Had a great experience! The service was incredibly friendly making us feel right at home. They explained that there were only 2 of them working the floor and let us know the wait might be a little longer than normal. The food was absolutely delicious—each dish was flavorful and perfectly cooked. Highly recommend - can’t wait to come back!

Trendy Thai restaurant in downtown Columbia. Our server was new, but wonderful, going above what was expected. The salad was on point, spring roll filling had amazing flavor. The PadThai, usually a favorite dish to order, was a little too sweet for my taste. The server said it is house made, and conveniently was ‘fixed’ with a drizzle of fish sauce and lime dressing from the salad). Drunken Noodle was reported to be good, but should have designated heat level upon ordering.

Overall it was great food and nice atmosphere. The shrimp shumai and spring rolls appetizers were delicious and the shumai were unexpectedly covered in a lot of really great sauces. We also had the drunken noodles with tofu which was good but a little too oily for my taste. I’d go back again for sure but maybe try another main.

Went here Saturday for lunch. Attentive waitress and yummy drinks. Our food was fantastic. If you like brussel sprouts, you have to try theirs!! Our main course was the crab for rice and vegetable medley with shrimp. Both are really good.

Great date spot. We went for lunch, but it’s probably a better dinner place. The food was spectacular. The shrimp shumai was delicious steamed.
I got the drunken noodles, they had a nice spice and an even better sweetness.
My husband got the crab fried rice, which he loved, especially the sauce it came with. Both plates were very large portions.
They have really comfy seating inside and also dining outside.

New staff, new experience!

I hadn't been here in a few months, but decided to stop in for dinner and wow! I was blown away by how amazing the food was and how nice it was to eat there.

I had the Roti and Curry appetizer and the Thai Fried Rice and it was so delicious. I can't recommend Kao enough. Run don't walk!

The gyoza & papaya appetizers were great. Our main dishes lacked any flavor. The server got my order wrong (I hate when they don’t write things down). I had to wait awhile for them to remake my meal. The correct meal came out and it was super spicy. We mentioned our issue to the server but no discount was offered, I hate when I have to ask. The pic is the amount of food I left behind for reference - almost the whole meal. Probably a good place for drinks & apps - the place is a vibe. But I won’t be back, there’s better options in the area.

I recently picked up a to-go order from Kao, and the hostess, Supriyah, provided exceptional service from start to finish. She greeted me with a warm smile and made sure my order was correct and ready on time. Not only was she incredibly friendly, but she also went above and beyond to ensure I had everything I needed—utensils, napkins, sauces, and even great recommendations for next time!

Her professionalism and kindness made the experience seamless and enjoyable. Even though I wasn’t dining in, she made me feel like a valued guest. I truly appreciate her help and will definitely be back. Highly recommend this place not just for the amazing Thai food, but also for the outstanding service!

Amazing thai food! Great atmosphere and our waiter Gavin was wonderful! I will definitely be back!!!

Wonderful flavors and experience. I will definitely come back!

I recently picked up a to-go order from Kao, and the hostess, Supriyah, provided exceptional service from start to finish. She greeted me with a warm smile and made sure my order was correct and ready on time. Not only was she incredibly friendly, but she also went above and beyond to ensure I had everything I needed—utensils, napkins, sauces, and even great recommendations for next time!

Her professionalism and kindness made the experience seamless and enjoyable. Even though I wasn’t dining in, she made me feel like a valued guest. I truly appreciate her help and will definitely be back. Highly recommend this place not just for the amazing Thai food, but also for the outstanding service!

The food was excellent. The drinks were amazing. Our server Gavin was attentive and gave great recommendations for the Roti.Kai Thai does not disappoint.

Nice and cute spot I got the KAO fried chicken it wasn’t what I was expecting for fried chicken and my husband had the Angel hair noodles with a curry flavor those noodles were absolutely delicious!

Had a great experience! The service was incredibly friendly making us feel right at home. They explained that there were only 2 of them working the floor and let us know the wait might be a little longer than normal. The food was absolutely delicious—each dish was flavorful and perfectly cooked. Highly recommend - can’t wait to come back!

Food was great as well as the drinks. Drinks didn’t make it long enough for the photo shoot lol

Overall it was great food and nice atmosphere. The shrimp shumai and spring rolls appetizers were delicious and the shumai were unexpectedly covered in a lot of really great sauces. We also had the drunken noodles with tofu which was good but a little too oily for my taste. I’d go back again for sure but maybe try another main.

Went here Saturday for lunch. Attentive waitress and yummy drinks. Our food was fantastic. If you like brussel sprouts, you have to try theirs!! Our main course was the crab for rice and vegetable medley with shrimp. Both are really good.

