This is my go-to Thai place. Â
They have great prices and great food. I have always had great service here. Â There have been times when I feel as though I have waited longer then I should for either a seat or to place my order. Â The food however, comes out to me hot, delicous and always at the right time. The staff here is very friendly and has always made me feel welcome. The seating can feel a little cramped sometimes, but that is usually only when the resurant is packed.
If you like Thai, you'll like this place.
My favorite Thai restaurant. Â I really enjoy the Tom Yum soup. Â When it is rainy out and I'm feeling a little under the this always makes me feel better. I have found it a good place to meet with my wife for a good lunch during the week. Â I haven't sampled the menu very much but my wife always tries a vegetarian meal and is happy with the choice.
We have eaten here for dinner but it is a little sketchy.
I was thoroughly dissatisifed with my first Chao Pra Ya experience. Had heard it was good and had been wanting to try it for awhile. Â
The service was terrible. We had to wait 15 minutes before anyone took our order. The food came out and my Pad Kee Mao was bland, burned in some spots, and the sauce used was sweet and frankly, gross tasting. Â The shrimp was also overcooked and bland.
The slow and poor service continued throughout the meal. It was also incredibly overpriced for the quality of the food presented.
I do not recommend this restaurant to anyone and I will not be returning.
Been to several Thai places in town, and found Chao Pra Ya through a friends recommendation. The location is weird, and the parking is small but the inside is extremely nice, tons of tables and amazing food.
So far I've had the Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) twice, one chicken and one beef, both amazing. You can specify how hot you want your dish as well. The Golden Pumpkin appetizer is great, and so is their Sticky Rice w/Custard.
On my last and most recent visit (two nights ago) our server asked if we wanted "the spice bar", to which I said sure. It was a three spice tray with chili flakes, chili vinegar, and a chili oil sauce. All were great for making your meal hotter.
The portion size is more than I can eat and I'm a big guy, prices aren't bad, 11-15 / entree.
Definitely try this place out, its one of my new favorites in town.
I started coming back here within the last year. The pineapple fried rice is my favorite lately. I would recommend eating in rather than take out. Last time I got take out, they put the hot food in containers better suited to cold food. Some kind of clear plastic container I usually associate with green salads from the deli case. I don't know if this was a one off situation or not. I wouldn't take my chances though, since the food can be a bit expensive-ish & I don't want a detail like carryout containers to detract from an otherwise fine meal.
Review Source:This is my favorite thai place in town, although I haven't had a chance to try all the others yet. Besides having perfect peanut sauce, the chicken pad thai is something I crave regularly. Sometimes I branch out and get other noodle dishes, and I keep meaning to try some of their curries, but I always circle around to my old favorite again. If you like it really spicy though, be sure to explain to your server that you can handle ACTUAL spice, or they'll go far too easy on you in the kitchen. At least they have a little caddy of heat enhancements they bring to your table... and don't expect to wait long from order to service, because this is the fastest kitchen in town!
Review Source:Years ago this place was a delightful lemongrass and chili-filled oasis with reasonable prices and a humble yet enjoyable atmosphere.
Since I live a mere block away from this restaurant, it could be my number 1 place to eat. But I can't justify it. The food is bland, the service is hit or miss, and the prices are high.
There aren't enough amazing thai restaurants in Eugene. However, Chao Praya could still stand to improve.
We ordered three appetizers, two entrees, two drinks, and two desserts.
We didn't like our meal at all! The curry and noodles were bland, the fried tofu mushy, the spring rolls totally fell apart, the sauces were bland, the chicken was tough - not tender. And nothing had spice. Bland bland bland. Also - somehow they managed to totally overcook some veggies - like eggplant and peppers - into mush, while others - broccoli and green beans - were practically raw and cold.
The serving sizes were ridiculous. These tiny little plates for your main dishes, these dinky little cups of white rice, and yet the desserts came in these giant bowls! It was very odd.
The service was very slow and the place wasn't even that busy - we were one of three tables. When the waiter came to finally bring us our food - his hand (with dirty fingernails) touched our sons fork, enough for it to leave an imprint in his hand and almost knock the fork off the table - and the waiter pretended not to notice. Eeeww.
It was my hubby's birthday, to boot. :( We paid $60 plus tip (we're too nice) for a horrible meal. Not fun. We won't be back.
Went there last night after drinks at Territorial and the food and service was amazing! Had salad rolls for an appetizer: peanut sauce was fantastic. Fresh and flavorful. I had the Malbec while my companion had a cab, I think, and the Malbec was very very good. Â The special was mango curry, which I ordered with chicken and devoured. The medium spicy was quite hot but had a great flavor. The other dish was a garlic grilled dish I think, maybe a stir fry? That one he ordered with seafood and it was delicious. Â A nice contrast to the curry I ordered.
