Mai Thai

Took my wife, two teen daughters +1 of their friends for dinner last night. We had a terrific meal, partly thanks to our server who helped folks with suggestions & refinements.
We had a nice variety: sushi, a couple types of noodles (Drunken, Chinatown), a vegetarian dish, a steak w/​nice Asian BBQ sauce and some appetizers. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful flavors… a fine meal all around.
We will be back — & soon.

Fuji Mointain roll and Sashimi combo were delicious! Wish the waiter knew more about the Sake, but the one I randomly selected was delicious!

We didn’t get a table right away, but the décor was amazing and the food was delicious! I had the Mai Thai Fried Rice and enjoyed it immensely. The prices for the dishes were good and reasonable for the food and their contents. The serving size was big and my company and I all asked for to-​go boxes. It was nice to leave feeling satisfied and have extra food.
The service was okay, a little slow, but we also came at a busy time. The noise was loud and was hard to hear my company at times. There seemed to be a lot of different dishes that anyone would enjoy. You could definitely be able to be adventurous or order a comfortable dish. I would like to go back and try more of their food!

I want to give Mai Thai five stars because the food and drinks were wonderful but the servers weren’t that friendly. The whole time I felt like I was walking on eggshells to get a smile.
Outside of a grumpy few servers the food was wonderful. I suggest the poppers, yes, fattening, but yes so delicious! During happy hour they are $ 5.00. Their happy hour menu has a ton of food options such as ramen, potstickers, rolls, chicken wings… need I go on? I didn’t think so!
I got the Krak-​A-​Lackin’ drink which is Captain Morgan spiced rum, egg, fresh-​squeezed lemon juice and Madagascar vanilla served in a Collin’s glass topped with soda and citrus peel confetti. It was dreamy! I also had the Mary Ann, which is 44 North Huckleberry vodka, simple syrup, fresh-​squeezed lemon juice served in an Old-​Fashioned glass with a Pellegrino
Limonata float, lemon twist, and cherry. It was like a spree (the candy) in a glass.
Mia Thai is a really cool place to visit and experience! When you walk into Mia Thai you are immediately swept away to a distant land! There is a beautifully lit Koi Pond and Buddha statue in the back sitting area.
Step out of Boise and into Mia Thai for a wonderful date night or birthday celebration!

Last night, I went to Mai Thai for HH. Drinks were buy one get one free. You can mix and match drinks. So you don’t have to have 2 margaritas, you can get 2 different drinks and they will comp the least expensive of the 2. Also, their HH food are in the $ 5 – 6 range. Everything we tried was very tasty. I had the Ramen ($ 5) which I would highly recommend! We also had the pepper poppers and the summer roll. Can’t wait to go again!

Mai Thai is a money spot if you’re looking for a reasonable (and upscale-​ish) happy hour or a rockin’ lunch buffet. It’s usually packed to the gills during both prime-​times, but it’s so worth it. During lunch, you can spend $ 10-​$ 14 on a menu item (or $ 8 for a cup of soup!) or instead opt for the lunch buffet which is right around the same price… seems like a no-​brainer because then you get to sample it all!
Food: Wow, I have no complaints about the food. I’ve had the lunch buffet several times and have always been pleased with each item I’ve tried. Whether it’s the Pad Thai, the sushi, the Tom Khan Kai soup, or any of their stir-​fry dishes… they’re all good. The buffet is nice because you are able to sample a variety of their menu items, so if you’re there during a non-​lunch time, you know exactly what you love the most!
Drinks: Happy hour drinks specials! I believe it’s a BOGO deal, which is nice if you’re staying for food or end up walking down 8^th or Idaho for dinner. Win/​win!
Atmosphere: It gets VERY CROWDED during lunch time. If you are able to snag a seat, the buffet line is almost always busy and you may find that some of the dishes are empty or being re-​filled. They run out of the buffet food often, but they’re always bringing replenished dishes out. They work really fast to try to accommodate that many people. My only advice? Don’t order off the menu during lunch time… opt for the buffet or soup because the kitchen staff is working very hard to get all the buffet dishes ready.
Service: No matter when you go in, the service will be on point. The staff is so knowledgeable and helpful and always willing to offer good suggestions or go out of their way to see that you’re taken care of. They do a very good job!
Happy Hour Offerings: Daily drink & food specials. I’m in!
Healthy Hack: Their soups are on-​point. The Tom Khan Kai fills you up and is coconuty-​creamy.
Tips: Don’t go RIGHT AT lunch time if you’re trying to hit the buffet. It’s SO BUSY. Either go early or a little after prime-​time, around 1:30.

I have come here a couple times for the lunch buffet expecting it to get better but it has not happened. This was my last «try» for the lunch buffet… sorry Mai Thai. The chicken tasted odd, almost like it was old. My co workers made the same comment so I don’t know if we just came on an off day or what. I might try something off the menu next time and see how it goes but that won’t be for a while.
The bar is fun for happy hour and the staff is always friendly so that’s a plus.

