Nara Thai is a favorite for my family and me—we come here all the time! The service is always excellent, with friendly and attentive staff who make every visit enjoyable.

My go-to dish is the green curry—it’s absolutely amazing! It’s the perfect blend of creamy coconut, fragrant herbs, and spice. And no meal here is complete without a Thai iced tea. It’s rich, perfectly sweet, and so refreshing, especially alongside the bold flavors of the food.

Whether dining in or ordering takeout, the quality is always top-notch. If you’re looking for authentic Thai flavors with great service, this place is a must-visit!

We have visited at lunch time, Service is very good and fast even in peak hours. I didn’t have expectations while visiting though Food is delicious. Dragon noodles really must try dish. I will visit again and try few more dish.

The Positive: Food is very good and a good selection of Thai and Thai / Chinese dishes. Good portions. The Bad: Wait staff. Attitude is like they are doing us a favor to come to the table. Not friendly. There have been staff that look like they are working in the car shop or on parole. Food often slow coming and no longer hot. They don't care. Pickup orders are worse. Called to place order and was told the next "slot" was an 1 hr 15 min wait. So we drove over to eat inside. Restaurant was largely empty. Really? What was that about? Also we have had pickup orders with missing items. You should open the bag and check. In summary, ridiculously unprofessional wait staff. We always went there because the food is so good. But no more. We will go someplace else in the future. These comments are based on several times, not just one off night. Atmosphere: Nice but I down rated because the people that work there do not make you feel welcome.

Food is A+. Service is always professional. To go orders are the sure way to get the best food. Fills up quick. Staff has always been great. Spice level goes to 5. Be careful. 😄

I’ve lived in several states and in Europe for a few years. This is by far one of the best places I have ever been. Amazing service with even better food. Crab rangoons are absolutely perfect and our main dishes were amazing. Highly recommend visiting

A group of 7 of us ate at Nara Thai on Saturday. Service was excellent and they can make nearly every dish gluten free.

We ordered a variety of food. I ordered the Drunken Noodles with beef w/extra veggies. I would rate it a 3 out of 5. It was very dry, and mostly noodles. I'm not sure if I received extra veggies or not.

I also ordered the fried rice which was excellent. The spice level was kind of all over the place. My 2 was more intense than my brothers 3 (also Drunken Noodles).

If they added more meat, veggies and sauce this could easily be a 5 star experience.

The racy pad thai was delicious but the mango sticky rice was quite sad because the mango was not ripe enough. It took about 40 minutes for the food to come as well…

The staff is great and the owner Lynn is fantastic. Lynn and the staff really care about their customers and their experience. The food is fantastic. I tell everyone to try Nara Thai. Everyone I have recommended has agreed it is a wonderful local business.

Food is A+. Service is always professional. To go orders are the sure way to get the best food. Fills up quick. Staff has always been great. Spice level goes to 5. Be careful. 😄

We love Nara Thai! Excellent food and generous portions.

The staff is great and the owner Lynn is fantastic. Lynn and the staff really care about their customers and their experience. The food is fantastic. I tell everyone to try Nara Thai. Everyone I have recommended has agreed it is a wonderful local business.

I’ve lived in several states and in Europe for a few years. This is by far one of the best places I have ever been. Amazing service with even better food. Crab rangoons are absolutely perfect and our main dishes were amazing. Highly recommend visiting

NaRa is my favorite place in town to eat. Great food, great prices, friendly service. Must try if your in Cedar Rapids.

Nara Thai is a favorite for my family and me—we come here all the time! The service is always excellent, with friendly and attentive staff who make every visit enjoyable.

My go-to dish is the green curry—it’s absolutely amazing! It’s the perfect blend of creamy coconut, fragrant herbs, and spice. And no meal here is complete without a Thai iced tea. It’s rich, perfectly sweet, and so refreshing, especially alongside the bold flavors of the food.

Whether dining in or ordering takeout, the quality is always top-notch. If you’re looking for authentic Thai flavors with great service, this place is a must-visit!

I got vetted and so I can get the 11 spicy 🔥. Hard to get really spicy stuff, but they bring it!

