Nice place for carry-out Thai food. If you want to eat in, there are 2 small cafe tables, but the majority of their business seems to be in take-out. You can call ahead or just walk in. I placed an order at the counter for chicken pad thai, watched them make it right in front of me, and walked out with it in less than 10 minutes.
The pad thai portion was smaller than I used to, but an appropriate size for lunch and at only $6, a good deal. I ordered a spice level 3 (on a scale from 1-10) and found it to definitely have kick, but not eye-watering. I can't say I'd make a special trip to eat here, but if you're in the neighborhood, it's a good, quick, cheap lunch.
It's hard to beat this place. Their food is incredible, it's not very expensive, and they give you generous portions. The only downside is they do NOT accept credit card. That's the only thing that's preventing me from giving them 5 stars. Nevertheless, this is my favorite place to get Pad Thai or Chicken Fried Rice if I'm feeling boring.
Review Source:One of the best Thai takeout I know.
They accept orders over the phone but even if you order in person, they will get you out quickly, even though they are always super busy.
What to order? Pad Thai, hands down. It is just as good if not better than many Thai restaurants I know, and it's only $7.
Their garlic stir fry is exceptional too.
Best pad thai ever. Get it with extra chicken and extra peanuts, and ask for peanut sauce if they have it. Like it spicy? Ask for "10 plus". You walk in and it's perfect, the ladies are always very nice and remember you from last time. They are actually from hours north of Bangkok, and it shows in the awesome authentic food. Cash only, which I like. Simple. Don't be late though, they cook these guys up in 10 minutes, sometimes less!
Review Source:This place is great! I sent the hubs for take-out and first he called me to ask where the h#$@ I was sending him since it's not in the nicest area. Then he called back to say he had the food and he felt like he was back in Bangkok! Said the line was out the door and it was super authentic smelling while they cooked individual meals in woks. We both got extra spicy red curry and it was perfect! Will definitely hit this place up again and next time, the pad Thai. He said it looked awesome.
Review Source:I've been to this place once on a recent visit to Cincy. Â But, even from that just single visit, this take out joint has set some really high standards in my book for Thai!!!!!
My wife and I didn't get take out. Â Instead, we opted to sit at one of the two tables in the place to eat our meal. Â I would highly suggest if you have few extra minutes in your hand, please take that time to eat there instead of getting take-out.
The ladies working behind the counter are super friendly and more than happy to chat up with us and provide extra attention in creating our dishes and all with big smiles on their faces.
So, if you are a native of the Cincy area or just visiting like me, venture out towards the university neighborhood and treat yourself with some kick ass awesome thai food from this (pardon the cliche) hole in the wall joint.
If you like Pad Thai, this is your place. This is the best Pad Thai in the city, hands down. When you're the best, you don't need frills and this is no-frills dining at its best.
Served with fresh cucumber and sprouts, the Pad Thai is the star at Thai Express. I often think about trying something else, but the Pad Thai here has an oddly magnetic-like pull.
At work, we say "we're getting Pad Thai, you in?" No need to say from where or ask what the person wants. The only question is "what spice level do you want yours?" I'm the "8", my cubicle-mate is the "5." Â We always get the dinner portions because we learned the hard way that the Pad Thai is so good, you get disappointed when you get the lunch portion and it's all gone.
Best way to order is to call it in, as you're leaving for their location; it's ready in 10 minutes. We usually go in pairs, as parking is an issue, so one person runs in to pick up and pay while the other person waits in front of the door and sometimes has to circle the block when a Metro bus comes and boots them out of their designated stop area.
The ladies at Thai Express are part of the charm and their hospitality is as warm as that spice level 8 makes you. Â There is a small seating area, but take-out is the way to go, so you can relax and enjoy the goodness. The only draw-back, other than the parking situation is that they don't take credit cards, but it's well worth the trip to the ATM on the way to experience this Pad Thai.
