O's Thai Cafe

Went to O's Thai Cafe for a quick lunch to escape the December rains (while house-hunting around Crouch End), and I was surprised to find such a good Thai restaurant there; and it was also quite a treat being nice and quiet as opposed to most restaurants I've been to in London.

The set menus were cheap – £6.50 per person – and the quality of the food was better than more expensive Thai restaurants I've been.

Having just visited Bangkok in September, I wouldn't say it was the most authentic Thai restaurant around, but that isn't the point. The satay starter was cooked just right, and the main courses - a green curry and a chicken noodle - was both very tasty; certainly a wonderful treat for lunch.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 10
Saturday, December 08, 2007

Absolutely love Thai O's. I live in Crouch end so its not a pain to get to at all. It's the perfect place to drop in and have a cheeky Thai not somewhere to hang around for hours but quick, polite and friendly service. The layout is cramped and the seats aren't very comfortable but tahts never bothered me. The food is delicious I agree with the other reviewer that they do a great pad chu chee (no.23 with chicken). Wash it all down with a Singa to get that all round Thai effect. Fanstastic. Try spring rolls for starters and you'll go home satisfied. I'd advise to get there early in order to get the quickest service and avoid missing out. It fills up quickly on a busy night so you might be dissapointed.
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SP
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, August 09, 2007

Just read the other views and I'm really surprised. We ate here last night. Yes the seats are a bit uncomfortable and it's a bit clinical looking but the staff are really friendly, helpful and attentive. All the wine was very reasonably priced, under a £10, which is rare to see. I'm a vegetarian and thought the choice was ok for me. We both thought the food was good. Very busy, nice atmosphere. I would go again.
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Angie B
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, May 21, 2007

I walk past this place every day, so the people at O's Thai are practically my neighbours. They are good people, but whilst I would happily leave them with a key to feed my cat whilst on holiday, I would not trust them to cook me a decent meal.

Meat dishes are solid. Though not authentic, perhaps these standard Thai cliches (Red beef Curry, Green chicken Curry) are as good as it gets in Crouch End.

Wine list is nothing special and (if ordering white), is seldom cold enough. Beer choice though is very good with a range of Asian and western beers on offer.

The 'Chef's Specials' vary in standard but the regular menu seafood choices tend to be cheap and unappealing, consisting for the most part of squid, rubbery prawns and even crabsticks covered in a generic Thai sauce. As we Londoners tend to pay out more for seafood than our coastal cousins, the (approx) £12 for a seafood main does not seem extravagant until you get your plate.,

Vegetarian choices are limited and what is on offer tends to be a bit unimaginative (greasy broccolli, potato and courgette tempura anyone? Mmm!). Anyway, having now told you exactly what I think of O's Thai, next time I pass it, I will just continue walking.
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SS.
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Thursday, April 26, 2007

Food so so (main complaint: too westernized, not authentic enough), tables & chairs quite uncomfortable. Trying to be TOO hip can get back at ya! Wasn't that impressed.
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SBL
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, April 11, 2007

This place is a disgrace! Either the previous reviewers think Macdonald's is gourmet food or we were in a prallel universe! The food isn't 'Thai' (not even with the parenthesis), or edible - white toast / rubbery unidentifiabe meat / skwered shiitake mushrooms with satay? What was that about?? My 'pad thai' was cooked chicken and prawns with rice noodles in a tomato ketchup. A friend wanted soup noodles which they said they could make just for him. It was instant noodles with fishballs, and the 'broth' was insipid. With one drink each it came to £17.50 a head. The service was passable. Never again!!!!!
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L Chan
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, February 07, 2007

ate here for my birthday, and although the location isn't great (can be a pain to get to) it is a fantastic place to eat and drink! the food is absolutely delicious and served with a smile, didn't have to wait a long time between courses either. Go try it!
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Josephine
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, January 24, 2007

The food at O's is absolutely delicious - we eat there about once a month and the standard is always high.

The service is friendly and the prices very reasonable - the restaurant is a little small and can get noisy but that's because the food is so good!
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Kate - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Monday, May 15, 2006

I've been a big fan of O's since i lived in crouch end a few years back, its far and away THE best thai restaurant i've eaten in, massive tasty portions, friendly staff, good atmosphere, in fact, i now live in Brighton and whenever i'm in London i make a point of trying to get to crouch end for what is simply my favourite restaurant anywhere.

pad chu chee (red curry) is fantastic as are the many starters on offer. i've tried over 10 different thai restaurants in Brighton trying to find anything that comes even close. no success there though, O's is so far ahead of the rest its like its a different type of cuisine.

A word of warning though, avoid the thai bar further down the road, the food was pricey and poor.
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Richard Whittam
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Maybe we've been to a different O's Thai Cafe, or maybe the one time I have been was an off-night - it was a busy Saturday after all. But I am afraid this is one of the worst dining experiences I have had in London. Nothing authentic about the food, poorly cooked gloop, in a deafeningly noisy and uncomfortable space. Thai food should be a social experience of shared dining with a composition of different dishes - not three spoonfuls of adventurous school dinner slop. Sorry I've eaten a lot of Thai, in Asia and in London but this is one to avoid like the plague.
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Nick W - View all reviews by this user
Monday, August 01, 2005