We ended up going here on a night that we were really craving Thai food but Ben's Noodles (our go-to Thai restaurant) was closed. We made our way here through the gross snowy/rainy weather and settled in for a nice meal.
Pros:
Decor
Delicious food
Attentive service
Great for dates/intimate dinners
Cons:
Portions are on the small side
I had the red curry and my bf had the basil chicken. Both dishes were delicious, although somewhat smaller in size than we're used to. That's the only real complaint I have about this place. Otherwise, great food, great service, great atmosphere for a great price!
I was very excited when this place opened up. Â It's off of the Clark street buzz, but is still close enough for me to drive to easily. Â There is usually plenty of street parking (pay-parking), which also helps. Â But, that's just bonus stuff...the food is the highlight. Â There food is consistently good, and reasonably priced. Â They are also BYOB which always makes a get together easy on the pocketbook. Â Their service staff is friendly and efficient, and the ambiance is usually pretty fun. Â It's a small place, and sometimes they play Thai movies on the black side-wall which I think is great. Â I once had a late dinner and the owner came out to chat with our group (and likely to make sure we were leaving soon), and we got an insight into his life and how he wanted to fill the Thai food gap on Broadway in that neighborhood. Â He is funny and kind, which makes it even easier to want to support the restaurant. Â I usually get the Pad Kee Mao, but I've heard their catfish dish is one of the best around. Â I've never had to make a reservation, but be warned they seat about 25 total, so if you're going during a dinner rush hour, it's worth calling ahead.
I just found out they have lunch specials, which are a great bargain~!
Full Disclosure: I know the owner's daughter and we've hung out upwards of 3 times. Â So I will attempt to keep this review unbiased but will undoubtedly fall victim to the unbreakable bond I share with this girl.
In all seriousness, this place was excellent. Â It was obviously Thai food, but unlike anything I'd ever had before. Â Not as greasy and with a wider array of ingredients. Â I was with my bowling team, as usual, I let the 40% of the team that's Asian order for me. Â I didn't know what anything was that I was eating, either by name or the ingredients, but it was all delicious. Â I know we had shrimp rolls and some Duck dish that I think was Duck Bamee but can't be sure. Â I wish I could provide more details of my meal but they would just be lies and I love you too much lie to you. Â Shhhhh.
Those complaining about the prices are probably used to greasy spoons. For once my date and I did not want the typical BYOB thai that costs $10 between two of us. We wanted quality. Jin Thai provides just that: fresh food for a good prices in a reasonable amount of time.
I had Tom Yum soup, and I must admit it was the best soup I ever put in my mouth. To be fair, I have had a cold and this was the perfect medicine. YUM!
Then I had the tom yum fried rice. It was so much food I had enough to take home. I just finished it for dinner tonight and I was reminded of how delicious it was---crisp tender vegetables with spicy shrimp.
I hope people check this place out! We went on a Friday night around 7 pm and they were busy but the service was excellent. I will be back!
After a swim lesson with a friend, we were going to go to a place near Argyle. However, we all noticed this place while driving and decided to give it a try. Being the foodies that we are, we were up for a new experience.
The decor is really nice, service was great, an the food was pretty decent.
I had duck. Â It was quite tasty. Â i usually order something that I don't make at home
My friends had pad thai and they thought it was decent. Â They've had better but they thought it was decent nonetheless.
Overall, it was a good experience!!!
Me and my mom's first time here. The grilled calamari had grill marks on it yet it was barely warm and slightly rubbery/soft (the sauce was very good though); the beef salad was mediocre. My Rad Na Krapraw was too saucey (almost watery) and didn't have the right kick and zing of thai flavor, especially since this dish has a basil and chili-garlic gravy. I had to request for some chili sauce to kick it up a notch since it was getting bland and just flat. I hated the bamboo shoots they put in my noodle dish (which I never received anywhere else) because it gave it an overwhelming odor and it left an odor in my mouth. To top off this unsuccessful dinner, the tofu Pad Thai I ordered to-go for my friend as a 'thank you' had a hair in it! I was so embarrassed and it makes me not want to give Jin another visit. I'm sticking to Thai Avenue.
Pros? Nice decor.
First off, let's talk about their crab rangoon, it is all it's played out to be. For me at least best in the city.