The appetizer came out insanely fast, and the entrees came as we finished the app. The young man serving us made suggestions, was friendly, and attentive. Â Overall the best thai food I've had in Eugene (including Sweet Basil)!
Really good peanut sauce, meat is tender and flavorful, etc etc. Â I felt compelled to write this review mainly due to the fact that the spicy food was actually spicy.
I came to Eugene, from Los Angeles (now you hate me), and have been a little disappointed for what passes as spicy Thai food here (Or any spicy food, for that matter). Â I get that there is a lack of diversity, in Eugene, and this may be "White people spicy", but to me most salsa here tastes like tomato sauce and most spicy Thai is on par with just putting some Sriracha on top. Â My questions to a server/cook are usually "Is this food Spicy?" and if they are Thai I ask "Do you actually find this food spicy?" Â Most say yes and then fail. Â
So, I go to Chao Pra Ya, on a first date, and the staff gave me the above answers. I said "Yeah, ok, sure. Â I'll have the spiciest option." Â I then start to talk about how I haven't found food in Eugene to be that spicy. Â I get my food and take a wiff and my nose starts to tingle. Â I take a bite and my mouth starts to burn. Â I try to power through it, with my poker face on, and continue to eat. Â After 5 minutes or so; my eyes are watering, nose is running, mouth is on fire, Â and my lips are swelling up. Â I have to admit defeat a little less than 1/3 of the way through the meal. Â The rest of my time spent in the Chao Pra Ya consisted of: Â watching my date eat, my date making fun of me, my date nick naming me Sally, and trying to sooth the flames that have now spread across most of the lower region of my face.
I took this as lesson and finished my food over the next day or two. Â I have gone back to continue my training and have made improvements. Â I was a little tentative, after my beating, and got the medium. Â I am now a regular at "hot". Â I still haven't gotten back to the highest level of heat...but one day maybe...Oh, and I'm still dating the same girl, so it wasn't a total failure.
Best peanut sauce ever!
Food: Delicious. 4-5 stars, all the way. The ingredients are fresh. They make everything from scratch - no packaged curry mixes or bottled peanut sauce. No MSG. All natural, delicious home cooking.
We ordered the combination appetizer it was outstanding,
Atmosphere: Romantic and homey.
Service: great! The place is run by an older couple where the wife does the cooking and the husband act as waiter and host. They are friendly and kind!
Price: Great! Two entrees, fried rice, appetizer, and soda for under $40 is an amazing bargain for the generous portions and amazing flavors.
Not bad for thai food and definitely great for Eugene (from what I've tried in this city).
My friend and I enjoyed the Vegetarian Tom Yum and pumpkin curry noodles.
The tom yum was pretty delicious and had the traditional galangal and keffir lime leaves to add the tang. Â I was satisfied with this.
The pumpkin curry with shrimp had good flavor, but did not have as much of substance to noodle ratio that I would preferred. Â The noodles were also very strange - sort of thick and kind of stuck together. Â Not my favorite texture, possibly overcooked? Â The vegetables and shrimp were cooked well.
We asked for medium spice since my friend isn't too much of  spicy food person, but I think I could have enjoyed the spicy food here.  Luckily they had a spice rack available for me to add some extra heat to my food.
So we found a coupon in the savvy saver for this place and I love Thai food.
The first thought was " is this really the right place? " I checked my GPS 3 times to make sure. I thought it looked like a fish market... ( after talking to my mom I guess it used to be?! ) Â
There were very few people here and it seemed like a fast food place. Both my partner and I had the pad thai, it seemed burnt to me.
I wasn't super impressed by this pace, wouldn't go out of my way for it but wasn't awful.
Chao Pra Ya. Chao Pra Ya. Chao Pra Ya. (if you haven't noticed, I do like saying their name and I share (almost) a last name with them)
So i do have to say one thing, I have experienced better. Walking in, the decor was completely beautiful, but the outside could maybe use a bit more work. The location is also kind of sketch. Maybe behind a 76 gas station is awesome for those people who are in a rush and need something quick, but for me, I'm not a fan of being immediately behind a 76 gas station and sharing a parking lot with them.
I went with my friends and although we were not a very big group, there were three of us, the waiter seemed very disinterested in waiting on us. The service wasn't too bad though. Our waiter was extremely pleasant when he did interact with us. And when we looked like we had stopped eating, he came over and asked if we wanted boxes, not asking if we wanted anything else. (minor interaction but alright in my books)
Now onto drinks, I didn't actually have one, but both of my friends ordered their Thai Iced Tea. They commented on the fact that it was extremely sweet, and if you're like me, I don't like my Thai Iced Tea too sweet or too bitter. Perhaps they have good bubble tea, but if I go back, which I doubt I ever will, I'll definitely have to update my review and comment on their bubble tea.