I believe it’s my civic duty to let everyone know that this is one of the worst, if not the worst, Thai food I’ve ever had. Anyone rating this more than 1 star either has their taste buds singed and has no standard for restaurants.
I got the fried chicken and the drunken noodles.
Fried chicken was not in fact fried, more like boiled. It tasted like some poorly seasoned boiled white meat chicken that’s so dry, I couldn’t even chew it. The sauce was like this weird watery sour sauce. Best thing on that plate was the raw onion that has not been touched. 0/10 don’t recommend.
Drunken noodle was very disappointing. Beef was so chewy that I had to spit out every piece. It was weirdly all lumped together like it came out of a can boiled. Sauce was horrible, no Thai basil, everything was just not right. 0/10
The worst part of all was the price. Each dish costing 17-27 dollars. I completely wasted my money and wish I never went.
Everyone please learn from my mistake and not go.

food is good, service is good, overpriced but and not as authentic as it could be. but still
a good place

Excellent and delicious meal all the way through. The Thai-Southern combo of shrimp and grits was so incredible I cannot wait to go back. I've eaten here 4 other times so far and it's terrific every time.

This place is always so delish! The Thai tea martini was amazing, the corn ribs are so good and the fact that they have green papaya salad always makes me happy.

Trendy Thai restaurant in downtown Columbia. Our server was new, but wonderful, going above what was expected. The salad was on point, spring roll filling had amazing flavor. The PadThai, usually a favorite dish to order, was a little too sweet for my taste. The server said it is house made, and conveniently was ‘fixed’ with a drizzle of fish sauce and lime dressing from the salad). Drunken Noodle was reported to be good, but should have designated heat level upon ordering.

We have tried a lot of Thai places in the area and were pretty disappointed with Kao. The prices are definitely high compared to similar restaurants and we weren't impressed by the portions. The food was fine but pretty bland - we could honestly make better food at home! I'd recommend checking out other Thai restaurants before coming here.

The best!! Great atmosphere. Brilliant food selections.

We were here during SC Pride. It was delicious! A little loud since we were near the main stage, but that won't be the case any other time.

The food didn't taste like authentic Thai. My order of Drunken was semi cooked. I choked when eating.

This place was amazing!!

Food was excellent. Loved the small plates. The brussel sprouts are a must! The pad thai and koa fried chicken were also excellent. The tables were a little cramped and close together, but otherwise good atmosphere.

I was really disappointed with my dish during our visit yesterday. While the appetizer, main course, and dessert from my husband’s meal were good, my cashew chicken with plum sauce was awful. The broccoli was undercooked and hard, the chicken was overcooked and dry, and the entire dish had a burnt, ashy taste—nothing like a BBQ or smoky flavor, just like eating ashes. I told the waitress right away, and although she apologized, she didn’t offer a replacement, refund, or anything to make up for it. Instead, she suggested I try my husband’s dessert, which wasn’t helpful at all. In the end, I was charged the full $20 for a dish I couldn’t eat, with most of it left on the plate. When she brought the check, she just said, “Sorry the food wasn’t for you,” which felt very unprofessional.

Chicken in my curry was kind of dry. Rice was okay, could be stickier. They don't do spice levels... I guess we are used to something much different/better. We won't be back, but obviously some people like it.

The menu options were great to start however things go down hill from here. Certain menu items truly missed the mark. The Roti & Curry appetizer is an unnecessary item as the curry sauce (no meat no vegetables) was at the bottom of a bowl served with GREASY, GUMMY, BURNED, bread that was supposed to be Roti tasted like dirty and burned oil. They should have left that item OFF the menu. Speaking of grease ...how do I know it was dirty and burned? Because I tasted that dirty oil in the wings, spring rolls, Pad Thai and Fried rice. NO EXCUSES, THE OIL WAS DIRTY! IF it wasn't then that means the dishes you cooked food in were dirty because I could taste it in every dish brought to me. I was expecting more of a Thai atmosphere but it was kinda off partly because the genre of music didn't match the tone of the restaurant and appeared to pander to one demographic of people unrelated to Thai culture. Don't lose hope, my experience wasn't all bad. The service was excellent and the drinks and dessert was good. Wish my first experience would have been more authentic.

Great place, great food. Come by to Carlos at the bar!

Delicious Thai food. Really recommend the Street Style Corn Ribs, so yummy!

The gyoza & papaya appetizers were great. Our main dishes lacked any flavor. The server got my order wrong (I hate when they don’t write things down). I had to wait awhile for them to remake my meal. The correct meal came out and it was super spicy. We mentioned our issue to the server but no discount was offered, I hate when I have to ask. The pic is the amount of food I left behind for reference - almost the whole meal. Probably a good place for drinks & apps - the place is a vibe. But I won’t be back, there’s better options in the area.

I've enjoyed dining here in the past. Tonight (9/6/24 @7:45): My partners pad Thai tasted like it was cooked in burnt oil or pan. The broccoli in my dish was bland and undercooked. Rather slow night, on our way out decided to ask manager if he was informed and why he didn't feel he needed to touch base. He became confrontational while also stating "I had confidence the server could handle it". He made sure to tell us he removed the pad Thai from our meal. We felt our business was not appreciated and his approach was not professional. I believe a manager should support their servers and ensure diners experience is positive. A simple visit to our table could have turned our experience around. Poor interpersonal and leadership skills were apparent while speaking with the manager.

*Side order of broccoli was provided however still undercooked and unseasoned.

