Ask five Adelaide locals where to get proper Thai and you will walk away with six answers and a heated debate about whether the green curry should be sweet. That is a good sign. It means the city takes its Thai food seriously, and it means the choice is wide enough to suit a Tuesday-night noodle fix, a long wine-led dinner and everything in between.
This guide covers 20 restaurants that keep showing up near the top of Google, with the address, the current Google rating, the usual price per person and a plain-spoken note on what diners tend to praise (and occasionally grumble about). Ratings and price bands come from Google listings, and the dish notes lean on what real diners say in their reviews, so you get a picture of what to expect before you book.
If you want to make a proper night of it, a pre-dinner pamper at one of the places in our guide to the best nail salons in Adelaide fits neatly into a Gouger Street or North Adelaide evening.
The Short Answer: Where to Go First
If you only have one night, book Thai Room for the best-rated sit-down experience among the busy city venues (4.8 from 954 reviews). If you want a banquet-style feed and a lively room, go to Golden Boy or VON Thai. If the budget is tight, Elephant Thai Restaurant by Guy in Torrensville and Baan A-ma in Kensington Park both sit at the top of the ratings with mains and shared plates in the $20 to $40 band. And if you are after something that is not quite a standard Thai menu, Kiin, Rue de Siam and Tuk Tuk Tokyo Bistro 449 each put their own spin on it.
Adelaide Thai Restaurants at a Glance
Here is the full lineup in one place. The number in brackets is the count of Google reviews, which matters because a 4.9 from 64 people tells you something different from a 4.6 from nearly 1,750. Prices are the per-person range shown on Google.
| Restaurant | Address | Google rating | Price (pp) | Best for |
| Thai Room | 193 Victoria Square, Adelaide | 4.8 (954) | $60-140 | Date night, wine list |
| VON Thai | 264 Flinders St, Adelaide | 4.7 (1.2K) | $40-100 | Feed Me menu, groups |
| Golden Boy | 309 North Terrace, Adelaide | 4.6 (1.7K) | $80-100 | Set menu, terrace dining |
| Star of Siam | 67 Gouger St, Adelaide | 4.6 (918) | $40-60 | Generous classics |
| Satang Waymouth | 24 Waymouth St, Adelaide | 4.7 (346) | $40-60 | Seafood, cocktails |
| Soi 38 Adelaide | 74 Pirie St, Adelaide | 4.5 (1K) | $40-120 | Shared plates, dietary needs |
| Elephant Thai Restaurant by Guy | 196 Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville | 4.8 (144) | $20-40 | Value, west side |
| Lantern by Nu | 10 Selby St, Adelaide | 4.6 (624) | $40-100 | Street-style dishes |
| Baan A-ma | 402 Magill Rd, Kensington Park | 4.9 (64) | $20-40 | Home-style cooking |
| Kiin | 73 Angas St, Adelaide | 4.7 (791) | $80-160 | Special occasions |
| Rue de Siam | 29 Bank St, Adelaide | 4.6 (265) | $40-60 | Thai-French twist |
| Gin Long Canteen | 42 O’Connell St, North Adelaide | 4.6 (981) | $40-60 | Groups, long dinners |
| Krung Thep Thai | 147 O’Connell St, North Adelaide | 4.5 (543) | $20-40 | Big portions, easy dinners |
| TingLish | 54A George St, Thebarton | 4.7 (538) | $40-60 | Courtyard, Feed Me |
| BO RARN | 46 Exchange Pl, Adelaide | 4.5 (362) | $20-40 | City lunch |
| Kin Thai on Waymouth | 255 Waymouth St, Adelaide | 4.6 (286) | $20-40 | Cheap and cosy |
| Mrs Q | 1/128 Gouger St, Adelaide | 4.4 (817) | $40-120 | Big group feasts |
| 8020bk | 36 Blyth St, Adelaide | 4.5 (395) | $20-40 | Fish dishes, quick bite |
| Kin Kin Thai Eatery | 4/242 Hutt St, Adelaide | 4.5 (279) | $20-40 | Whole fried fish |
| Tuk Tuk Tokyo Bistro 449 | 449 Pulteney St, Adelaide | 4.8 (104) | $40-60 | Thai-Japanese fusion |
Always check the venue before you head out, as menus, hours and prices shift from season to season.
