Anchalee Thai Cuisine

Good restaurant and good to try, foods are delicious and a lot. Three ppls can just order two main dishes to share and order some salad or appetizer. Nom nom!

Average. Nice atmosphere, but food was just OK. There are much better Thai restaurants out there. I had pumpkin curry and it was quite salty. It would have been better if the curry flavor was more dominant. Service was not great unless you like when they disappear for long periods.

This is my go-​to West Berkeley Thai spot, and I’ve been enjoying their food for as long as they’ve been open. I have rarely had a poor experience, and never once had a bad one, so that is really saying something! I’d say we average once a month there… but mostly take out. We rarely eat in. Here’s what we love:
Popiah — the crispy spring rolls. Closest to my Thai aunt’s rolls as I’ve ever found.
Pad See Ew — delicious, though sometimes the sauce can be inconsistent (too much/​little). They’ll sub green beans for you if you ask nicely.
The house red curry — by far my favorite curry, especially if you like it a little spicier. I’d get it towards the beginning of the night because the only issue I’ve ever had with is seems to be that if you order it towards the end, it’s been sitting too long and the veggies are mush.
Moo Yang — BBQ Pork is really tasty, mostly because they load it up with sauce!
Ginger Chicken — fresh ginger and fresh veggies make this dish light and tasty with some zing.
Larb Gai — again, delicious, and the Tom Kha too.
We also love their dressings and dipping sauces, and their vinegar cucumbers. So easy to make I’m sure, but I don’t know exactly what they do…
Thai fried rice and the pad thai are staples, but not super flavorful. We often don’t order them because it can be hit or miss in terms of tastiness.
The atmosphere is as others mention — it’s a cozy little place that you’d miss if you blinked. Seating is tight, and it can be warm in there, and I get others comments about the waiters being «stoic» or aloof, but I think that may be just not what we’re used to. They are always courteous, and they are efficient in their service. I don’t know that it should matter that they don’t want to be your friend too.
Prices are very reasonable — most dinner entrees average $ 10.50, seafood entrees $ 14 — and you get at least 2 servings for that. Appetizers tend toward the small side — 3 pieces, an awkward number for dinner is usually in multiples of 2 — and average $ 8 per, which seems expensive to me, considering, but go for their happy hour and they are $ 5 instead.

Pros:
Cons: food wasn’t good
slow service
Indifferent waitress with a stoic face
Cups weren’t clean

I don’t get the hype. I’ve eaten here several times and it’s so inconsistent. The most recent time was the last time. I ordered the sweet and sour shrimp and the shrimp tasted like it was pre cooked and re heated because some were so chewey I had to spit them out because I couldn’t physically eat it. Some were also cold (but cooked). Just so turned me off to the dish I had two bites and left the rest. I will not be back. I also think this place is so overpriced considering the plethora of other, better Thai options in the area. Save your money and don’t waste your time.

My teacher recommended this restaurant, but I have to say it was a huge disappointment. I ordered the salmon and it came out, quickly, but was the worst tasting salmon I’ve ever had. It was clear they just took it out of the freezer and threw it on the grill. The veggies didn’t taste fresh either. I gave the fish back but they still tried to charge me for it. I ordered the curry instead and again was disappointed. I also ordered the Thai Ice tea which I didn’t drink because something was very off about the taste. The service was good but that’s about the only positive thing I have to say about it.

Got take-​out. They were fast, friendly and the food was hot and delicious when I got home. The eggplant in the green curry is especially super neat.

I recently went to Anchalee Thai Cuisine for lunch. They have a separate vegetarian lunch menu with over two dozen vegetarian entrees most of which are vegan yet some can easily be made vegan be requesting for no egg to be used.
Most of the lunch entrees are priced at $ 9.50 & if you come here for dinner expect to pay $ 1 more for the dinner entrees so about $ 10.50 on average.
I went with the Praram Tofu– Crispy tofu served on a bed of steamed vegetables, topped with Thai peanut sauce & onion for $ 9.50. This comes with Jasmine rice at no additional charge or you can add Brown rice for 75 cents & that is what I decided to do.
I asked for some hot sauce on the side & received the royal treatment of four bowls containing:
jalapeños, red hot chili sauce, soy sauce, & crushed red peppers
It was flavorful & the portions were gigantic. If you don’t have a bicycle messenger appetite bring a tupperware or you might be satisfied even with sharing a lunch entrée with a friend.
Service was friendly & attentive. All around a great experience & loved the variety that any vegan or vegetarian would surely appreciate.
The location is a fair walk from the Ashby BART yet if you find yourself in West Berkeley be sure to check out Anchalee Thai Cuisine. The hours from 11am to 10pm every day can’t be beat!