I'm a sucker for good Thai food, and once I saw all the positive reviews on here, I knew I had to try Thai Express. Â This place has awesome takeout for dirt cheap. You can get your dish on a spiciness rating from 1-10 (I only got a 2 because I'm a wimp, lol). Â Takes about 10-15 minutes and you are ready to walk out the door with your meal. Â I also saw a couple folks pop in that had called ahead. Â I got the Massaman curry, and it was delicious. I plan on trying the Pad Thai next, it seems like their most popular dish (and my other favorite Thai dish). Â Either dish is only $7. They have several other options as well though if neither of those suit your taste. I have definitely found my Thai food spot!
FYI Cash only and parking can be tough as it's close to UC's campus.
Don't know what I'd do without Thai Express! Â Convenient location, cheap, and delicious! Â My favorites are the Green Curry, Panang Curry, and Chicken Pad Thai. Â They also have a nice beverage selection - I love that they have San Pelligrino Limonata! Â It's also awesome that they make the food right in front of you - no mysteries. Â Only downside is it's cash only but that's probably part of what keeps it cheap.
Review Source:Walking in, I knew I would love this place. Â The prices are dirt cheap, and the woman cooking the food has the same smile your neighbor's mom has when she brings out the fresh baked cookies. Â The whole place smells of simmering onions. Â Anyways, the food is awesome - tasty, fresh, spicy, piping hot off the stove. Â The portions are generous, and they're made to order quickly. Â It looks like a hole in the wall, but that's fine because it's take-out anyways.
Bottom Line: Â I'll be back for the best bang-for-your-buck Thai food in Cincinnati.
I came here last night with a friend for dinner. Yelp told me it was the best thai in the area, so we did it. We walked in and found ourselves in a misleadingly simple shop with two tables and big open kitchen. Menu is well organized. The biggest problem, and it loses one star for this- is the language barrier. This place is run by strictly Thai people. The people ahead of us didn't get the right order because the cashier didn't know what he said. We quickly learned from that so, as condescending and racist as it sounds, use simple phrases. They like it if you point to the item you want on the menu. Spice levels are on the number scale, starting at zero. We waited for only about 20 minutes for our food, and a steady stream of people came in and out (you can order on the phone too) We got our food and went over to campus to eat. Now the part of the review you've been waiting for: The fried rice, spring rolls and pad thai with shrimp are all excellent! The pad thai is so flavorful. Portion was huge too. I ate every bit of it. The rice was not sticky rice (thank goodness) so it still had some water content to it which gave it a little substance and didn't dry your mouth out. The spring rolls were similar. Juicy, hot, fresh vegetables wrapped in a neat little roll, perfectly browned and good and crunchy. This place is a major winner in my book!
Review Source:Ok, so I've been to this place a dozen or so times since moving here last August. If I had written this review a couple months ago, it would have been gleaming with all 5 stars. Unfortunately, the last couple visits have been slightly below par for them. Still better than most of their competition, but they're giving up ground for no reason.
First off, the pad thai is their most popular dish and it's very very good. Buuut, having lived in Thailand for four years, I didn't fall in love with it. The dish I did fall in love with is the holy basil stir fry with beef. Holy sh#t! It's a showstopper.
They lost a star because the last couple times I've visited, the portions have shrunk considerably. They used to stuff their styrofoam containers to the brim, giving you enough food for a late night snack on the leftovers. Not quite as fortunate my last couple visits. I might have just hit them at a bad time, but they might be strategically cutting back on their previously overly generous portions. I can't fault them entirely, but it's still disappointing to see.
Regardless, it's some of the best thai in the city and it's definitely the least expensive. Order ahead and pick it up. Ask what specials they're currently offering. Lad na is a must have if it's available.
Don't judge a restaurant by it's storefront, this place is the BOMB!
I know it doesn't look like much on the outside, or even the inside for that matter, but reserve any judgments until you open that Styrofoam container when you get home. When you open it, the smell will caress your being and the taste will send it home. I'm just gonna leave the food description at that.
It's meant to be no more than a take-out place, so I won't judge the decor or the seating. Just go in, grab your food, and die happy.
