Arrived a tad early for our dinner reservations and decided to grab drinks while waiting. We were seated in the lounge booth area and served at the table there while we waited. The drinks we chose were delicious (seeda and Achara). Our waitress was wonderful and knowledgeable and informed us of how to balance the spices with each course. We ordered the bird dumplings (Kanom Jen nok), duck salad (laab ped), crab curry (gaeng pu chakram), pork chop entrée (moo yaang prik), cabbage side dish (kalum tod nam pla) and coffee shaved ice for dessert which was ridiculously large but the perfect ending to cool off the spice. Would absolutely order every dish again but can't wait to return to try what we haven't yet ordered! A must visit if you love dishes with abundance of flavor and spice.

If you have more of an adventurous palate and are looking to experience authentic Thai this is the place for you. This older warehouse space near Fishtown makes you feel like you are on a relaxing vacation in Thailand with its open concept, plants, cleanliness, and bamboo chairs. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. I sat at the bar for my first time, but I would go back to experience sitting at a table. I would advise for newcomers to be honest about your heat sensitivity to spicy foods but you must try the Thai tea as it will cool down your taste buds and staying for dessert is a must! Receiving your check at the end with the picture of her and her mother was a beautiful touch to the experience as well.

Kalaya is an awesome restaurant in the Fishtown area. 100% ensure you have a reservation before visiting as walk-ins are usually unsuccessful. I trusted my server completely on dining recommendations and the food did not disappoint! My friends and I shared everything from appetizers to various entrees which is the suggested way to go! The flavor profile of every bite is powerful and full of life. The service was amazing and extremely helpful for providing suggestions and advice. The restaurant itself is lively, bright and makes for an enjoyable dining experience during daytime.

Returned to kalaya and had an even better food experience! My friend was visiting from out of town, so I took her here and glad I did. Our waitress was absolutely amazing! Very friendly and knowledgeable. We were stuck between two entrees and told her to pick and surprise us. We ordered the achara to drink, kanom jeeb Nok as our app, nua pad king as our entree and shaved ice for dessert. Everything truly deserved a 10/10! Each dish continued to get better and more complex. I will 100% reorder the stir fry and shaved ice! Unfortunately, the cocktails are consistent with my original review a few months ago. My friend and I were not fans of Achara. She tried a lychee mocktail and asked if they can add alcohol, which they did but still were not fans. The dessert sadly took 20+ minutes to come out and we had to leave for a show so we had less than 5minutes to eat it. The shaved ice was truly something I still talk about till this day and was the best thing I ate! Highly highly recommend coming here!

We came here for lunch, with a reservation (as the restaurant was pretty packed so there could've been a wait otherwise). The interior is so pretty and spacious, it was really hot though - unsure if that's because it was incredibly hot outside or if it's always hot inside. Our waiter was the best part of the experience, super friendly and gave great recs and explained the menu really well. The food however was definitely overhyped beforehand, which could've affected my opinion, but I didn't find it to be anything too amazing. We tried most of the apps and enjoyed the tofu and chive cake (despite it being a bit greasy). Then for main meals we got a chicken curry, crab curry, crab fried rice, and tofu entree. The crab meat was delicious cooked very well, and the actual curry had a spicy kick to it. The chicken curry seemed to be a favorite. We finished with a Thai ice tea tiramisu cake which was decent even though the Thai ice tea flavor was super subtle. Overall, it is a bit pricier than I'd have liked but I guess you're also paying for the experience and ambience as it did really feel like an authentic Thai restaurant.

Came here on a rainy Saturday afternoon at 12:30pm with reservations and it was bustling! My friend and I waited for about 20 minutes for our table to be available, the entryway can get a bit congested with several parties of various sizes waiting to be seated at once. The building is interesting bc it looks to be a converted commercial office or warehouse-type industrial building with a major face lift. It's lofted with an open airy sunroof and a plot of live tropical trees in the center of the restaurant. Give them props for making the ambiance simultaneously tropical and modern while still very relatable with keeping the roof beams and terracotta color flooring. Aside from the bar and bar seating on the left side of the restaurant, there is banquette seating around the walls and stand-alone tables in the center. At the back of restaurant are the kitchen and pass through. After seating we were given menus and time to decide. We asked our server which dishes were more or less spicy and decided to go with one spicy--Khao Soi Nua ($30)--and one not--Nam Prik Kuhn Pu ($26). Unfortunately the second dish was actually more spicy than the khao soi which was a bit disappointing bc I was trying to avoid spicy food bc my stomach wasn't feeling the best prior to lunch. That being said it was on the medium/hot spicy side (compared to most American food, though squarely in mild/medium for truly SE Asian peoples) and an enjoyable level of spice had I not been trying to avoid it. The first dish of beef khao soi egg noodles, coconut milk, mustard greens, chilli crisp and crispy noodles. Was it a tasty plate of food yes, great execution--noodles had a slight chew, beef was tender, mustard greens added a salty slight bitter kick. Though having eaten many bowls of khao soi before I didn't feel the chili crisp was necessary or added to the dish that was already full of flavor. The second dish of caramelized pork belly with tamarind, guajillo chilis and dried shrimp, served with nam pla khai tom and jasmine rice--this was kinda a braised preparation of sorts, served with a side of pickled soft boiled egg. The pork was tasty though I felt the flavor was kinda blown out by the spice. The egg was delicious with the vinegary touch and crunchy sweet zing from the red onions both surprised and impressed me. Also am I the only one that's slightly weirded out by eating from bowls where the coating is visibly chipping in multiple places? I understand the retro aesthetic but it kinda felt like I was eating from bowls bought from a vintage yard sale. For drinks we ordered a Thai iced tea ($8) and a house-made pandan coconut Thai soda ($8). I enjoyed the soda, it brought SE Asian flavors in a light floral and tropical blend. Aside from the misinformation on spice level, this waitstaff were very hospitable and helpful, coming to check in on us regularly. It was an interesting experience to see SE Asian food represented in a more fine dining atmosphere. The majority of the diners were non-Asian so it's terrific to see SE Asian flavors and techniques cutting through in the greater landscape of the American food scene. Though from what I tried here, I've found similar dishes elsewhere maybe with less upscale ambiance, at a more affordable price point.