I always order the spicy kee-mao hold those damn bean sprouts(yuck) oh and i order that bad boy extra spicy. The service is fast, and delicious every time.
My partner always orders Pad thai, extra lime and peanuts. Not particularly my fave, but she loves it, says it's the best in the city of chicago (shes a die hard far of Kozy up in etown)
Oh, and delivery, it's just as good as in the restaurant, although I do feel like they oddly give you bigger portions, I might just be delusional.
By far my favorite Thai place in the city and trust me, I've been to Thailand, and this is truly one of the more upscale-ish authentic places that I could compare the food to.
What I liked:
Crab Fried Rice: This has become a go to item. It's not oily and really tasty.
Roti Bread: I selected this on a whim and sure enough, it was really good. It's like... a flattened cresent roll that is saturated in butter. A little steep for $3/serving but I would still order again.
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What I disliked:
Pad Thai: I know, I know. I thought it was.... saucy. Which I found to be strange. My friend ordered it and said the sauce tasted burnt and a little off. I have ordered it twice and though it tasted...wet. Kind of gross actually.
The prices: Prices here are a little steep, for such average or below average dishes.
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I've had various other ginger/sweet and sour dishes here but they were just mediocre. I would like to try to Duck Bamee, and will give this place one more chance.
Next to PS Bangkok, this is my favorite Thai food in the city.
My favorite is the Duck Bamee - just amazing. Â The duck is cooked perfectly, the skin is wonderfully seasoned and crispy. Â Even with delivery, the skin is crispy! Â The Pad Prik is not a joke - it's effing spicy. Â My partner was sweating through it, but managed to finish his meal, it was that good!
Decided to spend our anniversary last night at this neighborhood restaurant. So glad we did. Atmosphere is great, food was awesome. My wife is VEGAN and they made our experience easy. Staff and owners were helpful and incredibly friendly. Restaurant is BYOB so we (not drinkers) brought some n/a ginger ale that complimented food just perfect. Chive dumplings were best I've had in city. Shrimp Pad Thai the same. Ginger Duck could have costed $30+ in any downtown place. Husband/Wife owner team makes my loving this place all the better. Will definitely go back to try rest of menu. Thanks for making special day end on high note.
Review Source:Jin Thai is okay. I guess. Not sure why so many people are raving about the crab rangoon either. Like Hayley H said, It's mediocre.
I also had the Hot Curry Catfish as my entree. Once again... wasn't all that impressed. There were so many Kaffir lime leaves in the curry it was extremely hard to enjoy. Â I had to poke around my plate and try and remove a lot of them. Definitely overpowering. Next time I will ask for the dish to be made without. The curry sauce was also almost non existent. Disappointing.
Also, the "Hot" from curry catfish should be removed. I was looking forward to some spice. Mild at best. Where are the Thai peppers?
I will be back Jin, possibly for some lime chicken, spicy beef salad, ped telay or roasted chicken.
Lesgetreal. You people weren't lying when you said Jin Thai has the best crab rangoon ever. Because that Crab Rangoon was the best crab rangoon I have EVER tasted.
And I don't even like crab rangoon that much.
Moving on. Love the outdoor seating which is apparently a new thing and also a really smart idea on Jin's part. It's going to get them exponentially more business this summer. From me included.
I'm trying to branch out from green curry these days so I went with the Hot Curry Catfish dish which was a delish dish of fish to have chosen. I ate past the point of being full 'cause I just couldn't stop myself. I swear I would have licked the plate if I could. I didn't. I was  on a date. And that's generally frowned-upon date behavior. But I won't lie, I weighed the pros and cons in my head before I nixed the urge.
Service was good, the interior looked nice, and I even got serenaded by a couple of passing gentlemen who reeked of cheap liquor and cigarettes.
I'll be back. Maybe with someone who is less concerned with how attractive/normal I look.
I'm in LOVE with Jin! Last night was my second visit in 2 weeks' time (and with all the restaurants in this wonderful city, it's practically a miracle that I wanted to make a repeat trip to any restaurant in that time period).
Things to love:
1- Thai crepe...delicious!
2- Really fresh veggies and herbs in their dishes (the Kee Mow and Pad Woon Sen are two fine examples...Pad Woon Sen was the best I've ever had!)