Good not great. At the bar you get a different level of food than is the restaurant. A little confusing but good none the less. Lunch is unbeatable for the buffet.

I’ve had a few bad times here, but overall the food is good and the service is ok. The service could be more attentive and faster, and that’s what would probably get them to five stars, but I still go here with friends and plan to into the foreseeable future.

The Halibut on Fire is to die for. But spendy ($ 20)
Their happy hour is awesome – 2 for 1 drinks!
In general I really like the food. I think it is a little over priced unless it’s happy hour though.
I have sat at the bar mostly, in the dinning room once, and received good service all around. A little slow at the bar for happy hour sometimes, but I think they don’t expect you to order multiple rounds or something?
I would say, watch out when asked how spicy you want your entrée. When they say spice, they aren’t kidding. I thought I could handle high spice, but I almost ruined my meal by getting it spicier than I can handle.
Finally, it can get really cold in the bar in the winter, even with the curtain around the door, so I recommend sitting in the dining room.

Definitely fusion Asian food. The drinks are 5/​5, but the food was ok.
I had the triple crown which was three different half sized drinks. I know one was a mint julep and the one was citrus like, and the last one was red. I loved all of them except the mint julep (too much mint for me). This was delicious and the sole reason I will return to Mai Thai; their cocktail menu was impressive.
I had the drunken noodle (pad kee mao) and it was not a bit spicy, just enough flavor, and a moderate portion. I did like that they added more vegetables than the authentic Thai restaurants. The chicken was a little on the dry side. It was yummy and edible, but nothing special.
The service was mixed — the manager and senior service were amazing, unfortunately I had a waiter who seemed to be new to the waiting game.
Overall great experience thanks to the drinks and manager’s great service.

Mai Thai has the early lead for my favorite restaurant in Boise. The décor is modern and upscale, the menu is extensive, and the staff are friendly and helpful. They have Izakaya during their evening service; I ordered a firecracker roll, deep-​fried with cream cheese and cucumber inside and tuna on top, drizzled with sriracha and eel sauce. As a late-​night snack it really hit the spot.
On a separate occasion I stopped in for dinner. A waiter ran our table through the menu, describing selected items and making recommendations. I decided to take heed and ordered the drunken noodles with duck. DUCK! They had other unusual meat options: scallops, verisoy, crab. CRAB! I actually got to try their curry with crab and it made me question why more restaurants don’t offer it as an option. The sauce was savory wit depth, the vegetables cooked to that perfect balance of soft and crispy, the duck (DUCK!) plentiful and delicious. My only gripe was the wide rice noodles, they were a bit tougher/​thicker than I would have liked. I was warned that ¾ stars would be too spicy, but apparently the Boise scale is different from the Seattle scale because I would have liked just a touch more heat. I forgot that they had a $ 20 for $ 10 deal through Unilocal,but I will definitely be back to use it.

Mai Thai excels quite well at what it is aiming for: a modern Thai restaurant. This is not the hole in the wall Thai place that many of us often adore. This is a fresh, and interesting take on Thai food and atmosphere that really raises the level of quality on several different levels.
To begin, their interior is absolutely wonderful. The ambient light waterfall and steam down the middle of the dining room not only is pleasing to the eyes, but also brings that dash of tranquility of flowing water sounds in the background while you eat. The bar is modern, but not too flashy. There are several Thai and South Asian decorations, that do not distract but instead compliment the environment.
Secondly, the cocktail list is absolutely inspired and delightfully well craft. I tried the Brazil ’66 and the ‘pretty panda’ and both were wonderful mixtures of eastern and western culture brought into a cocktail that made you want to savor every sip and truly enjoy your drink. To make the experience all the better, these signature cocktails are a part of the happy hour special for buy one get one free.
Next, the service.
The waiters here all seem to be quite competent and attentive which is a great sign of sure quality. In addition to waiters that perform well, they also have secondary waiting staff that is always quick to refill your water, clear empty plates or help in any way. This is a very beneficial tactic because the waiter is not spread too thin, and you aren’t left unaccounted for even at the busiest of times.
Finally, the food.
Having tried a few different dishes, I can say that that the green goddess roll is always a great go to for an appetizer that is full of flavor but will save enough room for dinner. It is a vegetarian roll, so although not traditional sushi, it is wonderful and can be enjoyed by all whether they like traditional sushi or not.
Secondly, the entrees have all been wonderfully well prepared and presented. The Pad See Ew was wonderful and had just enough citrus to balance out the dark soy sauce. This dish is great for all people that like Thai food, and is also good for an introduction dish to Thai cuisine because it does not have any fish sauce but still packs a lot of flavor. This dish pairs well with either chicken or fried tofu.
Their Pad Thai was also quite tasty, and had a balanced flavor overall. Where many Thai locations get carried away with the fish sauce, this was just enough to taste but not too much to overwhelm. This dish makes another great example of something that is approachable for all customers.
Finally: Their curry is quite surprisingly exceptional as well! Thai curry is slightly different than Indian curry, and diversity is always a good thing. Here they make their curry with just enough spice to give you the warmth, but not too much to overwhelm your taste buds and harming your ability to taste everything else.
The yellow, red, and panang curry are all good options to try. Traditionally I prefer my curry with chicken, but that is a personal preference.
This place I would recommend to anyone whether it be for their lunch buffet, a nice evening dinner with wonderful entrees, or even drinks on any late night for happy hour. This sets a nice high standard for modern Thai restaurants.
Cheers.

