Tacoma is known for its large number of tourist attractions and highly diversified cultural activities and is also known for its good cuisine.
Restaurants throughout Tacoma are known for the hospitality that characterizes every one of the residents of this beautiful city, for good food and drinks. In a multicultural environment, in this city, you can find countless types of food from many countries worldwide, but we will stick to Thai Restaurants In Tacoma.
Thai national cuisine mainly consists of easy-to-prepare recipes with lots of spices, usually prepared by deep-frying, stir-frying, or steam-frying, which are methods introduced from Chinese cuisine.
Through time Thai cuisine, in addition to being influenced by Chinese cuisine, was also influenced by Indian cuisine, from where it received the spices. It was partially influenced by American cuisine, where the chili peppers that today play an essential role in Thai dishes came from. There are also a large number of dishes from other countries, such as Portugal, that have adapted to Thai cuisine, or rather that have received a Thai version.
The cuisine is known for its use of fresh herbs and spices such as garlic, galangal, coriander, cilantro, lemongrass, shallots, pepper, Kaffir lime leaves, and chilies. In addition, palm sugar is used to sweeten the dish, and lime and tamarind are used for sour notes.
For meat, pork, beef, and chicken are often used, while sheep and goat are not widely used. But above all, seafood such as fish, crabs, and shellfish are used in Thai food.
Thailand imports and exports large quantities of seafood, most often including tilapia, catfish, tiger prawns, and blood chickens. We are here to introduce you to some of the best Thai restaurants in Tacoma to make your stay there memorable.
Table of Contents
8 Best Thai Restaurants In Tacoma
Galanga Thai Cuisine
1129 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402, United States // +12532723393
Galanga Thai Kitchen, located in downtown Tacoma’s business and theater districts, is one of my favorite Thai Restaurants In Tacoma. In Tacoma, specialty shops sell fresh ingredients for preparing Thai food, and Galanga Thai Kitchen always buys from the best. Galanga aims to offer its visitors an unforgettable experience through traditional Thai dishes prepared according to an original recipe and served in a modern way.
They also take care to provide great ambiance and hospitality. From their rich menu, we will highlight Chicken Satay and Mussaman Lamb. Chicken Satay is a truly delicious dinner made from four chicken breast skewers, marinated in coconut milk, turmeric, and spices, grilled to perfection, and served with cucumber salad and peanut sauce.
Lamb Mussaman is one of the house specialties and is made from tender pieces of lamb stewed in Mussaman curry sauce (infused with pineapple and tamarind juices) and garnished with a cinnamon stick. The dish includes potato and yellow onion.
They also have a great selection of beers and wines. The prices vary depending on what you order, but they are generally very affordable, and the cozy atmosphere makes this one of the most suitable Thai Restaurants In Tacoma for all ages and many occasions.
Golden Teak Thai Restaurant
1620 S. Mildred St., Tacoma, WA 98465, United States // +12535651921
Golden Teak Thai Restaurant knows that its regulars and tourists deserve the best. Therefore, this restaurant serves the freshest and most delicious Thai food in town, prepared with love by the hands of their top professional team.
Golden Teak is one of the Thai restaurants in Tacoma that welcomes everyone and offers healthy, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. If you come to the restaurant for a relaxed dinner or to mark a special moment, you will be provided with a parking space, and if you decide to enjoy their specialties from the comfort of your home, their service will be quick and bring you the food fresh and warm.
They have a nice, extensive menu, and you can’t go wrong with any of their meals, but we do recommend you try the Panang Curry, the Crab Rangoon, and the Pad Thai Noodle. The Panang Curry is a great dish, perfect for lunch, made out of Panang curry paste, coconut milk, and peanut sauce cooked with bell pepper, mushrooms, green beans, and Thai basil.
The Crab Rangoon is more of a crispy snack made out of wonton stuffed with crab meat and cream cheese, deep-fried, and served with sweet chili sauce; they are usually paired with vegetables, chicken, or sticky rice.
The Pad Thai Noodle is a favorite among visitors, and it is made out of stir-fried rice noodles, egg, bean sprouts, green onions, house tamarind sauce, and sprinkled with roasted ground peanuts.
Make sure to try Golden Teak for a true taste of Thai food in a Tacoma restaurant.