Google Ratings Compared
The chart below puts every restaurant on the same scale. The spread is tight, which says a lot about the standard across the board. Almost everything here sits between 4.4 and 4.9, so use the review count and the price band alongside the star rating when you choose.
Two small things stand out. First, the newer or smaller neighbourhood places (Baan A-ma, Elephant Thai, Tuk Tuk Tokyo Bistro 449) post very high scores on fewer reviews, so treat them as promising rather than proven. Second, the bigger rooms that serve hundreds of covers a week, like Golden Boy and Soi 38, hold up well considering how many opinions they have to satisfy.
How These Restaurants Were Picked
There is no secret formula here. Each place needed a Thai kitchen (or a clear Thai core to its menu), a Google rating of 4.4 or higher, and enough reviews to show the standard holds up over time. After that it came down to variety. A list of 20 identical modern Thai dining rooms would not help anyone, so the mix covers city fine dining, cheap and cheerful neighbourhood kitchens, fusion experiments and a couple of spots that earn their reputation on one very good dish.
Best Thai Restaurants in the Adelaide CBD
Most of the heavy hitters sit within a short walk of each other, spread across Gouger Street, Pirie Street, Victoria Square and the East End. You can eat well here every night for a fortnight and not repeat a venue.
1. Thai Room
Address: 193 Victoria Square, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.8 (954) | Price: $60-140 per person
Thai Room runs a kitchen and a wine list at the same level, which is rarer than it should be. Reviewers describe a warm, low-lit room that suits couples and small celebrations, and several single out the beef cheek massaman as the dish they keep thinking about. The signature degustation gets plenty of praise for the number of courses, though one diner wished the entrees came out one at a time rather than all together. Open daily for dinner, with weekday lunch too.
2. VON Thai
Address: 264 Flinders St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.7 (1.2K) | Price: $40-100 per person
With more than 1,200 reviews and a 4.7 average, VON Thai has earned its crowd. Regulars rave about the satay skewers, the pad thai and a chu chee curry with barramundi, and there is a free bowl of lemongrass chilli peanuts to start in some reviews. It also gets credit for a proper run of vegan and vegetarian dishes. Book ahead, because the room fills quickly, especially on cold nights.
3. Golden Boy
Address: 309 North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.6 (1.7K) | Price: $80-100 per person
Golden Boy is the loudest, liveliest room on this list, in a good way. The big drawcard is the Tuk Tuk menu in the evening, a share-style spread where you pick a couple of dishes and the kitchen chooses the rest. Diners often call it the best value for the amount of food that arrives, and the roti dessert has a small fan club of its own. It opens daily and keeps late hours, which makes it a reliable pick after an event on North Terrace.
4. Kiin
Address: 73 Angas St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.7 (791) | Price: $80-160 per person
Kiin is where Thai flavours meet a more modern, cocktail-led approach, and it sits at the top end of the price range. Set lunches and five-course menus get good feedback, with a burrata and green nahm jim combo coming up often as an unexpected winner. A few diners found it pricey and some dishes a touch sweet, and service pace drew a complaint or two on busy days, so go in expecting a dressy meal rather than a quick one. Closed Mondays and Sundays.
5. Lantern by Nu
Address: 10 Selby St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.6 (624) | Price: $40-100 per person
Tucked just off Gouger Street in an old brick warehouse, Lantern by Nu leans into street-style Thai with a strong bar. The kingfish, the oysters with a punchy nahm jim and the crying tiger beef are repeat picks in reviews, and one diner said the green curry felt like being back in Thailand. Open Tuesday to Saturday evenings, with Friday lunch.