So their food was, for lack of a better comment, "meh." I didn't really enjoy the crispy chicken that tickled my taste buds, and their noodles were a bit more soggy then I usually like. Their plates come with carrots and cabbage rather than bean sprouts, lime, and jalapenos, and if you're an avid food eater, you usually like your "usual" bunch when you get something from a Thai Place. Perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh, but that's alright, when I eat Thai Food, I expect it to be at least constant.
But one thing that I do have to comment on was the fact that they were speedy little demons. We ordered our food and it was brought out within five minutes. I don't know what that says for behind the scenes, but if you're in a rush and not in it for the quality of food, this is the place to go. (especially if you have a hankering for Thai Food and you're driving up to Portland or down to Roseburg).
All in all, if I do go back, which probably won't happen, I'll definitely not be ordering the Pad Thai and instead some lovely bubble tea.
Happy Eating. (:
Let me start off by saying Chao Pra Ya's  food is absolutely delicious!!!
My boyfriend and I usually order takeout but tonight we wanted the restaurant experience. We ordered Tom Yum Noodle Soup, Red Curry with Chicken and spicy Mussaman curry with veggies, which all turned out to be excellent choices.
The only thing I have a problem with is the top 40 radio with  songs by Katy Perry, Pink, and Beyonce... Not to mention some pretty loud and annoying radio commercials.
When I go to Thai restaurants with beautiful interior design and amazing food, I expect the quality of music to match it. I doubt that the majority of the Whitaker neighborhood listens to top 40. Why not stick to traditional Thai music??? Â Or something instrumental so people can have a real conversation without being interrupted by Taylor Swift.
Since we've only eaten here once, we'll give it a second chance soon to see if the music gets better. Otherwise, we'll just order take out only or across the street at Drumrong Thai, since they are about $4 bucks cheaper per plate. I have no problem paying a couple extra dollars for top quality food, but my money will be much more well spent if I can hear beautiful top quality Thai music while eating the best food in town.
I truly enjoyed my recent visit to Chao Pra Ya. The menu was extensive enough to satisfy a picky SO yet keep me interested in multiple dishes (umm pumpkin curry, yes please).
I ordered the standard Pad Thai and while it was a bit on the salty side I was pleased with the overall meal. I ordered an extra side of peanut sauce and although unnecessary for the Pad Thai, it was a huge hit on everything else on the table. The only downfall I found was with the quality of the chicken in the chicken teriyaki dish. However, it wasn't anything to be so concerned about as to not order again. I will for certain return to Chao Pra Ya in the future.
We are so very blessed with very tasty and authentic Thai food in Eugene. Every restaurant you visit will serve you some delicious stuff. Okay, every restaurant except one: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/drum-rong-thai-eugene">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a> Ew.
Chao Pra Ya gets all the classics perfect, from the incredible Tom Kha soup (yum!) to Phad Kee Mao. Wanna impress the date and get laid tonight? Make sure to order the lightly-battered and perfectly-fried appetizer known as Golden Pumpkin, which comes with a sweet little sauce on the side. But even more so, make sure to ask for the house special of Pepper Salt Squid. It's freakin' delicious and the best thing in the house: little bodies and tentacles of squid tempura-fried and served with a grilled bell peppers (red & green), grilled onions and a delectable spicy and sweet sauce to be found nowhere else. After eating dinner, your date will think you a sophisticate, run a hand down your thigh. Look 'em directly in the eyes, flash a broad, knowing smile, and get the hell out of there.
Funny story: xmas before last, my friend was up from Los Angeles. He'd brought his new boyfriend fresh off the boat from Thailand, so we thought we'd take them out for some Thai food. We sat down and the bf engaged in some Asian clitter-clatter with the waitress. Because of this, she delivered dinner with a tiny saucer of tiny Thai peppers, half of them fried in oil. I nibbled three of the smallest bites possible off the end of a Thai pepper and was done, my mouth ablaze. The boyfriend popped one after another into his mouth and chewed them down, taunting my friend. Jebus Christus, what are these people's alimentary canals made of?
