T Garden Thai Restaurant

Standard Thai fare. Not exceptional, but it’s definitely nice to have a place like this in Charleston if you don’t want fast food or pizza.

The reviewers are entirely accurate. Everything was delicious! I started with the spring rolls — extremely well prepared light and fresh. I ordered General Tso’s chicken based on prior reviews and was not disappointed. It had a very mild spice, with just the right amount of sauce and fresh veggies. I tried, but could not finish the entire plate. Service was fast and friendly. You will not be disappointed in this hidden gem of a Restaraunt!

I graduated from EIU many years ago, but I’ll never forget this place! My college roommate and I became customers back in 2008 when it was called Bangkok Thai, and the chicken pad Thai turned us into regulars who miss this place dearly. The low prices and mountainous portions were simply unmatchable. I still salivate at the thought of such perfection!

This is easily some of the best food in Charleston. I’ve yet to have something I didn’t love. The servers are attentive and always polite. I would recommend this place to anyone!

Easily the best restaurant in Charleston, something I will really miss when I leave the area. I have never had a bad dish, but especially enjoy the yellow curry and spring rolls. The service is usually excellent, even when they are busy they do very well. It is fairly priced and your portions are usually too much to eat in one sitting A+ leftovers! They do have take out as well, which is super fast. I never regret going here, ever.

The food was very average. Not authentic however. I had ordered the phở special (even though phở is Vietnamese) it was served with meatballs which is not usually in a beef phở. My girlfriend had ordered a chicken noodle type of stir fry but the only thing that I praised the heavens for was that the chicken was thoroughly cooked because the vegetables were only par cooked. The mango rice was good. The waitress was very friendly and so was the hostess, however it just appeared to not be the authentic thai that I was craving. Would recommend to those looking for a semi casual stop.

Great food, great overall feel! The food is authentic, and the staff is friendly. The presentation and quality of the meal was fantastic. You could tell that the kitchen took pride in not just how the food looks, but tastes!

A gem of the town. I’d have to say the best place since Pops BBQ closed. Get spicy or no heat. Perfect clean eats and filling.

Best Thai food in the area. I Love the staff. I Love to food. I would recommend this place to anyone. I have now tried most things on the menu and have always had great good. They are so quick in service both eating in and taking out. The best restaurant in town.

I think one of the best restaurants in Charleston. Always fresh and fast. I love their combo fried rice! I strongly recommend to whom would like to taste good Thai food.

Unilocal comes through again. This was my first time in Charleston. I needed lunch, some wifi, and somewhere to charge my laptop. The Pad Thai chicken was solid and the Thai iced tea was awesome! Dave took care of me with quick service and gave great directions to my next appointment. I will be back next time!

Had the pad Thai chicken and it was fresh, hot and plenty of it. Restaurant is small like an old Taco Bell but it’s legit. Who knew real deal Thai food in south central Illinois. The locals and EIU students are all over this place. Some local friends put me on it and the people are friendly and if you ask will make gluten free food or spice it up.

Traveling across the country from Ohio to CA and stayed overnight on Charleston. Looked on Unilocal and the T Garden has good reviews so we tried it. So glad we did! The chicken satay was outstanding and the ginger chicken and beef Pad Thai were delicious. Trust Unilocal and eat here if you are in the area (because the florescent green paint on the outside really had us wondering)

I love the food here! The appetizers are always fun to try out. I usually stick to chicken pad thai and the red curry. Both are excellent!

#14 Thai beef salad was so good, a bit spicy, perfectly cooked beef, cucumber,
carrot, cilantro and more. We will eat there again. everything is freshly made and delicious. spring rolls are also great. they will leave out any of the ingredients you don’t like. service was very good too

In a town packed with chain restaurants and less-​than-​ideal smaller joints, T. Garden Thai serves well-​above-​average Thai food (and a good number of other things besides). Coming from the Chicago area, I’ve had my fair share of Thai cuisine, and this place does the job really well.
My favorite noodle dish to get is the Pad Se Ew, which has a great balance of noodles, meat, and veg. The Pad Thai is quite tasty as well, if a little short on vegetables for my preference. The Green and Red Curries are both good to get, but the standout is actually the coconut milk-​free Jungle Curry, which is bursting with flavor (and vegetables). The Pineapple Fried Rice is a real treat, too, and blows the rest of the fried rice in this town out of the freaking water. If you find yourself with some room left at the end of your meal (unlikely), the Sticky Rice with Mango and Coconut Ice Cream is especially good.
I’ve tried almost all the appetizers at this point, and it’s safe to say that the crab rangoons are my favorite. The texture of the wonton gets a bit tough if you order takeout and they sit to steam in the bag longer than intended, but especially when dipped in the orange-​flavored sweet and sour sauce, you know you’re getting a good thing. The best part is that, if you throw caution to the wind and order one of the two specials for the day, you get two crab rangoons (or 1 egg roll, or 1 spring roll for a little bit extra) with your order. It’s easily the most cost-​effective option on their menu.
The only thing I’ve really been disappointed with was the Basil with Eggplant — the eggplant was too greasy for me and it just didn’t hold up to the standard I hold this place to. In general, the Chinese food options («Thai Stir Fried Entrees») are indeed much better than you’d find at the Chinese restaurants in the area, but order them in-​house because, for whatever reason, these dishes take on the flavor of the takeout containers while the other entrees do not. I haven’t ordered the Tom Yum Shrimp since the first time I had it, either — the Chicken Noodle and Tom Kha Kai soups are better choices.
As far as beverages go, both the iced coffee and hot coffee are great (with free refills on the hot coffee). The Thai iced tea is VERY sweet (as you might expect), but ask for it with lemons if you’re ordering it.
In all, a solid place in Charleston to eat that won’t break the bank. When I move away from Charleston in a couple months, I’ll definitely miss this place.
P. S. The items on the menu pictured above are pretty much the same, but the prices are outdated. They have an updated version of the menu on their Facebook Page.

Great food, but the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. The tables are a little close together and your drinks come from cans. However, the crab rangoon is worth it!

Charleston lacks quality food, and the place happens to be a diamond in the rough. Even though it is located in Charleston, this is some of the best Thai food I have eaten. My usual meal here is the Panang Curry with chicken (though you can get it with veggies and shrimp as well). It has a bit of a kick, as well as that peanut flavor that makes it unique among other, non-​Thai, curries. They also have Chinese food on the menu, but it is not like your tradition Chop Suey carry out locations. While I do like their Chinese selections, I would recommend the Thai menu.
One problem that I have with most Thai restaurants is that they tend to skimp out on the serving size. Not here. The serving size is more than adequate. I also tend to eat the fried tofu as well. While it is an appetizer, the serving size is large enough to be a meal.
Overall, this place is great, as well as affordable. If you get carry out, you can easily eat for under $ 10. At those prices, it is quite the alternative to the fast food joints in the area. I highly recommend coming here if you are in the Charleston area.

I ordered out and got the PAD THAI NOODLES WITH CHICKEN. I was given plenty of food.
PAD THAI was a special and it came with your choice of sides.
The CRAB RANGOON was disappointing, no wait, terrible. There was little crab filling. Made me very crabby (Pun intended)

Surprisingly great service and decent taste in small town Charleston. I’m glad to have a place to order from when I become a graduate student here in another year.
For an added tip… Lunch specials will slice a dollar off the price and throw in a free roll as well.