I expect better portions on takeout at this price point.

The entire experience was absolutely fantastic. Food was fresh and delicious. We had someone with a garlic allergy and the kitchen staff was willing to be VERY accommodating, which is so appreciated. Staff is kind and knowledgeable, and very friendly!

We stopped in for lunch. We were impressed by the level of elegance displayed. The food was authentic and delicious.

This is definitely my favorite restaurant in Columbia. Literally everything is so good. Service is great. The manager Matt is so friendly. 10/10

We have been here 2x now, and both times were outstanding! This is now a must each time I visit my daughter at USC!

I have been to Kao Thai many times, and I wouldn’t have come back if it wasn’t great, but yesterday’s visit was phenomenal! We had Pork Gyoza as an appetizer, I ordered Classic Thai Fried Rice as my entree, and my husband got Kai Fried Chicken—all were great. The cherry on top was our charming waiter, Gavin.

Great food and service! Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable. Everything we ordered was delicious. We will definitely be returning!

Best Thai food in the city (ive tried em all). I’ve had 8-9 different entree items by now and every single item was 5/5. It’s honestly not very expensive either considering the quality.

Edit: Prices went up A LOT. About $5-6 increase per entree. Hope my review didn’t contribute to this…

I will say that I dislike the new location. It’s on Main St, so parking is a huge pain. It’s also tiny and cramped with a lot of shared booths. You’ll probably always need a reservation for this reason. Between the parking and lack of space, we’ve opted to not go a few times recently.

i went there for the first time and gavin was so nice and the best server ever and georgia was also super sweet as well! food was delish

Thought we would try a different Thai place for dinner. Food was very tasty, however paying $8.00 for soup. You would think you would at least get half of the container that they put the soup in. Hell they didn't even fill it up half way. Note to self never order soup to go from here again.

Great date spot. We went for lunch, but it’s probably a better dinner place. The food was spectacular. The shrimp shumai was delicious steamed.
I got the drunken noodles, they had a nice spice and an even better sweetness.
My husband got the crab fried rice, which he loved, especially the sauce it came with. Both plates were very large portions.
They have really comfy seating inside and also dining outside.

Absolutely beautiful restaurant and delicious food. Service was amazing, our server was Gavin and he was wonderful!

Overpriced and underportioned. I asked the waitress how many wings come l with an appetizer ($10) and she said (5) wings. I asked how much came with KFC ($20) and she said a lot more, that it was akin to a dinner portion (we came for lunch), so one would assume more than (5) pieces. Lo and behold the KFC was only (5) pieces of boneless chicken bites. When I showed her pictures of other reviews that had almost a full plate of chicken (10+) pieces. I was told if you want more you'll have to pay for more. $20+ for 5 boneless chicken bites, plain white rice, and steamed veggies? Honestly not worth it. Fantastic staff, great location, but the price killed it for us.

Everything was phenomenal! I will definitely be back. The roti and curry and drunken noodles were my favorite. They also had a really nice selection of cocktails and mocktails. Excellent service, too. The resturant is small so if you need a mobility device, it may be more challenging to navigate inside.

This place is located in the cute downtown main street area of Columbia. Street parking is generally available within two blocks. It appears to be handicap accessible.

I've eaten here a few times at the bar solo. The bartender was friendly and service was good each time. The host is service oriented. The specialty drinks are stellar and they deserve a visit here by themselves. The prices are reasonable for food and average for cocktails.

The food is great for this type of small town, but it is american-thai and not authentic as in big cities. The pork belly dishes are wonderful. The Tom Kha left some to be desired, but was still okay. The duck curry is great as well, so long as the duck isn't dry. Could be hit or miss. Some Thai places intentionally provide crispy duck for their curry while others are soft and tender. Depends on your expectations.

I love that it's an inclusive and diverse staff that work here. The hours are odd. They're closed for Sunday funday and also from 2pm to 5pm daily (no late lunches, I guess).

Overall, one of the best places in the city core for thai. Worth checking out for the staff, drinks, and dishes.

6/14/24 Returned to Kai Thai Restaurant and brought a friend along. They tried the Pad Thai but weren’t a big fan of the special sauce. We shared our concern with the manager, who immediately offered to make something else. My friend tried the Pad Woon Sen with glass noodles, which was very good and delivered to the table quickly. It’s probably my new favorite dish now. Highly recommend Kai Thai for a nice dinner. I really appreciated the management and our waitress for their prompt attention to our concerns. Great customer service and delicious food! **
Kao Thai Cuisine never fails to impress, and our recent visit was no exception! The Pineapple Fried Rice was a standout dish, beautifully presented and bursting with a perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors. The combination of pineapple chunks, aromatic spices, and expertly cooked rice created a dish that was both satisfying and unique. Equally delightful was the Lychee Duck Curry – a true testament to Kao Thai Cuisine's culinary expertise. The tender duck, bathed in a rich lychee-infused curry sauce, was a symphony of flavors that left us craving more. The balance of heat and sweetness was spot-on, making it a memorable dish.