Very disappointed with my red curry. Thin, lacking in spice. I would have given 2 stars if not for the large lunch portion (I asked for no rice so they gave me extra curry)

This place is a hidden treasure. Its small and yet delivers in taste! My friend and I shared the spicy papaya salad and spicy Margo salad. Amazing! Fresh, crispy, perfect spice and great presentation.

Shoutout to Anchalee for awesome customer service! I forgot my bike lock the other day, but I really wanted to try out this restaurant based on a friend’s suggestion. I asked my waitress if I could keep my bike next to my table, and although it’s not the biggest restaurant in the world, she said of course! Thanks for accommodating my situation. I greatly appreciated your flexibility! Also, the pad thai was amazing!

*This is a rating for solely the food* I havent actually dined here, so I cant speak for the service or atmosphere, but my friends and I ordered take out through postmates for dinner. We ordered the Thai Fried Rice, noodles, and an order of the Tom Yum Goong Soup. The rice and noodles were decent, but the Tom Yum was a disaster. Although it is usually spicy and sour, the taste of lemon grass and kiffir lime leaves were overpowering. It was extremely sour and we had to add boiled water to make the taste more bearable. However, we just ate the prawns and threw out the rest of the soup.

Omg I found this place of Unilocal.So thank you Unilocalers!!! Food here is outstanding. I ordered 4 items off the menu. I had papaya salad, mango salad, sticky mango rice & coconut soup & let me tell you I devoured my food. It was sooo good!!! Flavor, spices, taste texture. Everything on point. I will definitely return here & bring the family.

One of the worst thai places ive ever tasted
Pros: nice décor
Cons
Beef satay tasted a little worse than my 8 year old tire
Chicken coconut soups broth tasted like 99 cent canned coconut milk with half a pint of sugar and no spice

Nice restaurant hidden off San Pablo Ave — it kind of blends in with the coffee shop next to it. The place isn’t that big — most of the seating is for 2 – 4 people but they do have larger tables which can accommodate groups. The ambiance is nice — modern décor and subtle lighting.
We ordered 4 dishes and an appetizer to share amongst 5 people — spring rolls, broccoli beef, curry, fried rice, and pad thai. That’s usually more than enough food but the servings here were a bit small. We considered ordering more food but it was difficult to get anyone’s attention so we gave up. The dishes here are also more expensive than other Thai restaurants. However, everything tasted good and the ingredients were fresh. I wouldn’t mind coming back if I was in the area.

I’m overdue for an updated review of Anchalee Thai. They’ve been consistently pushing out exceptional Thai since 2007. Everything is fresh, flavorful, and affordable. Anchalee’s service is warm, and the ambiance is understated and elegant, day or night. They are worthy of a full 5 stars.
There are dozens of helpful reviews before me, so I’ll share a couple choice tips regarding my favorite dishes:
They make the best Tom Kha Gai soup I’ve ever had. The whole mushrooms are satisfyingly chewy, and the tender chicken breast is moist and flavorful, but it’s the rich flavorful broth that sets this soup apart – it is perfect, with rich flavors of coconut milk lemongrass lime and chicken. I like to order this soup medium spicy, which is *quite* hot to my tastes (for reference, I serve sriracha rooster sauce by the tablespoon full).
The Pra Ram Gai is delicious, with a rich flavorful and sweet home-​made peanut sauce covering a surprisingly generous bed of assorted veggies, chicken breast, and brown or white rice. I always opt for brown rice, which Anchalee does very well: quite flavorful and nutty. Pro tip: try ordering Pra Ram with pork instead. YUM.
Honorable mention to the Somtum (green papaya salad), Basil Tofu, and the Pumpkin Curry (seasonal). All are delicious, and just three examples of the 25+ dishes available on their vegetarian menu.
Last, but certainly not least, they have a big bowl of Andes chocolate mints by the door. The chocolate mint is an important part of your meal, don’t forget to snag one (or two) on your way out. My co-​workers usually miss this as we head out, and are always delighted to find that I grabbed one for everybody.
Thanks for all the meals over the years Anchalee. Keep being awesome and I’ll keep coming back.