3- BYOB (not sure if there was a corkage)
4- Attentive and friendly staff (I dropped my fork on the floor and a new one appeared in less than 10 seconds without my even asking).
5- They put sweet potatoes in their yellow curry (delicious!)
Both the noodle dishes and curries are great. Their Thai iced tea is the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. Overall, a great neighborhood spot for a tasty, quiet dinner!
Some of the most fresh, light, delicious Thai I've had in Chicago!
Even though I've lived in Chicago a while and I really like Asian-style Noodles, I didn't have a go-to noodle place. But, my friend was visiting and requested them, so I poked around Yelp and settled on Jin Thai.
I had been eyeballing this place for a while, and I was pleased to find that the restaurant had a great ambiance on the inside as well. There's a cool projector which projects images of fish and lush landscapes, and while the place is small, there's a cozy, cool feeling to it.
Our table of three ordered a Thai Iced Tea, Crab Rangoon, and Vietnamese Rolls to start. All were exceptional. The Thai Iced Tea was a particularly good batch, and it was flavorful and sweet. The Crab Rangoon was downright stuffed full of cream cheese and crab; it wasn't over-fried. The Vietnamese Rolls were crunchy and the mint added a really nice, fresh flavor.
For dinner I had the Ginger Chicken which was even better than I had pictured it in my head. The sauce was delicious and complex, and the ratio of chicken-to-vegetables was perfect. I was in heaven.
For dessert the waitress suggested the Banana Wonton, and even though I started as the only person even interested in dessert, everyone loved it and couldn't stop eating it! We suspect the ice cream is made in-house.
Service was great and the people there seemed genuinely concerned about our happiness. We will go back.
The Andersonville neighborhood is known by most Chicagoans for its quaint character and small town charm. However, the next time you think Andersonville, you should also be thinking Thai. I am not sure about you, but the main reason for dinning out for me is service. And Jin Thai does not disappoint. Their staff literally make you feel as if you are the only person they are serving in thge entire restaurant. And the food? The yellow curry was by far the best I have ever had.
Review Source:I had no idea that the end of Broadway where Jin Thai is has gone through such a wonderful change in landscape since I was living in the Rogers Park area years ago. Â And I happen to stumble upon Jin Thai.
Crab rangoon stuffed nicely and not to the point of dribbling or squirting when  you bite into it. Panang chicken nice and spicy in a thick gravy that's not salty.
I was shocked that the restaurant was not filled to capacity when I went this one particular day, but when I passed by again on a Friday night to see a friend in a stage play a few blocks away, I saw that the restaurant was packed. The food is worthy of a visit and many returns. Next time I will be sure to take my camera in abidance of the foodie mantra: You must always have a camera at hand.
Update as of 31 March 2012, I returned and had two more different dishes. I started with the crispy crepes that were stuffed with shrimp, tofu, bean sprouts, and coconut flakes. Talk about wow. Then I had the yellow curry chicken with sweet potatoes. Not that I am adverse to change, but I have been accustomed to having yellow curry chicken with white potatoes. Well, let me just say that change is good and I prefer sweet potatoes in my curry now. My star rating went up.
When I first heard that yet another Thai restaurant was replacing Panda Panda, I thought the only thing the neighborhood needed less was another taquerÃa. Â I am a dyed-in-the-wool fan of Ben's Rice and Noodle. Â Then I tried Jin.
I am certainly no expert on Thai cuisine, but Jin definitely offers items that I have never seen on any other Thai menu anywhere. Â I think my favorite new experience so far has been the chive dumplings, although the Rama would be a close second and the hot curry catfish is out of this world. Â
The servers are friendly and speedy and definitely aren't afraid to make good recommendations based on other dishes you like. Â Jin is definitely a win for the neighborhood.
I've been meaning to write this review for a couple of days now, but I've been tongue Thai'd. Ha.
It was gaming night and food was needed, so off we want a-wandering. I remember some folks telling me about a good Thai joint a block down from the illustrious Dice Dojo so when we came upon Jin, I knew it had to be the place! A quick debate and we decided to dine in as the space looked nice and inviting. Boy am I glad we did.
Ordered the Thai spring rolls as an appetizer and while they weren't much better than any standard order, they were definitely tasty. Nice, light tofu with sprouts and cucumber all wrapped in a thin rice wrapper with a savory, sweet sauce draped seductively over. Yum.