Our server, Riley, was a gem yet again! Her attentiveness and warm demeanor added to the overall positive experience. Riley went above and beyond, offering excellent meal recommendations and ensuring our dining experience was nothing short of exceptional.

Kao Thai Cuisine continues to be our go-to for delicious Thai food, and it's easy to see why. From the delightful ambiance to the impeccable service and, of course, the mouthwatering dishes, this restaurant consistently exceeds expectations. A big shoutout to Riley for making our evening even more enjoyable. We'll be back for more culinary adventures at Kao Thai Cuisine!

Ridiculously overpriced mediocre food. Don’t waste your time or money on this restaurant.

Update: My friend and I stopped by to give this place a second chance because she likes the place. but I still cannot give it anything above 1 stars. She agreed the place was extremely different from when she went there a few months ago. They even tried to offer a free appetizer to us for a good review. I don’t think so… you have to earn a good review. I think they’re trying to cover something up. Makes sense because the place is not good. Once again don’t waste your time or money here.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! I love the food, the service, the atmosphere and even the bathroom (it is beautifully decorated with awesome soap). My fave appetizer is the Street Style Corn Ribs- yum!! This place is beautiful and the food is addictive. I will be back many times!!! You should try it!!

My favorite dumplings!
Great menu!

Un lugar para prepararse tu carne a tu gusto riquísimo

Great restaurant (even for vegetarians, I'm a vegetarian). The roti and curry was just... amazing...
The roti was really well made and crunchy and the curry was great too.
I ordered the pad woon sen noodles and those were great too - a bit low on the spice but I still loved it. The tofu was really well made too.
I also had a taste of the pineapple fried rice from the people who came with me and it's some of the best fried rice I've had in a while.
Absolutely recommend this. The staff were great too.

Great chef and friendly staff

New staff, new experience!

I hadn't been here in a few months, but decided to stop in for dinner and wow! I was blown away by how amazing the food was and how nice it was to eat there.

I had the Roti and Curry appetizer and the Thai Fried Rice and it was so delicious. I can't recommend Kao enough. Run don't walk!

It’s a must for Thai lovers!!! I am vegetarian and I can say this place is good for vegetarians… they have upgraded options for vegetarian meals than their previous location.

I’ve been to Kao numbers times over the years, and would have recommended it to anyone. Unfortunately, they have seemed to change for the worst since the last time I was there. I was extremely disappointed with how lacking the service was during my visit last night. My friend and I were seated for at least 20 minutes without anyone coming to our table to even take a drink order. There was no attempt to make it right other than a quick apology by the server when we finally got one. I’m not sure if maybe management has changed but it is definitely noticeable, and not in a good way.

My roommates and I love to order takeout from Kao Thai and are typically always impressed, but yesterday we ordered the same as usual and were disappointed. The sauce tasted different than normal and almost had a burnt taste to it, and there was no spice on the side like there normally is. Hoping that this was a one time fluke because we love this place and want to keep ordering from here.

We recently had the unfortunate experience of dining at Kao Cuisine , and we must say, it fell far short of expectations. From the moment we walked in, the ambiance was lackluster, with dim lighting that bordered on gloomy rather than inviting. Unfortunately, the taste did not make up for the lackluster presentation. The flavors were bland and uninspired, as if the chef had simply gone through the motions without putting any real effort or creativity into the dishes. To add insult to injury, the prices were exorbitant for the quality of food and service provided. It felt like a complete rip-off considering what we received in return. Overall, our experience was highly disappointing. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. Save your money and find a restaurant that truly values its customers and takes pride in its food and service.

Great location and atmosphere. The food was just okay. I am a huge fan of Thai food as I love the big flavor and heat. Just way too safe for my taste buds. I asked for my Pad Thai to be made extra spicy and it tasted just like another person in our party that got Pad Thai that did not ask for extra spicy. The server forgot our appetizer order and checked in twice during the meal. They were packed so they are doing something right! My guess is the normal clientele doesn't want the heat and spice profile I'm looking for.

Used to be a great place, then they fired everyone…. Food sucks now

I am extremely grateful for the vegan options at Kao Thai Cuisine. I ordered veggie spring rolls, roti and curry, and drunken noodles. The food was good, but what stood out the most to me was the roti and curry. The texture of the roti and the flavor of the curry combined sent my taste buds on a wild, but pleasant roller coaster ride. I'll be back to try the brussel sprouts since they are only available at dinner.

Not the best Thai food Ive had .. the service was very weak and not welcoming and the food didn’t taste good but the atmosphere is really cool.

Enjoyed this Thai restaurant in the heart of downtown Columbia. Nice flavor and fast service. Fun Thai coffee martini.

While the food was good…the service and management leaves much to be desired. The server wasn’t very friendly but she did her job. But she isn’t the focus of my displeasure…the manager walked past our table at least three times…I stopped him on the 4th time past us and asked if he was going to greet his customers…mind you there were only about 10 people in the whole establishment …I advised him that he should not take his customers for granted and he gave me a half hearted how are you and how is the food…he could’ve kept that…then the owner came out to see who I was and gave a mumbled hey…the food wasn’t bad but I would like for them to have more personality when it comes to the people patronizing their establishment.