This is one special place. It's on a level I've never experienced before. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful! The artwork, three trees in the middle, the skylight, the booths, etc.! We came here to celebrate my dear friend's birthday (the big 5-0!). We had no problem getting a reservation a few weeks out. This was back in April. We were seated at a small table in the bar area while our table was being prepared for us. We all ordered a drink and we enjoyed them! There was anew drink on the menu, that came out that day, and the server explained every ingredient in the drink. It was impressive. We were seated at a booth. There were three of us and it was wonderful! The service was amazing, the food was incredible and it is a special place. Our server was wonderful! She helped up with every question we had and guided us with what we like and how to order. Make a reservation now. Do not hesitate. You will not be disappointed!

We had a great experience at Kalaya! It started out with a bit of a rocky start as they were 30 mins late in taking our group for our reservation, but we were able to sit at the bar and take some shots (the song and the saam). When we got to our table, we were given a complimentary appetizer for the wait--although we didn't know we were getting it and were very confused when it arrived at our table. We ordered a few dishes to share among our table. Portions are pretty small, so you'll need to order about 2 dishes per person. Everything was great but my favorites were the panang duo and the coconut turmeric rice. Be prepared as the food was SPICY. The cocktails were just ok. I got the achara and it was strong and a bit one dimensional. There were a couple issues with our receipt (charged for a few things we didn't order) but the manager quickly fixed it and we were on our way! Overall worth the hype!

Welp...first time visiting the new location, and it is no surprise to how Kalaya stays on top when it comes to desirable dining locations in the city. Immediately upon arrival, you are greeted by a clean and simple white/green washed building with glass door and big window sections lining the street that give you a sneak peak into what your night ahead is going to look like. Enter the building, and you are met with an energy from the busy wait staff, crowded bar, and different variations of seating all throughout the restaurant (they did not waste any space here.) It is only further amplified with big vaulted ceilings, and gorgeous decor. One thing that we thought were super cool, are their paper "chandeliers" - we weren't close enough to see what exactly was written on them, but the they were funky and unique (you'll know it when you see it.) We were promptly welcomed and guided to our table where the high level of service continued for the rest of the night. Our waiter was patient and knowledgeable; he really helped us formulate a plan for our meal and was able to provide different accommodations for my wife (vegetarian.) We were really impressed, and commented on it a couple times during dinner. The food was spectacular, and the aromas throughout the space are captivating. It is tighter seating, so odds are, you are going to get a whiff of a few different meals, which is also helpful in selecting your own dishes. The plates are authentic and inventive - if you look around, you only see wide eyes and big smiles as plates hit the table. We tried a number of dishes, which is recommended. Do not be intimidated by pricing or portions - order as much as you can because everything tastes fantastic as leftovers. We tried the following: - kanom jeeb nok: three bird-shaped dumplings with caramelized cod and preserved radish (I really liked this - it was velvety, sweet, and spicy...a light appetizer as well.) - gui chai: crispy garlic chive rice cakes with spicy sweet soy sauce (these feel like a staple - crispy outside but moist and chewy inside, and the soy sauce was a perfect for dipping.) - nua pad king: beef tenderloin with coconut cream, ginger, chilis, scallions and onions, served with jasmine rice (this was fire - perfect balance of spice and cream...this is one of those bowls where you'll want to lick it clean.) - prik king jae: wok-cooked dry red curry with crispy tofu, long beans and long hot peppers, served with jasmine rice (the long beans and hot peppers not only provided a nice kick, but also played well into giving the dish a bit more texture.) We had snagged a couple of sides as well, but if I could recommend one thing to not pass up on, it is their shaved iced dessert. You'd be hard pressed to find a heaping pile of ice as pretty as this. They serve it in a few different flavor varieties, but we chose the coconut, passion fruit, and milk chocolate route. Just one big WOW. It was refreshing, but still allowed you to meet some guilty pleasure with having dessert, all while not leaving you feeling like you over-did it with one more dish. On top of all that, we were there celebrating a special occasion, and they truly made it feel special. I left the note in our reservation hold, and they made a point to comment on it and bring a candle out with dessert. For as a big as Kalaya is getting, they still take pride and ownership in the little details, and I think that's what will keep them atop the "food chain." The last thing I'll mention that left us really impressed, was chef Suntaranon wandering around the restaurant, mingling with guests, and checking in with everyone. Just another example of the above and beyond service and approachability to the atmosphere here.