. She sprung up once we walked in.
«Are you Ms. Mae?»
«How you know my name?»
«The Internet told me.»
«Oh.»
We walked to the counter and began studying the menu. The restaurant was very cozy… it looked like a large living room and kitchen had been converted. There were a handful of tables — seating for about 40 — although the parking lot was very small. Several consumer-​grade refrigerators were in the dining area, as well as a TV, and a stand-​up water cooler (the kind you have in your office). Thai artifacts adorned the walls. A toothbrush was in a cup in the bathroom. It felt like if you took my grandmother’s house and slapped a bunch of tables in it. The restaurant is run by Mae, a spry 70 year old, and her brother, who it seems does the majority of the cooking. Mae is the third out of four generations in her family that are still alive. Every April, she closes for a month and goes back to Thailand to visit her mother.
I ordered Pad Thai, Tofu and Vegetables, and a Som Tam.
My co-​worker ordered Tom Kah Gai and a Green Curry.
Another person waiting for her to-​go asked me about Som Tam. Mae interrupted and said with a smile «oh, it’s terrible… you don’t want to eat it.» The lady asked what was in it, and Mae laughed and said «Secret Ingredients!» She crossed the dining room to a fridge, pulled out a green papaya, and took it back behind the counter and began to peel it.
We walked in at a quiet time, so our food came out pretty quickly. It amazes me how everything is made from scratch from high quality and fresh ingredients. There’s an entirely separate menu (it’s yellow) containing many vegetarian dishes.
When our food was delivered, Mae stood there and waited for us to take a bite. We both had our first bite, and it was incredible. After expressing our deep appreciation for such delicious food, Mae said «Thank you, honey» and went back to the kitchen. The som tam was fresh, tangy, full of peanuts, spicy, and garnished with tomatoes and lettuce. My Pad Thai was, by a considerable amount, the best Pad Thai I’ve ever had (Sorry, Chantanee Thai in Bellevue, WA). Mae informed us that it takes about six hours to make her Pad Thai sauce — completely from scratch. They make two gallons of it every week. I’m positive that this reason is why their food is so good… their sauces are made from scratch and are not off the back of the Sysco food truck. She dropped off some homemade hot sauce which definitely lived up to it’s name. I tasted peppers, garlic, and something else I couldn’t identify. Mae laughed and said it was her secret ingredients.
Heat levels range from mild… past Thai hot… to SUPER HOT. The «hot» som tam and noodles I ordered were enough to make me sweat, so I’m not sure exactly what super hot will get you. Mae said that a competitive hot foods eater stopped by and cried after ordering her super hot.
Equally as amazing as the food was my experience with Mae. Kind, generous, funny, and genuinely concerned with your enjoyment of her food… I’m now officially proclaiming her «My Thai Grandmother™». I felt like I was sitting in her living room having her family make me a delicious feast. It was cozy, familiar, and enjoyable. We chatted the entire time she was making food and while we were eating it.
I seriously suggest, even if it means driving from DC or further, to get your own «My Thai Grandmother™» and make it to Thai Siam Take Out. They close between 7pm and 8pm, depending on the night, because «we’re out in the country, honey. People are asleep!» Since there’s only two people cooking, you may have a little wait if they’re busy, so don’t get bent out of shape if you have to wait for more than 10 minutes. There also isn’t much room in the parking lot, so carpool (it’s green!) if at all possible.