It was ok

First time trying Kao Thai. It on a nice spot on Main St. We had dinner on a Monday. It wasn’t that busy and we had the option to sit on either the patio or indoors. We chose the patio since it was a nice day. Our waitress was so sweet and consistent, she kept us in the loop about everything going on like happy hour and the prices during it. We tried the Bangkok Shrimp and Pork Gyoza as our appetizers. They tasted so spot on and delicious. Then right after we finished with our appetizers, our meals came out right in time. I got the Pad Kapow and my boyfriend got the Pork Belly Ba Mee. The Pad Kapow was very good, it has marinate chicken with bell peppers and some other vegetables. It not spicy, instead its very sweet and savory. The Pork Belly Ba Mee has very thinly sliced marinate sweet pork belly, with savory sweet noodles along with the topping of a kick of spicy chili. I very much recommend this place if your looking for trying something new and interesting along with trying something sweet & spicy. 🌶️ 🍜🥟

Family really like the chicken options, including the Cashew Chicken with a really nice plum sauce, and the KaoFC with its terrific crunch and great flavor. I like the Pad Thai and their curry is good, though my wife prefers the curry of other nearby restaurants better. Thai tea is good, too. Very responsive and courteous staff, comfortable booths, and easy garage parking across the street if you can't snag one out front.

such a nice addition to the columbia dining scene. perfect service. perfect food. loved everything about the place. don’t skip the cocktails. expertly made! thank you!

First time eating there. Great food. Great service. I'm sure the reason for both is because the place is relatively small. I don't think the kitchen or staff ever got "in the weeds." If you have a large party, definitely make reservations.

As a person who lives in Thailand, I know I can't expect authentic Thai here in Columbia, but I decided to try here because it came recommended. However, my fears came true as this food is...uh...strange. Their Tom Kha Gai was pretty good, but their lunch special felt like a combination of leftovers. And I don't know how you can be a Thai restaurant and not have chili flakes (that's the same as no salt in an American restaurant).

I'll probably give them one more try and keep to the menu, but thus far, not recommended.

Best Thai food in Columbia hands down. The shumai is amazing along with the drunken noodles. Highly recommend.

Stumbled on this place and dug the food. Ate too much

So I have been there twice, both during the week at the bar. The first experience made me want to come back. Hunter was attentive, the food was delicious and folks seemed to be interested in a good experience.
I went back and got Dylan; she was aloof, seemed more interested in certain folks and when they would see her again and when I responded that my food was overcooked, she was indifferent and didn't even apologize. While I do need to eat while traveling but what I eat is important so if folks don't really care about my experience or me spending money there, I can go somewhere else.

Char- siu has only a few small pieces, tiny as quarter dollar coin, no kidding, even less than half ounce. The duck leg served whole but how can I cut it in a freaking deep bowl and rice in a tiny plate where I can’t scoop it. Told the waiter but they didn’t do anything, said it’s been complained a few times.

Would have been nice if we could have been served less than 30% capacity after standing at front for five minutes with multiple employees walking by without acknowledging us I decided to continue trying to give them a chance however when the next couple was immediately seated and given water and we had been sitting at the table for another 5 minutes plus with no additional acknowledgment or water we had to leave 0 for service wouldn’t bother to try again

My wife and I LOVE Kao Thai! Authentic tasting food with great service, great cocktails, and a great atmosphere. This is our go-to place for our anniversary, valentines, and special date nights. Highly recommend.

delicious food and a fun vibe. looking forward to coming back.

The food is amazing and always fresh

Wonderful Thai food I just recommend eating here. Several times with have had long wait times even after preordering to go food.

Delicious pad thai, roti duck rolls and chocolate lava cake and thai tea martini. There was no wait for a late Saturday afternoon lunch and server was friendly.

We loved KAO at the old location, great food, service and space. We were excited to try the new spot but were disappointed in all aspects. Food was just ok, especially with the fact that we were offered additional roti and then charged extra for it when the bill came. Similarly with the rice options that come with entrees, plan to pay extra for fried rice. They might not tell you, but it will be there. That goes right into the service issue, we waited 20 minutes to be spoken to once seated, then another 15 minutes for any type of beverage. Appetizer took 30 minutes, finally came out when our dinner was served. Random service issues arose all around us throughout our dining, so it wasn't just us. The space is loud and cramped.

Lovely little place that has top shelf liquors if you’re into that, if not stay for the food it was amazing!
I ordered the cashew chicken which was a great choice the chicken was seasoned and sauced to perfection as an appetizer we ordered Brussels sprouts and they were amazing as well I would recommend this restaurant 10/10 will definitely return when I’m in town

So this is going to be an honest review. Food was delicious. Different options, and with that being said: it's called for the servers to try and give you somewhat of a Thai Cuisine experience by opening up the menu/personality and allowing you to feel a little more comfortable with the selections of the food and the world of Thai. Giving you the experience that you're looking for in a cultural Style restaurant. The place itself is cool but there's no personality. Everyone is just there working to make a dollar and go home at the end of the night. When coming to restaurants like this, customers would like to enjoy the vibe and feel like there actually in a whole nother place. The staff needs to work on their personality and management needs to implement making this a high rated experience for customers(who never had Thai) This is something new to the city and people would like to feel like they came to a place that they could never forget. Don't just come to work, clock in, serve people and go home. It goes a very very long way. With that being said I would definitely come back and try the food again in hopes of a much better (cultural, cuisine) experience at this newly established restaurant in the heart of columbia.

