“ The boat noodles were incredible! I have been wanting to try this place for so long after a friend recommended it to me. The restaurant was pretty empty on a Friday at 6:30 PM, but that seemed to be more because of the restaurant's location rather than quality because it got busier as the night went on (but never too loud). The waitstaff are friendly, and there's a variety of chili flakes and other toppings on the table for you to add to dishes to your liking, I got the Beef Combination Boat Noodles with regular noodles, and my two friends and I shared the Catfish Phig Khing, which we got mild. The Catfish Phig Khing came with a good sized side of white rice and was smaller than I expected, but the boat noodles were massive in portion! Great deal for that price. Catfish Phig Khing: 5/5, deliciously crispy and the flavors pack a punch! The pieces are cut in a cross-section so it goes through the spine, and there are smaller bones in the fish but you could honestly eat through them easily. The mild spice level allowed us to enjoy the fish texture more, as it was fried to perfection. A tangy, spicy, smoky dish! Beef Combination Boat Noodles: 5/5, these were amazing! So much meat, and all of it was delicious. Even though I'm not the biggest liver fan, I loved it here along with everything else. Perfect noodle texture for me: soft but with enough bite to be a carrier of flavor. The broth is unlike anything else I've had before -- so rich and aromatic yet not heavy. Every spoonful was a delight! Overall, I loved my experience here. I can definitely see myself coming here/ordering from here regularly. I found a new favorite food, and I'm excited to have it again! ”

“ Got pad Thai for $15 out the door Togo. Staff was nice. Pad Thai generous portions, came with shrimp and chicken. Noodles moist with sauce but would have preferred just a tad bit more sauciness. Used thin noodles, so just a slight bit last "al dente" and thin noodles not my favorite for pad Thai. Despite my criticisms, for the price, getting generous portions AND with two types of protein, I feel it deserves 4 stars. Not my definite pad Thai, but definitely good value when out the door at $15 these days!!! ”

“ Zen Yai Thai definitely serves the most authentic Thai cooking in Bay Area especially their boat noodles, chicken rice and jook moo rival some of the ones I had in Bangkok. Staffs are always friendly and welcome guests with a smile. Probably most authentic Thai food in the whole Bay Area imho. ”

“ Although it felt like we were stumbling upon a hidden gem, the restaurant was so popular and only got busier throughout our time here. We ordered a few things for the table, and each dish that came out was so good - probably some of the best I've had in the bay. We ordered papaya salad, pumpkin curry, pad see ew, and fried pork belly. Typically, at Thai restaurants, I tend to stick to a few items on the menu, but this restaurant made me want to explore the entire menu. Service was a little slow, but they were super busy so it made sense - they offered us free drinks to make up for it (which we didn't take), but it really made their service feel above and beyond. ”

“ Most delicious and delicately prepared Thai icon. Sadly they have fallen a bit on hard times because of the homelessness population right outside their door. Don't let that dissuade you- so wonderful! ”

“ One of the best Thai places in the city!! They have such an extensive menu, and the prices are extremely affordable and a lot cheaper than almost any other place in the city. My boyfriend and I love their BBQ Thai Style Marinated Pork; it is one of our favorite dishes from an SF restaurant. Their Thai tea tastes really delicious and strong too; I order it almost every time I come here. I also like getting their combos as they are great value. Some other dishes I have tried from here are Pad Thai (which is at a great price since it comes with shrimp), fried chicken over fried rice, duck noodle soup, and Prig Khing Moo Grob (crispy pork belly with string bean and their homemade Prig Khing chili paste), which are all delicious. You can't really go wrong with any item from here. For service, the service here is good. I have never had an issue with the service here. The food comes out extremely quickly. The restaurant always has plenty of seating, so you don't ever have to worry about waiting. Although the neighboring area may not be the best in the city, Zen Yai is really a hidden gem in the city. ”

“ Zen Yai's delicious and authentic Thai food is definitely worth venturing into the Tenderloin. I've been here twice now for dinner on the weekend and both times have been excellent. They have a varied menu - I appreciate that they offer a variety of Thai dishes. Their pad kee mao is delicious. I especially enjoyed it at the 'spicy' level (I didn't think the 'moderate' spice level was too spicy). My partner ordered a rice, chicken, and mushroom dish served in a clay pot that was also delicious. He also really enjoyed the boat noodles. The staff are friendly and efficient. They asked if we minded moving tables to accommodate a large group and they brought us both complementary Thai iced teas. :) Overall, Zen Yai is probably the best Thai food I've had in SF. I'll be back! ”

“ The quality of the duck was actually just okay with the meat being kind of ropey and tough. The soup and noodles were AMAZING though! I loved how the broth was light and refreshing but with a huge punch of garlic to it. I got wide rice noodles but you can pick and choose your preferred noodle shape if you want. Note that this is not in the nicest part of town but I would say well worth the trek! I will definitely be back, though I'll probably order something other than duck in my noodles. ”

“ Wow, really affordable and tasty Thai food! You can tell it's legit since they have Thai only written on the menus on the wall. We got the pad kee mao, duck noodle soup, green curry, and drinks and were astounded by how tasty and affordable it all was when we split the bill. Haven't tried all of Thai places in the area, but so far my favorite and go-to that I would recommend to others and that I've actually re-visited (which is actually quite rare for me). ”

“ A cute little spot tucked away in the corner of tenderloin. The food was good, the spice and flavor was strong. The server was patient and answered my question regarding their most popular dish. Check them out. Ig@blacktigereats ”