The Positive: Food is very good and a good selection of Thai and Thai / Chinese dishes. Good portions. The Bad: Wait staff. Attitude is like they are doing us a favor to come to the table. Not friendly. There have been staff that look like they are working in the car shop or on parole. Food often slow coming and no longer hot. They don't care. Pickup orders are worse. Called to place order and was told the next "slot" was an 1 hr 15 min wait. So we drove over to eat inside. Restaurant was largely empty. Really? What was that about? Also we have had pickup orders with missing items. You should open the bag and check. In summary, ridiculously unprofessional wait staff. We always went there because the food is so good. But no more. We will go someplace else in the future. These comments are based on several times, not just one off night. Atmosphere: Nice but I down rated because the people that work there do not make you feel welcome.

Excellent food with lots of choices. Service is great. Atmosphere is perfect for lunch meetings.

The food is delicious but the takeout service/hospitality is rough

Came in alone. Did not get waited on. Left.
The above review was when this restaurant was nearly new.
Update: Returned in October 2024. Fabulous! Many people said it was their favorite Thai restaurant in the area. I’m a believer now! Glad I have it another chance.

We dined in tonight and had an absolutely awful experience. We ordered drinks and potstickers with one server. A different server came by and we were ready to order so he took our food order. We were told it was no problem and they do it all the time, hmmm. The potstickers came out without issue. Main food still hadn’t arrived at the 45 minute mark. We asked the first server and we were told “they were putting the finishing touches on it.” A few minutes later the server brought cold food in dishes that were cool to the touch. That food had to have been prepared for 30 minutes and didn’t move. The whole “finishing touches” line was an entire load of crap.

We told the server and were offered to heat the food, but it still wasn’t really hot when it arrived. Those plates should have been tossed and redone. My #4 spice level order had no spice. A different #4 just had some spoonfuls of chili on top like an afterthought. Even the #1 spice level dish didn’t have any spice. The only plus of the night is we didn’t need to pay full price. We should have just left. Normally we have a good experience at most places, but boy tonight was the worst experience I have had anywhere in years. Bravo!

Edit: the owners comments tried to downplay the issues mentioned, the AC wasn’t the issue. The food was never brought out in a timely fashion. The food wasn’t spiced per the order. It had nothing to do with being tricky.

Yummy! Keep this place open!!!

Thai fried rice is excellent!

My shrimp fried rice 🍚 tastes burnt and rice was wet. I know that they could do better. I'd say try it for yourself. Staff was really nice.

Great people and great food, I can not recommend them high enough.

Every time I order the fried rice with a level 4 spice, there is barely even a hint of spice in it, which is always a let down because I like my food very spicy. If I wanted no spice, I would order a 1 or 2 level spice. The food is great when the spice levels are correct. The service is always great, the staff are always very polite and welcoming.

Very delish!

The basil fried rice is great

The racy pad thai was delicious but the mango sticky rice was quite sad because the mango was not ripe enough. It took about 40 minutes for the food to come as well…

Very good food and courteous staff. Great portions. Pay attention to the lunch and dinner hours so you don't arrive during closing.

We have visited at lunch time, Service is very good and fast even in peak hours. I didn’t have expectations while visiting though Food is delicious. Dragon noodles really must try dish. I will visit again and try few more dish.

Delicious! I had the Mango Paradise stir fry.

Drunken noodles seem more wet than fried. I like how they let you pick to remove peanuts from their online ordering, but I swear it still smelled like there were nuts in the dish. You might end up arguing with the owner or server, so not worth a visit imo.

Placed an online order with one of the vendors available on Google maps. The order was not accepted. So I had to wait a 30 minutes again for the order to be completed. No offer to fix it or make it right. Very poor customer service. And they didn’t seem interested when I pointed it out to them. Won’t be back. Plus we get to pay a 25% tip without an option for less.

Went here with my mother Wednesday night before peak hours. Ordered the crab Rangoon dip appetizer. A pitiful amount of wonton chips, there was still half of the dip left and the sweet chili sauce was spilled all over the plate. I ordered the drunken noodles and my mother ordered a simple entree. We did not receive the entrees however as three other tables that ordered after us were served before us and ended up leaving. I begrudgingly paid $8 cash for the app. Also the temperature was too cold for my mother and the server said she couldn't raise the temperature because it would get too hot in the kitchen. I understand because I have a decade and a half of experience in the f&b industry but that is probably not something you should say to a customer. Was a really disappointing experience especially being the first time actually dining in there. Have had great take-out before but I see in the reviews you're charging gratuity for take-out and that's pretty ridiculous if so.

