Kinnaree Thai Restaurant

Good solid Thai food but the thing that bugged me a bit was the smell in the restaurant. I couldn’t quite place it but it was not that pleasant.
Besides that, service was really good with a lot of staff on hand to take care of customers.
The food was good as well with plenty of dishes and options to choose from. We even ordered Thai red wine and it was decent.
Overall a good experience and I would recommend this restaurant when craving Thai food.

This was the second time I’d come to this haven for great Thai food, I’m trying to emphasize that the food itself is great, everything else, hell no.
The night here started with a telephone reservation that didn’t register on some unknown level, I stated as eloquently as possible, I have a reservation, this after some confusion was cleared up by a waiter…“no sir you don’t” it’s not in the book. I tried explaining I made the reservation over the phone and my number was taken down, the book was subsequent shown to me and low and behold, I didn’t exist. Obviously a little frustrated at this stage and my girlfriend not very amused glaring at me, I asked If we could still have a table for the night. Please note this is a Saturday night and it’s already 8:15pm, finally after a bit more discussions between the waiters, we were seated. Hoooorrah! erm, a bit premature, not that it’s an issue or anything: p
Sorry I got lost in the story about a goat, OK that had nothing to do with anything, back to the food, we ordered the fresh squid with sweet and spicy sauce for starters, I ordered the veggie green curry with extra tofu, my girlfriend ordered the roast duck with jasmine rice.
The started was great, crispy batter made the squid really delicious and they were nice and generous with the portions of the squid. Now the entertainment began, we’d finished the starters and it was getting quite late by now, we were eagerly anticipating the mains with salivating mouths, ok seriously we’re not animals, just hungry. We ordered some more drinks and looked at the watch, it was now 9:25pm, seriously where the hell is the food, how long does it take to make some food? I was under the assumption they had gone to another Thai place to order and get it, I was getting a little frustrated — about the food!
Ok a waitress came over with some more prawn crackers, she stated they were sorry about the delay, they had somehow forgotten to process our order and when they finally did the food went to another table that had ordered the same food… yep you heard me.
Finally 25min later the food arrived, and I’m sorry by this stage we were just not hungry anymore, we ate some of the food, which was by now extent very good.
I’m not giving the place a bad review based on the food, but the service, to add insult to injury they had the nerve to add on the gratuity to the bill which was only noticed after I’d paid, cheeky buggers, sorry but I’m more than happy to pay a tip for good service anywhere, but if it’s crap I shouldn’t have to pay for it.
Overall, great food, but absolutely appalling if not deplorable service.

Thailand is known as the ‘land of smiles’ but on an eye wateringly cold night in Birmingham the mostly Thai staff of Kinnaree could be forgiven for being less than beaming. They were however efficient and courteous to a fault. It was pretty clear when we arrived they had no record of my reservation, but in a stunning display of fast thinking the waiter covered over a name in the book with his hand, went «ah yes» and lead my date and I straight to a table. The place itself is larger than I expected and on a school night in Birmingham there is plenty of space for those turning up unexpectedly.
The interior and location are impressive. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and well laid out, we had a window seat so got to look out over the Mailbox and Birmingham’s canal front, which for visitors is actually nicer than it sounds. I would even go so far as to say with the lights and a full moon (which we had) reflecting on the water its very pretty.
We started off with the mixed starter for two, the satay chicken was blindingly good, the rest certainly decent and a very nice set to share. I had something off the stir fry menu with beef while my date went with a red curry. I do confess to having a little food envy as hers looked and smelt fantastic and she seemed to indicate it was very tasty (whilst not offering to share). That’s not to say mine was anything less than excellent though. Everything was fresh and well cooked and didn’t suffer from the overly heavy MSG/​Soy flavors of some restaurants. We both opted for plain rice with two generous portions being more than enough to accompany the food. Prices for everything were extremely reasonable to my mind and even the gratuity (which someone moans about below) was less than I’ve paid in most restaurants and more than fair given the quality of the service.
We passed on dessert and wondered back out into the cold Birmingham night happily full. In short, I can’t really fault this place, great service, good food and a nice location. I’d certainly return and will unhesitatingly recommend to others.