I had the Kee Mow and she had the Green Curry. The Kee Mow was amazing. A heavenly bite of basil and spice, peppered with green beans, broccoli and sprouts; tender chicken finished it off and man, was it a great dish. Her curry too was fabulous with green beans, eggplant and bamboo shoots drenched in savory curry with a side of rice to soak up the goodness and spread the love. Really, really good.
Chicago is full of amazing Thai but it's so easy to forget about the truly exceptional places like Jin Thai. Do yourself a favor and come here, you won't regret and can't forget it.
I feel like an adulterer: Ben's Rice and Noodle, I love you and have a huge space in my heart for you, but I have been cheating on you with Jim. Â I went for the first time three weeks ago and have eaten there 6 times since then. Â I feel guilty. Very guilty.
WHAT I AM ADDICTED TO:
Order the bowl of hot coconut milk with bananas. Â There might be crack in it. Â I think about this stuff throughout the day on a regular basis. Â It is beyond amazing especially on a cold winter evening.
WHAT I REALLY LIKE:
Best Thai food I have had in Chicago. Yes, better than Opart. Â Curries are magnificent, pad thai is my favorite I have ever had, ditto on the spring rolls. Â Plenty of fresh greens for garnish. Larb is full of super fresh tasting herbs. Â Crab fried rice is outstanding as is the Thai crepe.
Wait staff are prompt and attentive. Â I feel that the main woman must have worked in fine dining before because she has that kind of perfect service manner where she doesn't just slam the chopsticks downs or bark at you. Â It feels much more refined than a corner Thai place and I like that. Â
The decor is nice. Â I don't usually care about this in a Thai food place, but it turns a corner thai food joint into a place that is a bit nicer to take a date, out of towners, etc.
WHAT I DON'T DIG:
It can be a bit chilly in there. Wear a scarf. Â And do your part too - when you enter, make sure the outside door is closed before you open the inside one.
Nice decor, very modern and an interesting menu. Â My one criticism (and it is a big one) is that it took OVER AN HOUR to get our entrees. Â On a Monday night. Â Three people. Â Really? Â Even the edamame app took FOREVER to come out. Â The food was good but thankfully we were not in a rush. Â I would be willing to try again. Â Maybe we just had a bad roll of the dice.
Oh, it was also pretty funny when they brought us a corkscrew for our box of wine.
I have no gritty detail on ambiance, only comments on the fare. And, the proprietors. We've never had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Jin, but Mr. Jin is one of the nicest, coolest, hospitable people we've met.
And he totally reminds us of the scientist on Lost. Really. His voice, his demeanor, everything. Sometimes we just call and order food so we can hear his voice and think back to Sawyer, Jack and Kate running around and making out with each other on the island, Hugo eating all the rations... anyway...
Aside from the cool people, the fare is fab. For the very nominal cost differential between Jin and your everyday Thai joint, the fare makes it COMPLETELY worth it. The veggies are consistently crisp, the flavors always with a little more depth, everything seems to blend together well. Sans the custard. Not of the fan of the custard, but we've eaten here three times now and have tried the cashew chicken (highly recommend), the garlic chicken, Tom Yum (yum), Tom Kha and Pad Woon Sen (very good). All completely delectable. The standout is the peas. Always amazing peas.
We're right around the corner from Argyle Street with its Thai interpretations, but we'll skip and head to Jin. Maybe at some point, we'll see Sun!
Very happy to see this place open. This place took over the slightly janky Panda Panda (did you know that Pandas poop 50 times a day? They also mate a lot, but who can mate with all that pooping? I was listening to NPR today, and . . . I digress).
The decor is great. Stripped down, minimal, and most of all CLEAN. The other place was  . . . not all that clean.
I popped in for lunch on a slow Saturday and had Tom Ka Khai and a Thai Iced tea. It was good. Good, not great. Very fresh, and . . . clean. For $10.95, I thought the soup was a bit overpriced - when I can get a bowl of Pho big as my head down the street. But, I know . . . different places. And I had the shrimp added - and there were a LOT of shrimp in it. So, okay on the price.
I don't really understand why places leave the shrimp tail shells on when shrimps are in soup. Maybe I'm missing something about the cuisine, but it's a bit annoying to pull off the tails and soup dribble down your wrist. Maybe I'm not understanding something.