I was charged a gratuity for a carry out order for 2 people. I do not agree with this practice. It was carry out.
Only the cook provided any service and most places do not share tips with the cook!
I ordered a shrimp dish with noodles and there wasn't much shrimp in the dish and it was dry.

15% gratuity fee for take out? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen. If the inflation is eating into your profits increase the food prices. Do not resort to these things to pay your employees. Oh and 1$ extra for Thai tea “light on ice.” Sly tactics to fill the cup with ice for the regular one.

Do not eat here if you are Celiac!
They do not take any precautions on preparing your food safely. There is no gluten free menu. While Pad Thai is made with rice noodles and is typically safe, theirs is not. Sick for two days after eating there! Stay away if you are Celiac!

Amazing

I came for lunch, the Drunk Noodles were spot on. I loved the chewiness of the noodles, the steam tofu was a nice relief to the "insanely hot" level of spice, which was not the spiciest thing I've had. It was pretty mid for spice but it's Iowa. The dishware they use is a nice touch, felt premium. Service was friendly, everyone in the joint really seemed to be enjoying themselves. Recommended!

Excellent food. Attentive service even when they’re very busy. Always enjoy.

Food hot and great!

A group of 7 of us ate at Nara Thai on Saturday. Service was excellent and they can make nearly every dish gluten free.

We ordered a variety of food. I ordered the Drunken Noodles with beef w/extra veggies. I would rate it a 3 out of 5. It was very dry, and mostly noodles. I'm not sure if I received extra veggies or not.

I also ordered the fried rice which was excellent. The spice level was kind of all over the place. My 2 was more intense than my brothers 3 (also Drunken Noodles).

If they added more meat, veggies and sauce this could easily be a 5 star experience.

Came here with family who had been here before I can’t believe I hadn’t been here yet. Food was amazing I had the drunken noodles with chicken and it had a good hit of spice but it wasn’t overpowering where you couldn’t enjoy the other flavors. We also had the rangoons, dumplings, and egg rolls as appetizers and they were amazing. Great hidden gem!

I can't wait to go back for more drunken noodles. Absolutely fantastic food for a reasonable price.

Ordered pick up for 5 people, was told there was a 15% gratuity charge, I asked why? Because they need to pay for the servers NOT serving us. Food was good, but 15% more? Not so much. Disappointed that I am paying for staff that I am not using.

Definitely our favorite Asian restaurant in town! Highly recommended.

Food is always fantastic and staff are super nice. Love the table decor

Excellent dining experience. Had 8 people in our group & each plate of food was served timely, fresh out of the kitchen & SOOO delicious! It was a busy night, but the wait staff was personable & thoughtful. Very professional. Bonus--portions were so generous, we all had a take-home meal for the next day. The owner/chef even gifted my son with a sweet treat to celebrate his birthday. Such a lovely place. We will eat here often!

The food was excellent, the spiciness rating of 1 - 5 was very useful, I got the Kuea Kai with a spiciness rating of 3 and it was really good, the chicken was moist in a good way and the noodles were all coated evenly with the sauce. The place was pretty empty of people by the time we got our food, we got there on a Wednesday night at a bit after 630 and by the time we left I think we were the only customers still there, the inside feels very welcoming and is excellently decorated, it all adheres to a common theme and the stuff doesn't feel out of place. The staff was promt with their service, the food was out quickly and they recomended some of their alchohlic drinks that were good. Overall they have some pretty good Thai food, I will absolutely go again.

My favorite place for pad thai.

Excellent authentic Thai food, with many gluten free options. Definitely recommend!

Everything I tried was delicious!!! Trust me I tried a lot. When I go somewhere new for the first time I like to order several different things and then have leftovers forever. Their Tom Kha soup is now my favorite place to get the soup!! I also got to meet and have a fabulous conversation with the owner. The rest of the staff was amazing as well. So friendly and helpful. If you don’t know what you want or like they are very good at what questions to ask to figure out your flavor profile. I can’t say enough good things!!! Hurry go get some great food!!

