First time was a good experience. Pad Thai & Pad See Ew were both great!

JJ & his family have THE BEST thai food in San Diego. A thai restaurant run by a thai family, highly recommend! Nick

I wanted to give a review as I often order pick up here. The food is authentic Thai. If youre looking for good quality this is where you should go. The only tip is that I recommend take out. Its a small place. If youre looking to sit down and get good service, go somewhere else. The owners are super hard workers and you cant expect when only two people run the whole place to be perfect at everything. What they are good at is their dishes. Please be kind and think before writing a bad review.

Pretty solid and definitely hot! Most places you tell them 4 or 5 stars and it seems like they ignore it. This place lived up to the name. We enjoyed the pad see ew, panang curry, and the spring rolls. The pad thai was less interesting for us. Will definitely go again.

Greatest Thai restaurant I've ever had. The owner is such nice guy.

Great Thai spot!!

My son who is 8 is gave them the rating, food is awesome and staff is genuine and nice. We will definitely return.

this place has good food . alil gem . I highly recommend the food is worth the visit. would come again

Very good food!!

(Translated by Google) Their food is very delicious.

(Original)
Muy rica su comida.

Excellent service. Mild or Hot is a great option.

Good tasty and big bowls. Reasonable priced.

Me and my dad couldnt find a place to eat, but then we saw this restaurant online. I have got to say this is one of the best thai foods I have ever eaten.

This restaurant is low key and a good for a nice quick bite and then off to your day. Service is excellent, flavor and portions hit the spot. I do wish the Tom Kha soup had more depth in flavor and I like my pad Thai slightly sweeter but overall the flavors were great and the ingredients were fresh and tasty.
We had the Tom Kha veggie soup, chicken panang curry, chicken pad Thai and sweet mango sticky rice. I would definitely come back.

Street parking has a 2 hour limit and the availability of parking is minimal. Great spot for locals in walking distance.

This is my boyfriend and Is go to thai spot!! Plenty of food and spice levels are perfect. I get the pineapple curry and he gets the fried rice and pad thai and always 10/10

I dont say this lightly: best Thai food Ive ever had. We had Penang curry, the pork meatballs, and Kra Prow chicken PHENOMENAL! So authentic, friendly, and fast!

(Translated by Google) Alright. Lots of choice of dishes. Pleasant service and very good food.
We recommend.

(Original)
Trs bien. Beaucoup de choix de plats. Service agrable et nourriture trs bonne.
On recommande.

Pad see ew was bussin

My go to for Thai in Pacific Beach. Its honestly some of the best Thai I have ever had, and by far the best in PB. Incredible flavor and portions for the price. My favorites are the green curry and kao soi. Be careful with the spice level! Lovely staff as well.

I have traveled the world and this is by far the best Thai flavor I have found. My compliments to the owner and chef for making this place a go to for that one of a kind flavor here in beautiful Pacific Beach.

First time coming here, and not my last for sure. The food is served in huge portions and is super tasty. The staff here is also super helpful.

Nice that place in PB. It was very busy with lots of people picking up food while I waited for me. Portions are generous

I think Hot or Not is the best Thai restaurant in San Diego, and that means a lot with all the competition. The quality of the ingredients and the particular recipes make it amazing. The atmosphere wasn't great because they're in the middle of a remodel but it is hard to overstate how this small understated restaurant can be so darn good. JJ the owner is a very sweet person. He's been a chef for a long time including head chef at a most distinguished Thai restaurant in Orange County before he sold the business. When that restaurant started the flounder they called him up for the recipes and things started to get better again.

Was referred by someone who craves for real and authentic cultural tastes. Of course I had to try it out! There is plenty of street parking and the restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. We opted to sit indoors where table space is very limited. This place had a lot of take-out orders and it only confirmed that this was the spot to be at! The service was friendly and kind. Our hostess was very accommodating and treated as friends. The food was outstanding and the presentation of it was beautifully done! If you like traditional Thai food and thrive on supporting small businesses that pride themselves on quality of food and service, then you MUST try Hot or Not Thai!

Great Thai food! Typically for take out, but there are four tables instead, as well as a few outside.

I normally don't write reviews but I loved this place! We got drunken noodles, pad thai, panang curry & green curry - sooo flavorful and good prices!