Thai Ice Tea - always delicious, creamy and cold.
Solid little place, clean and friendly. Thai food is not high on my list of things I like, but I'd pop back in for lunch on a lazy weekend day, definitely.
My dear friend who lives down the block has a DVR. Â This is significant because 1) I do not have a TV Â 2) Â Hulu doesn't show Top Chef: Just Desserts (bastards).
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Soooo when dear friend suggested a little Top Chef marathon and Thai food combo, I was all about it. Â Technically we did not dine in, so I'm sorry if you were looking for some crazy detailed review about how good or bad the service/ambiance/chairs were, disregard this review. Â Side note: next time I will dine in, as the restaurant is super cute!
We shared the crispy egg rolls, panang curry, and a chicken/rice noodle dish (my memory fails me...) Â We both really enjoyed everything. Â I'm not a Thai expert, so maybe I've got it all wrong, but my tummy likey. Â
If you ever end up in the middle of nowhere--aka Edgewater--and are craving Thai, I'd say this is a solid bet. Â Best of all, these guys are byob. Â Woohoo!!
Black is cool...of course!
That is what I have though each time I have walked by this new addition to the Edgewater community. The interior and outside is lined/painted all black, which made it look very modern and sleek. Â I like.
I made it a point to try this place today, because of the holiday. Â I thought I would not be as crowded as it usually is when I pass it walking home from work. I was right; I was overall happy that I selected Jin Thai (JT) today.
I started with the crab ragoons, which were great; they may be the best I ever had ! I love how crispy the dough was. The sweet and sour sauce it was paired with did not conflict from the filling or dough, which I have had found to be the case at other places. I also ordered banana wonton, which presentation was awesome. The four pastries with vanilla ice cream and fruit was yummy.  My main course was the crab fried rice, which I was craving at the moment. Nevertheless, this dish is my improvement  for JT. The crab fried rice was heavy in the oil that it was cooked in, which left little taste in the rice. I will say there was lots of crab meat in the dish and the portion was large ( I could have taken half of it home with me).
Service was good overall, where the wait staff was very good with refilling water. The waiter was good on timely between the meals. The owner came and informed me why the dessert was taking longer than usually (I had not noticed), which was due to a kitchen error. I understand and thanked him for stopping by to let me know.
Overall, JT is a good addition to Edgewater. Food was good, I left full, and I enjoyed me time at JT. The service was great, the space was clean with appeal. I will stop by again; maybe for the fish next time and surely for the crab ragoons. Yum!
Wonderful place! Â Food is divine and by far the best Thai I've had in Chicago!!! Â
Great atmosphere and the staff is very friendly. Â Jin and her husband are wonderful people, very sweet, attentive and makes you feel at home.
Anybody who loves Thai food should come and eat here. Â The roasted Thai chicken is to die for! Â It's also BYOB so that makes it even better!
Had to walk out and leave this place because we sat there, received no menus or water after 5 min, but a white couple walked in and was served immediately.
We left out after another several minutes of waiting and still not getting water. Â I walked out and came back to speak to the owner to inform why I left. Â When I spoke to him in a very polite way, he attempted to talk over me and stated he saw that I did not have water & menus when he came back and saw that we left. Â This was a lie because I looked at him before we left and while we got up to walk out I looked at him and shook my head.
I hate pulling the race card, but they way we was treated and the way he reacted gives me no choice.
Heard some great things about the food and was very happy to try but I refuse to give my hard earned money to business who refuse to appreciate my business. Â There are too many restaurants in my area to choose from to settle.
There are plenty of Asian restaurants in the neighborhood, but this is by far the best Thai spot that I've been to in a long time. Â They've been open for 4 weeks now and seem to be on the right track to making a name for themselves as a neighborhood staple.
We started with the spring rolls: Â delicate little pieces of cucumber, tofu and bean sprouts in a soft wrapper dressed with just the right amount of plum sauce. Â Next we had the pad thai and pad see eiw, both mainstays of any Thai menu and they nailed it. Â I don't know if the secret ingredient in the PT was extra fish sauce or liquified rays of sunshine, but I left with a huge smily on my face.
The owner told me they'll start delivery in a few weeks and when they do, we now have a new go-to place for Thai.