Drunken noodles are the Best!
If you are a spice lover start with level 4.

My Thai nam tok with pork & noodles was excellent. I went with spice level 2, wanting to go easy on the spice. It was not spicy, which was good for me this time. Try at least 3 & probably 5 to kick it up. Although a little pricey for lunch with tax, tip, & fee, serving size was very large, good for at least two lunches. That's good for leftovers. But this pho-styled dish wouldn't share well.
With just one server nearing the end of lunch hours, I was pleased he covered the tables fairly well.

Our party of three shared all three dishes we ordered which were the Racy Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, Green Curry, Tom Kha Soup, and Mango Sticky Rice. If I were to say that all the dishes we ordered were delicious it would be the biggest understatement of my life.

The Green Curry delights with its blend of coconut milk, lemongrass, and basil, offering a rich and comforting experience. Meanwhile, the Drunken Noodles impress with their smoky and sweet brown sauce, enveloping every noodle and vegetable with its delectable flavor. The Racy Pad Thai surpasses expectations, its flavorful Racy sauce elevating it to the pinnacle of Pad Thai perfection. The Tom Kha Soup, reminiscent of the green curry but with a sweeter touch, provides a delicate mouthfeel. Lastly, the Mango Sticky Rice offers a sweet, warm finale, with decadent hints of coconut milk and mango culminating in a perfect end to the meal.

The owner, Lynn, came to our table as she recognized two of the regulars in our party. They informed her that it was my first time at Nara and she proceeded to ask me what I thought of the food. I was so awestruck by the depth of flavors I experienced in all the dishes that I found it challenging to properly convey to her just how amazing all the dishes I tried were. She was kind enough to bring us some ice cream so that we could enjoy the Mango Sticky Rice the way her husband likes to. What a kind gesture from a wonderful human being.

I have never had such a profound reaction to food as I did today at Nara Thai Cuisine. I am sure all their customers agree when I say you can taste the passion in the food. I could not have imagined a better culinary experience. My only regrets are that I don't have a bigger stomach and I didn't have the chance to take any pictures of this amazing food.

If you are looking for comforting, delicious, and reasonably priced Thai food, look no further. And if you had a great experience, please give all compliments to Lynn. This establishment is one of the gems of the city.

I tried out the Racey Pad Thai tonight and it lived up to all the other reviews it was delicious! I like spicy food and I picked level 3 and it was perfect. I would definitely come here again and would recommend to others it was fantastic!

Haven't eaten here in a while. I used to think it was the best Thai food since I left Thailand. Sadly that is no longer the case. All of my dishes looked like they had been cooked in the same pot. My Thai fried rice was more like fried mush. Sorry, fried rice is not meant to.be mushy. The rest of the meal was more of the same. So sad but you've really gone down hill since the glory days pre-Covid.

Super yummy and fast service, try the Thai fried rice!

Food has amazing flavors, & is always fresh! Portion sizes are very generous. Staff is super friendly. My new favorite restaurant!

The food at this restaurant is outstanding.
This is a small family owned restaurant and the family that operates it is dedicated to providing the best experience for everyone. They produce fantastic food, they are fairly price and fast!
I reviewed some of the comments and some people complain about the prices and I don't think that is fair. Please know the price of everything has gone up and the price of amazing food should increase too.

First time at this restaurant and it only took one bite for us to know we will be frequent repeat customers. We had drunken noodles and racy pad Thai and both were delicious!

This used to be my favorite restaurant in town, but a little while back they started charging customers extra to pick up their own meals. It would make sense to charge extra for delivery, but to charge extra for take out...
My coworkers and I used to eat here weekly. Now, maybe once every few months.
To penalize us for wanting take out on our lunch breaks from work is a weird policy. We just order from the other Thia restaurants now instead.

Nice

Totally addicted, I keep going back!! Highly recommend their cashew nut and fried dumplings, could eat that any time!!

Went there during lunch and it was noisy.
Server lady was nice.