Chao Pra Ya is definitely a "Eugene five star" Thai restaurant, meaning it may not match up to the hopes and dreams of all the snobs who come on Yelp to talk about how much better everything is in the big city, but it is certainly the best you're gonna get in Eugene. Â
(EDIT July 2011: Â I'll argue now that Ubon is the best you are going to get in Eugene. Â CPY is still 5-star, especially due to its good location and atmosphere)
Chao Pra Ya is a sister restaurant to Ta Ra Rin, another of my favorite Thai places in town. Â The major differences are 1) the atmosphere is much, much nicer since the remodel and 2) the food seems to be more thoughtfully prepared.
Is it slightly overpriced, as some on here have mentioned? Â Maybe a little bit, but it's not terrible. Â I've been a half dozen times in the last year and would definitely rate this the (now second) best Thai in Eugene.
I love Chao Pra Ya, but its sister restaurant Ta Ra Rin has a special place in my heart, so I have to say Chao Pra Ya is my second favorite Thai in town. Â
All the dishes are really solid & authentic. Â You can't order a bad thing on the menu. Â Like Ta Ra Rin, they also have wonderful fresh veggies in all their dishes. Â
I particularly like the UO dish, which is egg & green pumpkin (green & yellow!) Â it's really yummy & not on other Thai menus in town. Â They have a big specials board with lots of seasonal ingredients. Â
Great meal, friendly and fast service, & cute restaurant with lots of Thai decorations. Â If you've ever been to Thailand, some of decor will definitely make you a little nostalgic for your trip.
Jasmine rice for $1 extra?! Â I thought it was ridiculous, really incomprehensible! Â It's like charging extra for the sugar with coffee. Â Curry has to come with rice, otherwise it's blasphemy!
The hefty sticker price for each plate wasn't too pretty to look at either, but maybe that's because I usually enjoy my own cooking. Â Plus, having lived in San Francisco once upon a time, competition among the gazillion restaurants and incredibly huge Thai houses resulted in bargain prices....and sure, amazing food, too.
HOWEVER, I enjoyed having shared  the sweet and lightly spicy Pumpkin Curry with Chicken with my friend for dinner after starting on the Miang Kum Salad that packed a potent punch with its miniature slices of chili peppers.  Dessert with Black Sticky Rice with Mango wasn't so bad either...actually, it was pretty damn good....not too sweet at all, and very beautifully plated.
Oh, and extra bonus for their availability of bubble teas! Â I've yet to return here for it, and I'm so glad I know that it exists somewhere in Eugene!
Definitely as good as Thai food gets around here. Â I've been to most Thai places in Eugene, and I've determined that this is my spot. Â The service is great and the food is fantastic. Â My friend and I drink a lot of water and the server always refills our glasses! Â We've never had an empty glass here! Â
It's funny how I miss ethnic food more and more. Â I'm glad Chao Pra Ya is here because I know where to find good Thai food! Â I like their seafood pad thai and some of their chef specialties. Â I think most people that don't like this place just don't know what to order and so they deem the restaurant bad. Â It's like going to the gas station and trying to get a good meal. Â Come on, if you don't know what to order then ask the server. Â And if you do know what to order and still don't like this place, then you better head over to the airport and fly out of Eugene because this place is the best Thai food in town. Â
I remember the first time I came here I overheard a conversation the server was having with a customer. Â He was asking about Thai food and then asked if she'd been to Taiwan and how Taiwan was like. Â I thought to myself, did he just say that Thailand is Taiwan? Â At least he liked the food!
After several (does 4-5 experience count as several, or more than several) disappointing experiences at Chao Pra Ya, I'm finally able to speak of this in public. Â I fail to see the similarities between Chao Pra Ya and it's sister restaurant, Ta Ra Rin. Â For the record, I heart Ta Ra Rin.
We rolled into Chao Pra Ya because we were in the neighborhood on Saturday night. Â Having spent the bulk of the weekend drinking too much beer in Portland, I needed something with spice and lots of vegetables. Â I always order tofu, and I was excited to see that the vegetarian option comes with "extra broccoli." Â I confirmed with the waitress that this was the case, and then went with the Kee Mao, even though it already had broccoli. Â She promised there would be gratuitous amounts. Â I ordered medium plus for the heat. Â The dish came out with 4 small pieces of broccoli and no heat whatsoever. Â It was basically just a pile of greasy noodles. Â I pointed this out to the waitress, but no additionally veg were delivered. Â Hubby ordered a curry and it was about half the size of what would be served at Ta Ra Rin. Â
Last time I was at Chao Pra Ya I ordered a basil-y dish and confirmed that indeed, it would be a delicious basil-y dish. Â Unfortunately, not a single leaf graced the plate.
The time before that, a friend ordered a dish off the noodle menu that came out as a bowl of gravy-soup and when she asked the waitress, the waitress just shrugged and said yeah, it's a little liquidy today.
Anyways, you get the point. Â And I will be heading to Ta Ra Rin from here on out.