This is just another in a long line of Thai restaurants that cater to bland American palates. Â It's a bit expensive, and doesn't make me say Wow. Â It kind of makes me want to yawn. Â And it did after I ate there. Â
I'd rather go out of my way to get good Thai food than get what's around the corner and average. Â Sorry, won't be back.
well, a new thai place has gotten on my radar, and that is always a good thing for me. I go through waves of eating lots of thai food and the itch needs to be scratched about now.
So, with jin thai coming up as a new place to try out, a friend and I took it upon ourselves to order take out and see what the fuss was about. I made sure to get my normal thai food standby of ordering some chicken satay and had to get the shrimp rolls that were on there as well. We also got Ginger chicken and pad woon sen (chicken and glass noodles) along with a bit of miso soup.
The appetizers were very good. The shrimp rolls were very good and the sauce with them was bringing some spice that I was digging. There was a good amount of meat on the satay and a whole lot of peanut sauce (and a big smile grows on my face). Both of the entrees were good, but the glass noodles were the real star in the pad woon sen. I always know I'm eating at a good place when they are able to do noodles really well and that was no different here. I don't always order noodles, but they have been a real good litmus test for me over the years. The miso soup was fine, nothing really extraordinary, but the rest of the food more than made up for it.
Jin Thai is also byo. Granted, we didn't sit down and take in the full experience, but it was noted by me for later. The inside is pretty modern and sleek, but the food doesn't feel that way at all and is more homely (which I personally love). Jin Thai wasn't necessarily the cheapest place, but it certainly isn't the most expensive either. This was quality thai food and there is a bit of a premium for that. Still, in the whole cosmic sense of things, it was pretty damn cheap as both of us were able to gorge ourselves for basically $20 a head
The dishes aren't as expensive as some other reviews have stated. I'm not sure where these folks are used to eating thai (or any other kind of food), but I expect a good dish to run me about 8-10 in the city. My partner ordered the pad thai with tofu - that was a little under 8. I ordered the chicken panang curry, which was a little over 10. We had a thai iced tea and a Vietnamese spring roll. Before tip, everything came out to about 30.
Moreover, you really do get what you pay for. The absolute best panang I've had was in NYC. I've been dying to find panang like this, but have only found versions that are more akin to either soup or paste (pending on the place). At Jin, the panang was served beautifully, with a swirl of coconut milk on top for presentation. The coconut milk was wonderful, creamy, and rich without being overwhelming. I believe it was the kiefer leaves is that wonderful grassy spicy flavor that i love so much in panang - but regardless of what it was, it came through nicely in this dish. The curry was spicy without being too overpowering. All-in-all, you could taste each individual flavor, but at the same time they blended together perfectly.
To argue other reviews again, the dishes felt more than adequate in size. No, it's no heaping portions that some OTHER thai noodle restaurants in the area may dish out, but that's not really the point. I was satisfied half way though my dish, as was my partner. Frankly, the only thing that is as good as panang curry is left over panang curry.
We went in shorts and tshirts - the owner was cordial but not overly friendly. That's fine by me, because I prefer to be left to my food & friends. The place started to pick up sometime around 7pm, which was a decent crowd for a new place on a tuesday night.
All-in-all, you'd better believe i'm going back. The food was amazing, and I've been aching for a good thai place within a 4 block radius of my house.
It seems June is the month for new restaurants this year in Edgewater.  Jin Thai Cuisine took over the old PandaPanda.  They did a decent job with the renovation (although pergo floors in a restaurant doesn't give me the sense they really thought  this part through.)
I typically split my opinions of restaurants between two variables: 1) Value of the Experience and 2) Quality/Value of the food.
I want to enjoy my experience as much as I want to delight my taste-buds. Â Jin is simply adequate Thai food. Â The experience was blase'. Â I couldn't help but contrast this experience with other Thai in the area. Â I just didn't feel the love. Â I really hate feeling like I am an afterthought at a restaurant. Â You would think that a new place during opening weekend would be warm and welcoming--not so today. Â
Comparing prices I am underwhelmed. Â I am not a "big" portion kinda guy but I do understand the concept of value for my $ spent. Â The portions were sparse (as most dishes should be if you want to be healthy) Â but for the price I heartily expected to be able to have left overs for take-home.