On their menu not all main ingredients are listed.

Looking at menu I chose Drunken Noodles since on menu it didn't have any non vegetarian items but the server lady said it has egg in them which was surprising. She could minus the fish sauce and egg for me though and asked for mild spicy.
The test was good and for me it was spicy.

If you're vegetarian or vegan, be extra careful while ordering.

Great food and they were busy when I was there. I ask for spicy 5/10 and got 0/10 but it was good. They have been open for six months. It is nicely decorated and nice waiter. I got pics after we started eating. Sorry lol.

This is a wonderful place with amazing food and people!!

Absolutely delicious, cant wait to come back

bland food period,!.

The food is fantastic! I strongly recommend the Khao Soi and Tom Yum soup. The Pad Thai is awesome too!

This used to be my favorite “whole-in-the-wall” restaurant around Cedar Rapids, and I was super bummed when the old owners decided to pursue new adventures. But I’m so excited that Lin took over! The food is even better now and the atmosphere’s even more amazing! If you’ve never had Thai food, please give NaRa a try. If you love Thai food, this is a must try place!

One of my favorite spots in CR! The food is delicious and always tastes like quality ingredients are used. And the new owner and staff are so nice! I’m totally hooked and appreciate having Nara regularly!

We had the best service. Our server knew the menu and gave amazing recommendations on what to choose. The food was delicious! I can’t stop thinking about the green curry! I have to go back soon!

So good!! You can tell the cooks care about making each dish the best it can be. Tried other restaurants that have Thai dishes in the area and they don’t stand up to the consistency, flavor, and experience Nara has provided me many times. Now I want me some Red Cury and Basil fried rice!

Amazing quality for food with awesome flavor! The new owners have been doing a great job!

Amazing authentic food!
Linn the owner was an absolute pleasure to talk to about the food and her background for the inspiration of the dishes.
Staff 10/10
We tried the Drunken Noodles, Pad Thai Noodles, and Tom Yumm soup. All were perfect.

Very delicious. Papaya salad out of this world. Thank you❤️

Great food and excellent service!!! Top notch restaurant in Cedar Rapids for Thai cuisine.

Husband and I came in for lunch first time eating here. We didn't exactly know what to have on the menu and was recommended some of the noodle dishes. Ordered the Drunken noodles, and Lions City with chicken. The meals were absolutely delicious!!! We will definitely be coming back!

Nara has great food and service! We've been eating here for years and have been a couple of times since the new owner has been running things. She came out to greet us last month which was very kind of her. She was checking in with guests to make sure everything tasted good. Our fave dishes are the khao soi, racy pad thai, drunken noodles, and panang curry!

Quaint Tai restaurant with great service! The Pad Tai Chicken is excellent!

Visiting from out of town, and enjoyed one of the best Massaman Curries I’ve ever had. Will definitely be back!

Excellent chicken pad thai. We ordered to go and the food was still steaming hot when we got home.

Lively place and great food. The mango fried rice was delicious. Everyone I was with enjoyed their food

I lived in Thailand for 2 years. I've been looking for a place comparable to what I ate over there. This food is the best Thai food I've had in Iowa. The food was delicious. I would rate it more than 5 if I could. The service was great as well. The owner family came over and chatted with us.

Again the food was the best. If you are looking for great thai food look no farther.

Wonderful restaurant took the place of the old Thai place that may have been one of the best in country. Pay attention to the number of peppers on the menu. 2 is plenty. Can't wait to go back and try something else.

This was my first time trying Thai food and it was amazing. I have been back within the week and really enjoyed my 2nd visit also. I would recommend the Spring Rolls, Pork Shumai, Cashew Nut Stir Fry (my fav) and the Drunken Noodles. All dinners you can specify spice level (1-5), I personally am a wimp and selected 1.

Service is amazing!! Waiters are friendly!! The fried shumai is delicious with a great craving skill on cucumber!

I like the thai beef noodle the most

Personally NaRa is my favorite restaurant in Cedar Rapids/Marion. Great food, great atmosphere, great staff. I've eaten my way through the menu and haven't found a dish I don't like. These are dishes from my most recent visit (Pad Ped w/Duck and Steamed Dumpling Appetizer).