Favorite Thai place in PB. Large portions (and they don't skimp on the meat), perfect spice levels (medium is actually medium), and great and fast service. Both the pad see ew and drunken noodles were great.

Excellent authentic food. If you want the lunch special be sure to ask, even though its lunch time.

(Translated by Google) Your food is very rich.

(Original)
Muy rica su comida.

(Translated by Google) Very well. Lots of choice of dishes. Pleasant service and very good food.
We recommend.

(Original)
Trs bien. Beaucoup de choix de plats. Service agrable et nourriture trs bonne.
On recommande.

Best thai in PB

Great food! The shrimp pad tai is the best I've had

Delicious but a bit on the spicy side even at medium. Need to get extra rice because that portion was very small.

Delicious food, much more authentic than most Thai restaurants! Will definitely be returning soon. Great addition to the neighborhood.

Delicious Thai in an unsuspecting location. Staff is friendly and the chef, who is from Thailand, came out to check on us. Its a little pricey, but worth it. Try the mango sticky rice for desert.

Had a great dinner here! The curry and soft shell crab were delicious. Also very friendly service. Great addition to the neighborhood and love the easily accessed location!

Best Thai Restaurant I have ever been to.The food and service were absolutely outstanding.I reccomend the Crab Fried Rice and the Chicken Wings..Delicious..We will be back real soon..Keep up the good work..

Good tasty and spicy food. Unexpected find in PB. Cozy spot. Street parking only

I've been to many thai restaurants, and this was one of the best ones so far. Really authentic and good tasting food! And on top- reasonably priced!

This place is absolutely INSANE! I swear, the food here was better than the Thai I had IN THAILAND. They use top notch quality food and you really taste the love in each dish. I had the Khao Soi noodles and my friend had the Pad Kee Mao with beef. Both were ridiculously flavorful. The meat was so moist and tender, my only complaint was that the plate wasn't bigger! Definitely the best new spot in all of San Diego...

Have come back two times since and got the pad Thai, the garlic wings and the lamb massaman. Do yourself a favor and order the lamb massaman. Truly an authentic and unique Thai dish!

Really exceptionally good Thai food! Attention to detail in everything was evident and I really appreciate that!

This place is amazing! My husband and I love Thai food and this is one of the best restaurants in Southern California that weve been to in a long time. Great service and delicious food. I strongly recommend the Panang curry

JJ and Jim's place. Excellent food. Takeout as well as dine in. We had crispy soft crab appetizer, pot stickers, tom yum soup, thai salad, crab fried rice, cashew chicken, khao soi and asparagus shrimp salad. Our group's spice ranged from 2 to 9! #thaifood

We live close by so I've ordered takeout about 5 times now. The food is consistently delicious! I usually get a level 5 on spiciness and it's plenty spicy for me but my husband prefers a 7. Even our 12 year old asks me to order food from Hot or Not. Great local business to support!

This place was amazing. They had a large order ahead of us, so the wait was a bit long, but the food more than made up it.

Great food!

Im licking my rim yum bowl while I made this review. Fiercely tasty food. Well done Hot or Not!!

Good Thai food. The owner kept checking to make sure we had all that we needed and that was nice. Kid friendly, just keep in mind parking could be difficult.

After living in Northern Thailand and returning to the states, I have yet to find Thai style food in SD beach area that really satisfies. Hot or Not Thai delivers on flavor and the ambience of a legit Thai city grub house. Kao Soi is a must for those who haven't tried the "dish of the north," and a rare offering around here. They were out of the noodles for that dish when I arrived, so I ordered the addictive Coconut Soup (Tom Ka). With just the right amount of tangy-ness, the snow mushrooms were like little pillows of heaven, and the galangal root (similar to ginger, with a little more urgent and lasting pungent heat) along with a heat level of 4 made it just right. Along with Pad Ki Mao, the flat noodle dish with Chinese broccoli this made for a complete meal for two hungry grown-ups. The service can be a bit clunky. This means you have the choice of being slightly annoyed or connecting with other humans while you wait. Keep this in mind and cultivate patience. Its a legit family run establishment, the people are super friendly, and the food is worth the extra 5 to 10 minutes. 5 stars.

Love this place. Owner is amazing. Food is great.

Always delicious! My buddy and I go there almost every Wednesday. The pad thai is absolutely amazing. The wings are great as are the spring rolls and the curry.