I had the Ginger Chicken and my partner had the Pad Woonsen. Â The Pad Woonsen was very good but the Ginger Chicken was again, adequate. Â I was especially turned off by the $1 up-charge for beef ($2 for shrimp which seems reasonable). Â I also was turned off by the up-charge of $1 for brown rice. Â Now don't get me wrong, I will pay a premium for exceptional food and service but seriously, an extra $1 for brown rice vs white? Â I simply felt that they are trying to squeeze every last penny out of me.
Total bill for two $23 including tip. Â Â (Two entrees, no drinks no, appetizers , no left overs, no love from the staff, probably no repeat visit)
For last Saturday night being the 2nd night open for business I felt the service, quality of food, and atmosphere were perfect! Normally you see reviews so early to the grand opening of a new restaurant and most people will tell you to wait it out, that things will get better. Jin Thai is impeccable! The store front they renovated looks great, the decor on the inside is simple and cozy. They play old Thai movies on their projector on the wall, it's just really cool!
I went with my boyfriend and we decided to not order our normal "go-to's" instead we entered in on an amazing Thai culinary journey. There were some standards we couldn't veer away from, such as Crab Rangoon and Tom Yum Soup. The Crab Rangoon easily gives Indie Cafe a run for their money (Indie Cafe - what I deem as the best Crab Rangoon around). The dumplings delicately fried and not too wontony, just pure crispy cream cheesey goodness. We then entered our soup course, where I ordered the Tom Yum (per usual) and my boyfriend ordered Tom Kha. Tom Yum was a perfect balance of all the usual Thai flavors, sweet, spicy, tangy, savory. However I wouldn't say it's too spicy for anyone who is sensitive to spice. The Tom Kha was almost the exact opposite of the Tom Yum. It was creamy with sweet coconut milk, but had a bit of tang given to it by the galanga root.
We started the evening agreeing that we would get a few apps and share an entree, well, unfortunately for me the entree we decided to go with (not our normal dish to order) was waaayyy too spicy for me. The dish was called Kao Soy. This dish is not for the faint of heart. Luckily my boyfriend loves to have his mouth feel like it could spontaneously burst into flames. I took one bite and that was pretty much it for me. However, that being said, I do appreciate the flavors the dish had, if I enjoyed really spicy things, I would love this dish. I then had to order something different for myself, I decided to go the "cooling" route with a green papaya salad. This salad was so delicious, fresh, crunchy, refreshing, and most of all cooling on a mouth that was engulfed with spice!
The price for the meal was well worth every cent (and it wasn't that expensive!). If Jin Thai is any news of what is to come to this deserted restaraunt area on Broadway, I'm convinced that Edgewater may become the next culinary "hot spot".
I recommend everyone try Jin Thai.
Tasty addition to the 'hood. Jin takes the best of good Thai food (spice, freshness, depth of flavor) and takes it to the next level. Not only is the corner remodel a great looking storefront on a block that was needing a shiny new gem, but Jin isn't just 'another BYOB Thai place'.
The difference starts with the location and style, but ends - as all truly great restaurants should - with the food. I disagree with Steve, in that this is NOT your usual thai menu. Sure they have the standard American-Thai fare (spring rolls, Pad See Ewe, Lad Nar, Penang Curry, etc.) but it's the dishes you won't find at other neighborhood Thai joints that really stand out.
After a deeper dive into the menu, my girlfriend and I decided to scratch our standard faves in order for something new. We still had to stick to the crab rangoons (four plump morsels thankfully not over wontony) and the standard Tom Yum (spicy, red as a lobster delicious) and Tom Kha (think rich coconut and savory Galunga) but on top of that we got the specialty of the house, the Angel Wing, something I've never seen before - basically two large chicken wings somehow stuffed with glass noodles, ground chicken and seasoning and then fried. Holy Bangkok, it was amazing.
From there we went onto the soups, a delicious Green Papaya salad and an entree of Kao Soy, a uber spicy curry noodle dish that kept me sweating for an hour after. Awesome. Amazing value too. Maybe an extra dollar on top of what you'd expect from most Thai places - maybe - but with ingredients that are out of this world, an impeccable eye for quality and portions that I would say top out more places.
Truly an amazing joint. If you love Thai, but you're growing weary of the standard Pad Thai and spring roll joints that are a dime a dozen, come on up to my 'hood and take a smooth, spicy, sexy shot of Jin.
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