Under new ownership and I think that's a good thing. Food is still delicious and I think they add more protein ( chicken pork or tofu, or beef ) than before. No liquor license at this time. Coke products, a selection of hot teas and iced Thai tea ( my favorite)

Delicious food! I am a vegetarian and there were so many options for my diet. Plenty of options for spice tolerance. Definitely come try this place.

Long wait for lunch was worth it as the food was exceptional!

We got the Crab Rangoon dip, Drunken Noodles and Green Curry. All delicious! Green Curry definitely has a spicy kick! The owner found out it was our first time dining there, so she generously had the kitchen make mango sticky rice for us (on the house!) So yummy! We will definitely be back!

I am loving trying all the new menu items with the new owners. The food is delicious!

Incredible food, great atmosphere, very sweet and personable owner. My new favorite Thai place for sure

Excellent Thai. Everything was so flavorful!! NEW owner new Chef absolutely amazing!! Khao Soi and Pho was the best I've had. Hands down the best in the country. The mango rice was so fresh! Will be back again ❤️

Great waitress, spoke to the waiter for a few minutes as well and he was cool… but the food…omg, it’s out of this world amazing!!! Favorite Thai place around!!!

You got to go for the Khao Soi. Such a creamy and flavorful broth with countless textures in the dish, and just enough spice (I go for 4.0/5.0 spice). Shout out to their basil duck as well which I often go back to. My favorite Thai around and one of the best comfort dishes you could ask for!

We have lo ved this place but Friday night was poor
Noodles and chicken precooked and when stir-fried the dish was not thoroughly heated. Very disappointed in the former high quality of their food preparation.

Staff are super kind and the food super flavorful. Under new ownership, so they are getting their feet back under them, but the staples are all great. Bit of a reduced menu for now.

We're long time customers of both Nara and Lynn's Thai Street Food, so we were excited to try it after the handover. We went as a family and were satisfied with each dish. My favorite, Green Curry, was almost identical to the previous version. The Masaman curry was even better than I remember it, with the sauce being thicker and richer than I remember.
The servers were nice and knew us by name. Our food took a little while to come out, but I think that was mostly due to being busy and getting the staff in place and trained. We'll definitely continue be regulars of the new Nara!

Best Thai food around! 😋

I'll admit, the last few times we'd eaten at Nara Thai (before the reopening) the freshness & quality of the food seemed to be going downhill. We decided to give Nara another try when they reopened because we really do enjoy Thai food. We were pleasantly surprised by quality dishes with great flavors. Everything was fresh and hot & the staff members were super friendly. I look forward to dining with Nara again in the near future.

Long time Nara customer and I at there this week with the new owners and the food was fantastic! The green curry was perfect ❤️. They are working hard to find their groove and I look forward to see their menu expand with time.

I have enjoyed food at Nara for quite some time, and my experience with the new ownership is just as wonderful! I chose the Lion City and was not disappointed. Amazing flavors and great staff. I'm looking forward to coming back!

The best Thai food I have tested!

This is my wife's and I favorite Thai place in Cedar Rapids. The food has always been excellent and the servers are friendly and attentive.

I just carried out calamari & Thai Fried rice w chicken, heat level 3 out of 1-5, and 3 is melting my face off in a very good way. So good. this place is awesome, if you like a little or a lot of heat, they can accommodate. 3 is like an inferno for me, a very good one, wouldn't change it, ouch. I'll order 3 next time too. Ow. Yum!!!

My mother, son and I all had a very good experience. The staff was kind, and even friendly towards my son who is autistic and can be loud at times. The food was wonderful, my mother had the Pad Thai and I had the Racy Pad Thai with 2x Spice and it was delicious, we also ordered the crabrangoons as an appetizer. They were not your traditional crabrangoons, they were fried wonton chips with a crabrangoon carrot dip and they were to die for! Yummy yummy yummy, we will definitely be back! Thank you Nara’s for the delicious meal and wonderful service

Prices are good and the food was fast and spicy. I had the "Racy Pad Thai" house special and it was everything I wanted it to be. (Extra spicy and extra vegetables)

First time and I can say I'll definitely be back. Great food, appetizers and tasty Singha beer.