First the positives. Nice setting, decent service, decent drinks selection and good starters. The negatives. Overpriced, poor mains and coconut rice and a hefty gratiuty that is concealed and not optional until you get the print off of what you have paid.
The steamed mussels came not as ordered and covered in soggy spinach, which was distinctly not requested due to friends allergy. The mussels were overcooked and indeed came to the table lukewarm, with a sauce that was too heavily laden with fish sauce. Again not as prescribed. To save fuss we swapped, as I had the ‘nutty chicken’ which was bland and tasteless. The rice had a very faint hint of coconut, by that I mean as if someone had walked past it with a Bounty Bar.
I have been to many Thai places and I’m afraid this is not one of the best ones.

After a few months working my butt off I decided it was time for a night out with the better half. Somewhere with a taste of the exotic was what we had in mind, and a friend of mine knew just the place.
Kinnaree Thai has been serving up the best Thai cuisine in Birmingham as far back as 2007. In the same year it won the Excellence in Tourism award. It sits on the waterfront behind the Mailbox and over the canal from the Cube.
From the outside it looks very warm and inviting, full of candles, statues and Thai curiosities. They don’t do minimalism here. The ladies who greeted us were courteous and welcoming, and led us to our table.
Over a soft drink we browsed through the menu, a long slim booklet. But it was very descriptive and full of wonder. We opted for the set menu of Sukhothai Era, mostly because it sounded like a beach resort.
It consisted of some tasty, if chewy, crab cakes, spring rolls, prawn dumpling parcels, and a fantastic chicken satay with peanut sauce. Alongside all this was a carrot carving that I could not replicate if you gave me all year.
For the next course we were given steaming bowls of hot and sour soup. It was spicy as hell, and it cleared up my head cold overnight! It was filled with tender pieces of chicken and oriental vegetables, nice and crisp.
After the starters were cleared we took a few minutes before the next course. I had first come across Kinnaree Thai when I visited their stand at the Taste of Birmingham festival last summer. They were demonstrating their achievements in fruit carving and decoration, something I have always held in awe.
A short while later our main course arrived in ornately decorated bowls. For my better half came a mild green chicken curry. For me a lovely stir-​fried beef with a red chili paste. And to share came a stir-​fried pork in oyster sauce. The beef was cooked to perfection, not too dry or overdone, nor too rare or chewy. The pork was lovely and tender, stewed in oyster sauce for some considerable time. It all came accompanied by fluffy, sticky jasmine rice.
I managed a fair amount but my better half was slightly over-​faced by the meal. Thai food is amazing but you have to take it slowly. It is healthy and free of MSG.
By now the place was really starting to fill up with mid-​week diners from the local hotels and apartment blocks. With the opening of the Cube hotel opposite, business looks set to boom for Kinnaree.
But could we manage a dessert? Better half said no, but I talked her into sharing one with me. We opted for deep-​fried ice cream, more out of curiosity than anything. I mean, how do they do that?
It is a tricky process of taking a scoop of ice cream, coating it in a doughnut-​like batter, freezing it again, then deep frying the whole package, like a fist-​sized golden ball. We cracked open the crispy outer coating to reveal the still-​frozen ice cream inside. It tasted like a doughnut, and we finished it in barely a minute. So much for feeling full!
We skipped coffee, settled up and thanked the attentive staff on the way out.
Kinnaree Thai is definitely worth a visit, especially mid-​week. It is not expensive and is located in an area rich with bars for a pre-​dinner drink.