Go to Thai Express in Clifton. Â Order a variety of dishes. Â (Make sure one of them is the Tom Ka Gai soup.) Â Cram yourself into the corner behind the drink fridge and watch an adorable Thai grandma whip up your order. Â Leave a tip and take your food to the nearest place where you can sit and eat (one of the two tables in front of the window, if you're lucky). Â Eat. Â Weep with joy. Â Spend the rest of your life wishing you'd discovered this place sooner. Â Repeat as needed.
Review Source:I absolutely love pad thai and was looking for a solid Thai place when i moved to Cincinnati. Thai Express is as good as it gets. I've only done take-out from here, but the pad thai is absolutely incredible. I like my stuff spicy, but I have yet to go past a 6-7 on the hot scale. You get good bank for your buck here too. Delicious.
Review Source:I've given up trying other Thai restaurants in Cincinnati; I can never beat the taste or price of Thai Express.
Fancier restaurants in Cincinnati may beat Thai Express in the ambience battle (OK, there's no battle, it's clear who wins in that department) but from my experience, the food from other establishments is always bland, strange tasting, or missing that certain-something.
I always get chicken or tofu pad thai, but friends of mine who've gotten curry dishes were equally as happy as I always am. Their Thai iced tea is also worth trying, it's strong and sweet and great with the milk they put in it, but not too strong like some other places I've had it.
Unfortunately they only take cash and don't really have room to sit, but that just shows how authentic they are, right? If I could only ever get take-out from one restaurant in Cincinnati, it would always be Thai Express.
Best pad thai in Cincinnati. Â I eat here about twice of month and it's always something I look forward to. Â
I've been adventurous and tried other stuff on the menu, but none of it really stands out when compared to the other Thai joints in town. Â However, the pad thai here is so killer, that I just keep coming back. Â
Be sure to ask for a wedge of lime for the noodles, since it brings the pad thai to life. Â
PS, if the food doesn't give you the sniffles, it's not hot enough!
Great Thai food. Â The best Thai I have ever had was in Chicago- and it isn't quite there, but that was an upscale, sit down with a nice bottle of wine restaurant. Â I am judging this place for what it is- more fast food, defiantly not fine dining. Â
Thai Express is delicious, fast and cheap. Â Near a college campus, you can't ask for more than that.
I have had great food every time. Â I always order a 10 in spiciness. Â Sometimes I think they don't believe that I want it that hot, and I would judge it is more of a 7, but they might also be making a judgement call as to not drown out the flavors of the dish, which I am fine with. Â I am vegan and they have a ton of dishes available, I still haven't gotten through all of them. Â
They have a couple tables you can sit at an eat if you want, but this really is a carry out place, not dine in. Â
Cash only.
Let's go through what Thai Express is not: Thai Express is not fancy, nor grand, nor is it one of those new-fangled places where you, "Sit down at a table and eat your meal." It is not any of those things.
What That Express is, is fast, cheap and delicious. Are you looking for fast, cheap and delicious? My god have you come to the right place.
Thai Express, located on the main strip of McMillian (next to Mac's Pizza Pub and around around the corner from the Clifton Chipotle) is basically a counter and a kitchen. You come in, you order, you get your food and go. I'd even skip the first part and order before you get there to save time. (If you do figure out what you want while there, the food takes about 10 minutes to create. So damn quick.)
For such a small operation, they've got a pretty good selection of food. A lot of amazing noodle dishes, as one might expect, but some great things like delicious spring rolls. Mmm...
I went simple and got the basic pad thai at a spice level of 6. It was fantastic. Tasty, hot and a giant serving. I ate half and then ate the other half for lunch the next day and both were full meals for sure. Damn. Plus, that plus the spring rolls cost me about $10. Double damn.
NOTE: It's CASH ONLY! Please prepare yourself for this! Plus, street parking can be a bit tricky (a bit annoying when you want to run in, grab and go), so also prepare yourself for that.
Loved it. No atmosphere at all, no wait, no sitting. Great food to go. What more could you want?
This will be short but awesome, just like Thai Express (sort of). Â
Thai Express is tiny, authentic, fast, cheap, and SO GOOD. Â There's a reason they've won best carry out in Cincinnati years on years on years. Â They've never gotten my order wrong, the food has always been really great, and those ladies are just too cute. Â I like going here in the dead heat of summer when it's steamy and sweaty inside and pretending I'm actually in Thailand.