Waitress vaped inside the restaurant. The food was good though.

Love the KFC, only available for dinner

Best Thai food around

No crowd cause it was game night. My mom had pad Thai and I had the street noodles. Definitely recommend.

A friend of our wanted to try this place out for her birthday, I must say the appetizers were delightful. The food was ok, a little bland. If you're looking for good flavored food, this is not the place, duh it's Thai food🤷🏽‍♀️
The drinks were ok. 🍸
The staff was nice though.

We loved the Intimate vibe of the place. It was very quiet, even though there were many guests. It felt cozy, the food was delicious and the servers were very friendly.

A great addition to the main st restaurant scene. We were lucky enough to grab a few seats at the bar and we received excellent service. The atmosphere was cool, the food was good, and the bartenders were very nice. What else could you ask for?

I absolutely love the new location on Main Street. The ambiance is excellent for the new location. The GM Bailey is absolutely amazing and her staff is excellent. I love the shrimp Shumai and thanks to one of the suggestions from ally server, I ordered the appetizer and received half friend and half steamed to truly enjoy the best of both worlds. I ordered one of the delicious mock tails and added Tito’s to it and it was fabulously refreshing. I love that I don’t have to box Kao Thai into a restaurant where I always get the same thing, the menu is extensive enough with great diverse flavors that I can’t help but want to try every dish.

Our favorite Thai restaurant but a major disappointment today. First time dining in their new location, which is nice. We arrived at 4:26, with a 4.30 reservation. The door was open so we stepped inside, only to be greeted by a snarky bartender who rudely said, “We don’t open until 4:30, you need to wait outside.” So we stepped back out into the sidewalk and waited a whole two minutes before a girl turned on the “Open” sign and welcomed us in. The bartender needs some basic customer service training. I don’t mind being told a restaurant isn’t open yet, but do it with a smile and pleasant attitude. Not a difficult concept.
On the plus side, the appetizers were delicious.
Also, our waitress was excellent.
The Pad Thai was so-so. The KFC Chicken was overcooked, dry, chewy, inedible so I sent it back.
We know from past experience they are capable of much better and we hope tonight was a one-off.

Great food!

Closed for lunch when Google says they're open. I found this out when I arrived for lunch and the door was locked.
Edit: I was at the main Street location at approximately 1:00 p.m. and the door was locked

Google listing shows that they are open. It is 1:30 on a Wednesday afternoon and nobody is answering the phone and the door is locked.

I leave 4 starts because the food is delicious. But not as family oriented if you have children under 2. As there are no changing stations so I had to leave and change my baby in the car which I was not too pleased with. Nonetheless the service was nice and the food was hot and tasty.

Love this place! Went for drinks after work and the atmosphere is great. Its interesting without being pretentious. Our server Dillon was great! She was pretty busy but still checked on us regularly.

Nice quiet spot with amazing food and drinks. The staff took care of us. We will be going back.

I have been to thailand so I have high expectations, I definitely recommend trying this place out. I would say it has a menu to cater to american taste, there are like japanese and chinese dishes on the menu. I’m not gonna say it’s authentic necessarily, however definitely like to support the place has been really popular since the new location opened. Staff is really great, no complaints

Kao Thai is our FAVORITE place to eat in Columbia. The food is incredible, the vibes are immaculate, and the service is always above and beyond. Every person we have ever had has been so polite and attentive and it’s usually the same people (which is always a good sign). The food is consistently amazing and there are a ton of vegan options which we really appreciate since Columbia does not have too many. 10/10 recommend.

Good Food, bartender was super nice and friendly. Waitresses were somewhat not vibing. You would feel it’s a different atmosphere if you’re not white, just personal opinion.
I had this thought in mind before I even went to the restaurant, nice Asian people friendly greeting you, but when I arrived. I only saw a bunch of white people. It’s save to assume, the owner was probably white too.

In any case, the food isn’t bad overall. I had a good in either case.

10/10 highly recommend 🤤

Great service and friendly place to stop on a bike ride. Amazing food! I’ll be back!

Love the quiet and funky atmosphere of this spot! The drinks are great. Most have an Asian inspired unique take on classic cocktails. I could make a meal off of just their appetizers, but then I wouldn't have room for their curry or noodle dishes that I also love.

I use to love this place and went a lot/every opportunity and would tell my friends about it all the time and even brought some as well, the prices were high but mostly worth it but since they’ve gotten even higher it’s not worth it at all anymore. I was fine with the change at first due to what I believed was them moving to Main street, assuming it was to help with the move, but when location never changed, it just felt like stealing. Proportions didn’t change so couldn’t find much else reason why when prices were already exorbitant.