6. Soi 38 Adelaide
Address: 74 Pirie St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.5 (1K) | Price: $40-120 per person
Soi 38 changes its menu with the seasons, so regulars always have something new to try. Reviews mention octopus, lobster dumplings, chive cakes and fresh hot roti, plus a large share of gluten-free and vegan options. Portion sizes on the smaller plates do divide opinion, and a couple of recent reviewers flagged slow drinks service on quieter nights. Still, it remains one of the most-reviewed Thai rooms in the city. Closed Sundays.
7. Mrs Q
Address: 1/128 Gouger St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.4 (817) | Price: $40-120 per person
Mrs Q is built for groups. The Feed Me menu is the usual play, and plenty of reviewers say it delivers a huge amount of food for the money. Opinions are more mixed here than at most places on this list, with a few diners finding the food oily or the service slow when the room is quiet. Note the staircase at the entrance, which may be an issue for anyone with mobility needs. Open Tuesday to Sunday, evenings only.
8. Satang Waymouth
Address: 24 Waymouth St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.7 (346) | Price: $40-60 per person
Satang is a seafood-leaning kitchen with a good cocktail list. The eggnet soft shell crab pad thai appears in nearly every glowing review, along with grilled river prawns and a kingfish crudo. Diners describe attentive service and a relaxed, date-friendly feel. Open weekdays for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner only.
9. Rue de Siam
Address: 29 Bank St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.6 (265) | Price: $40-60 per person
A Thai and French mash-up in a small, characterful room. Thai curry arancini is the dish people talk about, and the decor gets as many compliments as the cooking. One reviewer felt dinner prices are a little weighty, but noted the lunch menu is gentler on the wallet. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
10. Tuk Tuk Tokyo Bistro 449
Address: 449 Pulteney St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.8 (104) | Price: $40-60 per person
This one is a Thai and Japanese fusion spot at the southern end of the city, and it is open every day for both lunch and dinner. The wagyu sukiyaki and suki shabu win the most praise, and a truffle eel fried rice gets its own fan mail. It is a modest room, but the bento boxes make it a smart lunch option if you work nearby.
Value Thai in the City and Fringe
Not every great Thai meal needs to cost $100 a head. These five places sit in the $20 to $60 range and still earn strong ratings.
11. Star of Siam
Address: 67 Gouger St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.6 (918) | Price: $40-60 per person
A long-running Gouger Street name that keeps things simple. Reviewers call out generous portions and tidy presentation, and the pad kra-prao beef and the prawn dumpling in green curry sauce are regular recommendations. A solid, no-nonsense option when you want to eat well without any theatre.
12. 8020bk
Address: 36 Blyth St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.5 (395) | Price: $20-40 per person
The name says it all: roughly 80 per cent Thai, 20 per cent fusion. A few minutes on foot from Central Station, it gets praise for spicy crab, green curry with curry leaves and fresh Thai milk tea. One diner found the pad thai a little bland, so lean toward the curries and fish dishes. Closed Mondays.
13. BO RARN
Address: 46 Exchange Pl, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.5 (362) | Price: $20-40 per person
Down a laneway off Pirie Street, BO RARN is open daily and serves lunch on weekdays, which makes it handy for office workers. Reviewers like the tom yum, the pad thai and the friendly owner-operated feel. A small number mentioned the room runs cool in winter, so bring a layer.
14. Kin Thai on Waymouth
Address: 255 Waymouth St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.6 (286) | Price: $20-40 per person
A homely little spot at the student end of Waymouth Street. Diners point to the Panang barramundi and the slow-cooked massaman, and the owner often looks after tables personally. One recent review mentioned kitchen smoke and a long wait, so it may not be the best choice on a very busy night. Closed Mondays.