Take a date not too expensive but with a niche feel in PB

Hands down one of the best Thai restaurants Ive been too and Ive been to a lot! had the green Thai curry along with spring rolls and a mango rice desert which was soooo good.

If I ever make it back to San Diego, you can bet Ill be making it down to this restaurant.

The Ginger Chicken is a must for anyone who loves ginger! First time coming here and the food was excellent!

This place is amazing, so far i had the tom kha soup, yellow curry and chicken pad thai and the flavor is so tastefull and perfect, wanted to wait till my second visit too give a review, and wow im shocked this place doesnt have lines out the door, great customer service as well

My wife and I went here the other night and we couldnt be more pleased. The food was simply awesome. We cant wait to go back. Perhaps the best part of the experience were our two servers. Min and Jack had constant, easy smiles and both were clearly happy to be there and to help us out. I didnt have an opportunity to meet the boss but their kind and admiring words confirm something Ive always know... a great boss = happy employees = great service.

Thanks guys, we will defiantly return! Cant wait to try the lamb massaman!

I went here twice for take away, mahi mahi curry rice and pad Thai noodles. Everything was very good and tasty, good service. One of the best Thai I've ever gone.

Ordered from them for lunch from Uber eat, surprisingly good! Drunken noodle was to die for. I love their nanyang sauce with halibut, very tasty. Btw, only took 40 mins to deliver to my house. They must be really quick when preparing my food.

The best Thai Ive had in San Diego! I work across the street and I was so excited when they opened, and they did not disappoint.Ive had to scale back from how often I order it, because its that good. The Pad Se Ew is just the best! A little kick, not too spicy. If you like spicy they will dial it way up for you! The owner is so nice and committed to his business. I recommend this place to all my friends and customers and theyve all agreed its really phenomenal!
SIDE NOTE:- to the guy- Gregory Stroud, that recently wrote the scathing review and said they dump trash out in the alley, I own a business right across the street and I am often there quite late. I have NEVER seen them do anything of the sort. They have been extremely conscientious of the neighborhood since they opened, as well as always used eco friendly delivery materials, (one of them also drives an electric car.) so they are not the culprits, I can assure you! The alleys in this neighborhood are constantly being used as dumpsters by the many college kids and transients who hang out by the laundromat. Your complaint was not only unfounded and untrue, but could potentially hurt a small local restaurant that the community really enjoys. Not an appropriate accusation whatsoever!

Good!

Food was above average and the presentation of the food was really good, particularly the meat. The server was new, and seemed like maybe the least qualified server I'd ever seen, in a comical way. Like he spent a full 10 seconds after taking a break trying to figure out how to open the front door, not to mention messing up and forgetting orders. And somehow they were out of hot sauce...at a Thai restaurant. Parking wasn't too easy, but not terrible. But you'll note I'm still giving 4 stars since the food was really delicious. Might come back to try some of the other noodle dishes.

The lamb melts off the bone. The spaghetti is the best. Terrific service.

Best Thai ever

Best Thai food I've had in San Diego let alone PB. The food has great flavor and is usually a really good size portion. They can be pretty spicy so keep that in mind when ordering.

From day one of hot or not opening the owner and head chef have made the most delicious thai food. Let's talk about the curry. It is unreal. It is authentic and consistent. It is so damn good. Noodles are bomb. Apps are fantastic. I love this place.

Love it

The best Thai food restaurant I have had! Great quality food and a great range of dishes. Try the curry it is exceptional

The closest I got from eating in Thailand.

A cold day is a good day for Thai. The search for a warm meal landed us at the doors of Hot or Not Thai. Parking may be a bit tricky for future visits (no real designated parking area), but there are opportunities for street parking (just pay attention to street signage).

The food here is exactly what I have been looking for in a Thai restaurant. I ordered the Shrimp Pad Thai and Beef Panang Curry. Mild. Perfect amount of bite. Absolute heaven, both dishes. Curry was creamy yet spicy, meat was tender. Noodles perfect texture. Prices maybe slightly on the higher side, but portions are generous (besides, they also offer lunch specials for a budget).

Five stars. But not just for the food, but for the service. Thank you for the meal reccomendations and awesome hospitality. This place is a total jewel.

