About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

Bangkok Chef will easily become your three-times-a-week Thai food go-to.

Pros

• Excellent and streamlined take-out service.
• Delicious food for a very affordable price.
• Three easy locations.

Cons

• If you're looking for fancy dining, these are not your digs.

Description

• Bangkok Chef Manoa: 808-988-0212
• Bangkok Chef Nimitz: 808-536-8570
• Bangkok Chef Nuuanu: 808-585-8839

Guide Review - Honolulu Thai Food Favorite: Bangkok Chef


Looking for a island favorite, broke da mouth Thai food go-to? Bangkok Chef's three nearly famous locations serve up ample portions of delicious food at perfect prices. In fact, it is not uncommon to find hole-in-the-wall aficionados who show up three times a week (I may or may not be one of them).

The appeal of Bangkok Chef is really in the take-out service. Most of the entrees are large enough for two meals and priced at under $10 with rice (tip: order a la carte and make your own rice for even larger portions). The service is fast and the whole staff is seemingly one big family; you'll get to know them well.

For those who prefer to pull up a chair, each location offers dine-in facilities. Hint: if you're hitting up the Manoa location on the weekend, you will definitely want to go early. The joint fills up after 7 p.m.

The menu is straight forward: your basic Pad Thai, curries, ginger chicken and about twenty other items. You really can't go wrong no matter what you choose.

Each location offers its own unique flair:

Manoa

Possibly the most hipster of the three locations, the Manoa Bankok Chef, located in the heart of Manoa and just down the road from the University of Hawaii, is home to long academic conversations during the week and couples who are settled into casual routines on the weekends. The best part of this location, however, is the sign on the water fountain of the soda machine asking patrons to not wash their hands there.

2955 East Manoa Road
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
808-988-0212

Nimitz

The newest of the three locations, Nimitz's Bangkok Chef caters to the daytime lunch crowd. By comparison, and as a function of being the newest, this locations sports the swankiest interior. Service is mercifully fast, much to the gratitude of those with a short lunch break. It is centrally located near Costco and Home Depot in Kalihi.

900 North Nimitz Hwy.
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
808-536-8570

Nuuanu

The Nuuanu location is situated on the street by the same name and is definitely the most hole-in-the-wall of the three locations. Don't let looks fool you. This little restaurant is full of hustle and bustle from open till close. Some dine-in and catch a few minutes on the old television, but most just grab their called-in take-out and go. It's very easy to get to, especially for those on the western side of Pali Highway.

1627 Nuuanu Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96817
808-585-8839

Learn more about ridiculously fun kama`aina activities in Honolulu. Visiting the islands on vacation? John Fischer has some excellent ideas for you here.

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