Best fast Thai in Cincinnati, no competition.
I'm very picky about my international food, since I grew up in a multicultural environment and on foods from various locales. Â That said, Thai Express has the best pad thai and thai fried rice in Cincinnati, and some of the best I've had period. Â
The place is kind of a hole-in-the-wall, but I think that such places tend to have the best food, and this place is no exception. Â The prices are lower than other Thai places in the area, but tastes a whole lot better. Â It's too small to eat in, but is excellent for take-out. Â
When I lived in Clifton, I went here often. Â Now that I don't live in the neighborhood anymore, I don't go there as often (parking in the area is horrible), but I still go there on occasion. Â Their food is just really fresh and tasty, and it's something I enjoy, and it's something I can eat with my husband - he usually doesn't care for about any food that isn't traditional American, but he'll eat this.
I'm really kind of kicking myself for not trying Thai food until after college. Â I definitely was missing out when this place was within walking distance, and now I find myself fighting the McMillian parking and traffic to get here.
This is a fantastic, no-frills take-out restaurant. Â I wouldn't plan on dining in here as the seating is very limited. Â But don't let the dingy store front discourage you from stopping in. Â For the quality of food vs. the price, you are not likely to find a better deal in Clifton. Â The food is super fresh and you get a good size portion. Â I wouldn't worry about calling ahead for a single order. Â It takes about 2 minutes for them to prepare most of their selections, and it's fun to watch them cook it in front of you.
Every time I come to the 'Nati, I have to eat here. One time I came on a Sunday and they were closed. That's when I decided never to visit Cincinnati on a Sunday again.
One time we had a friend pick us up some Thai Express before her flight to to Austin Texas & bring it to us. I don't know if the TSA will let you on anymore if you get it at spicy level 9 anymore though. Â
Some hipster didn't like my review of Thai Express. To him, (I think it's a him but it's hard to tell with hipsters) I say get a "spicy 10" and XO.
OMG!!!! I can not even express how much I love this place!!!! The veggie spring rolls are pretty much the greatest thing ever! They are super crunchy and the dipping sauce is the perfect combination of spicy and sweet. The mango salad, oh the mango salad. Can I be in love with food, with a salad? Well I am and it is true love. Â The sweetness of the mango compliments the crunchy tofu and spicy sauce perfectly.
Here's a tip if you're feeling like ordering the drunkards stir fry, order it with noodles instead of the rice. It's good with the rice but amazing with the noodles.
The service is always good. They are fast and super nice.
I cannot recomend this place more- best Thai food for sure.
Thai Express is definitely my go to place for Thai takeout. It may be take out only but it's also one of the best Thai restaurants around! I spent some time traveling in Thailand and this Pad Thai is the closest thing to what I had there. The parking is kind of a pain but the nearby paid parking lot is usually open.
They also had pad see ew even though it's not on the menu: bonus!
Not only is the food excellent it's also reasonably priced. The serving of pad Thai is big enough to be split in 2 so in that sense it's even cheaper!
Based on these other reviews it sounds like I need to branch out from my usual dishes...maybe next time!
This has to be the best carry out Thai place in Cincinnati. Â I love how simple it is. Â While it comes off as a dive, that is exactly why everyone I know loves it! Â If they tried to get fancy it would loose its charm.
Everything is made right in front of you. Â You can smell all the spices floating in the air. Â I get cravings for this place all the time. Â This is the one thing I miss most about the business district along McMillan Avenue. Â All the new food chains along Ludlow will never compete with this amazing place. Â
Note: They only take cash & parking can be difficult on McMillan.
Just writing this review makes me crave it. Â Mmmmmm...... Â I can smell the Pad Thai at a 6
I agree with the best pad thai in the city. Â The staff is so friendly, when I asked for a 9 on the spice scale the lady said I was in for some hurt and offered a free refreshment. Â
Every morning on my way to class I have to walk by the place and the smell tortures me when I can't stop in for some amazing food.
I do wish they would accept more than just cash.
THE best pad thai in the city, great green curry, really fantastic mango salad if you're looking for something lighter.
