Best Pad Thai in Los Angeles (2026)

Sapp Coffee Shop Thai Restaurant has been feeding Thai Town from a small plaza at 5183 Hollywood Blvd, and its reputation rests on boat noodle soup. Diners from out of town arrive after reading about it, and some say the bowl matched the stalls they remembered in Bangkok.

The pad thai is the dish that places it on this list. One diner started a meal with it and called it probably the best in Los Angeles. Another liked it but found the sauce a bit sweet, so asking for less sweetness is sensible. Crab fried rice, tamarind and garlic wings and the kra pao fried rice give the table more to share.

The coffee in the name is only Thai iced coffee. Parking in the plaza is limited, with metered spots along the street. Weekend breakfast hours are quieter, and portions are generous.

Mae Malai Thai House of Noodles sits in a plaza at Hollywood and Western, and the plaza has its own parking lot, a relief on this stretch. The menu is short and built on noodles, and diners keep returning for the boat noodle soup in beef or pork, served in small bowls that leave room for other plates.

The pad thai holds up beside them. Diners order it with chicken or shrimp and say it arrives flavorful even at a light spice level. Tom yum noodles, wet or dry, khao soi, papaya salad and crispy pork stir-fry with a fried egg are the other dishes that come up. One visitor praised the owner for greeting guests personally.

There are not many tables, and bar seats fill quickly. Going earlier in the day shortens the wait.

Hae Ha Heng Thai Bistro on South Western Avenue opened as a Thai option among Koreatown's Korean restaurants, and diners confirm the cooking is Thai. The upstairs patio is the draw, spacious and filled with plants, and the Volkswagen bus counter inside gets a mention too.

The pad thai is made with tender chicken or shrimp, chewy rice noodles, crisp bean sprouts, carrots and a lime wedge. Diners call the sauce rich and balanced. A longtime regular says the flavors recall a trip to Bangkok, and visitors also praise the papaya salad, spicy fried rice, tom yum soup and green curry. Vegetarian choices are plentiful, since most noodles and curries can be made with tofu.

Happy hour brings discounted appetizers and drinks like the soju mojito. Free street parking on Third Street helps during weekdays and happy hours.

Pailin Thai Cuisine at 5621 Hollywood Blvd keeps things simple and prices low, and diners say the food does the talking. One diner judges every Thai restaurant by its pad thai, and this one passed. It runs sweet, with excellent noodle texture, and the plate was finished before the diner noticed.

Pailin is also where diners go to branch out. The khao soi is called the best in Thai Town, with a light curry that leans slightly sweet. The panang curry is made with paste that the staff say is prepared in house. Fish maw soup, crispy catfish, larb and papaya salad come up as dishes that remind diners of Thailand.

Service is brisk and welcoming. The kitchen closes early in the evening, and dining in stops before the last call, so planning an earlier visit is wise.

Hoy-Ka Thai Restaurant at 5908 Sunset Blvd is a neighborhood Thai spot that diners use for weekday lunch, takeout and pre-concert dinners. They describe fresh ingredients and fast service, and the walls are covered in rag-tag decorations that one diner thought suited Hollywood.

The pad thai is available with chicken, beef or tofu, and a vegan version gets praise. Diners also like the drunken noodles, the satay chicken and the sneaky pork, a grilled pork dish that has its own admirers. The namesake Hoy-Ka noodle soup, with wide rice noodles, is a vegetarian favorite when made with tofu and mushrooms. Papaya salad lets diners choose the heat, and it runs hotter than most expect.

Chile slices, sauce and powder sit on every table. The lot behind the building is small, so street parking after the meters expire is the usual option.

Pa Ord Noodle at 5301 W Sunset Blvd is a Thai Town noodle shop in a small plaza, with plenty of tables and servers that diners call friendly and efficient. Boat noodles are the draw: guests pick the noodle type and either pork or beef, and warn that the mild setting still carries heat.

The pad thai appears in many reviews as a test of the kitchen, and the verdict is favorable. Diners praise the crispy rice salad, the tom yum noodle soup, pad see ew with real wok flavor, and the crispy catfish. Prices are slightly lower than nearby rooms, and a diner who worked nearby brought family back years later.

The kitchen serves late into the night, with one visitor happy to find a Thai dinner near midnight. The plaza lot has spots for other businesses, so check signs, or use metered street parking.

Lacha Somtum on Hollywood Blvd serves Thai-Isaan food, and diners say it avoids the repetitive noodles, curries and stir-fries found elsewhere on the block. The menu is large and bold, with papaya salad as the anchor and a long list of grilled meats, sausages and snacks.

The pad thai is a good example of the kitchen's approach. The version with crispy pork belly is the one diners praise, and a few call it among the best things they have eaten. Salted eggs in the papaya salad are another twist, and the shrimp paste fried rice has been named a standout. Red curry, tom yum with seafood and the duck over rice also appear in reviews.

The restaurant runs its own delivery drivers, and the room is spacious with comfortable seating. At peak times the staff can be stretched, but diners say they stay kind.

The Silver Lake House at 1737 Silver Lake Blvd is a converted house with indoor seating and a patio that diners say changes with the light. Dogs are welcome, service is attentive, and the wine list leans toward natural bottles chosen to go with spicy food.

Pad thai is the dish most diners mention. Reviews are mixed in a useful way: some call it excellent, and others found it simply fine, so ordering it alongside other plates works well. The papaya salad earns the strongest praise, particularly the Lao style version with fermented crab sauce and sticky rice on the side. The drunken chicken dumplings in green curry broth, the panang curry, glass noodles and a spicy beef house specialty also appear in the reviews.

Street parking on Silver Lake Blvd is limited, and vegan options are common on the menu.

Ruen Pair on Hollywood Blvd has been a Thai Town regular for a long time, and a diner who visited on its twenty-fifth year called it a beacon. The room is snug and loud with conversation, and a TV outside loops images of the menu.

The pad thai is the reason a visitor from Arizona remembered the meal for years, and he said every pad thai since felt like a disappointment. Chicken and seafood versions both draw praise. The papaya salad, crab fried rice, panang curry, roasted duck curry, tom yum and boat noodle soup are the other dishes people name. One diner credited the owner for opening the restaurant to share cooking from home.

Waits are common, and parking is limited with a fee. Phoning in takeout ahead of time lets diners collect their food without standing in line.

Watdongmoonlek Noodle on Fountain Ave sits just off the main Thai Town drag, in a plaza near Echo Park, and diners say the street art and plants make the room a pleasure. The owner has welcomed guests personally, and reviewers describe staff as friendly and attentive.

The pad thai has converted skeptics. One diner who had never liked the dish enjoyed it here, another ranked it near the top of every version they have eaten, and a third raved about grilled river prawns on top. The beef noodle soup is the house specialty, made with quality marinated beef. Kow soi, isaan wings, fried taro wedges and a long list of slush drinks are frequent orders, and vegetarian dishes are plentiful.

Portions run large. Parking in the plaza is tough, but neighborhood street parking sits behind the building.