Managers who know how to run a restaurant!!!!! Good food !! Thanks again ! !!!!

The BEST green curry Ive ever had!! Phenomenal!!

Best crab fried rice ever!

I come here often, best Thai food in San Diego and the servers are very nice, especially Mo S. Shes a sweetheart:)

Food is excellent

Nice owners and food!

The food here is really good, highly recommend if you can palate spicy food. Ironically, for a restaurant called "Hot or Not", there is actually only one option, which is Hot. My wife consistently orders "No Spice Added" for her curry and it's spicy, and I got Pad Thai at a 1-3 spic level, both were still very spicy.

Swoon. My new go-to thai place. Takeout experience is quick and easy - plenty of street parking or in the lot next door, and they have a dedicated outdoor pickup window. Ok let's get to the good stuff. Second time I've ordered, tried pad Thai and green curry so far. All of it is super delicious. Thanks for the great experiences. I'll be back.

New favorite Thai place!

My favorite Thai in San Diego, super tasty!

this place is a staple. necessary at least once a week. pad thai lunch special is the way to go.

One of my favorite thai spots in all of San Diego. Makes for amazing takeout or a fun outdoor dining experience. Everyone at the shop is incredibly nice, and their green curry is just outstanding. I could recommend their entire menu because the place rules for basics like pad thai (just the perfect sauce) or chef specials like Choo Chee Prawns.

Easily the best Thai food in PB. I come here at least 2-4 times a week. My favorite is the spicy basil thai fried rice w/ tofu but the drunken noodles are a close second

Every dish Ive tried has been fantastic. This small business deserves recognition!

Pad Thai was great.

(Translated by Google) Very tasty food.

(Original)
Muy rica su comida.

- the spice variety, quality wise for America, definitely a taste of Asia. Really incredible food. Couldnt be happier

We got a giant bowl of soup for$9.99 and it was so good we got another we couldn't finish.

Awesome service, very good lunch specials deals 11-3 M-F

Amazing food!!!

Good Thai food. Drunken noodles are amazing. There medium is on spicy side so make sure you order accordingly. We usually order mild to medium and its perfect for us. FYI, We order tofu, as we dont like chicken in thai food :).

Great customer service.
We sat on the patio and was treated with kind service.
I get Pad Thai and the spice levels are on par with the descriptions. Good food!!!

Go to spot for Thai "right down but he beach!"

Go to spot for Thai "right down but he beach!"

Great customer service.
We sat on the patio and was treated with kind service.
I get Pad Thai and the spice levels are on par with the descriptions. Good food!!!

Good Thai food. Drunken noodles are amazing. There medium is on spicy side so make sure you order accordingly. We usually order mild to medium and its perfect for us. FYI, We order tofu, as we dont like chicken in thai food :).

Amazing food!!!

Very delicious

Delicious food, much more authentic than most Thai restaurants! Will definitely be returning soon. Great addition to the neighborhood.

Best Thai food Ive had in San Diego.

Delicious Thai in an unsuspecting location. Staff is friendly and the chef, who is from Thailand, came out to check on us. Its a little pricey, but worth it. Try the mango sticky rice for desert.

Visited the restaurant yesterday. Excellent food and excellent service. I highly recommend Hot or Not Thai.

Best Thai food in San Diego county hands down. (Yes I been to Thailand) clean, and a reasonable price for the craftmanship.

Had a great dinner here! The curry and soft shell crab were delicious. Also very friendly service. Great addition to the neighborhood and love the easily accessed location!

Best Thai Restaurant I have ever been to.The food and service were absolutely outstanding.I reccomend the Crab Fried Rice and the Chicken Wings..Delicious..We will be back real soon..Keep up the good work..

Good tasty and spicy food. Unexpected find in PB. Cozy spot. Street parking only

I've been to many thai restaurants, and this was one of the best ones so far. Really authentic and good tasting food! And on top- reasonably priced!

This place is absolutely INSANE! I swear, the food here was better than the Thai I had IN THAILAND. They use top notch quality food and you really taste the love in each dish. I had the Khao Soi noodles and my friend had the Pad Kee Mao with beef. Both were ridiculously flavorful. The meat was so moist and tender, my only complaint was that the plate wasn't bigger! Definitely the best new spot in all of San Diego...