I hate to do this but I have to warn others. We had a great dinner, service was great, food was tasty and place looked clean. Unfortunately, both my son and I got severe food poisoning. We were super sick for gwo days. We ordered a beef curry. The other two people were fine.

This was our first time here and it was delicious. We had the spicy wings and Pad Thai. A must go to place.

Close to campus & the CLA. Very nice vibe, the staff are kind & patient, & the food has plenty of flavor! I’ll be visiting more throughout the semester 😋

Service was good, brussel sprouts were delicious, but unfortunately the pad thai is horrible. Got pad thai with chicken and without the shrimp. I LOVE pad thai and I was excited to try this place, but my dish smelled so bad I could barely eat it. I know that pad thai never smells as good as it tastes but this was unbearable. I lost my appetite as soon as it came to the table. The only way I could eat any was by holding my breath until I got it in my mouth. It didn’t even taste bad, just a tad vinegary, but it smelled like a wet dog and it was a challenge to eat it. I think maybe they overdid it on the fish sauce, so if that’s your thing i’d say go for it. But at $18 an entree it was way way way too funky for me. If you come for other things I think you would have a nice time but I just feel the need to warn anyone wondering about the pad thai that it’s a harrowing experience to try and enjoy the taste of something that’s making you gag on the smell.

Also just as a personal pet peeve I ordered extra peanuts and didn’t get any, although I am glad as it would have been a waste anyways.

I ordered the classic Pad Thai.
It comes with chicken and shrimp and I counted 2 little pieces of chicken and 3 shrimp. It was such a little portion it felt like I got the kids meal portion. I ate the whole thing in less then 10 mins and was left feeling hungry. I am very disappointed. It’s supposed to be a whole meal for an adult and that was unacceptable.

The Togo box was LESS then half full. It had so much space left in the box. If you’re going to disappoint someone you might as well cut cost on the Togo containers and get smaller ones to fit the food properly.

The only reason I am not rating it 1 stars is because the flavor of the sauce was good.

I hope the owner sees this and changes the portion size or at least price it accordingly. I paid for double or triple the food that I got.

Make sure you make a reservation!! We didn't and ended up having to eat at the bar. However our waitress was very nice. We went during happy hour where certain apps are $5 but only served 4 to a plate (gyoza and shrimp shumai). But they were very good. Wasn't a fan of the gyoza dipping sauce. It tasted like straight out the bottle oyster sauce, which I'm not used to eating gyoza. I ordered the pad see ew and my partner got the pineapple fried rice. Both were delicious. The pad see ew had the perfect amount of savory v. Sweet and my boyfriend enjoyed the curried flavor of his rice. I will say the broccoli pieces in my pad see ew could have used some more cooking, but overall not bad. But make sure you make a reservation!!

First time was for Thai New Year which we were not aware of. They decorated and gave out Lei's. Server was friendly and helpful with questions and suggestions for our first time. Pad Thai was amazing and we would be able to share it with 2 people. Also got the pineapple fried rice with crab and it was so delicious! Everything had an amazing flavor and portion was very large for the price! We are totally coming back.

Really like this place, although the food is right about at my limit for spiciness. I'm kind of a wimp when it comes to capsaicin, though. I still finished every bite. The KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) was really good! They do $5 appetizers and $4 drafts during happy hour. I recommend getting a reservation, as they are packed even on weeknights. We didn't have one, but managed to snag bar seats for the wait. The brussel sprouts and spring rolls were delicious, and the bartender was generous with her wine pours. All in all a great time at a restaurant we'll definitely be going back to.

The green curry and thai fried rice delicious. Chicken satay is pricy (20$) and not authentic. It’s more fried and oily overall its a place u must try if u r a curry fan .

Amazing as usual! I think we’ve been here 6 or 7 times now — always great service, modern atmosphere, incredible mixed drinks and delicious food. Highly recommend the roti duck roll, we’ve gotten it every single time!!

Not impressed at all. The only dish I really liked was the red curry. Appetizer was a veg bao bun. Bun was Chewy, not fluffy. Pad Thai did not have that sweet tangy taste, rather I want to say vinegary, acidic. Mango sticky rice for 9 dollars had two small pieces of mango. There was another dish we didn't care for and papaya salad very bland . First time I had one without green beans or peanuts. I like the cocktails. Surprised because restaurant reviews were good, but a big no for me. But we had a good waiter.

We've been twice now and the atmosphere, service and food are outstanding. The first time I had the drunken noodles and this time I had the red curry. My friend had the KFC Chicken both times because he loved it so much the first time. Their spring 2023 cocktails are great too! Highly recommend!

Fun appetizers, quite flavorful. You can choose the degree of "heat"; our table ranged from mild to hot and were all pleased. Great selection of delicious cocktails too.

Delicious!