15. Kin Kin Thai Eatery
Address: 4/242 Hutt St, Adelaide SA 5000 | Google rating: 4.5 (279) | Price: $20-40 per person
Hutt Street’s Thai pick is known for deep-fried whole barramundi, som tum and a punchy tom yum. Staff come across as friendly and the place is often busy. Diners with coeliac disease should speak with the venue directly about shared fryers and which dishes are truly gluten free, as one reviewer reported a mismatch between menu labels and the kitchen. Closed Mondays.
North Adelaide and the Suburbs
Head beyond the square mile and the prices drop while the quality holds. These are worth the trip.
16. Gin Long Canteen
Address: 42 O’Connell St, North Adelaide SA 5006 | Google rating: 4.6 (981) | Price: $40-60 per person
A North Adelaide favourite for groups and slow dinners. The tasting menu for two is a hit with couples, and dishes like lime corn ribs, salt and pepper eggplant and kway teow turn up often in positive reviews. Open Monday to Saturday evenings, with lunch on Fridays.
17. Krung Thep Thai
Address: 147 O’Connell St, North Adelaide SA 5006 | Google rating: 4.5 (543) | Price: $20-40 per person
Krung Thep is the traditional name for Bangkok, and the restaurant offers a cosy, nicely decorated room with big portions. Fish cakes, crying tiger beef, pineapple fried rice and a red duck curry get good mentions. Reviews are a little more divided here than elsewhere, with a few diners wanting more depth of flavour, so ask for extra heat if you like your food punchy. Closed Wednesdays.
18. TingLish
Address: 54A George St, Thebarton SA 5031 | Google rating: 4.7 (538) | Price: $40-60 per person
A small place that looks plain from the street but opens into a charming outdoor area. The Feed Me menu is popular, and the eggplant dish is the one regulars talk about most. Open Friday to Sunday only, so plan ahead. A couple of recent reviews mention thin floor staffing and limited menu items on busy nights.
19. Elephant Thai Restaurant by Guy
Address: 196 Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville SA 5031 | Google rating: 4.8 (144) | Price: $20-40 per person
A family-run neighbourhood restaurant with big flavours and gentle prices. The crying tiger beef gets rave reviews, and the takeaway curries have been praised for carrying real Thai heat. Book on weekends. Closed Mondays.
20. Baan A-ma
Address: 402 Magill Rd, Kensington Park SA 5068 | Google rating: 4.9 (64) | Price: $20-40 per person
The highest score on the list, though from a smaller pool of reviews. Diners with Thai roots say it tastes like home cooking, and the khao soi chicken, hor mok in banana leaf and the southern dessert kanom ko are all singled out. Dishes are described as lighter and less oily than usual. Closed Sundays.
Where to Go for Different Occasions
Date night
Thai Room, Satang Waymouth and Kiin each have the kind of low lighting and thoughtful drinks list that suit a quiet dinner for two. Golden Boy works if you want more buzz.
Group dinners
Mrs Q, Gin Long Canteen and VON Thai handle bigger tables well, and the Feed Me style menus take the arguing out of ordering. If you are weighing up special-occasion dining across the country, our guide to fine dining in Melbourne is worth a read for ideas.
Cheap eats
Elephant Thai, Baan A-ma, Kin Thai on Waymouth, BO RARN and Krung Thep keep most mains and shared plates in the $20 to $40 band.
Lunch near the city
BO RARN, 8020bk, Tuk Tuk Tokyo Bistro 449, Rue de Siam and VON Thai all open for weekday lunch, and set lunches tend to cost less than the dinner menu.
Vegetarian and dietary needs
Reviewers single out VON Thai and Soi 38 for the number of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. If you have an allergy, speak to the venue directly before you book.
What to Order If You Are Not Sure
Start with the classics, because a kitchen that nails them usually does everything else well. Pad thai is the benchmark noodle dish, and it shows up in reviews for VON Thai, BO RARN, Mrs Q and Krung Thep. Tom yum, a hot and sour soup, is the dish for a cold Adelaide night. Massaman is the mild, nutty curry that suits anyone nervous about spice. Crying tiger beef, a grilled steak with a sharp chilli dipping sauce, comes up at Lantern by Nu, Elephant Thai and Krung Thep.