Though I am guilty of ordering within a small selection of my favorite dishes and rarely venturing to the unknowns on the menu, I have never been disappointed with the food quality at CPY. I ate here before they remodeled the place, and a couple times since. I think what keeps me from being a regular here are the prices.
But like I said, after a meal, I am always satisfied and the portions are generous as well. I like the new polished atmosphere. Certainly a nice place to bring a date, whereas the old look was a bit diner-esque.
I rank Chao Pra Ya among the top Thai in Eugene. Good Stuff.
I am proud to say that I was one of the first customers here when they opened. Â I've been eating at Chao Pra Ya regularly since then and have never been dissapointed. Â I do miss the old-school diner atmosphere from the old days but I'm really glad these folks have done so well.
My favorite things:
-sweet neon (non functioning) clock sign
-crunchy chicken wing thingys
-veggie fried rice (ultimate hangover cure)
-giant menu
-Rad Na! Rad Na! Rand Na! Rad Na!
Found this Thai place close to our hotel because we were just too tired to drive into downtown and we sure did get lucky!
The interior is very fancy and super clean compared to the outside and we ended up ordering their non-spicy beef soup with potatoes and vegetables (sorry, don't know what it's called in Thai) and was probably the best soup I have had in a while. The perfect soups always have to have the perfect broth and this place was spot on. Â Their beef was soft and tender and the vegetables also complimented the rest of soup very well.
We will remember this place.
I was very pleased to find this place. Simple, good Thai food. We got there kind of late (almost 9) and we were quickly served our food. Their "hot" was pleasantly spicy without any cloying heat. A full mouth feel which was nice after driving for 11 hours.
The Thai ice tea was sub-par as they put too much milk in, but I am OK with that. I needed the cafine. The Prad Khee Mao (sorry for the horrible spelling) was very tasty with tofu.
For Eugene, this is a good Thai place. Â As other reviewers have said, if you've had Thai in SF or such places, of course it's not going to match up, but for Eugene, good stuff. Â We had three dishes there, and all were tasty: pumpkin curry, phad kua kai, and I think it was called Peanut Sauce Lovers or something like that. Â
Also, we've found that they've recently expanded and I think also redone the interior some. Â This was our first visit but the folks we went with said the one side was all new. Â Clean, decent service, good food, etc. Â We'll go back.
No, no, no.
Great Thai food? Â No. Â If you hail from Portland or San Francisco, you know what I mean. Â Chao Pra Ya is just okay, and that's being charitable.
Great service? Â No. Â Poor service.
Great value? Â Hell, no! Â News flash: Â There are no expensive ingredients in Thai food. Â A few ounces of cheap meat, some noodles or rice, a handful of ordinary veggies, some curry, perhaps some coconut milk. Â It is basic stuff; it should be cheap, and at a similar dive (which Chao Pra Ya inarguably is), located next to a similar gas station, in a similar neighborhood in Portland, Seattle, or San Francisco, it would be. Â The tiny, uninspired portions at Chao Pra Ya should be a buck or two less than the more generous and flavorful ones at its big-city counterparts - instead, they are a buck or two more.
Chao Pra Ya is preying on culturally starved Eugeneans who simply don't know any better, as many so-called "ethnic" restaurants do. Â This also accounts for their accolades in the Eugene Weekly.
It is Thai, and it's in the 'Hood, but that's all. Â Take a pass and go to Kuraya, or better yet, drive to Springfield and try Mekala's. Â Both feature better food, better atmosphere, better service, and much better value.
Update: Â I've visited several more times (hey - it's in the 'Hood!) and have decided that while Chao Pra Ya falls decidedly into the hit-or-miss category, the place does hit an occasional home run. Â The pad Thai is a pretty decent dish, if you're a pad thai fan...the green curry is kind of soupy, but tasty...and the various appetizers are tasty, if unappealingly plated (and priced). Â Plus, where else in Eugene can you sip Thai iced tea and enjoy passable Asian cuisine while watching the colorful folks who inhabit the 'Hood pass by? Â
I'd probably upgrade it to three stars, but Justin is right - the gouging you for a cup of rice thing is just too cheap and cowardly to be ignored.
Chao Pra Ya's menu is essentially the same as Ta Ra Rin's and the prices are comparable (though I always swear that Ta Ra Rin is more expensive.)
Curries here are all excellent. Larb is excellent. A cute diner-style atmosphere lends a homey feel to the joint. Â Salads, like those at Ta Ra Rin, are less than stellar.
For my money the best dish is easily the Pad Kee Mao. Â Order it extra-spicy and be sure to have a pitcher of water handy.
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