Always happy to see a great new Thai restaurant open up in Brum. Just off the canal, Kinnaree is a great place to meet for a meal before a night out. The food is really high quality and they have an incredible range of dishes on the menu. The ingredients are really high quality, too. One of my friends was going on about how they had never had such good potatoes as Kinnaree put in their vegetable curries!
They’re vegetarian friendly, serve a good selection of wines and beers and the décor is amazing. Loads of well placed art helps break the largeish restaurant into a more comfortable feeling space. They had some of the nicest toilets I’ve seen in a restaurant. Most of the wall art features some minor female nudity, though. It might not be the best place to take grandparents or shy first dates!

This place is the best Thai I have had in Birmingham. The staff are lovely and one of the best things about this place is that they keep in tune with Thai culture by wearing the attire and greeting you in Thai. The first thing you notice when you enter this restaurant is the amazing décor they have; there are beautiful golden statues of Buddha, there is a miniature long boat that sits in the centre of the restaurant, which in the evening is surrounded by candles. The décor and the staff make you think that you have been whisked away to Thailand for your meal.
The location is next to the canal and ramp outside the Mailbox and is not so close to the other restaurants, I like this because people aren’t walking past the window all the time and instead you can gaze out at the canal, that is, if you’re not already mesmerized by the décor! Now, the food is absolutely delicious, I have never been to Thailand and was never remotely interested in Thai food until I came here, but upon eating my Red Curry when I first visited I was instantly hooked. The food is spicier than I had thought, but there are milder dishes if you’re not a fan of the spice. A took a friend of mine recently, who has been to Thailand a number of times and she said it was the most authentic Thai restaurant that she’d been to and that the food was wonderful. She even impressed them by speaking in Thai!
The prices are reasonable considering the quality and the atmosphere that you get and you can choose the meat (or veg) you would like with your dish and can choose rice or noodles to accompany it. I have been a number of times now and would recommend the starting platter, any of the curries and the coconut rice — which is served in a banana leaf! Last time I went, my boyfriend tried the deep fried ice cream ball for dessert — which I obviously tried — and it was really nice, naughty, but nice.
If you haven’t been I would give it a go, the staff are very welcoming and overall it’s a lovely place with delicious food.

If you can choose to sit by the window whilst dining at Kinnaree as you’ll be rewarded with a pretty view as the lights twinkle on to the canal outside of the Mailbox (providing it is dark of course). Plus you get to people watch as drinkers and diners make their way over the bridge that links the mailbox across the canal and on to Waterfront Walk — which is great if you want to check out the latest on evening fashions in Birmingham.
The menu here is extensive with popular coconut-​based curries (the Penang King Prawn is delicious and one of my faves of the night), a fine list of starters including crab cakes, marinated chicken breast wrapped in pandan leaves and served with sesame sauce and a wide selection of vegetarian dishes.
If you are finding it really hard to choose then there is a choice of five set menus. For two or more it’s a great way to try new dishes and share. The mixed starter includes Fish Cakes, Chicken Satay, Chicken on Toast, Toong Thong parcels and Spring rolls. The Tom Yum Goong soup is light enough to prepare you for the main course that includes a mix of three curries and stir fry dishes. Served with Thai Jasmine rice the meal leaves absolutely no room for dessert — we could hardly move for 30 minutes after the meal it was so big!
If you are passing by for lunch the restaurant offers a selection of their popular main dishes for just £4.95 each. I haven’t had chance to go at lunch time but if it is anything like dinner don’t bother with breakfast that day.

Best Thai food in brum. Never had anything other than great experiences here. As said above take-​away is great as well.
Understandably gets busy so make sure to book at popular times.