Amazing, will eat here frequently when we are in CR.

Great food and service, give it a try

The food is always fantastic, and the service is great.

This place has gone way downhill in the last year. Today both the red curry and yellow curry were extremely runny and seemed watered down and less flavorful than it normally is. Also they are now charging mandatory 15% gratuity for takeout. I won't be ordering from Nara again.

Told us 15 minutes. Showed up 15 minutes later and they hadn’t started the order yet. Apparently they put it in for an hour and 15 minutes. So we had to wait. And takeout orders are apparently 15% mandatory tip “for the wait staff.” Then the woman brought the order out front then walked back into the kitchen and came out with a plate of food and delivered it to a table. Another staff member showed up and bagged our food. No lime wedge with the Pad Thai either. And apparently three stars of spice is “3X very spicy.” Won’t be going back ever again, based solely on the 15% gratuity on takeout.

I have loved this restaurant. The food is great!

When they get the order right.... Either I'm missing half of my meal or it's bland, despite ordering my meal spicy (Level 3 or higher.)

Overall a very disappointing experience. The quality of service is going way down, way fast.

Please excuse the photo quality and presentation, we were too excited to wait!

Nara Tai is an absolute must-visit for anyone looking for delicious, authentic Thai food in Cedar Rapids. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm hospitality from our server Holden. He was such a kind and courteous individual, and he paid attention to every detail to ensure that our dining experience was nothing short of perfect. The kids in our party absolutely loved him, and he went out of his way to make sure they were having a great time.

The food at Nara Tai was absolutely incredible. We had the Green Curry, Pad Kee Mao, and Racey Rice and every dish was cooked to perfection. The flavors were bold and authentic, and it was clear that the chefs take great pride in their craft. The Green Curry was rich and creamy, with just the right amount of heat. The Pad Kee Mao was loaded with fresh, flavorful veggies and had the perfect level of spice. And the Racey Rice was a true standout - it was so fluffy and flavorful, we couldn't stop raving about it.

One of the things that made our dining experience at Nara Tai even more special was the visit from the owner. She took the time to check in with us and tell us a bit about her story and how she came to open the restaurant. It was so inspiring to hear about her passion for Thai food and her dedication to bringing authentic flavors to Cedar Rapids. She's a truly wonderful lady and it's clear that her passion for her craft shines through in everything she does.

All in all, we had an absolutely fantastic experience at Nara Tai. The food was delicious, the service was top-notch, and the owner was a pleasure to meet. We will definitely be back and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a fantastic Thai food experience. Nara Tai is a true gem in Cedar Rapids and we're so happy to support such a great establishment.

The food was meh at best. They were insanely packed, so maybe we just hit them on an off night? We ordered the coconut shrimp, egg roles, basil stir fry and Pad Kee Mao. Tasted a bit burnt or overly spicy where nothing really had much taste.

Really good Thai food here

Always excellent food and great, great service!

Great food, I really liked their pineapple fried rice.

Had really amazing food and specials there with my family! Great service, to boot. Highly recommended!

Yum. Yum. And more yum. Highly recommend.

Excellent food! We tried the Basil Duck & Tofu stir fry, both were full of flavor and very well done 🙌

So much flavor and great prices. If you like spicy, they can deliver there too!

Food is great! But wasn’t happy to see 15% gratuity added for take out as required! When asked they said its for packaging. Transparency would have been better. I would have tipped better if it was done fairly.

Excellent Thai & Thai street food! Extensive menu with ability to choose spiciness level for each dish. Vegan and gluten-free options available.

Best Thai food around. Love this place.

Our favorite place to get Thai food. The spicy Garlic Basil stir fry is my go-to and my husband loves the basil duck. The crispy spinach that comes with it is AMAZING. I wish I could learn to cook this at home. Would probably end up being all we ate! 😆

Tried this for the first time. Way too many great sounding options. Very helpful and informative staff. Food was delicious!!

We love this place! Best Thai in Cedar Rapids! Thank you for making the “Queen of Spice” happy.