Have come back two times since and got the pad Thai, the garlic wings and the lamb massaman. Do yourself a favor and order the lamb massaman. Truly an authentic and unique Thai dish!

Really exceptionally good Thai food! Attention to detail in everything was evident and I really appreciate that!

This place is amazing! My husband and I love Thai food and this is one of the best restaurants in Southern California that weve been to in a long time. Great service and delicious food. I strongly recommend the Panang curry

JJ and Jim's place. Excellent food. Takeout as well as dine in. We had crispy soft crab appetizer, pot stickers, tom yum soup, thai salad, crab fried rice, cashew chicken, khao soi and asparagus shrimp salad. Our group's spice ranged from 2 to 9! #thaifood

We live close by so I've ordered takeout about 5 times now. The food is consistently delicious! I usually get a level 5 on spiciness and it's plenty spicy for me but my husband prefers a 7. Even our 12 year old asks me to order food from Hot or Not. Great local business to support!

This place was amazing. They had a large order ahead of us, so the wait was a bit long, but the food more than made up it.

Great food!

Im licking my rim yum bowl while I made this review. Fiercely tasty food. Well done Hot or Not!!

Good Thai food. The owner kept checking to make sure we had all that we needed and that was nice. Kid friendly, just keep in mind parking could be difficult.

After living in Northern Thailand and returning to the states, I have yet to find Thai style food in SD beach area that really satisfies. Hot or Not Thai delivers on flavor and the ambience of a legit Thai city grub house. Kao Soi is a must for those who haven't tried the "dish of the north," and a rare offering around here. They were out of the noodles for that dish when I arrived, so I ordered the addictive Coconut Soup (Tom Ka). With just the right amount of tangy-ness, the snow mushrooms were like little pillows of heaven, and the galangal root (similar to ginger, with a little more urgent and lasting pungent heat) along with a heat level of 4 made it just right. Along with Pad Ki Mao, the flat noodle dish with Chinese broccoli this made for a complete meal for two hungry grown-ups. The service can be a bit clunky. This means you have the choice of being slightly annoyed or connecting with other humans while you wait. Keep this in mind and cultivate patience. Its a legit family run establishment, the people are super friendly, and the food is worth the extra 5 to 10 minutes. 5 stars.

Love this place. Owner is amazing. Food is great.

Always delicious! My buddy and I go there almost every Wednesday. The pad thai is absolutely amazing. The wings are great as are the spring rolls and the curry.

Take a date not too expensive but with a niche feel in PB

Hands down one of the best Thai restaurants Ive been too and Ive been to a lot! had the green Thai curry along with spring rolls and a mango rice desert which was soooo good.

If I ever make it back to San Diego, you can bet Ill be making it down to this restaurant.

The Ginger Chicken is a must for anyone who loves ginger! First time coming here and the food was excellent!

This place is amazing, so far i had the tom kha soup, yellow curry and chicken pad thai and the flavor is so tastefull and perfect, wanted to wait till my second visit too give a review, and wow im shocked this place doesnt have lines out the door, great customer service as well

My wife and I went here the other night and we couldnt be more pleased. The food was simply awesome. We cant wait to go back. Perhaps the best part of the experience were our two servers. Min and Jack had constant, easy smiles and both were clearly happy to be there and to help us out. I didnt have an opportunity to meet the boss but their kind and admiring words confirm something Ive always know... a great boss = happy employees = great service.

Thanks guys, we will defiantly return! Cant wait to try the lamb massaman!

I went here twice for take away, mahi mahi curry rice and pad Thai noodles. Everything was very good and tasty, good service. One of the best Thai I've ever gone.

Ordered from them for lunch from Uber eat, surprisingly good! Drunken noodle was to die for. I love their nanyang sauce with halibut, very tasty. Btw, only took 40 mins to deliver to my house. They must be really quick when preparing my food.