BT Thai Restaurant
5013 S. 56th St. Suite B, Tacoma, WA 98409, United States // +12533014387
This lovely family-owned restaurant prepares flavorful Thai meals with high-quality, fresh ingredients. They have super-friendly employees, and with their cozy ambiance and a lovely atmosphere, they will make you feel like you’re at home.
From their diverse menu, we will recommend that you try the Scallop Wonton, served with sweet chili sauce, which can be a great starter. Tom Kha is one of their best soups, and it contains many ingredients, such as meat, coconut milk soup with galangal, cabbage, mushrooms, green onions, cilantro, lemongrass, and Kaffir lime leaves.
In addition, Tom Kha is served with rice. If you’re a fan of salads, you must try the Beef Salad made out of beef, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, onions, and cucumbers, Kaffir lime leaves on top of Iceberg lettuce.
For your main meal dish, you ought to try Fried Rice with meat, jasmine rice, egg, cabbage, carrots, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and cilantro on the side. Also great is the Crispy Chicken Chili Pate, made out of crispy chicken stir-fried with chili paste, garlic, white onions, and bell peppers, which is one of their most recommended dishes.
Finally, do not forget the dessert because here you will find some of the best, such as Mango Sticky Rice and Black Sticky Rice and Taro; both will make you fall in love with them, and provide an unforgettable experience due to their unique combinations of ingredients.
Loak Toung Thai
3807 Center St., Tacoma, WA 98409, United States // +12532489813
Loak Toung Thai is one more family-owned restaurant whose owner and chef, Maam, comes from the rice fields in Central-Eastern Thailand. Related to that, the restaurant’s name translated means “The people of the rice fields.”
Maam is passionate about saving his country’s and town’s legacy, and on his menu, you can find dishes that are not served anywhere else. Their menu is represented by, as we said, a lot of dishes that can’t be found anywhere else and also a lot of dishes that are typical in most Thai restaurants. All of their lunch specials, including Basil Chicken, Red Curry, and Garlic Chicken, are served with rice, your own choice of fresh or fried spring rolls, and your choice of protein, such as chicken, pork, tofu, beef, or prawns.
Their appetizers include Spicy Chicken Wings, Crispy Tofu, Tod Mun (Fish Cakes), and so much more. One of their best soups is Tom Kha, made with coconut milk, lemongrass, lime leaves, onions, and cilantro.
From the Chef specials, you must try Moo Tod, also known as Dream Pork, which is made out of marinated strips of pork loin, fried, and served with Isaan sauce. Also, don’t miss their Panang Curry, a rich flavorful curry with bell peppers, zucchini, and basil. Refreshments include Thai iced tea.
This is the spot if you are an adventurous soul and want to try some truly unique Thai food in one of the best Thai restaurants in Tacoma.
Peanut Sauce Thai Cuisine
5003 Tacoma Mall Blvd. #105, Tacoma, WA 98409, United States // +12534754889
Peanut Sauce Thai Cuisine is a fantastic restaurant all dressed in the spirit of Thai culture and tradition. Their delicious dishes and comfortable atmosphere will provide you with an unforgettable experience and put a smile on your face.
This restaurant also allows online ordering and guarantees that your food will arrive fresh and warm. Their menu is divided into three sections, lunch, dinner, and vegetarian. All three sections are full of specialties worth trying, and we will describe only a few of them in more detail.
Most dishes, such as the Yellow Curry Fried Rice, are made out of stir-fried rice with prawns, egg, broccoli, onion, carrot, tomatoes, pineapple, and yellow curry powder and are gluten-free. This is from the lunch menu, and it is so delicious, fair-sized, and comes with a great price.
Avocado Curry comes from the dinner menu and is one of their most popular curries, made in special green curry sauce with your choice of meat, fresh avocado, eggplant, bell pepper, and sweet basil.
From their vegetarian menu, even if you’re not a vegetarian, you should try Sweet And Sour Vegetables or Tofu. Both are vegan and contain stir-fried mixed vegetables or tofu, pineapple, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes in sweet and sour sauce.
Thai Hut
1901 S. 72nd St., Tacoma, WA 98408, United States // +12534751214
Thai Hut is a beautiful Thai restaurant in Tacoma that serves traditional Thai food. They welcome their guests in a pleasant atmosphere, with friendly service with specialties prepared by the hands of their top chefs and at very affordable prices.