The folks who work here are fantastic and SO friendly. Also, for vegetarians and vegans, they are very respectful and will leave out the traditional Thai fish sauce.
Not only are the food and people fantastic, the prices are fantastic as well (bring cash! No cards accepted). Love this place.
This place is off the hook. I love Thai food and been to Thailand for vaca before so I know a little about Thai food.
Price is real good for the portion size.
Taste is just like every other Thai restaurant I've had in new York, the bay and Thailand. This is a big deal for this area becAuse most stuff are just Americanized for all the picky white folks.
Decor is pretty much just a ghetto fast food joint with an open kitchen.
I mustve been lucky cause they place got packed while I was waiting for my food.
This is not a sit down joint cause its pretty grimy.
If you want real Thai food, come here. If you want a pretty place to sit, don't come here.
This has become my go to lunch spot. Except for Sundays because they are closed on Sundays. Which should be considered a crime against humanity. Now I have been to Thailand. And for every cook in Thailand there is a recipe for Pad Thai. Well all those cooks should retire, because the Thai Express Pad Thai is amazing ( I was going to say orgasmic, but really that is just too far and lets keep this PG, folks).
Now I must tell you I have never had anything else on their menu. Only because when I enter that little shack of a resturant, my mind goes primitive and all I can think is "food, pad thai, good". Now I think they are a little heavy with the bean sprouts, so I ask for none on mine. And it doesn't really change anything, in fact, I think it makes it better. Though sometimes there is so much egg in it I think I am eating an omelette. But hell its like 6 bucks, so who cares. It is just good eats. So next time your in the mood for good Thai and your wallet is a little light then head over to Thai Express. They will treat you right.
Also for those wondering the reason why I am posting an updated review is because I want people to see how awesome this place is but with the fact that is just another 5 star review added to the bunch. I think it is safe to say the People know.
I often call in and order some Pad Thai on my way home. Â This place is great, inexpensive, and convenient. Â There are only 2 small tables and their mostly being used by people waiting to pick up their order.
The kitchen (which you can't help noticing) looks like you're in Bangkok.....I keep looking for Anthony Bourdain back there filming a show.
This is hands down the best pad thai in Cincinnati. Â I've tried it all, and anytime I want quality pad thai, I make the drive to Thai Express.
It's quite a hole in the wall, but that just adds to the charm. Â They have a full menu, a board for specials, and a cooler with a variety of drinks, but to be honest, the only thing I've ever had is the pad thai. Â The chicken pad thai is amazing, but the tofu pad thai is really a standout. Â The tofu is crispy like it's fried but still soft.
Thai Express only has a few tables inside and typically it's pretty warm in there, so I recommend getting it to go. Â Also, it's cash only, Â Remember that!
If I had one complaint it would be that the spice level definitely varies on who is making it. Â I've had a 2 that had no spice and a 2 where I was panting from the heat. Â So order the spice level at your own risk!
My favorite Thai food in Cincy. Fast, hot and very authentic. The food is made by two Thai women who are using woks that have been seasoned many times a day for years! Try the Black pepper garlic chicken dish or any if their curries.
This place is cheap (CASH ONLY) and fast especially if you call ahead of time. The portions are huge and everything is always fresh.
You should go eat there. Today. For real.
Great cheap, fast & greasy thai food. Â Entrees cost about $6 and for me, they are at least two meals each.
Two thai ladies and one or two american boys will slave for your masaman curry and almost pay you to take it. Â It is primarily a take-out place because there are only two tables (and those are usually taken by people waiting for to-go food). Â The wait can sometimes be a few minutes, but fear not: you can call ahead! Â And if you don't call, there is plenty to do right across the street: shop at the carryout, pick up the New York Times and a mocha at Starbucks, or find yourself an old novel at Duttenhoffer's bookstore.
Post Script: Â I tried the mango salad for the first time a few months ago, and can now say that in addition to being cheap and yummilicious, this place has options I had never tried, nor even imagined. Â This salad is hot in both senses of the word. Â It comes with rice, tofu and fresh lettuce (which is kept separate in your to-go container to preserve its crispness).
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