If you want some context before you order, the Wikipedia entry on Thai cuisine gives a good overview of the regional differences, from the coconut-heavy curries of the south to the grilled meats and fiery salads of the north-east. It helps explain why a restaurant that specialises in one region can taste so different from the next.
Booking and Budgeting Tips
Book ahead for Thursday to Saturday nights at the bigger names, and for any group of six or more. Many places offer a Feed Me or set menu, which often works out cheaper per head than ordering several mains and gives you a bit of everything. Also keep in mind that public holiday surcharges can apply at some venues, and a few places close on Mondays or Sundays, so check the opening days first.
For a rough guide, expect $20 to $40 per person at the neighbourhood spots, $40 to $60 at the mid-range rooms, and $80 or more at the upmarket end of the list. Add drinks and the bill climbs, particularly where the wine list is part of the draw.
Eating Your Way Around Australia
If you are travelling beyond South Australia, our other food guides follow the same plain-spoken approach. Coffee lovers heading east can see where to queue in Melbourne’s best coffee roasters, and anyone in Sydney craving something different should check the best Italian restaurants in Sydney.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Thai restaurant in Adelaide?
Among the busy city venues, Thai Room has the strongest Google rating at 4.8 from 954 reviews. VON Thai is close behind at 4.7 with more than 1,200 reviews. Baan A-ma scores 4.9, but from a far smaller number of reviews.
Where can I find cheap Thai food in Adelaide?
Elephant Thai Restaurant by Guy, Baan A-ma, BO RARN, Kin Thai on Waymouth, Krung Thep Thai, 8020bk and Kin Kin Thai Eatery all show a $20 to $40 price range on Google. Weekday lunch menus at some of the pricier venues can also be good value.
Which Thai restaurant is best for a date night?
Thai Room, Kiin and Satang Waymouth are the usual picks for a quiet dinner for two. Golden Boy suits couples who prefer a livelier room.
Which restaurants offer set menus or Feed Me options?
Reviews mention a Tuk Tuk menu at Golden Boy, Feed Me menus at Mrs Q, VON Thai and TingLish, a degustation at Thai Room and a tasting menu for two at Gin Long Canteen. Menus change, so confirm what is on offer when you book.
Are there good vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?
Reviewers praise Soi 38 and VON Thai for their vegan and gluten-free choices. Coeliac diners should always speak to the restaurant directly, since cross-contamination from shared fryers can be an issue at some places.
Do I need to book a Thai restaurant in Adelaide?
For Thursday to Saturday nights, groups, or any of the busier rooms like VON Thai, Golden Boy and Elephant Thai, yes. Weeknights and lunch are often easier, although many places still prefer a booking.
Is Thai food in Adelaide authentic?
It varies, and that is part of the fun. Places such as Baan A-ma and Kin Thai on Waymouth are praised for home-style cooking, while Kiin, Rue de Siam and Tuk Tuk Tokyo Bistro 449 deliberately mix cuisines. To learn more about the traditional dishes, see Wikipedia’s page on Thai cuisine.
What should I order if I do not like spicy food?
Ask for the heat level to be reduced when you order. Massaman curry, pad thai and most fried rice dishes are naturally mild, and any good kitchen will adjust the chilli to suit you.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This guide is general information only. Google ratings, review counts, price ranges, addresses and opening hours were collected from public Google listings at the time of writing and can change without notice. Dish descriptions are based on diner reviews and may not reflect the current menu. Please confirm details with each restaurant before you visit, and contact the venue directly about allergies or dietary needs, since menu labelling and kitchen practices can differ from what is described here. Quotes and opinions from diners reflect their own experiences. Nothing here is a guarantee of quality, service or availability.