Had a good Thai experience here. Food was reasonably priced and the service was very good. Also, they have some great traditional décor. Can’t give it a full 5 starts since the food was good, but didn’t blow me away like other Thai places I have experienced in my travels.

have been here quite a few times, food is always lovely and the service is good too and its usually packed

I LOVE this place!
I lived in the apartments above for 2 year and it’s location couldn’t be better, right on the canal banks and over looking the glistening lights of the Mailbox.
The staff here are lovely, super efficient and hospitable.
The food is sensationally and authentic and cooked to order using the freshest of ingredients.
If you eat in, the décor is clean, and gorgeously filled with traditional attire and the presentation of the dishes are beautiful. The aromas will blow you away and you can pretend you are back in the paradise that is Thailand,… (well,. OK,. I did anyway!) :) and the quality of service, exceptional.
Kinnaree also provide Take– Out, and they make sure the quality doesn’t suffer just because the food gets put into plastic containers. :)
There are SO many taste-​bud tingling and exciting dishes to try, that I can only recommend that you go and check it out for yourself!,… then go again to try the stuff you fancied but didn’t get to order 1^st time round! :)
Fantastic for large groups /​parties to a table for two,. or a take out for one! :)
Trust me,… you will be raving about it once you’ve tried it for yourself!

Love this place! Food is amazing, service is great and the surroundings are tastefully decorated in a traditional style and the venue is very clean. Price wise it is very reasonable for the quality of service and meal that is prepared for you. Highly recommended. I lived in Thailand for a few years and this resturant takes me back there everytime.

Had to wait a long time even though we had booked a table.
Service was poor as we had to constantly check if they were getting us a table. It was busy but we had to wait for nearly one hour and 20 mins for the main course!
Their Thom yum soup was very poor. It had hardly any lime juice or fish sauce. Their red curry is average.
Nice décor but thats about it.

A large selection of dishes, which are reasonably priced and beautifully presented!
As the previous reviewer said, it is tucked away so is a little tricky to find but well worth seeking out! The setting is nice, although they were doing some building works on the other side of the river, which madethe view less than ideal but otherwise the setting is lovely.
Definitely a restaurant I would visit again.

We went here not long after it opened and was immedialey impressed by how much effort had gone in to decorating the restaurant. We dinned pretty early 6:00 — 6:30, and as a consequence were pretty much the only people in there so cannot say to much about the atmosphere. The food however was very good. Can’t remember what I had know, but it packed a pretty good punch whilst not burning my taste buds. The staff were very polite and attentive, as you may expect, but left us alone, just enough so they didn’t intrude.
This place is definitely worth considering when going out for food in the Mailbox.

Ok, I have to admit it, when Kinnaree Thai restaurant first opened a few years back, I was sceptical as to why they would invest so much money locating a restaurant off the beaten track, in a seemingly obscure location with very little signage or street presence. Without even giving it a chance, I wondered how many months would go by before I would see it boarded up.
.Since then, I think I’m not alone in saying that Kinnaree has turned out to be one of the best Thai restaurants in the city — and also one of my favourite places to eat!
One of Birmingham’s rare hidden gems, this restaurant is tucked away at the back of The Mailbox. You need to cross the pedestrian footbridge across the canals and you will find it near the foot of the bridge, directly opposite the ‘Cube’ development on the other side of the canal.
The location, set away from the rest of The Mailbox restaurants and bars means it is much quieter and calmer than the rest of the development and the short walk to get to it almost seems like an adventure in itself!
Inside, the interior has been kitted out with some impressive traditional Thai artefacts and artwork most impressively is the 30ft long model boat, complete with Thai soldiers in the middle of the restaurant! The lighting levels are always quite low, with candles on the tablesmaking for a wonderfully relaxing or romantic setting I find the likes of some other Thai restaurants too bright and ‘business’ oriented certainly not a place you would like to spend longer than you need to yet in Kinnaree you almost get the feeling that you have been transported away to another world and that you could spend the entire evening there!
The service is normally very attentive and friendly, though when at full capacity you need some patience.
The food is reasonably priced and delicious. They always pay special attention to presentation and this is shown with the beautiful carved vegetables and folded leaves that accompany the dishes.
The wine selection is decentit is worth noting that they offer Thai wine a region I never new even produced wine and its delicate flavours accompany the food perfectly.
I am not sure what else to say, apart from, if you haven’t been here yet you are truly missing out. drop whatever you’re doing and try this restaurant out today! ;o)