You walk in to a beautiful fusion of modern style with the Asian charm. I went in about brunch time and I was able to be seated very quickly by some really pleasant people.
The buffet was available but it looked a little dry so I didn’t go for that. I ordered their Bento box and the bread pudding for dessert. It wasn’t the speediest delivery but I was quite pleased with the quality of the food and the attention provided by my waiter.
The bread pudding, artistic environment, and truly polite and professional service crew really made this place a good mid day find for me.

My work group shared a number of dishes and desserts:
— The lamb shank is fantastic; there was some combination of spices that I couldn’t quite place but which went together just amazingly well.
— I was happy with the pad Thai but not as much so as I was at JP Thailand Express in Nampa. One of the ten best I’ve had, but low on that list.
I thought the desserts were mediocre.
— Chocolate tower: was expecting something more… «towery». It was a pretty good piece of chocolate cake; doesn’t taste like it is made in-​house.
— Caramel miso ice cream with bread pudding: Very sweet caramel ice cream with a hint of saltiness, probably from the miso. The bread pudding tasted like rubbery, sweet sandwich bread. Not the best.
— tiramisu was very good and had a pleasant coffee/​rum punch

Vegetarians REJOICE! Finally decent meat alternatives and great flavors in the food. I have been here three times. Twice for dinner and a third time for wine tasting with French Food. Ah yes, FRENCH FOOD (they accomodated me for the wine tasting) Three courses, a glass wine flight for $ 35 (sign me up for next time!) The chef is a french trained chef. Surprised? The manager/​owner is a vegetarian so great choices for us veg heads big time. Now what about those who eat meat, fish etc. Not a problem. The wine list is very good and they make good cocktails. I have had great food here and I love the glass art everywhere. The ambiance is great for couples and groups.

I’m not sure why Mai Thai doesn’t have more stars. It’s my favorite dinner and happy hour spot in town.
To be clear, Mai Thai does not serve strictly Thai cuisine. It’s more of an Asian fusion restaurant, and they serve gluten free options, vegetarian options, and vegan options — so there’s something for everyone here.
My favorite dishes include the traditional pad thai with fried tofu (I get it spicy), the green goddess roll (a fresh, delicious vegetarian sushi roll), the mai thai noodle dish (a sweet and sour noodle dish), and the mai thai signature salad without chicken and with fried tofu on the side. The salad is so good because it comes with fruit on top and a delicious creamy peanut dressing. I’ve tried other dishes, such as the garlic noodle dish and the vegetarian kung pao, but I usually stick to my favorites.
The COCKTAILS might be my favorite thing about Mai Thai. Happy hour is every day and you get 2 drinks for 1 price. It’s a steal, considering their cocktails are unique craft cocktails. I’m not sure I’ve ever found another restaurant or bar that serves you 2 delicious, fancy cocktails for under $ 10. Quite the steal. I recommend their Moscow mule, which does not come in a traditional mug but is the best Moscow mule I’ve had in Boise. The Siam Sunray is also good — it’s a vodka/​lime/​coconut/​lemongrass cocktail. The Lovey is delicious if you enjoy champagne cocktails. The Mary Anne is good if you like sweet and sour drinks. I’m going to stop listing all the drinks I love because I could go on and on and embarrass myself. Tip — Make sure to sit in the bar area if you want them to honor happy hour.
They also have a meannn lunch buffet for only $ 12 — with plenty of options (sushi, vegetarian options, noodle dishes, salad, and more).
The service is always great. The waiters are always so friendly. I’ve never had a bad experience at Mai Thai. And you can’t really beat the location. The patio is lovely on summer evenings.

I been here once before for dinner and they have delicious sushi my waiter informed me of there buffet and it’s pretty great they have really good choices and also sushi…
I’ll most definitely come back…

I write this review about the Mai Thai lunch buffet only because thats all I’ve ever tryed (about 10 visits). If you are like me and are not a fan of lunch buffets, than this one will change your mind like it has mine! The food is put out in small portions and replenish frequently! And the food is fresh and wonderful. The variety is awesome! I’ve been dragging my feet on this review because it’s getting a bit crowded at lunch time and I don’t want to add to the wait time to get my food… But the right thing to do is to tell everyone how great the food is! The atmosphere is very nice as well. Just not a very big space and can get a bit overcrowded.

The lights hanging on top of the Buddha water fountain reminds me one of Chihuly’s artwork. Enjoy hangout on the bar and talking to the mustache Joe:)