I bookmarked Anchalee quite a while ago but didn’t get a chance to visit until today; the occasion was a visit from a friend who was driving over to Berkeley from Palo Alto. Looking at the lunch specials, I decided to order the Thai BBQ chicken (Gai Yang) because I had eaten a lunch special with the same name at Giin Thai Canteen a few days earlier.
Both dishes came with dipping sauce, a mound of sticky rice encased in aluminum foil and some salad. The Anchalee version was noticeably more expensive ($ 14.80, including tax and tip) than its Giin Thai namesake. My impression is that my money was well spent — Anchalee won every round of its imaginary Gai Yang bout with Giin Thai Canteen:
Anchalee served a lot more chicken than Giin Thai Canteen;
Anchalee’s chicken was really delicious, while GTC’s was merely pretty good;
Anchelee’s dipping sauce was slightly better than the GTC dipping sauce;
Anchalee gave me a tad more sticky rice than Giin Thai Canteen (I think!);
The salad at Anchalee was way tastier (and seemingly more authentically Thai) than the salad at GTC.
There were no hairs in my dish at Anchalee!
I understand now why lots of people I know recommend ATC. I agree with their assessment and intend to return.

Anchalee is my new go-​to place for Berkeley Thai since having retired Tuk Tuk Thai on Shattuck after too many issues. For $ 1 – 2 more, the food is way better, the service, great, and an overall better experience.
I’m usually a creature of habit and wind up ordering the same dish, but I trust the food and ingredient quality so much at Anchalee that I’ve tried a number of things there.
Pad thai, Panang curry, green curry, red curry, chicken and green beans, chicken wings… all very good. I recommend the curry above the others, however.
The good: the food, om nom. And if you guy on the right night and have to use their restroom, you’ll catch some tunes from next door at Café Trieste when they have a live band.
The bad: gets a little drafty by the door, but easily solved by sitting away from the door.

I had my first visit and the food was slightly better than average restaurant Thai food, but not super standout amazing. I gave them 4 instead of 3 stars because of how it felt overall. This place is tucked behind Café Treiste and has a really cozy modern feel to it. The waiters were attentive but not overbearing and I didn’t feel rushed at all. I wasn’t on a date, but I think this would be the perfect date spot. It is small enough to stay quiet and there are plenty of little nooks.
The food is fairly priced and the portions big enough for two to share with an appetizer. I would definitely go back and like supporting businesses on San Pablo so things only get better.

Oh my lord, now this is how real Thai is done.
I was recently treated to lunch here courtesy of my manager and some fellow colleagues; and my GOD, does this place execute some outstanding food.
The place is small, though quaint and classy feeling. The menu offers an array of beautiful Thai dishes to choose from. For an app, my manager ordered the Garden Rolls, consisting of: Rice noodle, mint, carrot, cilantro and green leaves wrapped in rice. Served with house tamarind sauce. These egg rolls not only arrived looking smashlingly good looking, but explosively delicious they were! Delicate and savory in taste, along with a nice crisp, but soft consistency… mmm
For our meals, we ordered off the lunch special which might I say, offers dishes that all sound stellar. I ordered the Pumpkin Curry. It comes with your choice of prawns or chicken to accommodate the soup. I chose the chicken. It also comes with rice, however I opted out on the rice. My manager ordered the Chicken Pra Ram, and my fellow colleagues ordered one salmon dish, as well as another Pumpkin Curry.
It took a long time to receive our food, which got a little frustrating for us hungry, eager eaters; however, when the food arrived, I was beyond impressed with all of the stellar presentations of all our dishes, which quickly eliminated any bit of aggravation due to the slightly longer than anticipated wait. And, what a wait it was worth, because holly pumpkin heaven, my pumpkin curry was OUTSTANDING! Authentic and organic to the true characteristics that make up a true Thai dish; void of any of the Americanized sweetness added, that some restaurants add to enhance. The chicken was also the most tender I have encountered in dishes similar, allowing it to soak up the juices just fabulously. I literally had to contain my self form eating the thing so fast.
Thank God, I now work close to this place, for I certainly will be visiting more often :)