I started eating at NaRa when they first opened. The meals are so yummy! If you like noodles, their noodle menu is 10/10!!! Their wok wok menu has a variety of flavors for all different people. Their apps are nom nom nom. Favs from the menu: Racy Pad Thai, Pad Kee Mao, Kuea Kai, Pineapple Fried Rice, Basil wok, Ginger wok, tamarind chicken, and khao soi. Favorite apps: shrimp in a blanket, coconut shrimp, crab rangoons, egg rolls, and fresh rolls. Honorable mentions: cashew nut wok, lek hang, and basil fried rice. Very tasty food, the servers are nice, and the owners are amazing!!

Supreme service.
Staff knowledgeable & extremely helpful.
Food about as close to authentic as you can get!!!👍👍👍

Not s bad restaurant

Awesome restaurant!! Top tier service and the food was excellent very flavorful and you can add the spice level you want.

Went to pick up a large carry out order. The order was not quite ready upon arrival. Owner asked if I would like a complimentary soft drink while I waited. He kept me informed about the progress of the order while I waited…even gave us an extra container of rice! Even though it was raining and dark outside he helped me carry the the bags to my car!! What great service!!

All six of us enjoyed the different meals we had ordered and the deserts were delicious. (You need to try the fried bananas.)😀

My first experience with a restaurant generally determines if we go back or not...especially if it is ethnic food. We will definitely will be back to NaRa Thai in the future!!

Use to be my favorite place for crabragoons but now they're deconstructed and lame. Also about 3$ more expensive for less. Sever was uncaring and inattentive won't be back there. There is definitely better place to get thai food in the area.

Food is amazing. Pick a spice level 3 if you want to clear up your sinuses without being overwhelmed. Pad Thai is delicious! I shy away from the curry only because I prefer different vegetable options and more variety. Also, a lot of my friends really enjoy the wok wok cashew chicken. Last time I ate here the crab rangoons were deconstructed and that was kind of cool (fried wonton pieces with crab Rangoon dip and sweet/sour sauce)

Very good food.

Yum! They had a good options and allowed for a nice variation of spice level- good food. Server was helpful. First time trying mango sticky rice and it was really good!

The food was amazing. I ate into and finished it before I could take a picture. Can't wait to come back!

This was the first time trying nara, I ordered a dish, took one bite, didn't care for the flavor, and sent it back. I was told since I tasted it I had to pay for it. very rude, I then ordered something else, by this time my husband was finished with his meal. so, I asked them to cancel my order. then the owner came out and yelled at me for making her cook a dish, I explained it to her then she continued to berate me that this food is not for me. then her husband comes to the table, just as rude. we paid for all the food over $60, I would not recommend this place to anyone. I've never experienced such unprofessional, rude service . I have many family members in the food service, and restaurants owner's, so I do know restaurant etiquette. unfortunately Nara owner's do not. I felt sorry for their servers, who tried to apologize for the poor service.

Great food, great service. The drunken noodles was really good.

Great food and great service! This was my first experience eating Thai and I can't wait to do it again. We were there with another couple and everyone at the table enjoyed their food and each of us had a different spice level. I like spicy food, but I had heard that Thai was very spicy so I played it safe and went for a 3. The food was very good and certainly not bland, but I think next time I will have them kick it up a notch! Those reviewers claiming blandness may want to follow my lead...

We love Nara, but just about every other order they forget to include something. Ordered 2 extra sides of rice and received neither. Would be good to remind staff to double check the bag!

Nothing too special about this place. The flavors are there in a Thai cuisine. Food options were ok. ambience of the place was good. Service and food delivery was also very quick.

This was my 1st time here only to experience young kids without manners!!! The place closed at 8pm but I did NOT know that. I arrived at 7:00 only to be RUSHED TWICE about paying my bill and I still had a whole plate of food in front of me. I was offended and will not be going back!!!!!

Honestly one of my favorite local restaurants. Just a warning; the food may look a little pricy (9-15 dollars per dish) but there's a lot of food. I haven't been able to finish a meal yet. Also highly recommend their Thai iced tea and coffee. I enjoy going for lunch especially, but going for dinner isn't bad either.

Best Thai food ever!!

Five people,five different meals,everything delicious. Staff very friendly and efficient.

Understaffed. Waitress was struggling. Food was good.