Plern Thai Cafe - Lake Forest, California

Mitchell N.

A few friends and I came here, and we genuinely had an amazing time, thanks to the incredible service from Nancy and the delicious food. From the moment we sat down, she made sure we were taken care of, which made the experience even better.
We went all in and shared a variety of dishes, including the brussel sprouts, Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Zapp Beef Soup, Braised Beef Panaeng Curry, Thai Coffee, and Thai Iced Tea and let me tell you, everything was on point. The Zapp Beef Soup and Panaeng Curry were the real standouts for me, packed with rich, bold flavors and the perfect amount of heat at medium spice. Definitely got that kick, but in the best way possible!
Also, if you’re debating on getting rice, do yourself a favor and try the Roti instead, it had that soft, naan-like texture with a great flavor that paired perfectly with the curry. And don’t even get me started on the Thai Tea and Thai Coffee—just the right balance of sweetness without being overpowering.
Overall, this place is a solid win, and I’m glad we found another go-to Thai spot! If you’re in the area and craving some seriously good Thai food, I’d 100% recommend checking it out!

BK

Decent Food, But Comfort Could Be Improved

I recently dined at this Thai restaurant and had a mixed experience. On the positive side, the food was good, offering authentic flavors that reminded me of Thailand. However, there were a few downsides that affected my overall experience.

Firstly, the lack of restroom facilities, even for customers, was a significant inconvenience. This was particularly problematic because it made it hard to wash hands before and after eating, which is essential for hygiene.

Additionally, the restaurant’s air circulation was poor, leading to a very hot and somewhat uncomfortable dining environment.

While I enjoyed the food, these issues with basic amenities and comfort made my visit less enjoyable than expected.

Tripti S.

Had a great experience at Plern Thai. We had a party of 6 and they reserved a table for us when I called without me asking them to. Panang curry with beef was excellent - I loved that we could order it with roti instead of rice. Service was great. Ambiance is very casual. One negative is that there are very few vegetarian options and they can’t do any of the curries vegetarian. I would come back!

Melody F.

This place is right by my school and I have been there twice now.

The food is absolutely delicious and filling. Both times, I got the basil wagyu and I will continue to eat it forever. My boyfriend had the pad kee mao, which was so refreshing, perfectly spicy, and had whole branches of peppercorns. I've brought coworkers here before and they also loved it.

I will continue to come back!

Hugo M.

This place is delicious, everything is so flavorful and aromatic! The crispy chive cake is soft and fluffy inside and goes well with the sweet soy sauce. The Basil Wagyu is my go to but I tried over half their menu and they're all tasty!
I recommend going after the lunch time rush (after 1 pm) so that you don't have to wait as long for the food. The place can get packed and there's usually only one server.

Sarah

Who the hell made my food? 😡😡😡😡😡

I ordered their pad thai with shrimp togo after checking out the reviews.
Very disappointed with the quality and taste.
Noodles were way way overcooked and tasted like they forgot to add any sauce.
Just lots of noodles and was lacking the rest.
Shrimp was fresh and that was all.
I never like to waste food but I threw away almost half of the noodles cuz it was BAD.
I checked what other people posted and the color looks so different!

I liked how they used the box instead of plastic container and that's why I uploaded the 1st pic.

Victor C.

We had the grilled pork jowl salad and the beef shanks panaeng stew. The food tasted great, the flavor was intense. We enjoyed both entrees very much. The waitress was friendly and helpful. Two things we didn't like though: 1) the food came out very slowly. I didn't time it, but it was long enough for us to keep wondering if they've forgotten us. But we looked around and noticed that other patrons didn't have their food either. Then after my wife's entrée came out, we still had to wait for some time for my entrée to come out. If my wife had started eating right when her entree came out, she would've finished by the time my entree came out. 2) No public restroom.

Prince J. D. R.

Food was good, service was fast. Good lunch spot.

My date ordered pad Thai and I got the wagyu rice dish. Was super delicious. Not super busy luckily.

The wagyu rice dish was well seasoned, and there was a Thai style egg on top of the rice with some veggies on the side. And they gave us spicy chili sauce on the side.

Good casual spot for Thai food.
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