The best Thai Ive had in San Diego! I work across the street and I was so excited when they opened, and they did not disappoint.Ive had to scale back from how often I order it, because its that good. The Pad Se Ew is just the best! A little kick, not too spicy. If you like spicy they will dial it way up for you! The owner is so nice and committed to his business. I recommend this place to all my friends and customers and theyve all agreed its really phenomenal!
SIDE NOTE:- to the guy- Gregory Stroud, that recently wrote the scathing review and said they dump trash out in the alley, I own a business right across the street and I am often there quite late. I have NEVER seen them do anything of the sort. They have been extremely conscientious of the neighborhood since they opened, as well as always used eco friendly delivery materials, (one of them also drives an electric car.) so they are not the culprits, I can assure you! The alleys in this neighborhood are constantly being used as dumpsters by the many college kids and transients who hang out by the laundromat. Your complaint was not only unfounded and untrue, but could potentially hurt a small local restaurant that the community really enjoys. Not an appropriate accusation whatsoever!

Good!

Food was above average and the presentation of the food was really good, particularly the meat. The server was new, and seemed like maybe the least qualified server I'd ever seen, in a comical way. Like he spent a full 10 seconds after taking a break trying to figure out how to open the front door, not to mention messing up and forgetting orders. And somehow they were out of hot sauce...at a Thai restaurant. Parking wasn't too easy, but not terrible. But you'll note I'm still giving 4 stars since the food was really delicious. Might come back to try some of the other noodle dishes.

The lamb melts off the bone. The spaghetti is the best. Terrific service.

Best Thai ever

Best Thai food I've had in San Diego let alone PB. The food has great flavor and is usually a really good size portion. They can be pretty spicy so keep that in mind when ordering.

From day one of hot or not opening the owner and head chef have made the most delicious thai food. Let's talk about the curry. It is unreal. It is authentic and consistent. It is so damn good. Noodles are bomb. Apps are fantastic. I love this place.

Love it

The best Thai food restaurant I have had! Great quality food and a great range of dishes. Try the curry it is exceptional

The closest I got from eating in Thailand.

A cold day is a good day for Thai. The search for a warm meal landed us at the doors of Hot or Not Thai. Parking may be a bit tricky for future visits (no real designated parking area), but there are opportunities for street parking (just pay attention to street signage).

The food here is exactly what I have been looking for in a Thai restaurant. I ordered the Shrimp Pad Thai and Beef Panang Curry. Mild. Perfect amount of bite. Absolute heaven, both dishes. Curry was creamy yet spicy, meat was tender. Noodles perfect texture. Prices maybe slightly on the higher side, but portions are generous (besides, they also offer lunch specials for a budget).

Five stars. But not just for the food, but for the service. Thank you for the meal reccomendations and awesome hospitality. This place is a total jewel.

Managers who know how to run a restaurant!!!!! Good food !! Thanks again ! !!!!

The BEST green curry Ive ever had!! Phenomenal!!

Best crab fried rice ever!

I come here often, best Thai food in San Diego and the servers are very nice, especially Mo S. Shes a sweetheart:)

Food is excellent

Nice owners and food!

The food here is really good, highly recommend if you can palate spicy food. Ironically, for a restaurant called "Hot or Not", there is actually only one option, which is Hot. My wife consistently orders "No Spice Added" for her curry and it's spicy, and I got Pad Thai at a 1-3 spic level, both were still very spicy.

Swoon. My new go-to thai place. Takeout experience is quick and easy - plenty of street parking or in the lot next door, and they have a dedicated outdoor pickup window. Ok let's get to the good stuff. Second time I've ordered, tried pad Thai and green curry so far. All of it is super delicious. Thanks for the great experiences. I'll be back.

New favorite Thai place!

My favorite Thai in San Diego, super tasty!

this place is a staple. necessary at least once a week. pad thai lunch special is the way to go.

One of my favorite thai spots in all of San Diego. Makes for amazing takeout or a fun outdoor dining experience. Everyone at the shop is incredibly nice, and their green curry is just outstanding. I could recommend their entire menu because the place rules for basics like pad thai (just the perfect sauce) or chef specials like Choo Chee Prawns.

Easily the best Thai food in PB. I come here at least 2-4 times a week. My favorite is the spicy basil thai fried rice w/ tofu but the drunken noodles are a close second

Every dish Ive tried has been fantastic. This small business deserves recognition!

Pad Thai was great.

(Translated by Google) Very tasty food.

(Original)
Muy rica su comida.

- the spice variety, quality wise for America, definitely a taste of Asia. Really incredible food. Couldnt be happier

We got a giant bowl of soup for$9.99 and it was so good we got another we couldn't finish.

Awesome service, very good lunch specials deals 11-3 M-F