According to customers, some of the best dishes at Thai Hut are Orange Sauce Chicken, Seafood Tom Yum Family, chicken fried rice, and Thai iced tea. Apart from them, the Pineapple Fried Rice is also worth trying, and this dish is such a strange and perfect mix of flavors that it will make you fall in love with it at the first bite.
Somewhat similar to Pineapple Fried Rice in terms of richness of flavors are Tom Yum Soup and Tom Yum and Tom Kha Talay Soup, great for a light dinner. If you are more into salads, you must only leave Thai Hut after trying their well-known Papaya Salad.
They also have a great selection of wines, beers, and Thai ice teas. Last but not least, we must mention their desserts, whose rich flavor and sweet taste could awaken the sweet tooth in every one of you.
@ Thai Restaurant
1623 E. 72nd St., Tacoma, WA 98404, United States // +12535037659
This is one of my favorite Thai restaurants in Tacoma, which offers a beautiful atmosphere, pleasant service, and even better lunches, dinners, and desserts. Their pleasant atmosphere is suitable for relaxed dinners and lunches with loved ones.
The lunch menu recommends Red Curry, made out of red curry paste and coconut milk with bamboo shoots, bell pepper, and fresh basil.
For dinner, you won’t go wrong with Fresh Roll, which is two rolls made out of fresh spring mix salad, basil, and rice noodle wrapped in thin rice paper, served with peanut sauce. You can also try Spicy Jungle Fire Lamb, made out of stir-fried tender slices of lamb with bamboo shoots, basil, young peppercorn, Thai chili, lime leaf, and a splash of coconut milk.
You must try their desserts and their rich selection of wines. You will not be disappointed.
Silk Thai Cafe
3401 6th Ave. F, Tacoma, WA 98406, United States // +12537561737
Make this laid-back spot home to some of your best Tacoma Thai restaurant experiences. The owner of this restaurant, all decorated in the spirit of Thailand, grew up in rice fields where she learned to prepare authentic, traditional Thai dishes and lovingly serve them to her customers.
Among its delicious specialties, we highly recommend the crispy tangerine salad with chicken, made out of leafy greens, shredded cabbage, cucumber, mango, almonds, crispy rice sticks, and sesame seeds, served with tangerine vinaigrette and grilled chicken.
This salad will win you over with its rich flavor and irreplaceable taste. As great as the salad is, the Thai Wonton Soup is made out of delicate Thai wontons served in a clear broth soup with green onions and veggies. At the end of the meal, you won’t regret trying their Mango Raspberry Cheesecake and Thai Iced Coffee.
Thai Restaurants in Tacoma: Conclusion
The conclusion of the journey to find the best Thai food in Tacoma, Washington, has been a delicious one. After months of sampling some of the most incredible dishes around town, it’s safe to say that the city is home to plenty of excellent options for those with a taste for authentic Thai recipes.
Whether someone is looking for an upscale restaurant experience or a more casual eatery, there are several restaurants in Tacoma that can satisfy their craving.
From spicy curries and savory stir-fries to delicate salads and exquisite desserts, Tacoma offers something for everyone when it comes to Thai cuisine. Not only is there an abundance of different flavors available, but many restaurants go out of their way to make sure each dish is prepared with quality ingredients and served with care.
Thai cuisine is equally delicious all over the world, so why not try it in Tacoma? Make your stay, vacation, or everyday life in the city better with the best Thai Restaurants In Tacoma waiting for you with open arms.
While in Tacoma you can also check our other guides here:
Visiting other destinations in Washington State? Check out our other guide:
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- 4 Amazing Vancouver WA Restaurants
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- Where to Eat in Yakima Valley, WA
- Must-Try Seattle Seafood Restaurants
Igor Jovanovski is an aspiring digital nomad, travel blogger and graphic designer who really loves food. He also has a creative side, and he works as a freelance graphic designer in his spare time. He has traveled across Europe quite a few times since he was young and recently started his mission to visit every country in the world! Igor’s favorite thing about traveling is the way he gets to know new people, food, places and cultures.
This exciting experience helps him create his own stories and make memories that will last forever