Someone told me about this place and so I decided to check it out and boy I'm glad I did. I sat at the bar and was greeted by the bartender Hunter. She should be the epitome of what a bartender should be. Top notch. I order the pineapple fried rice. It had soo much flavor. This restaurant get a 5 star. Recommend this place to everyone.

OMG!!!!!! The chicken wings are AMAZING!!!! Wait staff was professional and very detailed. Tried papaya for first time & it was delicious. Will definitely be dining again.

Best Thai food in Columbia!

Very nice place, great food at reasonable prices!

I went last night for the first time. Everything was delicious and fresh I had the drunken noodles with beef and the Gyoza also the tempura shrimp. I will definitely be going again

We went to Kao before going to a performance at the Koger center. It was a short walk and the food was delicious.

One of my favorite Thai restaurants! I've traveled to quite a few major cities in the U.S. and this is one of my two favorite places to get pad thai in the whole country.

We looked for Thai restaurant during our trip and found this place. Good food, perfect decor and great people. Our server was kind and friendly. Food was served on time with hungry kids, that was appreciated. Enjoyed our bangkok shrimp, duck roast, pad thai and green curry with roasted tofu. Overall enjoyed my food and experience.

I forgot to take a picture of the store front, but this Thai restaurant has excellent food and service and gets our 5 star rating. We shared the Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, Shrimp Shumai, and Edamame. Everything was exceptional and all our expectations were exceeded. We are looking forward to returning.

The same servers have been working here since this place opened. They’re entitled and rude, inattentive and slow. They act like they’re doing you a favor by you spending $200 on dinner. Get rekt you losers. Also, if you happen to get Adam as your server (Italian trashy dude from New Jersey), he will spit in your food.

Adam the server is the kind of guy who needs 20 grams of cocaine to wait tables because his dad forced him to work at Kao Thai that night, and he’s still hungover from the previous night.

The whole place needs an overhaul in management. Fire everyone. Stay tf away from this place

Delicious food! They recently started serving during lunch hours too so you should go now before people find out and it gets busy!

The food was sooooo flavorful!!!! I had a takeout order and the hostess had the best friendliest attitude!!!!
I’ll def be back each time I come to Cola!!!!

Very good hot Thai food. Yum!!

Ok — Not great.

Nice little place where the food was good, but definitely not something that I would rush to recommend to friends looking for a ‘must visit.’

Surprisingly, the service was lacking. The gentleman didn’t seem concerned, and he did mess up our order with his apathy. A co-worker has to make the situation right.

Maybe we will try the service at a different day and time.

Dine in or take out, the restaurant does an awesome job. The duck curry and green fantastic.

Awesome place to eat at. I go with my bike group. Staff very friendly and food is always good. That's it. Nothing more to say.

First visit with friends Dr. R & Christina after a Nutcracker ballet! Got some Carolina football preview to a win against Tennessee! Ordered Drunken noddles w chicken>big portion> little heat>great!

Great place! I’m glad I stopped there. I flew in from Northern California before I went there and was really hungry. The hostess recommended the pad Thai. I’m glad she did. It’s definitely not authentic Thai food but the American spin they put on it works well. I also got a salad. I’m on the fence with the salad. Maybe because I’ve had it other places where it was not so pickled and I prefer it more fresh.

Excellent service and food! First time here and was not disappointed!! Our waitress was super friendly and helpful in ordering. Strongly suggest the edamame and drunken noodles! Great place to spend time with friends!

Entries taste like dessert.

From the appetizer to the main entree to the dessert everything was wonderful!! Wasn't sure what to expect from the appetizer (shrimp shumai, fried) but was pleasantly surprised. Also some great brussel sprouts ...love brussel sprouts!! Crab fried rice actually had blue crab that was so good! Added shrimp but realized it was only like 3 in there no matter tho cuz the rice itself was filled with crab. Shared plate but I shouldn't have, lol. Not much of a dessert person but the molten chocolate lava cake was yum and since we were sharing didn't have to worry about eating the whole thing myself. But then I was a little sad I didn't get to have it all to myself. We were informed that they would be moving in January because of the location being hard to find but listen find it now because the food was exceptional!! I would definitely recommend and go again.

Good, but not great... Not for the prices... service was excellent.

I had the pork belly and it was very good! The mixed drink I had was yummy too.

Small restaurant could expand it with more room !

Literally the best curry I’ve ever had—and I worked at an award-winning Pakistani restaurant.

Portion sizes are pretty good too. But man… that panang curry sauce is actually addictive.

In town for work and needed to work on my laptop while eating dinner, so I was seated at the bar where Baleigh gave me the 5-star treatment.

I felt a little guilty sitting at the bar but not wanting to drink, so she offered to make me a mocktail, asked what flavor profile I was after, and made the prettiest mocktail I’ve ever had. Even though I wasn’t drinking, it still felt like a treat at the end of the day, and I appreciated her attention to detail.

She also had very specific recommendations for flavor profiles on main dishes, and I went with the Pad Khing - it was amazing!

I’ll be making Kai Thai a regular spot for my work visits to Columbia, for sure!

The special cocktails were delicious, the food was amazing, and the service was exceptional. We will be back next time we're in Columbia.